17/05/2022

So, I made the 9 minute draft, but today I was told by my Media UAL teachers that they think that actually my final product should only be about 5 minutes long. At first I wasn't sure if I really wanted to cut my Short Film by half its length and I was really worried about it losing impact and meaning. They explained to me that the Media UAL course specification specifically requires me to change my product, so in order to improve my current grade, I had no choice but to do this. We agreed that keeping the Director's Cut along side with the final 5 minute product would be a good idea, so I have decided to do this.

One argument they made was that due to the narrative's length and repetitiveness, it wouldn't be able to appeal to a larger audience, therefore it wouldn't be as marketable. Although I still firmly believe that the story makes much more sense and is generally more developed and deep in the Director's Cut version, I do agree that not everyone would be able to engage with this story. I do agree that some parts are slightly repetitive, but at the same time I think the repetitiveness and the length of it really makes the ending much more impactful and it shows the journey the character takes in a lot more detail. Nevertheless, I think that the 5 minute version still manages to get the main story across and more effectively manages to keep the audience entertained. 

Another problem I had with this is that I felt that by removing so much of the narrative and the more "boring" bits is that it would make the the jumpscares and horror elements fall a little flat. As I have mentioned, I wanted the story to be more disturbing and creepy rather than just conveying to mainstream horror, and I was worried that by having the jumpscares happen so often that it would feel less like a creepy analogue horror and more like a cliché horror. However, after watching the 5 minute version back, I think it still manages to make sense and retain the same level of creepiness, while being able to keep a mainstream audience entertained and engaged more effectively.

I am quite disappointed that I wasn't able to maintain creative control and release my product the way I have been intending to and I am disappointed that I didn't receive this feedback sooner, but I do agree that decision is for the best. I do still insist on keeping the Director's Cut version along with the short one as I believe the 10 minute version showcases my skills in Premiere pro and creating a story much more than the 5 minute version does, and I would like it if fans of analogue horror and audiences who are interested in more complex long narratives would watch the Director's Cut, but of course the 5 minute version would be more marketable and suitable for a wider range of audiences.

From the research I have done into analogue horrors and audience statistics, I do believe that with some changes made to the narrative and some additions of more engaging plot points, the 10 minute version could have been more marketable if for example there were maybe some more animations and glitches to keep the audience on their toes throughout the dialogue sections. Unfortunately at this point in the course, that is not a possible course of action, so I have had to settle for re-cutting it to half the length. 

From a lot of the films I like and the media I consume, I do have to say that I am naturally drawn to longer narratives and even some repetitiveness. For example, my favourite film is 2001: A Space Odyssey, which is known for its long shots and what some might consider a "boring" narrative, but for me the length is really what adds to the climax of the film and makes it worth while, and with my Short Film, I agree that the 10 minute version isn't as marketable for a mainstream audience used to a fast paced simple structured piece of media, but I don't think that when making art, your revenue and success (although still an important aspect) should be the first aspect you consider and prioritise. I came up with what I personally think is a very good engaging storyline that everyone who has seen or read it has enjoyed and been entertained with, but that's likely due to my target audience not being the mainstream passive spectator who simply consumes a piece of media just for entertainment. While I do agree that a 5 minute version of my piece may be more traditionally marketable and appealing to both mainstream audiences and the Media UAL exam board, this should not mean that I have to completely change my entire project just to appeal to them, even if I myself don't like it. There is actually a concept I learned about from reading Blue Period (one of my influences for my FMP) called 'Exam Art', and I think that I have finally learned what it really is from first hand experience.

I think this experience has really made me take a step back and see everything from a third person point of view and I feel that I understand a lot more about myself now, such as another reason why I don't want to go to University to study Media as much, due to having to create art so that it can pass a criteria. We live in the age of auteurs and creative freedom becoming more and more accepted, so I stand firm with keeping my Director's Cut version that more accurately represents me as an individual and my style of work available for audiences who want to appreciate the person behind the product and consume the piece of media the way it is intended.

 

However, of course, I do hope that the 5 minute version does well with reaching a wider audience and appealing to the UAL exam board more.