“Mirrored”, the short narrated film has finally been finished! With a mixture of different skills I attempted to learn, I was able to create a short movie about what my life could have looked like if not for quarantine. I hope it conveys that even the small, seemingly insignificant details of our lives are moments we must cherish forever.
The film begins with the end of 9th grade, which is a juxtaposition of time by itself, but the overall film is also a juxtaposition, comparing what life could have been like to what life is like now. The film also contains quite a few literary devices such as similes, metaphors, sibilance, and alliteration, scattered throughout it (I challenge you to see if you can detect any!) And although at the beginning, it may not be clear that the entire theme of the film is based on parallel lives, I try to foreshadow the ending throughout it.
For instance, at the beginning of the film when I am flying to England (as my family was planning on visiting this summer), we watch the clouds drift past behind 'the unbreakable square frame' of the plane window. This foreshadows my family being trapped behind the unbreakable wall of social distancing.
Additionally, I symbolize walking into the light after a prolonged period of darkness when I state, 'Walking through the dark tubes of London to emerge under the expanse of the sky once more.'
Similarly, 'revered structures lasting through the test of time...' depicts being able to persevere through whatever troubles time may bring, and standing strong despite them. Especially through uncertain times like these, we must stay determined, and reach the light at the end of the tunnel by never losing sight of hope.
Next was the section in the film that took place in Seoul, Korea. Although my family and I are from Korea, we have not visited in the past 4 1/2 years, and even though we were planning on flying to Seoul from London over the summer, it will sadly, not take place.
In this part, I included a piece of the ‘mirroring life’ concept when I said, 'Smiling at the reflection of others behind...' I meant to illustrate the thought of looking at a reflection of something that could have been and feeling comforted by it, rather than feeling bitter.
For example, although I feel sorrow as I will not see my relatives this year, or walk through the streets of Seoul, I can feel joy from the past memories of my hometown and feel thankful that one day, I will visit again.
Adding on, the juxtaposition between the small, old shops to the new, modern ones through my journey in Seoul, is an allegory of well-loved things or individuals being 'happier' or better represented than any other, no matter how flashy or new they are. The warmth and nostalgia emitted from cherished things can't compare to stiff, cold, emotionless items, built only for appearances.
Furthermore, near the end of my 'dream journey' through time, I portray a raining city, symbolizing the tempestuous feelings that occur throughout life. The bustling crowd walking through the city, consumed within their own lives juxtaposes our current situation. Nowadays, everyone minds everyone else’s business, inwardly suspecting and scrutinizing the other, and scrambling to get out of each other’s way to return to their own safe haven. I sincerely hope that in the near future, our society will be able to return to the bustling hive of people, minding their own businesses without major concerns or scrutiny. While being aware of their environment and taking care of the world they reside within.
Also, when I ‘admire the lights’, I mean to symbolize the positivity that can come from this situation, such as pursuing other hobby’s or finding time to do something you have always wanted to try. Like the message this film aims to get across, a virus pandemic (or something similar on a global scale) will most certainly occur again in the future, and it will be a part of our lives today, tomorrow, and ten years from now. As it has merged with our existence, we must accept it, and make the most of it, so when the world can resume its ‘typical rapid pace’, we will be ready to jump right back into the flow without a moment of hesitation.
I primarily used adobe photoshop and adobe after effects to create my animations, with my own images and some royalty-free ones from google. I also used free green screen videos for the rain, city lights, and water effects at the end of the clip, which I found was quite cool. And I searched for different audio effects and the royalty-free background song, all mashed together in iMovie.
The hardest, but most rewarding part of this process was learning to 'animate' figures and pictures in adobe after effects. First, I experimented with the "Girl with a Pearl Earring" painting by Johannes Vermeer and made the figure wink (seen before the credits). Then, I proceeded to try to animate my journey through London and Seoul, with the use of maps and pictures of possible areas I would have visited, and different foods I would have consumed! It was definitely challenging to try and animate myself walking through the cities, but it was quite interesting and fun nevertheless.
I also animated the title sequence, the sun, the airplane window view, the text, and the picture of myself wearing a mask, which is the turning point in the film.
Past the struggles and errors in the programs along the way, I am proud of the video that portrays what can be achieved during quarantine while simultaneously representing a mirrored version of life as we know it!
By using different software, media, and animations, I think I was able to create an interesting film, which I hope conveys a thread of hope through the despair. To think about what could have been, without feeling too bitter, and realizing how lucky and blessed we are to have lived a free life in the past.
Although it was challenging to learn these new skills, I believe it was worth it, and I am quite pleased with the end result. And if you had to learn one thing from this film, always be sure to stay safe and remember that,
"The future is a mirror of the past."
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