I will be creating a ~30 minute short mockumentary film (staged documentary-style) about domestic space. My film will deal specifically with someone who lives in their car, or finds themselves in an impermanent domestic space. My project description is below.
- This project will explore the way the definition of domestic space can be drastically altered situationally. So far the academic study of the domestic space has been limited to people in similar situations – that is, they all have a sustainable income, generally have a lot of responsibilities as well as the fact that they have a stationary form of domestic space. This project explores the concept of living in a non-stationary domestic space – maybe a permanent structure but its location and purpose have much less definition and stability.
- The project involves extensive hands-on experience with the filmmaking process. This includes: film treatment, storyboarding, scripting, casting, location scouting, general cinematography, postproduction editing, screening and distribution. If the film turns out well, additional screenings set to show the film will be pursued. For example, a subscription-based Netflix-style website for independent films. The project offers the promise of practicing rounded filmmaking by the end of the few months, with thoughts of continuing the same level of production in future works.
- The books that inform this project include Stealing Fire from The Gods (Bonnet 2006); it would inform the project mostly in terms of story, it would help to create a story and believable characters that matter. (My films thus far have been non-narrative, however I find that it’s always the one thing I never have a problem leaving out while I’m doing the work but will be the only aspect I wish I had focused more on after the fact.) The second book is Film School (Boman 2001) tells the story of a middle-aged ex-reporter who just wanted to try something different – so he applied to USC’s prestigious film program. This story would help to see what it’s like in the “big” film programs, but it brings humor and a little bit of zest that doesn’t come out with other manual-style books about filmmaking. The last book will help majorly with technical aspects of the project. The book deals directly with cinematography skill development. Reflections: Twenty-One Cinematographers at Work (Bergery 2002).
- A few months ago I found a good, short article on Time.com about the rise of Americans living in their cars. This served as the initial inspiration for the project, as it will be a staged documentary dealing with someone who lives in their car day to day in Olympia. The narrative structure of the project will involve a particular character who has an online job so he’s not exactly homeless and moneyless… but he’s so close he might as well be. This is definitely one of the most inspirational factors I had when trying to find something to focus the project on. The aim is to do something with domestic space that isn’t common or something discussed at length. I think I found a semi-happy medium.
- Prior to this project, work with photography helped inform the project’s method of cinematography. This opportunity to focus a lot of time on filmmaking allows practice in a career aim… this is obviously the only medium that I would want to/try to use. Although it might be nice to use actual film video cameras, with all the new digital equipment out there it seems like a waste to not take advantage of it.
- Devoting an entire quarter to the one thing I came to school to do and study is a dream come true for both my happiness as well as overall motivation. My final body of work will include a variety of pre-production materials and a short or feature-length film. My goal is to make a 30 minute short film. My current ideas allow for a longer timeframe but I need some serious help when thinking about how to make an hour and a half film interesting all the way through. It’ll be a challenge but that’s what I’m looking for this quarter.