The Long Lens
The Long Lens
This latest issue of The Long Lens has felt like a labour of love, having taken half an academic year to put together I hope you think it is worth the wait with content covering some of the biggest releases of the last few months. We have also had some brilliant college events in the film studies department and one highlight was most definitely our whole day with the nicest man in the film industry, Thomas Hardiman Getting to spend so much time with a working film director was a real treat and he couldn't have been more generous with his time and insights into getting into the industry.
As summer approaches we are already looking forward to more events and visits from working filmmakers next year.
We would really like to encourage our readers to consider writing for us. We are very flexible about content and it can even be across other media such as music, video games, graphic novels, television and magazines.
If you would like to submit an article to The Long Lens then just drop us an email with your idea to thelonglens@longroad
FEATURED ARTICLES
Meeting The Director by Andrea Joyce
2023 Film Conference by Sophie Smith
Do The Right Thing by Lilly Coombs
New York by Sophie Smith
The Power of Creativity by Andrea Joyce
MEETING THE DIRECTOR
THOMAS HARDIMAN
BY ANDREA JOYCE
“Surprise is a massive part of cinema” - director, Thomas Hardiman, shared numerous fascinating insights into filmmaking on a hot, sunny Monday.
It isn’t often you get to meet a real-life film director, let alone spend a whole day hanging out with them asking them numerous questions. Thomas Hardiman came to Long Road Sixth Form College and spoke to a mixture of film, media and applied media students about life as a filmmaker and his own journey to directing his first feature length film, Medusa Deluxe.
Hardiman went to art school and started off making sets for early morning Saturday kids TV “They realised I could actually build really well so I worked insane hours and ended up doing all the build work. I realised it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I went into production and just saved all the money I could to make my first short ” A love story about a love of carpets, Radical Hardcore, can be seen here https://www somesuch co/123 What followed was around 5 years of hard graft on adverts and music videos whe Hardiman learnt the craft of working on sets and t importance, for him, of planning methodically He talked abo keeping his sets small, friendly and having a collegia approach. When asked what was the biggest thing he’s lea about filmmaking Hardiman talked about problem solving the go and how vital it is to be able to think quickly a creatively when challenges arise on set. Getting thrown their location during a Wallmart commercial was definitely o of those challenges
When talking about challenges Hardiman categorises directors into three types, the ones who love chaos, the ones who can clearly see what they want to shoot beforehand and are methodical about things, and those who sit between those two extremes. 90% is planning.
THOMAS HARDIMAN
Prior to the screening of Medusa Deluxe Hardiman talked about having a hit list of things he wanted to try out when he started the film. Shot in just 9 days, the film took 3 weeks to rehearse Hardiman talked about the role of producers and his team to make things happen, it apparently took 8 weeks to get permission to use a road in Preston. Hardiman praised Preston Town Council who he said were amazing and did so much to help get the film made. When asked about the aspect ratio, Hardiman talked about how filming in 4:3 aspect ratio was important because “I like being close to people I was also inspired by my nieces interest in make up and hairdressing, they would watch tutorial videos on YouTube. The continuous shot was informed by YouTube videos where people are just filming themselves walking around their bedroom telling you what they think about certain make up. ” This deconstruction of the murder mystery genre is gripping and insightful and although around 100 people were on location, Hardiman always tried to keep the sets minimal He also believes in the importance of research, he spent a lot of time in the hairdressers as a child when his Mum would take him to the salon with her, each week.
He also worked alongside expert hairdressers in the creation of this film Hardiman said “ we started with the hair”, the colours in the elaborate hair designs informed the colour palette and overall aesthetic of the film. When asked what comes next for him, and for film as a whole, Hardiman expressed that “Cinema is changing, audiences have a wider frame of reference than ever before, it is harder to come up with new things You get your classic cinema tropes but you get there in a different way, this fascinates me, especially at the moment ” Watch this space for what comes next from this talented, and insanely lovely, filmmaker
Medusa Deluxe is showing in cinemas across the country now.
TALKING ABOUT FILM TALKING ABOUT FILM THE 2023 FILM CONFERENCE THE 2023 FILM CONFERENCE
by Sophie Smith
A few months ago I was lucky enough to attend the film conference hosted by Long Road and interview the three lovely speakers. Each guest had their own unique area of interest to talk to us about, and all three were incredibly passionate For instance, Hannah Hamad, a professor at Cardiff University and ex teacher and student at Long Road, explained gender and race dynamics in the media, using Disney movies as examples. Another speaker, Tanya Horeck (who taught our own film teacher Andrea Joyce) talked about the importance of intimacy coordinators in modern filmmaking, and how studios should be turning towards a consent-based production culture And lastly, we heard from Geraint D'Arcy, who came to talk to us about sci-fi, using his background in production design to show how futuristic motifs can be made within film. They were very welcoming to me and kindly answered my questions before the conference began:
What's a piece of media that really affected the research you ended up undertaking?
Thelma and Louis. It was the first time I really thought about film in relation to politics and gender.
-Hamad
The Australian sci-fi show Farscape really helped me get into sci-fi as a genre.
-D'Arcy
What was the moment that you realised film was the area you wanted to work in?
Reading about feminist film theory made me feel impassioned and made me think more about representations of gender.
-Hamad
The first time I ever felt truly excited about my job was when I was teaching film to a room of students. I was so happy to talk to them.
-Horeck
I wanted to challenge the opionions surrounding the sci-fi genre and prove that it is more than people think it is.
-D'Arcy
Did you always know that the film industry is what you wanted to specialise in?
Since learning about film at Long Road in the 90s, I just haven't been able to let it go.
-Hamad
No I didn't know. Instead I transitioned slowly from theatre into film. I was teaching production design and after a lesson some film students came to talk to me and sparked my interest
-D'Arcy
What's a project you are currently working on?
I've been looking into cultural history and how that intersects with feminism, continuing my current work.
-Hamad
I'm looking further into the intimacy side of filmmaking, trying to educate more on the subject.
-Horeck
What kind of people work as intimacy directors?
Intimacy coordinators are often ex-actors or people already involved within the industry. It is currently a field dominated by white middle class women, but steps are being taken to diversify the group such as a push for trans workers to take on this role
-Horeck
Are practical effects still important in modern film making?
There will always be room for practical effects especially within sci-fi Processes like set dressing help to give realism to films and I don't believe practical techniques are dying out. The challenge now is how to seamlessly blend practical work with special effects
-D'Arcy
What are some interesting statistics about women and people of colour in film?
