Tutorial Notes and Thoughts 18/03/24

Notes on WIP 3

(Referring to myself and work in second person just for ease)

Try instead to build up the sequence in a linear/chronological way. You’re cutting to quickly between shots and introducing ‘action’ too early on.

Try keeping the ‘membrane’ sections together, don’t cut forwads and back as it gives to much away.

Try starting with ‘spider’ dance as the singular figure, and build into the mass. These spider movements talk to the membrane shots from the movements, so these together work.

Reveal of the membrane intercut with the critter. Start in the abstract a bit more so that it’s slowly revealed.

When the figures come out, stick with tight shots, don’t move the camera away as this releases the tension and discomfort. You want to keep building this. Focus on upclose body shots.

Develop the membrane birth sequence more. Let it build, don’t be scared to hold on shots, this will help tension develop.

Slow footage and manipulate to play up the emergence of these creepy, insecty figures.

Experiment with running shots forward and backwards, lean into the image manipulation. You won’t break the film if you push it’s boundaries.

Have a go at running it chronologically and then see if you can disrupt it.

Taking ideas from your readings of Le Guin and Kristeva, focus in on these ideas about yin that Le Guin writes about: [insert photo of quote]. You’ve named it ‘The Descent’ and there’s all these ideas about darkness, going inward, going to ground etc. so focus on that. As well as Kristeva’s ideas about abjection, of the womb being this abject space, this void etc.

Reverse membrane shots?

Allow the shots to breathe, longer shots, hold on them.

Push the ambiguity more, it can be abstract while still playing with the narrative, just need to figure out the balance.