Post 1

Research into Professional Short Films

Legacy - DJI

1) The creativity of this short film was very high. This is because no other  short films are produced like this. Although this short film was produced for advertisements, the film is also beneficial to budding film makers as it provides another technique of the filming stage.

2) The setting/location of the short film varied in every scene. Despite this, the main theme of the setting was a movie set. This further indicates that this short film is for advertisement purposes because it demonstrates how the camera specified in the title is adaptable to the setting.

3) The costumes and props varied, much like the setting. This is because the setting was used to demonstrate a movie set effect. As a result of this, whatever was occurring in the scene being filmed changed how the characters would be dressed. For example, in the opening scene, it features soldiers in a battlefield and they are dressed in camouflage because this is appropriate for their role.

4) The genre of this film is a combination of many genres. This film features war in the opening scene, drama further on and concludes the film with family. Although the scenes feature different genres, a continual genre of family and adventure is persistent throughout the film. This makes the short film applicable to a wider audience.

5) The editing of this film was very simplistic and minor. This is because as a vast majority of the film was filmed in one continual shot - this meant editing was significantly increased. As well as this, because the end result of the Power Ranger scene was not shown, this meant that the editors did not have to edit the green-screen into the scene. The only noticeable editing was the last 1 minute, as the shot was no longer panoramic and continuous. This time frame consisted of a range of wide, over the shoulder and close up shots, which the editing team would have to process. As this short film was a non-linear narrative, the editing process would have to be closely monitored and adjusted by the director of the short film. This is because the film would not flow if the editing was not exact.

6) The camera shots in this short film were very simplistic and did not interrupt the editing process with the complexity of the shots. For example, as the opening scene and a majority of the production was filmed using a continual panoramic shot, this reduced the editing process significantly. The last minute of the film consisted of a majority of simple techniques of film. These shots included over the shoulder, close up and wide shots. This combination of these shots could be said to connote the positivity of the directors personal rise to success in the film industry. The angles are relatively unchanged throughout the film, this could be said to be contributed towards the advertisement aspect in order to convey the overall steadiness of the camera during filming.

7) I liked that the film had a continuous theme throughout the whole production. This allowed me to stay focused and subconsciously connect with the director. As well as this, I really liked the creativity of this film, as I have never encountered a like this before. I really liked this because it enabled me to get a wider perspective of the content I could possibly include in my short film. However, I didn't like that it was heavily focused around advertising a product. This is because this aspect of the film eliminated connection to the director as it could be interpreted that the background story of the film was faked in order to attract profit.

8) The sound in this film was both diegetic and non-diegetic. In the opening scene, the sound is non-diegetic as the soldiers are travelling through the battlefield set. The feature of the music in this scene could be argued to create suspense and tension in the scene. However, this changes as the director beings to speak shortly after, which is diegetic sound. Further on in the film, in the scene featuring a party setting, the sound is diegetic (including the music.) This is because the music is able to be heard by the cast during the filming of this scene. This is different to the opening scene where the soldiers were not able to hear the music during filming, this is because the sound was inserted during editing.

9) The casting was crucial for this short film, in order for the film to transition correctly into the next scene. The cast that was needed was extremely broad and this would be a drawback to the filming process as so many cast members were needed during the film. The general cast consisted of about 50 people , including young Jack, the director and an older Jack. The purpose of having a diverse range of characters is that the director was able to convey his personal story and inspire the budding film makers - or even non-film makers to challenge themselves.

Imagine - Carl Bates

1) The creativity of this short film was very high. This is because no other short films are produced like this. As the theme of the film is well known, the audience are able to sympathise with the characters on a personal level. 

2) The setting/location of the short film varied in every scene. Despite this, the main theme of the setting was a hospital. It was because of this, that the audience would be able to create an assumption that the mood of the film was based around illnesses and conditions etc. 

3) The costumes and props varied, much like the setting. This is due to the characters having to create a connection with the audience through the elements of mise-en-scene. As a result of this, whatever was occurring in the scene being filmed changed how the characters would be dressed. For example, in the opening scene, Millie's parents were dressed wearing smart casual, to indicate to the audience that the narrative of the scene was not casual.

4) The genre of this film is a drama. This film features a young girl living with a degenerative condition that is life-threatening. The film itself is based on a sad theme, but the narration creates a lighter tone for the film, as the girl is innocent and does not know why her parents are sad about it. 

