'Wasp': Short Film Analysis

26 Minutes | Directed by Andrea Arnold | Social Realist Drama | 2003

'Wasp'

This film was directed by Andrea Arnold in 2003 and works to offer the audience a valuable insight into the lives of the underclass within modern day society. The film passes very little judgement on the difficulties of this supposed social underclass referenced to in the movie, and instead places spectators in a position that allows them to understand explicitly the economic and social oppression that is experienced by the main characters who feature, and encourage them to form a conclusion of their own in regards to the issues put forth. The film has a distinct three act structure that reflects the straightforward and unaccommodating reality in which the protagonists live whilst also working to escalate the sense of threat that is unfulfilled until the end of the short film. However, this ominous sense of foreboding is foreshadowed through the initial opening sequence wherein the tile of the film I first presented.

'High Maintenance': Short Film Analysis

9 Minutes | Directed by Phillip Van | Science fiction | 2006

'High Maintenance'

This short film was directed by Phillip Van in 2006 and offers an exploration into dating within the modern world through the utilisation of scientific elements utilised within the narrative, with this being most notably acknowledged through all of the main characters (supposedly) being robots. The film has a clearly open-ended three act structure that can be found to add to the overall simplicity and elegance of the setting and the plot line itself, which also helps to dramatise the high standards the protagonist has in regards to her romantic/marital relationships. Once again, the opening frame of the film is the title of the movie, adhering to typical genre conventions and implementing a subtle insight into the narrative before it even begins. It is additionally interesting to analyse the title of the film as being reflective of not only the expectations that the female main character has of her partner, but also adds to the concept of artificial intelligence, or in the case of this short film, artificial love which is presented as something that needs to be 'maintained' through equally artificial means.

At the beginning of the short film, we as spectators immediately assume that the voyeuristic perspective being offered to us through the intrusive camera angles and quick-paced editing is made to be a viewpoint into the dynamics of an ordinarily human marriage. The close-ups of the female protagonist not only work to align us with how she wants her relationship to be, but also intensifies her frustration at the 'mechanical' nature of her husband. It is important to consider, however, that the camera never shows the back of her neck - this adds an element of surprise to the plot line that shocks the audience and makes them suddenly aware of the slight clues referencing the narrative twist that had been carefully interweaved throughout the unfolding of the story. The way in which the camera has been made to pan in and out from the action happening within key sequences helps to make the relationship, predominantly the woman's role within it, the focal point of the film. Also, the way in which the screen fades to black at the end of every act in this short film gives the impression of time passing and a new problem/resolution occurring. The most significant of these would be after her character is depicted in a medium wide shot ordering a replacement model from the robotics company due to her lack of satisfaction for her original.

'High Maintenance'

The way that the proxemics between the main character and her first robotic husband are only ever breached during her creepy apology and the subsequent deactivation, and then finally when she says goodbye to his lifeless self with an even creepier kiss on the lips, can in some ways be interpreted as putting forth a message in regards to dating in the modern age. The advanced technologies that have been created and are a mainstream attribute to the world in which the main characters live are symbols of a not-too distant future. Already, we are using dating apps and are beginning to form fantasies about having relationships with robots made for the pure intention of pleasure - hence why it can be argued that the film acts as a warning for the way of life we are currently on our way to creating. This reality is quite clearly shown to be a dystopia that is nowhere near as lovely as once expected; this suggest that, ultimately, no false counterfeit of love can ever quite beat the real thing. 

The utilisation of sound within the short film is another interesting component of film-making that has been adapted to this movie as a means of enhancing the intensity of the narrative. The leit-motif music that plays in the background during the title sequence and at the end of every act is technological and stilted which once again signposts that this is a science fiction film, whilst additionally conjuring typical images associated with fairy tales and child-like nursery rhymes. The lack of dialogue and the presence of long silences within the plot work to reinforce the idea of a mechanical romance that is absent of the feeling and passion that should thrive between them. The way that the dialogue is repeated, once with her former partner and then again with her replacement partner illuminates the repetitive and fragmented nature of the relationships that she has, all of which lack true emotion - presented here as the most valuable and important feature of every human romance.

