By Amelia Wilkinson, Clara Cheri & Saskia Velcek
The Wedding Bell Hues
People get married for different reasons. Sometimes it’s for love, sometimes for convenience, and sometimes for reasons that blur the lines between the two. In the delicate dance of life, decisions are often made that reshape our lives in ways we never anticipated.
For Shelly and Max, things are complicated. Max has always harboured a deep, unspoken love for Shelly, watching her navigate the ups and downs of life from the sidelines, ever the loyal friend. When Shelly receives unexpected news and finds herself abandoned by her boyfriend, Max makes a selfless offer.
For our final movie, we aimed to create a light, slightly awkward film that would draw the audience into the story and foster a personal connection with the characters’ relationships. To enhance the film’s style, we opted for an 80s-inspired set and costume design, which added a unique, nostalgic aesthetic. We crafted three distinct tableau shots, arranging elements within the frame to imitate famous artworks. These included “Christina’s World” by Andrew Wyeth, “The Wedding Dress” by Frederick Elwell, and “The Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo. We also played with natural lighting, further enhancing the visual impact through careful color grading. This collaborative process helped us create a film that was both visually captivating and emotionally engaging. The intimate nature of our small group of three members allowed us to focus closely on these artistic details.
Open communication was the cornerstone of our collaboration, ensuring that each person’s creative input was heard and valued, which was particularly important in our small group. We each contributed significantly, bringing our unique skill sets to the table, including sound design, direction, cinematography, and graphic design. This diversity of expertise enriched our project and allowed us to cover all aspects of the filmmaking process, from pre-production to production day and post-production. Overall, it was an extremely positive experience that showcased the power of effective teamwork and collective creativity.