INNOVATION & INTERFERENCES- STILL WARM

Still Warm

Still Warm- Google Drive

 UCA ID: 2422803

  Unit Title: Innovation & Interference

Unit Code: 

UCA LEVEL 5

Session: 2025-2026

BA (Hons) Film & Digital Art

 

POSTER 

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Still Warm is an experimental short film that explores the emotional silence left behind after a sudden suicide. Instead of using actors or spoken dialogue, the film focuses entirely on the environment. The room becomes the storyteller. Every object, every texture, and every warm light carries the memory of a person who has recently disappeared from the space.

I wanted to create a film that speaks through atmosphere rather than action. Many times, the quietness of a room says more than any character could. The lighting, the stillness of objects, and the unfinished state of the room all reflect the character’s emotional struggle before leaving. This approach allowed me to explore themes of absence, regret, and the weight of unspoken feelings.

The camera in Still Warm moves slowly and gently, almost like a quiet observer walking through someone’s memories. It notices small things that usually go unseen, and these details help the viewer understand what happened without showing the character directly. My aim was to let the space feel alive while also feeling empty, creating a contrast that reflects the central idea of the film: everything is still warm, even though the person is gone.

LOGLINE

Moments after a sudden suicide, a warm but silent room reveals the emotional traces of the person who left it behind.

SUMMARY

Still Warm is an experimental film that tells its story through environment and atmosphere. The film begins with a staircase lit warmly in the darkness, setting an emotional tone. The camera slowly enters a room that looks recently used, yet completely empty.

Inside the room, small details such as a dripping faucet, glowing screens, and a messy bed suggest that something unsettling happened just before the film begins. As the camera explores these details, the emotional story becomes clearer.

The film ends with a message left on a monitor, giving the viewer the final piece of the puzzle. Still Warm is meant to be interpreted through feeling and observation rather than through characters or spoken dialogue.

SYNOPSIS

The film begins on a dim staircase that glows with warm light. The quietness immediately feels heavy. The camera slowly climbs the stairs and reaches a half-open door leading into a bedroom.

Inside the room, everything looks disturbed. The bedsheet is wrinkled tightly. A glass with fingerprints sits on the desk next to a glowing laptop and monitor. Clothes hang on a stand, as if someone left in a rush. The bathroom door is open with the light still on, and the faucet drips slowly.

The phone begins to ring, echoing in the empty room. The camera finally settles on the monitor, which displays a message that reads, I didn’t mean for it to end like this.

The film ends quietly, leaving the viewer with the emotional weight of what happened.

STORY

The story of Still Warm is told entirely through objects and space. There is no dialogue, no physical character, and no direct explanation. Instead, the audience pieces together the story of the person who lived in the room through the emotional clues left behind.

The bed shows signs of stress. The desk shows interruption. The faucet shows recent use. The phone shows unanswered calls. The lighting shows warmth against an empty space.

Together, these details build the emotional picture of someone overwhelmed by their own thoughts. The final message confirms the tragedy but still leaves room for interpretation.

RESEARCH PRIMARY

My primary research involved learning how real spaces behave after someone leaves them unexpectedly. I observed personal rooms and common areas with attention to how objects naturally settle or stay disturbed. These observations shaped many of the important shots in the film.

I focused on several key elements.

Bedsheets that were tightly pulled or looked clenched showed emotional tension. This detail inspired the shot of the bed in my film, where the sheet looks as if someone held it during a stressful moment.

Doors left slightly open created a feeling of something unfinished or interrupted. This observation led to the half open door shot that plays a major role in Still Warm.

Dripping faucets or wet surfaces showed that they were used moments before someone left. This guided the dripping tap shot, which becomes one of the strongest clues in the film.

Warm lights left switched on gave a sense of recent presence, making the room feel alive even when empty. This helped shape the film’s lighting style.

Ringing phones inside empty rooms created a deep emotional effect. This inspired the moment where the phone rings without anyone to answer it.

I also experimented with filming my own room at night to understand how shadows and lighting affect mood. Listening to natural sounds in a quiet room helped me plan how sound would be used in the film. These hands-on observations built the foundation of the story.

RESEARCH SECONDARY

My secondary research focused on how filmmakers use objects, framing, and silence to communicate emotional depth. I studied experimental films, video essays, and film theory that discussed storytelling without traditional actors or dialogue.

A major idea I studied was environmental storytelling. This refers to telling a story through the space a character leaves behind. Many films and visual artists use this technique to show emotion without showing the person themselves. This concept became the core of my film.

