Hide And Seek

Director: Charlie Hamill

Written by: Charlie Hamill & Emma Stephens

Director of Photography: Luca McDonald

SYNOPSIS

After returning from the shops, Michelle (mid-40s) is surprisingly greeted by her son Harry (21), who arrives in an astronaut suit. As the two reminisce about old times, sharing fond memories and exploring the house, it becomes evident that a lot has changed since they last met 10 years ago. As the night continues, and Michelle finishes her bottle of wine, it becomes apparent that Harry may not be the same son Michelle raised, but the one she wished she had. Michelle, trying to hold onto the memory of Harry, plays a game of hide and seek with him, however, he is nowhere to be found.

Creative Statement

In Hide and Seek, I aimed to use stylistic and emotionally rich visuals to showcase the essence of grief fostered through the relationship between a mother and her son.

Bringing the director’s vision to life we chose to push for a warm tone throughout the short with a filmic look, which I achieved through on-set lighting and the colour grade. I also stylistically used central framing within the film to create isolation and help guide the audience’s eyes towards the subject of the frame.

A challenge in my role as cinematographer was shooting the transition between the flashback to the present. I chose to create a one-take dolly shot, with lighting changing from day to night, guiding the audience from the character’s memory back into her reality.