festival - West Island School Portal

CIRCLE IN THE WATER
ARTS
FESTIVAL
2015
Introduction
Welcome to the Circle in the Water Arts Festival 2015. This event
celebrates the achievements of our visual arts and design, film, drama
and music students from the Creative Arts Faculty. We are delighted
to present to you the impressive and creative work of our Year 13 IB
Group 6 students.
The Creative Arts faculty is a unique faculty because it is dedicated
to excellence in both academic and artistic performance and
exhibition. Circle in the Water is a name given to identify and
celebrate all arts performances and events presented by the Visual
Arts and Design, Drama and Dance, Film and Music departments.
Like concentric circles, which form and grow, Circle in the Water
aims to foster creativity, influence and enrich the lives of WIS
students and our community. Performances, showcase events
and exhibitions give students opportunity to create, inquire and
express themselves. We encourage all students to experience and
develop their creativity by being part of Circle in the Water either
as performers, artists, creators, makers, designers, producers,
managers, directors or audience.
The Circle in the Water Arts Festival illuminates the rich and diverse
artistic talent of West Island School and displays each of our artists’
personal and communal identity. Their journey over the last two years
has been intriguing, varied and demanding. Each student has searched
for meaning and discovered relationships between themselves, other
artists and their audience. We hope they have become informed
young adults who are fully aware of what surrounds them and have
the confidence and skills to encounter and engage with our constantly
changing world.
I sincerely thank the Creative Arts staff who design and lead vibrant
classrooms that foster curiosity, engagement and exciting exploration
of the arts. Roger, Andrea, Sophie, Andrew, Tony, Lok, Oiy and Michael
have invested so much of themselves helping students unlock and
develop their strengths and identity as artists. These teachers and
support staff are extremely dedicated and special people.
To our graduating students, this catalogue is for you; a memento of
your arts journey over the last two years. Congratulations to you all.
With every good wish,
Leigh Dalgarno
Head of Creative Arts
West Island School
KELSEY ANG
Visual Arts
ROGER STANLEY
OIY OXTON
SOPHIE OXFORD
ANDREA DRYLAND
Starting with the theme of ‘Ugly Beauty’, I was inspired by artists Wayne Thiebaud and Lisa Milroy to explore
shoes. I was intrigued by used, old, worn down shoes leading me to investigate my own world featuring ballet
shoes and their ‘ugly beauty’.
My study of artists such as Edgar Degas and Toulouse Lautrec conveyed the harsh realities dance. Through
their work, I gained a greater awareness of the use of loose gestural lines, vibrant colours and composition to
depict a sense of energy and movement. I was inspired to create my own art, a personal interpretation of the
movement within dance, through paint, charcoal and mixed media pieces.
Students
KELSEY ANG
KATIE AU
TANYA BUXANI
EMMA CARROLL-MONTEIL
DOMINIC CHAN
SERENA CHAN
CHERITY CHEUNG
JUSTIN CHEUNG
DYLAN COLLARD
RAPHAEL GALVEZ
KYRA KALMAR
JACK KELLEHER
RAJIV KURUVILLA
TRIXY LEUNG
1
SAMANTHA LI
KATERINA LO
VIKEERTI MAHTANI
KAYLEY MCDONALD
HANNAH MOULD
NICHOLAS NG
SARAH NG
LAURA PORTER
KATERINA SPINOS
KENJI TANG
AMANDA THORSEN
VALENTINA TING
MARCO TUIMAKA
JAKE WONG
I have explored the concept of conceal versus reveal in order to convey the expressive, emotional aspects
of movements within my art using dance as a base of inspiration. Moving from realism to abstract, I became
inspired by futurism and artist Paul Himmel to conceal the actual movements through deconstruction,
reconstruction and fragmentation. I was drawn to the use of overlapping and recreating different stages of a
movement to create pattern, rhythm and directional movement.
My work involves layers of overlapping images that create contrast and by doing so, are meant to reflect the
hardships and challenges of dance - the need to look aesthetically effortless in tandem with the difficulties in
creating the illusion of beauty. The detailed, geometric shapes, inspired by Futurism, represent the meticulous
details of technique and strength. These are juxtaposed to freer organic forms (such as those seen in
Himmel’s photographs), serving to depict the tranquillity, freedom and inner peace that I associate with dance.
2
KATIE AU
My work arises from the feelings and reactions I have to the world and people around me. I sense at times
others keep a distance from me, judging me from my appearance. I have come to realise that my physical
appearance can be deceitful. This engendered a desire to conceal my true feelings from the others and to
keep a mask on in everyday life. Therefore, I decided to explore the theme of ‘façade and real self’, seeking
the opportunity to express my real self through my art.
In turn, I have examined the expressive approaches of existentialists Francis Bacon and Alberto Giacometti. I
embed understanding into my work by manipulating the intense line forms to represent my spiritual discomfort
in a vibrant way. More recently, I have been influenced by the work of Florian Nicolle, Jenny Saville and Yuji
Ashikawa which strikes me with their powerful use of and integration of colors. I have journeyed beyond
the individuality of black and white and immersed myself in aesthetics and the emotional use of the palette,
surpassing self-identity to question the significance of appearance within a society standardized by social
norms.
Art has helped me to recognize how perceptions and self-perception can change over time. I have elevated
myself from a state of confusion to clarity in terms of both my art making and my underlying artistic purpose. As
a result, I accept and consider the views of others but my judgment is my own.
3
TANYA BUXANI
My work is about the concept of growth and organic, natural beauty that is often barred by man-made
structures. I encapsulate this through floral and cellular images contrasting to more geometrical shapes
showing this conflict. In our world, the removal of one is necessary to create or conserve the other and my
work is about the inability of nature and humans to coexist in complete harmony.
In a broader sense, we are confined by what exists around us and sometimes we go with the flow and move
freely along in life. However, other times there are obstacles to our growth and barriers we must cross.
I looked at the work of Leanne Claxton to learn from her dreamlike, floral beauty and pattern. The work of
Georgia’O Keefe inspired my use of watercolour and allowed me to appreciate the sensitivity in her style. I
visited the Asia Contemporary Art exhibition and looked into the work of Park Young Suk and Zao Wou-ki,
using lines and inks similarly to express movement and fluidity in my work. Kandinsky allowed me to see the
balance between fluidity and form, the loose and controlled lines. This was in sharp contrast to Katherine
Mann’s absence of control and utter chaos, allowing me to see the need for balance in my work.
I also looked at artists Ed Fairburn and Emily Garfield and was enticed by their use of repetition and contour
lines to embody fluidity and movement. I saw a similar flow of energy in henna art, a resonant art form in my
culture. The colours used in my work are limited and complementary, varying from the blues and purples of
water, to the richness of flowers and sunsets in their reds and pinks and the greens and yellows of leaves
and the land.
4
EMMA CARROLLMONTEIL
Originally, I began the course with the theme of ‘Ugly Beauty’, and focused on this theme in regards to
animals in captivity, a subject which is very personal to me. I started by visiting zoos photographing imprisoned
animals them to capture their emotions of life in captivity, then with the influence of Ian Murphy, drew them in
a combination of realism and abstraction. These works focused on the beauty of wild animals, and what life is
like for them in captivity. I communicated this through the implementation of colour, pattern, composition, and
detail used when capturing the image of the animal to convey its emotions.
As my work evolved, I become more interested in the anatomical intricacy and beauty of animals’ bodies and
bones. This led me to consider the topic of life and death, and I began investigating the skeletal structures
of animals, and even humans. I considered the work of Damien Hirst, who works with animal bodies and
skeletons to make art that comments on the closeness and dependency of life upon death. With his inspiration,
I experimented with different forms of media to discover the beauty and complexity of bones, and also the
importance of skeletons in different cultures. I learnt about skeletons and their presence in art in different
cultures, particularly in Hong Kong and in Mexico (the sugar skull). After considering the style of Anthony
Wiertz, I progressed to working with bones more graphically on Photoshop. Through digital media my ideas
were then able to develop more intricately and I was able to combine many aspects of life and death to more
meaningful pieces of art. My last few pieces aimed to incorporate beautiful aspects both of life and death.
They typically contained a symbol of each, meshed together to create a clear message about the beauty and
closeness of life and death.
5
DOMINIC CHAN
The mind is complex. It creates and examines everything in the world around us from the nature which
we have no control over to the structures and objects we generate in our minds and build physically. Our
imaginations interpret what we see and feel and transform it into things much greater beyond the realms of
possibilities. However, the mind is still in complex. We use science and psychology to try and understand what
makes someone think the way they think, however there is always things that we fail to comprehend. This is
why I have chosen to interpret the mind, our imagination and feelings, through something which we inevitably
encounter every day, interiors. Some of my pieces are realistic and follow the practice of architecture and
interior design, representing the working states we have at school or in our offices. Others are abstract
perceptions of the mind, representing our imagination, beliefs and feelings which are unexplainable in the
human vocabulary.
I have primarily used pen and water colour as it gives me the most control over my pieces. I have also worked
with mixed media, creating textures through the pasting of materials such as newspaper and photos from
magazines. These photos help me to create a relationship between the audience and the piece as the photos
are of people.
I have studied the works of artist who look at interiors , for example Matthias Weischer. His work inspires me
because he has a realistic approach to interiors, however there are underlining questions that arise from his
pieces due to his colour schemes, objects that he uses and the way everything is positioned in his pieces. His
work evokes feelings and emotions which each member of the audience will look at differently.
6
SERENA CHAN
CHERITY CHEUNG
Art is like my mirror. Whenever I look into a mirror, I observe a visage. But when the visage is overthrown by
emotion, I am no longer ruled by reason. Feeling entrapped in an inner conflict, I strongly desire to fathom
the reasons behind my fragility. From this, I began to explore the psychology behind my seemingly detached
appearance.
Modigliani’s philosophy of beauty intersected with my intentions. I aimed to express my detached, private
personality. Similarly, his portraits of women displayed a sense of mystery and a calm composure. They have
long noses, symmetrical eyes and small lips, proportions that are deemed universally beautiful. Being heavily
influenced by his distinctive style, I incorporated these facial proportions into my self-portraits. I began to
reveal more of my personality in my artwork as I experimented with Christine Peloquin’s approach - revealing
one’s personality over collaged backgrounds. Several artists, namely Mary Jane Ansell, Susanne Du Toit and
Graham Flack, have also influenced my compositions, enabling me to capture the contemplative and reserved
side of myself in portraits. One of my portraits became slightly erotic, as I was inspired by Carter’s idea of
presenting nudity and vulnerability in “The Bloody Chamber”.
Through my visit to Thailand, I came to understand more about culture beyond Hong Kong, the different
values that we place onto an object or tradition, and how they become important aspects of our daily lives.
