“This is not like any other film you’ve seen before,” director Kevin Macdonad (Touching the Void) promised while introducing his new documentary Life in a Day. Actually, it’s very much in the tradition of Baraka and Koyaanisqatsi in that the movie crisscrosses around the globe, depicting the varying landscapes and customs of the world while striving to highlight this planet’s interconnectedness. What makes Life in a Day special, though, is how it was created. YouTube approached Macdonald and executive producer Ridley Scott with the idea of having the site’s users submit their own footage during the course of a single day. The filmmakers selected July 24, during which YouTube users from 192 countries shot a total of more than 5,000 hours of footage. All that digital video was then edited down to a 90-minute snapshot of what life was like during those particular 24 hours.
Initially, Life in a Day seems to be tracing mankind’s daily routine, as images of people waking up, washing their faces, and heading out into the world are slickly edited together (by Joe Walker) to create the picture of one global community. But the documentary soon expands its parameters to include all sorts of human experiences. Little ordinary moments — like a 15-year-old boy shaving his face for the first time, a Balinese woman preparing rice offerings to Vishnu, or an Afghan news photographer showing off his two beloved cameras — are juxtaposed to create a vivid cinematic tapestry. “Sometimes the banal details can be the most telling, and the most familiar and touching to view,” said Macdonald during a Q&A at Thursday’s premiere. And Life in a Day is a motion picture crammed with details, each offering a different slice of what it is to be alive in the 21st century.
If that description makes the film sound like a mushy, feel-good, isn’t-the-world-wonderful time capsule, well, Macdonald was worried about that too. “The danger of this film was that it would feel like a Coca-Cola commercial,” said the director. “To begin with, we didn’t call it a film. We called it an experiment, because with an experiment you can fail.” But Macdonald and his team didn’t fail, if the prolonged applause at the Eccles Theatre was any indication. During the Q&A, 25 of the film’s 390 “directors” joined Macdonald onstage. The contributors had arrived in Sundance from a myriad of countries, including Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, Peru, Russia, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.
National Geographic will release Life in a Day in theaters on July 24 — exactly one year after the film’s footage was shot. Also, the movie’s Sundance premiere was streamed live on YouTube: Did anyone out there happen to catch it?
I could only watch about the first 40 minutes of Life in a Day because the Internet was not cooperating with me, but what I did see was fantastic! Everything was edited together so well. Will definitely be seeing the film again when it comes out so I can see the whole thing.
the film is a pure work of editing totally binded by music to make transitions smooth. I wish it could have been more open and informative on the credit sequence and include in the credits a link to every contributors youtube account and the place it was shot at; i’m sure that information will eventually come up somewhere but it wasn’t there on the credits so that you could follow up on sequences you had been moved by. it is an editing purely based on raw human emotions. it works and all credits are due to the editor and assistant editors. ridley scott’s name was the perfect bait to motivate the public to supply material and respect youtube etiquette (no sex)
The film was phenomenal I’ve never seen such a beautiful film the whole thing was an emotional roller coaster. The whole film really hit home. For instance I’m in a long distance relationship whilst I’m in university with my girlfriend and when I come home I have basically the same relationship with my dad as the guy that went to university. There were more things that hit home too, and at the end of the film after about 2 minutes I was overcome with happiness for the fact that I’m here and alive. So in that happiness, I don’t care how cliche it is, I phoned my mum dad and girlfriend and told them all how much I love them and how much they mean to me.
Me and my father, even know really good friends, have been distant in a father and son way for quite some time, and this has probably saved our relationship from being more distant in the future.
And all I can say is. Thank you…Thank you for capturing what it means to be human and didn’t just sugar coat it.
I watched the first 40 minutes and then caught the last 10. I was totally blown away by the editing and some of the simplicities of the filming. there were definitely slow moments, but for a film with no traditional narrative, it felt so informative and inspiring. will definitely buy this and encourage others to see it in the future!
Well said.
Total emotional rollercoaster; I loved every second.
I watched it on YouTube, and I enjoyed it. There were a couple somewhat slow parts, but overall, it was very interesting. I started it late, and the end got cut off, so that was irritating…
I also watched it on YouTube, and the ending got cut off, which was totally irritating! But, like everyone else, I really enjoyed it. I, like many others Im sure, fell in love with the boy from Peru (I think it was) and his shoe shine business. Loved it.
Yes I watched the whole thing including the Q&A until the final clapping.
A fabulous “experiment” made possible by excellent and intriguing footage all of which was edited by an exceptionally talented editor. Thank you.
I submitted footage but it was not chosen. After watching the “experiment” I know why and am totally fine with it.
I watched it on YouTube. I liked it even better than I expected to. I couldn’t believe how it just kept me hooked throughout the entire thing. I’d love to watch it again to study how they did that! My favorite part was the goats in Ukraine with their bells ringing, very ethereal.
I’m curious how the non-profit “One Day on Earth” film will turn out. Their gallery seems to have better footage if you ask me. (not just saying that b/c I participated :p ) Google it.
I heard that this film will make grown men cry.
It was a great experience. I enjoyed every minute of it and I’ll recommend people to watch it when it comes to theaters.
Powerful. Outstanding. Thought provoking. How different we all are but yet in so many respects their ‘experiment’ provides such a unique insight on so many levels we are all the same. I was completely drawn-in. And yes, being a grown man there were times when I had tears. Not because of it being sad, yet beautiful.
My brother made into the final version of this movie/experiment. It was pretty wild as a whole to watch it all, and to know he has/is a piece of it.
Yes, my partner and I sat and watched it in full. For us, the internet behaved itself very well and we watched the whole thing in HD.
Generally, it was worthwhile for several separate reasons. It was belly-laugh funny in a couple of places and quite moving in others. We were taken from Lamborghinis to the back streets of Indian slums.
Personally, the American brat kid with the ill Mother seen fairly early on got on my nerves and I was about to switch off when thankfully the subject changed. We did come full circle at the end, so I can see now why he was included, but the editing of his first appearance could do with some tightening up maybe before the cinema release.
That said, this was the only note of discord. There were several shocks however! Of course, I won’t spoil the director’s intention by letting on when, where and what, but if you’re squeamish, you have to have quick reactions in a couple of places if you want to look away!
All in all, the word has to be brilliant. I didn’t know the people of the world were so good at film making. The editing and sound however make it special. There were distinct theme throughout and juxtaposition was used to great emotional effect.
The woman shown at the end does a great job of summing up why ordinary people are important – and she does so without trying; which is what makes her contribution so poignant. Yes – I’d have left that segment to the end as well.
Finally, maybe its just the geek in me, but to my mind I felt I was also watching an *event*. To have seen this first-ever, co-operative venture of its kind, at the first ever preview, in this emerging medium on online film, I think, has some note.
Is it worth seeing at the cinema? Yes; go and see it when it comes out.
All in all, it kept our attention for 94 minutes very well, and is recommended. We’ll probably go to see it on the big screen as well when it comes out.
SB.