CR - The Reflection

 • How do your products represent social groups or issues? 

The film I created, “In an Instant” serves as a representation of the social problems regarding drunk driving and the tragedies associated with these reckless actions. This film highlights not only how the individuals involved suffer but how the families and entire communities suffer from traumatic events pertaining to these types of accidents. It remains a global issue that affects citizens, regardless of age or color. The goal of the production was to exemplify the reality of making reckless decisions and how the consequences of just an instant can affect people for the rest of their lives.  

 

In the film, the central focus is around a father at work, trying to get through the day to reunite with his young family. In the film, it is the reckless decision of two teens to drive under the influence of alcohol that ended the young life of the father. These characters serve as a representation of the social culture that exists within teenagers and young adults and the growing tendency of going behind the wheel while inebriated. By including the consequences many families suffer, including the legal consequences and emotional trauma, the film seeked to portray how statistics stop just being numbers. Instead, humanizing and showing how every number re;resents a life, one that could be just like theirs.  

 

Overall, “In an Instant” was made to raise awareness and educate the audience to think twice about drinking and driving. This way, the audience can reflect on the detrimental effect one mistake can have. 

 

• How do the elements of your production work together to create a sense of
‘branding’? 

When ‘branding’ a film, it is not simply about making the film visually attractive, but about creating something that will impact the audiences on an emotional level. This film was shot using realistic elements  such as location, objects, people, as well a true situation that happens to thousands of lifes everyday.  

The shots taken vary, from high angles to close ups and actual conversations. These were taken to make everything as realistic as possible to invoke raw emotions from the audience. The acting and details such as the pictures, driving and families as well as children involved were all implemented to reflect how real of a situation this is and the seriousness of the situation.      

As I said, it’s not just about what one sees, the diegetic sounds in the movie as well were incorporated to be as realistic as possible. From the diegetic sounds like the sirens, the conversation and the driving effects to the non-diegetic sounds like the music at the end of the film that contrasts the seriousness of the father who is now in a coma. The music and scene work to add a sort of eerie effect on everything and this particular scene leaves the audience with a bittersweet ending. 

The name of the movie itself is a powerful tool. “In an Instant” captures the film's message quite well, as life can change drastically in a matter of seconds. It's a message that is straightforward and used in a lot of the marketing of this film and its making. The factors that make this film what it is, are the realistic details that portray it as a message to the youth and general population and to inspire thought about the life long consequences of being reckless, even for just an instant.  

 

• How do your products engage with the audience? 

For a film like this, the main goal was engagement to spread the message to the young and old. The emotions and the social groups portrayed in “ In an Instant” represent the viewers in a variety of ways which engages them in a way that they feel connected to the characters and the events unraveling. The goal of the story was to evoke empathy for the characters as the audience witnesses the family crumble down. The hope and character development are what makes the viewer connect with the story. The build-up to the very much avoidable tragedy emotionally invests the viewer.  

Additionally, by showing the perspectives of the multiple characters involved, the audience is encouraged to do the same. To reflect on the perspectives of the people. For example, the remorse and guilt the teenager who caused the accident might feel. Another perspective being the one of the wife who is now at risk of losing not only the father of her child, but her husband. This film humanizes each situation to not only be seen as part of a film, but of something that is a reality which initiates conversation of accountability and second chances as well as learning experiences.  

Beyond the film, the website and social media platform also engage with the audiences by the posts which show the behind the scenes aspect of the film. These pages also use hashtags that connect this film to organizations and others that stand with the #Don't Drink And Drive slogan. This message and the raise of awareness has been the objective for its message and theme.  

The film engages with its audience not only through the aspects of the story storytelling and characters but the online platforms and the image that the film has built for itself. Spreading awareness on an issue that occupies the ninth place in the world for the most fatalities.  

 
• How did your research inform your products and the way they use or
challenge conventions? 

In order to make this film, extensive research had to be made to know what it is that makes up a movie the drama genre. However, it wasn’t just the type of genre, it was also content of how to re-create a realistic situation of a drunk driving accident. To do that, first, many films that follow the sequence of build-up and climax were studied as well. Now when it came to the making of freak- accident movies, I had to seek the common characteristics of tragedy movies that were analyzed. As far as the physical elements, those depended on the character development and the location of the storyline. The challenge came in terms of the credibility of the story. How can the grief of a family and the trauma not only experienced by those who lose someone, but those who cause the accident be portrayed? 

While it is hard to force those feelings, the best was done with the available equipment, actors, and creativity. Usually, all people remember in these types of films is the moment of the accident, but “In an Instant”wanted to challenge this and be more personal and that’s memorable. Focusing not only on the details of the accident, but the development of the story to touch the hearts of the viewers. A common factor of these stories is the absolute worst case scenario and the death of a character. However, this particular film did not follow the norm and seize all hope. “ In an Instant” tried to capture a heartbreaking story but without the concept of death. This way, the viewer is intrigued to wonder what is to happen. For example, what will happen to the young man from here on out? All in all, this film is part of a niche group of film made to raise awareness about the particular issue of reckless decisions and drunk-driving. The research helped the plot challenge common elements which make the story captivating and raise awareness of this global issue. 

 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MnpIQjxSWwLAdSMAxKKzFnDvsBuA1lYbr8gmPIscusw/edit?tab=t.0