It led to me reflecting on our own culture in Hong Kong, and the political struggles that Hong Kongers face
in their uncertain future. Through this, I came to appreciate the importance of items that we take for granted,
and came to a better understanding about my own culture and the traditions. By going through observational
drawings and photography investigations of still life and the vibrant biodiversity of Thailand, I was able to make
more detailed analysis on subjects of my photography, ultimately influencing me to explore the significance
of light, space, tone and colour in portraying 3-dimentional objects or to convey a sense of loneliness and
focus around them.
My theme of self-identity narrowed down to religious beliefs, when I recognized that my artworks had the
potential for a deeper layer of meaning. Initially, I explored my identity as a Christian and tried to incorporate
religious symbols into my artwork. But after visiting Thailand, I was fascinated with the beliefs of Buddhists.
The development of capturing the religious atmosphere in Buddhist temples propelled me towards realism
which I achieved with oil paints. The motion of worship was also a key component of the atmosphere, so I
incorporated the multiple exposure effect, which I learned from artist and photographer Stephanie Jung.
While looking at Kurt Schwitter’s work as a self-expression of his war experiences, he has also influenced
me to explore my own fears and beliefs. Amongst all my fears it say the term “isolation” that I felt most driven
towards, and has then since become another major theme in my artwork. In addition to Schwitter, I also looked
at Degas’ use of light palette and unnatural form to represent the ballet girls in most of his paintings, not only
sparked the expressionism age in art history, but also to portray the imperfect nature of ballet girls under their
façade of grace and elegance. By looking at his works I came to understand the imperfections of living beings
and to think beyond the false image that we often try to hide. When I looked at Su-Jin Kim’s work on handbags
and flowers, I became absorbed in her expertise in creating a seemingly 3-dimentional object using only flat
pastel colors and gels to outline her pieces. Her focus on stereotypical feminine items like handbags and high
heels lead me to understand that no matter what gender we belong to, we are often pressured to conform to
the social ideals of femininity or masculinity.
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8
JUSTIN CHEUNG
DYLAN COLLARD
Inspired by the living, breathing city of Hong Kong, my artwork has fundamentally been focused on urbanism
and themes built around urbanism. I am fascinated by the fact that many minute details in densely populated,
fast-paced urban areas are often overlooked or ignored. The small things can range from the underrated
beauty of old public housing buildings to the unnoticed growth processes of individuals in society. As an
artist, I tend to switch between a few subsidiary themes at one time; therefore, both my investigation and final
outcomes consist of different smaller themes.
Throughout my first year in IB Art, I was admittedly lost. I had begun the year focusing on artists such as
Krista Harris, Weischer and Van Gogh and their use of bold abstract uses of oil and acrylic paints. I wanted
to develop my artistic range by leaving my comfort zone, however I quickly found I had no sense of purpose
and that clearly translated into my earlier work as it was disjointed and did not reflect a ideal that I personally
supported or believed. The lack of a compelling underlying theme took the purpose from my work and I began
falling behind in class.
Drawing significant influences from Marcus Jensen and Street Etiquette, my artwork mainly attempts to show
viewers what they may regularly overlook when living within a fast-moving urban city or society. While many
people may walk past simple buildings, such as public housing, I personally find beauty in them because I
think about how much history these buildings hold and what becomes of them in the future. This concept
of unrecognized beauty is an idea mostly shown through “drawing of HK buildings.” Aside from this, I also
emphasize the theme of growth. My theme of growth is predominantly concerned with the fact that the many
emotions or stages of the growth process can be easily ignored and to some extent, unappreciated.
However, every cloud has a silver lining, it seems, because from this frustration that came from the schools
suffocating work and pressure filled environments, I discovered my new theme, hoping to express the
suppressed emotions and feelings born from the schools stress. Because these emotions are often withheld
by individuals in our society, I began combining my interest in animation and use of exaggerated line, tone
and shape to create caricatures of the suppressed emotions, that not only I feel but others as well. This was
the foundation of works of mine such as “Frustration’ or ‘Desperation’, taking inspiration from graphite artists
such as Kathe Kollwitz and Michael D. Edens.
Amongst the many art mediums, photography has become my favorite because it allows me to capture a
small slice of time. To me, photography is one of the most open-ended art forms because of the experience
that viewers get when looking at a photograph; the longer someone examines a photograph, the more their
imagination opens up to envision the many possible events that could transpire in that moment in time. Viewers
are not passive because photography captures them and transports them into that world in the photograph.
This investigative study began to flourish as I began creating pieces of abstract realism caricatures of the
emotions I felt personally towards the struggle that a course like IB can bring upon ones self and the toll it can
take on your psychological state. I feel that although I began my artistic journey in 2013, I have matured as
an artist, becoming more aware of composition and purpose in pieces further understanding the importance
of these factors in the creation of my own art work.
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10
RAPHAEL GALVEZ
I have always had preconceived notions about what art actually is. At the early stages of my life I learned
only to recognize the technical aspect of art making, encompassing the attention to detail in portraiture and
photorealism. Throughout my IB journey I have learned not only to gain wider knowledge of what art actually
is, but shape my own personal views about art which is can then be translated throughout my work.
I began to explore the theme of scale and how ambiguity plays a part in distinguishing subject matter to my
audience. From there the artists of Jim Dine and Peter Randall-Page allowed me to channel the same artistic
discovery that I had gone through, and reflect it towards challenging my audience about what art is. At the
same time I fiercely adopted the ideas that Dine and Randall-page shared between objective reality and
subjective human psychology.
To me, a balance between all visual elements as well as reality and emotion is key towards presenting my
ideas about ambiguity. I discovered such elements in studies of natural forms, with leaves and walnuts being
key inspirations due to their universal energy that is collectively shared in nature. There can be links drawn
towards their shapes and forms, following consistent geometrical patterns. The links helped me focus my
intention also to the depiction of nature in society.
My strengths in pencil and graphite provided me with a stable base for recording my ideas in a precise,
coherent way, as I strongly believe that they are the most efficient and simplest forms of visual communication.
However through my journey I expanded my repertoire through the techniques of watercolor, oil painting,
mixed media and prints, giving me various challenges in order to present my work in different mediums.
11
KYRA KALMAR
My artwork has been focused on the concept of line, shape and pattern. I have been heavily influenced by the
architecture of Hong Kong and New York. I gained knowledge through my inquiry into use of pattern, affected
by Bridget Riley and her pattern based pieces connecting fashion design with ‘Op Art’. Marco Fusinato and
his incorporation of sewing into his work aided me to express the pure beauty of line in the creation of my own
artwork. I merge the worlds of art and fashion design through the use of threads/strings and dress forms in
my drawing and paintings.
I began exploring texture that in turn led to pattern making. I have challenged myself to extend beyond
personal boundaries and experiment with a wide range of materials and techniques. Painting with different
media, creating clothing with string, canvas and the use of photography have been the bedrock of my art
making. My work is personal; I focus on things I love and appreciate. I experimented with using fashion styles
as a focus, my sister modeled in most of my photography and my sources link to Hong Kong and New York.
Special places and people are important to my art; I have helped to develop my self-awareness, priorities and
direction through the art making process.
My work aims to show the viewer not to overlook the beauty of simple line, pattern and shape that can be found
all around us. Familiarity of everyday life prevents us from recognizing the aesthetic qualities of cities and
their buildings. To overcome problems I faced, I dealt with setbacks calmly and learned to persevere. I have
grown in confidence both personally and as an artist and designer looking forward to the future somewhere
in the world of fashion design.
12
JACK KELLEHER
I explored the dualities and contradictions of the city I live in through my art. For instance, buildings, which are
fundamentally ugly, covered in pollution and obscured by pipes and air conditioning units - are also peoples’
homes, which they love and take pride in. I drew inspiration from Anselm Kiefer’s use of subtle contrast and
muted tones in his paintings to attempt to capture the grimy external facades of these buildings with an inky,
smudged drypoint print. The beautiful geometric patterns which exist in the towering skyscrapers of Hong
Kong counteract the drab colours and sooty exteriors, and the repetition of the floors of the building creates
fascinating recursive shapes. Following this, I investigated the contrasting order and disorder inherent in
cities through geometry and colour.I then moved from the buildings to the city itself in the form of maps.
Maps tell the story of how the city developed, and how it interacts with the landscape. These maps also
allowed me to move away from the harsh geometric lines of the buildings themselves and into more organic
shapes. In keeping with my investigation of dichotomies, I decided to challenge the typical nature of a map as
monolithic and unchanging. Influenced by the work of Thomas Doyle, I used a new medium - laser cutting - to
produce a fragile, paper-thin outline of a map. Finally, I returned to where I began: to the home as a place of
safety and pride, by inventorying of my possessions and pinning them to a board; removing their context and
questioning the value we place in our material world. Ultimately, this has allowed me to refine my abilities with
existing media and to experiment with new media while gaining a greater appreciation for the intricacies of the
buildings which surround me.
13
RAJIV KURUVILLA
My work is based around the contrasts of ‘old vs new’ and is inspired by a local Japanese artist whose work
I saw exhibited in Hokkaido during the summer visit. The artist, Goto Sumui, had juxtaposed examples of old
temple gates next to modern skyscrapers. This vision has inspired my own drawings of buildings in Hong
Kong and has resulted in a great contrast in style and form. I had noticed that the modern style of building in
Hong Kong had begun to overwhelm the traditional architecture left over from British colonial times. I was
fascinated by the contrast between the linear and logical style inspired by roman architecture and the more
abstract modern style that utilises modern materials in order to create a neo- futuristic effect.
The works of Zaha Hadid, a British/Iraqi architect, inspired me to the power and grace such designs can have
on a city that is constantly evolving. Her use of curves and fragments is an echo to the traditional Chinese
architecture of the past whilst creating a vivid hybrid of new and old forms of architecture which continue to
inspire artists. In addition, I was influenced by the British landscape artist Ian Murphy who’s use exaggerated
perspective and texture has helped me to visualise visual qualities of the old traditional buildings left over in
Hong Kong. Ian Murphy has taught me new techniques and diverse ways to describe the environment. The
perspective style of Giuseppe Vasi and Giovanni Piranesi also helped me to consider the contrast between
old and new. My art inquiry has increasingly focused on creating depth and structure in my studio pieces.
14
TRIXY LEUNG
Art has been my vehicle for expressing thoughts and concerns relating to consumerism in Hong Kong, and the
consequence being the wastage of resources, which endangers the health of the citizens and the environment
of Hong Kong. This is a topic I have grown increasingly passionate about as my art was developing, but the
journey to arrive at this realization began with something simpler - hair.
