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Janet Adebiyi-Ojo
Production Aims...
As part of my Film Studies F634 Coursework requirements, I aim
to produce a five-minute film sequence, demonstrating the
various representations of black women. I wrote an extended
piece of writing exploring my topic of how the representation of
black women has changed from the 1970s to present day,
exploring films such as Set It off (1996), Precious (2007), Poetic
Justice (1993), Why Did I Get Married (2007) and For Colored Girls
(2010). In the 1970s, black females had negative perceptions of
them, typically being portrayed as sexual objects, single mothers
or unemployed/dependent on the welfare system.
The idea in which I have come up with is to present a five minute
film that focuses on a reflective monologue a 24-year-old woman
presents whilst unpacking a box of old belongings. The idea will
be focused on how different objects trigger various memories for
the protagonist, Isabella Nichols, as she has flashbacks of these
things actually happening. A number of my ideas were similar to
that of incidents that occurred in Precious (2009) and the main
female protagonist in this film suffers from similar issues as
Isabella Nichols in my short film.
My main focus is the representation of black women in my final
production and how the main protagonist suffered within her
school and home life. There is very little dialogue throughout the
film, meaning my main focus is on the micro elements and
making sure they are as accurate as they can be.
Overall, I hope to create a short film that gives the audience a
significant message that will be delivered through the characters
voice as the main protagonist Isabella talks of her teenage years
and expressing her thoughts and feelings via a monologue.