5) The editing of this film was contrasting well with the genre. This is because the story was being told through her and the editing portrayed this. For example, when she faints, the camera fades as if the audience faded with her. This time frame consisted of a range of wide, over the shoulder and close up shots, which the editing team would have to process. As this short film was a linear narrative, the editing process would not have to be closely monitored and adjusted by the director of the short film. This is because the film would still flow if the editing was not exact.

6) The camera shots in this short film were very simplistic and was able to be combined well with the editing process and the complexity of the shots. For example, as the opening scene and a majority of the production was filmed using a combination of close-up shots and over the shoulder shots, this meant more time had to be taken in placing the shot changes correctly. The last minute of the film consisted of a majority of simple techniques of film. These shots included over the shoulder, close up and wide shots. This combination of these shots could be said to connote the positivity of the main character, as Millie was still very positive despite her illness. The angles are relatively unchanged throughout the film, this could be said to be contributed towards the context of the film as the parents may be feeling like their lives are being played on loop, in imitation of the film 'Groundhog Day.'

7) I liked that the film had a continuous theme throughout the whole production. This allowed me to stay focused and subconsciously connect with the director. As well as this, I really liked the creativity of this film, as I have never encountered a like this before. I really liked this because it enabled me to get a wider perspective of the content I could possibly include in my short film. However, I didn't like that the film was focused on the negatives of Millie's illness - although her attitude remained optimistic.

8) The sound in this film was both diegetic and non-diegetic. In the opening scene, the sound is both diegetic and non-diegetic. For example, the speech between the doctor and Millie's parents is diegetic, whereas Millie's commentary over the top was non-diegetic. The feature of the commentary in this scene could be argued to create emotion in the scene. However, this changes as the characters beings to speak shortly after, which is diegetic sound. Further on in the film, in the scene featuring a playground, the sound is diegetic (including the speech.) This is because the sound is able to be heard by the cast during the filming of this scene. This is different to the opening scene where the parents of Millie were not able to hear Millie's voice during filming, this is because the sound was inserted during editing.

9) The casting was crucial for this short film, otherwise the narrative of this film would not make sense. The cast that was needed was simplistic and this would be a benefit to the filming process as so many cast members were needed during the film. 

The general cast consisted of about 50 people, including young Jack, the director and an older Jack. The purpose of having a diverse range of characters is that the director was able to convey his personal story and inspire the budding film makers - or even non-film makers to challenge themselves.

The Big Shave - Martin Scorsese

1) The creativity of this short film was a specific element to this film. This is because no other short films are produced like this. Although this short film was produced for the deeper context as many film critics have interpreted the young man's process of self-mutilation as a metaphor for the self-destructive involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War, prompted by the film's alternative title. The film is also beneficial to budding film makers as it provides another technique of the filming stage.

2) The setting/location of the short film is a bathroom. This further indicates the context of the film as the man shaving in the scene is vulnerable, which relates to the United States after the Vietnam war.

3) The props included a razor, mirror, towel and sink. The costume included fake blood and a bath towel. This is because the setting was used to reinstate that the man was shaving, and left vulnerable.

4) The genre of this film is a horror. This is mainly due to the appearance of gore and blood. This film features explicit scenes of self-mutilation. Although www.imdb.com states that the short film is part of the horror category, an element of drama is detected. This is through the deeper context of the film and the association that critics make between this film and the Vietnam war. This makes the short film applicable to an older audience.

5) The editing of this film was very simplistic and minor.
This is because as a vast majority of the film was short clips which create the audience expectation f the film. For example, the 3 second clips of the sink, shower head and toilet further indicate that this film is in the bathroom. The noticeable editing was continuous through the film, this is because the beginning of the film is made up of 3-5 second clips.
This time frame consisted of a range of wide, over the shoulder and close up shots, which the editing team would have to process. As this short film was a linear narrative, the editing process would have to be closely monitored and adjusted by the director of the short film. This is because the film would not flow if the editing was not exact.

6) The camera shots in this short film were very simplistic and did not interrupt the editing process with the complexity of the shots. For example, as the opening scene and a majority of the production was filmed using a series of 3-5 second clips, this increased the editing process significantly.
The last minute of the film consisted of a majority of simple techniques of film. These shots included over the shoulder, close up and wide shots. This combination of these shots could be said to connote the rationality that the United States resorted to during the Vietnam war. The angles are relatively unchanged throughout the film, this could be said to be contributed towards the connotations of the film as the United States withheld a conservative view during the Vietnam War.

