Tutorials with Ali

Before my third tutorial, I had two 30 minute sessions which mainly focused on refining my ideas and narrowing my project down to something that could be explored and represented well through a mixed-mode project. 

06/10/20-

I found the first few months of this project difficult as I had so many ideas based around culture and identity. I also found it difficult to come up with a title that I was 100% happy with. My aims after the first tutorial was to have a fixed title by my second session as well as deciding whether I was going to perform my work live or create a film- i wanted to have more of  a concise plan so that I could start working on my "solo"

24/02/21-

Around February, I decided that I wanted to film my project but was not completely sure on the best way to portray my idea on migration and identity. I decided against the idea of a solo as I did not feel this would represent my idea how I wanted. My main source of information were my parents as they experienced migration first-hand so, I wanted to include them in my final piece as they are apart of my identity. It took time but I had finally came to the decision that I was going to create a documentary style film exploring the impact migration had on my parents identity.  

By February, I had also written a lot of my dissertation. I focused on continuing to research my chosen topics so that these ideas could be contextualised to the best of my ability. By my third session I had progressed further on my contextualisation, my methodology and my evaluation of the questionnaires i have carried out- creating charts of the results etc. 

25/03/21- 

In this tutorial I discussed and finalised my filming ideas with Ali. I had carried out independent research and focused on keeping up to date with my written work before filming for my project. 

I informed Ali of the work I had carried out so far as well as my next steps in my research. We discussed how I would continue to evaluate my questionnaires and the interviews once I had carried them out. I decided to create more questionnaire but this time, using questions that would generate quantative data so that i had a range of sources to analyse. 

I spoke about the ideas I had for my filming. I decided prior to this meeting that I wanted to create a documentary style film exploring the impact migration has had on my families identity. One of the aims of my project is to understand myself and my identity a lot more so that I could feel comfortable in my own skin. 

By the next tutorial, my aims are to have filmed most of, if not, all of my material as well as having edits to show Ali my thought process and ways that I wish to portray my work. I will also be sending her my analysis of my questionnaires and interviews. 

Gestures/ Minimal movement

As part of my documentary, I want to include snippets of movement throughout. My aims are for the movement to remain minimal and gestural. I want to involve my family in some of the sections as again, I aim to transition between individuals doing the same movement. For example, as I am lifting my arm, it switched to my mum doing the same action. 

My ideas involve:

• Sections looking at our hands
• Closeups of ours hands I.E- fingerprints
• Birds eye shots

Headshots

 Prison style headshots is another way of identifying someone as well as their fingerprints. I want to use this idea in my film but with a different intention. Rather than a prison setting, I want their to be a white background, similar style light and a less mundane atmosphere. 

My aim is to reinforce my parents identity through these headshots and their fingerprints. 

Third day filming- 

I filmed my family members circling so that the clips could be edited. If I took photos, it would be harder to edit and therefore, make the whole process more challenging. 

I also chose to film them with masks on so that I could try out different editing techniques including flickering between the two shots, merging the mask and the non mask shot together. 

 

Shadow Movement

 The aim of this section is to create silhouettes of the body to again, reinforce how people are unsure of their identities once they have migrated. 

The silhouette idea was best portrayed by this image. I like how you can see the body but without specific details. I believe this is a perfect way to portray feeling uncomfortable with yourself, feelings of isolation and alienation. 

Masks

 This is an idea that I wish to portray through out my film. My aims are to film my parents and my uncle with and without masks. For me, the full face, white masks are a way of shielding someone's identity as you do not know who is underneath. However, in my film, I want to merge sections together with transitions that involve my parents with the masks and without. Hopefully, as we get further into my documentary style film, you start to see more of their faces as their story changes and they become more aware of their identity. I want the interview section to be placed throughout the film to reinforce the importance of identity as well as highlighting the effects migration have on individuals. 

This is an example of the masks I wish to use. The plain white is another way of hiding their identity. 

As we progress further into the film, I want their to be subtle changes to the masks so that by the end of the film, their identities are fully revealed. 

I also aim to film:

• A section from behind my parents as they look into the mirror
• Parts of the mask being cut
• Sections in the dark- light shining onto the mask 
• Videos putting the mask on and taking it off- so it can be edited in rewind 

Questionnaires

The objective data I will be collecting on top of my interviews will be from individuals who have experienced migration (students and adults). I posted on my social media and the third year group chat to collate my participants. My brother also posted so that I would have a variety of different ages. 

I chose to use open-ended questions as I wanted to give individuals the choice to write as much or as little as they wanted. I asked questions based around their experiences with moving countries, the challenges they faced, any culture shock they experienced, whether moving impacted their identity and so on. 

