Exploring ‘One-Person Film’ Potential Using Reenactment Drama Techniques

The Challenge of Solo Creative Work

Creativity in any field requires one critical trait: initiative. You must independently plan and execute your vision. Those who only engage in pre-packaged activities miss out on the true joys of creation.

In many art forms—writing novels, painting, crafting, pottery—one can complete the work entirely solo. Filmmaking, on the other hand, often thrives on collaboration. Yet, this reliance can also slow progress significantly.

While students often have a readily available group of like-minded peers, adults typically find it harder to gather a team and schedule regular joint activities. This inherent challenge keeps filmmaking from becoming an accessible creative outlet for many.

The traditional approach to filmmaking—mirroring professional practices—calls for a large team of staff. However, I’ve spent over 20 years advocating for reducing crew size as the key to enjoyable hobbyist filmmaking. For example:

• By taking on the dual role of director and cinematographer, a single person can conduct basic filming alone.
• That said, high expectations—like hiring a boom operator for audio or having someone handle reflectors for lighting—can cause schedules to stretch out significantly.

The unfortunate truth about hobbyist filmmaking is that it often remains unfinished. Projects falter primarily because longer production timelines lead to dwindling enthusiasm among unpaid collaborators who view the effort as a hobby rather than a serious commitment.

To combat this, shortening production time should be prioritized above all else.

Rethinking the Cast and Crew

While solo shooting as director and cinematographer is plausible, having multiple actors remains an obstacle. Crafting a compelling one-person story is incredibly challenging, which leads to relying on multiple performers—ultimately prolonging schedules.

What if one performer played multiple roles without the audience realizing it? Taking this further, what if I—the director and cinematographer—also portrayed multiple characters? This would eliminate the need to coordinate anyone else’s schedule, leaving only my motivation as the determining factor for completing production quickly.

Borrowing Techniques from Reenactment Drama

Reenactment dramas offer inspiration for solo filmmaking methods. These often rely on narration or monologues paired with supporting visuals. Historical reenactments, for instance, frequently feature:

• Obscured faces: Characters’ faces are rarely shown clearly, using framing techniques like only capturing them from behind or above the jawline.
• Blurred focus: Intentional lack of clarity adds ambiguity to the subjects.
• No dialogue: Narration or internal monologues replace character lines.

Although unconventional, viewers rarely find this jarring because they’ve grown accustomed to such visuals through TV.

Advantages of This Approach

1. No acting experience required: Reenactment dramas convey emotions—such as “frustration”—through symbolic gestures like a close-up of a clenched fist. This minimizes the need for conventional acting skills, making it ideal for non-professional performers.
2. Multi-role possibilities: By avoiding clear shots of faces, one person can play multiple roles. Green-screen techniques allow the same actor to appear in a single frame as multiple characters without concerns of facial recognition breaking the illusion.

Adapting Stories to the Format

This approach suits certain scenarios better than others. For instance, an adaptation of an epistolary novel—where the story unfolds through letters—might work well. Scenes could alternate between the protagonist reading letters and visualizing their content through reenactments.

Film as a medium is inherently flexible. There’s no need to fear criticism like, “This isn’t real cinema.” As a practice exercise or a full-fledged project, the one-person film provides a valuable creative challenge.