Parasomnia: A Quiet Film
The Director’s Cut
Parasomnia: a category of sleep disorders that involve abnormal movements, behaviors, emotions, perceptions, and dreams that occur while falling asleep, sleeping, between sleep stages, or during arousal from sleep.
Epilogue
This is a prologue, but I like the word epilogue better.
Happy January!
I wanted this project to be the first thing I shared this year, although I greatly underestimated how long it would take me to edit. I decided to try something new rather than continuing to overthink the rest of my drafts… The concept for this short film has been formulating in my mind for a while; I enjoy creating things independently, so I came up with something I could film in my apartment.
This line was one of the first things I wrote down when I started imagining a story about a sleepwalker:
“The energy in my apartment keeps me up at night”
‘Parasomnia’ (my version, not the 2008 movie) is a nonverbal commentary on restlessness. It’s not a silent film, but there’s no dialogue — therefore it’s a quiet film.
The following is more like a shot list than a script, but each scene existed in detail in my head before I filmed. I’m trying to get better at translating my creative visions, specifically the ones I have during sleepless nights. If you think it’s creepy, you should see my dreams.
I would love it if you’d read this, let your imagination conjure various images, then watch my mini movie and let me know if it’s anything like what you pictured when reading my version of an outline. :)
Wake Up!
- Sleeping soundly, the character sits up in bed — the camera is behind her
- Add fast-paced, dizzying, multicolored montage of the character sleep-walking, spinning, playing with lights, etc. Include: Ceiling fan POV — she’s spinning in the opposite direction
- Multiple shots from the same perspective — she’s in the doorway and in bed simultaneously, a lamp with a blue LED light appears
Voiceover: “Why are you here?” “Where are you going?”
She moves slowly, looking around with her eyes closed She walks cautiously, subtly dancing in doorways and stopping abruptly before backing into the darkness
Where am I?
Voiceover: “Are you lost?” “Are you dreaming?”
She wanders around in the dark, sometimes walking backwards
A pink neon light illuminates her silhouette
Imaginary Runway
- Character poses in front of a mirror in multiple outfits while sleepwalking — consistent camera perspective, pink and blue lights
- Include trippy transitions
Pink Void
She walks back and forth, carrying a lamp with a pink LED light The camera’s perspective is from inside a closet, she closes the doors behind her
She enters a room with red and blue lights, somehow gets tangled in Christmas lights, ends up in another room with a blue light behind the door, then she’s walking with the blue lamp again
Each scene transitions into the next the way dream sequences fade into each other — they change randomly and without explanation, as do her outfits
The character spins through another pink void (Pink Floyd?) She takes the pink lamp with her
Another Montage
Similar to the beginning montage, but with reverse motions and different clips from various scenes
Voiceover: “OPEN YOUR EYES”
Briefly show the character with her eyes open for the first time She stares directly into the camera with tears in her eyes, then backs away
End with a clip of the pink neon light turning off, leaving the character in complete darkness
Fin.
I would recommend watching on your phone since I filmed in portrait mode. If it appears blurry, you can adjust the clarity to 1080p in the video settings. Thank you for watching! :)
The idea for this short film started when the lightbulb in my closet went out. I replaced it with a pink LED bulb (because why not?) and discovered that it made this doorway feel magical. I had to capture that somehow.
I had also been writing and doing research about sleepwalking — a piece that remains in my drafts for now, but the subject has been on my mind quite a bit.
I debated adding voiceover, and I was still undecided when I started editing. I had written a bit more of a storyline, but I decided that this character should remain a mystery. I wrote down a few questions that I wanted to include in the form of disembodied, haunting whispers, and recorded myself saying them several times to give the echoing effect.
The editing process was even more tedious than filming, but I enjoyed every part of the production. I ended up with about 60 minutes of footage between 43 different videos, some of which didn’t make the final cut.
There were a lot of “bloopers” as well, since I was walking (and spinning) around my apartment in heels with my eyes closed.
Creating a visual representation of an idea that’s previously only existed in my imagination was incredibly fulfilling, even if it’s just a two-minute version of a greater vision. I dream of the day I’ll be able to make movies with a full cast and crew and a budget over zero dollars.
What do you dream of?
Thank you for reading! Hopefully this won’t keep you up at night ;)
❤