7) I liked that the film had a continuous theme throughout the whole production. This allowed me to stay focused and subconsciously connect with the director. As well as this, I really liked the creativity of this film, as I have never encountered a like this before. I really liked this because it enabled me to get a wider perspective of the content I could possibly include in my short film. However, I didn't like that it was extremely graphic. This is because this aspect of the film could repulse the audience and distract the audience from the deeper meaning of the film.

8) The sound in this film was solely non-diegetic. In the opening scene, the sound is non-diegetic as the music was playing over the top. The feature of the music in this scene could be argued to create suspense and tension in the scene. This is because the music is not able to be heard by the cast during the filming of this scene.

9) The casting was crucial for this short film, in order for the film to transition correctly into the next scene. The cast that was needed was simple and this would be a benefit to the filming process as one cast member was needed during the film. The purpose of having a single character is that the director was able to convey his personal opinion - or to challenge the conventional narrative .

Alternate Math - David Maddox

1) The creativity of this short film was very high. This is because no other short films are produced like this. Although this short film was produced for public service announcements, the film is also beneficial to budding film makers as it provides another technique of the filming stage.

2) The setting/location of the short film varied in every scene. Despite this, the main theme of the setting was a school. This further indicates that this short film is aimed to make the audience think and develop their ideas about the changing ideas.

3) The costumes and props varied, much like the setting. This is because the setting was used to demonstrate a school environment. As a result of this, whatever was occurring in the scene being filmed changed how the characters would be dressed. For example, in the opening scene, it features a teacher and a child, this is implemented by the costumes that the characters are wearing.

4) The genre of this film is a drama. This film features tension in the opening scene, thriller further on and concludes the film with family. Although the scenes feature different genres, a continual genre of drama is persistent throughout the film. This makes the short film applicable to a wider audience.

5) The editing of this film was very complex. This is because the camera shots were required to be edited together in order to create a tension scene - this meant editing was significantly increased. As well as this, I didn't like that the font in the opening scene, as the film then got a more childish element. The noticeable editing was the whole film, as the camera angles are having to be changed to accommodate the director's vision. This time frame consisted of a range of wide, over the shoulder and close up shots, which the editing team would have to process. As this short film was a linear narrative, the editing process would have to be closely monitored and adjusted by the director of the short film. This is because the film would not flow if the editing was not exact.

6) The camera shots in this short film were very simplistic and did not interrupt the editing process with the complexity of the shots. For example, as the opening scene and a majority of the production was filmed using shots that lasted about 3-5 seconds in length and this reduced the editing process significantly. The last minute of the film consisted of a majority of simple techniques of film. These shots included over the shoulder, close up and wide shots. This combination of these shots could be said to connote the changing and advancement in today's society. The angles are relatively unchanged throughout the film, this could be said to be contributed towards professional aspect that the director was aiming to achieve.

7) I liked that the film had a continuous theme throughout the whole production. This allowed me to stay focused and subconsciously connect with the narrative. As well as this, I really liked the creativity of this film, as I have never encountered a like this before. I really liked this because it enabled me to get a wider perspective of the content I could possibly include in my short film. 

However, I didn't like the text at the start of each scene (e.g. Monday, Tuesday etc.) This is because this aspect of the film eliminated the professional aspect and presented the audience with a 'childish' vibe' which continues throughout the film.

8) The sound in this film was both diegetic and non-diegetic. In the opening scene, the sound is both non-diegetic and diegetic as the characters cannot hear the music being played over the top of the dialogue. The feature of the music in this scene could be argued to create a comedic element to the rest of the film. Further on in the film, in the scene featuring the parent meeting, the sound is diegetic, as the characters could hear the dialogue. This is different to the opening scene where the teacher and the student were not able to hear the music during filming, this is because the sound was inserted during editing.

9) The casting was crucial for this short film, in order for the film to transition correctly into the next scene. The cast that was needed was extremely broad and this would be a drawback to the filming process as so many cast members were needed during the film. The general cast consisted of about 50 people , including Danny, the teacher and the governing body of the school. The purpose of having a diverse range of characters is that the director was able to convey the professional element that the director was aiming to achieve.