The Full Story
The Roof
A 10 minute fiction short film with myself as director of photogtaphy. Read on to find out more about the research and prep that went into designing the cinematography of this short film.
The Vision
From my research I decided on certain key elements for the first act of the film:
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I wanted to start off with a lot of static shots.
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The camera is still mirroring Adil’s state of mind, he’s depressed, and he has no energy.
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The use of motivated light was important, coming from natural sources.
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Warm lighting to look like sunset/golden hour. It's late in the day when he is only just waking up.
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Close up shots of cigarettes and empty bottles to get a feel for the scale of his destructiveness.
The Vision
Moving into the second and third act of the film:
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I wanted to use shaky, handheld camera as we see Adil spiralling and falling down a destructive path.
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Paired with close up, claustrophobic shots of Adil with a deep depth of field I also wanted to include wider shots where Adil is framed by the rooms and walls that surround him
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I believed that this would show how he is both trapped within his own mind but also by the world around him: his brother and his dad.
The Vision
​For the final act of the film, the roof, the story reaches its climax:
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During the altercation between the two brothers the camera stays close to them expressing their aggression through the camera.
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Lights from the other buildings are blurred in the background to get a sense of the world around them and the pressures that surround them.
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But ultimately we are focused on them. The crux of the film is Adil's internal struggle.
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Then we end with a wide shot on the roof, Adil’s silhouette looking out over the city. He is centre frame, finally sure of himself.
Storyboards
