When I researched short films, I was unaware of just how different they are to normal films. Not only are they of a short length, but they use different techniques and ideas to convey their message. The idea of a moral or message is also a must in a short film, as they are made to tell the viewer something. My film does tell a story which is coherent and relevant to today’s society. I have tried to avoid stereotyping in the story, as this leads to narrow audience groups, and I wanted my short film to have a universal appeal. The story is implicit – in that the viewer gets the opportunity to think about things. I chose to make my film this way as I wanted to provoke thought and generate a response from the viewer. The voiceover is a key part of the film, and though it tells the story, I have chosen to keep that at a minimum, so the viewer can consider the thoughts and feelings of the characters involved. I chose to make the film about something realistic and relevant as that means that most people can relate to it. Though not everyone is homeless or materialistic, they can empathise with the main character as she becomes a victim of fate.
I believe that my film does capture the audience’s imagination, as it begins with a shot of a house – provoking thought and questions. The voiceover telling the view that ‘this was her house, this was her’ also generates interest, as the viewer wonders who the narrator of the story is. The story progresses, as the viewer understands that something is about to change and the exchange between the tramp and the woman acts as the twist of fate. It also creates sympathy for the tramp and encourages the reader to watch and see what happens to the woman. When she misses the bus, it is viewed as karma, as is the loss of her job. The viewer gets to see the more vulnerable side of the woman when her boyfriend leaves her and she sits alone contemplating her situation. This creates sympathy from the viewer and leaves them asking what will happen. Losing her home answers this question and her confusion and isolation is used to appeal to the viewer as everyone has felt like this in their lifetime. The ending brings a sense of finality and satisfaction to the film. The film isn’t predictable, but it is relatable and the ending sends the message that the film wants to viewer to acknowledge. This message can be interpreted in many different ways – and I found this out while carrying out my questionnaire. Some interpreted the message as being one about karma and fate whilst others believed the message to be of hope and spirituality. This demonstrates the universal appeal of the film and the utilization of a message to capture the audience’s imagination. It also mirrors the conventions of other short films that I have watched. I have used some of the conventions like messages, realism and close-up camera shots (to show expressions) to make my short film as authentic as possible.
I believe my short film does look realistic because I have used and developed conventions of other short films. At AS level, we were required to produce a 5 minute sequence from a full-length film, and this made me realise how fine the line is between beginnings and trailers. I made sure my film did not look like that by using establishing shots and the voiceover to show the audience that it is a film. The slower pace of the film is aided by the voiceover which is important as trailers tend to be fast and concise as they are made to sell the product. Clips are longer than those in short films, around 20 seconds each and all are in chronological order. I have used a variety of shots, including long shots – to make sure the actions are shown in full, mid-shots – to see the face of the subject more clearly, and close-ups – used in order to make reactions and expressions easily visible. The variety of shots means that the audience has a good view of the actions and events that occur in the film. The film also uses real houses, streets and realistic clothing which is important as it contributes to the authenticity of the film as the use of things, as they appear in reality, means that it appeals to the viewer as they are able to relate to it.
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I believe my short film does look realistic because I have used and developed conventions of other short films. At AS level, we were required to produce a 5 minute sequence from a full-length film, and this made me realise how fine the line is between beginnings and trailers. I made sure my film did not look like that by using establishing shots and the voiceover to show the audience that it is a film. The slower pace of the film is aided by the voiceover which is important as trailers tend to be fast and concise as they are made to sell the product. Clips are longer than those in short films, around 20 seconds each and all are in chronological order. I have used a variety of shots, including long shots – to make sure the actions are shown in full, mid-shots – to see the face of the subject more clearly, and close-ups – used in order to make reactions and expressions easily visible. The variety of shots means that the audience has a good view of the actions and events that occur in the film. The film also uses real houses, streets and realistic clothing which is important as it contributes to the authenticity of the film as the use of things, as they appear in reality, means that it appeals to the viewer as they are able to relate to it.
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