At the start of this course, I wanted to focus on a simple concept that could be explored in depth. Through
constantly observing my surroundings, I became fascinated with the free-flowing form of hair, and decided
to adopt a graphic approach to illustrate its directional, but random movement. Studying Eveline Tarunadjaja
and Coco Chow for inspiration on colours and composition, I incorporated their distinctive artistic style into
my work. In doing this, my artwork evolved to become richer with details and layers, which I believe had an
influence beyond this topic as seen in my later works.
As I explored natural forms through the topic of hair, I became increasingly aware of the imminent environmental
problems that Hong Kong is facing, so I decided to channel my concerns and create awareness for the
issue through my art. In order to convey my idea, I started researching Robert Rauschenberg’s artistic style
and incorporation of textures and common objects in his art. This investigation has not only allowed me to
have a greater appreciation in the use of different textures and materials to communicate my idea, and as a
result added visual depth and breadth. Throughout this topic, I explored a variety of mediums and techniques
ranging from linocuts to photography. I believe the range of my artworks is able to reveal the consequences
of consumerism in its raw form.
15
SAMANTHA LI
As an Asian child that grew up in southern United States, I learned to express not just through speaking, but
also through the hands and eyes. I was overwhelmed by the fast, urban constraints of Hong Kong, and rural
poverty of my hometown in China. This marked one of many complications when attempting to look into the
subjective through eyes of objectivity. It is the stories of those who are silent that speak the loudest. But what
is the use if one cannot hear?
Trips to impoverished areas opened my interpretation of life in a nihilistic approach to art creation. I craved
for a meaning to be human. Somehow, in a place I was stranger to, I felt at home. And this home screams for
a voice that has not yet been heard. I intend to express the life of those we do not, and will not understand.
This limitation to perception is apparent in the transition from realism to abstract in my work, as I no longer
felt capable of ‘pretending’ to understand the life of another. The ‘reality’ I portrayed became ambiguous,
reflecting the impact of existential and postmodernist philosophy on my thoughts. Our knowledge is shaped
by what we see, and blinds us of what there could be. Can we understand anything? The world is--as cruel as
it may seems--absolute farcicality. Once a child, that is when we recognize the true complexion of existence.
16
KATYA LO
VIKEERTI MAHTANI
Living and growing up in Hong Kong, a city characterised by urban and sleek designs, means that I am rarely
exposed to the process of decay and the natural organic cycle. Often each natural aspect of the environment
is covered with layers of concrete that usually comes in varying tones of black and grey. This grey scale can
evoke a sense of boredom and doesn’t excite me.
So far in my artistic journey, I have explored beauty particularly focusing on culture and nature. I have
developed a fascination for the contours of lines in natural forms; shells, flowers, plants and the roots of trees.
My artwork is a reflection of influences from Leanne Claxton, to Yinka Shonibare, Tiffany Chung, Victoria
Horkan and Jim Dine.
The main purpose of my art making is to expose the rotting and decaying process that we are often afraid
to accept, due to the perception of ugliness and the gruesome sensations we may feel. I want to bring to
viewers my depictions of the beauty of decay through the range of colours, intricate textures and complex
forms I see in the environment. I initially started by looking at objects that are subjected to decay, but later
learned that decay is a continual process and not just a single moment. I also investigated the importance of
decomposition in nature, culture and science. Discovering that the concept plays an essential role in the cycle
of life. As a result, I chose to explore all aspects of decay, from the origin of decay in biological cells to the
abstract appearance of mould and roots. I also examined the decay process in nature and man made objects.
The inspiration of all these artists has resulted in a melting pot, each artist becoming a fragment of my artwork.
My final outcomes often flow in and out of natural forms and culture. I am fascinated by how natural forms can
produce unique and beautiful contours and shapes.
In terms of culture, I have decided to focus on the patterns produced in the Indian culture, specifically Henna
also referred to as mendhi.
My choices of colour were mainly inspired by exploring the works of Francis Bacon, who uses dark rick colours
in his pieces to convey the gruesome and repulsive nature of the carcasses and portraits. In addition, I studied
the works of Ian Murphy, Gerhard Richter and Ye Yu Chang to help my understanding with how to manipulate
textures and apply them in a manner that is cohesive and coherent with my studio pieces, to emphasise the
decaying sections.
A particular challenge I have faced during this process is the ability to limit my colour palette. I have a tendency
to respond using an array of colours that connect with my cultural identity. Through the exploration of other
artists especially Leanne Claxton and Victoria Horkan, I have been inspired to limit and balance my colour
choices. This challenge has taught me to appreciate the value of each colour by selecting wisely, resulting in
the majority of my pieces being predominantly pink, orange and red. In particular, red is extremely symbolic
in the Indian culture as it represents celebration and power while pink is connected with admiration and
appreciation. I felt that these colours were appropriate for both natural forms and culture, representing them
to be dominant aspects of my life.
The purpose of my art captures the energy and flow of lines in several ways, depicting observed contours of
fabric; mainly Indian clothing, shells, and plants.
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KAYLEY MCDONALD
I have explored the concept of line and repetition throughout current and historical architecture, natural forms
and the city around me. As my work progressed, it became a visual representation of how colour, line, balance,
symmetry and proportion evoke an emotional response without the need for a core subject.
After studying artists, Peter Randall Page and Kris Trappeniers, I became completely infatuated with how the
simple form of a sophisticated shape holds equal appeal and emotional baggage. As a modern artist it’s my
responsibility to convey emotion through my work. I decided that my work would challenge the boundaries
and criteria of “sophisticated” art, just like that of Picasso, Bridget Riley and Mark Rothko. The relevance of
these revolutionary artists helped me to develop an understanding for scale and its impact on viewers. My
work focuses on the conceptual connections with these artists’ work rather than the visual connections. I think
that my work should be personal and not a replication of another artist’s work.
Through studying Rothko’s work, specifically his 1960’s pieces on colour, I gained a deeper appreciation for
how glorifying paint rather than the subject has a greater impact on a wider audience. I have been able to
create paintings whose beauty and intensity offer the viewer insight into a familiar understanding of emotion
rather than relying on political and social issues to do this for me.
Through independent observation and exploration I have been able to expand my technical understanding
of both impasto and abraded paint layering, surface textures and colour symbolism. The biggest thing that I
learnt throughout this course was how an audience prefers the big shape rather than the small, as it has the
impact of the unequivocal, further to this, viewers prefer flat forms as they destroy illusion and reveal truth.
19
HANNAH MOULD
I initially began my Visual Arts journey by focusing on creating texture and depth in portraiture. In an attempt
to focus on the dichotomy between the internal and external person, My art pieces are simple compositions
that explore the concept of complexity within simplicity, and how the simple structure of our minds can house
complicated concepts.
I explored the value of colour choices, and its ability to express various idealisms through a plethora of colour
combinations and techniques. I was heavily influenced by the simplicity created from the vivid colours of the
‘De Stijl’ art movement of early 20th Century Netherlands and the colour choice of the Pop Art movement.
These colour choices are evident within my final art pieces through my developed use of acrylic paint and
fine lines on paper.
Surrealism became a prominent theme within my artwork. It allowed me to transcend society’s conventional
views of reality through abstract art forms. I was heavily influenced by the works by René Magritte; his ability
to provide clarity and simplicity, whilst still being able to explore modern art forms through its ability to evoke
emotions through transparency. Photography was a new field of artwork that I explored and I was heavily
influenced by the works of Sebastião Salgado and Victor Skrebneski ,and their ability hold sophisticated
idealisms in their simplistic black and white photographs.
The amalgamation of these elements has allowed to develop as an artist, through my technical skills and
appreciation of different art forms. Through my artwork, I have attempted to engage the audience in exploring
the complexity within simplicity, and their ability to find their own perspective and connection within my artwork.
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NICHOLAS NG
At the beginning of IB art my journey I began to explore the distinctive significance of everyday objects. Jim
Dine’s work relating to everyday tools conveyed to me that everyday visual experiences can be overlooked. A
workman’s tools have a personal connection and become worn through the process of their purpose. I visually
considered everyday objects of my own; paper clips and pens and experimented with ideas and processes
to make them special. I progressively transformed simple objects to more intricate and abstract art forms
that conveyed feelings and emotions through the use of shape and line. Through my investigation work, I
have become appreciative of expressionism and this inspired me to base my work around the idea of modern
Geometrism in an urban environment. The significance of Charles Sheeler’s work has led me to greater
connection with objects and structures around me and to admire their shape and cultural influences. Similarly,
Ben Kafton and Justin Maller have captivated me to push myself to elaborate in angular presentations and
have directed me to sculpt my work in exaggerated and complex ways.
Initially I often worked purely using the safety of graphite, but gradually I started to experiment with other
mediums, importantly acrylic paints, to develop my artistic intentions and create more powerful expressive
art. However, having explored the use of oil and acrylic paints I often come back to using graphite and pen. I
enjoy the unrestricted control and flow of ideas within my creativity that graphite offers me. My use of colour
spans across nearly the entire spectrum to depict the energy, values and life it brings into each piece of
art. My investigations have certainly played a huge part in my studio art and my aim has been to depict the
significance of special items and places through my distinct approach.
21
SARAH NG
Walking around in metropolitan Hong Kong, I was intrigued by the presence of the contrast between nature
and artificiality, where I began my artistic journey by looking at the structure, form and the sense of movement
and flow through exploring the theme of nature. I then started to juxtapose the idea of nature with artificial
subjects such as tools and buildings.
However, born and bred as a Hong-Konger, I wanted to delve into my Chinese roots, and the presence
of cultural elements in my home - the city of Hong Kong. My exploration of nature and artificiality nurtured
my focus and personal interest on the contrasting sides of my local community, and engagement in my
overarching theme of beauty versus ugliness. Growing up in Hong Kong, I felt a deep personal connection,
where my work was influenced by local contemporary issues. Ultimately, these artistic investigations changed
my perspective of the the different aspects of this city, as well as a consideration into my sense of identity
through my artwork.
During the IB Visual Arts course, I was able to creatively challenge myself through creating work of
different mediums, such as painting and photography. I overcame these challenges through research and
experimentation into work of other artists such as Jasper Knight, Simon Birch etc., as well as interacting with
the artist Leanne Claxton, learning new techniques and skills. I was also able to further develop my strengths
of drawing with pencil and mark-making techniques through interacting with the artist Ian Murphy.
Throughout my artistic journey, the artist T S Claire was a key influence to my style and artistic practice of the
composition, the use of vibrant colours and lines to provoke the sense of movement, which have resulted in
the addition of visual elements, depth and meaning to my work.
22
LAURA PORTER
Commencing the course was a daunting undertaking where at first I was swamped by my ideas and lacked
the knowledge of how to execute them effectively. My ideas outpaced my abilities to produce outcomes and
left me effectively paralysed by my thoughts. When I did produce outcomes I was overly self critical as it never
seemed to live up to my expectations. A break from this cycle presented itself when I began using graphite
inspired by Guy Denning who became my major influence.
My initial investigation led me to be inspired by the relationship I hold with the city of Hong Kong. I took
inspiration from both the Beijing artist Zhang Gang and the futurist artist Giacomo Balla for their portrayal of
motion. I also investigated the Russian artist Serge Mendzhiyskogo who collages photographs of cityscapes.
Compositionally, I investigated the work of Theodore Géricault, which signified the beginning of my major
theme whereby I represented my own emotions and thoughts in the form of the outline of portraits. Therefore
illustrating something non-physical in a physical form where each outcome explored different emotions and
thought processes.
Not only Denning’s use of graphite but also his exclusion of background was influential for my work, as I felt I
could not present something non-tangible in a physical space. The progression of my work gradually saw the
removal of detail from my portraits, which was later re-added after investigating the work of Mark Demsteader.
This was done in order to illustrate the emotions I was conveying on the faces of the portraits and was paired
with coloured inks. This was where colour became an important element in my work as the inks represented
the interlinking of thoughts and information reminiscent of the concept of the ‘spark’ that occurs with the
formation of new ideas.
23
KATERINA SPINOS
Stimulated by Hong Kong’s materialistic excess, my artistic exploration captures the essence of human
communication with consumerism in an urban environment. I originally explored the repetition of commodities
that form a subliminally important aspect of our daily lives. Glossily packaged snacks and swirling ice creams
were my focal subjects. This soon transcended into a fascination for human greed and pressure from mass
advertising. In pursuit of personal engagement with my art, my own face became the subject of investigation.
Doing so spurred a journey of intensive self-exploration and the realisation that I am also a product of branding
and consumerism.
My early work was influenced by Pop Art heavyweights Andy Warhol and Lichtenstein, who introduced bold
lines and colour palettes into my depiction of mass-produced food. Later on, Dave Kinsey’s intricate layering
of figures on vivid backgrounds sparked my interest in the human countenance, relative to the lack of identity
that is often tied with consumerism. Other artists such as Lim Khim Katy and Titus Kaphar had a large impact
on the development on my figure drawing skills. Studying their techniques allowed me to take better control of
portraying human emotion to the audience.
Over the past two years I have gained greater sensitivity towards colour and media, especially in my
appreciation of the vivacity that oil paint provides. While my artistic endeavours show reference to some
products, I have also looked into the effects that advertising has on women. To link the art knowledge that I
accumulated in Year 12 with my newly developed portraiture skills, I fused the themes “Consumerism” and
“Societal Pressure”.
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KENJI TANG
I initially focused on discovering how portraits depict different people and how this affects the viewer’s
psychology. The little subtleties in emotion, expression, facial textures all speak loudly to an observant viewer.
Here I investigated Leonardo Da Vinci, Rembrandt and Lucian Freud’s skillfully produced oil paintings. My
first ever attempt at using this medium was unsatisfying - I lacked control over brush strokes, colour mixing
and layering. I spent six months to finally achieved artworks that I was satisfied with. Even though artists may
spend years on a single piece of artwork, I did not have that kind of time. I needed to move on.
Around this time, I indulged in an introspective process in my personal life which quickly became the focus
of my art as I realized how powerful it was - the reflection of our personal, spiritual lives can dramatically
improve the mental well-being of oneself. This also became the turning point in my stylistic expression. I began
to study metaphysical artwork and art movements realism and surrealism. I acquired the new mindset of
depicting my emotional perceptions of the world around myself rather than simply how things were physically.
This subsequently achieves a sense of mystery, where objects were stripped into their bare essentials and
the viewer has to fill in the gaps, making the art much more engaging. With this in mind, I looked at various
artists that evoke a sense of solitude and introspection through composition, light, space and use of natural
elements.
One may also notice that the subject of my artworks started with children and gradually shift towards adult
figures. This represents the pure, innocent, and perhaps naive nature of a child’s way of thinking before
introspection, and then the gradual maturing which can lead one to better understanding our world after
introspection.
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AMANDA THORSEN
My IB art journey began with the intention to celebrate individualism and the authentic make up that creates
our personal identities, and so I began to explore the use of fragmented painting styles to create portraiture.
I investigated the idea of creating portraits with unrealistic features such as using unnatural colours
as pigmentation and distorted figures, influenced by Michael Strauss, Fancis Bacon, Peter Pharoah and
Francoise Nielly. This specifically challenged my limited painting skills but allowed for me to develop a style
of my own. My goal was to express that even through such imperfect structures and incongruity of colours,
beautiful and perceptible identities could be born, challenging the audience’s perception of beauty. Through
my explorations of artists Stanley Lau, Salvidor Dali and Jenny Saville, as well as the ‘body-landscape’ art
form and nature itself, I was able to create pieces that incorporated the flows of nature and fragmentation
through the deliberate use of tone and colour to portray identities.
My attempt to create and explore the make up of identities led me to concentrate specifically on the theme of
flow and how it can be used to illustrate the lines of one’s body as well as the concept of deliberate concealing
and revealing of our identities. This was particularly influenced by a visit to Le Louvre, where I was intrigued
by art that incorporated the flow of fabrics to connect figures to their environment and expose certain details of
the human form. Such artists include Gregorio de Farrari and Luis de Morales. From there, my art developed
into mixed media pieces as well as conceptual photography that focused on flowing contour lines, visually
evident on a creased piece of fabric and the human body, to highlight our physical make up. My art ended with
exploring the sheer magnificence of self-confidence in ones genuine identity by using my new of mix media
skill set developed over these two years.
26
VALENTINA TING
Submerged in the busy, population dense and fast paced society of Hong Kong we drown into our busy jobs
that we often neglect that fact that we humans are emotional creatures. My art journey aims to explain to
the busy bodied people of the humanness of everybody around them, to communicate the idea that people
from all cultures and background feel emotion and that we are all equal.
At the beginning of my course, I worked exclusively in acrylic paint, and painted in the style of expressionism.
My investigation of expressionism and realism introduced me to perceive the human face in various vantage
points, which rebelled against the generic portraits by distorting the human face and using expressionist
techniques. The darker colour schemes in my work were adapted from Ian Murphy, a visiting artist to
my school, Francis Bacon and Ben Tour where I learnt of the importance of colour. The use of colour is
designed to emulate the gloomy energy of Francis Bacon; his works encouraged my use of negative space
around the figure to symbolize grief and mysteriousness of identity.
Living in a multicultural city, it is disheartening to see discrimination and my work narrates the struggle
people experience. To convey this abstract concept has been informed by the successful practice of Ian
Murphy and Agnes-Cecile I began to lean towards the use of ink, bolder composition and stronger relevance
of the use of colours. Gestural expressive drawings by Ian Murphy drove me to use pen whilst continuing
to paint faces in my personal style. The diverse changes of the human face across my pieces demonstrate
different personal and subject emotion, symbolizing equality throughout the pieces. The study of art has
brought meaning and direction of my work towards a more abstract style.
27
MARCO TUIMAKA
Living in Hong Kong and coming for a cultural background in the Pacific, I have been exposed to many
different art forms throughout my life. This course has given me an opportunity to take what I have seen and
experienced and create a physical embodiments of said experiences. My aim throughout the course has been
to express my cultural heritage and through modern art. Using traditional patterns, shapes and images and
redesigning them to fit a more contemporary style of art. I have done this, through various mediums, such
as printmaking, water-colour and acrylic painting. I have been influenced and fascinated by a multitude of
artists over the course and have used their wisdom and artwork to guide me onto new paths and mediums
that I would never have thought to try. For example, William Morris’ beautiful floral explorations and Eric Gills
incredible lino prints from the Arts and Crafts Movement were inspiring and became pinnacle driving forces
behind the way in which I wanted to express myself artistically.
When I began to look at the art of tapa cloth and tattoos from the Pacific Islands, I was struggling with creating
something that wasn’t just a two-dimensional image. I wanted something that people could feel. A visiting
English landscape painter, Ian Murphy, showed me a way to create textures that were more realistic and
that were both physically and visually pleasing and engaging for the audience. More recently I studied an
artist named Vernon Ah Kee who helped me develop the concept of combining parts of oneself, as one of
his primary goals in his art, as is mine, was to join his Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal backgrounds together
through his art. 28
JAKE WONG
Music
I began this two-year journey by drawing over a hundred portraits and over two hundred eyes and I was driven
by the idea of eyes being “the windows to your soul”. The soul of a peon is often imagined as an energy that
comes from within, and I have experimented with the fluidity of watercolour to mimic this. After many attempts
to develop this theme, I consulted friends and teachers, and the word “Identity” came up most often. I explored
my personal identity, seeing myself through being colour deficient. From then on, I decided to create art
without knowing the colour, allowing the viewers to step away from the “correct” way of seeing colour and to
enjoy the freedom of chaotic colours.
I then stepped away from this to see the bigger picture of what makes us unique. This led to exploring the
inner thoughts of a person, which are usually associated with abstract thought, and Ralph Steadman inspired
me to portray this. The uncontrollable style created by the ink has to be counterbalanced by block colours,
as a controlled media, like Yin and Yang. I then researched on the artist movement - Expressionism, leading
me to artist Egon Schiele. Similarly to the balance between the two media, the inner emotions had to be
accompanied with its counterbalance - the outer actions by drawing realistically. Moving on from that, I was
influenced by surrealist artist Rene Magritte to show a dream like image and distortion of reality in both my
photographs and paintings, linking back to the soul of a person.
Instead of exploring different identities, I have primarily focused on the origination of identity, which comes
from within and my art reflects on my interpretation of where people have their own unique identity.
29
LOK LEUNG
BEN JOLLY
LEIGH DALGARNO
Students
ERICA CHAM
SAKURA CHOW
JOSEPH HARDING
CHRISTOPHER HO
MIKE KO
RYAN SAMPSON
HINGIS SHARE
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ERICA CHAM
JOSEPH HARDING
It is near impossible to a reach a consensus on the
definition of music. Whether it was intentionally created
as a composition, or naturally created by the sounds
in the environment, it is still music. To me, music is not
just a way to express or to communicate. It is comfort
and reassurance. Though the sound can be limited to the
length of a song, there is still the presence of music all
around us. Not just in our everyday lives, such as listening
to the way wind rustles against the autumn leaves, but also
psychologically. Our minds are capable of remembering
songs and hearing them in our minds without the physicality
of the vibrating sound waves. We are able to seek comfort
in that this presence will always be there as life speeds up.
