The Other Wishy Washy Stuff:
What follows is a summary of some of the aesthetic and ideological stuff in First Stop. It gets a bit rant-y and waffle-y, so feel free to skip or scan through it.
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There were three main things I wanted to achieve with this film:
- Make use of a purely percussive musical score.
- Tell a simple and universal story using the film medium's visual and aural elements and not voice-over narration or dialogue.
- Engage in a dialogue with the audience about the immense beauty and intensity of life's moments, no matter how small or insignificant they may be.
The percussive score was achieved through the help of Alex Freer, who composed and performed the score for drum kit. The music's structure is ABCBDBEA, mirroring the sections of the film. The use of a thumping bass drum at the beginning and the end of the film with the recurring overhead-shot of the bench reinforces the circular nature of the film. It acts as a bridge in and out of the world of imagination. The music also mimics the sound of beating hearts and dropping water, creating a sense of immediacy and intimacy between the central character and the audience.
A key part of the construction of First Stop is the use of Soviet montage in a classically structured film of three acts. The film's imaginary sequences frequently implement the Kuleshov effect, but on a return to the real, classic continuity editing is used to accentuate the fleeting glances between the two characters.
Right ok, I think there's more stuff about this film I coudl talk about, like the use of a green-ish filter during the middle section of the film and the decision to start and end the film with very raw 'documentary' aesthetic. I basically just wanted the world of the film to feel universal and ordinary, like it happens every day, yet is somehow very precious and lovely. That sounds a bit corny huh. But hey, using the film medium to talk about what we care about is pretty important, so I think that's what this movie's about.
Page Updated: 15 February 2006