Sofia's 5 Independent Short Films

"Gone Goodbye" - FIRST PLACE WINNER OF THE FILM RACING GRAND PRIX 2009

The short film "Gone Goobye" opens with an establishing shot of a car driving through what seems like country roads, the use of a rural setting creates a horrific and fearful mood. Establishing shots are used to introduce a new setting and to open a film so the audience have a greater understanding. The director has purposely chosen to film later in the day as it creates more enigma and tension because the darkness because it conveys a sense of loss and possibly fear. During this first shot the audience are already intrigued as to where the car is going, we automatically want to watch more. In addition, panning to this high angle shot as shown on the left shows the surroundings of the car and we see that it is approaching an icilated car park. I believe that a high angle shot is an effective technique as it feels as though we, as the audience, are watching over the character. I will definitely try to use this type of camera work in my own short film. The use of a voice over from the main character gives us a personal insight to the way that he feels as he is reading from a letter that he wrote to his wife. The non diegetic music, which includes piano, played with the voice over is slow in tempo and quite romantic which develops a soft atmosphere. 
As the character expresses that he is "drifting away" the camera uses a panning technique to put the audience at ease. On the other hand, it shows that the man is unsure of his feelings, he possibly feels trapped. The theme of feeling trapped is repeated through the short film as it adds a convention of thriller to a romance. We can see that the character is wearing a checkered shirt and jeans conveying that he does not have a great interest in the way he looks, showing that he may lack in confidence. In addition, in the screenshot to the right, we can see a contrast in the lighting as parts of the shot is brighter. This connects with how the character is expressing himself, he is happy that he is finally opening up to his wife but he does not quite know how to feel about the situation. 
The use of fading to white is used by connecting the two shots together which then reveal the grey sky. Fading to white can be quite powerful as it is striking and bold.The colour grey is significant in this short film and is repeatedly used. Grey connotes a sense of misery and isolation which causes us to feel sympathy towards the character. 
We can see in the screenshot to the right that an extreme long shot has been used with a panning technique to establish the calm surroundings which juxtaposes the letter that the male character is reading out.

There are a variety of shots used in this short film, but I believe that this close up (to the left) is rather powerful as it gives us an insight to his emotions and body language which can express how he truly perceives himself. In the next shot we are introduced to a bright yellow balloon within a dark, dull scene by a long shot. The colour yellow indicates happiness and joy which could signify his wife and the life he had. We see the man trying to catch the balloon but it keeps slipping away which I believe has a deeper meaning which involves his wife.

The screenshot to the right shows the man smiling for the first time in the short film which creates a turning point for the character. We are now starting to witness more positive imagery to create a positive yet powerful ending.The screen shot below shows the male character finally letting go of his wife. On the other hand, his letter was tied to the balloon and then let go which is his wife's way of letting go too, she has accepted his decision.

In this short film there are a variety of semantic codes of the drama and romance genre. Firstly, the slow, passionate music is very calming and is typical of a romantic film, it creates a lustful atmosphere. Syntactic codes are also used such as the typical theme of losing your loved one and letting them go which many people can relate to.Steve Neale's theory is relevant in this short film because it repeats conventions of the drama formula but also uses a variety of other ideas. This includes the fact that we only see the male within the film and the wife is signified by a brightly coloured balloon which is an unusual concept. 
Todorov's theory inlcudes five key narrative stages. "Gone Goodbye" has many aspects of Todorov's theory which include the disruption of the equilibrium which is the fact that the man has left his wife. However, the disruption has been resolved as the wife finally lets him go.
  
 "Last Minutes with Oden" -  Directed/Edited: Eliot Rausch

We are introduced to the short film with orchestral like music which conveys a sense of sadness due to the slow pace of the instruments. The use of a medium shot is effective here as aw can see the main character of the film carrying a bike. In the frame we can also see the title of the film which is in black and white. The two colours juxtapose each other as black signifies darkness and loss whereas white conveys purity and peace. The director has chosen to use a voice over which we understand is by the main character. We are unsure of who he is talking to because we have not been introduced to the dog yet.

A long shot is used (to the right) which shows the man looking out into the distance where we can see that he lives in a modern area which seems to be middle class. In contrast, an extreme close up of his eye is used which connects the viewer to the man himself, we get an insight into what he is thinking. In addition, slow motion is used in the next shot when he is cycling in the miserable weather. The pathetic fallacy suggests that the character is feeling a sense of misery and fear, his life has taken a downfall. In addition, he is also wearing black clothing portraying his seriousness and responsibility.
Finally, we are introduced to his dog who is it talking about in the voice over. The dog looks really low spirited as he is looking away from the camera. its as if the man's dog is waiting for him to come home as the shots go between the two with a slow pace. 
The man begins to cry as we see in a medium shot. We begin to realise that the dog is going to be put down which could relate to many people watching the documentary.