Another important idea was the concept of traces. Traces are the details someone leaves behind in their environment. An unmade bed, a dripping tap, a glowing screen, or a half-finished drink all act as emotional footprints. These traces shaped the emotional direction of Still Warm.

I also researched slow cinema techniques. These films use long takes, quiet pacing, and minimal movement to build emotion through simple visuals. Learning about shot duration, framing stillness, and the importance of silence greatly influenced how I planned my cinematography.

Through this secondary research, I understood how powerful it can be to let the environment speak on its own, and how the absence of a character can be more emotional than their presence.

INSPIRATIONS

The visual and emotional style of Still Warm was inspired by two significant works.

Light Is Calling by Bill Morrison presents images that feel dreamlike, fragile, and slowly fading. The film uses flickering light, slow pacing, and expressive textures to create an emotional response. This inspired me to use warm lighting, flicker, and slow, gentle camera movement to build atmosphere.

The Letter by Karim Huu Do tells a story through simple objects, lighting, and a final written message. It shows how a small detail can hold a lot of emotional weight. This inspired me to include a typed message at the end of my film, giving viewers a final piece of the story without showing the person who wrote it.

Both films helped me understand that emotion can be created through silence, minimalism, and small details. Their influence helped shape the tone and direction of Still Warm.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

The cinematography of Still Warm is simple, slow, and intentional. The goal was to make the camera feel like a quiet observer moving carefully through the space.

Important cinematography decisions included these ideas.

Slow camera movements that create a calm but heavy emotional tone.

Warm lighting that makes the empty room feel recently used.

Long shots that give viewers time to understand the objects in the frame.

Close-up shots that focus on textures such as water droplets, fabric wrinkles, and fingerprints.

Compositions that leave space for shadows, creating a sense of mystery.

A shallow depth of field that isolates emotional details from the background.

Foreground framing that makes the viewer feel like they are stepping into a private space.

These choices helped me communicate the emotional story through visuals rather than through characters or dialogue.

MUSICAL REFERENCES

Music played an important role in shaping the emotional tone of Still Warm. I studied ambient and minimal pieces that communicate sadness and calmness without overpowering the visuals.

The main musical reference was Flight From the City by Jóhann Jóhannsson. The piece has a slow, reflective mood that feels emotional but controlled. It captures the quiet sadness I wanted in my film.

Other music influences I studied for tone and mood included emotional piano pieces by Max Richter, soft ambient sounds by Ryuichi Sakamoto, the quiet intensity of Hildur Guðnadóttir’s compositions, and the warm piano textures of Ólafur Arnalds. These pieces helped guide the feeling of the film even if they were not used directly.

The music inspiration taught me that sound does not always need to be loud or dramatic. Sometimes a soft, spacious sound can make a scene feel more emotional than anything else.

THEMES AND VISUAL SYMBOLS

The main theme of Still Warm is the idea that a room can hold the emotional weight of a person who is no longer there. The environment becomes a reflection of their last moments.

Supporting themes include sudden disappearance, emotional buildup, regret, silence after chaos, and traces of a troubled mind. These themes appear through the design of the room and the objects inside it.

Several visual symbols help communicate the story.

The stopped clock represents the end of the character’s personal time, while the continuing ticking sound suggests the world moving on after his death

The dripping faucet shows recent activity and hints at someone leaving in a hurry.

The clenched bedsheet shows physical tension and emotional stress.

The half-open door represents something unfinished and unresolved.

The ringing phone represents attempts to reach someone who is no longer able to respond.

Warm lighting suggests the room still remembers the person.

The final message on the monitor gives a direct but quiet insight into the character’s emotions.

These symbols make the film emotional without needing characters or dialogue.

STEP OUTLINE

Step 1
The film opens with a close-up of a clock ticking, establishing the presence of time at the beginning of the narrative.

Step 2
A static close-up of an empty chips packet is shown, suggesting casual routine and everyday life before disruption.

Step 3
A close-up of a PlayStation console and controller follows, representing leisure and distraction that once existed in the space.

Step 4
The camera cuts to a closed diary with a pen placed on top, implying thoughts that were considered but never written down.

Step 5
A close-up of a book with writing in blood is shown, introducing the first unsettling visual shift and hinting at emotional extremity and harm without explanation.

Step 6
A static shot of shoes placed nearby suggests preparation and intention rather than movement or chaos.

