#bua seeking validation and chian seeking connection

[moutheyes]

gelboys cinematography go brrr, episode 5

this week's post is a little scuffed because there's soooo much I loved about episode 5, the camerawork was so deliberate in how it framed the tension between bua, chian, and fourmod, and I really want to do it justice but it's also my last day of vacation so things are kind of hectic. but we roll!

previously: episodes 1-2 | episode 3 | episode 4

lonely boys in the big city

while this episode focused mainly on bua's POV, with the series being this far in, all four characters got their fair share of screen time, and the camera made sure to show all of them isolated in public spaces, long angled shots holding the viewer at bay, bua most of all. (a significant contrast because he, out of all the characters, seeks validation from the greater public via social media, given his aspirations of being an influencer and subsequent fixation on numbers—even if he uses it as an excuse to cling to chian.)

relatedly, this show's ability to interweave physical space and digital space, the public and the private, is incredibly effective. so far bua has been the one to cross those boundaries—chian's dorm room and classroom, baabin's secret twitter account—while only giving others glimpses into his personal life in the digital realm via tiktok or instagram. that's why the final scene, where baabin goes to comfort bua, feels so momentous. of course, it's not the first time he's been there; bua invited baabin over to stream lisa's new MV when he was feeling desperate.

fourmod in the observer's seat

loved this entire extended sequence of fourmod playing cameraman for chian and bua, which starts in fourmod's POV (watching chian and bua dance in real space), cuts to situate fourmod as the observer of all that follows, then assumes fourmod's POV once more (you can see his hand filming them, still in frame), before pulling out to show how apart he is from chian and bua in both physical space and digital space (by having him watch the video he recorded).

revolving thirds

you all know how dirty framing works by now so I'm not going to go into too much detail regarding the mechanics of it, but the way the World's Most Awkward Hangout unfolded, with the camera continuously rotating fourmod and bua in and out of the "third" role over multiple locations, from afternoon into evening, stressed me tf out. this sequence—increasing the visual distance between bua and fourchian, that sense of isolation—was absolutely diabolical work:

but just as you think fourmod might have the emotional upper hand, the scene shifts to their tiktok filming (covered above), where fourmod is distinctly framed as the outside observer, and then to the meal, where there was more back and forth with the framing, but ends with this moment where bua tries to cover up the camera's view of fourmod with his hand as he invites chian to share a secret. chian demurs at first, then gives in, at which point fourmod is completely obscured.

throughout the entire hangout, it was always fourmod and bua who took turns being the visual third wheel, so I knew this was coming, and when it did I had my pillow in a death grip:

like hell chian was going to escape this situation without being put in the middle himself! here he's finally forced to make a decision, and I have to give pide a lot of credit because chian's expression of frozen terror gets me every single time. ugh it's so good.

fourmod has not stopped running

unlike chian, who simply dissociates, fourmod's coping method is to physically remove himself from any situation where he might be forced to engage with frustration or anger. he does it TWICE during his date with chian, first when chian (once again) denies him the confirmation of their relationship, then after chian tries to placate him with physical affection. and each time he pretends to be absorbed in whatever he's watching. (I loved the detail of only fourmod's face being illuminated by the glow of the screen the entire time.)

fourmod also runs from baabin after they finally reach a head on the whole chian situation. baabin threatens to end their friendship, and after a bit of simmering, fourmod [deep sigh] storms off. and the next time we see them in the same frame, baabin has physically turned his back on fourmod's pain. baabin is no longer offering fourmod solace; instead he transfers that energy to bua later.

I had more I wanted to say about the extended scene between bua and chian at uni but I'm out of braincells for now so I will do some more thinking on my very long plane ride tomorrow...

I leave you with our nosy king: