Dance Film - Edit

I always start every editing process going back over the original idea of what I wanted to achieve from the start with the film as a refresh and keep the goal in mind. Myself and Grace wanted to make a film that depicts our experiences, struggles, and frustrations with others stereotyping us into all the different kinds of offensive LGBT stereotypes. To also show how these narrow views are then forced onto us and how this can then change our perception of ourselves. Also and an unexpected problem arose with how myself and Grace like to work, Where I like to have a sound piece and then editing to it where Grace likes to have an edit in which she can create a sound piece for. We ended up finding a pre existing instrumental online and got permission form the creator to use and then Grace edited it down and tweaked it for me to edit too. From this I then reviewed the footage and shot plan to find shots that fit, or I could manipulate to fit, this message in an edit. Then I dove right in. 

STRUCTURE

Screenshot of After Effects Timeline

The structure of the piece I took from our original cycle idea, as it is still a reverent statement to how we experience the cycle of stereotyping and self doubt. So I structured the piece into five sections; 1 and 3 are the same  and 2 and 4 are the same, then 5 is the ending. to have this repetition. So the film isn't lazy and boring I re edited sections 3 and 4 so they were the same but with tweaks. This also re enforces the core of the film and how stereotyping can change our own self image. I also kept the beginning and end as abrupt as I could for two reasons. One, I wanted to make you uncomfortable and almost as if its wrong. This is becuase thats exactly how I feel when someone makes board and untrue assumptions about me based on my sexuality. Two, I wanted it to feel like a break in the cycle as in all honestly all I want is for it too break, I guess it represents a personal goal, to be able to not let outside opinions make me doubt myself. 

DANCE ASPECTS

Screenshot of Abrupt Conclusions & The Effects

Screenshot of Abrupt Conclusions & The Effects

As this is Dance Film , its time for dance. For this we wanted to focus on body movements and what the body is saying (this is also outlined better in the research post), and I made sure to try use the shots where it was obvious that the hands were not touching the face as this links into the lack of physicality that stereotyping has. In regards to the edit I tried to keep this essence. I kept the live performed dance very simple as I wanted it to speak for itself but added into to highlighted this lack of physicality, I've edited together pictures of the hand movements with a technique called Interpolation (shown in the second picture). Its a simple technique that in which you frame blend a JPEG sequence. This is a technique I use a lot in film as I just really like it and I find it effective in a multitude of ways. But in this instance I used it to enhance the performed dance> I feel I've done it well as it is different enough from the performed that it keeps the piece visually interesting but similar enough that it boosts it. I personally think I've handled the message of the body well in the piece, the only thing I could say is to use it more. 

SUBTITLES

Screenshot of Abrupt Conclusions & The Effects

Throughout the film I've dotted subtitles in Korean, Spanish, Norwegian, and Japanese. I did this because I wanted a way to  demonstrate 2 things. One, I wanted to have the subtitles unreadable to most audiences in some way so as a way to re enforce that these experiences aren't the audiences. Its mine and graces. Two,  a way to represent that becuase stereotyping is such common place in how me live our lives and perceive people, its often just ignored, so I wanted a way to show this avoidance and dismissal of it. I chose the above mentioned languages becuase I know people who speak each of the languages so I could get authentic quotes. All of the subtitles are queer slurs. I feel I've managed to achieve what I've set out to do with the subtitles.

MASKING

Screenshot of Abrupt Conclusions & The Effects

Screenshot of Abrupt Conclusions & The Effects

In the latter half of the piece I use a lot of masking techniques, revolving around the face, or reflections. I achieved this through creating the desired mask and then using the tracker tool to create the keyframes and mask pathing options. I chose to do this to enforce the sense of self reflection and self doubt. I chose to do it in a way of taking reflections of ourselves and replacing our faces as a abstract way to represent body dysphoria and doubt towards ones identity. The warp effect commonly used in the masks was created by myself by smearing paint together, photographing it, then using a turbulent displace on it to give it some animation. I chose this as a visual representation of the fluidity of gender and sexuality. 

SHADOWS

Screenshot of Abrupt Conclusions & The Effects

Finally, In the film there are multiple shots that are obscured with shadows of different forms. I chose to incorporate this into the shooting and and editing to create a similar effect to the subtitles and masking, in how they obscure the subject. But during shooting I planed that the shadows would also frame the subject. I wanted this juxtaposition because, I find that it is a perfect analogy to stereotyping as the hands are blocking part of the subject yet making you focus on one small aspect of them. I think in the film the shadows work well to create this and also to play with composition and keep the piece visually interesting. In reflection I wish I had planned more shots in which the shadows were sues during shooting becuase they do look better compared to the editing ones I've created. 

Overall I Think the edit went well and I was able to create a film that portrayed the meaning myself and Grace wanted to convey in this film. the only thing I feel could have come better would be time management as I feel I didn't have enough time to create the exact film I wanted but what I've managed to do I am prod of and happy with.