The Camera by Elsa Afriyie Duker

 

Elsa Afriyie Duker

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Story

The Camera, is a story the blends reality with the unseen. And it's driven by mystery. This is a story of memory, connection and lose. The short tells a story of a girl in her solitude, whose curiosity leads her to find something unexpected. Her find also a story to tell, and it's the story what hides away from the naked eye. Our main character is fascinated by this and wants to know more. It's feels like she wants to get closer to know more, uncover the blurred lines. Her tool is the bridge between reality and the supernatural. With each click there is a story to tell.

Performance

Our main character captures the audience with how she shows her curiosity, expressed her urge to know and how taken aback she was, when she saw what can't be seen through the naked eye but can be seen with her tool, which is the camera she found. She communicates these all without dialogue which proves that silent films are not dead and can still hold the attention of an audience. The protagonist, plays a key role in revealing the central Idea of the story, which is the story of the unseen. This ties back to Africa and our beliefs in the ancestors. We count on their guidance, just like the boy in the photo does with our female lead.

Central Idea.

The central Idea, is connection and mystery. Connection to the unknown and the dead, connection to ancestors. Connection because our female lead connects with unseen and tries to know more about him. Mystery because, how can one know more about something you can't touch, and have dialogue with. This where the camera comes into play, merging the lines of what makes sense and the mysterious and, the unseen. To the audience, I for example wanted to know more about the boy in the photos. I wanted to know his story. The boy in the photos is the mysterious character we want to know about and because we can't get access to his story, it's makes him the antagonist, the unsolved puzzle in the story.

Visual Representation

The shot compositions did alot to tell the story, Extreme long shots and long shots are used to establish the female leads surrounding. It's also depicts her solitude. The use of close shots, the peeks of the ghost boy and the room, shows curiosity and the Search for answers. The use of soft light and the day light played a major role in giving the movie a natural appeal.

There was no dialogue in the movie, but the sound of the piano plays on the audience emotional strings and contributes to the mystery of the film.

Over All Impact

It's a heartfelt movie, which plays on our emotional strings, it also sends a message about beliefs not everyone will subscribe to, which reminds me of the say "there is always truth in a lie". The movie plays with the imaginary and the unseen and educates us on things that might not be and helps us consider the option that it might be.

In conclusion, the beauty of the story lies in its simplicity and it's timeless nature. It's proves that silent films still live on and is still relevant. This movie is not for everyone one because for those who love dialogue In thier films might be quick to dismiss it because the do not understand the film.

Directed and written by Peter Lewis