The Process
One year passed since the short was first announced. The first question is, obviously, “What took so long?” And sure, it’s not even one of our longer shorts– it’s only ten minutes! Ironically, my initial mindset for this short was to make something simple and quickly. Something with the minimal number of actors and only voiceovers to make the production as light as possible. Yeah. That didn’t happen. There are a few reasons WFF took one year to complete.
The short was created in a totally backwards manner. I had decided the parameters fairly early on (a love story, a narration from five objects, a girl), but the script was actually written after I shot it. From the beginning, I had scenes in mind, but I didn’t intensively think about the dialogue until I had finished collecting all the footage. There were nights I just sat watching a shot for hours just thinking of a line.
The structure was totally fluid. Since WFF is basically a series of five confessions, there was no linear timeline to follow. And since the script wasn’t written yet, there was no outline or blueprint to follow while editing. This being the case, I spent a lot of time deciding how to piece together each shot into a sequence that made sense.
This short was created at the speed of life. I let my mood dictate when I would work. There were days when it was the only thing I wanted to do. I was excited and eager. Then there were days I hated it. I dreaded thinking about the entire project. And then sometimes, it was simply the last thing on my mind. It would sit untouched for months. Throughout the year, my attitude towards the short shifted a lot. This was new to me. Usually when we start a project, we finish it fairly quickly. But thinking back, making a short like this benefits from a comfortable pace. I worked on it only when I truly wanted to. Only when I had a genuine desire to see it move forward. If at any time I got tired, frustrated, or bored, I stopped working. In that sense, you could say WFF only received my undying attention.
The Objects
Can the things we love, love us back just the same?
Glasses (David Choi – davidchoimusic.com) – The glasses represent sight. In a relationship, there are times when our one desire is to share with the other person. We hope to offer a new perspective. To learn and grow from each other in that way. To show the world. Unfortunately, nothing stays clear forever. Many things can blind us: jealousy, doubt, overthinking, and ironically, comfort.
Telephone (Bobby Choy – bigphonymusic.com) – The phone represents hearing. Relationships can’t exist without listening and communication. Sometimes, circumstances prevent people from communicating face to face. That distance greatly effects them. We hear about experiences when what we really want is to live them. Words can only go so far. The phone is interesting because it is constantly eavesdropping on our talks. What would that feel like? To always be talked to but never the subject of conversation. It must hurt to be so unknowingly ignored.
Umbrella (AJ Rafael – myspace.com/ajrafael) – The umbrella represents touch. The very simple idea of being close enough to touch someone. Physical contact. To be able to hold, cover, protect. These are basic parts of a relationship we hope to fulfill. Essentially an umbrella reflects occasional necessity. But who would want that? To feel needed when it’s only convenient.
Scarf (Paul Dateh – pauldateh.com) – The scarf represents smell. The intimacy of knowing someones scent is very special. It’s a privelege that isn’t easily shared and is often overlooked. It may sound ridiculous, but who are the people you can identifty with smell? Most likely those that you are very close with. People you have known for more than awhile. Also, scents can fade. Physical contact carries and transfers a scent but when that contact disappears, the scent is no longer.
Cup (Chris Dinh) – The cup represents taste. More specifically, the cup represents a kiss. And a kiss is the most universal symbol of love and affection. The fact that it describes a first kiss is even more significant. A first kiss is innocent and naive. We cherish it as though it will last forever. But when the cup is broken, the kiss is no longer possible– just like a relationship.
A pair of glasses that goes blind. A phone that resorts to eavesdropping. An umbrella that longs to be held. A scarf that treasures scent. A cup that wants to be kissed. These are the ways I tried to personify the objects to show they fell in and out of love. Between the five, viewers should be able to relate to different dimensions and roles of a relationship. Whether it’s budding in the early stages, the challenge of long distance, slowly fading feelings, or losing out to someone else. Even the order of the objects in the short show a progression in the relationship. Starting from looking and eventually moving onto touching.
