Pet Project :His Dissertation

Recording 1

Creating the Modern Woman - Sexual Awakening Methods and the effect of these on Women and their Relationships– a dissertation by Johnathan Hargraves MS LCPC

The video log footage.

Recording 1

The camera flicks to life, blurs and then finds focus. A large hand comes into view and the room spins before the device is set down facing the lit area. The scene is domestic. In the center of the shot is a double bed, dressed simply in a plain white sheet, with a slatted wooden head board and at the foot of the bed are two short posts with a rounded knob on each. The wood is dark brown, the vanish is peeling in places, and it is scratched as rubbed unevenly. The room has cream unadorned walls, a threadbare carpet, and a bookcase on the other side of the bed that is shrouded in darkness.

A young woman sits perched on the side of the bed looking at the camera with wide eyes as she fidgets her fingers.

From the camera angle, the staging is just visible. There are several large lights attached onto tripods for height, and two other cameras are in-shot. One near the wall on the far side of the bed, clamped to black narrow pipes with wing nuts at each elbow. This framework is bent to position the small recording device, so it is looking down the length of the bed from the pillow end. The other is only noticeable only by the small red light which is shining out of the unlit area on the rear left side of the bed. Both have a tiny LED showing a solid color indicating that they are currently recording the girl sitting on the bed.

She is dressed simply. Her jeans and t-shirt are well worn and not designer, and she has cheap flat-soled fake black Converse's on her feet, no socks. Her hair is pulled up into a messy pony tail and she is wearing no distinguishable make up. This makes her face look washed out, pale and tired under the harsh lighting. It also makes her look young, very young.

Her knees are pressed together, and her hands are shaking on her lap as she waits. Her face is plain, not unpretty but hold no features that made it remarkable. Her eyes are the standard brown, her nose is straight, skin blemish free, and her mouth is in proportion with the rest of her face. She, like the scene she is sitting in, looks ordinary.

"Alright," the male voice is off camera, but her eyes lift to a spot behind the view point, "We can start. Are you ready?"

"Yes," her voice quivers, "Yes, doctor."

"I'm not a doctor yet," he chuckles off camera, "That's what this is for, remember? For the purpose of this study, I've asked you to call me 'Master', because I have a Masters in Science."

"Master?" she stutters.

"It makes sense, doesn't it?" his voice is confident and reassuring, "Once I have my Ph.D. I'll be referred to as Doctor, thus I have earnt the title Master with my current degree."

"I suppose so," she looks at her hands.

"Now," he speaks the word with a deep exhale, "Are you ready to begin?"

"I'm not sure," she looks away from the camera, "Are you sure that this is 'right'?"

"Are you having second thoughts?" he asks gently but there is a slight edge to his voice, "We've been through this. If you're not committed to the research, then you are welcome to leave."

"No," she answers too quickly, "I just wasn't expecting the camera's and the lights. Isn't it too much?"

"This is for my dissertation," his voice is patient like he's explained this too many times, "It is bona fide research. I'm making a log of progress because I'm not going to be in a position to take comprehensive notes, simple as that."