My perspective of music is that it is a doorway to convey
one’s personal messages, emotions and inspirations for
those who lack the ability to verbally express themselves.
The fascinating thing about musical pieces is that through
certain key changes and scales used, it can generate an
overwhelming effect on your emotions, for example; a
minor key would usually represent a sad thematic element
while a major key is often used to provide a more lively and
active atmosphere.
Prior to joining the family of musicians at West Island
School, it never occurred to me that music would have
such a profound impact on my life, especially within
performances alongside the school Jazz Band at the Gala
Concerts, band competitions, the Blood Brothers musical,
Star Search and assembly performances. Every single
one of these events gave me the opportunity to explore
the creative aspects of myself as well as developing a
disposition of confidence whilst performing on stage and
collaborating with other musicians.
Throughout the IB course, I have developed a deeper
understanding in music and its cultural, historical context.
Studying world music and the set works of Rossini and
Gershwin allowed an in-depth exploration of the musical
elements, in which plays an important role in refining and
orchestrating each sound in a new direction. This language
of music is so cleverly crafted to communicate to different
audiences, hence managing to captivate our souls.
In particular, jazz funk music is a genre I have followed ever since year 9, when I joined Jazz Band, and
since then, it has always fascinated me. Playing a funky blues scale riff with a swing drum rhythm and a
pop slapping bass guitar is indeed the epitome of having a time of relaxation because once you feel the
rhythm, it just takes you away.
The beauty within music is something that has transcended
time; appreciated and enjoyed universally, it can be a
great number of things - thought provoking or challenging,
cathartic to invigorating. The reason music as an art has
resonated with me, is the way it makes us as musicians
find a balance within the dyad of technique and expression.
Music is nothing if it does not make you feel. Music cannot
be felt to its maximum potential, if expression is not
conveyed skilfully. This is what I find most challenging,
and most gratifying - finding an equilibrium between
the technical aspects of composition or performance
technique, whilst still encompassing the beauty and raw
expression that I admire so greatly within music.
SAKURA CHOW
Music is a major part of mankind’s evolution. Putting this into consideration, I see music as a universal
language, one that most cultures known to us have adopted as a way of expressing themselves when
words are not enough. As an IB Music student, I myself
have experienced time and time again the musical
accomplishments of individuals before me, and have thus
been inspired to understand that there is more to music
than simply listening to it.
Being able to bring my skills into use was a great opportunity
for me to develop as a musician. Although unofficial, the
musical program we were required to put together as
part of our assessment was my first time performing solo,
working with an accompanist and playing multiple works
back to back. As a cellist, this opportunity was invaluable,
as I had mostly worked in tandem with groups such as
the WIS Sinfonia and other orchestras outside of school.
Additionally, I also participated in the WIS Choir as a tenor
voice. No matter what path I choose in future, I am sure
that these experiences will allow me to better consider the
options for my future.
CHRISTOPHER HO
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32
MIKE KO
HINGIS SHARE
Art is the exploration of communication through a range of
mediums, may it be through visual or auditory means. To
me, music is not simply the act of mashing notes together,
nor is it merely just noise. It is the expression of what
cannot be said in simple words, nor left silent.
IB Music has been a journey for me, and only by looking
back do I realize how far I have climbed to get to this
point. The course requires me to continuously improve
myself, and the path to which is through practice, practice,
and practice. It is by practising that one understands
their instrument, and the gradual understanding of my
instrument allowed me to improve significantly compared
to my ability during the beginning of the course.
I am glad that I decided to take IB Music, as it has
broadened my knowledge of music and has made me
into a much more hard working, perseverant individual.
Although I am relieved to see the end of the course, I am
also disappointed that it has to come to an end.
Music is not for everyone. This statement is akin to the concept that individuals have their own favourite colour,
book or place. However, for those like me, who find joy in music, there is no better place to be.
Not only was IB Music my source of rapture during the long and challenging course, but also a doorway to
many opportunities. As a student, I learned to understand
and appreciate music more than I ever had before. I also
matured as a musician and a performer.
The only part of the course I didn’t enjoy was having to
find a balance between academics and performing, since I
found one much more fun than the other.
I am very happy to say that these two years have helped
me make decisions about my future that I could not have
made without having taken IB Music. Following a past
student’s words: “my passion for the art drives me to
success, and my passion for success drives my art.”
I plan to be a musician, whether it be for profession or
hobby, for the rest of my life.
RYAN SAMPSON
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34
POOJA ANTONY
Film
Students
POOJA ANTONY
BIKRAMDIP CHAHAL
VICTORIA CHERRINGTON
SIMRAN CHHADA BHAGNARI
DANIEL CHIN
WESLEY CHOW
LORENZO DAQUIPIL
ANDREAS DE VRIES
CELINE DEL RIO
ADAM DIAZ
ALEXANDER DILLON
HAMZA EBRAHIM
HANNAH FRASER
THOMAS GIBB
KUNAL GOKAL
CHARLIE HARRISON
MICHAEL KHAN
CHARLEY LANSLEY
CALISE LAU
GABRIELLA LAU
YERI LEE
35
TONY RODGERS
MICHAEL TSANG
ANDREW TRANENT
HARRIET LEIFER
SABRINA LI
CHRISTOPHER LOWE
TRISTAN MALUPA
JAMES MCPHERSON
JACK MENG
AITEINA MITCHELL
LARA MORRISON
JAKE MUSTAIN
DANIEL NG
AARON NIEHORSTER
JURGEN OHLENDORF
JESSICA O’NEILL
JAMES PARK
NIKHIL RAMCHANDANI
RAHUL SAJNANI
JESSICA SINCLAIR
RIYA SURTANI
KEVIN TANG
MAX WARING
NIKOLAI XUEREB
SHINICHIRO YOSHIIKE
My intention for the film was to get across to the audience
a generic romantic, feel good movie. I wanted to create a
storyline that seemed possible - one our target audience,
other students and hopeless romantics would empathize
with and relate to. When it comes to sticking with the
conventions of the romance genre, I had to consider
keeping the storyline tangible, and emotionally engaging.
What I wanted to focus on, particularly was telling the
narrative through the placement and visualization of the
actors, while making sure all the other filming aspects
complemented. For my independent study, I examined
the ways through which the femme fatales in film noir
are characterised. What has now come to be known as
synonymous with film noir is the inclusion of a seductive
and dominating femme fatale. The investigation will
look into how the social constructs, mise-en-scene,
cinematography, editing and sound help present the
femme fatale in the movies “Laura” and “La Bete” Humaine
to the audience, and whether the portrayal of strong empowered women in film noir is actually complementary.
Film has been one of my favorite and most enjoyable subjects in IB. There are numerous pieces of coursework
we must complete which includes making a short film (which also included the production portfolio), an
Independent Study and a film Presentation.
My favorite assignment was the Independent study, I investigated how directors use special effects in fantasy
and Sci-fi films. I explored four film, two from the past and two made in the modern era. The investigation
looked at how computers are used to create special effects and how different camera techniques are used to
create the special effect.
Taking GCSE film had helped me build up my film knowledge
prior to IB film studies.
Filming the short film was a very interesting experience for
me because it allowed the entire group to open up creatively.
The film was called ‘Delirium’. I was the DOP (director of
photography) for this film and I had to incorporate various
different lighting techniques and camera techniques in order
to create effects that reinforced the character’s state of mind.
We were the only group in the entire year who made a film
in Cantonese because we believe that it better fits in with
creating realism for the audience.
I was very pleased by all the group members because they
showed commitment and care towards making this film and
hopefully this will result in us receiving high grades :).
Overall, studying film for four years has really given me the
opportunity to open up as a creative individual.
BIKRAMDIP CHAHAL
36
VICTORIA
CHERRINGTON
DANIEL CHIN
IB HL Film has developed my passion for films outside of
typical Hollywood movies, and has introduced me to a rich
history of global film. My technical and creative filmmaking
skills have developed throughout the course, particularly
in sound design. The subject has also taught me to think
outside the box, and work within a team.
Over the two year Film Studies course, I have been
absorbed in to the world of film language and theories.
From understanding iconic film movements in the past that
have shaped the blockbuster films of today, to recognizing
the codes and conventions that portray one’s genre and
narrative, and then demystifying the director’s intent by
gaining more understanding of the effects and implications
microelements have, I can now better understand the
messages that each film is trying to convey to the audience.
Our film, “Mika” is a psychological thriller. The film aims
to generate a thrilling response, with a storyline about
how people are not always what they seem – even to
themselves. As the sound designer, I felt that a dramatic
orchestral soundtrack mixed with jump scares developed
from real life screams was suitable to create suspense and
effectively scare the audience. I also learned that the use
of silence to create suspense can be just as effective as a
dramatic soundtrack.
Having grown up around Hollywood thriller films, I thought
it would be interesting to incorporate my knowledge of what scared me, into my own film. I used this knowledge
as a springboard for developing my own ideas for creating suspense using sound. Overall, we wanted to
create an accessible short film that explored a character with extreme dual personalities. This was done to
reflect the more nuanced duality of good and evil in all people of any community in the world.
Through the IB film studies course, I have also gained
more awareness of my interests and hobbies, particularly
in sound design for films. My group’s film, ‘Dawn’s Creek’,
is a psychological thriller film that explores the mysterious
death of three teenagers in an abandoned house. Sound
designing for this seven-minute film was exciting and
extremely captivating. Experimenting with funky synth
sounds, creating different drumbeats, and twisting different
audio effects to create a scare moments, were all processes I truly enjoyed.
Taking Film Studies has been an excellent decision. Learning film history, conventions and technicalities have
been intriguing from start to finish, while being able to collaborate with other group members has developed
very important teamwork skills.
My passion for Film Studies began during GCSE and my interest for this subject has grown ever since.
Throughout the course, I have gained a good understanding
about the film industry along with the process of producing
a film. The production section in the course was quite
challenging for me, but was a great learning experience
as I learnt about the different aspects of producing a film
such as; editing, lighting and sound. I was responsible
for two roles, the editor and the sound editor. However, I
was graded on my role as the editor. I mainly focused on
editing as I had previous experience using Final Cut Pro
and iMovie during GCSE therefore it was enjoyable. As the
editor, I explored and learnt about various techniques that
are used in films such as how to adjust colour (brightness,
exposure, saturation) to reflect the character’s mood.
Prior to producing my own film, I looked at a series of
different films produced by students from previous years
to get inspiration to make my film a success. My overall
experience during the film course has been challenging but
enjoyable.
