Old Sole – Real to Reel
From my studio, a work that I engaged with was Old Sole, a film by Chiara and Tallulah. A key idea that I thought was expressed well in this documentary was using observation filming techniques in just watching what happens when shooting a setting in its entirety to capture not just the little details that happens in Mattia’s work day which the viewers may be unfamiliar with, but also it humanised the setting where to Mattia, it is a place for him to continue working on his passion. This documentary also captured the spontaneity of Mattia revealing himself and expressing his own thoughts and concerns with his career and the future of it as in the first half the video, it kept the diegetic sounds to add depth in showing off traditional craft and trade of Mattia’s in repairing shoes as well as his concerns about a sustainable future. Afterwards it then changed to a more upbeat and happy tone where it transitioned to Mattia talking more about his family in generations of the cobbler trade. These sequences even the build up to them in the documentary was playful in the chronological order of events where it had contrasts with the old or older being the long history of the cobbler trade and Mattia’s family and relating it to the future in the sustainability for shoes and the future career of Mattia’s son and Mattia’s thoughts on him continuing or discontinuing the family’s legacy of being a cobbler.
Life Of The Funeral – Real to Reel
Another work from my studio that I watched in depth for the reflection task was Life of the Funeral by Dylan. This documentary was about Erin’s thoughts and reflection of having a career as an embalmer and mortician. The interview structure was engaging and creative in that it encapsulated the mysterious and suspenseful tone which was used throughout the documentary. This suspense is also utilised in the hook being at the very start where it elicits curiosity from the viewers perspective in wondering what is this job that Erin really wanted that they finally got. Since it would have been very difficult and almost unethical to show the type of work that Erin does for a living, I thought the poetic mode of documentary used by Dylan was great in capturing shots that matched with the underlying suspenseful type of music used throughout to paint an overall picture with emotions and reflection of Erin and her thoughts. Dylan’s use of observational filming and recording Erin working from home as well as the surroundings of where she lives was effective in that these shots worked and made sense and logic with what Erin was talking about. Another important element in this work which really enhanced it was the sound design. Despite the tone of music being relatively consistent, it was also dynamic in that it heightened the intensity and disturbing aspect of being in the same room as people who have passed away as well as the possibility of spirits and ghosts after death and being around Erin as she works.
As Blue As The Ocean – Thinking With Pictures
Outside of Real to Reel, a work that I engaged with was Ahrin Tapat’s essay film titled As Blue as the Ocean for the studio Thinking with Pictures. Drawing upon abstract meanings and associations in nature,natural elements or themes is another idea or concept I thought that was communicated in the film. In this case it is the ocean being apart of our daily life and even our dreams. A key idea that I think Ahrin communicated and implemented into this essay film in relation to his studio was the consistency and variation in visuals across the film. Different hues and saturations of blue are used throughout which represent different time periods in life from transitioning from a child to becoming an adult. I thought in particular the almost teal colours used represented nostalgia and remembering moments of being a child and young. The dark blues similar to a deep ocean blue to me represented conflict or difficult times and challenges that occur when growing up. Towards the second half of the film, these blues were used together which may represent the present it that even though there are challenging times, there are also memorable moments that are experienced as well.