Plan of Sequences: TO OSTATNIA NIEDZIELA

Plan of Sequence

To Ostatnia Niedziela

  SHOT 1:

Main character/documentary narrator: Marta Zytnicka

Long shot facing downwards

Putting on a pair of shoes

Sound:

SHOT 2:

Medium close up shot

Unfolding a scarf

Sound:

SHOT 3:

Medium close up shot

Closing the door to her home

Sound: Marta begins to talk (answering a question not in the sequence)

Background music (sounds as if maybe from radio or television) the beginning of the song

To Ostatnia Niedziela by Mieczyslaw Fogg

SHOT 4:

Medium shot

Walking down the stairs from behind Marta

Sound: Marta still talking about past (answering question)

The music (from radio or television) still playing

SHOT 5:

Medium shot

Walking down the stairs from behind Marta

Checking mail opening door

Sound: I ask question, she answers

The music turning down



SHOT 6:

Long shot

Following Marta walking

Sound: Non - Diegetic sound of the song To Ostatnia Niedziela by Mieczyslaw Fogg

playing throughout film

SHOT 7:

Long shot
A man and his dog walking into their home

SHOT 8:
Long shot
Marta walking around into an unnamed street/alleyway

SHOT 9:
Long shot
Marta walking

SHOT 10:

Medium close up shot

Marta walking

Shot is slowed down

SHOT 11:

Long shot

Mini river with ducks

Slow panning movement finally tilting upwards

SHOT 12:

Medium long shot

Marta walking ahead to the graveyard

(religious crosses behind wall ahead)

Sound: The song finally ending

Theories

Barthes

Enigma Code

(Hermeneutic)

Enigma Code - The Hermeneutic Code refers to any element of the story that is not fully explained and hence becomes a mystery to the reader.

The narrative to this short sequence is not fully explained as the camera only observes the actions of an individual as she dresses and walks to an unknown destination. It is only suggestive as Marta walks beyond the camera to what looks like religious crosses behind a wall in the ending shot. This could be a graveyard.
What was asked of her to talk about is also unknown and the audience are only given the information they get as visuals are not connected to the narration.

And what she talks about is in past tense while the visuals document the present.
The Enigma Code applies to Pawel Pawlikovki's film form in Ida, which my film is heavily influenced by.

"The film I was after would be made of strong graphic images and sounds. It would work through suggestion rather than explanation."

"I was more convinced the story could tell itself without coverage and exposition. It was enough to put strong moments in strong shots, side by side, and leave things to the imagination. The film would work as a meditation as much as a story." - Pawel Pawlikovski

This style of narration along with the cinematography overall becomes a mystery to the spectator as detail is left to the imagination.

For example, Marta walking along she constantly turns around to the camera. What could she be looking at. Or where is she walking to.

Where is the man she is talking about now?

The long shot of a man and his dog is shown, this could be another suggestion to the man she is talking about. The fact that he could be anywhere but a mystery as he and the man in the sequence is unknown.

Cultural Code

The cultural code tends to point to out shared knowledge about the way the world works, including properties that we can designate as "physical, phycological, literary, historical, etc."

The short film is a documentary based around the culture of Poland. However, consists of personal memories, dreams and childhood which creates a different perception and knowledge to Polish culture. With additional observation of the town and its local people and traditions.

To Ostatnia Niedziela

To Ostatnia Niedziela from Media 12345 on Vimeo.

This is an experimental clip using a section of footage of my grandmother walking to the cemetery. I layered the footage with a conversation I had recorded between the two of us, I had asked her if she loved Mieczyslaw Żytnicki (my grandfather) and she had replied "No". So I asked if there was anyone she had ever loved and so on...(the conversation in the clip).
The television was on in the background and I personally don't like the sound so I recorded the beginning of my grandmothers favourite, Mieczyslaw Fogg's song 'Ostatnia Niedziela'. To ostatnia niedziela (Polish: This is the Last Sunday; 1935) is one of the long-time hits of Jerzy Petersburski. A nostalgic tango with lyrics by Zenon Friedwald describing the final meeting of former lovers just before they break up, it was performed by numerous artists and gained the nickname of Suicide Tango, due to its brooding lyrical content.
Although an exaggerated link, I think its the only suitable genre and time of music that fits with the theme of my documentary film. As well as Fogg being my grandmothers favourite.
I recorded the beginning to make it sound as if it was coincidently playing during the conversation as well as drowning out the sound of the television. I then added the official song to the film when the conversation ended, following her walk to the cemetery including slow footage of the surrounding nature. What I also noticed and liked was the fact that she kept on turning around unsure on what I was doing (I didn't tell her that I was making a film).