Project proposal1025
What are you working on now?
I wrote a short film script titled Inside Triangle. It is a comedy style dialogue happened between family members: the father, mother and daughter Mandy. The story is about the mean arguments inside the car between them.
Also I am doing the plans for another short film which about inside the bedroom. For this one I want to try more improvisation (just like those random talk in porn), not even necessary to write the dialogue but to interact with the actor.
What are you thinking of making?
I want to make a series for 3 episodes about the boring dialogues between people. It will be shown on the 3 screens in the same time.
The part 1 is “Inside mirror”, it would be a monologue performance in front of mirror featured with the voiceover of a young girl’s opinion towards others and life. The performance would be the girl’s routine in front of the mirror, such as: makeup, match her clothes, dancing, observing her own face, talking to herself… etc. She has her own struggle happened in mind which makes the content of voiceover in a sense of harsh and pain, and she made her own balance on a high level of narcissism and self-hatred in the same time to let the emotions go.
The part 2 “Inside bedroom” would be the dialogue between the man and woman. The situation is these two people match with each other on online dating application, the woman invites the man over and they talk about each other and try to build the trust and seduction. It is more improvised than scripted and I will be the actress in this one so I will take control of the dialogue.
The part 3 has the same structure as the second. It would be around 10 minutes and I have finished the script. The storyline relied on a long comedy style dialogue and the only scene is inside the car. I think I will shoot this part at the latest because I have not made my mind up and need more inspiration for this one.
To sum up, I would call this project “boring dialogue on-screen practice”. Also I think it is a development of my screenwriting skill because I put all the dramas in a mono scene and the dialogue they say in the situation are the only thing that actually happened.
How do you plan to make it?
Inside mirror: 1. Write the voiceover content 2. Find an good actress and rehearsal 3. Setting up the studio with a mirror and few lights as well as the props. 4. Shooting within 1 day 5. Post production
Inside bedroom: 1. Get a guy actor and rehearsal 2. Shoot in my bedroom 3. Post production
Inside triangle
The script of Inside Triangle is done. However I am not satisfied with the plans I made before. I need more time to figure it out.
Why do you want to make it?
Inside Mirror: Mirror is the only object that makes most of the people connect with themselves, also people try to fix their character by looking at the mirror. We always see ourselves in a 2D version throughout the mirror and we never know how does the objective world perceive us. On Youtube if searched ”get ready with me” or “my morning routine”, there are numerous Internet characters doing the same topic video and get crazy amount of views. So I thought about why people are so obsessed with those boring daily life topic? How about to project that on an artistic video but just to let the main character does her routine and slow down? Also I’ll write an edgy story as the core of this monologue and express my personal opinions throughout her storytelling. I like to watch people and focus on human emotions and the true intention behind their behaviors and dialogues.
Inside bedroom: Sex could be a powerful tool as human being manipulate over another, and in this dialogue I would write down how the man try to seduce the woman to have sex and the woman play the coy role in order to not lose the game. I think it is also a metaphor of my cognition of man and woman sexual psychology.
As I slowly push the project, I revised my thoughts again and again. So I guess there will be some changes later on.
Also I wonder if I make the rough, boring, home video quality film, can it be interesting? What makes the boring stuff interesting? What if slow down the footages and see how people react with each other?
Who can help you and how?
I will discuss some practical method with tutors. Also I will ask for opinions from my classmates. And I need a photographer and an assistant.
Relation to previous practice
My previous project Fresh to Decay used the founding footages to illustrate my background voiceover. Technically there are not much relation between my previous project and the final project, although they are all experimental films and individual. In a style sense, both of them I like to use a humorous way to express some negative opinions. I build up my style there.
Relation to a larger context
Thesis Intention
After watching a talk on “slow TV” by Thomas Hellum who designed the documentary “Bergen-Oslo Train Real Time”, I was impressed by the statement “Boring is addictive”. Sitcoms are boring as well, usually structured in only one scene and the 6 main sarcastic characters pushed all the dramas happen. I still not sure but maybe I will write something about the relation between boredom and my project.
References
Key text:
Thomas Hellum: The world’s most boring television and why it’s hilariously addictive
Lisa Steele: I will still make boring art
Cynthia Freeland: Art Theory A Very Short Introduction
(I will add more text references later, in the following are the films and videos that influence my thoughts.)
Video List:
“Bergen-Oslo Train Real Time” Carnage Festen 12 Angry Man Dogville Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?
(Again: I’ll add more)