Evoking Childhood: "Schedel"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp3FC-INhyE&feature=youtu.be

I was a very curious kid. My mom homeschooled me in 2nd and 5th grade, and her teaching style consisted of taking me to libraries, museums, and basically any place I expressed interest in. I remember telling her that I wanted to go to a cemetery. She took me, and afterwards I started wanting to visit all the cemeteries within an hour of our house.

I’m grateful to my parents for never discouraging my curiosity, even if at times my interests drifted into strange territory. My interest in cemeteries was part of a larger fascination with death and dead bodies. This may sound creepy or disconcerting, but I think it’s actually very natural and normal. Children are curious, and in their innocence they approach all subjects without the stigma or the sense of taboo that become ingrained in people as they get older. I also think children may be more capable of meaningful contemplation of weighty subjects, like death, than we generally believe.

The innocence and openness with which children approach what we think of as “dark” subjects is what I wanted to address in this film. I took an act that is considered very macabre and taboo, the desecration of a grave, and had an innocent young girl perform it in a way that is anything but sinister. I cast my adorable niece Sophie, found an idyllic setting, shot in the morning during the golden hour to take advantage of the warm lense flares, used a handheld camera, and chose bright colors for the girl’s props and outfit in an effort to create an atmosphere that evokes joyful childlike fantasy. I also added the sound of birds chirping, and somewhat free-form, warm guitar music to enhance the feeling of freedom and safety. I contrasted those elements with the darker images of the traditional stark wooden cross headstone, and the most realistic prop skull I could find. I hoped the juxtaposition of these elements would be interesting and maybe even a little thought provoking.

I think that the biggest weakness in the film is the actual placement of some of the shots, and the strange cuts that result. Shooting with a four year old girl required a lot of quick decisions and shooting whatever we could get, in hopes that it would cut together well. In some cases I think it was effective, but there are cuts and shots that I would redo if I could. Also, I think just a little more of the little girl’s face would have been nice.