At the Communication Senior Showcase on Nov. 17, Dalton Parkinson demonstrated all that he’s learned during his time at BYU-Idaho with his senior project: a short film entitled “Below.”
As a video production emphasis, Parkinson knew his film would need to encapsulate all of the many skills he has gained during his college career.
“I feel like my time at BYU-Idaho can be summed up in my education in pre-production, production and post-production; scripting, storyboarding, shot listing, filming, being a cinematographer, deciding where the lights should go, directing and producing for the technical aspect of it,” Parkinson said. “In post-production, I was the full editor. I did color, I did sound, I did sequencing; just everything.”
In the film industry, being able to wear many hats is a valuable skill. Although Parkinson wanted to make sure the film demonstrated his own abilities as a filmmaker, he appreciated the help he had in bringing his vision to life.
“I’m very grateful to everybody that’s helped out because I definitely couldn’t have done it alone,” Parkinson said. “Wytemi Co made original music for this project and Savannah Bewley helped me heavily with the audio.”
The film was done in a music video style, but lyrics were exchanged for Parkinson’s original poetry. The video follows a young couple as they attempt to grow closer but find themselves drifting apart. Parkinson’s passion and desire to become a director of photography one day are evident in the cinematography demonstrated in the film.
“I am very impressed with how it’s turned out,” Parkinson said. “I think it definitely shows that I can do anything in the process of making a film. It shows that I’m capable and ready to be thrown into the ring with all the other filmmakers.”
To see the finished film, visit this link.