ColourBleed (2011) - Peter Szewczyk
ColourBleed is a short film just over 8 minutes which is directed by Peter Szewczyk. It is about a "young girl who crosses paths with a scheming, and enigmatic old woman, who harbours a dark secret. What seems like a small act of cruelty between strangers, will fracture the very foundations of a city." I think the imagery and strong graphics really stood out, along with the original storyline, which I really liked about this short film.
ColourBleed mainly shows social realism but has elements of a fantasy genre. Although ColourBleed is a drama, but there are many sub genres such as romantic drama, period drama and crime. In the film it shows a serious life situation (no comedy), and it shows a character develop in a realistic situation. However the fantasy genre is explored through the film, this is done through the creation of a colourful, bird-like creature and ink representing the girl's blood which changes colours - hence the name ColourBleed.
ColourBleed mainly shows social realism but has elements of a fantasy genre. Although ColourBleed is a drama, but there are many sub genres such as romantic drama, period drama and crime. In the film it shows a serious life situation (no comedy), and it shows a character develop in a realistic situation. However the fantasy genre is explored through the film, this is done through the creation of a colourful, bird-like creature and ink representing the girl's blood which changes colours - hence the name ColourBleed.
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| Screenshots to the opening of ColourBleed |
The opening to ColourBleed shows the girl spray painting on the wall, but being quite creative but it is obvious that she stands out from the crowd. She appears different through use of mise en scene. Her costume in contrast to the other people she passes in the queue, (who are wearing dull, ordinary clothing.) For example she is dressed in bright colours, her t-shirt is bright red with a picture of Kate Moss swearing, bright pink tights and big, black doc martins. She also has piercings on her face, tattoos over her body and brightly coloured hair which is shaved on one side, this could all be stereotypically interpreted as her expressing her rebellion, youth and a desire to stand out from the crowd
In ColourBleed there is a variety of different camera shots. Even in the first minute, a range of shots are used from a close up of the spray painting nozzle, to a long shot of the girl painting the wall. Depth of field is also used well in the film. For example, when the girl is standing in line waiting for the stamp, she is in focus and everyone else in the queue is blurred in the background, which makes the emphasis on the girl, but also how she stands out so much in a crowd.
The lighting in ColourBleed appears to be ambient lighting and the characters seems to be lit by natural, surrounding light. However, I think that when the girl is standing in line to be stamped, that artificial lighting may have been used to brighten up and make the main focus on her.
Sound is used effectively in ColourBleed. The soundtrack, which is used frequently in different parts of the film is a mixture of orchestra instruments, which is used effectively to create a eerie atmosphere and to create suspense. In ColourBleed silence is also important, it emphasises the girls alienation within society and confusion with what is going on with her.
The dialogue is very minimal in ColourBleed which leaves it open for interpretation for the audience. I think as the girl has so little dialogue it emphasises her distress and confusion. It also is more dramatic when she does say her few lines, such as when she says to the women, "what's your problem, my fingers?!" which makes it more shocking.
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| These are screenshots from the scene where the girl is sitting on the chair, embracing herself, I like the use of fading to black between different shots as it highlights/intensifies her distress and confusion. |
I really like the editing, which is shown in the screenshots above. The use of fading to black and cutting to the next shot, makes it feel really intense, as though time is slowing down, and the main focus being on the reaction of the girl.
This is quite a useful link which shows the story boarding of ColourBleed
Memories (2010) - Radoslaw Sienski
Memories is a short film (made by students) which follows a man, who appears to be reliving all his memories. I think it is the man moments from death, and is having the moment of his life flashing before his eyes. He is shown, finding and collecting lots of film, which I think are photographs from his life. The photographs seem to trigger the memories to come alive and he relives the moment. Some people have interpreted the film as the man has an illness such as dementia and through looking at the photographs he is beginning to remember his memories from the past. I think through having no dialogue, it makes it open to however the audience want to interpret and that is what I like about this film.
Through camera work and editing, it shows when the man sees or relives the memories it goes to a graphic match of a still film negative to a short clip from the photograph. The short clip is all grainy and the image flickers, which I think goes with the story as it shows remembering something that has happened is not always as clear and sharp as it was at the time. However, I think I would have preferred the graphic match of the film negatives to turn black and white, rather than to have a yellowy tinge as I think it would have made it to feel more like the past.
The ending of the film shows a change of point of view shown through the camera. As the audience, we are no longer observing the man's memories and see him finding a collection of film negatives, but it changes to the point of view of the man, and we see him on the swings, living the memories and eventually left with the mans hand sliding away and the screen turning to black (which feels as though his eyes are closing.)