Standard Level Film has always been one of my favourite subjects. My greatest achievement in Film is
my editing when it comes to making the films; I got wellreceived praise from my colleagues and being the editor
has always been my strongest role in film making, next to
director. In film, I aim to try my hardest, most of the times I
preferred to work independently, especially when it comes
to filming, I would always try to fill every role from director,
director of photography, editor and so on, because I want
to have my full intentions for the end result in a film. But I
do work well with others when I have to; the only problem
I struggle with is that I have a hard time trying to explain
my intentions to my filming crew. The paperwork I had to
do was interesting, because I had to research and learn
from famous directors and have a better understanding
of what they aim to do, and it is fascinating to know what
information comes from behind the scenes. Additionall,y I
get to know what it’s like to work in the production side of
filming, which gets me sympathetic with the film industry.
37
38
SIMRAN CHHADA
WESLEY CHOW
ENZO DAQUIPIL
CELINE DEL RIO
Studying the IB Film SL course has allowed me to become
more passionate about the subject. As a student, I have
grown significantly not only through my technical skills, but
also rather refining my creative ideas, for which I express
it in my film, ‘Destiny’, where I assumed the role of editor.
By playing the role of the editor in my group, I honed my
ability to develop my technical skills, creating story in my
film. I believe that working in groups allowed the flow in
creation of innovative ideas and stories, collaborating with
one another, facing obstacles together and overcoming
them as a team. The subject of Film has taught me a
valuable skill set when watching films, identifying the
director’s intention which has had an impact on me, in that,
in addition to enjoying the films, I have come to appreciate
the director’s work. Film Studies allowed me to improve
my creativity, critical and analytical skills, in a way I can
understand the purpose of what the film is conveying.
Before taking the Higher Level Film Studies course, my
knowledge of film was very limited as it was solely based
from watching movies in my free time. However, through
learning about film techniques and the theories behind
them, it has enabled me to vastly expand my knowledge
and appreciation of films. During the production stage, I
took the role as the editor which not only allowed me to
develop technical skills, but also brought out the creativity
in me. As the editor, it was my job to research the most
effective ways to edit the film as well as to make it original
and captivating for the audience. Additionally, I was
required to work with other members in my group, allowing
me to strengthen my teamwork and communication skills
which will be useful for me in the future. In year 13, I
applied my analytical skills and further expanded my
knowledge of film by exploring films from different cultures
and identifying universal conventions as well as learning
about the history of film. IB Film has overall given me the
opportunity to explore the world of cinema which has changed my appreciation of the films that I watch now.
My initial reasons for taking IB Film Studies was because of the school’s mandatory policy where students
need to participate in a subject within all 6 groups of the IB subject groups. I thought at first that this would
be a somewhat manageable subject, as prior to this I’ve
had no experience with Film Studies and struggled with the
arts. However, as the days went by, I would find myself
applying the theories and terminologies covered in the
course on films that I would be watching for entertainment.
At that point it occurred to me that taking Film Studies
at standard level was a memorable experience. For my
short film, my role was the sound editor, and this was my
first opportunity to create a proper film, from this activity I
learned the importance of all the different production roles,
and how the director ultimately is able to directly influence
the way the production crew produces the film. All in all,
my experience within Film Studies has been a great one,
which not only provided me with lots of opportunities, but
also gave me the chance to understand films not only at a
narrative perspective, but also the ability to understand a
film at a theoretical perspective.
ANDREAS DE VRIES
As Director of Photography, I used camera techniques to help move the story along and allow the audience to
figure out what’s going on. I also used camera angles, lighting and various scenes to influence different moods
and emotions in the audience. I wanted to create a feeling of empathy from the audience towards the bullied
character; this creates a connection between the audience and character. It also allows the audience to focus
more on the movie. By introducing the ‘hero’, the mood of
the movie will change which should mirror the emotions of
the audience.
For the analytical part of the course, I covered the theme
of poverty and how it is a universal modern day issue. For
countries like Brazil and India; poverty exists in everyday
life. Poverty is also prevalent in first world countries like
America, however, often ignored by society as it has
negative connotations with its music, crime and violence
in its culture. By analysing films set in poverty stricken
countries like India and Brazil, American films present
an alternative form of poverty. Stylistic features such
as lighting, sound and editing for example are used to
investigate the representation of poverty across cultures
in “Slumdog Millionaire”, “City of God”, “8 Mile” and “The
Pursuit of Happyness”.
ADAM DIAZ
39
40
ALEX DILLON
HANNAH FRASER
My aim as the writer for our film was to provide through my
script, a powerful, dramatic yet realistic look in to the life of
somebody battling a debilitating addiction and the effects
that the disease has upon people around the addict. For
the analytical aspect of the course, I chose to do an indepth analysis of significant films from the crime genre as I
feel that it serves as an important and sometimes realistic
reflection of society.
Throughout this film journey I have learnt a lot about film
and it has enabled me to appreciate the technical aspects
and artistry to cinematography. As cinematographer
for our film “The Kidnapping” I was able to visually see
and put together different shots and scenes. This tested
my technical ability, organisation and cooperation with
others. Our film was from the horror genre and therefore
as cinematographer I aimed to create realistic shots and
scenes to make the film more relatable, thus making shock
scenes more impacting. The idea for our film came from
general favouritism of the genre as well as inspiration
from other short films, which we had watched during the
initial stages of the Diploma. Looking into film history and
language has changed the way I watch films as I have
great respect and appreciation for filmmakers as every
detail and shot is vital for the film. This experience has been
extremely rewarding and helped broaden my knowledge
of filmmaking, film history and influential filmmakers and
much more.
Creatively in the course I assumed the role of editor to create the film, “Change”. “Change” is a film that
shows how the protagonist, Max, changes the life of the
other protagonist, Alex, through friendship. By getting the
right coverage of shots and applying color correction to
scenes allowed the audience to be immersed in a mellow
tone of a film through the use of creative filmmaking. The
film was inspired by “Up” in which a short space of time
shows progression of a relationship. “Up” uses smooth
cutting, transitions and wide range of coverage to convey
a very warm narrative and this is what I wanted to do. In
the course, I was analytical by studying how cinematic
elements from Expressionist films in the 1920s have
influenced today’s contemporary Hollywood films in my
independent study. I primarily focused on the importance
mise-en-scène, which involved framing and setting, whilst
also looking at the way in which composition, camera and
lighting comprised the mise-en-shot to convey stylistic
features in the film language of Expressionist film.
HAMZA EBRAHIM
For my analytical piece, I investigated just how important
the roles of camera and editing are in the action genre
where fast paced, explosive action really impact the speed
of the editing. I will be deconstructing films from Thailand
“The Protector”(2005), Hong Kong “The Big Boss”(1971)
and USA “The Adventures of Robin Hood”(1938) and “Die
Hard”(1988). I explored the similarities and differences of
camera and editing from original action films to those made
today.
For my practical piece, as editor, I wanted to create a film
with editing that will reinforce the chaotic nature of our film,
through pace of editing. I wanted to show the problem of
editing by changing speeds of shots throughout the film. I
planned on using a montage to compress time and show
the repetitive life of the main character, while also using fast
paced shots to show the horrible life of the main character.
THOMAS GIBB
41
42
KUNAL GOKAL
MICHAEL KHAN
The IB Film Studies course allowed me to be creative in
producing a film and the course consisted of conducting
indepth research and analysis tasks in both written and oral
form. In the production of the film, I was editor and through
this role I was able to convey my artistic and technical
influences effectively to portray a narrative based on
drugs. I tried to manipulate the time and space to reinforce
the narrative. Throughout the production, I worked closely
with the director of photography and sound designer. In the
independent study, I explored and compared the director’s
use of lighting and sound in horror films from America
(Hollywood) and Japan. Ideas such as SFX, non-diegetic
sound and low-key pictorial lighting were discussed in the
documentary. The films I chose allowed for a thorough
analysis of the genre, considering both recent and old films
as well as different sub-genres including slasher, thriller
and sci-fi. The influence to analyse lighting and sound
came from my interests in the genre. Lastly, I was able
to bring together my knowledge in film to conduct a presentation on the film ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ directed by
Wes Anderson.
My friends James, Michael and I, had the idea to create
a film of a fairly abstract concept. Dulled by many of the
monotonous themes being used time and time again. We
took a look at the idea of wasted youth, or wasted time
and decided to create a short film with depth and meaning
which would inspire people to not fall in to the same trap
that many people do. The short film itself is fairly bleak and
melancholy with somewhat depressing undertones. This
is contrasted with joyful and colourful scenes, which help
to amplify they ideas and themes prevalent through out
the film. I spent a lot of time with both the DOP (James
McPherson) and the Director (Michael Khan) to ensure
a polished final outcome. The movie was tweaked many
times before the final film was complete, although there are
still things I wish I had changed or simply removed. Aside
from these minor corrections, I believe the film turned out
fairly well and I hope people feel inspired after watching it.
CHARLIE HARRISON
After taking GCSE film, I became more interested in Film and decided to take Film as an IB subject.
Throughout the course of IB Film, I have improved both my technical skills, through making our film and my
analytical skills through writing my Independent Study. For
my film, “Promises”, I was editor and took inspiration from
films with similar narrative or from the same genre. During
the production of our film, I learnt a lot about teamwork, as
communication was a key aspect of making the film. To
follow the romance genre of our film, I decided to include
a montage of the two main characters. Whilst working
on my Independent Study I set out to show the change
of lighting and editing in action sequences over the years.
Starting with a film from 1925 and ending with a film from
1988. I really enjoyed doing this, as it was interesting to
see what techniques had stayed the same, how others had
developed and how some are completely new. Additionally,
this helped to improve my analytical skills which became
helpful in our final assessment, the presentation. Overall,
I have had a great experience being an IB Film student,
which has made me look at films in a completely different
way.
CHARLEY LANSLEY
43
44
CALISE LAU
YERI LEE
Selecting Higher Level IB Film has been an influential
experience, which allowed me to explore the depths of
production and planning in film. I have grown significantly
not only in my technical ability to capture and produce a
film, but also the importance of teamwork and planning
involved. Through this journey, it has broadened my
perspectives, to look at the amount of detail, effort and
to examine the director’s creative vision behind each
and every scene. Film isn’t just an escapist tool for the
audience, it is also a collaborative work of art.
As the screenwriter in my group, my role was to encapsulate
the audience through a simple yet captivating narrative.
As we were inspired by the movie ‘Scream’, we decided
to do a horror short film and discovered the importance
of liaison between different roles. An effective horror film
relies on exciting cinematography, mysterious soundtrack,
concise editing and an intriguing narrative. Although we
faced many challenges as a team and as an individual, this
experience has enable me to appreciate the production of film making. Especially the use of film language
to portray characters and situations. In summation this has truly been a worthwhile and inspirational journey.