The Look
Just like the objects are based on senses, I wanted the short to appeal to the senses. I wanted to stimulate people with beautiful images of the typical everyday things. One goal was to have each and any shot to stand alone as a still photo. Of course nothing can be that spectacular in real life. It only exists in the hyperreal, in our memories and imagination. The color treatment is reflective of this– with deep and saturated tones. A lot of WFF was shot during the “golden hour” right before and during sunset. This brief time, when the sun hangs low in the sky, provides warm color and excellent outlines around subjects.
The Sound
Jesse Chui (songsforcinema.com) worked tirelessly to create the music for this short. The sound of it was crucial for evoking the right emotions. And I would say Jesse hit it spot on. I approached him a year ago with the project and he was really interested. I have to apologize to him for lagging so long. Jesse is amazingly talented and there was a lot of back and forth between us for each song. I think he really succeeded in creating music that can be heard as hopeful and romantic but also tragic and bittersweet.
For the voices, I asked popular YouTube artists like David Choi, AJ Rafael, and Paul Dateh because as singers their voices already have a great quality. In addition, hopefully having big names will lend to the online success and spread of the short. Bobby Choy voiced the telephone and he is the lead singer/songwriter of Big Phony. Chris Dinh voiced the cup and he’s been in many of our shorts before, including “Up in da Club” and “Poser!”
Besides the music and narration, there is rarely any ambient sound. This was a conscious choice. Since the way we experience memories is very much the same. Sometimes we choose to only remember the important pieces of an experience. All else fades away.
Some Extras
- The shallow depth of field and blurred images are references to sight and the inability to see clearly.
- There are symbols of being broken and/or replaced throughout the short. Can you find them all?
- The cup narrates the beginning and end of WFF. I like to believe that this is because the cup fell the hardest for her.
- Makoto Shinkai’s animation was a great inspiration. I cannot deny his influence on the aesthetic of WFF.
- Mimi Chao has been in a few of our works including the infamous “Yellow Fever” and our first feature length film “A Moment with You” I absolutely love working with her because she is so natural and elegant in her actions. I can tell her a feeling or mood I’m going for and that is enough direction for her. Makes my job easy haha. Hat’s off and cheers to Mimi for being the beautiful and talented actress in this short!
- Everything was shot locally. We used Mimi’s house, my house, street sides, backyards, etc. Definitely a no/low budget project
- I’ll try to find some production photos (if I have any) and post them later on!
- This short can be considered a prologue to a previous short I wrote, “At Musing’s End” It is the time period when Robin meets Adam. There are clues that connect the two shorts. The shot of the radiometer is repeated. And the ending theme song in WFF is the same theme in AME. Basically where one short ends is where the other begins.
May 13, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Wes,
This is one of the most inspiring short films I have ever seen. I watch it several times a day since it was posted up on YouTube! The feelings of these five items really affect people who have been in and out of relationships, and I must say I am definitely one of them. The rain scenes is my favorite, calming yet dramatic. I also really enjoyed the last scene where Mimi knocks over the cup, my heart skipped a beat when that happened!
Thanks so much for making this wonderful film & keep up the good work!
May 13, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Wow… This is exactly like my relationship… It would’ve been two years, yesterday. She broke up with me six days before our two year anniversary. “A pair of glasses that goes blind. A phone that resorts to eavesdropping. An umbrella that longs to be held. A scarf that treasures scent. A cup that wants to be kissed. These are the ways I tried to personify the objects to show they fell in and out of love.” This is exactly how it was and is for me. I did go blind, not literally, but figuratively. I was blind to her needs and what she wanted. I have resorted to eavesdropping, asking her friends how she’s doing and asking them about her and asking them what she says about me. I long to be held by the girl I was and still am in love with. Her touch is all I want and I feel so cold without it. She returned a sweater to me that still smells like her, I only wore it once and I said to myself I wouldn’t wear it after so that the smell of her would stay. But as stated above when the contact disappears, the scent is no longer. I just want to kiss her and go back to the way it was. I miss her so much and watching this short made me realize what I have done and how I truly feel. It’s unfortunate that the only thing I can do is look forward and move on…
Thanks Wes and everyone that helped this short come to life, for helping me realize how I truly feel.