Despite the fact that 52% of people who went to the cinema in 2016 were women, the same year only 18% of directors were. We see a similar trend when looking at the percentage of people of colour who watch films (around 59%) vs the amount of actors who are people of colour on our screens (only 20%)
-Hamad
What's something you would tell people who are interested in film?
'Watch as much as possible!' 'Be curious ' Keep a film diary and write about the films that interest you ' 'Don't judge films on what your friends say- make your own opinions.' 'Enjoy talking about films.'
-From all three speakers
How do you get a job in film?
Get a degree with any of the people speaking today!
-Andrea Joyce
'Immerse yourself in the world.' 'Work experience is super important.' 'Start networking.' 'Take all available opportunities ' 'If you want to be a camera person, be a camera person- make films, work on practical pieces of work.' 'Work in a cinema.' 'Driving! It is super important to get to meetings on time ' 'Show up and get the experience '
-From all three speakers
If you were able to join in and watch the film conference yourself I'm sure you would agree that the speakers were incredible to listen to and gave great advice for any film or media student. It was so kind of them to take the time to talk to me and answer my and other peoples questions in as much depth as they did. Hopefully, in the next academic year, we will see more events like this take place.
DO THE RIGHT THING DO THE RIGHT THING THE CHALLENGES
OF THE CHALLENGES OF PRACTICAL WORK PRACTICAL WORK
by Lily Coombs
In the second half of our Year 1 spring term, our class took part in a practical task. The task involved each group being assigned a specific role in order to create a recreation of the “Pizzeria Scene” in the film we were studying “Do the right thing”.
I was the assistant director for our practical task, I was very happy in receiving this role as I had many ideas of what props and camera angles we could use to make our adaptation as faithful to the original. I believe that I carried out my role very well, I remained very organised throughout the process including tasks such as setting a clear prop list and block diagram. I also had both the updated written script and shooting script well analysed and on hand This scene is a pivotal moment in the first act of the film through the actors use of vocal and physical skills such as body language and tone of voice, I made sure that when directing the actors, that they ensured to think about their characters reaction to each interaction they had and to ensure they were aware of their characters own personal vocal and physical skills.
This is a scan from my blocking and set plan for my group- this helped us set up our space accurately and be aware of where each character was moving.
I believe that I worked well within the team and we all worked hard and well together. I learnt a lot about listening to the other people within my technical team, and how this is important for us all to communicate well and decide if we are happy with each of the shots I also learnt about the importance of using the camera board, as before I found it intriguing as it made me feel as though I was on a real movie set, However I found that it also helps everyone both in front and behind the camera know when to be ready and to begin, as before this every element of the process would be springing into action at different moments, this helped keep us precise and utilize our time better.
Further on however I found editing to be a challenging experience as I was unsure about certain aspects. However once I bega understand the process it became smoother as understood how to add in s and cut them down to my liking I stru with certain scenes as I didn’t realise many jumpy cuts we had made during film found compiling the videos into order easier than expected, however I did str with matching up the sound files and de to not include the sound collected b microphone but by the camera instead enjoyed adding my own personal touche my final film, such as an orange coloure over the videos, to pay homage to spike use of this in the actual film to replicat heat (tension) rising in the film
time I partake in practical work I am g to utilize the performance time we given a lot more. This is due to my having the tendency to get distracted every take which meant that we had to rush in the final 40 minutes of our I will definitely take this onboard as epare to film in the summer term and e that I do further planning for rsals, shot order and the final shoot I also plan on furthering my editing to e that my sound in my summer film can a higher level and ensure that my final of a high quality. I believe that this cal was really beneficial for me as the ourse continues and was a lot of fun!
NEW YORK NEW YORK
SO GOOD THEY NAMED IT TWICE SO GOOD THEY NAMED IT TWICE
NEW YORK NEW YORK
by Sophie Smith
After being pushed back a year due to Covid, the Long Road trip to New York was back on, now with additional spaces available for first-year students. The choice to go on this trip was one of the best decisions I have made as it was an incredible and unforgettable experience. Over the week we visited museums like MoMA, and famous buildings like the Rockeffela centre and ate a wide variety of American food as well as learning more about film
Day 01
The flight took 6 and a half hours which gave me plenty of time to enjoy the in-flight entertainment After watching Triangle of Sadness, Pearl and a few episodes of The Act we landed in JFK. Slightly dead on our feet we stumbled to a diner to eat at before going back to our YMCA to sleep off the jetlag.
Day 02
I and some friends began our d pastry shop before the whole g Brooklyn Bridge- which was the g Statue of Liberty. Visiting the world trade centre and the 9 memorial next was a more referential moment and I was awe of the size of the memorial During the afternoon w made our way to the MoMA where I got to see some of m favourite paintings in person such as 'A Starry Night'. F dinner, we shared massive portions from an Italian pla next to Times Square before heading up the Rockefel Centre to see the New York skyline from the best possib spot. This may have been my favourite activity as the scale New York's buildings is best seen from above.
NEW YORK
Day 03
For our morning activity, we headed to the beach on Coney Island and spent a few hours exploring the area This lead us to a beautiful independent cinema where we watched the French film The Five Devils. Our evening on day 3 was spent watching a Broadway production starring Jessica Chastain and was overall a much less physical day than before.
Day 04
Walking through The High Line of New York City the next morning gave us a great viewpoint to see new elements of the city. On our walk, we passed independent artwork and unique architecture before catching the subway to the iconic Grand Central Station for lunch. We then visited MoMI, specifically the huge muppets display they had on the show, and it was so cool to see all characters from my childhood in person. For our last dinner in New York, I had one of the best steaks I'd ever eaten and enjoyed my last night out with the friends I had made on the trip
Day 05
Our last morning was by far my favourite, as my roommate and I woke up early and walked through Central Park. It was so interesting to compare the loud nature of New York with the serene quiet of Central Park- and also the insane amount of dogs we saw. Before we headed for our flight back we were able to go shopping for a few hours and there was such a wide variety of things to buy. Our flight back was an overnight flight, a new experience for me and when we arrived back in England I slept for the next two days! This trip was truly surreal and I am so happy I got to be a part of it.
THE POWER OF CREATIVITY THE POWER OF CREATIVITY
by Andrea Joyce
Monday 3rd July saw myself and Tom Woodcock venture to the British Film Institute on London’s Southbank for the Media Magazine Production Awards. The theme this year was ‘tell us a story’. Tom and I are the judges for the very special ‘Barney Oram Creativity Award’. Barney was a film teacher at Long Road, and even a student of Long Road way back when. He passed away tragically from Cancer and this award is a way of remembering him
There was a very high volume of entries – nearly three tim 2022 – and the overall quality of the work this year was genuinely look forward to this time of year when w together to remember a much loved and respected Barney Oram in such a positive way The creativity awar every year. The entries get more interesting and the calib goes up a notch every year.