Step 7
The film moves to the staircase, focusing on the warm light, creating a transition from personal objects to shared space.

Step 8
A close-up of clothes hanging quietly reinforces the absence of the character.

Step 9
The camera observes the keyboard in close-up, implying unfinished communication or interaction.

Step 10
A shot of the door with keys nearby suggests an exit that will not be followed by a return.

Step 11
A used glass is shown in close-up, indicating recent presence and interruption.

Step 12
An open drawer is revealed, suggesting searching or final preparation.

Step 13
The film cuts to the faucet dripping, showing movement continuing in an otherwise still environment.

Step 14
A static shot of the bed follows, reflecting emotional tension and physical exhaustion.

Step 15
The phone begins to ring in an empty room, emphasizing disconnection and unanswered communication.

Step 16
A close-up of the fan shows continued mechanical movement, reinforcing the idea of the world functioning without the character.

Step 17
A wide shot of the desk places all earlier objects into a single spatial context.

Step 18
The camera cuts to the headphones resting quietly, suggesting withdrawal from sound and external noise.

Step 19
The monitor fills the frame, displaying the final message, confirming the character’s intention and emotional state.

Step 20
The film ends with a wide shot of the street outside, showing the world continuing beyond the private space of the room.

CHARACTER ANALYSIS

Although no character appears on screen, the audience learns a lot about him through the room he left behind. His belongings, the mess, and the quietness of the space all reflect how he felt before leaving.

The clenched bedsheet suggests emotional struggle.

The dripping faucet suggests interruption.

The ringing phone suggests disconnection from others.

The final message on the monitor reveals regret and sadness.

This character is represented through traces, not physical presence. The environment becomes his emotional portrait.

FIELD AND FRAME APPLICATION

The film uses the ideas of field and frame to guide how the audience interprets the story.

The frame shows only selected details. These include the faucet, the bed, the door, and the desk. These framed shots reveal emotional clues.

The field represents everything outside the frame, such as the rest of the house, the backstory of the character, and the life he lived before the film begins.

By only showing parts of the environment and leaving the rest unseen, the film forces the viewer to fill in the blanks. This balance between frame and field creates mystery, emotion, and depth.

MOODBOARD

STORYBOARD 

TARGET AUDIENCE

The target audience for Still Warm includes people who appreciate emotional and symbolic storytelling. This includes film students who are studying experimental cinema, viewers who enjoy slow and atmospheric films, and audiences who are comfortable interpreting visual clues rather than listening to dialogue.

People who relate to quiet films, personal spaces, and emotional themes will find this film engaging. The film also appeals to those interested in exploring mental health and the subtle ways it appears in everyday environments.

SHOOT SCHEDULE

| Scene                         | Location                 | Time   | Description  

                               

| Exterior Establishing  | Outside House       | 6:00PM | Wide shot of the house at dusk.             

| Staircase Sequence   | Staircase                | 6:20PM | Moving shot through staircase, warm light. 

| Door                           | Bedroom Entrance | 6:40PM | Slow approach to half-open bedroom door.    

| Glass on Table           | Bedroom                 | 7:00PM | Close-up of half-full glass on side table. 

| Desk Overview           | Bedroom Desk        | 7:20PM | Wide shot of cluttered desk and monitor.    

| Desk Close-Up           | Bedroom Desk       | 7:35PM | Close-ups of keyboard, headphones, objects.

| Bathroom Door           | Bathroom               | 8:00PM | Bathroom door slightly open, light spilling.

| Faucet Drip                  Bathroom Sink        | 8:20PM | Close-up of faucet with dripping water.     

| Clothes Hanging         | Wardrobe Area       | 8:40PM | Shirt hanging on wardrobe door.             

| Half-Opened Drawer   | Bedroom               | 9:00PM | Close shot of drawer left partially open.   

| Phone Ringing             | Desk                     | 9:20PM | Close-up of phone ringing on desk.          

| Final Monitor Message   | Desk                  | 9:40PM | Screen shows final text:                    

                                                                                   “I didn’t mean for it to end like this.”    