P.S. Amazing job on the short =) Keep up the great work! =D
May 12, 2010 at 8:18 pm
This short strongly resonates with me despite the underlying meaning of the scarf, but that’s not your fault. With the first shot of the scarf, I immediately thought of human warmth; it’s something that we all strive for- to be close to someone you care about and to have those feelings reciprocated. Nevertheless, the film did leave a profound effect on me, and I am ever more conscious about the objects/resources that I have in my house, not just man-made objects, but natural resources like water that many of us often times take for granted.
May 12, 2010 at 9:56 am
Wow she look really pretty ^_^ OMG ! and really cool meaningful story , Love it ! Nice, human telling nice stroy hm…
Well Really Really wonderful !
May 11, 2010 at 12:35 pm
wes,
this short is seriously an inspiring one. it’s so beautiful and the transitions from each object really encompasses your idea of being in a relationship. it’s clever, soothing, inspiring and extremely beautiful.
keep up the good work!!! i can’t wait to see what you’ll make next
May 11, 2010 at 8:42 am
these videos..idk something about them make me feel inspired to do things.
May 11, 2010 at 3:29 am
This was soo soothing and each shot was indeed like an amazing photograph.
I loved how intimate the narration seemed as well.. and honest! I especially liked how you didn’t go with the easy caress/embrace thing for the scarf. Scent.. that never really occurred to me as being romantic or intimate, but the way you portrayed it definitely made the scarf’s “confession” one of the most poignant.
It’s so interesting that I came across this clip now though! I recently read a poem called “Household Gods” by Philip Hobsbaum. It talks about the abandonment of household items from their specific perspectives.. sounds familiar?
There was even a stanza from a cup’s point of view: “His lips on mine in the morning, or, in darkness,/After a happy embrace, warmed my clay./ Where is the firm mouth now, where the kiss?/Broken and swept away.”
Things in the universe seem interconnected in the most unexpected ways..
May 10, 2010 at 6:11 pm
did u have your first kiss yet?..the first cup?
May 11, 2010 at 5:44 pm
I thought that they were 26 year olds weren’t they? I think they would have had their first kiss with their nice guy atittude and thoughtfulness by now.
May 10, 2010 at 3:19 pm
you guys are amazing! the cinematography was absolutely breathtaking –as always! You guys’ collective creativity makes for magic. Love it, love it, LOVE it! Keep doing what you do
May 10, 2010 at 11:11 am
How are you guys so good at making ideas come to life?
I can appreciate the art in everyone of your videos, but this one is so far my top favorite.
May 10, 2010 at 9:15 am
I loved this short. Like most of the others I felt very deep emotions.
The part of the glasses reminded me of my own glasses. I changed to contact lenses years ago. It makes me feel sad, and now I try to wear my glasses more often, even if it may sound silly.
I don’t know how to say it, but when the cup fell my heart missed a beat…
The short reminded me of Makoto Shinkai’s “Kanoyo to kanoyo no neko”. I really love his works, and so I love yours.
Thank you very much for this great short.
I love all the works of WFP, but especially this one.
Keep up the great work!
May 10, 2010 at 9:11 am
This was really good… there were parts that made me teary.
May 10, 2010 at 9:07 am
This was a wonderful short!
The outcome was well worth the wait!
Words can’t even describe how meaningful and beautiful it was, fantastic job Wes!
I wish the short was downloadable, because if it was I’d put it on my ipod and carry it with me everywhere I’d go, just as a little reminder of the little things around me.
Thank you so much for making this short and sharing it to us!
May 9, 2010 at 3:12 pm
It was beautiful. Very well done.
