Narrative video

Coax from Lia Mirkhabutdinova-Martin on Vimeo.

Poster for the narrative video.

Documentary location shoot

Phrase: This is pretty much as fun as I remember.

This was said sarcastically by an adult on a teeter-totter. Somehow it made me think of my younger days and what has changed since then and inspired this script.

The movie starts with trees swaying in the wind. The sound of wind. Grass. Grains of sand roll and stop at a hand laying on the sand. Close up of a young man’s face laying looking up. The face is still in deep thought. POV of looking up at the sky, trees, clouds. The sun is not very high in the sky.  Fingers running through the sand, pan to the right reveals part of a pajama. A wider shot shows a man lying in a sand box. A wider shot shows an empty playground. A woman is passing by with a child. The boy runs towards the playground but the woman intercepts him as she notices the man in the sand box. She seems to recognize him as she is not afraid. Concerned look on her face. She pulls out her cellphone and dials a number. The viewer cannot hear her until a closer shot.

Woman: -I am sure it is him. (Pause) In his pajamas…You are welcome.

The woman just stands there waiting. The man keeps staring into the sky. Soon a car pulls up. An elderly woman steps out. She is wearing dress clothes. She looks at the man in the sandbox but hesitates to go to him.  Instead she just looks at him unsure of what to do. Both women are still. More people from the street come and a small crowd gathers. Everyone whispers to each other. Close up of a little boy. He pulls on his mother’s dress.

Boy whispers as well as if afraid to be louder than the adults. His whisper is still very animated:-Mom! Mom! Mom? Who is he? I want to play! Can I go play?

 The mother shushes him. The boy gives up and now just waits for everything to be over impatiently. Another car pulls up. A young man gets out of the car and makes his way to the elderly woman. He is wearing a tux. She tells him something. She looks lost. The newly arrived man frowns and looks towards the sandbox. He hesitates and then starts walking.

The man in a tux sits inside the sandbox next to the pajama man. They both remain quite. The pajama man keeps looking at the sky. Seconds pass. Pajama man sits up and looks at the sand in his hand.

Pajama man:-You know, it looks just the same. But this sand, these trees…they feel different. (Pause) All used to make sense here. You and the rest…So happy, carefree and focused on what we wanted with no fear to stop us. When have things stopped being that clear?

Tux man looks into the distance.

Pajama man:-No doubt, no hesitation…

Long pause. A shot of the trees swaying.

Tux man:-What are you looking for here?

Pajama man:-I used to not be afraid to be happy.

Tux man:-And what makes you happy?

Pajama man:-She does.

Men look each other in the eyes. Then into the distance again. Seconds pass. A shot of the crowd behind them.

Tux man:-Are you quite done here? Everyone is waiting.

The tux man helps the pajama man up. They take a last look at the scenery and start towards the cars.

Phrases:
This is pretty much as fun as I remember.
And he just put his dog down.
Life is life.
Every time I call you all you have for me is bad news.
He has turned into an angry old man.

Documentary Subjects

Courtesy of South Bend Tribune

Subject # 1

Barbara Roehrs, “The Gray Witch”

Barbara is a well-known practicing gray witch with 45 years of experience. She has a successful business and is affiliated with WSJV TV, Fox 28, WSBT, U93. She lives in a haunted Raven House that has been visited by Paranormal Activity Investigators (www.ghost-investigators.com).

I would like to conduct an interview with Barbara in her house that is decorated in the spirit of Halloween. I would start by introducing her and then focus on her clientele, the kind of people that seek her assistance and their common concerns.

Subject #2

Amorena Ruffalo

Amorena is an IUSB graduate with a degree in Theater and Dance. She has Italian ancestry and her family is from Chicago. I would like to record her struggles and the advancement of her career in today’s economy and a small town such as South Bend. She has many part time positions teaching dance. Amorena and one of her friends have also established a business giving private dance lessons to children. Amorena has participated in two indy feature films and plans to move to California to chase her dreams.

Subject #3

James Hostetler

James is an independent game developer based out of South Bend. He has an associate degree in Fine Arts and Graphic design.  For my documentary I would like to follow him during the weekend of Ludum Dare, an accelerated video game development competition. At the beginning of the weekend the theme is announced and participants have 48 hours to create a video game. I would like to witness the birth of the concept and the further development. Often game makers do not sleep for the whole duration of the competition. Many collaborate and work as a team. It is a fun and exciting experience.

emotion video

 Fear.

emotion fear from Lia Mirkhabutdinova-Martin on Vimeo.
My first video .