Episode 51: The Dead Road PT. 2
Tina, a high school teenager, searches for the bizarre lost episode, Episode 51, of her favorite cult 70s sitcom and discovers the dangers of obsession. Episode 51 is a comedic short film directed by Baine Avent, written by Maeve Huttner, and is produced by Jasmine Bonds and Gabbi Hughes under Emerson's Frames Per Second organization. I served as the Cinematographer for the project.
As the Cinematographer,
I focused on creating an awkward and lighthearted feeling through the camera. To achieve this, we emphasized the use of symmetry for framing the characters and giving space in the frame to make the image aesthetically pleasing but also perplexing to look at. We used vaseline over lens filter glass to emphasize a dream effect and to soften the overall image. I chose to use neutral lighting to give a washed out look to the actors. My references for this project were Napoleon Dynamite, Burn After Reading, and But I'm Just a Cheerleader.
Stills from the Film
This shot highlights how we mixed light sources and the vaseline to give a unique look to the image.
This shot shows an example of how we used symmetry to create a pleasing image while using space to give an awkwardness to it.
