Narrative Visual Perspective in Film

“A teenager suffering from worsening wounds that only he can see encounters a perfect stranger in a moment of panic who claims to have the solution to his pain.”

For my Senior Narrative, titled “The Oyster”, Alex S and I collaborated to make an experimental coming of age short film incorporating elements of horror and magical realism.

Our film tells the story of a young boy who is riddled with severe and grotesque injuries. However, when he approaches his authoritative father about them, he discovers that, although the injuries are physically debilitating to him, only he is able to see them. Panicked, he locks himself in his bathroom, but is greeted by a ghostly figure of a girl who’s large, healed scars match his own. She promises that she can help, and brings him to a mysterious new world that can only heal him if he can find the bravery to leave the one he has always known.

As our film transformed from a concept into a script, and from a script into a film, over the course of nearly 7 months. As we developed our story, Mr. Taylor taught us more advanced techniques of visual storytelling, as well as lighting, recording audio using a boom mic, and simple Adobe After Effects SFX. Although our film underwent significant alterations as we developed it, but our theme remained rooted in discovering your identity and facing your fears.

During the months of January-March, we filmed in various locations that taught us a lot about production and how to properly use our equipment in various terrains. This was an extremely memorable experience and, although we encountered obstacles, I am proud of our final film and how it turned out.