Firstly, I watched five short films created in the past by students on the same course, to get a feel for what makes a highly marked piece of work. Whilst these films were being screened, I thought mainly about the form, the narrative and the micro elements.
First Film- Lift, Christian Fenton (2010)
I thought that the cinematography was well varied and very appropriate for the nature of the story. This meant that the narrative flowed easily, despite the contrast between the form displayed in the two locations, and the use of parallel editing. The form changed from when the boy was inside the car, from making the audience closed in like he does, through the use of long takes and close us. It emphasises how he feels a lack of independence, and almost trapped. The form changes once he gets out of the car, as the long takes remain, and the camera shots become wider, to exaggerate his freedom. The form is also different when it is cut to his mother in the shop, as her movements are much more prominent, and the camera movement appears to be handheld, with closer in shots. This might be telling the audience that where she is gives her a similar feeling to the boy, as if she is trapped, and she is only there as she is fulfilling her role as responsible adult. This creates themes or independence/dependence.
Second Film- Rocket, Rebecca Brown (2012)
My first thoughts on this film were also positive based on the camera work. The close ups of the girl's hands emphasise her great responsibility at an early age very soon in the narrative. This allows the audience to connect emotionally with the film, as they can empathise with her. Later on, the close ups return to show her creating something, which contrasts to the start of the film and shows her for the child she truly is. The girl's imagination is emphasised through the creative use of camera movement towards the end, as handheld movement mimics the movement in which the audience can see is the rocket. The takes were slightly shorter at the beginning, and the shots were closer in, which exaggerates the volume of work and responsibility in which she has to endure in order to help out her parents. I also think that the set design was effective, and certainly helped establishing themes of maturity and independence.
Third Film- Repeat, Georgia Matthews (2014)
For this film, I thought that the lighting and colour palette in general worked well for the narrative, and definitely helped in establishing themes and issues of relationships and disability. The contrast between the male in a wheelchair and the female is shown through the different lighting used for each, which could also suggest the mood set for each. Other areas of mise en scene, such as costume, also contribute to the mood, and the confidence found in each of the characters. Both boys wear casual clothes that can be seen worn by the stereotypical young working class adult. On the other hand, the girl is represented in a bright red dress that is quite short. She is clearly dressed up to go somewhere. The colour red connotes danger, but is also an eye catching colour, which implies that the girl is confident, and wants to be seen for once, as opposed to blending into the background, as is suggested by her responsibility to care for the boy in the wheelchair.
Fourth Film- In Your Eyes, Myles Egan (2015)
In this film, I enjoyed the varied camera shots, angles and compositions. Each shot allowed the audience to learn something new, which, along with the long takes, established the pace of the film, and gave a feel for the narrative. The main male character is portrayed as an anti-hero, as he picks up the girl from the side of the road, but in an unusual fashion, as he waits a while before going to help, and instead completes an origami animal in his car. I liked the thought put into the mise-en-scene, specifically in the car, as it tells the audience about the type of character that the protagonist is. It is suggested that he is shy and introverted with an interest in photography and art. His body language and dialogue also implies he does not perform well socially. This narrative establishes issues and themes surrounding trust and stranger danger, especially by the end of the film, after the protagonist has taken a picture of the girl that her has just dropped home.
Fifth Film- Mouse, Candice Russell (2016)
I enjoyed the thought put in to each individual scene and location for this film. The mise-en-scene helped to establish the issues and themes surrounding substance abuse, peer pressure and relationships. The form reflects the nature of the narrative, as the close up, claustrophobic settings and camera shots filmed in interior locations are most common when the female character is experiencing disequilibrium, or a problem. At first, she wants the male to read her song, so when she finally gets what she wants, the form changes through the exterior location, and shots that are further away. When she begins feeling the effect of the drugs she's taken, the form changes once more as she returns to the place in which she began, no better off than when the film started.The sound is also important in the making of this film as the non diegetic band music at the beginning is almost uncomfortably loud, and so the audience are able to sense a problem from the beginning. The diegetic sound towards the end sets a melancholic mood, which matches the mood set by the editorial pace, especially through the use of slow motion.
Second Film- Rocket, Rebecca Brown (2012)
My first thoughts on this film were also positive based on the camera work. The close ups of the girl's hands emphasise her great responsibility at an early age very soon in the narrative. This allows the audience to connect emotionally with the film, as they can empathise with her. Later on, the close ups return to show her creating something, which contrasts to the start of the film and shows her for the child she truly is. The girl's imagination is emphasised through the creative use of camera movement towards the end, as handheld movement mimics the movement in which the audience can see is the rocket. The takes were slightly shorter at the beginning, and the shots were closer in, which exaggerates the volume of work and responsibility in which she has to endure in order to help out her parents. I also think that the set design was effective, and certainly helped establishing themes of maturity and independence.
Third Film- Repeat, Georgia Matthews (2014)
For this film, I thought that the lighting and colour palette in general worked well for the narrative, and definitely helped in establishing themes and issues of relationships and disability. The contrast between the male in a wheelchair and the female is shown through the different lighting used for each, which could also suggest the mood set for each. Other areas of mise en scene, such as costume, also contribute to the mood, and the confidence found in each of the characters. Both boys wear casual clothes that can be seen worn by the stereotypical young working class adult. On the other hand, the girl is represented in a bright red dress that is quite short. She is clearly dressed up to go somewhere. The colour red connotes danger, but is also an eye catching colour, which implies that the girl is confident, and wants to be seen for once, as opposed to blending into the background, as is suggested by her responsibility to care for the boy in the wheelchair.
Fourth Film- In Your Eyes, Myles Egan (2015)
In this film, I enjoyed the varied camera shots, angles and compositions. Each shot allowed the audience to learn something new, which, along with the long takes, established the pace of the film, and gave a feel for the narrative. The main male character is portrayed as an anti-hero, as he picks up the girl from the side of the road, but in an unusual fashion, as he waits a while before going to help, and instead completes an origami animal in his car. I liked the thought put into the mise-en-scene, specifically in the car, as it tells the audience about the type of character that the protagonist is. It is suggested that he is shy and introverted with an interest in photography and art. His body language and dialogue also implies he does not perform well socially. This narrative establishes issues and themes surrounding trust and stranger danger, especially by the end of the film, after the protagonist has taken a picture of the girl that her has just dropped home.
Fifth Film- Mouse, Candice Russell (2016)
I enjoyed the thought put in to each individual scene and location for this film. The mise-en-scene helped to establish the issues and themes surrounding substance abuse, peer pressure and relationships. The form reflects the nature of the narrative, as the close up, claustrophobic settings and camera shots filmed in interior locations are most common when the female character is experiencing disequilibrium, or a problem. At first, she wants the male to read her song, so when she finally gets what she wants, the form changes through the exterior location, and shots that are further away. When she begins feeling the effect of the drugs she's taken, the form changes once more as she returns to the place in which she began, no better off than when the film started.The sound is also important in the making of this film as the non diegetic band music at the beginning is almost uncomfortably loud, and so the audience are able to sense a problem from the beginning. The diegetic sound towards the end sets a melancholic mood, which matches the mood set by the editorial pace, especially through the use of slow motion.
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