Personal project

1. EMPTY NEST BRINGS NEW
CHALLENGES
Based on Christine
Whitfield
By Kelly Whitfield
Research

2. BRIEF OUTLINE, WHAT I KNOW
ALREADY
The name for what my mother is going through is common within
most families, especially when their children are leaving for
university. Its called the empty nest syndrome, however, it is not only
the children that are leaving for university. Her husband has left for a
new career travelling Europe whilst catering for Cirque Du Soleil. So
there is a lot to cope with. She also has a full time job, a daughter still
at home, a new puppy and has started a new college. So there is a lot
on her plate. However, as well as working harder, she is also playing
harder, she is going out more with her friends. Doing things for
herself, and changing both her emotional self, and physical. The
physical change shows through in her appearance as she has changed
her whole wardrobe. It’s a new chapter of her life, and I want to
document it.

3. RESEARCH ARTICLE
http://www.netdoctor.c
o.uk/womenshealth/fea
tures/ens.htm

4. WHAT HAVE I TAKEN FROM THIS
ARTICLE
I have come to notice all of the symptoms, and the challenges and
changes are the same in most, but what is interesting within my
documentary is; not only has my mother lost two of her children to
university, she has also lost her husband to a new career. However,
all of them are gone for now, but not forever. I also want to use the
visual motif of turning things, because my mum is turning her life
around for the better. This is subtle yet meaningful.

5. QUOTES FROM THE ARTICLE THAT I
WANT TO TOUCH ON
Sadness
Keep in touch
Lean on your friends
She may be going through other major changes
Have some treats
New found-freedom
Fresh start; consider further education and training
Take up new hobbies

6. RESEARCH VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzYCArfjZaM
What I have taken from this video –
That media technologies has a lot to do with families keeping in
touch, and communicating. This is one of the key ways to coping.
It is also very normal to feel sadness, but there is second part to your
life now. You should take up hobbies. There isn’t always the worries
of all the mouths to feed. Things are in a sense simpler, because they
are more about you.
The case study helped to show me that most go through this change,
and that my mothers reactions are text book.

7. CREATIVE PROBLEMS I MAY FACE
It may prove hard to give this story visuals. I don’t want just some
interviews, and some cheesy cutaways … that’s not what I’m about.
To overcome this I have done some storyboarding of some sequences
of empty rooms, not so many coats, empty fridges … because they
connote the empty nest visually. I am also going to have certain
activities within the film. For instance my mum getting ready to go
out, going through her clothes. Because her wardrobe has changed
since circumstances changed, she isn’t living in the past anymore.

8. TECHNICAL PROBLEMS I MAY FACE
I may have trouble booking out equipment for when I want it. So I will
book early, and hope it isn’t gone when I need it. However, if this is
the case I plan to ask my old schools media department if I could hire
out some equipment because they have everything I need, and its
local to me.
I will have some problems filming all of the sequences, as well as
getting sound recordings. So my plan is to set up an H4 on a stand,
perhaps a tripod.

9. OTHER SPECIFIC EXAMPLES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPSphFM96mk
This film can help me because some of the B roll is useful for telling a
story about empty nest syndrome.
And how also I can talk a little about how its effecting other family
members such as my younger sister whom is still at home, and my
puppy, who can feel saddened when people leave the family home.

10. HOW WILL MY PROJECT BE
DIFFERENT TO THIS
My film will not have the advertisement feel, and it will involve more
talk from my characters.
It will not have some of the cheesy cutaways.
It isn’t about my dad being there, it is about have three different
parts of the family missing, and how my mum is coping with it.
There will be more of a narrative.

11. RESOURCES
I will be using the best filming equipment I can get, because this will
heighten the quality of my film.
I will make the mise en scene of each scene as best and fitting as I
can, in which to make my film seem effortless, and seamless.

12. DATES AND TIMES
I would like to have filmed within reading week, 8th to the 14th of
February, I will need to book out equipment for this time.
After the filming has taken place, I have from the 17th February – 14th
March for my rough cut. And from the 14th March – 3rd April for my
final cut.

13. IDEAS FOR PERSONAL PROJECT
Ideas for
Personal
Project
Show
activities
Working
Interviews
Playing
hard
Empty
spaces
Archive
material

14. IDEAS FOR PERSONAL PROJECT
I want to show my mum working hard, so college work, looking after
my sister (cooking; putting food on the table). Full time job. But also
playing harder, getting ready for a night out. With her friends.
Alongside some archive footage of all the family, and empty spaces,
like our rooms, fridge, and coat hanger. This will be then intertwined
with some interviews of how it’s been a challenging life experience,
however, she isn’t letting that stop her from having more freedom.

15. MOOD BOARD

16. QUOTE FROM ME TO MY PARENTS
‘The best couple I know, still as much in love as they were when they
first met. Nothing can break them; and even though these current
circumstances are a strain they aren’t forever, and every moment they
are together they do everything they can together, and are so
splendidly, happily doing so.
Kelly Whitfield, 2014