Follow me on my journey through the most significant and emotional year of my life.
'Val' is a chronological documentation day by day from 15 Feb 2013 to 15 Feb 2014.
Starting as a sort of travel/visual diary animation, the film took a big transformation. it turned out a completely different proposition altogether, covering huge milestones in my life beyond any of my expectations.
Within this time frame you will see in order-
My time in Brazil for my friends wedding.
My journey traveling the east coast of Australia.
The last days in Salisbury leading up to my Mother passing away.
A stag festival.
Getting married in Peru.
My mothers funeral.
A lot of London, whilst getting a visa for my wife.
A second trip to Peru.
Moving into a new house.
Getting a new Job.
And then finally getting my wife Lisi here just in time to give birth to our son Leonard.
A year by no means as I planed, filled with emotion from euphoria to despair and back.
The process of making this film has helped me get through this time. It has kept my brain active and been a challenge that I have endured in the name of my beautiful mother.
The name Val is taken from both my mum Valerie Sheppard and my son Leonard Valentino Graham. I felt this truly represents this crazy circle of life.
The mandala that appears with the logo and on the locket is symbolic of a year. The inner 12 circles for months the middle 56 for weeks and outer 365 for days.
All the photos are hand stabilised and taken using my iPhone, 80% 4S, 20% 5S.
The shots when I was overseas where mainly spontaneous but the ones in London had too be far more considered. I would plan locations before hand and work out times of the day or year that I would visit them. This meant in the winter months I would have to get up early and travel London before starting work.
I nearly forgot a couple of times and I thought I had lost my phone a few times too which would have ruined the project. Thankfully i managed to keep hold of both laptop and phone whilst on my travels and armed with an alarm on my phone I remembered everyday.
'Val' is a chronological documentation day by day from 15 Feb 2013 to 15 Feb 2014.
Starting as a sort of travel/visual diary animation, the film took a big transformation. it turned out a completely different proposition altogether, covering huge milestones in my life beyond any of my expectations.
Within this time frame you will see in order-
My time in Brazil for my friends wedding.
My journey traveling the east coast of Australia.
The last days in Salisbury leading up to my Mother passing away.
A stag festival.
Getting married in Peru.
My mothers funeral.
A lot of London, whilst getting a visa for my wife.
A second trip to Peru.
Moving into a new house.
Getting a new Job.
And then finally getting my wife Lisi here just in time to give birth to our son Leonard.
A year by no means as I planed, filled with emotion from euphoria to despair and back.
The process of making this film has helped me get through this time. It has kept my brain active and been a challenge that I have endured in the name of my beautiful mother.
The name Val is taken from both my mum Valerie Sheppard and my son Leonard Valentino Graham. I felt this truly represents this crazy circle of life.
The mandala that appears with the logo and on the locket is symbolic of a year. The inner 12 circles for months the middle 56 for weeks and outer 365 for days.
All the photos are hand stabilised and taken using my iPhone, 80% 4S, 20% 5S.
The shots when I was overseas where mainly spontaneous but the ones in London had too be far more considered. I would plan locations before hand and work out times of the day or year that I would visit them. This meant in the winter months I would have to get up early and travel London before starting work.
I nearly forgot a couple of times and I thought I had lost my phone a few times too which would have ruined the project. Thankfully i managed to keep hold of both laptop and phone whilst on my travels and armed with an alarm on my phone I remembered everyday.
Maybe my mum was looking out for me.
The Intro shows an image from each day of the year stacked up in disks.
Here is the Val short teaser trailer.
