New stretch target
Donation to local charities and awareness campaigns surrounding both local and global climate change!
A pregnant woman spirals into emotional disarray when faced with the prospect of birthing her child into a world of environmental ruin.
by Georgia Clarke in Poole, Dorset, United Kingdom
Donation to local charities and awareness campaigns surrounding both local and global climate change!
“If eco-anxiety is treated as pathology, the forces of denial will have won…what we are witnessing isn’t a tsunami of mental illness, but a long-overdue outbreak of sanity.” - Graham Lawton
Today’s youth are presented with a unique burden: we are the first generation experiencing the effects of climate change, and the last one capable of mitigative action. 'Requiem' is an experimental short film which grapples with the preemptive grief, guilt and fears that arise from existing during the dawn of inexorable environmental collapse. These feelings are explored through the lens of an expectant mother, providing a poignant perspective on what type of future we are moulding for ourselves and those to follow.
The film traces her emotional journey through a blend of three visual languages: external reality, the voices of her inner world, and the chaos of the universe. As she navigates her day-to-day life within the confines of a studio apartment, the woman’s mind is increasingly polluted with anxieties over her own choices and level of control, environmental degradation threatening what semblance of certainty the future holds. Scenes of an ever-declining outside world permeate her daily activities, cultivating a fraught interiority of childhood memories, personal desires, and dream’s of her child’s future.
This patchwork of dimensions aims to explore the intersection between external world events and one’s inner condition, the complex causal relationships we humans have with ourselves, each other and the environment we exist within. What is within our circle of control? Do we truly have agency over anything? These voices will bleed into and shape one another.
To engulf the audience in the woman’s fraught emotional landscape, we intend to focus on abstract symbolism and the responses elicited from sensorial sources - sounds, smells, textures in waking life that invoke deep-rooted memories or feelings. Through a unification of departments, we hope to create a visceral cinematic experience, forming a sense of connection throughout the piece, one level forever impacting another in an uneasy loop.
The sensory experience overall will be fragmented: the themes of connection and control at the heart of Requiem lend themselves to a patchwork aesthetic comprised of different visual languages, each with a unique voice.
The primary voice is that of the woman’s waking world, shot digitally - the present-day common thread through which the other languages intersect. We are observers in this space, not necessarily trying to connect to the woman’s personality, but more to her life and day-to-day actions. A naturalistic environment will be upheld through lighting and set-design in order to gradually build a tension against her vibrant and emotive inner world, threatening to spill over.
We intend to illustrate the fears and dreams held within the expectant mother by shooting on Super 8 film, the analogue means of documentation serving to invoke a sense of nostalgia and highlight the uncertain materiality of existence. As the external world weighs more heavily on her, this will be reflected through visual degradation of the very form of the woman’s interiority - the surface of the film physically destroyed with scratches, paint and fire. This destruction will echo a permanent loss, childhood memories no longer capable of survival.
The motivator of this emotional turmoil is materialised through a breadth of archival footage - the external, the uncontrollable, the voice of the universe’s chaos. Scenes from lives far beyond the woman’s are fleetingly present, driving her feelings of isolation and agitation.
Alongside the medley of visuals, a haunting soundscape will imbue the scenes with a sense of heartache. A requiem will play - a plaintive cry of pre-emptive grief, commemorating the loss of something not yet gone. The piece will gradually deteriorate throughout the film, at times completely absent or a warped rendition of its former self, crafting an auditory experience reflective of the woman’s contradictory and muddled emotions.
‘Requiem’ is about the struggle to orient oneself in a present where the future appears so dauntingly bleak. Could you reconcile with the fact you knowingly brought another life into this mess?
This film is not so much plot-driven as it is a series of moments, together forming a subjective interpretation of and response to the world around us. Our inner worlds are not simply moulded by outside events, but also have the capacity to influence and change the way we move through life. The experience of eco-anxiety is a unique position people find themselves in today, one which deals with questions of mortality and humanity perhaps sooner than we feel comfortable with. I wonder whether we can find a way for these feelings to fuel a new path through life, one which doesn’t indiscriminately take without thought or care. Through our film, we hope to explore these fears, and create an experience that those watching can resonate with.
In order to make Requiem, we need all of your support! Every penny matters to our campaign, as they will come together to make a fundamental difference to the quality of our film. Donations will allow us to achieve a high level of production quality, for instance allowing us to employ professional actors to authentically convey the emotions of the story, and giving us access to environmentally-friendly production design materials, as we want leave as little a physical carbon footprint with this film as possible.
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We are hugely grateful for your support – however much it may be.
In terms of budget, the needs for this project are relatively straightforward. Our primary goal of keeping this production low-cost and low (if not zero) -waste means we intend on reusing set-build pieces from other productions and adapting them to our needs without impairing their structural integrity. This will allow them to be recycled after our shoot ends.
The main expenses for this film will be in securing archival footage licensing rights and access to professional actors, as these elements will fully immerse the audience in the world of the film and accentuate a crucial sense of authenticity.
Throughout this project, the production team will be working with ALBERT, an organisation which strives for environmental sustainability in TV & Film. By working with them during the pre-production process, completing their certification, and using their Carbon Footprint Calculator, we will work hard to offset our emissions , keeping in line and supporting the main message of the film.
Director - Holly Sharman
Hi, I’m Holly, the writer and director of Requiem !
