Experimental film

 

Title: Glitch in Reality

Directed by: Abdullah Kashif

Genre: Experimental

Duration: 3 minutes

Language: No Dialogue

Logline

A masked figure drifts through a surreal world where reality shatters through glitch effects, symbolic visuals, and dreamlike sequences, revealing a fractured sense of identity.

Synopsis

Glitch in Reality follows a lone masked character navigating a world where perception and time become unstable. With each scene, the line between the real and imagined begins to dissolve. There is no dialogue; the story is told through symbolic imagery, glitch effects, and experimental camera techniques. The character becomes more detached until he finally disappears, leaving only a mask behind — a symbol of the self lost in overstimulation.

Research

My main inspiration came from Maya Deren’s Meshes of the Afternoon, where repetitive motion, dreamlike logic, and visual symbols express internal states. Deren’s use of mirrors and altered perception influenced my decision to incorporate reflection trickery and symbolic repetition.

Story

The film is about the slow disconnection from reality. It starts with a sense of being awake in the real world but quickly enters a surreal state. The character begins to notice odd things — mirrors acting differently, time reversing, shadows moving on their own. These visuals represent a psychological breakdown, overstimulation from digital life, and a growing distance from one’s identity. In the end, the character vanishes, showing how easily someone can feel lost inside their mind.

Film Treatment (Scene-by-Scene)

00:00 – 00:10
A person sleeps peacefully. A translucent mask fades into the shot, overlaying his face. He opens his eyes, hinting that the dream or distortion is beginning.

00:10 – 00:14
A shaky handheld shot looks outside a window. The chaotic camera movement adds unease and sets the tone.

00:14 – 00:26
The character stands still on a train platform. A digital screen behind him shows a train moving. He seems disconnected from the motion — like he's stuck in a different timeline.

00:26 – 00:31
Letters from the word “REALITY” flash one by one on a keyboard using fast match cuts. A glitch effect follows each key press, showing distortion.

00:31 – 00:47
The character wears the mask. A tripod-mounted slow shutter shot shows his face blurring and warping — a loss of self.

00:47 – 01:13
In front of a mirror, the reflection starts acting on its own, walking away while the real figure stays still.

01:13 – 01:31
The character walks in long exposure mode. The screen alternates between first-person POV and wide shots to show how his mind and reality are misaligned.

01:31 – 01:56
He opens a cupboard and finds a small clock. As he looks at it, he vanishes. The clock begins ticking in reverse.

01:56 – 02:05
His shadow walks right through him, continuing ahead while the character remains frozen — a moment of total dissociation.

02:05 – 02:17
Smoke slowly leaks out from behind the mask. He is motionless, like something inside him is fading away.

02:17 – 02:26
The character stares out the window. He glitches and falls off-screen suddenly.

02:26 – 02:52
He reads a book upside down. More glitching follows. The character disappears, leaving only the mask hanging by the window.

Film Structure

The film doesn’t follow a traditional narrative arc. Instead, it uses visual logic and symbolic progression. Each scene introduces a new layer of disconnection. The film builds from normal reality into full surrealism, ending in disappearance. It’s a descent into an altered state rather than a linear story.

Shot List

1. Close-up of character sleeping with mask overlay

2. Handheld wide shot through a window (chaos outside)

3. Wide shot on train platform with moving digital screen

4. Close-up of keyboard glitch (letters: R-E-A-L-I-T-Y)

5. Masked character slow shutter blur

6. Mirror reflection scene with altered movement

7. Walking in long exposure (POV and wide)

8. Cupboard clock shot, reverse time

9. Shadow passes through body

10. Smoke from mask

11. Window fall with glitch

12. Reading book upside down and disappearing

Visual Style

• Lighting: Natural and low-light setups, with strong use of contrast and shadow.

• Camera Movement: Handheld for chaos, tripod for stable surrealism, and slow shutter for distortion.

• Framing: Centered compositions with open negative space. Mirrors are framed to draw attention to duality.

Editing Style

• Glitch Effects: Frame skipping, overlay distortions, RGB split.

• Time Manipulation: Reverse motion and freeze frames to bend reality.

• Transitions: Match cuts, sudden jumps, ambient overlays.

Self-Evaluation

This project pushed me creatively and technically. I had to experiment with slow shutter speed, frame manipulation, and practical effects like smoke and mirrors — all without a crew or budget. One big challenge was timing the glitch effects to match the emotion in the scene. I shot most scenes multiple times because I didn’t have a monitor to review them live.

At first, I struggled to connect all visuals meaningfully. But through editing and repeated viewing, I saw a flow. The mirror scene was technically hard — aligning the actor and reflection for the illusion. In the end, I’m proud I could express an abstract idea with just visuals and no dialogue.

Risk Assessment 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vS1-v1eSH0s5oi45M5_3M4gJLZRDPM36fkvlP6P10jSuSIH87WZQ3JdRcEdowGylQ/pub