U1012882
FMP Moving Image DV3440 Project Proposal My final major project will be an experimental film that explores my journey through pregnancy, childbirth and beyond. “My son was born with his airway blocked and was not breathing. The moment I saw him I wondered why he was not crying. A group of Paediatrics rushed into the room to clear his airway and help him to breathe, he was born what is medically referred to as a ‘meconium baby’. Within 5 minutes he was crying and I felt a huge sense of relief. The next few hours were so surreal, here I have this life that I’m responsible for and I did not have a clue. When my mother held him, I began to think of all the years between them. A week old baby held by a 54 year old woman”. I intend to explore the spiritual themes of life and creation. I will adopt the use of abstract storytelling to capture moments within time and space, such as the moment when the doctors rushed in to intervene to the time spent looking at my partners face. Sometimes a second can feel like a minute and a minute feels like an hour. By exploring the spiritual nature of film and video, I can experiment with various ways of expressing emotions and documenting sensitive experiences that we face in our lives. My work will be very similar to art therapy, which makes it easier to express yourself visually as opposed to verbally. The film will comprise of spoken word poetry, a collage film style drawing inspiration from the ‘Dada Art Movement’ and shot entirely in black and white 16mm film using a Bolex Camera. The film will manipulate time by using various filming techniques, including stop motion animation, panning, slow motion, montage and reverse.
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Mood Board
Vagina?
Welcome to My Motherhood…
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Treatment
‘Welcome
to
My
Motherhood’
is
an
experimental
film
shot
entirely behind a white screen where people and objects are illuminated to create shadows and silhouettes.
The
screen
acts
as
a
way
of
concealing
the
nudity
and
profanity of the female body, drawing inspiration from Hans Bellmer’s dolls, which are crude and disturbing. On one hand we can identify with this familiar image of the female body, its innocence, beauty and seductiveness but at the same time they are intriguing, troubling and bewildering. I use this as
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an attack on society’s view of the role of women as mothers who are mainly responsible for caring for a newborn baby, as well as uncovering the complexity of pregnancy and the female body. The film is a revelation into my experience and journey of becoming a mother, from conception to the beginning of my motherhood. The screen is a symbol of intimacy and privacy as well as a barrier
between
dream
and
reality.
It
challenges
the
stereotypical conceptions and pre-conceptions of the textbook notion
of
postnatal
care,
uncovering
what
really
goes
on
during the first few months after giving birth. The screen displays scenes of constant napping changing and the constant feeding that occurs during the first few months of a newborn life. It is covering the uncomfortable truth; a line between my two deep inner emotions; Love and Fear. It moves from the erotic and sexual feelings of creating a life to the dark and sometimes
sad
reality
of
nurturing
a
life.
From
sleep
deprivation to post natal depression, from feeling lonely to longing for a balance between the body, mind and spirit. These are
all
typical
experiences
during
the
early
periods
of
motherhood. The changes that a woman embarks on are both physically and mentally draining. Motherhood brings a whole new perspective on life, understanding death but realising that it is the fear of getting old, making aging tangible when holding my son and making
the
sacrifice
of
youth
sentimental.
Mothers
must
embrace sagging breasts, backache and stretch marks.
The screen later takes on a new meaning, a mask that enables me to re-invent myself, then returning to work after maternity leave
with
explores
this
my
new
identity.
multiple
roles.
The
film
It
is
itself only
extensively through
the
understanding of the world as a mother, and then understanding my
Â
own
mother
and
her
reasons,
her
regrets
and
her 3 Â
disappointments that I can understand the surreal and complex nature of my own childhood experiences. By forming new relationships and letting go of others I can hold
onto
the
meaning
of
unconditional
love
and
in
turn
wanting to be loved unconditionally by the world despite all my guilt and my mistakes. The screen slowly breaks down as I begin to understand the world around me. Eventually understanding what it means to be content and to plan ahead. This is a true account of my new life, none the wiser but certainly older.
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Mother Nature Spoken Word Poetry Written by Mary Martins The warmth of my spring makes me smile, laugh, dance and Yearn for summer. I am a woman blessed in a world so unforgiving. With his love trapped within my soul, My heart traces the memories that were once unimaginable. Time's arrow moves swiftly leading us astray A tick tock anxious heart causes us sorrow each day A love like silk turns solid into fruitwood, Wrapped within its creases is a blossom misunderstood. As the last few days of summers sunshine sweeps away His birth flows deeply into the autumn sleeping beneath the burnt chestnut leaves.
