We did filming for our production on 2 separate occasions – Saturday 7th November and Thursday 26th November. The filming took place at Sophie’s house. This was to make sure that we had everything we needed at hand. Also, we needed to have a setting that would be believable as the son’s bedroom, and this was possible at Sophie’s house.
As we only did two days of filming, we needed to make sure that we used our time effectively. When filming different shots, we repeated them a couple of times – and sometimes from different angles – so that we had more footage to edit, or in case there were any mistakes made. Also, if we would have needed to film shots again, there would be no guarantee that the lighting would be the same.
We tried to film most of the shots as chronologically as we could. However, Gavin was only available to film on one of the days. This meant that we could leave some of the shots without him in them out and film them separately.
Although we had an idea of how we wanted the shots to be framed prior to filming, on the days of filming, we changed our minds. We found that being in the actual situation/setting of the shots of the film changed our perception of different shots and how they should be filmed.
A lot of the shots in the production were filmed using a tripod to keep the frame steady and looking more professional. This being said, there were some shots in the film, e.g. when Gavin is walking down the stairs, which we decided needed to be shot with the handheld camera without the tripod. We thought that this would give the audience the feeling of being more involved in the film, as if they were following Gavin themselves.
For most of the film, the audience are more aware of what has happened than the character of the Mom, in the sense that they see Gavin leaving for the army. Whilst filming, we had to keep this in mind, so that we could make the audience feel like they have the upper hand over the Mom.
Also, whilst scripting and filming the production, we wanted to ensure that the audience connected with the Mom. To do this, we emphasized the isolation of the two characters whilst having the Mom talk to the audience through the voiceover.
All of the shots in the film are set in the daytime, apart from one. To get the effect of daytime progressing into night time without having to film at night, we set the camera up so that we had the shot that we wanted. Then, whilst recording, I slowly pulled the blinds down so that is slowly got darker and darker. We did the same in reverse when we wanted the shot to get lighter.
We made a conscious decision to film in as few different places as possible, so that the audience get the feeling that the Mom is trapped in her own thoughts.
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Casting
The only characters that are going to be in our short film are the Mom, and the son who has died.
The Mom: Sophie McCulloch
In the film, the Mom will be going about her daily chores. She will start out by making the breakfast. Later on, she will be taking clothes into the son’s bedroom, and looking at some of his football trophies. We are able to get all of these props at Sophie’s house, where we plan to do our filming.
The Son: Gavin Perry
The son has already gone to war and died when the film takes places. Therefore, he is shown in flashbacks of when he is preparing to go to the army. The props that he will need are a rucksack of clothes that he takes with him. Also, there will be focus on a photo that the son takes with him.
The Mom: Sophie McCulloch
In the film, the Mom will be going about her daily chores. She will start out by making the breakfast. Later on, she will be taking clothes into the son’s bedroom, and looking at some of his football trophies. We are able to get all of these props at Sophie’s house, where we plan to do our filming.
The Son: Gavin Perry
The son has already gone to war and died when the film takes places. Therefore, he is shown in flashbacks of when he is preparing to go to the army. The props that he will need are a rucksack of clothes that he takes with him. Also, there will be focus on a photo that the son takes with him.
Final Proposal
Working Title: The short film will be called ‘Waking Up To Yesterday’. We have decided this is an appropriate title as the Mom is constantly waking up believing that her son is still with her. We feel that it hints at the theme of the story without giving anything away to the audience. It is interesting and I believe that it will get the audience thinking what the film is about.
Channel for Broadcast: I feel our short film would be best suited to be shown on BBC channels. This is because the BBC have their own film network that showcases new British filmmaking. It could also be shown on their website along with other short films.
Target Audience: Our target audience will be men and women who are in their late teens or older. This is because the subject of the short film may be harder for younger people to understand. I felt that by having a younger character as well as an older one would also attract a wider audience, as different people will be able to relate to the different characters. Also, in today’s society, the topic of war and coping with the effects of war, is relevant in a lot of people’s lives, so they will be able to relate to the film.
