Film | My Site

The Plot

As part of my A-level course in ‘Film Studies’ I wrote, directed, filmed and edited a short film called ‘Love in a letter’.
‘Love in a Letter’ follows a retired man named Frank. Frank lives an uneventful and habitual life with his wife and is looking for some excitement and change from his routine. My aim was to create a realistic fiction film with a subtle story, where the audience empathise and identify with the elderly protagonist, withdrawing from the ‘old grumpy man’ and the ‘stubborn old lady’ stereotype seen in many films and showing a more true depiction of the everyday life of the elderly.

'Love In A Letter' Short film

The Process

Ideation

From the start of the process I wanted to create a mystery film, depicting an everyday situation with a twist at the end.
I had several limitations in creating my film including having no budget, crew and limited locations available to shoot, which forced me to think creatively but also practically. I created a moodboard to depict my initial ideas.

Several of my images in the moodboard portray characters with dual identities like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and The Narrator in Fight Club. My initial ideas followed a teenager protagonist with dual identity, but after visiting my grandparents and seeing their repetitive daily routine -waking-up, eating, watching TV and sleeping, and the funny interactions between them, I decided that this will be the main focus of my film. Additionally, during the pandemic this routine became familiar to me as I have shared a similar experience which I knew many of the viewers would relate to. The ‘dual identity’ came into play later in the film portraying the wife character both as the loving wife and the secret admirer.

Preparation (pre-production)

Once I had the idea of the main plot of my film, I began my preparation process, which included writing the script and preparing a storyboard.

Following the feedback I got from my teacher, family and friends, I made changes to the script and shot my first practical take with my parents as the actors.

Shooting my initial version of the film was extremely useful as I have learned what room to select for each scene, the camera angles I plan to use and the mise-en-scene and props I’ll need for the film. A problem that I didn't anticipate was the long time it will take to shoot all my footage. I realised that I had to improve my time management and organisational skills. In addition, finding two elderly people to participate in the film production during Covid was challenging, but with the help of family friends I managed to contact Roy Weskin (Frank) and Toni Green (Wife), who were very happy to participate.

Filming (production)

To be effective with time management, I have produced a list of shots to capture in what order and floor in the house they will be taken. The list was arranged to make sure the actors will not need to change locations (going up and down the stairs) and clothes often.

As part of my film I wanted a more antique old fashioned looking home. For this, I moved furniture around, borrowed a tablecloth from our neighbours and bought new bed sheets and props.

Editing and publishing (post-production)

The editing stage was difficult as I had to shorten thirty minutes of footage which was filmed in the incorrect order to only a five minute film. Sometimes it was necessary to reuse shots to ensure the film retains it fluidity throughout. The reused shots were zoomed in differently and their levels adjusted. Lowering the brightness, contrast and adding a hint of blue was used to distinguish between morning and evening.

I wrote an evaluative analysis to link my film to other inspirations I had during the process.