In the production of “Delirium” I was interested in exploring one of society’s most stigmatized mental illnesses
and the condition as perceived from within. With the genre of psychological thriller, my aim as editor was
to create an atmosphere of edge and unease to the film
mirroring the psychosis of our protagonist. Experimenting
with different editing techniques and sound effects I found
myself fascinated by the great extent of manipulation
possible in both visual and audio fields. This soon came
to great use, as I was able to employ these techniques in
recreating the schizophrenic feelings of disorientation and
sensory assault of our protagonist. After looking back on
the original footage prior to editing, I was amazed at how
different the shots looked and it was then that I realized the
power that could be wielded in post-production. I realized in
the process that self-reflection was key, the same doctrine
applied to life. The positive critical reception amongst
peers and teachers was an entirely new experience and
has motivated me to further pursue filmmaking. Looking
through the brand new eyes of a filmmaker, the world now
seems to exude opportunities for film and life I had been
blind to before.
GABRIELLA LAU
45
War can be portrayed differently due to different perspective
people have. Filmmakers use their films to present their
perspective on war; these representations will vary
significantly from country to country. For my Independent
Study, I have decided to use the microelements of film to
assess these perspectives. These microelements include
– mise-en-scene, camera movement and angle, lighting,
sound and editing. I decided to explore the microelements
of film because when directors synthesizes these
microelements, it creates a deeper meaning to the film just
than what the audience can see and hear on the screen.
For the filmmaking, as the Cinematographer of our group,
I used my camera skills to tell the storyline of the film
by using different camera angles, shots and exposures.
Different angles show the different perspectives in the film
so angles were always varied. For camera shots, I added
a variety of close-ups, medium close-ups and establishing
shots to highlight the different aspects of the film. I believe
this helped the audience engage with the film and evoke more emotion with the film. Since the genre of my film
is romance, I used the camera to evoke that giddy and happy emotion from the audience.
Selecting HL film for one of my IB choices has probably
been the most rewarding aspect of the IB diploma.
Specifically, the production of the film in Year 12. As the
director and writer, I wanted to create realistic characters
dealing with some type of conflict in real life. I wanted to
explore the genre of a psychological thriller through the use
of dialogue and setting. As director, I aspired to combine
two different genres (psychological thriller and mystery) to
create a more eerie atmosphere for the film narrative. As
writer, I tried to show this through the use of dialogue and
action throughout the film. Overall, I wanted this film to
impact the audience emotionally.
HATTIE LEIFER
46
SABRINA LI
TRISTAN MALUPA
My spiralling fascination for film has grown throughout
these past two years as I start to see movies from a whole
different perspective. Using my knowledge of camera shots
and analysis has helped me tremendously with my film
presentation while my role as the sound editor in the first
production process of my film has increased my awareness
and knowledge of film production as well as giving me an
insight on how films today are made. After production, we
had to create a production portfolio in which we had to
reflect on our experience and add in any changes we could
have made to make the film better. The Independent Study
targeted our own interest to what genre of film we would
like to learn better. I chose Horror and James Whale.
James Whale’s portrayal of Frankenstein’s Monster to this
day despite the advancements of technology and budgets
still extracts fear across the world and is regarded highly
iconic. The two classics, “Nosferatu” and “The Cabinet of
Dr. Caligari” have influenced greatly in the production of
James Whale’s films. The films that will be explored are: “Nosferatu”, “The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari”, “The
Old Dark House” and “Frankenstein”.
I chose to do standard level film studies for IB to meet the
requirement of a Group 6 subject – in retrospect; I probably
should have chosen it as a higher level subject. My two
years as a student of film has intrigued and challenged me,
as the process of creating our film brought up a number
of new tasks and experiences for me. As sound designer,
I was responsible for all the sounds in our film, from
recording dialogue between actors to composing music for
scenes in our film. The most testing part of the process for
me was composing music which conveyed the emotion of
the scene, as my little experience with music meant I had
to learn the basics of composing. My access to tools such
as Garageband was definitely a benefit, as it gave me a
wider range of instruments to experiment with. Overall, film
studies has been an eye-opening course, and I am glad to
have taken it.
CHRISTOPHER LOWE
47
Choosing Higher Level IB Film is possibly the most
influential subject I have ever learned thus far and has
taught me much in the areas of cinematography, sound
design, editing, writing and semiotics within the mise-enscene. The subject of film has influenced the profession
I wish to obtain in the future and has altered my thinking
and attitude towards visual media. As an IB Film student
I was able to explore different elements and aspects of
film, eventually choosing a role as writer in my group’s final
film in year 12. The film focused on the genre of horror
and pushed the capabilities the entire group, challenging
each aspect of the film as a whole, allowing us to obtain
a wealth of knowledge, technique and understanding for
all of our roles. I entered year 13 and started work on the
two pieces of coursework that enhanced my knowledge
in films across multiple cultures and greatly added to my
existing knowledge in the micro and macro elements of
film. The skills and abilities I have gained throughout my
time spent in the course will influence my ability to create and to observe visual media for the rest of my life.
In Film Studies, I assigned myself the role as cinematographer as I wanted to portray the life of a character
that was miserable with his repetitive and boring life. This
meant that I had to create an atmosphere that seemed
somewhat repetitive. I achieved this by using similarly
framed shots with the same color grading. Alternatively,
this then meant when the shots were different it made the
actions of the character more unique and stood out. In
using these methods I had to work closely with the editor
so that the shots are put together in a way that compliments
the cinematography.
In the Independent Study, I focused on how the heist genre
has developed in terms of narrative and genre conventions
over the years. In order for me to see how the genre has
developed I had to look at the genre theory developed by
Louis Giannetti, which states there are four stages that a
genre goes through. I then selected four films that show
how the heist film’s genre codes and conventions have
stayed the same or developed throughout time.
JAMES MCPHERSON
48
JACK MENG
LARA MORRISON
For my IB Topic 6 arts course, I chose Film Studies. In my
opinion, Film is an amazing form of self expression as is
art and music. However, in the case of film, we are able
to see this expression more explicitly which is something
I personally enjoy very much. Within the course I have
studied a range of theories and techniques. As a film
enthusiast, learning about these core aspects allows me
to fully understand and appreciate the art in a new light.
During my year twelve experience as a film student we
were instructed to make a film of our own. This experience
allowed me to see how much effort actually goes into
making a film. In my specific group, we focused on the
horror genre and I learnt much about how to manipulate
lighting, setting and mood through my role as an editor.
Suffice to say, the time spent making the film was very
challenging and our group encountered many problems.
Although we encountered problems, we always overcame
them, this taught me a lot about teamwork and its
importance, I can safely say that film has increased my teamwork skills. The course has changed the way I
look at films, the skills I have adopted from film will no doubt prove useful in later life.
As sound designer, I want to create multiple film scores that reinforced the generic sounds of my narrative.
I chose to lean towards darker sounds and instruments because darkness and isolation is thematically
prevalent throughout. As the narrative unfolds, I wanted the music to influence the audience but not dominate
the shot in order to create a stronger image for the viewer.
The chase scene in my film allowed me to manipulate
sound to intensify the atmosphere by creating music with
a faster pace of sound I was able to instill both tension and
suspense within the audience.
The analytical portion of the course had me script a
documentary which explored the director’s use of film
score combined with camera angles in order to generate
suspense within their films. This documentary performed
a cross-cultural analysis between the American films
“Psycho, “Halloween”, and “Jaws” and the Russian
film “Solaris” analyzing how the directors employ such
techniques highlighting the similarities and differences
in the generation of suspense between these two very
different cultures. This documentary also examined the
directorial style of each director evaluating how their unique
style elevates the suspense generated.
AITEINA MITCHELL
49
Studying Film gave me the opportunity to explore the world
of cinema through a very creative and objective lens. At
the beginning of the course, we were given the freedom to
produce our own film. This meant that we were to draft a
captivating and original narrative whilst, at the same time,
engage with our group members to collectively produce a
film of a high standard, in all aspects of creation. Taking
on the role of cinematographer in our film group was no
easy task, however I learnt many film techniques such as
panning shots, pull focus and point of view angles.
When reviewing the footage and soundscape on set, I
liaised with the writer and sound designer to identify what
needed to be improved and through this communication
and teamwork, we were able to produce maximally.
Finally, in Year 13, we addressed the theoretical side of
film, analysing and dissecting films across two cultures,
as well as presenting a 15 minute speech analysing an
extract of a film by a given director. Although the tasks
were initially challenging, the experience and knowledge I gained will prove invaluable in terms of my ability
to be innovative, creative and analytical.
Overall, this course has broadened my knowledge in film, developed my appreciation for directors intent and
taught me numerous film techniques. It will also continue to influence the way in which I watch films in the
coming years.
Throughout my two years of IB Film Studies, I have had the opportunity to explore several themes and
directorial styles. In year 12, I directed a film where I wanted to artistically explore the impact of peer pressure
on drug use among teens. I sought to accomplish this through a drama where peer pressure leads our main
character down a path similar to his brother’s. Additionally, I wanted to show the pain people close to Justin
(our main character) felt after losing their friend to drugs. By starting the film with a flash forward, where the
audience knows the fate of Justin by the end of the first
scene, I hoped to this dramatic irony to get the audience
to sympathize with Justin and be frustrated by his choices.
In year 13, I decided to do my Independent Study on
Quentin Tarantino, a renowned American director and
screenwriter, as he has always been one of my favorite
film directors. His films have been widely praised for their
innovative and stylistic use of filmmaking conventions and
for their exploration of different genres across different
cultures. His films are also known to frequently include
references to other films according to some critics. For
my Independent Study, I decided to analyze the evidence
for these assertions by comparing two of Tarantino’s best
known works, “Reservoir Dogs” and “Kill Bill” Volume 1,
with films from Hong Kong (“City on Fire”) and Japan
(“Lady Snowblood”).
JAKE MUSTAIN
50
DANIEL NG
JURGEN
OHLENDORF
Film has been something that has intrigued me because of
the potential impact it has on people. What amazes me most
about film is that it highlights problems of the past, present
and future, making it a universal means of communication
and entertainment. Growing up, I developed a passion
towards action movies, immersing myself in many different
films such as “The Terminator”, “The Matrix”, “X-Men” and
so much more. Watching these films sparked an interest of
developing my own film and when offered the opportunity
to do so with IB Film, I pounced on it immediately. What
I’ve learned about taking IB Film is that there is so much
more to films and movies than just a camera and a couple
of actors. It requires research, passion and patience, which
I have been able to develop over my time as an IB Film
student. Whilst watching my film, “Lost Potential”, I couldn’t
help but feel proud of all the hard work and effort I put into
the production of the film. It was also thanks to this that I
grew closer to the rest of the production crew: Urgot, Gainz
and Nicole. Thank you all for helping out!
