Repurposed
Blake J.
-
When brainstorming ideas for a film, I sought a topic that felt meaningful to me. Rather than make a comedy or a cheesy horror film like I have done in the past, I challenged myself to create a purposeful film.
The main character is a passionate nature photographer who initially is frustrated by the litter that gets in the way of his shots and also takes away from his enjoyment of being in nature. He then makes a personal transformation to help the greater good of society by making the most of the trash left behind by others.
I spent a few months in pre-production, creating a script and storyboard and scouting locations. Then I shot the film over a weekend with my good friend. We hiked each day before dawn and before dusk to reach our locations just in time for sunrise and sunset. After filming wrapped, I edited the film, and my teenage brother composed a beautiful score to tie the whole film together.
This film challenged me in many ways. Working with no crew meant that planning and time management were crucial in getting the shots I needed in one weekend. I opted for no dialogue, requiring me to focus on visual storytelling. I also used some new editing techniques to make my film stand out more, such as color grading, masking, and transitions.
-
Making films impacts my life by allowing me to break free from the usual restrictions of school and life to let my imagination flourish. I love to see all the components of filmmaking- from story writing to filming to editing- come together for an amazing final product.
