ANALOGUE: In the Mood for Smoke

Wong Kar Wai being one of our favourite movie directors inspired us to emulate his signature smoking visual metaphor. Cigarette smoke drifts slowly, curling through the air in dimly lit rooms setting the atmosphere. That aesthetic and melancholic theme of yearning, memory and isolation where every drag of cigarette feels like a long sigh.

 

WKW characters smoke when they are silently processing heartache, desire and waiting. Instead of words, we get someone smoking and gazing into nothingness where emotions are felt without saying it. The way the lighter flickers and the glow of the ember evokes transience, intimacy and loneliness. It is like watching life burn slowly, one cigarette at a time.

 

As always we went with little preparation. That evening it rained and when it was time for action, catastrophe. Jing had left the tripod at home, my f/1.8 lens only had a maximum shutter speed of 1/30 even when our cinema film was being pushed 3 stops. Due to the hazardous nature of smoking, I swear I did not take a single puff but I can't speak for the rest.