ANALYSIS OF SHORT FILMS

What is a Short Film: A short film is defined as a motion picture that is not more than 40 minutes in running time (including all credits). (definition courtesy of - http://www.henrymiller.org/shorts.html)

Some Analysing.

The Black Hole

Directed by Phil and Olly (No Surnames Given)/UK/2008
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5_Msrdg3Hk&feature=channel_page

•  Not high budget film as distributed via youtube by Futureshorts but some nice special effects used (the black hole effect).
• The whole movie has a grey effect which reflects the characters mood but when he decides to rob the safe the tint goes slightly darker to show his change in mood.
• The first character shown is the central protagonist (i.e. the office worker).
• The photocopier acts as the office workers heartbeat.
• There is a slight dutch tilt to the camera signifying somethings not right or something will go wrong.

 Maybe One Day

a Rankin & Chris Production / Directed by Chris Cottam / UK / 2009
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn0lhsXHEhc&feature=channel

•   An inspiring film that tells us to break out of the regular life and live if only for a day.
• Starts off with quite a dark blue tint to signify the characters sadness but when he escapes the tint turns to bright and yellow to show his change of mood to happiness.
• A steadi-cam is used to show everything from the characters point of view.
• The whole film is like in a Documentary style of the characters everyday life.
• The non-digetic music used in the background at the start is quite slow and sounds like a lullaby sort of and the narrators voice reminds me of a schoolteachers in a history lesson where it makes you feel tired.
• When the character decides to escape the non-digetic music becomes faster and more lively plus the Narrators voice becomes more passionate which draws you into the film and you can relate to the characters emotion.

Taken

Dir. Adam Phillips / Australia / 2008
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q7vqvRZg4M&feature=channel

• Starts off slow and simple. The character has no expression on his face due to the film being an animation so its hard to tell what they are feeling.
• The way the monster/creature smashes through the window and grabs the man is shocking as its totally unexpected.
• Has an unusual storyline.

2 Truths + 1 Lie
Dir. James Coulson / twenty120 / USA / 2008
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6CKYU1LCQ4&feature=channel

• Strange, not really any storyline, more like a documentary.
• Digetic sound in the background is the sounds you would hear in an office so i guess its meant to be like getting to know your fellow office worker.
• Quite unnerving as people are revealing there secrets whereas this would only normally happen if you knew the person really well so i guess this is Binary Opposition too.

Nov 14 2003

Dir. man vs magnet (Matt Smithson) / USA / 2008
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQygBM8Hcr8&feature=channel

• Documentary style animation.
• Digetic sound of the Camera film rolling makes it feel like the film is old but it was made in 2003.
• No real storyline.
• Quite strange/confusing.

Wrong side of the Bed
Director: Not Stated.Winner of 2006 One Minute Wonder Competition.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR_PzFZgsHU&feature=related

• Binary opposition shown by the split screen. One screen is fine, the other everything is going wrong.
• Split screen shows characters alternative motives.
• A simple title sequence is used overlaying the bottom of the first shot.

This is Me
By Sam Arthur / UK / 2006
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrcMDsmc_Dc&feature=channel_page

• I expected it to be sad as it started off in a hospital ward but it turned out to be a comedy.
• Its not a very low budget film as they used a lot of people to help make it and also the location must have been hired out but its not as much as a huge blockbuster film.
• The london accent of the narrator and the main character (who are the same) add to the comedy element of the film as the cockney accent is assoiciated with cheekiness (like Derek Trotter off Only Fools and Horses). 

Summary of The Common Codes and Coventions of Short Films

From all the Short Films I have watched these are the Common Codes and Conventions ive seen:

•  Short films tend to take one or more aspects of a real life situation and alter it in a way that seems surreal making the films seem stranger than normal or alternatively there is some sort of twist at the end of the film.
• The short films usually have non-digetic music made by an indie artist playing through the whole time in the background to add to the atmosphere/emotion of the film.
• Short films tend to be between a minute and 10 minutes although some can go up to 40 minutes (this is due to a difference between the North American definition of short film and the British definition).
• Normally the first character shown is the Central Protagonist.
•