Genre: The genre of our film will be thriller/suspense. We chose this genre because it was chosen as a favourite genre by both men and women. The film will have a non-linear narrative, as it switches from past to present. We hope that by doing this, we will keep the audience interested in the film, so that the ending will have more of an effect on the audience. We also want the film to have some elements of abstract included to make it even more interesting to watch.
Style: We want our short film to flow from scene to scene easily to give the audience the sense that the Mom’s life is a blur from one day to the next. We aim to achieve this by using fades between shots. There are certain points in the film where we wanted the shots to feel more frantic and up tempo. We chose to use faster music to compliment these scenes. For our film to be a success, we need the audience to feel like they are included in the Mom’s story. By using point of view shots, the audience will feel like they are a part of the film.
Channel for Broadcast: I feel our short film would be best suited to be shown on BBC channels. This is because the BBC have their own film network that showcases new British filmmaking. It could also be shown on their website along with other short films.
Target Audience: Our target audience will be men and women who are in their late teens or older. This is because the subject of the short film may be harder for younger people to understand. I felt that by having a younger character as well as an older one would also attract a wider audience, as different people will be able to relate to the different characters. Also, in today’s society, the topic of war and coping with the effects of war, is relevant in a lot of people’s lives, so they will be able to relate to the film.
Genre: The genre of our film will be thriller/suspense. We chose this genre because it was chosen as a favourite genre by both men and women. The film will have a non-linear narrative, as it switches from past to present. We hope that by doing this, we will keep the audience interested in the film, so that the ending will have more of an effect on the audience. We also want the film to have some elements of abstract included to make it even more interesting to watch.
Style: We want our short film to flow from scene to scene easily to give the audience the sense that the Mom’s life is a blur from one day to the next. We aim to achieve this by using fades between shots. There are certain points in the film where we wanted the shots to feel more frantic and up tempo. We chose to use faster music to compliment these scenes. For our film to be a success, we need the audience to feel like they are included in the Mom’s story. By using point of view shots, the audience will feel like they are a part of the film.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Role Allocation/Casting
Now that we have a clear idea of what we want our short film to be like, we need to decide who will do what. We will make sure that we both have input on all aspects of the casting, writing, producing, filming and editing so that we can make the film a success.
As Sophie played a character in the film, I did a lot of the camera work. However, we regularly discussed what type of shot to use, as well as the lighting and props etc. The other character in the film is the son who went to the army. We knew we needed somebody who was tall and looked like someone you expect to go in the army. The part of the son is going to be played by Gavin Perry.
As Sophie played a character in the film, I did a lot of the camera work. However, we regularly discussed what type of shot to use, as well as the lighting and props etc. The other character in the film is the son who went to the army. We knew we needed somebody who was tall and looked like someone you expect to go in the army. The part of the son is going to be played by Gavin Perry.
Script
For our short film, we have decided that the use of a voiceover would be more effective. We wanted the audience to connect with the character of the mom, and felt that we could achieve this by having her talking to them directly.
Throughout the whole of the film, the son only speaks once when he says “I’m really sorry” to his mom. We did this so that the audience didn’t get too attached to him.
The film starts when the mom is preparing breakfast. She starts out talking casually to her son, as anyone would in that situation. Her tone changes as she then addresses the audience and introduces herself. The audience need to feel involved with the mom’s story, and will feel sympathetic when she lets them in on her secret “I think I’m losing my mind”. For the rest of the film, the mom’s discussion/monologue to the audience gets more and more in depth as she talks about her son and how determined he was to reach his goals. As she gets more comfortable talking, her language becomes more colloquial and the audience feel like we can trust what she is saying.
Throughout the whole of the film, the son only speaks once when he says “I’m really sorry” to his mom. We did this so that the audience didn’t get too attached to him.
