A still from “Footage”

With a few glorious exceptions, a good number of the millions of vlogs uploaded online every day are characterized by utter futility. Often documenting the mundane details of vloggers’ daily lives for the viewing pleasure of the public, some of them hold surprises for those patient enough to watch the uneventful images.

In his directorial debut, film editor Saiju Sreedharan uses found footage of a vlogger couple (Vishak Nair and Gayathri Ashok) to tell a story that wouldn’t offer much new in conventional form. Because of this format, the film contains a number of inconsequential scenes from their everyday lives, but at the same time makes you feel like you are part of the risky adventures they go on.

Right from the beginning, the film gives us a hint about their habit of snooping into other people’s lives. The couple also compulsively documents their intimate moments, some of which don’t have much to do with the plot. While the first half of the film consists of images from the man’s camera, the second half takes us through the same scenarios with images from the woman’s camera, filling in the many gaps in her partner’s images. The duo, with cameras rolling, follow a mysterious woman (Manju Warrier) who lives in their apartment complex and inevitably gets into trouble.

Saiju, who has edited some of the most famous films of the last decade, including Maheshinte Prathikaaram, Kumbalangi Nights And virusrelies heavily on the experimental element to drive the narrative, which isn’t helped by the sparse script and thin plot. Since the main characters never let go of the camera, even when they’re in danger, there are plenty of visual elements that convey the immediacy of the danger they face.

Of course, there are also several visual scenes where the shaky camera focuses on running feet, sequences with oddly tilted angles, and immersive experiences in dark forests in wind and rain. Standout sequences include an encounter with wild elephants and ones in an old, rusty boat in the middle of the forest. The elaborate sound design enhances the impact of these scenes; the songs by post-rock band Aswekeepsearching make some pointless scenes worthwhile.

Manju Warrier, who is introduced as a mysterious woman, remains so even at the end as her character is quite underexposed. She doesn’t have a single dialogue in the film, but we aren’t even sure if she is mute or if she chooses to communicate through handwritten notes. The revenge drama at the center is simply run-of-the-mill and would not have stood on its own.

With some better writing to complement the experiments, Film material, one of the first feature films in the found footage genre in Malayalam, may have left a lasting impression.

The footage is currently showing in cinemas