[IVC] Find a Dream | MakoHaru

“When we lost something precious, and we'd looked and looked and still couldn't find it, then we didn't have to be completely heartbroken. We still had that last bit of comfort, thinking one day, when we grow up, and we were free to travel around the country, we would always go and find it....something that was once close to our hearts.”
Kazuo Ishiguro [Never Let Me Go]

InVIDcible Season 2, Round 2
Lost and Found
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Alright. Let's explain this bad boy. I was super ecstatic when we were each assigned themes regarding duality (light/dark, strength/weakness, focus/blur) and I got lost and found. Like I cannot explain to you guys how thrilled I was, because I had been wanting to use all those heart-shattering Free! quotes about finding dreams and what not for the longest of time.

However, as I started this project, I realized this was scarily a whole lot more than just finding a dream. I also got waaaaaay too involved in this project. You could say I got "lost" in the project (you'll have to put up with the puns for another round). I "found" a whole lot of things that I didn't anticipate.

Anyway, the initial, superficial, you-can't-miss-it lost and found elements in this is that they both are looking for a dream, Haru more so than Makoto.
However, things got a whole lot more painful when I realized just WHO Haru's missing dream might involve.

And then I found that quote from Never Let Me Go and things just started to hurt a whole lot more. I know I sound like an inarticulate rambler, but it just really hit me strongly. Makoto's and Haru's entire relationship revolves around the concept of lost and found in season two.

The two of them are on the edge of splitting up when they've been together for their entire lives. They know things about each other that no one else even notices, but because they've known each other for so long, they completely take these little discoveries about each other for granted. For example, Haru notices Makoto being the swim instructor, but only really thinks about it in depth when he almost loses him during their fight. And you guys seriously can't ignore all of those long, thoughtful looks Haru gives Makoto after their conversation. Clearly Haru found out something about his friend he had never recognized, even though it had been present the entire time.

Haru (and Makoto) become increasingly distressed when losing the other becomes a real possibility. Perhaps the best example is when Makoto reveals his plans to go to Tokyo, completely blindsiding Haru. The lost, terrified expression on his face is obvious. There are other instances where Haru almost lost Makoto and you can see a similarly terrified expression on his face then.

There are so many moments in the show where either Makoto or Haru "finds" the other or discovers something such as their strong feelings for each other (*cough* love). It's hard to pinpoint exactly when, since I think Makoto might have known about his feelings for Haru before the show began, but the scenes I put for the "found something? you're right" part were two moments where I thought each truly discovered something special about his counterpart. I also think another crucial moment was when Makoto welcomed Haru home. It was at this point when Haru literally FOUND A HOME (aka his true love). Honestly, I can't think of anything more convincing. These precious babies found love, even though they've known each other practically since birth. It was only when they nearly lost each other when they truly realized how precious they were to one another.

I could go on and on about how beautiful their relationship is and perfect they are and how much I wanted to burst into grossy, snotty tears during this season of Eternal Suffering, but I'll leave you guys with that.

As for the editing style, I tried to incorporate "how" each person felt with the absence of the other. This was mainly done through that black and white effect and through scenes of chaos or obvious states of panic or terror. I also sort of incorporated a lost/hidden versus found thing in the gradual fading in and out of a lot of my text. Almost as if it was uncovered or discovered. At least you can say I tried.

I don't know. I was so happy to get to the next round of IVC and I was really proud of this entry. It hurt like hell to make, but I like it.