I’m looking around my room at all the objects I take for granted and wondering how life would be different without some of them. In particular, I lost my only pair of glasses recently, and although I have contact lenses I can wear, I actually do miss the look and feel of those plastic frames.
Keep up the great work!
May 9, 2010 at 1:34 pm
you’re very sensitive and romantic.
=]
May 9, 2010 at 7:47 am
I love this short so much. I keep watching it over and over, and every single time, I’m flooded with a million emotions. Truly a work of art.
Keep making these amazing shorts, and keep inspiring your fans!
xo
May 9, 2010 at 6:44 am
watching this made me tear up as well. knowing that i like someone at the moment I feel like it’s a challenge to be able to love someone like that. you guys did an amazing job. i understand it took you a while but it turned out perfect.
May 9, 2010 at 4:03 am
Wow, that was beautiful!
It…. just…. really… makes… me… speechless.
May 8, 2010 at 5:39 pm
i started tearing up watching this.
i understand.
my boyfriend broke up with me yesterday.
i will miss his touch and smell.
i’ll see him everyday and i’m just going to miss it all.
i can relate.
thanks for making a wonderful short. the deep stories always get me, because i can always relate to all of them somehow. keep up the amazing work. i can smile and say, at least someone understands me, when i see your videos.
May 9, 2010 at 4:04 am
I totally understand what you’re going through.
May 8, 2010 at 11:37 am
oh i almost forgot. The storyline was amazing and brought tears to my eyes. I think the most saddest part of the short is how the cup used to get “kisses” then when he is left he just breaks apart
May 8, 2010 at 11:27 am
“when five fell” made me feel all these diffrent feelings. i feel that my girlfriend might break up with me because i don’t do most of the things in the short. but otherwise great video!
May 8, 2010 at 4:22 am
I felt so touched watching this video. I loved the concept. Wesley, you are an absolutely wonderful writer and director. I can’t imagine anyone else being able to write such lines like you do and not make them sound cheesy and insincere. I find our work incredibly inspiring. I’d love to be able to make such films as you guys.
You are very lucky to have someone like Mimi to act in your work. I think she’s amazing too. I agree with your opinion about how elegant she is. She really has a feminine ideal to her that makes her seem so…beautiful I guess.
”
I’m a first year film student right now and every time I come home from university thinking, “I can’t do this anymore” I watch your films and I get somewhat reinspired again.
Thank you so much for these videos that keep me going.
May 8, 2010 at 3:55 am
This was my favorite short that you guys have ever done. Simply amazing.
Come to Atlanta, pleeeeease!
May 7, 2010 at 9:02 pm
This is one of the greatest artworks I have seen ever! The 9m59s was way worth than the tons of minutes I spent on the movies in my life. Great job! Keep it up!!
May 7, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Hi guys,
What camera did you use for this beautiful video?
May 7, 2010 at 5:08 pm
i know, i feel that way about my artistic projects, as well. it’s horrible, because i always want to do the best i can on artistic projects, including school, and i would always procrastinate my school projects like that (not work on it for a few days, then work on it for 4 hrs straight instead of studying for a science test, and then stop it, and then work up to 6:00 AM perfecting it.)
lol, i’m actually currently procrastinating a project right now.
i know i shouldn’t be smiling and i’m going to die with stress later on, but what can i do? (do NOT reply “do it”)
May 7, 2010 at 3:30 pm
I love your works…. They’ve touched and inspired me so much. You’ve done such beautiful films however short they may be. I have to admit the “At Musing’s End” was a tear jerker, though I can’t say the same for “When Five Fell”, because that had brought on some water works.. The cinematography for your films are amazing by the way. I love em.
Well done..
May 7, 2010 at 2:22 pm
That video was amazing…. It brought tears of love in my heart. It was so sweet. <3
Continue on your great work of art …..
May 7, 2010 at 12:47 pm
I LOVED THIS. This short evoked so many emotions inside me it bought tears to my eyes. I love the narration, the colours in this film, it all goes together very well.
