Critical Reflection
Our film ‘Dr Bootleg’ was based on the idea of representing young people struggling with mental health. Life is tough on everyone, but the youth struggles deeper being faced with uncertainty and the ever changing state of the world in the time they’re laying the foundations for their lives. This representation will resonate with the collective identity of many young adults as Sam, our main character, also belongs to the age group of 18-25. Gaye Tuchman theorises that women in media are portrayed in limited roles as compared to men, this stands true as most movies based on mental health star a male protagonist. Especially when discussing terms like existential crises, portrayed usually as the infamous ‘mid-life crisis’ and almost always through an adult male. Representing the existential crises young adults face was intended to be a fresh twist on this perspective and portraying it through a girl breaks the convention and offers a deep representation of an undermined social group. Contrasting with Sam’s anxieties is the character of Dr Bootleg, an eccentric who despite his unconventional approaches is rather effective. Dr Bootleg is rooted in the philosophy of absurdism that focuses on humanity’s desire for meaning and the lack of it in the universe. Suggesting that instead of the tension between the two, one should embrace the absurdity of this existence and enjoy the moment. Dr Bootleg is clearly an absurdist. This reflects not only in the lessons he teaches Sam but also in the character he is as a concept personified. The voice of a woman with the attire and moustache of a man; Dr Bootleg is an absurd creature that the audience is not meant to understand. This adds to the humour of our film and the message of the fun of the concept instead of deeper meaning. The pair of our contrasting characters creates what Levi-Strauss terms as ‘binary opposition’. This is integral to structuring our narrative and adds the depth and comedic effect – also reflected in Sam’s dark clothing and Bootleg’s colorful office.
With three products to create, a recognisable branding was essential. Firstly, we wanted a logo to identify our studio. After a lot of brainstorming and drafts, we succeeded. The logo was the first step in our branding – functioning as a stamp of authenticity and brand recognition for the audiences. We used it extensively from our social media to the postcard and in the film. Colour schemes also played a crucial role. We carefully selected a palette that matched the theme and settings of our film and carried it across the Instagram page, the postcard and even in the film’s colour grading which I created myself. This allowed us to craft an immersive experience for our audience. Typography choices were equally deliberate. We limited ourselves to two fonts—Berkshire Swash and Old Standard—which we used across all three media products. This restraint contributed to a strong sense of visual identity and cohesion – linking back to institutional practices for brand communication and audience recognition. Another repeated element was the use of the duck and chick motifs, with my little duck becoming a central branding figure across all three products. In terms of representation, these characters injected humour and charm into the brand, which helped target our intended audience—mainly teens and young adults who respond well to light-hearted and whimsical media. Their repeated appearance across the film, merchandise, and social media helped create a paratextual identity that extended the audience’s emotional connection with our film. My comical fake moustache was also intended to be a striking feature of Bootleg’s oddity, but it also stands out as an element for our branding being featured on our posters and sticker packs as well as remaining a memorable feature from the film.
Audience engagement was at the heart of every creative decision we made. After our first draft, we had to pay special attention to this which led to the addition of small animatic sequences to add visual variety and keep viewers interested. I paired them with carefully curated soundtracks – the upbeat whimsy of Bootleg and Sam’s dramatic despair juxtaposed as well as well-timed sound effects that came together as our engaging soundtrack. Strategic zoom-ins were also employed to draw attention to characters’ facial expressions, adding emotional depth and enhancing viewer connection. Social media, especially Instagram, provided an invaluable platform for engaging audiences in real-time. We leaned into the platform’s most interactive features—stories and highlights—to provide frequent updates and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the filmmaking process. These posts kept viewers intrigued and involved, building anticipation for the final product. Grid posts featuring stills and a BTS introductory video helped ground the audience in the narrative world of the film. Additionally, showcasing our merchandise on Instagram gave the audience an opportunity to form a more tangible connection with the film. The postcard was designed with simplicity and visual balance in mind using basic framing principles to ensure the focus on the characters combined with a bright colour scheme intended to capture the audience’s interest and create anticipation.
As a huge fan of film, I had researched deep into filmmaking in my AS Level where I had chosen the unconventional genre of neo noir. With that experience, I shifted my focus to short film research. Watching and analyzing my favourite short films i.e. those of Martin Scorsese’s and Wes Anderson’s gave me a great idea of the conventions I could use and play around with and express my creative vision. My AS research knowledge of camera shots was greatly helpful in creating an interesting shot list, particularly the inclusion of tilts - a lesser used shot. My understanding of colour grading was informed by research. This meant I followed the convention of creating a warm and saturated coloring for the dramedy. Sam’s dullness stands out in the atmosphere created to emphasise her feelings of not belonging. Again, my film buff self is a fan of many comedies, particularly witty ones like my favourite sitcom Arrested Development from which I took much inspiration for our dialogue and comedic effects. For the postcard, however, I had little prior knowledge and our decisions were made with more well informed convention with aesthetic choice for our branding and sense of framing. Taking inspiration from established industry practices, we incorporated conventional elements such as the studio logo, actor names, log lines, and awards into our postcard design. This research allowed us to make the postcard look polished and professional, ensuring it aligned with typical promotional material. Similarly, exploring how professional Instagram accounts set up film releases prompted our ideas to use gridposting and banners, including a "coming soon" banner and an introductory video, which served to build anticipation and provide insight into the making of the film.
However, we also made the conscious decision to break two major conventions within the short film itself, which allowed us to inject some creativity and originality into the project. One of the most noticeable deviations is the film's dialogue-heavy nature. Unlike most short films, which often rely on visual storytelling or minimal dialogue, we opted to use dialogue as the primary vehicle for comedy. By focusing on witty, rapid exchanges, we were able to add a unique comedic touch that kept the pacing fast and engaging. Another unconventional choice was the lack of a clear, explicit conclusion. Instead of tying up the narrative neatly, we deliberately left the film with an abrupt ending. We felt that this open-ended finish would be funnier and add a touch of unpredictability to the film, keeping the audience amused and on their toes.
Another aspect we incorporated was intertextuality. For instance, the Pina Colada song itself is a popular choice for soundtrack, being featured in man films like Grown Ups, Guardians of the Galaxy although it personally always reminds me of Better Call Saul. Behind Dr. Bootleg, the DUCKZILLA poster pays homage to the Godzilla franchise, something Varisha wanted to include because she loves it. More by me though, Dr. Bootleg makes a subtle reference to Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, a classic comedic play. This felt like a fitting nod to the absurd, comedic nature of the film of which the play is also similar and added a layer of depth that only those familiar with the play would pick up on.
Looking back on the project, I can say that after months of research and hard work, we were able to produce three cohesive products—film, postcard, and Instagram presence—that I am genuinely proud of. This experience has been a rewarding journey, filled with creative challenges and opportunities to experiment with media conventions. I’m glad we were able to break conventions in ways that added originality, while still adhering to industry standards that ensured our brand remained professional and recognizable. It was truly an enjoyable and educational experience, one that allowed me to push the boundaries of traditional film and media promotion.