OUT OF THE BLUE

Directed by Matt Chandler.

'Out of the Blue,' follows the character of Ellen who finds her presumed-dead child, Elliot, on her doorstep 10 years after his disappearance. As Ellen and Elliott navigate their renewed bond, hidden secrets and emotional turmoil unravel, providing a poignant reflection on the complexities of motherhood. The film brings real-world accounts of post-partum psychosis (PP) into light, a mental health condition which affects 1 in 500 mothers immediately after birth.
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Through a combination of practical effects, computer-generated imagery and surrealist lighting techniques, 'Out of the Blue' aims to reframe PP through a science-fiction lens, emphasising the paranoia and hallucinatory experiences which are typically synonymous with this condition.
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As the cinematographer on this project, I worked closely with Matt to develop a broad palette of lighting and framing motifs. As the story and the pratognists condition develop, so does the texture, form and hue of these motifs. Whether diffusing the light with smoke or filtering it through a cucoloris to create diagonal streaks of light and shadow, through these vessels of light we invite the audience to see Ellen's world through her own unique point of view - as a prison, cocooned by oppressive yet invisible walls.