Dark Imaginations

Shadowplay from Flat-e on Vimeo.


Music by Ultre

 

A collaborative parnership of two film makers and visual artists Robin McNicholas, Matt Bateman and Rob Slater. Flat-E created a very Dark short film financed by Screen Yorkshire, Yorkshire Forward & UK Film Council.

Within this short a fairground lures children into a magical surrounding that soon turns itself into a monstrous environment, much like a lot of the dark fairy tales we hear of the past. The Cinematography is very Noir like, with its chiaroscuro lighting, capturing the faces spotlighted within the darkness.

The music by Ultre compliments the twisted, circus like quality perfectly. The video is quite a disturbing one overall, when we move into into the more violent section. I think it my be going on to ideas of displaced violence, where parents try to protect there children with the violent world around them with fantasy, although we see this displaced violence trying to invade that protection.

I think that the video piece has a lot of great stylistic features and art direction, it really builds into a magical atmosphere that gets shattered half way though. I wasn't sure that the music during the change into the violent atmosphere was as effective as the beginning.

Im quite keen on the way its shown this idea of displaced violence. most of all though since its quite a conceptual piece, I was interested in its stylistic elements such as the Noir like Lighting, the circus/ alchemical themed art direction which is something Ive been interested a lot in from Terry Gilliam's films and also the fantastical deranged music by Ultre is a great inspiration. i will carry on exploring these elements to develop into the film.


Other Links: BBC Film Network, Behance Network