Client: Poetry vs Colonialism | City of London
Agency: Neon Chameleon | Prodigious London
Role: Directing | Cinematography | Editing
Agency: Neon Chameleon | Prodigious London
Role: Directing | Cinematography | Editing
_the Challenge
To shoot 8 distincively different poetry films in 4 days. To create poetry films which explore colonial history and can be viewed both artistically and for educational purposes. Three prestigious funders, (yet) extreme budget and logistics limitations, 8 poets, smallest creative team, the tiniest of crews, and zero willingness to sacrifice production value nor quality.
_the Solution
We're catching Okka in the middle of a long research session at London Metropolitan Archives, browsing on an old microfilm machine. It's rough sound represents harsh colonial histories it contains and the way it hits emotionally, especially to those who are more connected through their heritage.
She's alone in a vast space. One of the few interested. Not many can fully relate to her personal connection to historical injustice. That alienates her.
We decided to play with strong colour temperature differences, symbolizing the present and the past. It's always a technical challenge to get it right, preserving realistic-feeling skin tones, but when figured out, it's a highly rewarding look, which in this case was crucial for the story.
And if you feel we drew inspirations from Stranger Things, then you wouldn't be wrong.
She's alone in a vast space. One of the few interested. Not many can fully relate to her personal connection to historical injustice. That alienates her.
We decided to play with strong colour temperature differences, symbolizing the present and the past. It's always a technical challenge to get it right, preserving realistic-feeling skin tones, but when figured out, it's a highly rewarding look, which in this case was crucial for the story.
And if you feel we drew inspirations from Stranger Things, then you wouldn't be wrong.