The film starts when the mom is preparing breakfast. She starts out talking casually to her son, as anyone would in that situation. Her tone changes as she then addresses the audience and introduces herself. The audience need to feel involved with the mom’s story, and will feel sympathetic when she lets them in on her secret “I think I’m losing my mind”. For the rest of the film, the mom’s discussion/monologue to the audience gets more and more in depth as she talks about her son and how determined he was to reach his goals. As she gets more comfortable talking, her language becomes more colloquial and the audience feel like we can trust what she is saying.
Audience Feedback
I gave my questionnaire to 20 random people ranging in age from 11-54. I felt that by doing this, I would be able to adapt my product to suit a wider target audience. My questionnaire was completed by 10 males and 10 females. My data needed to be as unbiased as possible, so by asking both a male and female demographic, I was able to consider more varied points of view.
When asked how often they watched short films 80% (16) of the overall group said that they occasionally watched them, 5% (1) said they often watched the, and 15% (3) said that they rarely watch any short films. I found that, on average, more men than women watch short films. However, there wasn’t a significant difference between the two.
I then asked whether they preferred a linear or twisted narrative. Most of the people asked said they preferred a non-linear narrative. The only people who said they liked a linear narrative were at 11, 12 and 14 years old, the youngest of the group I asked. The target audience for my short film will be in their late teens or older. Taking this into consideration, it is obvious that majority of my target audience will prefer a twisted narrative. This, I believe, would make my short film more interesting for an audience to watch.
Next, I asked people what their favourite film genre is. Most of the women said that romance or thriller/suspense was their favourite genre. On the other hand, majority of the men said that they liked horror, thriller/suspense or action the best. As both the men and the women expressed interest in thriller/suspense, I believe that if my short film had aspects of this genre, it would attract a wider audience.
When asked what ending they thought was most effective, 90% (18) of people said that a shock ending would be better. The other two people said that a happy ending would be more effective. Prior to completing the questionnaire, I had already decided to use a shock ending, as I personally think they are better. Therefore, getting this feedback helped me make a definite decision.
I also asked whether people would prefer an ambiguous ending or not. 55% (11) of the people said that they would prefer an ambiguous ending. Most of these people were women. Everyone else said that they like an ending that had a more obvious meaning. Most of the short films that I watched for research had open endings that let the audience make up their own minds. I think this is a good idea as it can get people discussing their own ideas on the film and its subject matter.
The last question I asked was for people to, in their own words, explain what they thought the most important codes and conventions of a short film were. I got a varied response from all og the people asked. The most popular answers were:
- To have an underlying message
- Unpredictable/Surprising
- Shouldn’t drag on too long
- Relatable topic/subject matter
- Easy to understand
These are all things that I will have to take into consideration when planning my film.
When asked how often they watched short films 80% (16) of the overall group said that they occasionally watched them, 5% (1) said they often watched the, and 15% (3) said that they rarely watch any short films. I found that, on average, more men than women watch short films. However, there wasn’t a significant difference between the two.
I then asked whether they preferred a linear or twisted narrative. Most of the people asked said they preferred a non-linear narrative. The only people who said they liked a linear narrative were at 11, 12 and 14 years old, the youngest of the group I asked. The target audience for my short film will be in their late teens or older. Taking this into consideration, it is obvious that majority of my target audience will prefer a twisted narrative. This, I believe, would make my short film more interesting for an audience to watch.
Next, I asked people what their favourite film genre is. Most of the women said that romance or thriller/suspense was their favourite genre. On the other hand, majority of the men said that they liked horror, thriller/suspense or action the best. As both the men and the women expressed interest in thriller/suspense, I believe that if my short film had aspects of this genre, it would attract a wider audience.
When asked what ending they thought was most effective, 90% (18) of people said that a shock ending would be better. The other two people said that a happy ending would be more effective. Prior to completing the questionnaire, I had already decided to use a shock ending, as I personally think they are better. Therefore, getting this feedback helped me make a definite decision.
I also asked whether people would prefer an ambiguous ending or not. 55% (11) of the people said that they would prefer an ambiguous ending. Most of these people were women. Everyone else said that they like an ending that had a more obvious meaning. Most of the short films that I watched for research had open endings that let the audience make up their own minds. I think this is a good idea as it can get people discussing their own ideas on the film and its subject matter.
