What Happens to Light

A man struggles to stay ahead of the shadows overtaking him even as he controls his eventual demise.

  • Lexi Danielson
    Director
  • Seth Alkhuja
    Key Cast
  • Amulya Ankem
    Additional Crew
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 37 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 1, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    16mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Ithaca College
Director Biography - Lexi Danielson

Lexi Danielson is a filmmaker who believes in story being at the center of every piece. Her journey began as a book-savvy child obsessed with recreating those alternate realities. After a trip to a local car show with her father and a camera, she realized that these written stories could be recreated through images, and a newfound love of film was born. She began in an intensive Performing and Visual Arts program in public schools concentrating first in Creative Writing and then in Film and New Media for seven years and is currently completing her B.S. in Cinema and Photography at Ithaca College.

Danielson has worked in a variety of settings ranging from live sports broadcasting with the Washington Capitals to interactive programming with the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. Works include "How A Spark Dies," winner of Best Film at the PVA Film Festival, "Art Heals the Soul," her senior capstone about art therapy in Maryland and winner of the Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) Senior Capstone Outreach Award, and "What Happens to Light," an experimental short shot on 16mm film.

She aims to infuse every piece she creates with a layered story based in personal connection, ultimately working to turn the ordinary themes underlying our society into extraordinary stories.

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Director Statement

This was my first time shooting on film stock and I intended to make the most of it. When we shot test footage in class, I was amazed by the dynamic range offered and began to think about how much we've lost in the transition to digital. What would happen if this was to be visually shown?

I chose to play with shadows to highlight the beauties of old school techniques and because of their darker nature. Humans are naturally afraid of the dark, and