Do you validate?
Dec. 18th, 2008 01:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sinkwriterOkay, people, listen up! I really would love for you to watch this short film.
It's a little over 16 minutes in length, it's a comedy, and though its style bears an element of cheese (especially in its first five minutes), its overall message is so remarkably positive and genuine, I think the film is unquestionably worth a look.
Winner of numerous film festival awards, including the Jury Award at the Gen Art Chicago Film Festival. Written and directed by Kurt Kuenne, starring the charming TJ Thyne and the lovely Vicki Davis.
I present to you the marvelous short film, Validation.
Just the very thought that you could go somewhere -- even for something as straightforward and emotionless as a parking stamp -- and get validated in a deeper way, I found that very moving.
At first, it seemed surface-y. When the protagonist Hugh Newman started in on the compliments, I felt the way the other characters probably did... with suspicion and general wariness. What's your angle, dude? Why are you saying this? Do you really mean it?
But the more he did it, the more I felt myself warming to the compliments, and to his sincerity about saying such things.
Then I found myself pondering the concept of it. Because there have been times in my life when I've tried to be more conscious of myself, the way I see things, the way I word things, and the way I approach the people I encounter in my life. When I have, I've found that nothing really moves people like kindness, or especially, a sincere compliment. Just something simple. Whether they know you personally or not, when they can tell you really mean it, it's like something cascades over them. They smile naturally and whole-heartedly, and sometimes, if you're really paying attention, you can see them walk away feeling better and more positively about themselves. Which is fantastic.
And of course, it's just as amazing and heartening when people give you compliments in return.
I really enjoyed the use of the parking ticket being stamped (or later, the DMV and passport photos flashing and being processed) as a tiny vehicle to put emphasis on scenes throughout the film, moving things along, and I liked its use as well in the end credits. That was fun.
Musically speaking, I was entertained by the repetition of the clapping/finger snapping throughout the film. As well, I loved the singer who did the scatting heard underneath many of the scenes. He had a wonderful voice, very strong and soulfully cheery, fitting for a film with such an uplifting theme. (Still trying to find out the singer's name. He deserves a mention!)
Admittedly, there was an element of cheese to the "Smile" song, which reminded me of high school show choir (I mean that in a sentimental way, though). I got a little scared when everyone started dancing. I thought, whoa, we're switching gears here; is this a musical now? For that brief moment, the film went a touch too far for me. I understood that Hugh had become a bit like the Pied Piper, drawing everyone to him and getting everyone to join him in a joy-filled song and dance, but in an overall sense that bit felt unnecessary and out of place within the film's structure, especially because the rest of the film did not return to characters singing or dancing.
However, the film had moments of fun humor, like when the TV anchorperson announced, "It seems there is no one Hugh Newman cannot make smile," and then the scene switched to Hugh entering the dreaded Department of Motor Vehicles. Heh. Clever touch.
Funniest line of the whole film: "You paid for parking... for me?" Actor TJ Thyne's delivery was priceless.
In fact, by the time the viewers see that part in the film, Hugh Newman has reached a more complex level than he had when the film began, due largely to TJ's impressive and sensitive approach to the character.
At first, Hugh's compliments seemed a bit repetitive and disingenuous to me, but I think it was because of what I said in an earlier paragraph, that I was cynical and suspicious of his character's motives and therefore he seemed impossible to believe. Too good to be true. Too nice. I couldn't trust him. (Or, I wouldn't allow myself to trust him?) After all, who would take the time throughout their day to say such kind things to people?
For a while, Hugh was so persistent in chasing Victoria, played gracefully by Vicki Davis, that I thought he was pushing it too hard. He just wanted her to smile, but the thing is, he didn't know her personal story, and -- as we later find out -- she had reasons for not being able to smile. Besides, it would have been a false smile (which he would have noticed anyway). If she had forced one out, in an attempt to pacify him and send him on his way, it wouldn't have been a truly joy-filled smile. She wasn't going to give that to him just because that's what he wanted (and she shouldn't have to). And all the 'validation' in the world wasn't going to feed her enough to make her smile, because that's not what she needed. She needed something else, and at the time, he had no idea what that was. Maybe in that moment she didn't know, either.
I felt so badly for him when she dismissed him, and when he lost her, and bit by bit, lost everything else of meaning in his life. But in doing so, I felt the tone of the film lost some of the light, winking-at-the-camera, comedic quality, in a good way, and as a result turned even more beautifully sincere. The film's tone and message reached a different level, and I really connected to that.
Also, I think it was something Hugh needed to go through, in order to realize just how important validation really is. I think at first he found it fun. He enjoyed it, and he enjoyed the effect it had on other people. But in losing it and then finding his way back to it, naturally, on his own, through the photography, which then led him back to Victoria in a lovely and interesting way... I think he then came to really and truly understand how deeply validation can affect people. And that everyone needs it, including himself.
I think we all need someone like that in our lives. :)
Terrific film! I applaud Kurt Kuenne, TJ Thyne, Vicki Lewis, and the rest of the cast and crew. It was a positive idea and a clever way to present a gorgeous, heartening message. Well done.
I hope you enjoy!
It's a little over 16 minutes in length, it's a comedy, and though its style bears an element of cheese (especially in its first five minutes), its overall message is so remarkably positive and genuine, I think the film is unquestionably worth a look.
Winner of numerous film festival awards, including the Jury Award at the Gen Art Chicago Film Festival. Written and directed by Kurt Kuenne, starring the charming TJ Thyne and the lovely Vicki Davis.
I present to you the marvelous short film, Validation.
Just the very thought that you could go somewhere -- even for something as straightforward and emotionless as a parking stamp -- and get validated in a deeper way, I found that very moving.
