During Week 10, and for the next few weeks, we are beginning to create our own one-minute short film based on the question, “What If?”. In order to help our research and generate some ideas about what we might like our film to include, we watched multiple examples of one-minute films and analysed them in depth. We commented on Shot Types used, Setting, Lighting, Sound, Camera Directions, Narrative Structure, and Editing Techniques. After doing this exercise as a group, we were then tasked to complete this individually. I watched through some one-minute short film and consciously chose videos which I felt were well shot and edited together, as this would allow me some strong points to discuss. The three short films that I chose were, ‘Inside’, ‘For Milo’, and ‘Whispers’; the links to which I have included below.
Before forming my analysis, I watched each film several times to get a deeper understanding of its meaning and the way in which it had been shot. Whilst watching the films, I studied them carefully, picking out some key points, such as an interesting shot type, or the lighting techniques that had been used. I knew that in order to create an in depth, detailed analysis, I needed to continuously ask myself the question, Why? Instead of simply describing the choices that the director had made, I needed to challenge my thinking, asking myself why they had used it and the effect that it has on the narrative structure, and the viewer. I feel that by doing this, it allowed for my analysis to be more detailed.
After using the checklist of techniques to find in the short films, I decided that I would delve even deeper into the narrative and focus on points such as, Colour, Costume, Props and Hair and Makeup. I was intrigued to find out what these aspects of film would add to the structure of the narrative. In the first film that I analysed, ‘Inside’, I was particularly interested in the choice of costume for the character. The man was wearing a dark coloured zipped hoodie, however, the hoodie was only zipped halfway up his chest. After some thought, I came to the conclusion that this could have been a deliberate decision to symbolically represent the man’s apprehension about the box that sat before him, yet also, his intrigue and desire of the unknown.
Overall, by completing this task this week, it has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the aspects of film that are needed when creating a one-minute film. I will use this knowledge throughout the process of creating my own short film.
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