Keywords

film, documentary, personal essay, experimental, trauma, healing

Abstract

Forward Fast, Always/Never (Together Forever) and Shotgun Baby are three short experimental documentary films as part of the requirements for earning a Master of Fine Arts in Feature Film Production from the University of Central Florida. These films focus on the unique power of cinema and its ability to assist in healing from complex trauma. Three films were produced on an artisanal, micro-budget scale.

This body of work confronts and examines the significant traumas from an abusive childhood upbringing (Shotgun Baby), the effects of misogyny in Western media on my developing filmic sensibilities (Forward Fast), and the lasting emotional distress from a recurring pattern of fractured friendships (Always/Never (Together Forever)). Home movies and personal archives are employed in a ritualistic approach to self-healing and the reframing of these narratives. This work is confrontational and deeply personal, exploring the unique power of cinema to heal complex trauma and connect audiences through a shared experience.

This thesis outlines personal research with my self as the subject. These short films serve as a vehicle for catharsis and self-healing; reclaiming and reframing narratives, ultimately seeking freedom from trauma’s grasp. The style of the films are intensely personal, therefore, the following thesis mirrors a certain level of self-disclosure and diaristic framework. The findings from development to completion of three short films are all focused around transmuting pain.

Completion Date

2024

Semester

Summer

Committee Chair

Shults, Katherine

Degree

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Film

Degree Program

Feature Film MFA

Format

application/pdf

Release Date

8-15-2024

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

Accessibility Status

Meets minimum standards for ETDs/HUTs

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