'High Maintenance'

The mise-en-scene found within the short film is generic of any home shared by young couples in modern day society, making them easily recognisable for the audience and inconstant sources of alignment for the spectators to follow. These typical tropes and conventions may have been adopted to propel the seemingly innocent story along and make the twist both shocking and completely unexpected. The conclusive part of the narrative, when the female character herself is deactivated by her new partner is incredibly ironic and encourages the audience to question whether or not it was justified. On the one side of the argument, she is simply a product of the artificial society in which she lives (both physically as well as psychologically) and therefore cannot be blamed for her actions; on the other side she was cruel to deactivate her former partner and replace him with another model so that she alone could have a better experience in regards to her relationships, this being an argument that is utterly subjective to the individual viewpoints of the audience members themselves.

'The Gunfighter': Short Film Analysis

2. 9 Minutes | Directed by Eric Kissack | Comedy/Western | 2014
   
   
   

   

   'The Gunfighter'

   This short film was directed by Eric Kissack in 2014 and utilises comedic effect to challenge and disregard the typical genre conventions of a traditional Western movie. This is primarily done through the way that the narrator of the events that unfold is diegetic to the characters who feature throughout the movie, and speaks aloud the internal secrets and thoughts of those within the scene, most of which are highly personal and embarrassing in content. The highly prevalent theme of hypocrisy works to not only embody the plot line that ensues, but additionally works to make the audience indecisive as to whom they align with - none of the characters are good people and therefore the spectators' sense of moral judgement is faced with an abundance of contradictions that make them as indecisive and unbiased as the narrator himself. The sadist nature of the narration is also important to consider as acting as a valid reflection of the short film's plot line and the concealed sins of those whose life it exposes.
   
   The way in which one of the first frames of the movie is the title works to emphasise Kissack's conformity to the typical conventions of a short movie, however, it is important to note that during the opening sequence the audience do not expect to witness the sudden transition from stereotype to unorthodox. This brings about a certain element of surprise that highlights the loss of such concepts - after all, the two brothers went into the saloon with the secret intention of shooting the Gunfighter dead. This only highlights further the idea of the narrator giving the audience a voyeuristic perspective into the events that are about to unfold, with this not only working to implement humour into the story, but also adding to the disruption and uneasiness of those within the scene.
   
   

   

   'The Gunfighter'

   The narrator is unseen and is not a visual character and hence he acts as a unique selling point that adapts the narrative to his own subjective tastes as a method of making the plot seem more exciting. This challenges typical movie conventions because the narrator of any film is never supposed to change or interpret the things that occur and the characters involved. This is made to seem ironic because of the way that the setting and costumes all match the typical conventions of a western movie, with the lighting constantly being dark and enigmatic to add to the supposed mystery trying to be created. 
   
   The use of music can also be found to break the conventions of mainstream film productions because those in the scene can hear it just as they listen to the narrator's viewpoint of the things unfolding/about to unfold. The fast-paced dialogue between the actual main character's within the scene quickly emphasises the scale of their involvement within the injustices they have caused, as well as the palindromic structure that the consequences of wrongdoings have upon those around you. Silence is additionally utilised for comedic effect as opposed to dramatic effect, with the brief interlude of quiet only working to stress the power and authority the narrator has over the characters and the plot line itself.
   
   

   

   'The Gunfighter'

   The way in which all of the main characters apart from Sally 'The Whore' have committed an act of evil, be it infidelity, theft, bestiality, deception or murder also works to place an emphasis upon the idea that within film, just as it is within real life, the lines that work to separate the protagonists from the antagonists are not so easy to distinguish. There is an equal amount of good and bad within everyone and therefore true alignment is impossible.