Affliction – Reflections
Final Year Project ResearchAffliction was a project that meant a lot to me. It began with wanting to create a graduate film that took emotions and lived experiences with chronic illness, translating that into a story that would resonate with people. Although Affliction had to be cancelled due to health issues, there are a lot of positives to take away from the production.
The Positives
Affliction was a story that resonated with people because it acknowledged the relatable and universal experience of being a woman with health issues and the way in which society demonises and fails to treat said issues.
Self-Tapes for the Test Shoot
We were fortunate to receive a fantastic response to our casting call for the test shoot and had high-quality submissions from a wide range of actors for the roles of Blair and Mavis. It was great to see the enthusiasm and engagement with the project and the different interpretations of each character.
Interest in Affliction
Through speaking to others on the course and within the film industry, we had a lot of brilliant people offering their skills and talents to the project. I am thankful for the individuals involved who put work into Affliction and those who committed to the project.
Lessons Learned from Affliction – Production
While Affliction taught me the importance of knowing when to step back for my health and the project itself, it also taught me some crucial lessons about filmmaking and the production process.
External Producers
External producers were not the ideal option for producing a graduate film project. We encountered issues where the external producers could not access the Napier IT system, which meant they were unable to book out equipment or submit risk assessments independently.
Another factor that had to be considered was the availability of external producers, mainly because they had extraneous commitments like work and additional factors like being remotely based or working full-time. I dedicated much time to figuring out our workflow, which took away from directing the story development and supporting the other HODs.
The complications we faced were not attributable to any specific factor but resulted in difficulties progressing with Affliction due to the factors mentioned earlier. Despite this, I am grateful we found external producers who believed in the project and committed their skills and time to it.
External Cinematographer
There was a lack of cinematographers on the course who did not already have a project – or multiple – to approach about Affliction. I explored the option of an external cinematographer, but this was problematic regarding what equipment they were allowed to use and whether or not they could operate.
Many of the people my friends recommended were doing paid work and could not commit to the project’s duration. While I anticipated this issue, I did not expect the additional complications with bringing an external DP onto Affliction, despite the fact a lot were Napier alumni.
New Beginnings – from Affliction to King’s Folly
Most of the crew attached to Affliction could join King’s Folly, a new project written and directed by Affliction screenwriter Mark-Antony. The external producers will also support this new production. Mark-Antony wanted to direct a graduate film, and although Affliction had to be cancelled, it presented another opportunity for the crew to create another graduate film. Thankfully, only a minority of the crew attached were significantly affected by the project’s cancellation, and all have new projects to which their talents can be channeled.
Lessons Going Forward
While canceling Affliction was incredibly difficult, it has taught me the courage to know when to step back and prioritise my health and well-being, particularly in a fast-paced, stressful, and pressurised environment like film production.
I am grateful for what this experience has taught me through the challenges I have faced. As for Affliction, the answer is not a no. It is simply not right now.