CALL SHEET

Date: 4 Dec, 2025

Director: Abdullah Kashif

DOP: Abdullah Kashif

CALL TIMES

• Crew Call: 5:00 PM
• Camera Roll: 6:00 PM
• Wrap: 12:00 PM
• 
  

| Item                                      | Quantity | Estimated Cost      |

| Sony A6700                         |    1          | PKR 4000               |

| Sigma 18–50mm f2.8 Lens  |    1         | PKR  2500              |

| Tripod                                   |    1         | PKR 1000               |

| DJI RS4 Gimbal                    |    1         | PKR 1500              |

| Amaran PT4c Light               |    1         | PKR 2000             |

| Amaran 300c Light               |    1         | PKR 2000              |

| Misc Accessories                 |    –         | PKR 1000              |

| (batteries, cards, tape)  

| Total Estimated Budget         |             | PKR  14,000            |

LOCATION DETAILS

Staircase

The staircase is narrow and lit with a warm, slightly flickering light. It creates an early sense of tension and emotional heaviness.

Bedroom

A small, cluttered room filled with personal items. The warm lighting makes it feel lived-in, while the mess suggests emotional struggle. The glowing screens add a sense of interruption.

Bathroom

The bathroom door is left open with the light on. The faucet drips slowly, showing that it was recently used. These details add movement in an otherwise still film.

Exterior

A quiet nighttime street outside the house. This location reinforces loneliness and adds scale to the story.

EDITING

BTS

Risk Assessment Form

Risk Assessment Form – Part A

 

     The contents of this risk assessment must be communicated to all students, staff, contractors, actors and persons involved.

 

Production Title:	Still Warm	Unit/Year:	5
Group:		Unit Leader:	Shahrukh Naveed
Campus Address:   Course:	066   Film and Digital Arts UCA	Student Producer Name: (All students are responsible for safety in production) Email: Mobile:	Abdullah Kashif     abdullahmalik20024@gmail.com 03238483140
Filming Start Date/Time:	6 pm/ 4th December 2025	Filming End Date/Time:	12 Am / 5th Dec 2025
Brief Summary of filming/activity: Outline of what is proposed/ Sequences, set-ups etc.	The activity involves filming an experimental short film inside a house, mainly focusing on the staircase, bedroom, and bathroom areas. The filming includes slow camera movements  and capturing close-up shots of objects and room details. No actors are involved, and the filming will take place at night in a controlled indoor environment.
Team members / experts / contractors / contributors etc. List those involved Add additional lines if needed.	Name	Role	Contact Number
	Abdullah Kashif	Director/DOP	3238483140
	Aizza Sohail	Sound Design	0304-7171264
	Mariyam yaseen	editor
Location: Full address (incl. postcode) / Type of location (private house, rented house, church etc.)	House no.1463, street no.37, sector T, DHA Phase 7,Lahore	Location permission: Details about the location permission: applied, acquired, n/a etc.
Have you notified the local Council? You must do so if you are: Filming in a public place, Using weapons, Have cast in uniform	0
Have you notified the Police? You must do so if you are: Filming in a public place and filming any illegal activity, Using weapons, Have cast in uniform	0
Nearest A&E: Name/Address/Number Nearest Police Station: Name/Address/Number	Chughtai Medical Center  Plaza no.30, MB commercial
Nearest bus & train stops for the location / local taxi phone number:	Train:    Bus:   Taxi:
General fire and emergency plan:	0
Facilities (food, drinks, toilets): If providing catering, please state your plans.	0

 

Hazard list – select your hazards from the list below and use these to complete Part B
Situational hazards	Tick	Physical / chemical hazards	Tick	Health hazards	Tick
Access/egress blocked/restricted		Contact with cold/hot liquid / vapour		Allergic reaction
Animals/insects (wild, pets, performing)		Contact with cold/hot surface		First Aid/Medical requirements
Boats		Electric shock/live electrical equipment	x	Infection – COVID-19
Cold / Hot environment		Explosive blast/release of stored pressure		Lack of food / water
Compressed Gas		Fire/Smoke		Lack of oxygen
Confined Spaces		Hazardous substance		Physical fatigue	x
Crush by load		Location lighting		Repetitive action
Derelict buildings/dangerous structures		Laser light		Smoking on set
Drowning		Lightning strike		Speed (running, sports)
Falls from height		Noise		Static body posture
High atmospheric pressure		Poor visibility/night shooting		Stress / anxiety
Manual handling	x	Radiation		Venom poisoning
Messy environment		Stroboscopic light		OTHER HEALTH HAZARD
Mines/excavations/tunnels/quarries		Vibration
Nudity		Visual effects (smoke, fog, snow, fireworks)		Environmental hazards
Object falling, moving or flying		OTHER PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL HAZARD		Litter
Obstruction / exposed feature				Nuisance noise / vibration
Roadside working		Managerial / organisational hazards		Physical damage
Sharp object / material (glass etc.)		Management factors (lack of communication, co-operation, co-ordination and competence)		Waste substance released into air
Shot by firearm		Lone working		Waste substance released into soil / water
Slippery surface		OTHER MANAGERIAL/ORGANISATIONAL HAZARD		Weather
Stunt				OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD
Trap in moving machinery
Trip hazard
Vehicle collision/accident
Violence, assault by person
Weapons
OTHER SITUATIONAL HAZARD

