2 Tamil Short Film: Metaphors and more

After loads of thoughts and further, toiling many weekends in last few months, I (with help of my friends) finally managed to release my second short film, 2. This time, I rather focused on experimenting new stuffs instead of spending money or follow the conventions. 

This short film, 2 was shot on Nikkon D7000 (200 mm Mark II lens). I just used the DSLR that was lying down in my room for ages. The only few bucks I spent are over the audio part as it’s too expensive in Singapore to spend for dubbing or music. Editing… Well, I just used the available software with some basic learning from youtube videos.

Please do watch the film once here before you read further : )

I am writing this blog post right the next day after I released the film in youtube. Primarily for 2 reasons

   -    Few thinks that I didn't focused enough on script and just went with whatever I thought

   -   To further share the hidden intentions on what few tagged as poor execution

To the cream of my circle, thanks for cracking some of the metaphors. Honestly, I don't expect a short film audience to imagine the film may carry hidden messages. Hence, i have decided to share them here.

I never really tried this before but to make a film satisfying for the creator, I believe it’s important to place the metaphors in the screenplay that gives the uniqueness for the writer-director. Here are few that I have attempted in 2. Some would have conveyed, some didn't, and some were mess-ups... I have only drafted the metaphors and the intentions behind it.

- The opening shot: 2 leaves stamped in the first shot... Later, 2 kids die in the film and the reason is negligence. Rings a bell?

- The Unnatural park conversation in the first 3 minutes:  Ajay and George (2 fathers) are actually schizophrenic.They were talking to empty spaces and not to each other (you would have realized this in those 2 shots after accidents where they look at empty spaces or during Doctor’s voice over). Hence, the conversation shots and dialogues (in first 3 minutes) placed in such an obscured manner and i partly expected that one might feel this as poor execution.

- Double act: Why same actor played both father roles why not different actors?  If you notice, most of the attributes between them is in contrast in this film. Rich and middle class dad... Introvert and extrovert... One had son and other had daughter... however, there was something common between them ... Love and Ignorance... The similar looking dad carries this message with 2 portrayals.


- Are these Dads careless? Hell no... Observe before accident, one consciously locks the seat belt and also, the other holds hand of the boy even while walking in pavement.. They are loving and equally caring.. The subject focus is sheer ignorance at wrong time.

-Father and Son Camera angles before accident: While the Father and son walks to the signal (just before accident), there are 2 suggestion shots of each. This is an attempt to show how different the other world looks to both of them.

- Doll and crocs shots after accident: I just thought you don’t need blood or body to justify a successful accident.
- Female and Doctor's voice over: There was no indication if the female is wife of George or Ajay. Well, it’s basically a representative of both wives and the doctors’ advice is also for both patients. They both (2 fathers) had same trauma and that shocked their mind (Schizo)
- Schizophrenia : Guilty of killing 2 kids and both thinks they are the sole reason. Further, the love for own kid and the way they can imagine the condition of other kid’s family turned them Schizophrenic. Note, we haven't mentioned this medical term intentionally.

- Mom’s missing in the film: A hand wave in pre-climax is the only point were moms needed...

- Lyrics: ~~Marupiravi ullathendral unn madiye~~ strategically placed in both instances in the film to convey both happy n sad moods

- The title 2: lots and lots of reasons.. At subconscious level, you can shed out better than me

 Apart from the above, I tried to answer few questions as well here…

- Why lengthy montages? : Why will u tear jerk in the climax (at least, feel the impact) when u don’t have good character and love establishment in the initial few minutes.
- Were both fathers in same place during the accident? : Audiences' choice and imagination. Doesn't matter actually. The point is, both of them think his ignorance is the cause of 2 deaths.

- Did the 2 fathers ever met? : Irrelevant

- Are both Dads real characters? : Yes, both dads are real and both of them lost their kids for real and both went in to schizo due to the impact. Now don't ask the smart question how come both got same mental issues at the same time. The point is the impact not the Schizophrenia

In summary, this film is an experiment to see how well the metaphors works in a short film and the purpose of the post is to request the viewers to watch the film again to appreciate the thought process behind it. Here is the link again to relate better : )

My view of film making is when you cannot even satisfy even 50% of your target audience, the fault is on the product and not the viewers. However, even if its 1% of your viewers, if they recognize you in the product, you shall be proud : )

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