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| I think this scene, when the man is dragging lots of film negatives along behind him is a strong image, as it could show how his identity is merely made up of memories and it is what is weighing him down. |
The sound is poignant in the film, as it starts with just hearing diegetic sound of the man walking along the street, and as the memories flash back, the soundtrack begins. The tempo of the music becomes more intense as the man finds more and more film negatives, and relives more memories. However, as the film ends the soundtrack slows down, and ends with one final note, which is similar to the sound made when the heart stops in hospital, which suggests the man is dead. Again, the absence of dialogue leaves the audience to make sense of the film themselves.
About a Girl (2001) - Brian Percival
About a Girl is short film directed by Brian Percival. About a Girl appears to follow the life of a young girl, who seems to be documenting her life to the camera. However, it raises issues to the audience and overall leaves them in shock through the powerful message conveyed, but they also left questioning what has just happened.
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| Screenshot of the opening of About a Girl |
The opening to About a Girl is a powerful long shot of a silhouette of the girl standing in the the skyline. She is also singing along to a Britney Spears song and the lyrics are, "I am stronger than yesterday,' which could be significant to the girl's journey and to the shocking ending of the film.
The girl is shown walking along a canal talking which originally seems she is just talking about trivial topics such as her favourite ice cream and explains about her friends, but then changes just for a few moments to her explaining about abuse and her family troubles.
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| This screen shot shows the girls eye contact with the camera, and then how it cuts to her in a different location. |
This is also reinforced by the girl's body language as she is walking along looking at the floor, then makes eye contact with the camera for a split second, and then she looks back at the floor as if she is ashamed or embarrassed talking about her dad.
Towards the end of the film the girl talks about a dog she got and how she, "hid it in our Jamie's room for two days until my mum "and how her mum "got the neighbours to put it in the canal. I don't know where..." Then, there is a silence, and the camera changes to a high angle and long shot of the girl looking down at the canal and she explains she has "gotten dead good at hiding things since then." This makes the ending to the film even more shocking and it leaves the audience with many unanswered questions.
Sound is also an important element in About a Girl. Although there is no soundtrack, the girl singing the Britney Spear's song joins the beginning of the girl in the skyline, to the distressing end at the canal with the same song. Also the song shows how when the audience, first see the girl as an innocent 13 year old who is a telling us her ambitions to be famous, but leave the film with a completely different opinion and even have the reaction of being shocked and confused.
About a Girl brings up some themes and issues. The main issue is teen pregnancy and problems in the girls family, so much so that she has to keep the pregnancy secret from her mum. It also highlights that although the girl is seen happy and having a good time with her friends, she is actually isolated and has to keep a secret.
Bro
Bro is a short film showing a social realistic drama which shows a boy (Simon) and his brother (Mark) with disabilities. It is set in a ordinary realistic setting and focuses on a family story, with a conflict between Simon and his brother, Mark, but also between Simon and his mother, in what seems a single parent family. The short film really stood out to be and I found it inspiring as well as a very relatable film as it does not conform to the normal stereotypical film narratives.
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| This shot shows Simon, Mark and their mother. The lack of eye contact between them all suggests a lack of connection between them |
Bro shows how in a family with someone with disabilities, it can affect everyone around them. This is shown through Simon having to think of his brother before himself, and when he doesn't it can end with disastrous consequences.
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| Through camera work, depth of field shows the focus on the female character, which we find out is the girl that Simon likes. |
I think this is an emotional scene even when Simon is trying to fit in, have an 'ordinary' life, and try and forget his responsibilities of caring for his brother, he is still worrying about Mark. This is shown through camera work as it not only has close ups of the two brothers, but shows a POV shot of Simon watching Mark and eventually goes over to comfort him.
"I wanted to go out tomorrow night"
"There's nothing stopping the two of you going out when I'm at work"
"On my own!"
"This is your problem, nobody elses"
"Yea your right, its my problem when everyone keeps the distance or takes the piss"
"That's enough"
A Question of Time
Question of time is a short film which experiments with manipulation of time and whether events of the past and present can be altered. I like the idea used, that when the father changes his pocket watch time it synchronises with the clock on Big Ben
No More: "A short stylized piece showing issues in everyday life, but in a very vivid and detailed way."
Slows/stops time - idea of labelling emotions. "happiness" "freedom"
The earlier ones are competent analyses, with some precise references to techniques and use of terms. You lack some terms however, for example for sound types, lighting, and editing. More detail was needed for this. Later films posted here don't seem to be analysed, or are too briefly analysed. You need to improve these. About a Girl is Social Realism, which you need to discuss in more depth - you don't pay enough attention to the methods used to construct realism here, or the end scene. Currently just into Level 2.
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