Exposure (2022) is a short dance film that invites the viewer to question what it means to be perceived by the people around them. This film serves to create a representation of our inner self and our public image. Created as a response to my film, Someone is Always Watching (2022), Exposure poses the idea that "no one is ever watching." It plays on the juxtaposition of voyeurism and exhibitionism, and questions if being seen in the public eye is exhibitionist, if being seen is not the intent.

The film is split into three sections, each of which represent a different aspect of the mindset of "performing." The first section creates a mix of playfulness and uneasiness, by showing me dancing in a crowded art museum. The intent behind this section is to show how people are not paying attention to what you do. I also played with the use of shots that made me seem insignificant and appear with the same amount of focus as other museum goers. I also began to touch on the idea of random and intrusive thoughts. This was able to segue into the next section that begins with the statement, "they can't actually see you," meaning no one can see what goes on in your head. This section sought to create the feeling of being trapped in a liminal space. In this section, the intrusive thoughts become darker and more violent. I pulled inspiration from both Psycho (1960), which I use an audio excerpt from, and I allude to Macbeth by using the metaphor for washing blood off of the hands to clear a guilty conscience. I also used an audio excerpt from The Mask (1994), which brings to light the idea of mental health care and understanding being analytical and inhuman. Lastly, in the last section I lighten up the tone by using an upbeat song, Mariah Carey's Fantasy. This song is meant to suggest the idea that we can create whatever "fantasy" or facade we desire. I accompany the beginning of this section with the question, "but can you actually see them?", which brings the film full circle.

The idea is that you can be unbothered by being seen by someone else, but every human interaction is a two-way street. People decide how much of themselves they would like to share, and often we don't see much for fear of vulnerability, and seeing the "ugly" or "dark" sides. My goal in creating this was to allow viewers to watch this film with an open mind and come up with their own interpretations of what this means and how it manifests in their own lives. Hope you enjoy!

Original Vision

no is ever watching

through real life with people in the background

even though people can see you, no one can see who you really are, unless you choose to let them. it’s all an illusion created in your head, in which you think you’re the center of your own world, and that everyone cares way less than you think, because everyone else is trapped in their own head

inspiration from outside of yourself - let the world around you determine what the present moment is.

choice vs circumstance = luck or skill

no one is ever watching

they can’t actually see in

but can you actually see out?

symbolism/themes

trapped= liminal spaces

~boxes threshold

freedom=in the public eye, alone but free

~birds, weightlessness

randomness - what actually has meaning? and what is just information overload?

everything is a sign.

dissociation/detachment

willpower, detachment, ego, instincts, freedom, balance, control

internal vs external

imagination vs reality

sweet vs bitter

passion vs apathy

control vs freedom

movement research:

how does the energy of the space affect movement?

how does the presence of other energies affect/not affect your own energy?

how can emotion/narrative be reflected through pure movement?

how does gestural work assign meaning to arbitrary movement?

where do the lines blur between juxtaposition and similarity, and how is this shown through the use of fluid and staccato movement?

exploring the use of multiple textures at once.