This medium shot shows the two characters bonding which is coming to an end as the dog will be put down. This makes us feel as though we should comfort the man and his family in this hard struggle.The next few shots are out of focus which makes us feel disorientated and distant from the characters.This next medium long shot is important as we see the dog and the owner going into a Vets. We can see this by the professional uniform the female is wearing and the surrounding environment. The non diegetic music has built and more instruments have been added to increase the tense and emotional atmosphere.

This is the moment we have all been dreading as the dog is finally put down. At this point, the audience have created a strong connection with the dog and we feel as thought its out own. The last few scenes involve the male character on his bike once again in the gloomy weather. It shows that his life is still the same but he has lost a part of himself in the death of his dog. The theme of love and friendship is mainly used in this short film because we all can relate to this situation because we have been allowed into this mans life as it is a documentary. In documentaries we expect conventions such as voice overs or a variety of juxtaposing shots to keep the film interesting and entertaining.While watching this short film I really connected with the man and his dog which made me feel saddened at the end of the documentary. I like the idea of playing with peoples emotions because it gains our full focus and makes us want to watch more. In my own short film, I really want to grab the viewers attention and make sure that they are feared by the main character and the concept of it. In addition, in this short film a few extreme close ups were used which are a very effective way to give us insight into what someone is thinking and we feel very close to them as a viewer. Whereas, the purpose of long shots is to make us feel distant and disorientated. 

"This is when we met" - written, directed, shot, edited by Sean Cunningham

This short film allows us to follow the relationship between the two characters, their ups and downs. The short film begins with a scene where they met and explores the instant connection they shared.  The laughter they share shows that they feel comfortable with themselves and they have made an awkward situation into a lighthearted one. Firstly, the male character is introduced with a medium shot but seconds after the female character comes along on her bike and crashes. The equilibrium is used here which is part of Todorov's theory as the characters just meet and this is the beginning of their relationship, nothing could possibly go wrong. There is a lot of laughter in this scene which shows that the characters instantly get along well. This medium, long shot displays that they are in a quiet road in America as they both have very strong accents.We can also see cars in the distance and buildings which looks as though they are in an industrial area.  In addition, the couple are wearing similar clothes such as the light blue t-shirts and jeans. In addition, they are possibly "soul mates" or a "perfect match." The audience may envy this as in reality this does not tend to happen. Also, they both clearly share the same interest in bikes as that is what bought them together. The surrounding environment around the characters is not in focus which causes us to have our full attention on the male and female and we are aware that they are the main characters in this short film. On the other hand, this could show that the couples journey will become blurred and distant from reality.

Flashbacks are used to show the journey that the two characters have taken. There are some good memories as well as bad which the audience can relate to as most would have experienced a relationship similar to this. A voice over is also used from the first scene which shows how they couple have grown together from accidentally meeting. I believe that the voice over gives a sense of reality because the way the two met is quite realistic and it does not seem as though they are in a fairytale which ends happily.  This medium shot (as seen above) shows the two holding hands which is then followed by close ups of their individual faces where they are expressing their happiness with a smile.Close ups are used to show a characters facial expression and to instantly connect the audience with the character. There is no sound except the characters talking because the director wanted the audience to focus on the conversation between the couple rather than non diegetic music.

This particular medium long shot is included in this short film because it creates a link between the first time they met and the adventures they now share with one another. I like the idea of using their conversation as the voice over because it portrays a personal element to the film, it feels as though the characters are inviting us in to their world.
As we can see the first few shots of the couple are all positive, with happy facial expressions and body language. Also, the lighting is far brighter to ensure that the enthusiastic theme is kept and appreciated by the viewer. However, the lighting darkens and the colour grey is used which connotes misery and sadness. We now see that the couple do not want to hold hands unlike the screenshot above. They have grown apart which is portrayed in the distance between the two where they are now in different shots.
The last shot is the couple cycling into the distance when they first met. Many of the viewers will feel a sense of heartache as they have grown to love the characters as a pair. In addition, the realistic storyline will grab the audience and play with their emotions, making them want to watch more.

For my short film, I will definitely use the idea of such a drastic change in lighting as it can really change the mood of the film and can show how the characters are feeling. I believe this technique can be used in any genre from horror to comedy.  Also, flashbacks are a great way of giving insight to the film and to give more context.

"Tyler"  -

WRITER/ DIRECTOR: SAM BENENATI
PRODUCER: BLAKE BERRIS, DAVID RICHARDSON
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID RICHARDSON

This short film  is about a boy who falls for his older brother's girlfriend. We are first introduced to the young boy with a medium long shot of him dancing or doing some sort of gymnastics. Slow motion is used to make it more dramatic. It's also  used to let the audience see every detail of what is happening. Sometimes in real life, time seems to slow down which could connote the characters feelings towards his life. We can hear an older man talking in the voice over which is his brother. He uses words such as "Dope" and "Crack" conveying that they live in a lower class area which is high in crime. Violent images are used such as the young boy boxing showing that his lifestyle is unique and quite sad. We can also tell this by the dull, run down buildings surrounding the boy.

