From the Film Maker...

The shape of the frame immediately struck me. It is a cinematic widescreen (16:9) aspect ratio. And while my film is not shot in this ratio, it had an impact on me. I had to slightly redesign my interpretation of the composition to fit the 16mm format. This made me delve deeper into the positioning of the body and how that suited the style of its surroundings. The painting is a 'vanitas', a painting where the objects serve as a reminder of the brevity of life and the futility of human achievement. I wanted this to be a major part of the film. This particular vanitas shows how easy it is to extinguish life and work.

I chose to relate this painting to post-traumatic stress disorder in the police force, where traumatized officers are no longer able to function in their job and end up leaving the police force.

In the US, the term 'dead soldier' – the same words as the painting's title – is used to refer to colleagues who have left the police force through post-traumatic stress disorder.

The pose of the soldier in the painting was a major starting point for me. I wanted to mimic the pose and the lighting. The aspect ratio of the frame itself, and the 'depth of field' in the painting all had a part to play in my final framing decisions on celluloid. I made the decision not to include the smoking lamp and other features of the painting as I felt the subject matter was strong enough to bridge the gap.
Jonathan Entwistle