Train of Thought tells the story of Charlie, a young man in mourning after his girlfriend's untimely passing. Going through her belongings, he stops on a number of key items to remember the past and possibly move on.
Written and Directed by Louis Fleury, this touching short film explores the concept of how the right person at the right time can change someone's life.
As Director of Photography, my job was to create two distinct atmospheres for the film. One very grim and cold, representing Charlie's state of mind in the present day as he mourns Tara. Another warmer and almost ethereal, for the memories that Charlie has of Tara. I kept the camerawork as cold and static as possible, to signify a sense of going through the motions for Charlie as he tries to live his life alone, in a world with desaturated colours. Tara's flashbacks are bright, vibrant and full of life. I wanted to keep those flashbacks in very intimate two shots, cutting away only if absolutely necessary.
As the editor on the film, the challenge was to merge those two tones in a cohesive ensemble. I used editing conventions more akin to daydreams to make the memories even more important. The short being very contemplative, I had to navigate that fine line between slow pace and boring/pretentious. Fortunately, the cast's preformance gave me the material I needed to maintain this introspective feel without losing the audience.
Train of Thought:
- Joe Quintana Williams as Charlie
- Olivia Snell as Tara
- Eleanor Fulford as Sam
- Written and Directed by Louis Fleury
- Assistant Director: Joe Davidson
- Director of Photography, Editor and Producer: Clement Jochem
- Sound recordist: Seb Flatau
- Makeup and practical effects: Eleanor Fulford