All Men Are At Home- Natalya Charlemagne + Chynna Dorado
Concept & Story
G.K. Chesterton’s “The House of Christmas” delves into the themes of homesickness and a sense of displacement within one’s own home. The poet suggests that individuals can feel lost, even when physically present in their familiar surroundings. Chynna and I were motivated to undertake this project because, as international students, we both shared similar feelings of homesickness and displacement. Our aim was to articulate these emotions through the visual metaphor that reflected our personal experiences and convey them effectively in our project.
The incorporation of eggs may initially be confusing to those unfamiliar with the symbolism. Initially, I found it puzzling as well, but Chynna clarified that eggs symbolize unity and new beginnings. In our project, the actor holds eggs, and when she attempts to start a new beginning, the eggs break, symbolizing her failure to initiate this fresh start. Within her home, feelings of displacement and loneliness are depicted, where the eggs disappear and reappear, portraying a sense of dysfunction and confusion within the actor’s thoughts.
Creation Process & Execution
The storyboard proved essential as it provided Chynna and me with a clear plan for our filming, avoiding the challenge of coming up with scenes spontaneously. Our chosen settings included 7-eleven, a subway station, IKEA, and NYU Shanghai’s Digital Studio Room. To enhance our production, we borrowed lighting tools, a Canon 6D camera, a camera stabilizer, and a tripod from the IMA studio.
While filming in IKEA on a busy Saturday presented challenges due to constant customer traffic, we addressed this by exercising patience and employing strategic editing. Waiting for opportune moments or cropping out disturbances allowed us to capture the desired home setting ambiance.
In addition to learning basic elements in Adobe Premiere, I acquired skills in creating rolling credits and effectively using the stabilizer tool. This knowledge came in handy not only for this project but also for my final oral presentation in Chinese, class underscoring the practical benefits of Communications Lab.
Time Lapse at Digital Studio:
Time Lapse at Ikea:
Collaboration
Chynna and I divided the tasks evenly for this project. She excelled at filming, while I took on a significant role in editing and managing audio. This division of responsibilities allowed us to leverage our individual strengths effectively. To maintain balance, Chynna introduced a practical solution—a USB drive that enabled seamless switching between editing tasks. This approach ensured that neither of us felt overwhelmed with all the editing work, and it allowed us to monitor each other’s progress, ensuring mutual satisfaction. Additionally, Chynna shared valuable insights on setting up tools like the stabilizer and tripod, enhancing our overall workflow and contributing to my learning experience.
Aesthetics & Results
The video’s mood and tempo are deliberately slow, a choice emphasized by the music selection, “everything i wanted” by Billie Eilish (instrumental). Our incorporation of various medium and establishing shots captures the actor’s reality, while in the parallel universe representing their inner thoughts, we opted for numerous close-ups and extreme close-ups. These cinematic choices aimed to evoke feelings of sadness, loneliness, and displacement.
For the voice narration, we enlisted our classmate Joy, whose voice we found fitting for the project. Chynna and I are genuinely pleased with the final result, which not only met our expectations but also enhanced our teamwork, problem-solving, and overall project efficiency.
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