As I anticipate winter's deep roots, Uncertainty leaves me intertwined and hanging; I am waiting for his next move. I am ever changing like the seasons and he is forever gold like the flowers glistening in my sunshine. We could only blossom in the past; longing for his scent my petals are shaken by his breath. If only he knew how he strengthened my stems and silenced the pain from the weeds... I will always love the most beautiful flower in my spring.
‘WELCOME TO MY MOTHERHOOD’ Experimental Film Script/Shot list
FADE IN Black screen FEMALE VOICEOVER READS Black screen fades into mid length shot of a woman sitting on a chair. She takes a sip from a cup of tea Woman gets up and takes of all her clothes and stands in front on the screen. FEMALE VOICEOVER
(Noise of a baby crying makes it difficult to hear the rest of the poem so she starts again Time’s arrow moves swiftly leading (the crying begins again) Us astray a She stops speaking, the baby stops crying She speaks louder Times arrow moves swiftly (baby starts to cry louder) She stops speaking Baby squeals and laughs FADE OUT
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University of East London – Production Location Risk Assessment Form
RISK ASSESSMENT FORM Project / Director: Welcome to My Motherhood/ Mary Martins Production Date: 14-15th March Filming Times: 9am-7pm Location: University of East London- Immersive Studio Location Owner / Manager- David Ring/Dean Todd Assessor Name: Mary Martins Production Role: Director/Actor
DOES THE PRODUCTION INVOLVE
1. Animals 2. Audiences 3. Civil Unrest 4. Confined Spaces 5. Derelict Buildings / Asbestos 6. Electricity or Gas (other than the normal supplies) 7. Fire / Flammable materials
HAZARD PRESENT YES NO X X X X X X X
RISK ASSESSMENT HIGH
MED
LOW
University of East London – Production Location Risk Assessment Form 8. Flying 9. Hazardous Substances 10. Heat / Cold / Extreame Weather 11. Lasers / Stroboscopic Effects 12. Machinery - Industrial / Cranes / Hoists 13. Night Operations 14. Noise – High Sound Levels 15. Non Standard Manual Handling 16. Personal Protective Equipment 17. Public / Crowds 18. Radiation 19. Scaffolds, Rostra 20. Special Effects 21. Special Needs – Inexperienced, Elderly, Disabled 22. Specialised Rescue / First Aid 23. Stunts, Dangerous Activities 24. Vehicles / Speed 25. Water / Proximity to water 26. Weapons 27. Working at Heights 28. Working overseas 29. Smoke / Pyrotechnicss 30. Other Baby
Activity
Potential Hazards
Existing Control Measures
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X X Degree of Risk
Additional Action
Degree of Risk
With Existing Control Measures
Required/Comment
With Additional Control Measures
Likely hood
Baby behind a
Objects falling
Assistant and additional
unlikely
Severity
Likely hood
Severity
University of East London – Production Location Risk Assessment Form white screen With studio lights and objects
Light shining/getting camera operator too hot
Production Schedule- Welcome to My Motherhood
February 2014 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
draft script/shot list
Term starts
12
13
14
15
9
10
11
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
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email David Ring re: possible shooting dates
meet Emerine to discuss initial sound design ideas
build frame
order materials
Evaluation This project was a major learning curve for me both in academic and professional practice. It especially enabled me to develop my ideas and improve my film making techniques and learn from the errors made in my mise-en-scene project. Although I enjoyed the first project, I have a personal connection with the final major project and found my idea to be extremely challenging. I feel privileged to be a mother that has been able to make a film about her motherhood and her journey to a new life and beyond. I am looking forward to showing it to my Son in the future. Upon reflection, there are many areas that I would improve in my film. The first would be the quality of the sound. I would not change the type sound used or who I worked with, I would just allow more time for these people to be able to record in a professional studio. The delay in working on the sound was probably due to some lack of organisation by not thinking about sound before or while filming. I just simply did not have any idea what I wanted to use for the audio and struggled from start to finish. I would also re-film some parts that appear to be out of focus; the fabric seems to have a mind of its own, I much preferred the mulberry paper. Using the fabric had its conseach shot has its own unique texture. I would order made to measure paper and have this shipped if I were to do this film again.