Initial research into Short Films - Finding Myself - Matt Bishun

Film Title: Finding Myself

Found: Vimeo

Date: 2009

Director: Joshua Stocker

The Film

Film Synopsis:

This short film is about finding yourself, your purpose and who you are meant to be in life.

Media language

• This film is shot in stop motion from about 7,000 separate photographs. It is about Joshua trying to find himself and work out who he really is.
• We are taken through this film with a variety of camera shots and angles. For example, the tracking shot below allows the viewers to follow his footsteps and his journey through this short film.

• This image also allows us to see the setting, which is in a park. However, we have no idea of the exact location this takes place (region). The amount of brown leaves on the floor could indicate the time of year is October/November.
• The picture below allows the viewers to see Joshua's facial expression and his body language. We see here that he looks sad, with very little emotion in his face whatsoever. His hands are inside his jacket either to keep them warm or a stance that he takes regularly. He is wearing a scarf, which implies that it is a cold day. He is also wearing a blue smart jacket which tells us Josh is a chilled guy, with a reasonable income.

• The ECU below is used to show Josh walking through the park. The effect of this to show the audience where he is going. The film is taking us on a small journey from the perspective of Josh. The editing pace also slows down at this point as he walks through the leaves. 

 Audience

• I found this short film of Vimeo, a US based video sharing website where users can upload, share or view any videos.

• I wouldn't be able to think of a target audience, as I believe the attitudes and interests of our viewers are paramount. I would be looking at a psychographic audience instead of a demographic one. Anybody who likes watching short films could come across this one and find it very satisfying. However, I believe viewers who may be having some difficult personal issues or are just interested in the way a short film has been created using photographs, would also enjoy this kind of film.

The Director

• Joshua Stocker is predominantly a London based filmmaker and designer, who also works in producing still and moving 2D and 3D work.
• He has previously worked for many leading fashion and technology companies including; Dior, Coach, Cisco, Diesel, Sony, Sky and Google.

Other work by Josh Stocker

Representation

• Josh is being represented in this short film as a lonely guy who is searching for his true personality.
• Josh is being conveyed as a modern representation of a teenage boy who is hoping to discover the real person he is.

• From the image above we are led to believe that he is lonely. This setting in particular with the park bench and no sign of any other people around tells us that maybe this setting is belonged to Josh. A LS is used in this frame to get an idea of the surroundings in which Josh finds himself.

• Josh is believed to have written a note, reading 'Josh Stocker 18, Looking for myself'. At this point, the audience are fully aware of Josh's intentions, as he is saddened by the fact that he is losing himself.

• An ECU is used to draw the audience's attention to this piece of paper. Josh has decided to screw this paper up almost as a piece of rubbish. The reason for this could be just to make a point or to hope that a passer by may pick it up and read it.

 

My Thoughts 

• I believe this is one of the best short films I have seen in a long time. The way it is edited both in terms of sound and parallel editing is outstanding and something my group could take a lot of inspiration from. The ability to create a film through thousands of different photographs keeping the same location, sound, colour correction and setting the same is incredibly clever.