This film is based off my personal experiences with anxiety and guilt, specifically in relation to climate change. Since my teenage years, fears over what the future holds have permeated almost every aspect of my life. I’ve felt robbed of choice in many ways - every action in some way bad, or just slightly less bad. For a long time, I would avoid anything that had to do with the subject because it would trigger a meltdown, and then a self-imposed guilt-trip about sticking my head in the sand. But guilt with no where to go is useless and self-destructive. Since beginning this project, I’ve been able to carry out research and engage with my fears without spiralling. It feels cathartic to have an avenue, however small, to productively channel that emotion.
The film production industry as a whole is so wasteful; I want to challenge this by finding innovative solutions that will allow our film to have a strong emotional impact, but a minimised physical one. My crew will strive to be resourceful and creative, and I’m so grateful to be able to bring this idea to life with such a talented group of people!
Producer - Georgia Clarke
Hi, I'm Georgia and I'm the Producer for Requiem!
My passion for this project centres around its incredibly important environmental message and its relevancy for all of us. Growing up on a small island, environmental change and activism has been a big part of my life, so I am very excited to work alongside Holly and the entire crew to the best of our abilities. Through my work as Producer, I hope to not only make a great film with a great team but also work to implement carbon neutral strategies throughout the production process.
1st AD - Jack Oakes
Hello, I’m Jack and I’m 1st Assistant Director for Requiem!
I’m passionate to be a part of Requiem’s aims to create a resourceful, environmentally friendly production. I’m excited to work on a film that doesn’t just aim to ‘bring awareness’ to relevant modern environmental issues, but further works to explore the anxiety of bringing new life into an increasingly uncertain future. My primary aims are to help create an on-set environment that allows our director to focus on representing this experience completely.
DOP - Fred Gowers
Hi I’m Fred and I’m the Director of Photography for Requiem.
Since forming an interest for photography as a child, I have always been fascinated with how well-crafted images can provide an insight into the experience of others. Having worked as a cinematographer across both fiction and non-fiction projects, I have explored themes such as dementia, OCD and anxiety in my work. Requiem provides a personal insight into the experience of living with climate anxiety, I hope to capture this experience when approaching the cinematography of this exciting new film.
Gaffer - Sam Wells
Hi there, my name is Sam Wells and I'm working as Gaffer on Requiem.
I was initially drawn towards the film because of the incredibly important message it delivers. Being born into a generation that is already having to deal with and live through the beginnings of climate catastrophe, the morality of bringing someone else into this world is something I already thought about. Whilst I was drawn to how seriously it deals with the guilt and anxiety that climate change brings, I was also drawn to the fact that it holds on to hope. Regardless of the message, the creative and experimental approach of this film will make for an incredibly fun and challenging job as gaffer and an exciting film overall.
Production Designer - Lucy Wilkins
Hello! I’m Lucy and I’m Requiem’s Production Designer. I’m very excited to be working on this experimental film with such an amazing crew!
I love designing domestic spaces, and the flat in Requiem is such an important part of the films exploration of control and personal responsibility, so I can’t wait to bring it to life. Through production designing films I’ve seen how wasteful filmmaking can be, particularly in the art department, so I’m excited to navigate building the world of Requiem while being more conscious of our methods, through salvaging and reusing materials and sourcing second hand props.
Costume Designer - Lucy Derheimer
I'm Lucy, the costume designer for Requiem.
I am currently in my final year of Performance Design and Film Costume, a course that has encouraged me to engage in sustainable practices, therefore it is my full intention to apply these methods when designing for the film. Climate Change has been an ongoing issue for years, and Requiem highlights its repercussions from a sensitive yet impactful point of view - it is my goal to help the narrative through my designs.
Makeup Artist - Paige Livesey
Hi, I'm Paige, MUA for Requiem!
The story of Requiem addresses very important environmental issues within our modern world and supplies insight to its effect on women. I am aim to achieve the directors vision through the exploration of body prosthetic makeup to provide accurate visual effects.
Editor - Josh Leech
Hi I’m Josh and I’m co-editing Requiem with Tiago.
Editing has been an aspect of film that attracted me from an early age and during my years at Bournemouth Film School I’ve decided to hone these skills. Requiem focuses on topics such as climate change that I am passionate about and I hope this will reflect in the work we produce.
Co-editor & Grader - Tiago Ruas
Hi, my name is Tiago and I’ll be working as an editor and colourist on Requiem.
Films and other media that subvert traditional ideas of narrative and focus more on visual storytelling have interested me for a long time so I couldn’t be more thrilled to have the opportunity to work on an experimental project this year as I feel it will give me to space to learn new exciting ways to tell stories. Paranoia and existentialism surrounding climate change feels as though it has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember and I know that many of my peers feel the same way, so with Requiem, I hope to capture this feeling in a way that will faithfully represent the unique uncertainty of the world that our generation have been born into.
Sound Mixer/Designer - George Merritt
Hi! I’m George, the sound recordist for Requiem.
I’ve always had a deep interest in sound and how it impacts our perception of the world around us. I love being on-set, and having the opportunity to record sound for a film with such an important topic is really exciting for me. I can’t wait to work with this talented crew and do my part to deliver you this meaningful take on the world we live in.
Crew Photos taken by Fred Gowers.
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