Studying Short Films

Studying Short Films

During the past two weeks we have been researching and analysing short films during lessons. We were introduced to the Russian Theorist Todrov whom stated that all narratives in films follow a three part structure, beginning with an Equilibrium which issues a balance. After this a disruption occurs which ruins the balance, the ending results in a final solution where the equilibrium is restored, however when films do not follow this three part theory it’s known as a subversion. Vladmir Yakolevich Propp was Russian and Soviet formalist scholar who analysed the basic plot of Russian folk tales , he also set up a theory stating that all films should contain the 8 functional characters. These included;

1.      The Villan

2.      The Donar

3.      The Magical Helper

4.      The princess or Prize

5.      Her father

6.      The Dispatcher

7.      The Hero or victim/searcher hero

8.      False Hero

During lesson we focused on how short films should follow a sequence of events and noted down these events in accordance to the short films we were analysing:

Gravity:  Narrative Plot

·         Child seen playing on swing as 3 young boys walking past talking loudly and laughing

·         Sister goes by on a scooter

·         3 boys run to a shabby building, go inside and the youngest of the three opens the bag

·         Pulls out a gun from plastic bag, two others ask where he got it from

·         “Tom” holds it in his hand whilst looking at it

·         Other boys seem concerned but excited

·         “Tom” walks outside  into a field holding the gun

·         “Tom” pressures the other boys to touch the gun, they do and then give it back to him

·         He then pretends to shoot things as he runs and skips around with it

·         The other 2 boys run around after him as they beg him to put the gun down

·         He aims for the girl on the scooter as she rides along in the distance ( in the field)

·         A gun shot sounds and the girl falls off the scooter

·         3 boys run off as they see how the girl has fallen

·         Different scene of the playground with the boy swinging back and forward on the swing

·         Girl goes past the boy on the swing, still on her scooter

·         She stops and stares at the boy who may be her brother

·         He sits slumped in the swing with blood all around him  

As well as the narrative we also discussed sound, in Gravity we hear the creaking of the swing as it moves back and forth, dialogue of the 3 boys, the mother and daughter.  The wheels of the scooter crashing along the pavement, rustling of the plastic bag, heavy breathing, train passing by, sound of the trigger being pulled back and then the shot and echo of it. The Boys laughing and running through the grass, the overlapping of the swing and scooter as the two become parallel.

Camera angles were also a key element we looked at and discussed as a group ;

·         Worms-eye view / canted

·         Cross cutting/ different words

·         Crane shots

·         Point of view through the gun barrel

·         Close up of gun and hands

·         Panning quickly- creates tension/ nerves/excitement/builds pace

·         Tracking of characters

·         Repetition of sky shot beginning and end- final resolution

Some edits noticeable throughout the film were;

·         Quick Cuts-establishing the scene

·         Reaction Shots