Our other fellow judge was David Winstone. David is Long Road, he studied A Level film here in the early 20 on to study film at University of Westminster where he w Oscar for his short ‘For Elsie’.
That short also won the award for Best Fiction at the Royal T Society Awards. Shortly afterwards he won the David Lean Sc to attend the National Film and Television School where he st MA in Directing David has made several successful short films works in television, often in second director roles.
When talking about his time at Long Road David remembered a general studies class with Barney where he would sc number of unusual and thought provoking films David recal really igniting his passion for film and storytelling.
THE POWER OF CREATIVITY
When reflecting on the entries h competition, Jenny and Claire Magazine commented that of successful stories are the simp show without telling, and don’t re explanation Letting the camera a do the telling rather than relyin dialogue or narration, which are capture clearly, and can confuse
Jenny and Claire also gave some insightful advice on sound design. “We know that sound is one of the hardest things to get right especially when resources are limited; every year we have to rule out some films because of poor sound which won’t play well in a big-screen cinema context. Your use of music and sound effects is often surprising and brilliant; the next step is to design your soundtrack as a whole, rather than a series of unrelated sound clips, so that your story flows aurally alongside your images.”
In our category we chose OVERFLOW – by Olive Swallow, Tupton Hall Sixth Form This film used a fantastic and extremely accomplished range of animation techniques which were highly imaginative and abstract, but consistently reworked its themes and the development of ideas about state of mind and identity. The brilliant use of colours, shapes, movement and compositions were multilayered and almost surreal.
Last year previous winners talked about the confidence it gave them to be shortlisted and, in some cases, win an award in this competition. Confidence in your own creative voice is so important, so keep creating. Check out all the winning films here: https://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/competiti ons/production-competition-2023-tell-us-astory-the-winners/
Look out for next year ' s competition and consider entering!
REVIEWS
Movies About Movies by
Sam Gamble
Banshees of Inisherin by Sienna Miller
Five Came Back by Andrea Joyce
Moon & Automata by Susan Tankard
Bullet Train by Sienna Miller
MOVIES MOVIES
ABOUT THE MOVIES ABOUT THE MOVIES
by Sam Gamble
2022 was the year cinema came back swinging. After a turbulent few years, we had popcorn epics such as Top Gun, Spider-Man, and Avatar: The Way of Water getting the masses back into the theatres It was clear that the cinema, as a collective experience, was sorely missed. The lockdowns were also a time for quiet contemplation for the artists that make these movies, so I don’t think that it’s a coincidence that four big films about the beauty of cinema and film form were the big triumphant return for four prolific directors during this awards season. Hollywood also loves to hear about its own triumphs and pleasures, so these films would’ve almost certainly won in any other year if they came out on their own.
So let’s look at these four films (Nope, Empire Of Light, Babylon, and The Fabelmans), and how their love of cinema shines through.
NOPE NOPE
Jordan Peele returned to the silver screen in a big bad way back in August with ‘Nope’.
A truly epic sci-fi tale that sees its main characters deeply entrenched in the Hollywood system as brother and sister horse wranglers. Known for his critiques of the world through the prism of horror, Peele’s films are prized for their secondary layer once you start to analyse them closely. Nope is no different, but not immediately as obvious as his previous films, Get Out and Us.
The film critiques our own expectation of cinemas and the perceived reliance on ‘Spectacle’ We as a society are obsessed with spectacle, and needing to stand out, to the point we will even weaponise and commercialise our own traumas to make us appear unique. The goal for the characters is to get that ‘perfect shot’, with some even giving their lives in order to capitalise on the spectacle of the horror that the alien threat provides. Even our central character, a relation to the first moving image ever created of a jockey on horseback, is looking to get this image not to expose a larger threat to our society, or to prove anyone wrong. In fact, there is very little dispute as to the reality that this is an alien object. She instead desires the fame and glory that this ‘perfect shot’ will provide She is on set, and working with her brother not out of familial duty in the wake of their fathers debt, but to be closer to the people she desires to replicate and imitate She wants that ‘spectacle’, that fame, and is willing to do anything to get it
MOVIES ABOUT THE MOVIES
EMPIRE OF LIGHT EMPIRE OF LIGHT
In terms of variety, second to Spielberg on this list, Sam Mendes may have one of the most eclectic filmographies here. From Bond, to war epics, to West End renditions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, then back to the cinema for a quiet and contemplative drama about a Margate cinema as it falls into disrepair
This film about film is more about the isolation of the cinema experience, how once we ’ ve sat down in that plush, slightly uncomfortable seat, that we ’ re all the same.
this film about mental health, racism, Thatcher s Britain, a cross-generational romance and then the magic of the cinema experience. It’s a film that tries to do a lot and doesn’t succeed at all of those things. The mental health angle feels like it comes out of nowhere, and controls the film for about half an hour in the middle before it returns to Thatcher-instigated racism. That half hour does allow the lead of the film, Olivia Colman to do a lot of acting.
What this film does well is portray a believable romantic relationship with tension, heartbreak, and spanning what feels like years across the runtime. So whilst it is a rocky road of a film, its central story, what maybe should’ve been its focus, is grounded with great performances from its central leads in Olivia Colman and Michael Ward and an aesthetic that has that classic gold glitz and glamour, but is clearly becoming rundown and neglected
THE FABLEMANS THE FABLEMANS
If Steven Spielberg died tomorrow, this would be the perfect end to his filmography. Also marking the retirement of composing royalty, John Williams, this film is far and away the most personal on this list It’s also the one I had the most personal reaction to.
There’s no denying the talents of Spielberg’s directing. His command over the use of space and the performances he’s able to get out of everyone he works with is nothing short of masterful. But what sets his work apart here compared to the other films on this list is that feeling of him exposing his heart on his sleeve, harkening back to his E.T. and Close Encounters days. The story feels wholly honest and unflinching, with an objective viewpoint that doesn’t cast judgement on the parent characters, whose tumultuous relationship
others on this list The opening scene in which the central character films a toy train going around a track from several angles in a bid to ‘control it’ demonstrates the draw of making movies You are the controller of a world and you get to decide how it’s represented on screen
The journey through adolescence does hit a lot of the familiar coming-of-age beats that you would expect, but it is still a magical film that, for my money, has not yet been topped this year
MOVIES ABOUT THE MOVIES
BABYLON BABYLON
From the gentle contemplation of Empire of Light
we turn to a drug-fuelled, multi-year spanning fever dream of a film in Babylon from Whiplash director Damian Chazelle.Taking place during the golden era of the Hollywood silent era, and following the downfall as the ‘talky’ is introduced If Nope’s one word summary is ‘spectacle’ then this film is ‘Excess’ The dangers of excess and stardom are placed front and centre of this film, even the colour palette of the film is tinged towards gold.
with Pitt playing an aging and outplayed archetype of a different era of the silver screen So no parallels there at all.
