Project Type

Partner Design Film Synopsis
Course
Apparel Analysis
Date
Fall 2023

Description

Kendal Rubin and I created a design film that conveys an aesthetic experience for the viewer while promoting a brand of our choice, utilizing the elements and principles of design.

Design Film Synopsis

Kendal Rubin & Lindsey Copeletti

The concept we chose for our film synopsis is an aesthetic experience that promotes a brand. The film will follow our main character through downtown Savannah and to the store Midge, which is where we will be primarily filming. The plot of the film is essentially a day in the life of a woman going shopping for the perfect dress she needs. It will be shot from the 3rd person's point of view and will show that our overall message is to promote the brand aesthetically. The theme of our design film is going to be an independent woman and the empowerment she finds from her trip to Midge. Therefore, the message of our film will be female empowerment. Concerning aesthetics, our film will create a serene and joyful feeling for the viewer; while representing a safe and inviting environment for shopping at Midge.

We are choosing to utilize the elements of design in our film in various ways. For lighting, the store has very large windows that allow natural light to fill the space. Natural lighting is also ambient lighting, which helps provide the best possible shopping experience. The store’s aesthetic is classic with a vintage touch, so ambient lighting suits the aesthetic best. The clothing in the store is arranged to highlight both monochromatic color concepts and simultaneous contrast. For the auditory and olfactory elements, the store utilizes candles and specific radio stations. Midge carries a candle brand called “Jack Be Nimble,” and rotates a few different scents including “Gossip,” which is red currant and pear, and “Day at the Spa,” which is lavender and lemongrass. The music station that is primarily played is “60’s Oldies” to tie in the vintage aesthetic. The novelty aspects around the store include vintage suitcases and trunks, vintage hand mirrors, an original Midge Barbie doll, original Barbie cases, original Singer sewing machines, and vintage hair rollers; which create proportion between them and the clothing. The store layout is balanced out so

that similar colors go together, but also similar styles are with one another to create rhythm in the store while providing easy navigation to shop. Texture plays a huge role in the store because the owner is very particular about the textiles she chooses. The store features a lot of cotton and linen, as well as denim. 

We are very pleased with how our design film turned out. Our triumphs included success with filming our scenes, and the availability of the store Midge to film in. Difficulties we encountered included having to find time to go down to Savannah to film and edit. Neither of us has too much experience editing, so it took longer than expected. Kendal works at the store we filmed in, so it was easy for us to find a location to film at, however, then we needed to find time either during very slow hours or before the store opened to film. If we could change anything in the film it would be to include more sensual and abstract shots that convey a specific feeling to the viewer; however, we don’t have the filmography experience we would need to do that. Another difficulty we encountered when filming on location was that we were unable to get all of the exterior shots we wanted because when we showed up, a homeless man was lying on the ground asleep outside of Midge. We didn’t want that to affect the feeling of our film, so we did their best we could to create shots that excluded that person. Despite the difficulties we encountered, we believe we were successful in filming and creating an aesthetic experience that promotes Midge in downtown Savannah.