Studium and Punctum Experimental Videos
Studium
Questioning the concept of family friendliness through the focus of being prayed upon.
This video essay was heavily influenced by Un/Contained (2014) by Catherine Grant through the repetitive display of a specific moment. Moreover, the use of text that is displayed before and after the detail in order to create a proper breakdown of the scene. Lastly, I pulled an extra clip from later in the scene, showing a bystander, to emphasize the implications similarly to how Grant pulled another eerie scene from her chosen film for further context. I specifically wanted to focus on the Knave of Hearts flirtations and intimidating actions towards Alice as a form of being prayed upon or violated. This would be emphasized by the red text and movement of the word “violated”. Although he does not actively touch her, it’s the force and harassment around it that often leads up to an assault. Furthermore, I wanted to emphasize the lack of help by the bystander and how quickly the plot moves past the very unnecessary moment.
Punctum
Fragmented memory and the longing to unsee the past.
The punctum experiment was a direct reaction towards the studium experiment. I knew I wanted to include the moment that was repeated and analyzed in the experiment, but in this case, through the view of reliving a harsh experience as if the assault had happened. I wanted it to be red to symbolize the danger, but more specifically, I knew I wanted her eyes to be blurred out. From the beginning, I wanted her eyes to maintain being blurred out throughout the whole video. To me, it was the feeling of wanting to unsee something and to not want to look at oneself. It was as if she lost a part of her. I wanted her breath to be in a staccato rhythm, short, detached, and aggressive. The blur around the two individuals was fisheyed, almost resembling bloodshot eyes. It then cuts to her in the woods, the color blue shifts to green resembling uneasiness after escaping the situation. The Knave of Hearts is seen looming in the background. She cannot escape these memories. The color changes to a yellow tint as she pulls on doors. The sounds are similar to making out and yet, the marks on her arms tell otherwise. Without a way to escape her mind, she becomes consumed by it, her dress swallowing her along with a teacup becoming her walls. The video becomes a fragmented kaleidoscope similar to her memory, until it all goes to fuzz.