I will start with a critique of the film, that being the three hour runtime feels a little excessive for what is, essentially, a story about the dangers of power and fame We’ve seen it before, and we’ll see it again. But what I will say is that this allows for explorations of that central theme from different perspectives, rather than it being a centralised story about just one character. We essentially have three main characters for Babylon, the aforementioned actors at different stages in their career, and then another, by the name of Manny, who starts at a servant at a completely ridiculous party featuring every drug under the sun, 100’s of people in various stages of undress, and a real life elephant crashing the party, to a studio executive at one of the biggest studios in Hollywood.
As with all these kinds of tales, they inevitably bring their wax wings too close to the sun and come plummeting back to Earth in various horrifying ways, but the path to get there is definitely an interesting one
Damian Chazelle proves he’s one of the most interesting directors working today, with a kinetic command of the camera that truly makes everything feel like a choreographed theatre performance. The score, by Justin Hurwitz, deserves special mention as well. Expectedly jazzy from one of Chazelles films, but it works so well in this time period; it just makes sense Chazelles films always feel like they drink whiskey and smoke cigars and there is plenty of whiskey to go around in this one
Whilst the excess and the disconnect from normal society may stray a little too far on occasion, with about three jokes featuring the punchline ‘oh well, they’re dead now ’ at various points in the film, the film really is a love letter to the Hollywood machine, in much the way that La La Land paid its dues to the glitz and glamour of the Hollywood musical. If Chazelles next film parodies 70’s and 80’s Hollywood sensibilities, you’ll be able to tell the entire history of Hollywood through Chazelles filmography.
Whilst Whiplash will remain Chazelles calling card, there’s no doubt that the man ' s talents in the director’s chair shine through here, and hopefully the box office failings won’t stunt a promising career on what is a really solid Hollywood throw-back.
is no stranger to a writer, but the enforced confinement seems to have caused a lot of directors to look inward; to find the story that inspired them in the first place To rediscover why they do what they do, and why they do it so well. This trend does seem to have been a flash in the pan, giving way for the 2023 trend of Multiverse movies, but these films have no less resonated with the general audience and, even more so, those who partake in the craft of filmmaking itself.
BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
By Sienna Miller
Banshees of Inisherin is a deeply tragic film. It’s funny when it wants to be and through most of the film, it is a melancholy but humorous experience but it becomes a tougher watch in its third act As such, it’s a hard film to recommend to anyone and everyone so viewer discretion is certainly advised. Be that as it may, Banshees is a bleakly beautiful film and one I am glad to have seen, despite having little desire to revisit it
within a small rural community on a ose to the mainland, with the conflict wo friends, Pádraic and Colm, and stop being friends with Pádraic The her mundane and trivial premise grim nature of the film has been one g points of the trailer This contrast ce of this conflict and its eventual thing the film is concerned with war on the mainland is an effective ough not a subtle one. The setting s a dreary, grey success, and looking mes of the sky in this film conveys its hen I ever could here. The rugged rfect, grounding us in the concerns an island community.
BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Any film with themes so focused on interpersonal relationships will inevitably rely heavily on the performances of its actors, particularly those of its leads, in this case Pádraic and Colm, played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson respectively. Farrell’s performance is a good one, humorous and sympathetic in equal parts. Gleeson in particular is excellent, having had more than sufficient practice in ‘gloomy Irishman’ from earlier, equally grim films such as Calvary (2014). The two have strong chemistry and are believable former friends, being good friends outside of the film. The last of the trio of Oscar nominated actors is Kerry Condon, who plays Siobhán, Pádraic’s sister and main companion after his falling out with Colm. Her performance is strong, and makes it clear how dependent on her Pádraic is, and communicates her frustration with the entire situation excellently.
It’s difficult to fully convey the viewing experience without ruining it for others, and I really cannot recommend enough going to see it yourself, it's on Disney+ of all places. That said, it really is not a film for everyone. A content warning should be given for gore, mental health issues, physical and implied sexual abuse, nudity, profanity, and suicide. If that sounds like a lot, that’s because it is, and no film is excellent enough to be worth exposing yourself to these things if they are likely to affect you negatively Additionally, for those still intending to watch it, pick a moment where it’s effect on you won’t ruin your mental state. I watched it in the late evening and slept off the lingering emotional impact, but for others this would prevent them sleeping. Do what you need to
With that out of the way, I should mention to not let this dissuade you if you think you’ll manage it. The film is not an unpleasant watch by any means, and it’s probably the best film I’ve seen this year, though perhaps not my favourite. It deserves the praise it’s received and it’s something truly beautiful.
THE POWER OF THE POWER OF
FIVE CAME BACK FIVE CAME BACK
Film is influenced by the world, and the world is influenced by film.
by Andrea Joyce
*SPOILER ALERT* In lesson one of year one my opening ‘speech’ about why I love teaching film, and why I feel it is important to study film, is focused on the ways in which film tells us about the stories and voices that are important to us as a society. I talk about how film is also a powerful storytelling device that is able to influence how and what we think. Alongside shaping mindsets, film can also help to shift perspectives. That is why filmmaking is such a responsibility and a privilege.
I feel it is important to start the course with this context and it is always a great reminder for me that I love teaching and learning about film.
When I stumbled across the Netflix documentary ‘Five Came Back’ (2017) and watched the trailer, I could not wait to hit play and start watching it. This documentary ticked so many of my boxes, for a start it’s a documentary So often we forget about the form of documentary in filmmaking and see it perhaps as ‘other’. The framework of ‘fact’ and ‘truth’ can, for some, seem dry and less appealing. However, I find documentaries utterly compelling and am very much in the John Grierson camp of viewing them as the “creative treatment of actuality”. I really enjoy watching multiple documentaries on the same topic to get a range of viewpoints on a person, event, or theme.