I would have never thought of simple objects like those having feelings. You did a great job illustrating how one feels when they sense the end of a relationship is nearing. Good Stuff!!
May 7, 2010 at 12:43 pm
OH OH OH I FOUND ONE. The moment when they show the shadow of mimi and her boyfriend and the umbrella is leaning on the wall, the shadow of the umbrella is portrayed as broken. =D Wesley you are my idol.
May 7, 2010 at 10:51 am
wow.
May 7, 2010 at 6:24 am
One of, if not the best short films I’ve ever watched. All the praise in the world would not sufficiently describe how beautifully done this film is.
I will tell the world about ‘When Five Fell’ and may they be as touched as I was.
May 7, 2010 at 3:57 am
I never knew your way with words until this short. I always assumed you the quiet one with smart ideas and silent talent. Now I see that words are your friends. I love your parallels in this short. It’s bittersweet. It seems that is the one term I use to describe your work a lot when my friends ask about you and your work.
Tragically beautiful.
May 6, 2010 at 9:45 pm
I loved it, I realized the senses were involved when it got to AJ Rafael’s part.
Simply amazing! Keep up the work!
Always hate to wait for the next thing you guys shoot
May 6, 2010 at 8:31 pm
That was beautiful.
May 6, 2010 at 5:20 pm
Wow… goosebumps and damp eyes. That was a very touching storyline, and quite bittersweet. The comic side of me wanted to make light of the situation and be like, how stalkerish. But the longing and deep feeling each object felt for the girl was unalloyed. She must be a very lucky girl to be surrounded by so much love.
So, it is kind of sad how she starts forgetting her old comforts for new, “real” love. Kind of like how people give up old toys for new ones. We must learn to cherish everything around us.
I can sense Wong Kar Wai’s undertones. =) But in a very Wes-inspired way!
Keep up the good work, Wong Fu!
Best,
tinsel
P.S. I like acknowledging elevators as dependable friends.
May 6, 2010 at 4:20 pm
WOW! WOW! this is beautiful, I loved the film before reading this, and now well I’m in love with it. So inspiring, artistic and meaningful. Great job!
May 6, 2010 at 3:17 pm
This video was well done from beginning to end. It really evoked your emotions. The music was matched perfectly with the great cinematography. This is one of your best works! Keep it up!
May 6, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Wes, Your extremely artistic with your perspectives in shots.
I love it!
I want to photograph your videos
May 6, 2010 at 8:23 am
I thought this was done really well and I think it was open to interpretation.
I saw the 5 objects as 5 different boyfriends and each of them represented a particular connection between the girl and the boyfriends.
And in the end, it led up to the girl finding a new love so the past relationships become less significant but never the less memorable.
May 6, 2010 at 7:57 am
I honestly was so inspired by this video. It was truly amazing. Everything about it was just beautiful. The concept is brilliant and so creative. I’m a little surprised that Wes made this video, but I love it nonetheless. I can’t even describe in words how much I love it. I’ve probably watched it like ten times already haha. I love photography and film. This video.. it’s so inspiring that I’m thinking of doing a ‘When Five Fell’ concept on Flickr. Hopefully I will be able to do it and promote you guys (:
May 6, 2010 at 6:04 am
This is a story so easily relateable to everyone. And it speaks of all the things that could’ve never been said, or pointed out, before.
I find the phone most relateable to me because there was a time when I felt like I was one (a “phone”), and I had for the first time fallen so hard for the comfort of such promising words that stayed with me for months, until I had unconciously become dependent on. But of course, as I was less and less talked to, I was aware that the day would come when the owner had probably found a new phone and began to set me aside, and I become untouched and unused. Forgotten.
