Student Films🧑‍🎓

 IVORY🎹

I think the opening sequence of the film is very effective, I enjoy the fact that the diegetic sound of the piano is acting as non-diegetic sound as the main character is walking towards it. I also think it's clever that the playing piano shots are cut so that the spectator can't tell that the main actor isn't actually playing. The film has a clear use of the 3 act structure, and sound/the loss of it is very important in this. However, I think that in some moments the sound wasn't executed perfectly, for example in the park, the sound of teh plane flying overhead overpowers the sound of the actors talking. I also think that some of the dialogue, especially in the park scene, feels a bit clunky.

MON TOURNESOL🌻

I really like how this film uses cinematography to convey power, especially through the use of low angle, high angle, and pov shots at different moments, also the use of mirror shots to show reflection are very good. I also really like the colour grading- and how teh film starts of quite bright and warm, then gets quite white and plain, and then progressively gets warmer as the main character gets happier again. However, one criticism is that the background noise in the outdoor scene is quite loud and overpowering. But overall, I think this is a good film.

CALL☎️

I really like this film's use of expressionistic lighting, when the character is in a black background, with different coloured lights on his face. I also think that the use of chopping between different close ups is very effective in showing the character's reaction to the phone call. However, this film doesn't follow the 3 act structure, with there only being two acts (the nurse phoning him and his reaction), it could've been a good idea to add a final act where the character is going to the doctor, so the spectator can find out what's wrong with him, and if he'll get better.

TAKE ME BACK📸

I really like how this film uses a different camera to show what parts are memories, and what parts are current, like the memories from the past being grainy, and the present day being clear. I also think it's clever how the 3 act structure is moved around, and it's good that each act is labelled, so as to avoid confusion. I think the influence of verbatim theater clearly comes across, and is an interesting concept for a short film. My only criticism is that the Grandma's memory loss doesn't come across very clearly. Other than that, I like this film.

The Arrival🐣

The arrival🐣

The arrival of is a film based on a documentary that that filmmaker Daniel Motanarini was making at the same time about women becoming mothers, and using his interviews with these women, he wrote a script, then used the set of the documentary for the film. The whole process took around 5 days. 

Mise-en-scene

This film cleverly uses background mise-en-scene to spark the woman's thoughts in her monologue. For example, she sees an old lady in the background, next to a clock which gets her thinking about how much time she has left. 

Colour grading: The colour is slightly overexposed with white lighting. This along with the muted colours of the woman's white jumper, and the waiter's blue shirt creates a cold atmosphere. Then, after the train section the colours seem to be warmer, reflecting how she's happy with her decision to keep the baby.

Cinematography

The Arrival's cinematography is very simple yet effective in creating a sense of stress and nerves that the woman is feeling whilst waiting at the cafe. The film starts with the camera outside of the cafe and it slowly pushes in, becoming more and more intense and personal as we get to know the woman's feelings better through her monologue.

Sound

This short film begins with a sound bridge of ambient sound, letting the spectator know taht they're in a cafe. The sound then stays the same throughout most of the film, excluding the train scene when it becomes increasingly loud and intense.

Overall opinion

Overall, I really like the film's use of mise-en-scene, through the background characters to trigger what the woman is thinking in her monologue, and the use of colour to create a cold, and then warm atmosphere. However, although I understand that the cinematography was purposefully simple for effect, I do find it a bit boring, as I find myself focusing on other things in the scene, rather than the main character, due to the long length of the shot and the overly simple cinematography. 

 

The Fly🪰

  

THE FLY🪰

The fly is the story of a getaway driver who is waiting outside a bank, ready to drive the robbers away when he first hears a fly. Throughout the course of the film, he becomes more and more agitated by this fly, and the fact that he can never seem to kill it. Eventually, the fly drives him so crazy that he stabs a toothpick through his mouth, and then shoots the front of the car. 

Sound

This film uses sound in multiple clever ways:

1. show not tell- The spectator is never told that there's a bank robbery going on, however sound effects of blood curdling screams and gunshots coming from inside the bank make this clear. The fact that we cant see inside the bank builds a sense of fear, as it's up to the imagination of the spectator to picture the possible horrific scenes inside. 

2. tension- Sound is also used to build tension. The ongoing sound of the running car engine creates a sense of passing time and desperation, which builds tension as it's clear that the getaway driver is keen to drive off with the robbers as soon as possible, so as not to be caught by the police. The buzzing of the fly also adds to this tension, as the spectator can see the driver become more and more annoyed at it each time, so every buzz acts as a warning that he's about to have an outburst of anger.

Cinematography

The film begins with a close up of the car keys and then another close up in shallow focus of the driver's tapping fingers, and then an establishing shot of the car outside the bank. These first three shots are enough to tell the spectator straight away that this man is a getaway driver, and is waiting impatiently to drive off after a bank robbery. This is a clever way of using cinematography to tell the spectator where they are, and what is happening, simply through 3 shots. 

Another good use of cinematography in the film is the multiple close ups on the fly itself. These act as pov shots, and place the spectator in the shoes of the driver, as they show how all of his attention is drawn to the fly, rather than paying attention to the robbery going on inside. 

Mise-en-scene -props

From the very first shots of the film, attention is drawn to the driver's toothpick- this follows the idea of Chekhov's gun- and so the spectator is aware that by the end of the film, something important will happen involving the toothpick. This therefore causes tension to build as the spectator wonders what will happen to it, and their anticipation to find out grows.

Overall opinion:

Overall, I quite like this short film due to its ability to tell the spectator where they are and what's going on, without any dialogue. I also think the use of diegetic sound is very effective in building tension. However, I personally find the mise-en-scene (whilst effective in the context of the film) quite boring, in terms of colours, set and costume.