Q1. How does your film use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups and issues?

1) How does your film use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups and issues?

My short film Downtime can be understood as an homage to the classics of the noir thriller subgenre. As you can see from reading my blog, these are among my favorite movies. Contemporary films like Sin City and Brick really appeal to me due to their highly-stylized production values: innovative color palettes, period decor, and rapid-fire nuanced dialogue. Moreover, I also appreciate how these modern reinterpretations of noir utilize cutting-edge techniques while remaining faithful to the seminal works of the genre, including The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, and most importantly in this case, the classic French film Le Samourai (1967) starring Alain Delon. In making my film, I made a conscious effort to remain faithful to the conventions of the noir thriller genre.

One of the most characteristic qualities of noir thrillers are their unique color palettes. Brick, for example, was filmed in muted shades of blue and gray, which had the effect of creating a depressing claustrophobic atmosphere that was suited to the plot of the film itself, which hinged on the death of the protagonist's true love. I decided to emulate this approach by highlighting bluish tints in post-production. When I was filming I experienced some filter issues, which meant that some of the shots were not as polished as I would have liked. Overall, however, I feel that although a highly-stylized color palette can take away from the realism of a film, if done right it also draws the viewer into the world and facilitates the willing suspension of disbelief. 

Another characteristic of the film noir genre is a slow, steady pacing, especially concerning camerawork, which helps build a sense of suspense and mystery. One of my all-time favorite opening shots in movie is the introduction to Le Samourai:

The utter stillness of the camera, the dark colors, and the general environment of darkness and isolation immediately set the tone of the film and grab your attention. In my work, I aimed for a similar (shorter) effect with I opened with a long steady shot of the door, which I then walked through. 

Regarding social conventions, my film, Downtime, focuses on the issue of violent crime committed for ambiguous reasons rather than for profit or passion. The main character walks into his apartment and finds a dead body on the balcony. Curiously, he does not react to this discovery. Often, even at times when everything seems peaceful in the world around us, there are horrible events taking place in the shadows. In a world of growing violence and media saturation, many of us have become desensitized to these things (a film like American Psycho addresses this theme quite effectively). My main character's relationship with the dead body remains an open question, but his lack of emotional response is meant to create an atmosphere of nihilism and moral decay.