The last question I asked was for people to, in their own words, explain what they thought the most important codes and conventions of a short film were. I got a varied response from all og the people asked. The most popular answers were:
- To have an underlying message
- Unpredictable/Surprising
- Shouldn’t drag on too long
- Relatable topic/subject matter
- Easy to understand
These are all things that I will have to take into consideration when planning my film.
Audience Research
In order to get a better understanding of what an audience expects from a short film, I created a questionnaire. I have chosen to use both open and closed questions so that the people who do the questionnaire get the chance to give their full opinions. However, I have used more closed questions so that I will get more quantitative data that will be easier for me to analyse.
Below is an example of the questionnaire that was filled in by a random sample of people.
Short Film Questionnaire
1) Are you...
[ ] Male
[ ] Female
2) Which of the following age brackets applies to you?
[ ] Under 10
[ ] 11-15
[ ] 16-20
[ ] 21-25
[ ] 26-30
[ ] Over 30
3) How often do you watch short films?
[ ] Never
[ ] Rarely
[ ] Occasionally
[ ] Often
4) Which of the following narratives would you prefer in a short film?
[ ] Linear narrative
[ ] Non-linear/Twisted narrative
5) Which of the following genres would you consider your favourite?
[ ] Comedy
[ ] Romance
[ ] War
[ ] Thriller/Suspense
[ ] Horror
[ ] Sci-fi
[ ] Action
6) Which of these endings would you consider most effective?
[ ] Happy ending
[ ] Sad ending
[ ] Shock ending
[ ] Other _________________________________________
7) Do you prefer an ambiguous ending or one that is more obvious?
[ ] Ambiguous/Several possible meanings
[ ] Unambiguous/More obvious meaning
8) In your own words, what do you consider the most important codes and conventions that should appear in a short film?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Below is an example of the questionnaire that was filled in by a random sample of people.
Short Film Questionnaire
1) Are you...
[ ] Male
[ ] Female
2) Which of the following age brackets applies to you?
[ ] Under 10
[ ] 11-15
[ ] 16-20
[ ] 21-25
[ ] 26-30
[ ] Over 30
3) How often do you watch short films?
[ ] Never
[ ] Rarely
[ ] Occasionally
[ ] Often
4) Which of the following narratives would you prefer in a short film?
[ ] Linear narrative
[ ] Non-linear/Twisted narrative
5) Which of the following genres would you consider your favourite?
[ ] Comedy
[ ] Romance
[ ] War
[ ] Thriller/Suspense
[ ] Horror
[ ] Sci-fi
[ ] Action
6) Which of these endings would you consider most effective?
[ ] Happy ending
[ ] Sad ending
[ ] Shock ending
[ ] Other _________________________________________
7) Do you prefer an ambiguous ending or one that is more obvious?
[ ] Ambiguous/Several possible meanings
[ ] Unambiguous/More obvious meaning
8) In your own words, what do you consider the most important codes and conventions that should appear in a short film?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Mind Mapping of Original Ideas
I have decided that I want to create a short film, as I feel that in doing so, I will be able to use a lot of imagination and experiment with different techniques. Also, the codes and conventions of short films, I feel will be a lot easier for me to follow. Before I started working with Sophie, I had some initial ideas of my own. Although they are not in depth narratives, they are the basis on which a short film could be made:
1) SPLIT PERSONALITY
- Light and dark
- Shadows
- 2 sides of the same person
- Acting differently in different situations
- Schizophrenia
2) SOMEONE HAS AN OPINION, BUT NOONE IS LISTENING
- Someone else’s hand covering their mouth
- Overpowered by family/friends
- Shrinking/fading into the distance
- Can’t break through certain barriers e.g. physical, verbal and metaphorical
- Trying to move but getting nowhere
- Someone/thing holding him back
3) HIDING A SECRET
- Acting normally in front of family and friends, but when he is alone, the truth is revealed
4) SURVEILLANCE / BEING WATCHED AND JUDGED
- ‘Big Brother is always watching’
- Everyone knows his personal business
5) STEREOTYPES
- Typical perceptions and prejudices
When I started working with Sophie, she obviously had ideas of her own, so we combined these to create our short film. We knew that we wanted to have the theme of war and the effect of war included in the film.
