During the height of the pandemic, junior Indi Melvin found herself isolated, much like the rest of the world. Between online classes and finding new ways to pass time during lockdown, Melvin melded her fondness for video-based school projects with her passion for films and began to make edits of media she enjoyed. From there, she widened her lenses, exploring different aspects of the creative medium of videography.
“I started making little comedy skits with my brother and the joy of watching my finished products reaffirmed my passion for an interest I had already enjoyed,” Melvin said. “I realized the idea of being behind a camera really appealed to me.”
Melvin has created seven short films, dipping her feet in various genres and experimenting to find a style she is drawn to. As Melvin progressed, she found an affinity for conveying personal experiences and emotions through her films.
Upon entering her freshman year at McLean, Melvin was ecstatic to find an available film study course as an elective. There, she analyzed films, learning about the technicalities of filmmaking: specifically the use of color, composition and pacing, allowing her to gain inspiration from notable directors. Film Study teacher and Film Club sponsor Lindsay Boerger got to know Melvin as a student and as a student filmmaker.
“She has a great sense of detail when it comes to adding sound effects, when to add music, when to go crazy with camera angles and when to just let it pause and let the scene play out,” Boerger said. “She has a good sense of cinematic style.”
As she’s familiarized herself with filmmaking, she has found herself gaining inspiration from a wide range of sources.
“As I’ve matured, the idea of capturing [a] particular feeling or situation has become my primary goal in filmmaking; I enjoy capturing the physical to convey broader psychological experiences that interest me,” Melvin said. “[But] my personal experiences are usually the roots of my films,” Melvin said.
Melvin’s proudest work is her short film Happy Statue.
“It’s a story representing how unlikely exaltation of distant figures can inspire people,” Melvin said. “I felt like this topic has been portrayed in relation to obsession and corrosion. It was a challenge to use humor while maintaining the message and also presenting visuals that aligned with my intended theme, but I’m really happy with how it turned out.”
With a shift away from heavy dialogue and complex interactions amongst characters, Happy Statue is one of introspection. Her film was created with the hope of fostering optimism, with an emphasis on its vibrant color and brightness.
“In the story, a young girl grapples with understanding herself and takes to an inanimate statue to seek emotional consolidation,” Melvin said. “The idea of talking to a statue may be deemed odd or a behavior that could be [criticized], but it seeks to tell a deeper story.”
Melvin’s radiant passion for cinematography is contagious and can be felt in all of her video-related projects, regardless of whether it’s a higher-production short film or a phone-recorded classroom assignment.
“I had the chance to work with Indi last year for an [English Honors] satire short film about misinformation in the media and it was really enjoyable to collaborate on a creative project with someone as hardworking as Indi,” junior Maddie Van Valkenburg said. “She’s incredibly smart and I could really feel her intricacy and care when working with videography.”
Indi also expresses how filmmaking has changed the way she approaches working in group settings and teamwork.
“On a broad scale, filmmaking has helped with collaboration and communication and has given me the chance to trust another artist in developing a single project and learn from their ideas”.
Melvin aspires to continue creating films, experimenting with motifs and telling compelling stories.
“I feel committed to being a filmmaker: creating a fantasy world and translating stories I could never see directly happening in my life to film bring me so much joy,” Melvin said. “Finishing a project [always feels] euphoric and I hold onto the memories that went into creating the film with vibrant people, and [relive the excitement] when I return and watch the film again.”
