Cinétract

For this task, I decided to go for a jarring, experimental approach that would make the audience uncomfortable at times. I wanted the piece to reflect on the growing anxiety many people are experiencing with the second lockdown looming overhead.

First, I gathered news footage from the BBC YouTube channel, such as Boris Johnson's announcement speech, a political analysis/interview and sessions in the House of Commons. Overlaid onto this are chopped clips of my housemate shouting. Although I would've preferred them giving more visceral screams with dynamic, growl-esque tones, the distortion I applied ultimately fulfilled the purpose I had in mind for these clips. This section is meant to illustrate the outrage, confusion, exasperation, contempt and disillusionment felt by me and my peers - feelings directed towards the UK government at their handling of the COVID-19 situation. Following this is cut-down footage of a walk through Downing Street, one of the "non-essential business"-dense areas of Farnham town centre, ironically sharing a name with the prime minister's official residence and office. Clips of doors shutting (recorded in my house) at volumes slightly higher than the ambient street soundscape appear over top, signifying how many of the stores seen will be closing and hit hard by the new restrictions. These also act secondarily as transitions, masking the cuts within the footage. These are gradually replaced by clips of my housemates washing their hands in different sinks, and I feel that the sound design works well in this bulkier part of the video overall.

Below is my initial plan/loose storyboard and the final edit. This was also my first time using Adobe Premiere Pro, so I had some fun playing with blend styles for some double exposure effects on the clips.