March of 2024
Details:
Release: April 1st, 2024
Length: 5:48
Type; Diary Film
Logline:
Experience what it’s like to spend the entire month of March with a camera in hand, capturing nearly every moment, whether big, small, exciting, or mundane.
Summary:
March of 2024 is dairy in montage form, created by carrying a camera around every day of the month of March. The footage captured everyday moments, work, school. exciting events, nights out, days in, and everything in between. All this footage is combined here to give an extensive overview of what this busy month entailed.
Shot entirely with a GoPro 11, this film maintains a distinct visual style, presenting four separate quadrants of footage playing simultaneously. While each segment is always from the same day, the activities within each moment can vary wildly, showcasing the diversity in the filmmaker’s daily life. Through this multi-layered format, patterns can be seen to emerge including reoccurring routines, days of unique variety, and the people who matter most.
Designed to overwhelm the senses the same way a busy schedule and fast-paced life sometimes can, March of 2024 encourages its viewers to reflect on their own experiences and better appreciate both the fleeting, quiet moments, and the extraordinary ones.
Director’s Statement:
This film began with the light-hearted idea of carrying a camera around and capturing anything interesting that might happen to me throughout March. However, within the first day, I discovered that my definition of what was interesting was difficult to pin down. I found myself capturing far more footage of my daily life than anticipated, and I soon shifted my focus to capturing everything.
By structuring this film with four constant sections of footage playing at once, I wanted to highlight how much happens in a single day, every day. This is something that I took for granted, and I would bet almost everyone else often does as well. The layered visuals and sound can sometimes become overwhelming, much like life itself. This format encourages the viewer to watch carefully, and also dwell on certain moments, or even rewatch the fill entirely. This is the same way I would encourage them to think about their own life.
I found creating this film incredibly rewarding. It became an experience in itself knowing that anything I did would become part of this film. As those around me became familiar with what I was doing, they wanted to participate, hold the camera, know more about the process, and share in the excitement. By the end of the month, it felt foreign to put the camera down.
Perhaps most meaningful to me is how this film highlights the people who are most important in my life. Watching through the footage made me realize how constantly present they are, and I am deeply grateful to have them there. They were also vital in making the creation of this possible! Fun fact, this film was edited entirely in one night, so that it could be released on the first of the new month. I am not sure the all-nighter was necessary, but I would do it again. And get ready - March of 2025 is coming soon!
Cast & Crew:
Paul Johnson
Paul is the heart of this film, as it follows his life throughout the entirety of March. Serving as the director, producer, and editor, he captured the moments, big and small, that make up this film. However, much credit is owed to the many people in his life who are part of this story. While Paul is most often behind the camera, this film weaves a reflection of his life, and the lives of the people who intertwine with it.
Additional Credits:
Special Thanks to:
Nathan Stout & Julia Donahue for being primary features of this film and supporting its production.
And to the many additionally featured friends in this film, including but not limited to: Paul Chikos, Audrey Creary-Dela Cruz, Noah Graebel, Korinne Hazelton, Rachel Hegland, Kiersten Hoff, Ella Jane, David Johnson, Ilse Johnson, Kat Kruger, Alex Kuehnl, Max Lambert, Brian Mcguire, Mad Mcguire, Emily Medina, Will Mortimer, Michel Mpoyo Mwanza, Christian Ranicke, Hannah Ryan, Henry Stollenwerk, Ethan Stout, Sawyer Wietzel, Hannah Warner, Hope Williams, Emanuel Zander, my coworkers at STRYV365, and my cat Archie.