- Young soldier
- Depression
- Home life
- Effect on the family
- Strong emotive ending when the young soldier dies
After going through our ideas, we have decided to make a short film called Waking up to Yesterday. It will focus on the daily struggles of a mother who lost her son in war. She cant accept that he is dead, and carries on as if he is still alive. At the beginning of the film, she is convinced that nothing is wrong, but slowly comes to terms that something has happened, but still isnt sure what is wrong. The ending shows the mother realising that her son is no longer with her.
1) SPLIT PERSONALITY
- Light and dark
- Shadows
- 2 sides of the same person
- Acting differently in different situations
- Schizophrenia
2) SOMEONE HAS AN OPINION, BUT NOONE IS LISTENING
- Someone else’s hand covering their mouth
- Overpowered by family/friends
- Shrinking/fading into the distance
- Can’t break through certain barriers e.g. physical, verbal and metaphorical
- Trying to move but getting nowhere
- Someone/thing holding him back
3) HIDING A SECRET
- Acting normally in front of family and friends, but when he is alone, the truth is revealed
4) SURVEILLANCE / BEING WATCHED AND JUDGED
- ‘Big Brother is always watching’
- Everyone knows his personal business
5) STEREOTYPES
- Typical perceptions and prejudices
When I started working with Sophie, she obviously had ideas of her own, so we combined these to create our short film. We knew that we wanted to have the theme of war and the effect of war included in the film.
- Young soldier
- Depression
- Home life
- Effect on the family
- Strong emotive ending when the young soldier dies
After going through our ideas, we have decided to make a short film called Waking up to Yesterday. It will focus on the daily struggles of a mother who lost her son in war. She cant accept that he is dead, and carries on as if he is still alive. At the beginning of the film, she is convinced that nothing is wrong, but slowly comes to terms that something has happened, but still isnt sure what is wrong. The ending shows the mother realising that her son is no longer with her.
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Analysis of Short Films
The Black Hole
Philip Sansom and Olly Williams (2008)
The Black Hole is a 2008 short film written and co-directed by Philip Sansom and Olly Williams. It stars Napoleon Ryan, who has acted in seven short films, as well as writing one himself. The film is a moral story of greed and human nature in modern society.
The film opens with the title written in white font which looks similar to old sci-fi films. The opening is accompanied by the diegetic sound of a photocopier scanning, before and during a right to the right to reveal the protagonist of the short film. He is wearing clothes that are follow the typical codes and conventions of an office worker i.e. shirt and tie. The man appears to be bored and uninterested in what he is doing. This is reinforced when he sighs. As he is alone in the office, the audience can assume that he has been working late. Also, his hair is quite messy and the top button of his shirt is undone. This could be an indication of his personality.
When the man tries pressing the button on the photocopier, the audience get the impression from his reaction that it has broken. He gets increasingly frustrated with the machine, and ends up kicking it. After he kicks the photocopier, the normal sound you would expect of a successful print occurs at the same time as a piece of paper prints. The audience can tell by the confused look on the man’s face that what has printed isn’t what he expected. The character and the audience, at the same time, realise that something is wrong. He checks that there is nothing wrong with the original sheet he was trying to copy and finds that there isn’t. He checks his watch for the time, suggesting that he has been there for a long time. After this, he has a drink of coffee, showing he is tired and lacking any energy or motivation. A low angled shot is then used from beneath the black hole on the paper, warning only the audience that something will happen. When he goes to put the cup back down on the table, the audience don’t actually see what happens. Instead, they are only shown the man’s reaction and can hear the warping sound of the black hole. The man is obviously confused by what is happening and lowers his head closer to the paper. There are a variety of medium/close shots to show the man’s reactions to what is going on. He carefully reaches inside the black hole to get his coffee cup back, and the familiar warping noise can be heard again. He holds the piece of paper up parallel to the camera to prove to himself he isn’t imagining it. He once again puts his hand through the black hole. By using a close up of the man’s face, the audience realise that the man is getting more excited. He looks around the room to see what else he can do.