At first, it seemed surface-y. When the protagonist Hugh Newman started in on the compliments, I felt the way the other characters probably did... with suspicion and general wariness. What's your angle, dude? Why are you saying this? Do you really mean it?
But the more he did it, the more I felt myself warming to the compliments, and to his sincerity about saying such things.
Then I found myself pondering the concept of it. Because there have been times in my life when I've tried to be more conscious of myself, the way I see things, the way I word things, and the way I approach the people I encounter in my life. When I have, I've found that nothing really moves people like kindness, or especially, a sincere compliment. Just something simple. Whether they know you personally or not, when they can tell you really mean it, it's like something cascades over them. They smile naturally and whole-heartedly, and sometimes, if you're really paying attention, you can see them walk away feeling better and more positively about themselves. Which is fantastic.
And of course, it's just as amazing and heartening when people give you compliments in return.
I really enjoyed the use of the parking ticket being stamped (or later, the DMV and passport photos flashing and being processed) as a tiny vehicle to put emphasis on scenes throughout the film, moving things along, and I liked its use as well in the end credits. That was fun.
Musically speaking, I was entertained by the repetition of the clapping/finger snapping throughout the film. As well, I loved the singer who did the scatting heard underneath many of the scenes. He had a wonderful voice, very strong and soulfully cheery, fitting for a film with such an uplifting theme. (Still trying to find out the singer's name. He deserves a mention!)
Admittedly, there was an element of cheese to the "Smile" song, which reminded me of high school show choir (I mean that in a sentimental way, though). I got a little scared when everyone started dancing. I thought, whoa, we're switching gears here; is this a musical now? For that brief moment, the film went a touch too far for me. I understood that Hugh had become a bit like the Pied Piper, drawing everyone to him and getting everyone to join him in a joy-filled song and dance, but in an overall sense that bit felt unnecessary and out of place within the film's structure, especially because the rest of the film did not return to characters singing or dancing.
However, the film had moments of fun humor, like when the TV anchorperson announced, "It seems there is no one Hugh Newman cannot make smile," and then the scene switched to Hugh entering the dreaded Department of Motor Vehicles. Heh. Clever touch.
Funniest line of the whole film: "You paid for parking... for me?" Actor TJ Thyne's delivery was priceless.
In fact, by the time the viewers see that part in the film, Hugh Newman has reached a more complex level than he had when the film began, due largely to TJ's impressive and sensitive approach to the character.
At first, Hugh's compliments seemed a bit repetitive and disingenuous to me, but I think it was because of what I said in an earlier paragraph, that I was cynical and suspicious of his character's motives and therefore he seemed impossible to believe. Too good to be true. Too nice. I couldn't trust him. (Or, I wouldn't allow myself to trust him?) After all, who would take the time throughout their day to say such kind things to people?
For a while, Hugh was so persistent in chasing Victoria, played gracefully by Vicki Davis, that I thought he was pushing it too hard. He just wanted her to smile, but the thing is, he didn't know her personal story, and -- as we later find out -- she had reasons for not being able to smile. Besides, it would have been a false smile (which he would have noticed anyway). If she had forced one out, in an attempt to pacify him and send him on his way, it wouldn't have been a truly joy-filled smile. She wasn't going to give that to him just because that's what he wanted (and she shouldn't have to). And all the 'validation' in the world wasn't going to feed her enough to make her smile, because that's not what she needed. She needed something else, and at the time, he had no idea what that was. Maybe in that moment she didn't know, either.
I felt so badly for him when she dismissed him, and when he lost her, and bit by bit, lost everything else of meaning in his life. But in doing so, I felt the tone of the film lost some of the light, winking-at-the-camera, comedic quality, in a good way, and as a result turned even more beautifully sincere. The film's tone and message reached a different level, and I really connected to that.
Also, I think it was something Hugh needed to go through, in order to realize just how important validation really is. I think at first he found it fun. He enjoyed it, and he enjoyed the effect it had on other people. But in losing it and then finding his way back to it, naturally, on his own, through the photography, which then led him back to Victoria in a lovely and interesting way... I think he then came to really and truly understand how deeply validation can affect people. And that everyone needs it, including himself.
I think we all need someone like that in our lives. :)
Terrific film! I applaud Kurt Kuenne, TJ Thyne, Vicki Lewis, and the rest of the cast and crew. It was a positive idea and a clever way to present a gorgeous, heartening message. Well done.
I hope you enjoy!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-12-18 10:30 pm (UTC)I was expecting a different ending, though: I thought that the reason Victoria had found to smile was going to be that she had found someone to love - someone other than Hugh. And that he was going to have to learn to be happy for her rather than with her.
no subject
Date: 2008-12-18 10:37 pm (UTC)I also think it would have been interesting if she'd learned to find validation from within, because we don't always have someone in our lives who will 'validate' us in that way. Certainly not every day. Sometimes we need to find value on our own (not always an easy task when your self-esteem is low). Could have been a more complex interpretation.
Still, it's a sweet film and I like the overall message.
And, if I may say so, you're awesome and I love when you visit my site and say such intelligent and thoughtful things! *stamps your ticket*
*GRIN*
no subject
Date: 2008-12-18 10:40 pm (UTC)And I think you are awesome and I always love reading what you have to say!
I like your from within idea, too. But you're right that the film is wonderful. It definitely left me with a big smile on my face. Thank you for linking to it!
no subject
Date: 2008-12-18 10:46 pm (UTC)Thank you! Now I'm smiling. (Heee.)
And I apologize in advance if that "Smile" song stays in your head the rest of the day. That's what happened to me, when I first watched the film.
Keep smiling! *hugs*
P.S. Your user pic makes me smile, too. What a lovely expression on Nick's face. Makes me happy.