Synopsis for Short Film

A girl meets a charming stranger. They start a whirlwind romance, but whilst on a date in a small coffee shop, the girl’s brother sees them, and it is revealed that he and the boyfriend are enemies. They are in rival gangs and have been in an intense warfare. The girl and boy plan to run away, as the boy has decided to turn away from a life of crime. However, the brother comes after them, and threatens the boy at gunpoint. Then in a suprising turn of events, the girl stabs her brother. The couple then run away. 

I've decide to not shoot it in a linear structure, but by using various flashbacks.

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.

Narrative Theory in Se7en

• The story is told in a chronological order
• The run of time is made clear, by the seperation of the days: Each day is marked in the scenes with typography.
• Heavy use of enigma codes- throughout most of the film you are trying to work out who the killer is, then after he reveals himself; you are still trying to solve the issue of the last two  murders. 
  
• The mise-en-scene is used throughout to connote tension, suspicion and darkness
• Pathetic fallacy is used. During most of the film, outside is rainy, grey and drab. This represents the slow, painful process of the investigation. The climax is out in the hot desert, to show the rising heat of the tension, and a sense of dryness (reflecting John Doe's lack of empathy.)
• It is narrated through the perspective of our main officers, Mills and Somerset. This offers us a closed narrative; as in we only ever know as much as they do.

• This restricted narrative is a common genre convention of thrillers. As is the fast paced score.
• The main protagonist is very conventional. However, our other protagonist is an anti- Hero, as Pitt's character embodies traits usually deemed negative. Examples of this are his wrath and quick temper.

Se7en Film Response.

Se7en is a 1991 psychological thriller directed by David Fincher, starring Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt. It depicts two detectives as they try to uncover the killer behind a set of murders. Each murder is based on one of the seven deadly sins.

Although the film is quite dark, I enjoyed it- It was well written and thought-provoking. Brad Pitt was in my eyes, an interesting protagonist, as he was more of an anti-hero.This is seen through the fact that some of his main character traits are anger, and the tendecy to act on impulse (which becomes important in the climax of the film).

The film's score (written by Howard Shore) was perfect, and accentuated each pivotal moment of the film. The film was quite visually graphic, and though this made it intense, it also created a poignancy.
There was a constant air of suspense which left you hanging on the edge of your seat, desperate to know and understand where the narrative is taking us. This made the film enjoyable, as it meant that my brain was constantly in action, trying to decipher the actions of the antagonist.

Once the antagonist John Doe is introduced, the story still feels like it's getting stronger. This may partially be down to the fact that Kevin Spacey is absolutely terrifying as the killer; retaining a menace, yet a tranquility at the same time. He is also scary in the fact that he sees himself able to justify his murders. He gives reasons to each one; and analyses the 'sins on every street corner'. For me, this was one of the most memorable scenes in the film, as it evoked thought about human nature, and the human condition. This always captures me, and hearing it from such an unstable character was both intriguing and haunting.

Of course, what makes the film stand out from most other psychological thrillers, is the strong climax that is delivered. It is dark, twisted, unexpected, but most of all genius. It's at the end that you realise that the writers have been foreshadowing this the whole way through the film. It's shocking and horrible; but it really makes you stop and reflect on the nature of both our protagonists and antagonist.

Overall, I thought it was a very good film, as it showed intricacies in its plot detail and the way its shot. It was dark and disturbing, but in the way that the story is told, I feel as if I could happily sit through it again.

How Figure Expression Can Create Meaning

In the film adaptation of Stephen Chbosky’s novel ‘the Perks of Being a Wallflower’ (2012), the actors use their figure expression to highlight the contrast between their characters. There are 3 main characters: Charlie (Logan Lerman), Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller).

Charlie is shy and nervous; portrayed through his fidgety hands, constantly wandering eyes, and him often chewing his lip. He has slumped shoulders and almost drags himself along when he walks- reflecting his unhappiness with his day to day life and showing that he is often pulling himself through it, trying to make it to the end of the school year. His lips are often tight, his face blank, reminding us that there is lots that we don’t know about this character as his face gives nothing away.

Sam and Patrick on the other hand, are confident characters, shown in the way they hold themselves with an erect posture. They are both lively, shown in their tendencies to exaggerate both their movements and facial expressions. Sam’s confidence is often shown through her smirk. This also highlights her flirtatious nature, also indicated by her eyes. They are both more caring and gentle when interacting with Charlie.

As the narrative goes on, events occur that shake the characters and change them. Examples of this are how Patrick becomes very jittery/ shaky after his character goes through a bad break-up. Also towards the climax, Charlie goes through a mental breakdown, shown through his hands pulling his hair, his legs shaking and him crying.

How Setting Can Create Meaning

In the opening scene of Les Misérables (Tom Hooper, 2012), setting is used to create meaning. To create an atmosphere that seems inescapable, there are tall, even gigantic, stone walls/stairs. The fact that the majority of characters are stuck in a pit at the bottom of these walls shows that these characters are considered the lowest of the low in society. Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), is shown to be at the very top of the stairs, exerting and emphasising, his authority over them. The stone structure itself is quite grimy, representing the dirty lives these criminals have led.

The prisoners (indicated that they are such by their clothing and make-up.) are knee deep in water, which could be interpreted as them drowning in their sorrows, and the past they wish they could escape.

Another key element for the setting in this scene is the use of pathetic fallacy. At the start of the scene, the skies are extremely dark, and there is heavy rain pouring down. This shows that this is a stormy phase in our main protagonist, Jean Valjean’s, life. The rain could also portray the sadness of the prisoners, hinting that they feel like crying. Then, once they have finished their work and Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is being interrogated by Javert, the skies are clear, but the ground around him is still wet and dirty. By the end, the ground is completely dry and the sky is clear, showing the end of his imprisonment, and the start of a bright new day.

How Costume/Make-up Can Create Meaning.

In the 2007 Disney film Enchanted, costume and make-up are used to emphasise the characters personalities. One scene where this is clearly demonstrated is in the musical number which takes place in Central Park in New York.

Amy Adams’ character Giselle is wearing a dress which is bright and colourful, showing her personality which is quite lively and vibrant. The fact that the colours of the dress are baby pink and blue highlight her childish nature and innocence, as these are the colours often associated with young girls. It is covered in small flowers (which she also has in her hair), showing her affiliation with nature. Her dress is flowing showing her carefree personality.

Her make- up is quite simple, showing her to be quite modest. Her hair is curly, which gives off a sense of her being quite exciting and wild, rather than if her hair was straight (coming across as quite boring.)

In contrast, Patrick Dempsey’s character Robert is dressed in a very common, plain way. He is wearing a black suit, which are associated with formal, high paid jobs. This would usually have positive connotations, but in this context, next to Giselle, it shows him to be quite boring. The colour black is associated with mourning, and this could be why he’s wearing black, since later in the scene he reveals that his wife left him. His shoes are also plain black, emphasising his formality and stiffness as a character.