However, we are given more insight into the young boys life as we see a medium shot of the mother star jumping. A voice over is used of her talking about cake. It seems as though she may have a mental disability which causes her to alienate her son. In addition, the unsteady camera work relates to her mind and her life being unsettled which shows in her sons.

We start to see the girlfriend of the brother caring for the young boy which shows that she is like a mother figure to him or possibly an older sister. Propp's theory is relevant her as she can be seen as the 'Princess' of the short film.This medium shot to the right expresses the respect and adoration the young boy has for this girl. Bright, natural lighting is used to make her seem as though she is an angel, lighting up his life. I believe that the boy has misinterpreted her kindness and is convinced that they are in love. From this shot, non diegetic music is used which uses string instruments to create this romantic feel to the scene. It has a slow pace which is also shown in the slow movement of the shots. The steady flow of the film makes it seem like a dream or an unrealistic fantasy.

The next scene shows the family around a table which is a typical family scene in a film to show their closeness. However, its unusual as the lighting is dark, we cant see their facial expressions. The dullness of the scene displays that they are unlike any other ordinary family because they are so distant from each other. Its quite sad how the mother does not understand her children and she is alone in her world.

The older brother has a bad influence on the protagonist, he could be seen as the villain in Propp's theory. 

The same scene as at the beginning of the film is repeated and the boy is dancing with the effect of slow motion. Also, the dark, slow music is used once again to establish the loneliness the young boy is feeling. After the young boy tried to kiss his brothers girlfriend, a violent scene is used showing the boy take out his anger on the wall. He has finally broke and feels a mix of emotions such as embarrassment and pain. This scene is a turning point in the film as  the audience finally see the young boy break down due to his past and lack of support from his mother. These last two shots below, are dark and emotional because the young protagonist is seen, with a close up, looking into the distance with darkness surrounding him.The short film ends with a fade to black which subverts peoples expectations.

"Leave me"

WINNER of the 2009 36-Hour ChristianFilmmakers.org Contest

I found this film when I was browsing to find one last short film to analyse and I was thoroughly impressed because it really drew me in from the first shot.

This short film is about a recent widower deals with his grief through his wife's broken camera. The first establishing shot shows the connection between the character and the photo frame, a sense of misery and loss is created as the scene includes dark lighting as well as slow, instrumental music which includes a piano. Slow, instrumental music is synonymous of tragedy and loss. We are then introduced to a box of pictures and memories that are obviously connected to the person holding the frame. We now get a sense of sadness as it is clear that there has been a recent death. The use of the editing technique of fading to black is very powerful as it shows the emptiness and isolation the man feels after losing his wife. A close up is then shown which allows the audience to connect and relate to the protagonist as we can clearly see that he is expressing misery and numbness which we all can somehow relate to. Within the next few shots, we see a camera which is a very important object within this short film as I will be talking about later. The close up of the professional camera may suggest that his wife was a photographer which then links to the previous shot of the box of images.  Throughout these shots, the slow  non diegetic music is still being played because it is an important factor of this short film because it builds the feeling of despair and sorrow. This medium

shot of the father and the protagonist on the right, is significant as it shows the bond between families and how at hard times we all come together to support one another. Many parents and children will be able to relate to this scene as it is very touching and heart warming. The low level lighting creates a warm feel to the scene when the protagonist is actually feeling coldness inside, this scene uses juxtaposition. In addition, the two characters do not make any eye contact which shows that the husband is in his own world and does not feel ready to face reality.

The next shot disorientates the audience as the protagonist is now in a different location through a long shot. The music comes to a stop and we can hear the camera taking photos. The male character looks confused as we can see this in a close up of his facial expressions. Then, we are introduced to another location and we now realise that he is inside his wife's camera and he is reliving those moments. The audience feels relief as there is now hope for the man. In addition, the lighting has become much brighter which gives a more positive impression. This next shot is really effective as it slants to the side to create a confused atmosphere. I feel as though this camera technique could definitely be used in my short film as it really constructs a bewildered and unbalanced scene. All these different locations are leading up to the equilibrium being solved, which is shown in Todorov's theory. The next shot shows the male realising that he is inside his wife's camera and is going to see her for one last time. This is obviously very unrealistic but the director has made it very believable and we feel as though we are in the scene too because we have grown such a connecti

 

on with the character through pity and sadness. Finally, we see his wife in bright white lighting which makes her look like an angel from heaven which now brings in religious elements. The light reflects off the water creating a perfect looking scene as the sun is rising, it really turns the short film around and produces a hopeful, artistic atmosphere. The male character writes on his hand "leave me" as he does not want to leave his wife once again. A close up shot of the father crying is so touching and emotional because they have a very close relationship and he has to let is son go. The final scene ends with a fade to black which is a useful transition to create fluency within a short film. But in this case, it creates a gentle ending where the son has seen his wife again, which is a dream many may have. Audiences would watch this short film because it is very relatable because everyone suffers from losing a loved one but this brings out a positive atmosphere and portrays the themes of hope and love.