Short Film Responses

Today we watched three different short films. One made by students at an undergraduate level (The Forgotten Hit), and two made by students at a postgraduate level (Indecision; Farewell Charlie Power). Each film was of a different genre, and made use of different cinematic techniques.

The Forgotten Hit

This was a short mystery film. The film started with a man waking up, to find that he has killed someone. The narrative depicts him trying to uncover the events that have previously occured, and what to do next. The narrative is restricted and is told in a non-linear way; since the protagonist uncovers truths through flashbacks, and we only learn these things as he does. This created an air of tension and suspense, which I liked because it keeps you on edge. There was an enigma code, and the end used a plot twist to suprise the audience. I liked the used of sound; to create an air of emptiness in some scenes it only uses diagetic sound, then to build tension music also comes in. All in all, I thought it was an interesting plot which I enjoyed.

Indecision

This was a rather unusual film, depicting the process of a man's indecision about his love. There was two main sets, the beach and the forest, and they were used together to create a beautiful contrast between the two choices he could've made. I liked the way it was shot, using the peculiar technique of 360 degrees, over the characters. It eventually shows it like the two places are spinning on an axis and we are viewing them from one spot. The film ends with the man half in one place, half in the other, reflecting his confusion and indecision. I thought the film was rather comical, enhanced by the voiceover narration. I definitely thought it was an interesting idea.

Farewell, Charlie Power

This short film told the story of a man with learning difficulties, who inadvertently kills his father; and the aftermath of the death. I found the film, though disturbing, quite beautiful. It showed the difficulties of being mentally slow, by highlighting the character Vernon's childish nature. The film took a dark twist towards the end, where Vernon retrieved his father's dead body and brought it home. The film was shaped well by the music, and the mise-en-scene was thought out cleverly. Especially how the whole story had high-key lighting, even though the narrative had darker themes and undertones. I thought it was definitely an interesting narrative.