The other box this documentary ticked was the historical element, living with a total history buff means we consume many films, documentaries and TV shows with a historical angle. And the last box to be ticked was that it was a documentary about filmmaking that had a really unusual angle and I love the idea of a fresh take on film.
Based on the book of the same name, by Mark Harris, Five Came Back - A story of Hollywood and the Second World War published in 2014, the documentary tracks the work of five legendary Hollywood directors.
Specifically it examines the filming they did during World War 2 and the influence those experiences had on their subsequent filmmaking. What makes Five Came Back even more interesting is that five contemporary filmmakers talk about one of these five directors' experiences, in addition to the influence they had on their own filmmaking.
Guillermo del Toro reflects on the work of Frank Capra; Lawrence Kasdan on George Stevens; Paul Greengass on John Ford; Francis Ford Coppola on John Huston and finally Steven Spielberg reflects on William Wyler. Talking head interviews lit with a soft focus spotlight in front of a black background allows the viewer to focus in on what the contemporary filmmakers have to say about the war time filmmakers, the context in which they were working, and the experiences they had.
Meryl Streep is the narrator of the documentary and offers much additional information to draw the stories together.
It is a beautifully packaged documentary, war is cinematic and the stories these filmmakers told through film were epic It was no surprise to me that Spielberg was very present in the editing of this documentary, as well as being one of the producers
The black and white title sequence does a superb job of visually communicating the transformation of the filmmakers into soldiers who used film as a weapon, of sorts, during this time. Five Came Back has everything I look for as a viewer but it is also bursting at the seams with content relevant to s e
g d
today. It examines film as propaganda, the way the government got involved in controlling what was shown on screen, the power of the moving image at that time when television was not yet prevalent in people's homes. The cinema, the movie theatres, is where people went to see the rest of the world, as well as see the news reels This is an important backdrop to understanding the power of the propaganda films that these filmmakers produced during world war two There is also an empathy that comes across in the contemporary filmmakers reflecting on the decisions made, and the films produced, by the wartime filmmakers. As a result of this, a byproduct of Five Came Back is a fascinating insight into the contemporary filmmakers and how they view film.
In an interview Laurent Bouzereau, the director and one of the producers, talked about the challenge presented by the epic story of WW2 but the importance of trying to capture the five men and their individual stories within that epic canvas. He talked about how many of the wartime filmmakers thought going off to war would be an adventure, a chance to test their courage and maybe even fun What they came to realise was that war is also terrifying. It is fascinating to consider the contextual impact that film had on the audiences at that time, in comparison to now when it is so easy to access realtime footage of conflict on your mobile phone in your homes
y
George Stevens and his experiences of entering the Dachau concentration camp at the end of the war. The documentary talks about how he took the camera from his film crew and captured the footage himself as he didn’t want to expose his crew to the horrors of Dachau In that moment Stevens changed from a fictional filmmaker to a documentary maker, even an evidence gatherer as his footage was later used in the Nuremberg trials.
The makers of the documentary spent a lot of time considering how to place this very important and harrowing footage Documentaries and how they are constructed in relation to how the audience are being encouraged to think and feel is one of the appeals that this form holds for me. Finding out about the conversations that the producers of this documentary had about the structure of Five Came Back was almost as fascinating as watching the documentary itself.
Seeing some of that footage and understanding the context in which George Stevens captured it made it such a different experience, a more powerful and poignant experience.
Five Came Back really captures everything that my opening speech is trying to convey, the immense power of film to shift mindsets, and for that reason alone I think it is absolutely compulsory viewing for all students of film. But I also believe it is an important documentary for everyone to see and fully understand the role and responsibility of film in shaping our understanding of the world
By Susannah Tankard
Moon
(2009)
was a film I have seen before, but it was a long time ago and I didn’t particularly remember what had happened. So, I shut the curtains, dimmed the light to low, and turned on the film. I think that watching a film in a darker environment helps to keep the viewers’ attention on whatever is happening, and for this film, the darker environment helped to make the moon feel even more desolate and closed off, thus I was able to garner a connection and emotional attachment to the goings on at Lunar Industries
Right out of the gate, I'm going to say; this movie is not a spectacle. This film is more of the subtle type, a thought-provoking, slow-paced film, and requires you to pay attention Personally, I find these types of films far more rewarding as you get the joy of seeing if your theories are correct, and you can glean your own messages from the subtle hints given to you.
My response to the film was a mix of both sadness and excitement; I thought this film was cleverly made, especially since it was Duncan Jones’ first feature film, and basically just one actor for the whole thing, and he must interact with himself as Sam Bell is a clone. I thought that one of the saddest moments in the film was when Gerty, the robot who looks after Sam, told the version of Sam we first meet that he is a clone, and explains to him what happens, was incredibly thought-provoking, and makes you wonder "is cloning ethical?", "is it ok to feed lies to the clones, to make them think they have a life to go back to, and to make them think they are someone they are not?" I think that this is a tricky subject to talk about, especially as people don't know if they are even real people, even though they do have live-working organs and a heart.
I think it may be a sci-fi trope, because many films seem to ask similar questions when talking about A I or cloning For example, this film asks much the same questions as Ex Machina (2014) and another film I viewed Automata (2014). even though both those films are about A I, the general basis is the same: “ are they capable of actually living?” In MOON, the clones have 3 years before their bodies decompose and the next clone is rolled out. In Ex-Machina, A.I. are “discarded” by being used as something akin to trophies, and in Automata, the robots are severely restricted and if they don’t follow either of the two protocols, they get destroyed
For the basis of MOON, I think that giving them the motivation to continue and finish their work was fine, but when it comes to making them think they will see their family again, only to die, I think is cruel, even if it gives them motivation to get their jobs done
Again, this film asks if it is ethical to treat them as tools, and to lie to them about what they really are. Especially if it could be such a risk as one clone getting too curious about why one of the harvesters isn’t working, and thus uncovering the truth about him and the Lunar Industries corporation. The film starts off with Sam Bell getting into a crash after seeing a woman in the dust on the moon, she was seen earlier sitting in his armchair and the audience is led to presume it is his daughter grown up, especially as later on in the film, he tries to call the house later and sees his daughter grown up.
The film takes extra care to show us his face covered in blood with a large gash by his left eye, before he blacks out and we cut to him in the med bay. Again, the film takes extra care to show us his face; not a single cut in sight, which makes the audience realise something strange is amiss. This is one of the first few clues that tells the audience he is a clone, the other is when we see one of the spacesuits is missing when the second Sam Bell escapes the base to see what has happened with the Harvester.
The new Sam Bell wants to figure out why the harvester is offline, but until the rescue team arrives, Gerty has strict instructions from Lunar Industry to not let him out of the base.
