The Mixtape
This project was about me designing and producing a graphic design outcome that embodies/represents my own practise in essence this project is my own “mixtape”. What does it mean by ‘your mixtape’? As we are all individuals with different and unique interests, ideas, skills, beliefs and talent, my unique voice is what makes me different from others, I have to embrace this and funnel it into my work. This specific brief had been tailor made for me and my particular interests. It’s not meant to be perfect, it’s meant to be direct and show lots of personality.
My own mixtape was to watch and write a review on the film: Minari (2020) written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung. The review should be presented in the form of a gatefold leaflet, also I had to design a series with qoutes from the film. The virtual version of these quotes were to be displayed on the large screen outside the AVA building. Firstly I started of this brief by watching the film Minari, processing my thoughts and opinions by rewatching at least two times so I could write a detailed review plus gather quotes from the film.
Minari is a 2021 drama directed by Lee Isaac Chung, that documents a Korean American family as they start their new life in rural Arkansas. The film opens with a migrant Korean family of four, Jacob Yi, the American Dream Father, Monica Yi, a sceptical wife who is not happy with her husband’s decision, David, and Anne their loving kids who moves from California to the green side of America to start their life by farming Korean vegetables. With a dream to be more than just a chicken sexer, and a desire to own his own farm, Jacob Yi enlists the help of local man Paul to help him grow and manage this new venture. Set in the 1980s, it is partially based on the director’s own childhood, Minari takes us through a whole gamut of emotions, but leaves you satisfied by the end.
This is a heart-warming film fuelled by emotion and the bond between family. It’s a film that features authentic acting, stunning cinematography and delves into thought-provoking themes. There is a sense of nostalgia, these very real-life pressures and family tragedies are handled and revealed with delicate care. It is like watching a memory or even a dream, the best word to describe it is, tender. This film masterfully shows that sometimes things we value, and memories we long, may be the very act preventing us from achieving that goal. The existence of the plant Minari teaches us what perseverance and strength truly means. It is ordinary yet unforgettable, and like the plant, Minari brings back the memory of home.