The next shot is a long shot which shows the man walking to a vending machine. He places the paper over the glass of the vending machine, reaches in, and pulls out a chocolate bar. He looks around to check that nobody else is around or watching him.
The man is shown within a series of close-ups again to show his greediness of eating a stolen chocolate bar. His eyes then light up with excitement as he sees something intriguing off screen. The camera then cuts to a long-shot of a door saying keep-out. From the man’s previous offence with the vending machine, and the lack of commitment to his workplace we know he is going to enter the room for some unknown reason. The man then walks up to the door and opens it with ease by using the black hole. The lights then turn on, flickering at first to connote indecision, and he is inside the room, however we still do not know what else is open in the room with him. The constant diegetic sound of the photocopier scanning is still present to remind the viewer of the location.The protagonist then walks up to a safe and repeats what he done with the vending machine, and the sound is again present. The man then draws his hand back and forth picking up more and more money each time. The cuts get faster and faster each time as well, as this matches the mood of the scene and the greediness of the man. He then starts to climb into the safe through the hole, and the warping sound gets more and more intense. A close-up of the sellotape holding the paper up foretells the man’s fall into the safe. Another close-up is shown as his feet knocks the paper off of the safe locking himself in. The constant diegetic sound of the photocopier continues to play to show that life is going on as normal and no-one is around to realise he is locked in the safe. The camera then cuts out with longer and longer shots to show that is truly trapped inside.The short film is extremely clever and easy to understand. Although it is quite subtle, the moral message behind the film is clear.
Doodlebug
Chris Nolan (1997)
Doodlebug is a 1997 short film starring Jeremy Theobald. It is one of a number of shorts directed by Chris Nolan whilst studying English Literature in London. Chris Nolan is now better known for directing films like Memento (2000), Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008).
The film, that is shot in black and white, explores the depths of insanity as a man is chasing something in his apartment with a shoe.
At the beginning of the film, the title appears on screen with the “oo” missed out and replaced with eyes looking from side to side. This indicates that there will be a sense of paranoia in the film.
A man is trying to catch some sort of bug running around his room. He takes his shoes off and intends to crush it under the heel of his loafer. However as he slowly begins to track the bug down and trap it, things change dramatically but the man continues his course of action.
Part of what makes the film so interesting is the atmosphere that is created through various camera shots/angles and the grainy black and white images. The lighting used in the dark room has an impact on the audience, which is intensified by the fact that it is in black and white. The character is constantly moving, giving the chance to use extensive shots and angles.
The story develops from what seems like a simple narrative to a more abstract plot. Towards the end of the film, we discover that the main character is trying to catch another version of himself, who is doing exactly the same thing as he is. The film ends when it is revealed that there is also another version of the main character who is actually trying to catch him. The setting of the film is in just one small confined space, which could represent that the main character is trapped in some way.
I believe that there is an underlying message in Doodlebug, which may not seem so obvious at first. The lesser character overpowered by the larger one is always oblivious to what has hit him, which in a way, reflects our socially conditioned minds whilst powerful corporations are ‘hitting’ us without our conscious awareness. Also, it could be interpreted like a food chain, in the sense that there is always something better than you that can overpower you. Another way of looking at the film is that, in the end, the character himself was responsible for his own downfall and it could be considered that his course of action was destiny, which cannot be altered.
Whichever way the film is perceived, I believe that Doodlebug is an excellent short film. Even without dialogue, it gives a clear narrative whilst still letting the audience have their own opinion.
Vincent
Tim Burton (1982)
Tim Burton is the perfect example of an auteur in today’s film industry. His films are most recognisable for their gothic style, and his early films like Vincent (1982) are no different.
