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This entry is going to be a little different.
As of writing this, I'm still in Paris, and I don't leave until September 15th. I've loved these past 5 days in Paris, exploring all that this massive, complex city has to offer. However, I'm going to save the anecdotes of all my adventures for the summary blog post that I'll make once I leave Paris, exactly like I did for Berlin and Amsterdam. Instead, I'm going to present you with a short cinematic film I created.
Firstly, have you seen the movie Midnight in Paris?
No?
Well, you should.
Basically, it's about this guy who falls in love with the city of Paris. Eventually he ends up going backwards in time, but that's not important right now, and I won't explain any more about the actual plot here. Go watch it.
Anyways, the thing that inspires me is how the movie begins. A long sequence of simple shots of the city, with no characters or exposition to hook you in. Just the city with some jazz in the background. The first time I watched it, I actually had to double check that I was watching the right thing, because this goes on for what feels like an eternity. But it's this drawn-out opening that is, in my opinion, the most beautiful part of the film. By making the beginning so long, it forces you to really look and see the city, getting you acquainted with all the beauty and life it contains before you even meet the main characters. It's a love letter to Paris, and is a major reason why I was so looking forward to coming here on my travels.
You can see where I'm getting with this. I decided that while I was here, I wanted to create a short cinematic film inspired by Midnight in Paris. This was my first time ever dabbling with the video features of my camera. As you well know, I tend to stick to photography, but this gap year is about getting out of my comfort zone, and I was feeling inspired, so I figured I'd try. For the first time, I found myself wandering the streets looking for scenes to film, fixating on the true beauty of the city, rather than getting into my usual street photography headspace. I've liked this change of pace, though it has made me feel a little more like a tourist. I definitely could've filmed some things better, and the film ended up being shorter than I wanted, so this was a learning process all around. But this was always more about capturing the vibe of the city than about the technical aspects of filmmaking, so I don't think it's that bad.
In my film, I also included some photos I've been taking (my way of making this not an EXACT copy of Midnight in Paris). Mostly, they're the photos I don't post on my Instagram, ones that are meant to show the aesthetic beauty of Paris, which I took to fit the vibe of this film. However, I also had to throw in some of my street photography as well. How could I not?
Oh, also the song is Si tu vois ma mère, the exact same one they used in the movie. It felt right. Obviously this isn't going to reach that many people, so I'm not worried about copyright. At least I don't think I should be.
So, here it is: Paris, La Belle Ville.
Before you watch the video below, I'd recommend going into the YouTube quality settings and clicking 1080p60HD, as that is the highest quality and will give you the best experience.
I hope to do more small films and video projects from now on, and get better as I go. Enjoy!
Mark
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