RESEARCH
Our aims for this film were to create a poetic and tender portrait of Clare, finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. It seeks to be authentic and visually striking, presenting moments that feel encountered rather than provoked. We were particularly inspired by the Slow Cinema Movement, known for its deliberate pacing, long takes, minimalistic storytelling, and an emphasis on atmosphere and contemplation. This movement often features sparse dialogue, ambient soundscapes, and a focus on the mundane aspects of daily life to highlight their inherent beauty and profundity.
My inspiration drew heavily from the cinematography and sound design of Ben Rivers' "Two Years at Sea" (2011) and the works of Chantal Akerman, especially "Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles" (1975) and "No Home" (2015) .These films showcase the particular interest I was exploring in Slow Cinema , using long, unbroken shots and a contemplative approach to storytelling. Additionally, Alfonso Cuarón's "Roma" was an important part of my research, as it beautifully captures the poetry in everyday life through its detailed, immersive cinematography. The film's ability to find beauty in the ordinary is something I particularly appreciate and tried to explore in our filming process and concept development.
Another cinematic movement that informed our work is Italian Neorealism, renowned for its authenticity and directorial methods. This movement, characterized by on-location shooting, non-professional actors, and a focus on the lives of ordinary people, underscores the importance of authenticity in storytelling. Similarly we picked Clare to create this film about, a women at firsst seems coming out of the ordinary, and who has no experience in filming, and we saw her evolve through our filming days.
By integrating these influences, we aim to create a film that is both visually and thematically compelling, capturing the subtle beauty and profundity of ordinary moments through a poetic and authentic lens.
"Two Years at Sea" (2011), Ben Rivers
“Two Years at Sea” is a “contemplative, observational movie where image (and soundtrack) takes precedence over conventional narrative.” (Rose, 2012). Ben Rivers and his cinematography, methodology, process of filming, and creation of non-traditional narratives, is one of our main inspirations for our film.
“Two Years at Sea” (2011) by Ben Rivers was one of my main inspirations. I was inspired by its unconventional narrative structure, its striking cinematography (wide shots, landscapes, the human taking its place, almost like a painting). The film explores the rhythms of Jake's (the main character) daily life, capturing both the mundane and the extraordinary moments. The films seeks to find profundity in the seemingly insignificant details of the everyday life, and this was an aspect that Selma and I particularly explored during our concept development.
I was also very much inspired by its sound design and was one of our main references while editing. The sound design is minimalist and immersive. The film avoids traditional dialogue and instead focuses on the ambient sounds of nature—the rustling of leaves, the flow of water, the crackling of fire. These natural sounds create an intimate soundscape that draws the audience into Jake's solitary existence. The lack of a conventional soundtrack further accentuates the sense of stillness and introspection, making every sound feel significant and profound. This is something we really wanted to explore in Clare, particularly the exploration of isolation through the sound.
Rivers' work is also characterized by a sense of authenticity and spontaneity. The film feels more like a documentary than a scripted narrative, blurring the lines between fiction and reality. This really inspired me in my process of writing for Clare, and the filming process and directing. This authenticity is achieved through Rivers' close collaboration with Jake Williams and his intuitive filming style, capturing moments as they naturally unfold rather than staging scenes.
“Rivers' work could perhaps be seen as the flipside to literature: when you read a book, you're given a plot and you conjure the images in your imagination; with a film such as Two Years At Sea, it's the other way round. Its carefully composed images capture a poetic beauty that's rich with meaning and mystery.”
(Rose, 2012)
RESEARCH
"Roma" (2018), Alfonso Cuaron
Akerman’s film making identity was one of my main inspirations. Through her practice. Akerman employs static shots and long takes, allowing the scenes to unfold in real time. This approach of film making and editing gives the film a meditative quality, inviting viewers to reflect on the subtleties of the captured moments. The camera often lingers on seemingly insignificant details—a table setting, a room in the house—imbuing them with emotional weight and resonance. This is something I really would like to explore in this project, bringing importance to the seemingly mundane.
Akerman’s sound design also really inspired me in the making process of this film. I am really interested in exploring diegitc sounds in my film and in Akerman’s practice, sound is minimalistic, focusing on natural sounds and the ambient noise of domestic spaces. Her films avoid a conventional score, instead drawing attention to the sounds of daily life—the hum of appliances, the rustle of clothing, the distant chatter. This choice enhances the intimacy of the film, making the viewer acutely aware of the presence and absence within the home. The intimacy this creates, the connection it creates in between the audience and the film, has strongly inspired me.
What inspires me mostly in Akerman’s work is her use of long takes and static shots , which challenges traditional narrative structures, and encourages viewers to engage with the film on a more contemplative and deeper emotional level. I am in this film to find a way to create this intimacy and immediacy.
What particularly inspired me in her documentary about her mother "No Home" (2015) is how does she capture the essence of her mother, her daily life without altering the authenticity of her interactions and of the unraveling of her daily life. During the film, we realize Akerman has placed her camera at fixed places for many hours and has let life go one while the camera captures the intimacy of her mother's slow days. This was an interesting method to explore, and which we considered while brainstorming how to film with Clare. We didn't up using this method, as it would best work over a longer laps of time and would require living with Clare, which is unfortunately not possible.
Chantal Akerman - "No Home" (2015), "Jeanne Dielman" (1975)
Additionally, Alfonso Cuarón's "Roma" played a significant role in my research, as it beautifully captures the poetry in everyday life through its detailed, immersive cinematography. The film is a masterclass in finding beauty in the ordinary, depicting the life of a domestic worker in 1970s Mexico City with an extraordinary level of care and attention. Cuarón’s use of black-and-white cinematography, wide shots, and long takes creates a rich, textured visual narrative that immerses viewers in the protagonist's world. The meticulous attention to everyday details—such as household chores, street scenes, and family interactions—transforms mundane moments into poignant, visually striking scenes. This approach underscores the film's central theme: the profound depth and beauty that exist within the rhythms and routines of daily life, a theme that is as well at the very core of our concept whilst filming "Clare". Cuarón's ability to elevate the ordinary to the level of poetic cinema has been a significant inspiration, influencing our thematic and aesthetic approach to finding the extraordinary within the seemingly mundane.
Sound Design:
Roma’s Sound design was also a very important inspiration for our sound editing process. One main aspect that inspired us was the use of sound motifs. Certain sounds recur throughout Roma, becoming motifs that reinforce themes and emotions. For instance, the sound of water—whether it’s the splashing of the ocean waves, the rain, or the water being used in household chores—serves as a thematic thread linking different moments and emotions. This auditory motif ties into the film’s exploration of life's cyclical nature and the fluidity of time and memory. Similarly in “Clare” we are exploring cycles of life, and death, and one of our important symbols is water (especially with the final scene). Through our film, we have explored using sound motif to represent this
The sound design is also deeply connected to the “Roma’s” emotional resonance. The careful balance between diegetic sounds (sounds that originate from the film’s world) and their amplification or subtle manipulation helps convey the characters' emotional states. For example, the bustling noise of the city contrasts with the quieter, more introspective moments in the home, reflecting the protagonist Cleo's inner world and her connection to her environment. This is something we highly experiences with Selina and myself whilst editing for sound. We explored how to use diegetic sound, create a sound composition that highlight a certain emotional state. For example the sound getting more and more saturated in the open spaces (becoming oppressive and anxious), and then fading out whilst she reaches again her home, finding her peace and solitude.