He manages to convince the robot however, to let him out by causing a malfunction in the station. After the second Sam Bell finds our one, their interactions are contrasting; the younger Sam Bell is angrier and more impulsive, while the older is more laid-back and just wants to have peaceful life and get back to his wife and daughter Their personalities clash culminating into a fight, where the Sam Bell 2 wants to get Sam Bell 1‘s attention by destroying the model he spent much time making. after their skirmish, they come to an understanding and work to get off the base and find where the clones are kept
Seeing their worlds shatter and their belief in what is real getting destroyed is heartbreaking to watch, and it's made even more powerful by the soundtrack.
MOON & AUTOMATA
Clint Mansell did a fantastic job at making the music eerie, sad, and wonderous The score itself is quite minimalistic, and it repeats the same few bars over and over again, showing the repetitiveness of the Sam Bell clones and the repetitive life on the moon.
After listening to the soundtrack for the umpteenth time and really paying attention to it, I realised that the final track (Welcome to Lunar Industries(Three Year Stretch)) the bars that have been repeated for the majority of the score, is changed from the sad, hopeless notes, to higher pitched, more positive and hopeful notes, especially as at the end of the film the second Sam Bell escapes to Earth, in triumphant glory. I think this film is definitely worth a watch, it is similar to Ex-Machina, but there are less actors and, considering the budget of this film was 5 million USD, you can't tell because everything practical and there was care taken in everything that was shown on screen, even if it was far off into the background
For example, the set was built as an actual base, so there wasn’t much room for the crew, camera, and lighting teams to move around in. Even though that was the toughest part of the filming process, the end result achieves the goal of claustrophobia and isolation.
Automata
(2014) is again, not a spectacle. It was more story based and rather like MOON, there was only one fight. This fight took place at the end of the film and didn't overstay its welcome and is left rather ambiguous as to whether the main character survived the fight when they arrived at the beach we have been constantly shown and has been a wish for the character since the start of the movie.
I thought it was a nice ending, as it leaves much up to the interpretation of the audience. I was attracted to the film by the blurb and the cover, and Antonio Banderas was in it, and he plays Puss in Boots, so I thought it would be cool to see him in a live action film
The cover was of an automaton’s mask, which at the end of the film is shed to reveal an equally disturbing face. Cleo’s prosthetic mask is left discarded on the sand sporting glowing, red eyes This films’ world was set in the future where the sun ’ s solar flare wiped out 99.7% of the human race so that only 21 million people were left In response to this, the Roc Corporation built the Pilgrim 7000 robots to help people in their daily tasks. the Pilgrim 7000s were also tasked to construct and build a giant wall that would protect the remnants of humanity from the radiation and the vast desert now encompassing the planet However, something went wrong, and people began to despise the Pilgrims, and instead of calling them saviours, they were destroyed and defaced.
MOON & AUTOMATA
This was the point where the protocols were created: Protocol 1 is to preserve the human life, and Protocol 2 is to limit them from altering themselves in any way. The reason being was so they couldn’t rise up and destroy the humans.
We view this film through the eyes of Jacq Vaucan, played by Antonio Banderas. He is an insurance assessor for the Roc Corporation and his wife is pregnant. While they live in the city, in the nicer area, Vaucan dreams of being able to leave and go to where the ocean is. We see many sequences where we see a young boy (whom we assume to be Jacq as a child) picking up a turtle or splashing about in the waves. Going to live by the sea is Jacq’s main driving force in the film, especially as he wants their child to enjoy the outdoors and not be brought up in a somewhat grimy looking place. He is bored with his job, and he wants to settle down somewhere peaceful and not in a crowded epileptic inducing city
context of the film. They went from Jacq interrogating a trigger-happy agent who shot a robot for fixing itself, to a hospital set flooded with red lights, people walking down the hallway with weird cybernetic enhancements, and being led by a woman dressed in a nursing uniform that looked almost like it was from the 1940s and had really thin robotic legs
The group went to interrogate a sex-bot, who was creepy in of itself too because of how blank her expression was and that fact she kept making moaning sounds. It genuinely felt as though we were in a completely different genre of film, but I did kind of like it as it shows how other people who aren’t living in comfort, and that these were desperate people, and if they couldn’t afford any health or med-care, they would then try and fix themselves up as best and as cheaply as possible. That in of itself reminds me of Elysium (2013) especially as they
had some pretty cool ideas and that the themes of what it means to truly be alive, to truly be human, and what happens when the technology we create eclipses our ability to control and even understand it, was a nice spin on the genre. I did like that it was the first pilgrim created that created the protocols, especially because after the 9th day of its creation, the humans couldn’t communicate with it anymore because of how advanced it had become, and how what it was talking about was
BULLET TRAIN
by Sienna Miller
EVERYTHING AN ACTION FILM SHOULD BE
Its release has been during a post-pandemic lull in cinemagoing, before audiences began leaving the comfort of their own homes Nonetheless, it is a tightly constructed piece, crafting a streamlined watching experience – achieved through a few somewhat mundane, but very smart choices. The most immediate example is it’s titular setting The Train setting allows the film to keep its action focused, with the first two acts taking place mostly confined to the space within the train. This keeps the action grounded, which creates a clear escalation in tension as the scope of the action expands outside as the films head into its late second and particularly third act. The nature of a train, moving at high speeds with interiors that are unaffected by it lends itself to the variable levels of action and tension. Bullet train is an action film, but it is also a really funny film, but it’s tension breaks wouldn’t work in a constantly high-speed environment, but a film without that feeling of speed and action also wouldn’t make for a good watch. Bullet train gets to have the best of both worlds and is better off for it
Bullet Train is a film you likely haven’t seen.