…^^;; It’s been a long time now. Sometimes I even thought I wasn’t going to be able to truly set aside such memories but surprisingly this video was such a comfort, like a warm, gentle pat on the shoulder. It’s a nice feeling to know that we are all raindrops too afterall, haha. Raindrops with stories of their own pasts. And our stories have now been heard and shared. Sad? Maybe a little, but definitely not regrettable. All memories are indeed a part of life afterall.
Thanks again, WongFu for portraying that.
Along with everyone else, I will continuously look forward to more of your productions!
May 6, 2010 at 5:16 am
Great work.
The art and photography are just plain beautiful. Also the warm colors have something that reminds me of “Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain”. Hope you guys could someday make a movie like that.
May 6, 2010 at 4:07 am
This is one of your greatest works. you’ve always created the best and you always succeeded to touch people’s hearts.
The fact that this was planned a year ago and was finished this year gave me an idea that this video was made from passion, not because you just want to make something.
the story was exceptional. i would never think of personifying simple objects to react that way to the people. although this video was supposed to give an idea for relationships, i kinda thought of this in a literal way with literal things. well like me, i often get bored with one thing then get another, (with things only okay?
) but kinda crazy though to think of them with feelings.
the message was brought up well. i sympathize with the cup. he was broken. totally broken. literally broken. he could never have her, and that’s really ouch.
i didn’t noticed the voices were david choi’s, aj rafael’s and chris’ before i listened to the voices again. i guess i was so focused on the story XD. it was a great idea to put them in there.
i love what you did, and please make more and create more exceptional works like this.
May 6, 2010 at 12:44 am
ur narating skills are trully beautiful nt jst in this project but in many other shorts dat you did!…truly inspiring for a chick like me who is passionate bout film n design. XD
your cinematography is simply stunning …wish i knew wat equipment ya wea using!!..love the short ..n ur choices are really well picked and a shout to the music as well.
simply wonderful!!!!…
gud luck for ur future projects n…best wishes! ^__^
May 6, 2010 at 12:18 am
Wes hats off to you this is THE best thing I’ve seen in my life! I love how everything just goes so smoothly, so real and believable. The confessions were from the heart.
It felt like watching a movie.
May 5, 2010 at 9:40 pm
This video got me all choked up and brought me to tears at the end. It was so deep, moving, and beautiful story-wise and visually.
This video is an example of why I love Wong Fu; you guys always seem to find a new way of telling stories, like the “PEOPLE PLACES AND THINGS” series from 2007, which is told backwards. Giving inanimate, mundane objects feelings so strong like love and rejection, I would have never thought I’d be crying over. Then connecting each item to the senses interacting and playing roles in relationships; I’m floored.
The scarf and the cup I connected to the most. Proxemics play a big part in my relationship, in my opinion.
I loved it (: *applauds Wes and the rest of the people that made this video possible*
May 5, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Great work! I loved the way you represented different phases of relationships with every day objects and gave them meaning and personality. The music was very well fitted and beautiful as well. Definitely one of the best pieces I’ve seen.
May 5, 2010 at 8:02 pm
I have to admit, I’ve never really been a fan of the more serious works of Wong Fu. It takes something really powerful for me to connect to a piece emotionally. I think what drew me in was the Glasses story –it seemed so personal. It made me feel like I was there.
The cinematography was amazing. Like snippets of the most beautiful moments in everyday life.
I admit, I found myself giggling from time to time because some moments were corny (in a lovely way) but then, it must have been the combination of the gorgeous aesthetics of the short and the beautiful music that drew me back into the story.
My favourites were the Glasses, the Umbrella and the Cup. From 7:44 onwards, everything tugged at my heart strings.
Fantastic short. If only people could love like objects too. ^___^
I feel like buying an umbrella that would love me as much.
May 5, 2010 at 7:55 pm
Great job wes!
Your work is so inspiring and so deep.. it always gets me thinking. I’m absolutely in love with your videos.. you get such great shots, and I love the peaceful atmosphere you capture.
And I agree completely with your choice of working with mimi.. she’s such a natural actress.. everything just seems to flow from her.
Another job well done =)