Vincent is a black and white stop motion film based around a poem written by the film maker, depicting a young boy who wants to be his hero Vincent Price, with Price himself providing narration. The classic horror star’s role also reinforced the theme of the film, which is that fantasies about monsters and mad scientists can become more important to kids than their own mundane lives. As Burton later said, “It was probably one of the most shaping experiences of my life.”
Tim Burton has said himself that Vincent Price is his idol and inspiration, and this film could be seen as a way for a younger Tim Burton to show his respect to the actor, who also did the voiceover for Michael Jackson’s Thriller video. Vincent takes a look at the twisted creativity of a child’s imagination. Maybe some insight into the perspective of a young Tim Burton?
Vincent is the story of a young boy, Vincent Malloy, who pretends to be like the actor Vincent Price. He is obsessed with the tales of Edgar Allan Poe, and it is his detachment from reality when reading them that leads to his delusions that he is in fact a tortured artist, deprived of the woman he loves, mirroring certain parts of Poe's "The Raven". The film ends with Vincent being tortured by the goings-on of his make-believe world, quoting "The Raven" as he falls to the floor in frailty, believing himself to be dead.
Philip Sansom and Olly Williams (2008)
The Black Hole is a 2008 short film written and co-directed by Philip Sansom and Olly Williams. It stars Napoleon Ryan, who has acted in seven short films, as well as writing one himself. The film is a moral story of greed and human nature in modern society.
The film opens with the title written in white font which looks similar to old sci-fi films. The opening is accompanied by the diegetic sound of a photocopier scanning, before and during a right to the right to reveal the protagonist of the short film. He is wearing clothes that are follow the typical codes and conventions of an office worker i.e. shirt and tie. The man appears to be bored and uninterested in what he is doing. This is reinforced when he sighs. As he is alone in the office, the audience can assume that he has been working late. Also, his hair is quite messy and the top button of his shirt is undone. This could be an indication of his personality.
When the man tries pressing the button on the photocopier, the audience get the impression from his reaction that it has broken. He gets increasingly frustrated with the machine, and ends up kicking it. After he kicks the photocopier, the normal sound you would expect of a successful print occurs at the same time as a piece of paper prints. The audience can tell by the confused look on the man’s face that what has printed isn’t what he expected. The character and the audience, at the same time, realise that something is wrong. He checks that there is nothing wrong with the original sheet he was trying to copy and finds that there isn’t. He checks his watch for the time, suggesting that he has been there for a long time. After this, he has a drink of coffee, showing he is tired and lacking any energy or motivation. A low angled shot is then used from beneath the black hole on the paper, warning only the audience that something will happen. When he goes to put the cup back down on the table, the audience don’t actually see what happens. Instead, they are only shown the man’s reaction and can hear the warping sound of the black hole. The man is obviously confused by what is happening and lowers his head closer to the paper. There are a variety of medium/close shots to show the man’s reactions to what is going on. He carefully reaches inside the black hole to get his coffee cup back, and the familiar warping noise can be heard again. He holds the piece of paper up parallel to the camera to prove to himself he isn’t imagining it. He once again puts his hand through the black hole. By using a close up of the man’s face, the audience realise that the man is getting more excited. He looks around the room to see what else he can do.
The next shot is a long shot which shows the man walking to a vending machine. He places the paper over the glass of the vending machine, reaches in, and pulls out a chocolate bar. He looks around to check that nobody else is around or watching him.