BULLET TRAIN
Bullet Train shows influence from other more contemporary action films with its single-minded approach to themes. Most action films are intended for audiences who are not as interested in critically engaging with them, with the titular action in the spotlight rather than complex themes and ideas More recent action films (2010-ish onward), such as 2012’s Skyfall focus instead on one theme that is continually reinforced. In Skyfall’s case, it focused on whether Bond was too old for spying, going as far as having a scene in an art gallery, looking at a painting of an old wooden ship being pulled away to be torn apart
These themes are not usually subtle but are intended to be understood universally by any viewer However, Bullet Train succeeds here in places Skyfall failed Skyfall’s key theme was present in the scenes about its theme, but as soon as action occurs, there is no indication that Bond is hampered at all by his age, with his only failures in the film being entirely outside of his control. This cheapens the themes the film presents and conditions the audience to not take them with any seriousness Contrastingly, Bullet Train ties it’s action into its themes surrounding fate expertly, riding the line between obvious and subtle enough to be interesting. Throughout the film, the plot hinges on unlikely twists of fate, which are explained and lampshaded by our protagonist Ladybug’s notoriously bad luck, which comes to a head in the third act, where Ladybug receives a speech about how ladybugs are sometimes believed to absorb bad luck for others Roughly 2-3 minutes later he is bit by a snake that he just so happens to have anti venom for in his bloodstream, whilst surrounded by other people who would not have been immune
Moments like this are obvious when pointed out, but blend in more because we as an audience expect contrivance and luck to be present in a lot of action films. Not to mention of course, undertones of the inevitability of fate are present throughout the film, as the characters get rapidly closer to the final stop that none of them are able to avoid.
BULLET TRAIN
A look into Bullet Train as a well-constructed film is incomplete without understanding it’s characters and how they create intrigue and drive the plot The plot of the film is more or less simply the result of the many conflicting motivations of the characters. They are confined to small space by the ever-relevant train setting, and as such they are almost constantly in conflict with each other. These clashing intentions, combined with the humorous likability makes the conflicts interesting as we are not certain about who we want to succeed, which makes the third act all the more satisfying, as the characters goals start to align for the last few big action sequences of the film, which feel all the more triumphant because of this more focused and simplified direction for the film All of this would be impossible, however, without excellent performances by not only Brad Pitt, but also Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, and Joey King, which enhance the dialogue to the most enjoyable and fun it can be
Bullet Train is an excellent example of what a modern action film can be and should serve
as an example of how simple but intentional choices can go a long way to elevate an action film to something special
see many more films like it
I hope to
ALTERNATIVE MEDIA
The Male Gaze
By Sophie Smith
Short Form Content by Tevana
Film Posters by Ben Hiess
Chocalingum
DEFINING THE MALE GAZE
by Sophie Smith
When reading online discourse about the 'male gaze ' I so often see people defend the term, saying things such as 'I don't see anything wrong with men being attracted to women ' or 'that the male gaze shows appreciation to women ' .
So many people who debate the validity of this phrase, don't understand what it's referencing. Instead of looking at the definition, they rely on value judgements for their arguments. For instance, I remember a long car journey with a family friend where we had a heated discussion about women in film
and the term 'male gaze ' popped up. The family friend couldn't understand my side of the argument -that the male gaze is inherently something that objectifies women- not because he couldn't see where I was coming from, but because he didn't understand the term 'male gaze ' . He thought it was a simple assumption that every man looks at women in an objectifying and sexual way, as a gay man he was reasonably offended.
If the only definition of the male gaze was 'How actual men look at actual women day to day' then the many opinions I've seen online would be correct, but that definition ignores most of the context that is integral to the term Oxford Reference gives two definitions for the term, one focusing on the way women ' s bodies are treated and the other focusing on the way they are shown to an audience. However, both definitions refer to visual media, as at the end of the day, the male gaze is a film theory. The theory was created by Laura Mulvey, to pinpoint the way women were portrayed by male directors in classic Hollywood.
The main reason that the male gaze is so prevalent in film is the lack of diversity in the pool of people responsible for films. Due to a heavily male team behind the camera, women are often seen through an objectified lens, with camera shots that focus on their body parts rather than them as a whole person This is not to say that every director is sexist, just that when you have a lot of heterosexual men directing films, a heterosexual male viewpoint is going to be dominant.
We see the male gaze pop up in hundreds of films and tv shows from, 'The Virgin Suicides' to 'Bombshell'. It is easiest to notice when we, as the audience, are given the pov of a male main character, seeing women from his perspective, usually in a voyeuristic light In a movie like 'The Girl Next Door,' we are meant to feel sympathetic and aligned with the male lead Mathew, even as he spies on his next-door neighbour. As he watches the love interest Danielle change (she is completely oblivious to the fact she is being watched) we follow his eye line, partaking in this demeaning act with him. By having us join in with, and the camera focus on, the objectification of Danielle, we become his accomplice and subconsciously see Danielle as less of a person because of it. Even the poster focuses on this scene, showing Danielle's body in the forefront, as Mathew looks through a window frame in the back.
'The Girl Next Door' is a lighthearted comedy, and there are many far worse and exploitative examples of the male gaze, but I think this film shows how nonchalant society is about breaking down women ' s boundaries. By attaching the audience to the perverse male characters, we are subconsciously being told that treating women this way isn't harmful
One of the many reasons that people don't think tha the idea that the group of people making films is much more diverse than it used to be Despite having more female directors now the percentage of women working in the entire f ' f i o
By Ben Hiess
The popular outlook on film posters in modern day film is usually that film posters are often the first point of contact between a movie and its audience, making them a crucial element in the marketing campaign of any film. For many films, this is where the importance of a poster starts and ends.
I prefer to view film posters as something far more than “essential marketing” I think a film poster should be the ultimate artistic image that represents a film thematically. Its not only important for marketing, its important for a films overall creative identity. A poster should be treated as a work of art in its own right. Design can be so much more than a marketing strategy, however a lot of modern film designers have seemingly forgotten this So, what makes a good film poster? To establish how to get a film poster right, its helpful to learn how film productions are getting them wrong. There seems to be multiple trends that modern designers are relying on, the most popular one being the “stacked cast”
The design format is used in almost major modern film, even when it clearly does not fit the genre This design feature was seemingly re-popularised from the triumphant “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” poster, which used this technique in a beneficial way. Firstly, Star Wars is a film with a brilliant range of characters which exist in an world that is complex and vast These themes are well communicated in a stacked cast format, especially since character dynamics are very black and white in Star Wars, which is easy to communicate visually using colour contrast. The Star Wars logo has become so recognisable in modern media that it doesn’t need to be the main focus of the poster, it barley needs to be legible: the audience will still know its Star Wars. So the placement of the type is not only reminiscent of the 1970s designs, (which were equally incredible) it also makes logical sense
However, since this effort, a long list of films have attempted to recreate this posters format and failed, not because the design is technically bad, but because their film does not require it. One example of where the design not only lacks authenticity but confuses the viewer is the poster for “Spiderman: Homecoming”. The poster simply has too much going on where it isn’t required Is it a spiderman film? Is it an Iron Man film? Is it an Avengers film? Its not clear The placement of the title is not helpful either. This poster also contains some of safest and most boring colours that are possible to pick Its composition is also extremely disjointed and unsatisfying Spider-Man is a story that focuses mainly on one character: Spiderman There is barley any need to have any other character on a Spiderman poster, aside from the villain perhaps.
