Creative Project for Short Film Production on Social, Family and Love Reflection: My Mom is the One

Abstract

This creative research project aims to explore and convey the complexities of contemporary Thai family relationships, with particular emphasis on the dynamic between mothers and adolescent children in a rapidly changing society shaped by globalization, digital technology, and shifting cultural values. Traditionally, Thai families served as the foundation of cultural, emotional, and social life, upholding values of filial piety, obedience, and hierarchical respect. Today, however, families face widening generational gaps in both thought and emotion, especially among Generation Z, who grew up valuing individual rights, questioning traditional authority, and using social media as a space for self-expression and identity formation. These factors have led to tensions between traditional notions of unconditional filial duty and emerging attitudes that stress equality and open emotional communication.

The research problem arises from the recognition that unbalanced expectations and the lack of emotional openness within families produce what can be termed “silence.” Here, silence does not merely denote the absence of sound but symbolizes repression, avoidance, and unresolved wounds in family life. While there have been sociological, psychological, and cultural studies of Thai families, there remains a lack of creative research in cinema that articulates intergenerational emotional struggles, particularly through short drama films, which possess the capacity to deliver condensed yet powerful emotional experiences.

The study has two main objectives: (1) to examine the process of writing a short film screenplay that reflects contemporary Thai family issues, particularly the mother–adolescent relationship; and (2) to produce a short drama film that communicates these complexities to audiences. The project adopts a creative-based research methodology, combining artistic production with academic analysis.

The research process began with an exploration of three narrative structures: the Joke Structure, the Three-Act Structure, and the Experimental Structure. These frameworks provided flexibility in shaping emotional rhythms, points of tension, and narrative progression, allowing the researcher to represent silence, conflict, and reconciliation in diverse ways. In addition, case studies of international films with comparable themes or atmospheres—Tokyo Story (1953), Be With You (2004), Village Photobook (2004), and Still Walking (2008)—were analyzed for insights into the use of symbolic communication and subtle emotional nuance.

The target audience was defined as adolescents and young adults aged 16–30, who are most directly engaged with the evolving norms of family life. Research tools included: (1) audience feedback gathered through general evaluations, and (2) audience comment content analysis from online platforms, used to examine both explicit responses and interpretative patterns. All audience feedback, expressed in a naturalistic context, was analyzed without a fixed sample size. Data adequacy was determined by the principle of data saturation, where analysis was considered sufficient once collected material became diverse enough and no new themes emerged.

Findings indicate that the use of silence, symbolic imagery, and subtextual dialogue in the screenplay and film successfully provoked deep audience reflection on themes of love, expectation, and forgiveness within families. Many viewers affirmed the emotional realism of the film and reported a heightened awareness of silence as a complex and layered phenomenon in family life. Moreover, the hybrid integration of multiple narrative structures with experimental atmospheres enriched the audience’s emotional experience, even within the limitations of the short film format.

The knowledge generated affirms that short drama films function not only as creative media for entertainment but also as safe spaces for dialogue, reflection, and emotional communication within families. The study demonstrates cinema’s potential as both a social and cultural tool, fostering empathy and healing intergenerational divides.

The novelty of this research lies in reframing silence—commonly regarded as a barrier to communication—as a “new language” of emotional expression that stimulates profound audience interpretation. The film further demonstrates its role as a “safe space” where younger audiences, particularly adolescents and young adults, can confront and articulate silenced experiences. At the same time, some viewers were able to connect with the mother’s perspective, showing that balanced storytelling can act as an “emotional bridge” across generations. Additionally, the integration of multiple narrative structures with distinctive visual, auditory, and tonal elements generated intense and realistic emotional experiences, underscoring how narrative innovation can effectively communicate sensitive and complex family issues.

In conclusion, this creative research project not only addresses gaps in theoretical studies of Thai families but also proposes a new approach to using short drama films as mediums for learning, healing, and fostering mutual understanding. It exemplifies how cinema can operate as a form of social and cultural practice, applicable both in academic contexts and in broader public communication.