After collecting my data, I spent time going through each questionnaire making notes of specific topics that arose. I then made categories that I felt represented my data effectively. I then chose the topics that best reflected my statement/ questions and put the data into bar chats and pie charts so that I can analyse and compare results. The main aim of these questionnaires where to gain an understanding of other people's experiences and then, linking this with any other information I have collected including my interviews and any external recourses. 

The most common categories were:

• Language barriers
• Lack of social bubbles- friends and family
• Practical aspects- living alone, setting up banks etc
• Policies- visas, politics etc

These were all common cultural aspects that came up between the 7 individuals I collected data from. Some people found that the challenges were expected however, others felt isolated and alienated after moving. I also found that majority of participants continued traditions from their previous country and still identified as this country. One person found that migrating allowed her to find herself and her identity reinforcing that identity can change and adapt. 

Interviews

 Interview section

The main aim of my research is to investigate the impact culture has on an individual’s identity. By interviewing my family members, I will be able to draw on experiences and challenges they have faced as well as drawing on the impact it has had on their identity. This section is the basis of my project as I will be using my parents information in the form of a case study meaning, carrying out an in-depth investigation based around their experiences which, of course, are different to any other individual. Their data is my main source of data collection which will then be compared and contrasted to my questionnaires answered by students who have experienced migration. This objective data will allow me to make comparisons and understand the impact migration has on an identity as well as how these changes are accommodated. 

My film ideas: 

• Film with and without masks - all participants- against a white wall
• Interrogation style- light up against a white wall
• Keep camera in the same position for the whole process
• 8-10 seconds of filming for each person as they face the: front, side and back
• Shots of looking in the mirror with the masks on 
• Shots taking the masks off and putting them on 
• Cut up sections of the mask as it gets closer to the end so that identities start to show 
• Film in the dark with just the mask showing 
• Do a behind the scenes sections- walking around, setting up etc

I want to edit clips together, flickering between clips with masks and no masks to show the transition from alienation- not knowing where you belong to someone who now understands their own identity.

One of the main aims for my interviews are to portray the feelings of alienation and isolation which my parents and other participants experienced when they first migrated to England. I have to decided to look into "anonymity in interviews" as well as combining my own ideas to best execute these feelings. 

My ideas include:

• Blurred faces
• White masks 
• Filming behind the shoulder so their face is not clear
• Filming them as a silhouette so that no features are prominent 

I am going to try out each idea and pick out a few that I like. The silhouette idea needs to be prepared for as their needs to be light in the back in order to outline the body, removing the features. 

The blurred face is edited which means i will not have to film anything extra. 

The behind the shoulder effect is also simple however, I want to include close ups of different parts of the body as the interview goes on. 

Brainstorming

 My project is based around migration and the impact this has on an individuals identity. For my film, I have decided to create a documentary style piece based around my family's experiences. I have started brainstorming ideas that I would like to use to create my film. 

I began by noting down everything that I linked to identity and from this, categorised my favourite themes. I was drawn to a prison style footage such as headshots/ mugshots, fingerprinting and interrogation style lighting. I also thought of ways I could hide identities to portray an "identity crisis" or confusion towards oneself and their culture; culture shock.

I came up with some ideas which included:

• Blurred out faces
• Talking but facing the back
• Film behind the shoulder reinforcing anonymity 
• Individuals wearing masks so that you cannot see there face
• Birds eye view shots 

These were all ways I found were the best way to portray identity once you have migrated. the idea that you are lost, confused, alienated is portrayed as your face is covered up in some way. 

Furthermore, fingerprints is something I wish to include in my film as part of the identity section. As fingerprints are linked to forensics, are a big part of our identity as this is what is used to verify someone. My plans are to get my families fingerprints and compare the shapes, patterns and sizes to create some movement. I also want to film them as they transfer their finger prints onto paper. 

Shots for fingerprints scene:

• Close-ups 
• Birds eye shot 
• Side views
• Lab style photos for effect

Lastly, I want to explore minimalist movement including the "use of hands". I want this to be a part of the fingerprint scene where transitions take place between both sections. The movement will include looking at our hands, close ups of our hands/ fingers and single gestures which can then be edited together. For this section, I would like to get my parents involved as the movement is minimal and is a perfect way to portray confusion towards your identity as you start to realise who you really are. 

Some other ideas I want to explore:

• Shadowing- another way of hiding your identity 
• Mapping- London and Southend - based more on my identity as this is where I have been brought up and lived for many years
• Shots of Albania and England