I have just finished my latest short movie, its called 'Decision Time.'
I had the idea for this a few months ago, it was one of several ideas for shorts I planned to enter into the Depict short film competition. I ended up running out of time and this was the only one I had a chance of entering as I left it until deadline day.
I shot the film, still planning to enter the competition but as soon as I got it into the editor and saw the length of the opening scene, I abandoned the film competition, as I didn't fancy another hyper hatchet job panic session, like I had with 'Men of Convention.'
I thought it better just to make the movie with more freedom, rather than squeezing it into the 90 second restriction of the Depict competition.
If I had known that I wasn't going to be shooting this for Depict, then I would have added more scenes but cut them all shorter. I also would have delivered the lines again and spent a bit more time on the camera angles, but overall, as seeing as it was all done in one day, and improvised on the spot, I'm quite pleased with it. And as you all should know by now, as soon as you see those words on the screen 'a Zayd Depaor film', you know you will be seeing something stylish, different or meaningful. See what you think and do let me know.
HELLO ZAYD!! UNA MARAVILLA DE PELÍCULA. EXCELENTE COMPOSICIÓN DE FOTOGRAFÍA TAMBIÉN.. SHOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW MY FRIEND.. FELICITACIONES.. UN GRANDE ABRAZO.. CARIÑOS..
ReplyDeleteGracias Angélica. Estoy contento de que los ojos de la fotografía artística apreciar lo que vieron
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ReplyDeleteMy interpretation: we spend an awful lot of time and effort deliberating trivial decisions of which the consequences, in the end, aren't that profound. There are more important things to spend such a tremendous amount of energy on. And indecisive people tend to exaggerate.
ReplyDeleteI liked that you switched to black and white while the main character was contemplating what to do; to me, it seemed to suggest that there was only one thought in mind with two solutions, yes or no, with all the grey of weighing up the odds and confusion between. Following the eerie knife wielding scene in which his expression was hidden from the viewer (which seemed like a form of dissociation from the viewer, who had followed his outward anxiety until then, to create a sense of dissonance), the blurred effect and reintroduction of colours when the protagonist was coming out of his own world of thought and back to reality was striking; it seemed to suggest his mind was still in a certain state of turmoil, though the gradual increase of clarity seemed to suggest resolution. After some desperation (the knife), he had laid down, seemed calmer and appeared to almost accept his fate... to agree to having pizza. I did not miss the humourous element, of course, but, as I'm a very indecisive person myself, I couldn't help drawing this interpretation.
Anyway, nicely done in such a small amount of time. The music preserved some dynamism during the long solitary scenes of reflection, though it got a little repetitive (however that could be considered to reflect the repetitive nature of his thoughts). Oh, and I was glad that I couldn't see the reflection of the camera in the vase, lol, though a person sitting on the sofa or a chair could be observed (which you accounted for, I'm sure). Oh, one other thing; when the character was sitting on the chair (around 01:36), the door was slightly ajar behind him; was that intended? The curtains were drawn, so the door seemed to represent the idea of possibility to me (you know, if a window is closed, a door opens elsewhere, etc,), but he had his back to it and was focussed on a middle distance as though he was denying that possibility.
Thank you for watching Kimi and an interesting in depth analysis of the symbols in the film from you.
ReplyDeleteIndeed we waste a lot of time on decisions not worthy of it, an excellent point you have drawn out there.
An very sharp metaphor you have drawn about the switch to black and white. There is another symbol in that, although we say 'black and white' it is really (as you mentioned) black, white and many shades of grey. So with that in mind, some decisions which at first seem a simple clear choice end up having many layers of consequences and details beyond the initial apparent reality or the originally socially programmed expectations.
The black and white can also represent the unseen dimensions of the mind and soul, as the mind, thoughts, consciousness and decision making processes from a physical and psychological perspective are only partially understood and beyond observation. In black and white the true colours can only be partially recognised, in shades, textures and tones.
The knife scene possesses many symbols, a decision can cut reality like a knife, a decision choice can be blunt on one side and sharp on the other, decisions can possess an effectiveness drawing to a critical point, decisions can also be life and death issues, decisions that affect us can be detached from the identities that make them. Also the events surrounding the knife seen remain ambiguous, we don't know what happened before the subject lay down.
Indeed the blurred later scene can possess the meanings you said and it can also symbolize communications and interactions emanating from unclear individuals.
It could also suggest the satisfaction and tranquillity obtained after a violent retribution. He may have just in fact have been chopping the salad and be pleased the task is complete.
Like you said, deliberating before a decision can be a repetitive process. I would however, have shot more scenes and all shorter if I thought I had the time.
As time progresses both in a micro and macro period, wisdom and revelation of detail can make decisions easier or even more difficult, but nevertheless based on more knowledge and a wider scope. So fluctuations of clarity and closeness to the subject and wide angle can allude that.
Concerning the vase, I'll let you in to a little secret. When I filmed I didn't even think about camera reflection, but I'm pleased it didn't show! There are many meanings to be drawn from reflected light and gradual emergence of individuals on decorative surfaces. One of these is that the pursuit of luxuries can obscure our true and original identity but can also be an exact manifestation of it.
The placement of the vase is also significant, you will notice it starts on the right, at one stage is moved to the left and finally returns to the right. This has a spiritual and a psychological meaning.
The door being ajar, behind the subject as he decides: One possible meaning is that opportunities and ways out remain behind as we become occupied with the present. Also that choices exist from places we do not perceive due to out chosen area of focus. There are other meanings in the objects visible also.
The curtains being drawn can represent obstacles to guidance but also protection from harm as well as concealment of secretive activity or secretive individuals.
The final scene integrated with the end credits again is without colour and clarity, absence of focus. This can represent the unknown state of individuals in death on a personal level. On a conceptual level it can represent the unknown or obscure path of decisions after they have been made, they gradually fade or diffuse into the matrix of continuous and interrelated human decision making and their social, personal and societal after effects.
NOTE: Due to the ambiguous and symbolic nature of this film, it is possible that the apparent joke of 'pizza' is in fact itself misleading, as we have no knowledge of whether 'pizza' means pizza or is code for something else.