“Lost Potential” is a film in the drama genre. The film
depicts an academically talented student, Justin, who
destroys his future because of his drug habits. The majority
of the film takes place over the course of one day and so
we intentionally left a lot of typical story conventions of this
genre out such as his first time with drugs. We implied that
these moments occurred in a recent state of time though.
Many typical editing conventions for a film about drugs
to portray the effects were used such as abstract colour
grading and a juxtaposing pace of editing.
Overall, I feel as though I did a good job on the film from
an editorial standpoint since I met the requirements I was
aiming for such as the abstract colour grading and the off
pace editing in certain parts of the film. I enjoyed working
with the people in my group as they all excelled in their role
since each of us really felt comfortable and confident in our
abilities of that role. As a whole, I am proud of how the film
turned out since it greatly exceeded my expectations of what we could do. There were a couple of problems
but, overall, I am happy with what we created as a team.
I wanted to approach the problem of bullying from an artistic perspective. To achieve this, we followed the
codes and conventions of the genre, drama or a slice of life.
Playing around with the depth of field on certain characters
allowed us to create an emotional attachment with the
audience. Equally, we found that by using certain shots
made the audience feel on edge and uncomfortable. At
times, I wanted to use different angles to show the power at
play and used close-ups to reinforce the suffering the main
character is experiencing.
The artistic movement of Film Noir created and influenced
many upcoming and big film makers. Film Noir is arguably
a style that has shaped the crime and mystery genre, which
to this day is continuing to be predominant in an abundance
of films. My documentary explored the style of Film Noir,
looking back through its history while breaking down its
codes and conventions. Presenting to the audience how
Film Noir has affected cinema from its early beginnings,
and also discuss how the style differs for various countries.
AARON NIEHORSTER
51
For my Film, I wanted to cinematically explore elements of friendship and how people influence each others
lives. I hoped that, through the inclusion of flashback and a montage the audience would have a better
understanding of how people can positively impact others; additionally I wanted highlight the the issue of
bullying and personal feelings of isolation. I wanted to create a better understanding of the pressure teenagers
feel through social life and schoolwork. As a director I wanted to portray this to the audience through distorted
camera movements, sound and editing.
Analytically for my independent study I wanted make a
documentary on Action films. Action films include fast
pace editing, car chases, explosions and intense action
sequences that leave the audiences eager for more. I will
be looking at how action films incorporate cinematography
and editing in four well-known films. The two cultures I
will be looking at are Hollywood and Hong Kong cinema.
Through deconstruction of the films “Skyfall (2012), “The
Matrix” (1999), “A better tomorrow” (1986) and “City on fire”
(1987) I will analyse the similarities and differences in the
roles of editing and cinematography in these films.
Overall, my experiences in film have been extremely
rewarding. I have built new friendships and developed new
skills.
JESSICA O’NEILL
52
JAE HYEONG PARK
RAHUL SAJNANI
For our final film, I had the role of the editor in our group.
As the editor of the group, I wanted to make sure that the
pacing of the film is kept constant and at an appropriate
pace through the timing of each scene. Especially during
the montage section of the film, each scene needed to be
used so that they’re not too long and not too short. Through
this, I wanted the audience to connect with the characters
and feel the same the characters may be feeling at that
time.
As a Higher Level film student, when creating the film
I decided to take on the role of director of photography.
My aim was to work closely with the writer and try to
visualize his ideas. I aimed to use an artistic, generic and
technical influences. Through depth of field I tried to create
excitement for the audience. I was also particularly aware
of capturing many shots which were put together in an
effective manner conveying our action-packed narrative
that built tension. Lastly, film language was used to create
technical codes for the audience when watching our film.
For the Independent Study, my aim was to explore the role
of the antagonist in film through the utilization of Roland
Barthe’s 5 narrative codes, as well as technical codes.
With the focus so often being put on the protagonist, the
antagonist gets under our skin so quickly. Through the
study of films from the action genre and drama genre from
Hollywood and France, the codes and conventions of the
antagonist were better understood. I thoroughly enjoyed
creating the film and the I.S.
My Independent Study explores how German films in
the 1920s and Italian films in the 1940s differ from each
other even after both countries lost similar wars. German
directors implemented expressionism in their films to
convey their feeling of loss from the war while Italian
directors used realism in their films to portray citizens
of Italy exactly how they were in real life. Although both
countries went through similar circumstances, the two
types of movements that were born are completely opposite to each other.
Initially at the beginning of the IB program, my decision to take film was influenced by the fact that I had
already experienced and enjoyed it in GCSE. After sitting through nearly two years of film studies, I have
grown to appreciate the value of studying film. The course
was designed as such that the class would have to work
in groups to create a film that would account for 50% of
our grade. As Cinematographer this practical exercise not
only helped me develop my photography and visual skills
but also my helped me improve my time management
skills, since this project was extremely time consuming
and required a lot of time after school while simultaneously
aligning with every members schedule. Additionally,
learning about film theory, creative film techniques, and
practitioners throughout history while researching for the
Independent Study (25%) has made me appreciate films,
helped me generate an opinion and in general see many
things with another perspective. Lastly, I am currently
working on my film presentation (25%), researching about
Wes Anderson and his critically acclaimed film, “Moonrise
Kingdom”.
NIKHIL
RAMCHANDANI
Generally in Hong Kong, excelling in academics is
paramount and creativity is held in much lower esteem. I
believe that taking a creative subject not only stands out
amongst the rest of the IB subjects due to the amount of
creative independence you are given but also for extending
your knowledge about the artistic corners of world cultures.
Amid the hectic IB program, I thought that taking an art
course with no exam would be a massive stress reliever.
It turned out that creating a film, writing a 7000 word study
and delivering a 15 minute presentation was much more
stressful than anticipated. Despite the stresses, working
with friends to make the film and listening to Mr Rodger’s
lectures which always triggered humorous responses from
his audience never ceased to be a fun learning experience!
JESSICA SINCLAIR
53
54
RIYA SURTANI
MAX WARING
I grew to appreciate the subject of Film Studies before
IB, in my years completing the GCSE course. Selecting
the Higher Level Film Course was a different experience
to GCSE as it was more challenging and intensive. I
have learnt an endless list of technical skills but also I
have learnt coordination and communication skills as we
worked in groups. Furthermore, this course has made me
more creative and innovative with ideas.
For my film, our group decided choose the genres drama
and tragedy so, as the sound producer, I wanted to create
an atmosphere using music and sound effects that would
fit the genre of this film. I attempted to create intense and
engaging sound that would keep the audience interested
in the climax parts of the film. I also thought about using
the absence of sound to emphasize the seriousness of
situations. To reinforce the theme of sadness throughout
the film I wanted to create slow paced, depressing music
to emphasize the loneliness of the main character. I also
wanted to use muffled sound to make the audience feel
uncomfortable and confused.
As the Director of Photography in my group, my role was
to utilize a range of different angles and shots to produce
appealing and unique footage. In addition, I had a vision
of capturing visually engaging shot for our films that would
allure our target audience. The title of our film was, “Mika”,
and it was based upon a teenage girl with a dark secret.
We chose the genre ‘psychological thriller’ as it would give
us the vision of introducing unique and engaging shots.
Our aim was to show the genre through convention codes
and present the narrative in a thought-provoking way.
This opportunity developed not only my camera skills but also my editing and sound designing skills that I am
hopeful to use again in the future.
My production was a film created with the inspiration of a hybrid of genres. It did not conform to other
stereotypical genres such as action or horror as this one was relatable for many of the viewers through its
sense of realism. As the role of scriptwriter, I examined many films and was inspired by one named “The anti
social network” because of the editing features displaying a
futuristic technological world we live in. It was ambitious to
create a narrative that had elements of social media, but it
ultimately leaned towards “a slice of life” to truly represent
pragmatic narrative.
The intended narrative of the film was slightly different to
the final product. This showed how the story developed
during the filming process. However, the film did turn out
to be a combination of romance and “slice of life”. Many
challenges of filming process strengthened my skill as a
scriptwriter and gave me an insight to technical aspects of
film as well as the professional difficulties. My ability as a
writer has definitely become much more refined. Ultimately,
this gave me a fantastic opportunity to explore aspects of
creative arts that are translatable to scenarios presented
on a daily basis.
KEVIN TANG
In modern film, women are commonly represented as
being unimportant compared to the male protagonist,
it is how the female makes the male feel or act is what
is usually important, this is known as the male gaze. It
is more often than not that the female character has the
narrative function of an erotic object for either the audience or characters within the narrative to view, I will be
exploring how modern films portray women as insignificant compared to males in the films “Transformers 3”,
“The Terminator”, “The girl with the dragon tattoo? and “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”.
When I chose Film for an IB subject, I knew that there would be a lot of hard work, but I definitely do not
regret choosing the course. For my film, artistically, as the
director of photography, I tried to make my shots appeal to
the audience. By using specific shots to portray different
types of emotion that the actors display. I had to follow
the conventions of the drama genre, so by making the
lighting darker in a scene that is gloomy, or by making it
overly bright in a scene where he was under the influence
of drugs. But I have also developed my analytical skills
through exploring the progression of the movie villain. We
now have the movie psychopath and we see them through
all of their sick, twisted actions and yet we remain enticed
because of the different ways that they are represented
through sound, mise-en-scene and lighting due to their
directors and cultures. Although, we needed to work
well in a team to get the best possible outcome for our
film and I had to do a significant amount of research for
my independent study, the film course was a valuable
experience.
NIKOLAI XUEREB
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SHINICHIRO
YOSHIIKE
Taking the IB film course provided me with many
difficulties and experiences. It has possibly been the most
interesting, yet challenging subject in the whole of the IB
Diploma. The two-year journey allowed me to integrate
my creative vision and technical skills into practical use.
Hence our film, “Destiny” was produced.
“Destiny” is a romance and slice of life film of an average
life of a teenage boy and his struggles of a relationship
with his girlfriend. I chose to be the director of photography,
which turned out to be a fascinating experience for me. It
allowed me to successfully portray my creative intentions
through a film. Through the film, I was able to understand
and face the many obstacles that modern filmmakers deal
with.
I think that both the individual and collaborative work that
we have done through the course has influenced us on
the way we watch and enjoy films. Having knowledge of the codes and conventions will allow me to further
understand a director’s intentions. The course will be an experience that will stick in our memories forever.
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Thank you West Island School staff, parents,
families and friends for your participation and support
of the Circle in the Water Arts Festival 2015. Thank
you to the graduating Year 13 students, for your
creative, original and thoughtful artistic contributions.
Don’t be afraid, life is a creative adventure.
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