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Posted in Production meetings

Contacting the music producer

Posted on by maryamdaneshvar

    It is norm to produce the music during the final cut editing. When a fine cut has been agreed with the editor, director and producer, the sound designer, music composer join the editor. Sound effects and music are created and added to the final cut.

    Unfortunately as we don’t have the luxury of major production, my music composer and I have to come up with an idea of how to work together while the footage is still not ready.

    Based on my conversation with my supervisor visor I need to have two version of the music for this short film. One version is for my university project. This version is going to be much simpler. Then my music composer should work on the second version while he has the final cut.

    Edris Forughi is an experienced Technical Director with a demonstrated history of working in the Broadcast Media industry. Skilled in Sound Board Operation, Pro Tools, Adobe Audition, Cubase and Professional Audio software and devices. Strong information technology professional pursuing Bachelor’s degrees focused in Music Performance and Music Therapy from California State University, Northridge. Experienced composer and multi-instrumentalist, who plays piano, guitar, Santour, Tar, Oud and a classically trained vocalist with many live performance experience, such as Opera, orchestral work and solo. Have composed and produced more that hundred songs in different genre such as pop, rock, persian traditional and kids music.

    Posted in Production meetings

    Storyboarding

    Posted on by maryamdaneshvar

    Last week I finished the shot list and have a clear idea about how the final film will look like, exciting !

    Also this week, with the help of my very talented art director we finally finished the storyboard. Therefore I can fully dedicate my time to set design and hopefully soon start the actual production!

    Posted in Set Design

    Building the Bridge

    Posted on by maryamdaneshvar

    To cross a bridge, a river or a border is to leave behind the familiar, personal and comfortable and enter the unknown, a different and strange world where, faced with another reality, we may well find ourselves bereft of home and identity. —Jean-Pierre Vern-ant

    The bridge is an important code and has symbolic meaning in my film.

    Somehow the bridge is connecting the safe place which is the village to the dangerous and unknown part of this narrative.

    For that reason I had to create a not stable bridge. Something that reflects a passage and starting point of a dangerous voyage.

    I had a long discussion with my art director about a suitable and meaning colour. At first I picked a brown colour. But then we both felt that there is not that much contrast with the rest of the set. Interestingly, we both simultaneously came up with the idea of painting it yellow. The yellow will stand up also it has represents an hazardous element.

    I’m pleased that I managed to finish this part of the set in just one day. The next step is to build the mountain!

    Posted in Puppet

    Making the Puppet

    Posted on by maryamdaneshvar

    I’ve been insired by German Expressionism style. Expressionism refers to art in which the image of reality is distorted or exaggerated in order to make it expressive of the inner feeling or ideas. Therefore, I decided to create a fantastical creature which was half human and half ant which was a representation of Kolbaran. Also, I wanted to create an abstract face similar to “Weeping Woman” by Picasso.

    Despite some researches on how to build a puppet for stop-motion animation, the whole process was very experimental.

    Posted in About the Project

    Why Stop Motion?!

    Posted on by maryamdaneshvar

    A year ago, this time I had no idea what is Stop Motion! In September, while I was thinking and researching for my Final Major Project, I came across the idea of making a film about Kolbaran. However, I knew that I won’t be able to travel to Kurdistan and even if I could, as a student I wasn’t able to make a film in a very dangerous mountain. The alternative option was to make an animation. After a quick research I realised that how much I could connect with stop motion animation.

    I always loved art (painting, sculpture, design, architecture and Fashion), I also love storytelling, but more importantly I love filmmaking. In that moment, I strongly believed that this is a real match making in heaven.

    Making a decision to work on a stop motion animation short film without any background was a huge step. I knew from day one that I will face lots of obstacles but I was persistent and determine to take the risk and make an experimental film.

    9 months later, I still excited about this project. I’m not saying my project is the best ever animation, but what it matters is how much I learned throughout this process. From building a puppet and the set, to lighting and using the software, and more importuning telling a story, directing and animating, all were joyful.

    Posted in Set Design

    Village!

    Posted on by maryamdaneshvar

    Merry Christmas and happy new year everyone. While you were celebrating holidays, I was busy building my set for my test pilot.

    Enjoy watching the video of the behind the scene for building the main set for the village.

    Posted in About the Project

    Existentialism vs Absurdism

    Posted on by maryamdaneshvar

    For many people, Kolbar’s live represent the absurdism. Everything is meaningless. Kolbar is identical with Sysyphus. In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a king who was punished to roll a rock up a hill only for it to roll down when it nears the top, repeating this action for eternity (The Myth of Sysyphus).

    However, I strongly believe a Kolbar follows this lifestyle freely. As, Existentialism believes that individuals are entirely free, therefore it emphasises action, freedom and decision as fundamental and holds that the only way to rise above the essentially absurd condition of humanity with is characterised by suffering and inevitable death, is by exercising our freedom and choice and complete rejection of Determinism.

    In this plot, despite the fact that the protagonist knows what is waiting a head of her, she willingly becomes a kolbar and takes the same meaningless and absurd journey. Her action, demonstrate the futility of existence.

    The message of the film is unclear until the very last seconds, when we see the colourful particles.