The librarian
A granddaughter's image of her grandfather is challenged when she rummages through his possessions he's past down to her in his will.
In September 2021, I was tasked with writing and making a film in lockdown. I had to write a story which could be made within the restrictions.
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I wrote, produced, filmed, acted and edited a short film.
The idea came from an idea of wanting to create a monologue in which someone discovered something just by ruminating. I also had an idea of a person lying about their past and using books to fabricate an image of their life. I decided to combine these two ideas.
Filming took place over a week, with props made and my own family photographs used in the film. Filming in my own flat, with my own equipment, it was a task in being creative with the story to make an engaging story that portrayed all that I find interesting. The film was commended in the scripted category at the RTS Scotland Student Awards 2021.
the story
A granddaughter, Sophie Durrell, is looking through her grandfather's possessions that he's left her in his will. As she does, she reminisces on the speech she gave at his funeral. She remembers how she told of her grandfather's adventurous life, much more daring than her own. Yet as she looks through his possessions, she notices great similarities between the fiction books he's left her. She was told her grandfather went on adventures with three friends in France, and she's been left The Three Musketeers. She then finds a note from her grandfather. It turns out he's lied, he was a dangerous combination; a librarian and compulsive liar. He in fact spent his time with his nose in a book, but was too ashamed to admit it to his granddaughter. He wanted to inspire her to have a more interesting life.