The man is shown within a series of close-ups again to show his greediness of eating a stolen chocolate bar. His eyes then light up with excitement as he sees something intriguing off screen. The camera then cuts to a long-shot of a door saying keep-out. From the man’s previous offence with the vending machine, and the lack of commitment to his workplace we know he is going to enter the room for some unknown reason. The man then walks up to the door and opens it with ease by using the black hole. The lights then turn on, flickering at first to connote indecision, and he is inside the room, however we still do not know what else is open in the room with him. The constant diegetic sound of the photocopier scanning is still present to remind the viewer of the location.The protagonist then walks up to a safe and repeats what he done with the vending machine, and the sound is again present. The man then draws his hand back and forth picking up more and more money each time. The cuts get faster and faster each time as well, as this matches the mood of the scene and the greediness of the man. He then starts to climb into the safe through the hole, and the warping sound gets more and more intense. A close-up of the sellotape holding the paper up foretells the man’s fall into the safe. Another close-up is shown as his feet knocks the paper off of the safe locking himself in. The constant diegetic sound of the photocopier continues to play to show that life is going on as normal and no-one is around to realise he is locked in the safe. The camera then cuts out with longer and longer shots to show that is truly trapped inside.The short film is extremely clever and easy to understand. Although it is quite subtle, the moral message behind the film is clear.
Doodlebug
Chris Nolan (1997)
Doodlebug is a 1997 short film starring Jeremy Theobald. It is one of a number of shorts directed by Chris Nolan whilst studying English Literature in London. Chris Nolan is now better known for directing films like Memento (2000), Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008).
The film, that is shot in black and white, explores the depths of insanity as a man is chasing something in his apartment with a shoe.
At the beginning of the film, the title appears on screen with the “oo” missed out and replaced with eyes looking from side to side. This indicates that there will be a sense of paranoia in the film.
A man is trying to catch some sort of bug running around his room. He takes his shoes off and intends to crush it under the heel of his loafer. However as he slowly begins to track the bug down and trap it, things change dramatically but the man continues his course of action.
Part of what makes the film so interesting is the atmosphere that is created through various camera shots/angles and the grainy black and white images. The lighting used in the dark room has an impact on the audience, which is intensified by the fact that it is in black and white. The character is constantly moving, giving the chance to use extensive shots and angles.
The story develops from what seems like a simple narrative to a more abstract plot. Towards the end of the film, we discover that the main character is trying to catch another version of himself, who is doing exactly the same thing as he is. The film ends when it is revealed that there is also another version of the main character who is actually trying to catch him. The setting of the film is in just one small confined space, which could represent that the main character is trapped in some way.
I believe that there is an underlying message in Doodlebug, which may not seem so obvious at first. The lesser character overpowered by the larger one is always oblivious to what has hit him, which in a way, reflects our socially conditioned minds whilst powerful corporations are ‘hitting’ us without our conscious awareness. Also, it could be interpreted like a food chain, in the sense that there is always something better than you that can overpower you. Another way of looking at the film is that, in the end, the character himself was responsible for his own downfall and it could be considered that his course of action was destiny, which cannot be altered.
Whichever way the film is perceived, I believe that Doodlebug is an excellent short film. Even without dialogue, it gives a clear narrative whilst still letting the audience have their own opinion.
Vincent
Tim Burton (1982)
Tim Burton is the perfect example of an auteur in today’s film industry. His films are most recognisable for their gothic style, and his early films like Vincent (1982) are no different.
Vincent is a black and white stop motion film based around a poem written by the film maker, depicting a young boy who wants to be his hero Vincent Price, with Price himself providing narration. The classic horror star’s role also reinforced the theme of the film, which is that fantasies about monsters and mad scientists can become more important to kids than their own mundane lives. As Burton later said, “It was probably one of the most shaping experiences of my life.”
Tim Burton has said himself that Vincent Price is his idol and inspiration, and this film could be seen as a way for a younger Tim Burton to show his respect to the actor, who also did the voiceover for Michael Jackson’s Thriller video. Vincent takes a look at the twisted creativity of a child’s imagination. Maybe some insight into the perspective of a young Tim Burton?
Vincent is the story of a young boy, Vincent Malloy, who pretends to be like the actor Vincent Price. He is obsessed with the tales of Edgar Allan Poe, and it is his detachment from reality when reading them that leads to his delusions that he is in fact a tortured artist, deprived of the woman he loves, mirroring certain parts of Poe's "The Raven". The film ends with Vincent being tortured by the goings-on of his make-believe world, quoting "The Raven" as he falls to the floor in frailty, believing himself to be dead.
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