FILM POSTERS
I think a good poster has more to do than provide information literally. Things such as the typeface, colour scheme and composition are more important than telling an audience what characters are in the film I think the best example of this is the iconic film poster for “Alien”. This poster contains no characters, instead it puts one hundred percent of its focus toward establishing the tone, mood, setting, aesthetic and genre of the film The brilliant striking green instantaneously communicates something supernatural and sinister. The film heavily relies on the anticipation of seeing the alien, and this is reflected heavily in the poster as all we see is an egg, triggering and audiences intrigue and imagination Films such as Jaws prove that a fear that remains in the subconscious is more effective that a shocking image, and this poster follows the same logic. This poster is only a suggestion of what is afoot during the film, giving the audience a reason to watch it Its an example of how powerful subtleties can be
In an industry that is money obsessed, its difficult to think that a poster like this would ever be allowed to run as the official commercial design. This sad reality is the reason there is such an influx in boring and unimaginative designs. There are some posters who reach a healthy compromise between industry standards and good design, such as the poster for “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”, which uses the stacked cast format but still contains style.
If there is hope for design, it remains in the younger generation of creatives. Quentin Tarantino has recently stated in an interview that he believes we are living through “another 80s” in terms of the influx of co-operate films and censorship in media. Many people have made comments that relate to the current political climate, stating things such as “You couldn’t make a film like Pulp Fiction today” or “They wouldn’t let you make Reservoir Dogs today” I think Tarantino’s response to this is interesting.
“I don’t believe in that kind of statement, because I think it’s a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy. If you say its going to be a problem, its going to be a problem Who is they? Im in 1991 doing Resevoir Dogs coming out of the 80s, which was the decade of they wont let you do that.”
I think going into art creation with pre-conceived limits is not productive, and people who say “they wouldn’t let you make that” are unimaginative. In both design and the film industry in general, there is a need for someone to break the pattern. This idea of history repeating itself is interesting because if Tarantino is correct, it means a new wave of creativity could be just around the corner. The co-operate nature of the “blockbuster” films of the 2010s is heavily reflected in dull poster design, however given how creative movements must rebel and revolutionize something, the dull design may also be a sign that a new movement is around the corner
SHORT FORM CONTENT A DEEPDIVE INTO
Steven Bartlett is someone who people may recognize from the television programme Dragons Den He previously was broke, a university dropout and was living in a studio-flat in a rough area. It wasn't until he was 18 that he started a company that eventually became “Social-Chain” - which is a social media marketing company. At 27 he resigned as a CEO and launched his podcast with the intention of “un-filtering success and giving (us) the knowledge (we) need to create the life (we) want”. The podcast ranges in duration with some episodes being a bit sized 10-minute listen to the lengthier episodes at 1h 45 minutes.
Within the episodes he primarily talks on matters of health, business education and so much more including life accounts from well-known individuals. To name a few Romesh Ranganathan, Gary Neville, James Bay, Karren Brady, Jimmy Carr and Bear Grylls
by Tevana Chocalingum
One episode which I particularly took interest in is (E256) with the Miracle Doctor. Now although the topic was about fasting which is something I won't try, I still enjoyed listening to this podcast because it educated me on a subject matter that I knew little about but yet know people close to me in my life who carry out this practice. Furthermore, the episodes cover ’ s other health related topics; facts which is another element that Steven brings (as he allows interviewees to side track onto other interesting matters) His interview style is that he allows the speakers to talk more as he sits back and occasionally asks them to expand on a topic or delve deeper This allows for listeners to get a raw and emotional response from the speaker as they are often caught off guard. The podcast set up is over a round table with Steven and his interviewee at either end with microphones The quality of the audio is crisp and is edited to cut out any background rustling that can occur in production contributing to its overall high quality.
The Diary Of a CEO with Steven Bartlett
SHORT FORM CONTENT
I was originally going to focus on just one episode but I actually recommend readers to go onto the platform and pick what subject matter most interests them. Then if you find yourself loving it as much as I do then listen to some of his other fantastic episodes. Including the ones on “The brain coach ” ; “Want to Sleep Better”?
I love how his platform allows me to become aware of such a diverse number of topics from leading experts all in one platform. I honestly cannot recommend his podcast enough I personally listen to it on Spotify where you can also watch the video formats if you want His episodes are also available on BBC iPlayer.
Linda Sun's
youtube channel
Most importantly I love Linda’s channel as she shares heart-felt videos like this but also makes content like “what I eat in a day” These “what I eat in a day” videos have been made over a wide range of platforms by many people Linda explains that she purposefully designs her thumbnail and title to attract viewers like the “teenage generation” in order to not only share what she eats but also reminds us to love our body and nourish it instead of “restricting” demonised foods. She ensures that the videos are fun to watch whilst being transparent about the struggles she faces (as well as sharing some delicious recipes; life events like eating at new restaurants)
Linda almost subverts from the typical “perfect girl” that's been created in modern society; I think all genders, ages, races and more can grasp important messages from her. Although she does in some aspects comply with most of the content put out by other influencers- she also takes the choice to be original, demonstrating all sides both negative; positive.
Within the video Linda takes us on a little mental health journey, emphasising its importance She further links mental health resources such as an article on relieving stress Linda takes the prominent topic of well-being and summarises it in an engaging (33-minute) video, utilising editing tools like “click” sound effects and overlapping audio to fully immerse us in the visuals displayed in old YouTube videos she created The narrative follows ups and downs as she discusses all the highlights of gaining so much popularity; then slowly shifts to all the downfalls that subsequently followed. Linda uses subtitles; texts to exaggerate her points (an example of this is when she defines what the wordperfect means) which is impactful as it made me question why I would ever put myself down for not being “flawless”?
This video is a must watch in a generation like today where more individuals are experiencing work burnout because they feel guilty when not doing something productive. Or are faced with diet culture, social pressure, unhealthy relationships and so much more. It's also a captivating watch that uplifts you by reminding us that no matter how small you feel your problems are, they are still valid and you shouldn't feel guilty or ungrateful for having “everything in life” but still feeling times of dullness or emptiness. Linda shares video calls she has with a trained counsellor; of course, her mother who continued to share such meaningful advice. This video out of all of them is the rawest as it tackles such a broad issue, but other content on her channel is a must watch if you ' re interested in travelling to other countries; eating new foods etc.
Remember “taking care of yourself - is productive”. -Linda Sun-
