Vanity - My 2nd Semester Film

The semester's coming to a close and I suppose now would be an alright time to reflect on my 2nd semester film, which I tiled 'Vanity'.

I can say I'm rather disappointed in myself with this project. I got my brain all wrapped around the idea of doing an environmental piece over Christmas. And although the final project has a much more solid concept than my original proposal, I still can't help to think that it fell short of delivering anything decisive.

The shoot was short, sweet and easy (something I have come to not expect at all, from any shoot, ever). With the help of two fellow film students over a weekend, I was finished. I can say I'm quite pleased with my photography. I shot all of the colour footage in my kitchen. I decided since I refused a light kit last semester and loathed myself for it (lit my bedroom with like... 7 IKEA lamps instead), I decided to haul a three point ARRI kit home. I actually had a great time lighting it, I wouldn't go without a light kit again.

This was my first attempt shooting on black and white. With the original intention of hand developing, I chose to shoot on black and white reversal. With the tip that the 85 filter would help bring out some cloud contrast, I used that to my advantage.  My disappointment with the black and white reel, however, was that some shots were too underexposed (as you will see), a few so much so they could not be used. The use of the negative print was a decision I made once I saw how fantastic some of it turned out. It took some trial and error to figure out how it would be assembled, but in the end, I think it is an effective closing - however aesthetically motivated the decision was.

Anyways, I suppose I should explain my motives to make this. Ever since moving to Vancouver and doing things like volunteering at the Vancouver Aquarium, I've become much more aware of environmental issues in general. Moving from small town, middle of Alberta to huge city sitting on the edge of the Pacific brought many issues to the forefront. I made it a priority to compost, recycle and be extraordinarily mindful of products I buy and use on a daily basis. As I continued these acts, however, I realized that no progress was being made. Some people make it more of a priority, others pay no mind to it. I learned of all the shortcuts the large corporations were taking around environmental problems. A handful of individuals are bailing water out of a ship of millions, filled with holes.

Basically, I made this film to illustrate the redundancies in the environmentalism movement. I can recycle everything for the rest of my life and it seems that that wouldn't help anything. My realization of this has sort of manifested itself in a sort of back of my brain constant madness/frustration. We're in too deep to beat around the bush. The facts have been presented in every possible way - it's horrifying to think about... and yet, the problem persists more than ever. It exists on such a broad scale that it's difficult to comprehend - the global ramifications hard to see when it's so expertly swept under the carpet. It's a similar frustration I feel when it comes to other over-sized, deeply engrained issues such as politics and media. Things that often result in the realization of futility and the inability to truly change what was set in motion long before I was born.


Vanity from Laurel Brown on Vimeo.

On Tumblr.

I took exerpts from The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, The Human, the Orchid and the Octopus by Jaques Cousteau and Silent Spring by Susan Carson. The narration was, once again, done by myself. I should have made it more of a priority to find another individual with, perhaps, a more authentic voice. The sound I used was a combination of Keneda by Geinoh Yamahirogumi from the Akira original soundtrack, Wounded Animals by Vangelis from the Blade Runner (LE) soundtrack and The Amazon Rainforest Part III from The Sounds of the Rainforest.

My problems with this film lie mostly in the fact that my vision was never that strong, nor was it every very clear. The issue I was addressing was large and overbearing, my presentation was lacklustre. It's an extremely important topic, and although I learned a great deal from the background research I did, it seems I failed to convey any specific feeling at the close.

The feedback I received post-screening was generally positive. It generated some good discussion points, but nothing outstanding. The fact that I have rudimentary skills at threading the Eiki projector and the fact that it kept skipping horribly on splices didn't help my nerves much that morning. Post-inspection of my film brought to attention sprockets that were missing entirely and some haggard looking splices. Since then, it has been respliced, but still skips occasionally (which you will see in the video).

You can take a gander at my previous film and subsequent reflection here. Or if you're on Tumblr, check it here.

In still film related news: if you live in the Vancouver area, the SFU first year film student screening is on April 6th at 7pm in the Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema at the SFU Woodwards building. I highly recommend it if you're up for an evening of some truly fantastic and unique 16mm films.

Also also also: my friend, classmate and fantastic filmmaker Aerlan Barrett guest posted an absolutely fantastic guide to the wonderful world of the Bolex over at Sad Hill Cemetery!