NIL DESPERANDUM Shaping The Aesthetic

Conclusions:
The key focus for the visuals is subjectivity.
I want the audience to be as close to the central character as possible, to an
almost uncomfortable extent at times.
I plan to shoot the vast majority of the film using just a 16mm lens, which
aside from providing great wide shots full of depth, gives a slightly distorted
view when used for close ups.
Symmetry within the shots can help frame the central character within his
surroundings and present him directly to the viewer.
This feeling of obscurity and distortion could be enhanced through the use of
filters such as the Lensbaby and other tilt shift lenses to contort planes of
focus.
The use of reflections will run throughout the film, in the form of mirrors,
windows and puddles. An increasingly isolated figure, having fallen off the
social ladder, Thomas is forced to question his identity as a man alone.
Influenced by the work of Bacon and Goya, empty space within the frame and
the use of darkness is also important in presenting Thomas abstraction and
fragile state of mind.
The frequent use of wide shots cutting to extreme close ups of the character
will help to shape a sense of isolation and vulnerability.
The concept for editing is to be often seamless and slow paced, in order to let
the acting shine and emotion to resonate. Likewise, when Thomas witnesses
the disturbance by the intruders, the camera and viewer stay with Thomas as
he shelters in the cupboard. We may never see the act of breaking the totems,
perhaps just its effect on Thomas, visible through a small crack in the door.

For lighting I would like to adopt a stylised realism aesthetic that though
expressing tone and distortion, still remains authentic. The use and control
of natural light will be important throughout. I plan to gradually progress
from the use of natural light to more top-lit artificial lighting as Thomas
plight continues.
In terms of colour, I plan to use a muted colour palette of faded browns, deep
blues and greying greens. These earthy tones will help blend Thomas into
his surroundings in the city; a character lost amongst the buildings.

I have also considered a bleach bypass colour grade, utilising crushed blacks
and blown out highlights.
The buildings at times dominate Thomas and tower over him, shown to be
menacing through the use of low angles.
The abandoned building which Thomas finds refuge in, could be perhaps a
factory office due to their monumental quality. The theme of nature
reclaiming these buildings should be evident in the visuals too.
The camera should at times be full of movement following Thomas through
his private world, creating a sense of authenticity, energy and spontaneity.

Character
As my short film is in an intimate character study, the visual aesthetics must revolve
around the portrayal of the individual. The character is the viewers entry point to
this story and their connection will be vital in the creation of empathy.

Bacons paintings are extremely expressive of character and emotion. Throughout

my film, the character becomes increasingly distressed and disturbed by the events
unfolding. Bacons paintings, though surreal, capture such tones of emotion through
the use of abstraction and obscurity.
This capturing of human anguish was seen over a century earlier in the work of
Spanish painter Francisco Goya and his Black Paintings. The images, created after
Goya had suffered through two serious illnesses, resonate an anxiety with life
through bleak imagery of strange figures.

Goyas painting also utilises a limited colour palette of earthy tones, to resonate a
sense of decay and reality, perhaps strange given the fantastical nature of some of
the images.

Distortion and Fragmentation Onscreen:

In 1998, John Maybury directed a biopic of Francis Bacon, in which he frequently

shot in the style of the late artists
paintings. To convey his style,
Maybury used expressive
lighting, and blurred /blended
images. The use of duplication
and separation can be used to
enhance this visual aesthetic.
But it is the use of darkness and
the empty frame that I believe will feature most strongly in my film, to portray the
turmoil and inner struggle of Thomas.
The interplay between light and
dark was also evident in Darren
Aronofskys Pi (1998), in which
the use of expressive lighting and
a shifted axis captured a distorted
mental state. In my film the
relationship between light and
dark will be vital to expressing the
characters changing mental state and fragmented mentality.

Capturing Subjectivity Through Camera Movement

In Darren Aronofskys Pi (1998) and Requiem For A Dream (2000), he captured
subjectivity through the use of a rig named the Snorricam. Strapped to the actors
chest, this rig points the lens directly back towards their face, allowing the audience
to be constantly confronted by the actors emotions and facial expressions.
Depending on the scenario, this can be very uncomfortable or emotive for the
viewer.

Though I do not intend to use the Snorricam rig itself, as a general aesthetic it is a
prime example of how camera position can create empathy within the audience. I
plan my camera to often confront the actor, following their movement and
remaining as close to them as possible throughout their plight.
Similar approaches were used by Director of Photography Emmanuel Lubezkis
work for Terrence Malicks Tree of Life (2010). A camera full of life and movement
can create a sense of authenticity, energy and emotion.

I will also where possible to try convey a sense of spontaneity with the camera
movement, by taking it off the tripod and allowing it to explore the scene (perhaps
through the use of a Movi), I allow the viewer to enter the private world of the
character and perhaps ideally, allow moments or truth or real life to creep
through.