 

Risk matrix – use this to determine risk for each hazard i.e. ‘how bad and how likely’	Likelihood of Harm
Severity of Harm	Remote e.g. <1 in 1000 chance	Very unlikely e.g. 1 in 200 chance	Unlikely e.g. 1 in 50 chance	Possible e.g. 1 in 10 chance	Likely e.g. >1 in 3 chance
Negligible  e.g. small bruise	Trivial X	Trivial	Trivial	Low	Low
Slight  e.g. small cut, deep bruise	Trivial X	Trivial	Low	Low	Medium
Moderate  e.g. deep cut, torn muscle	Trivial X	Low	Medium	Medium	High
Severe  e.g. fracture, loss of consciousness	Low X	Medium	High	High	Extremely high
Very Severe e.g. death, permanent disability	Low X	Medium	High	Extremely high	Extremely high

Generator-YES/NO	Company-Hired from	Full Name of trainer	Proof of training	YES	NO	Signature
	0	0	0	0	0	0

Risk Assessment Form – Part B

 

Hazards2 List what could cause harm from this activity e.g. falls from height, trip hazard, fire, etc.	Who exposed List who might be harmed from this activity e.g. staff, contractors, contributors, public, etc.	Risk3 For each hazard, decide level of risk as if you were to do the activity without your controls	Control measures For each hazard, list the measures you will be taking to minimise the risk identified e.g. appointing competent persons, training received, planning and rehearsals, use of personal protective equipment, provision of first aid, etc.	Risk3 For each hazard, decide level of risk once all your controls are in place
Manual handling     Electric shock/live electrical equipment	Crew/Cast /Contributors	Medium Medium	Manual handling mainly involves lifting and positioning the Amaran 300c light. The light is not excessively heavy, but care will be taken when moving it, adjusting the stand, or raising it to height. The Amaran 300c and other electrical equipment require plugging into mains power. There is a potential risk of electric shock when connecting cables, using extension leads, or adjusting the light while powered.	Low
Physical Fatigue	Crew/Cast /Contributors	Medium	Filming may involve standing for long periods, repeating shots, and moving equipment, which can lead to physical fatigue.	Low Low Low Low

 

 

Kit list Please insert the full kit list that you will be using at this location. You will be able to access that once you have it booked on SISO.   Include all the accessories (like sandbags, stands, flags etc).	Camera: Sony A6700 Sigma 18-50 f2.8 Dji RS4 Amaran 300c Amaran pt4c Tripod
List of crew members that are inducted into using your equipment. Add more lines if necessary	Name	Role	Contact
Kit storage plan Please include the address of the location where the equipment will be stored, the type of location, and who will be responsible for the kit at the time of storage.	House no.1463, street no.37, sector T, DHA Phase 7, Lahore
Kit transportation plan Please state any travel details that are relevant to the equipment. How will it get to and from location, who will be responsible for it.

Risk Assessment Form – Part C

 

 

 

Signatures - The names below are confirming the date that they have read and discussed this risk assessment with the production team.  Based on the information supplied on this form it is noted that the control measures are considered appropriate and proportionate to the hazards identified.  At all times, students retain responsibility for their own safety and for those around them.
Student Producer: Abdullah Kashif	Date:8/12/2025
Production Coordinator/Manager: Abdullah Kashif	Date:8/12/2025
Unit tutor: Shahrukh Naveed	Date:8/12/2025
Technician/Tech Tutor (supervising the studio):	Date:
Estates Services Manager (where UCA routes, building features etc are impacted):	Date:
Resources Coordinator/Manager (Medium/High Risk/International Shoot):	Date:
Programme Director (high risk/International Shoot):	Date:
Health, Safety & Wellbeing Advisor (High Risk/International – discretionary):	Date:
Head of School (International Shoot):	Date:
Deputy Vice Chancellor (International Shoot):	Date:

 

Additional control measures required by any of the above signatories?