PROBLEM STATEMENT

The preliminary response to the Covid-19 crises resulted in a lockdown, limiting movement and destroying any semblance of community or social cohesion, compounding the effects of isolation that people with mental health issues experience. Around this time of year, the Multi-Media team is tasked with creating a short film, which presented a unique challenge to this year’s graduates, both on a conceptual and technical level.

KEYWORDS

Film Direction, Camera-work, Film Editing, Script Writing, Animation,

BRIEF AND OBJECTIVES

The initial brief tasked the multi-media team to create a half-hour film with a singular script, with each individual tasked with dealing with a specific area of the film, but due to the conditions of lockdown, that was going to be virtually impossible. To cater to the conditions, the brief had been altered. Each individual was to create an independent 3-minute film showing the impact of the lockdown with over-arching theme of desolation. So long as the aforementioned conditions were met, each individual was free to interpret the brief as they saw fit.

SOLUTION

The Desolation Diaries, an anthology of several unique perspectives on the lockdown experience was created. Each individual, aside from having a role to perform in the overall film project, had to create a film chapter that reflected their feelings towards the situation of lockdown. Due to the unusual circumstances created by the Covid-19 crises in which the concept of belonging to a family was personally highlighted, an opportunity was created to reflect a sense of gratitude and hope, which is the direction this specific portion of the film took.

ROLES

Due to the nature of the brief and the unusual set of circumstances the team found itself in, roles that were once dedicated to a single individual or a pair, such as the roles of the script writer, camera-man, and editor, were now roles dedicated to each individual in the process of creating their piece.

Specific roles were still delegated in the early stages of the brief. The role passed on to me was that of the producer. The producers role was that of extended delegation of minor tasks, and alongside the co-producer, deadlines were set for tasks to keep the team in check, and the general narrative was steered towards a specific intention, that being fulling the base objective of sticking to the theme. It was also the role of the producers to report back to the Executive Producer to ensure that all was going according to plan.

Susan

Co-Producer

As Assistant Producer, Susan takes control of the team and is responsible for taking names and making dreams come true. Susan is a one-woman power house that oversees the entire team, writes multiple itineraries and checks all the boxes when it comes to delivery and the team delivering on time. She is the disciplined, kickass, cross-fit team overseer that keeps the team as strong as they can be.

Jared

Social Media, Marketing & Promotion

The go-to social media boffin and social media king. He worked closely with the design team to produce the most beautiful and eye-catching designs for the production team as well as the film. Jared and Cheyenne worked closely together to ensure the team’s online presence is on point at all times. They were in charge of driving the impact online and promoting excitement to drive mega traffic to the to premier.

Cheyenne

Social Media, Marketing, PR & Sound

Cheyenne is the key writer when it comes to all promotion, social media, film descriptions and other keyboard driven media. She’s also worked in collaboration with the other musical talent to produce and perform a score that ties the film together beautifully. Her job also included working closely with the design team and lending a hand in collaborating with all design matters.

Angelina

Creative Director

Angelina, better known as ‘Beena,’ one half of the Creative Direction team. Angelina worked closely with our marketing team and her other half, Nina, to ensure well executed creative direction, look and feel and beautifully designed works that occupy cyber-space to keep our presence known

Nina

Creative Director

Nina, the other half of the Creative Direction team. Nina took responsibility of the design and overall look and feel with regards to all the promotion and visual materials. Nina worked very closely with our marketing team to grab audience space and keep them excited by means of impactful, visually driven design. Her and Angelina worked together as the design dream team that shows up to elevate our promotion to the next level.

Wessie

Executive Producer

Wessie served as the Executive Producer and was tasked with overseeing the entire production and team. He worked closely with Anton and Susan, the producers, to ensure the team is sticking to the time schedule and producing the best possible body of work.

Josh

Sound & Music Score

Josh was in-charge of creating and producing a coherent score that ties the entire mood of the film together during its start sequence. Josh and Cheyenne have been tasked in working together to produce and write a stunning piece that does just that.

Luke

D.O.P & Key Grip

Luke was assigned the role of D.O.P (director of photography) and Key Grip who takes responsibility of guiding the camera, working with all technology and providing assistance when needed to the team.

Wessel

D.O.P & Key Grip

Wessel was assigned as the second D.O.P (director of photography) and Key Grip. Wessel and Luke work together to get all those super smooth motions and shots that make our film come together in unison and has also been tasked with the responsibility of guiding the camera, working with all technology and providing assistance when needed to the team.