This week has been all about considering how I can take full advantage of the arena that I have chosen for my short film. The action takes place on a mountain trail. The two characters are struggling to communicate with each other. My objective is to use longer sequences with no dialogue at the different sections of the trail to portray their relationship and how it develops. The conflict should be palpable in the way they walk, the distance they keep between each other, how they engage with nature and the living beings around them.
The viewer should be able to sense how comfortable the father feels in the mountain. He tries to share that safe space with his son hoping that they would reconnect and start fresh. The silent sequences where the characters interact with the arena are important for two main reasons. Firstly, they would help the audience understand why the father chose to leave his family to climb mountains abroad and sympathise with him on a certain level. Secondly, sensing all the rage and hurt in the young boy would make them question the father’s choice. Regardless of his love for the great outdoors, he could have stayed and taken care of his family. When the boy doesn’t notice the beauty of nature around him and shows he has no interest in being on the hike, he is simply acting out against the mountain who took his father away from him.
The viewer should be able to sense this unspoken tension between the two characters. The dialogue will confirm it and reveal where it stems from but these longer silent moments should solidify it and keep the audience engaged.