Lens Choice
I plan to use a 16mm lens for the vast majority of the film. Such a lens is ideal for
capturing wide shots of Thomas surroundings in the city, with a fantastic depth
and quality to the image.
However when used for close ups, they can begin to slightly unnervingly distort
and disfigure the characters facial features. At times I will use even wider lens to
create a fish-eye level of distortion within the frame.

Framing Thomas World Around Him

Thomas lives in a scenario that will be alien to the average viewer, therefore
capturing his world as well as character should be vital to my considerations for the
aesthetic.

By frequently cutting between the extreme wide shots and tight close ups, I will
establish a sense of isolation and solitude. In the above shots, taken from Andrei
Tarkovskys Nostalghia (1983), the figure is often very small within the frame,
surrounding by largely empty space. Minimalism within the set will also used to
express the characters emptiness.
In these early location scouts (below), I explored how my film could present a city
that could engulf Thomas. Walls with no ceilings will be used to frame the
character, creating the sense of a labyrinthic maze that traps them inside.

The use of a wide-angle lens allows us to see how the surroundings dwarf the
character. The city becomes a character changing in its nature throughout the film.
Though Thomas knows these streets and buildings, at any given moment they can
quickly be seen as a threat and ominous through their portrayal.

Filmmaker David Lynchs photography series of Factory Buildings (example above)

is fantastic at creating such menace from buildings. The industrial setting and use of
a low angle gather a sense that this building could overwhelm a man in Thomas
position. These buildings can dominate him in a moment.
The use of darkness and contrast, too, creates a feeling of dread. Again theres an
interplay between light and dark, the shadows that are cast upon Thomas in his
isolation.

The Sanctum
Thomas finds solace in his empty building at
the films opening. For many homeless
people, abandoned properties present the
opportunity for security and safety. But for
Thomas, the building becomes a temple of
sanctity and isolation. This room to the
casual observer perhaps looks full of danger
and dread, is a place for Thomas to reflect on
his faith and life. He has taken comfort in the
shadows of the abandoned building.

Abandoned buildings such as factories through their sheer scale, share many
qualities with places of worship. In their decay, nature has started to reclaim these
industrial monuments as shown in Lynchs photograph from the same Factory series
below. Thomas takes comfort here where no one else will go. Though he becomes
lost in the shadows - the camera searches for him in the darkness.

Lighting
I plan to use progressive lighting to help tell the story of the film. Towards the
beginning of the film, when comfortable in his status quo, I will make use of natural
light wherever possible to convey the realism within the story. In Paddy
Considines Tyrannosaur (2011), soft light was used to evoke a sense of authenticity
and mundanity.

Ref 1

By progressing from this visual style to one that uses artificial lighting I can
establish my characters regression of state of mind. The application of artificial
lighting from above and the creation of shadow, as seen in Brad Andersons The
Machinist (2004), create a nightmarish quality more evocative of Thomas
breakdown.

Ref 2

The use of backlighting again brings great depth to the image, separating the
character from his backdrop.

Control of light and the avoidance of spill will be essential throughout the film,
both when using artificial lights and natural light sources. The use of negative fill
will help frame the character in his surroundings, emphasising his vulnerability. One
lighting kit that offers such qualities is the Dedolight DLH4 and the use of a lens
filter extension that allows pinpoint precession of spill. This can be used to enhance
Thomas eyes within the darkness that engulfs him.
Colour Palette

I will use a muted colour palette of earthy tones. These tones, evocative of Goyas
paintings in the 19th century convey a sense of realism and authenticity, but also
decay and perhaps, death. By visualising Thomas in this palette, he blends into his
stone surroundings, consumed by the city. Below is a brief trial of colour correcting
one of my photographs with this visual aesthetic.

Visual Motif The Use of reflections

Ref 3

In constant solitude and with his world shattering around him, Thomas is forced to
question his identity throughout the film. The use of mirrors, windows, and
reflections will be used to signify his self-doubt. Reflections can also be used to
signify distortion and obscurity of form as mentioned when discussing Love Is The
Devils expression of Bacons visual aesthetic. In the below image taken from my one
minute exercise, you can see how a dejected Thomas rests upon himself.

Directors closing thoughts on visuals:

In this film we enter the private world of an increasingly fragile mind. This
man is the story of the film and the aesthetic design of this film will replicate
this, as I aim to take the viewer increasingly close to the subject matter to
elicit an emotional response.
All elements of the cinematography (the lighting, the camera movement, the
framing) should all help convey Thomas story. The story of a man who has
nothing yet continues to fall further down the spiral. Faith has become the
knife-edge that Thomas lives his life upon. But it is all he has left. He lives
his life in a precarious position, and that is exactly where I want to place the
view.
Though there are sparing moments of beauty in the film, the lead character
seems be increasingly engulfed by the dark and the visuals should reflect this
notion. Likewise though there are what could be termed as fantastical
elements to the story, it should remained grounded in reality, both in terms
of story and visually. I am trying to a huge story on a personal level.
The cinematography and visuals are the viewers clearest entry point into the
story, and therefore it is vital that they capture its essence.