2. Student Made Short Films

First Film: Genesis

This film takes the tale of Adam and Eve from the Bible and modernises it, in a sort of dystopian world. The two characters have been placed inside a small world and they must obey the voice of the one overlooking. This is an original idea, especially when representing their rebellion as something that was right, rather than them defying a god.

The setting is very atmospheric, the colours are muted and limited: the sky is plain grey, the plants are red and orange, and the clothes the characters wear are dark. This really sets a style to the film, and adds to the visual meaning within very well. The mist surrounding their area implies that they can't go beyond what they can see. The prop of most importance is the red sphere, it's the most vibrant thing in their world, drawing the eye, representing temptation and linking to the forbidden apple in the original story.

I would say that the genre of this piece is drama crossed with sci-fi, as it focuses on the emotions of the characters and the use of security cameras makes me think it's science fiction.

The editing used makes glitches across the screen showing static and close-ups of the red sphere. This instantly sets it apart from other student made films as the editor experimented with their software, and it added to the meaning of the film. The cinematography fits with the colour scheme and setting, the use of wide shots shows the trees covered in mist, and the close-ups make the thoughts of the characters clearer and more intimate. The camera is clearly hand held which adds a sense of being there. The only parts that aren't hand held are the shots from security cameras, emphasising their unnatural nature.

The actors could have been a little stronger, the actress for Eve seems more comfortable acting than the actor of Adam, but overall they got the story across with the script.

The sound is good quality, except during the glitches, which is likely deliberate. I found the speech a little quiet at times, and the music was a lot louder, which could have been changed. 

I liked its originality, and I really liked the setting and cinematography paired together, it made it very visually interesting. Some of the acting wasn't quite so strong in the tenser parts of the script, but that was the most notable part that wasn't as effective as the rest.

Second Film: Exposed

I like the way this short has been filmed, the cinematography is atmospheric, and the editor has made the colours more muted. The shallow depth of field is really effective too, and is something I've always liked in cinematography. Seeing this depth of field also shows the camera person hasn't just gone with the default settings on their camera and thought about the visuals.

It's quite a creative piece, but there's not too much explanation to what's happening and why the mysterious masked man is following the protagonist.

The set fits with the story, the house is big and looks well decorated, fitting with someone who has a job taking photographs, as he would want his house to look good. The woods are picturesque and also mysterious, fitting with the sinister narrative. The prop of the mask was important, a gas mask is instantly seen as sinister, making the watcher suspicious and wary the moment it appears on screen.

The editing is good, there's nothing too complex. There's the usual jump cuts from shot to shot, and when he puts the gas mask on there's a slight static and the screen becomes less vibrant. The sound is good quality too, with little shuffling or secondary sounds. The script doesn't require much talking, so the sound for the speech was clear, this also meant that the actor only had to act though body language, which he did well.

It probably best fits with the genre of thriller, as it's sinister and the viewer doesn't know what's going to happen next. 

Third Film: Tegwen

I really liked this film, it had a more upbeat feeling than the others I've seen, with a younger leading actor. It was creative and unique, with it from the perspective of a child. 

The setting of the house was realistic, with a very small amount of it shown, showing Tegwen's view of the world. The woods were a good, open environment for her to walk through, they made her look a lot smaller, especially in the wide shots. The little den that she had set up was decorated like a child would decorate one, with layers of blankets, sleeping bags, rugs, and cushions. All of these are very colourful and exciting, there is then the addition of the fairy lights over the sticks that are stacked up, and the star pattern cloth that hangs and blows in the wind. These details all add to the whimsical, childish imagination that is present there.

Tegwen's mother is in her work clothes, even though she is at home with her child, showing that she is preoccupied by her work. Tegwen wears her pyjamas with a coat over the top, emphasising how unprepared she is for running away, and her optimism. Her bag is not big enough for essentials, but she fills it with toys and books anyway. All the props set up in her little den represent her personality and the magic she feels around being alone in her own space.

The editing is the usual jump cut to different shots and then the writing of the letter against the screen, which I thought added to the childish element of the film nicely. The shots in the beginning look at the mother fro below, and look at Tegwen from above, this shows their ages as well as their separation. The rest of the shots are quite straight-on and central, with her running through the woods and walking down the path. There are a couple more shots that have a shallow depth of field of the fairy lights and the starry cloth, as well as the crayons at the beginning.

The casting of the young girl is good, her voice over fits very well, especially with the lettering over the screen, and she performs her lines like any girl her age would, which adds to the realism. The sound is clear too, her voice isn't muffled by anything, and there aren't any distractions from it either. The music is joyful and simple, making it childish, again, adding to the wonder of her journey.

It probably fits into the genre of adventure more than any other, she sets off with a goal of escaping her home and living in her den in the woods.