Research on short films

I Don’t Care – Drama – Carolina Giammetta

The close up shot shows a woman feeling her baby bump, the wedding ring suggests that the baby is going to come into a loving family. The slow non-diegetic music creates a peaceful and relaxing feeling, this implies to the audience that the women is in deep thought. The angle of the camera allows the audience to view the surroundings of the woman, it allows for a reflection which shows the rest of the room, of what is implied as the bedroom due to the props used particularly the use of the bed. The reflection in the mirror shows the door being closed over this suggests that the woman wants to be alone and could be hiding something from her partner. Not a lot of information about the woman is given away at the beginning which leads to the audience questioning about her background, this encourages the audience to continue watching.

The camera then cuts to a low angel shot of the woman’s hand slowing reaching down towards a book laid out on the bed. The hand moving slowing connotes that the women is nervous and anxious, its automatically implied that the women is reading up about her baby to ensure that it’s healthy and she’s doing everything right, this infers that the women cares and is protective over her baby. The non-diegetic music continues with charms playing, it’s the typical music to help a baby sleep, the non-diegetic creates an emotional scene.

A long shot is used to set the scene, from the shot it shows that they’re in a convenience store. The pregnant woman sees the Down syndrome girl and suddenly wonders what if her kid has Down syndrome, this impression is given to the audience through the use of her facial expression as when she turns to see the girl she quickly looks away and looks in deep thought. The diegetic sound of the mother speaking informs the audience that she’s advertising for a garden for the summer as she cannot care for her children and the garden.

During this scene in the family’s kitchen, the shot reverse shot is used between Ollie and Jacques (Down syndrome girl), this shot is effective because it shows a close up of Ollie which allows the audience to see her facial expression. This close up shot shows Ollie constantly looking over to Jacques, this implies that Ollie has only taken on the gardener job to find more about Jacques which creates the impression that her baby has been diagnosed with Down syndrome or is at a risk of having it. The use of dull and boring colours (browns and blues) creates a dim and miserable mood. Ollie is introduced to the three children, the use of her speech indicates further that she’s fascinated by Jacques, this is shown by Ollie only replying ‘Hello’ to Jacques.

A long shot is used because it allows the audience to see Jacques walking away from Ollie, it allows us to see Ollie’s body language. As Jacques walks away, Ollie immediately stops gardening this connotes that she’s taking notes of Jacques’ every move and is wary of her every moment. The use of dialogue between Jacques and Ollie indicates that Ollie isn’t sure how to respond and act around Jacques, this supports the stereotype of how kids with Down syndrome are treated differently. This is shown by Ollie not responding to Jacques, which leads to her walking off. Diegetic sound of the wind creates a relaxing mood because it natural and emphasis Jacques walking away.

A medium close ups shot shows two pictures in a frame, the shot allows the audience to read ‘I Don’t Care…that sometimes you don’t make sense!’ This is the first time during the film that the title of the film ‘I Don’t Care’ has been mentioned and relates to the film. The title ‘I Don’t Care’ connotes that the mother doesn’t care that her daughter, Jacques has Down syndrome, she still loves her just as much. It gives the message that you shouldn’t care and doesn’t matter if your child has a disease. The producer Carolina Giammetta wanted to “make a film that may help change new parent’s perspective”.

The angle of the camera is then reflected which shows a two character shot focusing on the two main characters. The medium close up allows the audience to see Ollie nearly smiling, this is the first time we have seen her be happy and ‘normal’ around Jack, this shows that she’s slowly warming to her and isn’t as worried and scared about her child being diagnosed with down syndrome. As soon as Ollie deigns to smile, non-diegetic slow paced piano music begins this is effective because it emphasises her smile and symbolises a change for the best and it suggests that Holly is now thinking ‘I Don’t care’.

This long shot shows two characters (the mother and father of the unborn child), this shot allows the audience to see the characters posture. The woman is gripping her cardigan this implies that’s she’s nervous and scared, possibly of her baby being diagnosed with Down syndrome. She’s slowing walking towards her partner, this infers she wants him to comfort her, this supports the stereotype of how men are stronger than women and that women are more emotional. The low key lightning sets a dull and dim mood, this emphasises the emotions of both the women and men. The low key lighting allows for the main source of light to come through the window, this light highlights the male figure and therefore makes him the main focus during the shot. Very slow non-diegetic music of a piano plays, the music creates an emotional mood, this supports the genre of the film as a convention of a drama is that the story line is to move the audience emotionally.

A long shot is used to show Ollie running inside after hearing Jacques screaming and shouting, Ollie immediately stops her gardening and runs inside, this shows that Ollie has developed a bond with Jacques and does care. During this scene the lighting is rather naturalist, to begin with it this matches the sign as everything is running smoothly. However, when the mood of the scene changes and becomes more serious and dramatic as Jacques starts screaming, the lighting stays the same. It would be expected that the lighting would dim to emphasis Jacques’ scream, however it doesn’t.

As the scene progresses and Ollie cares for Jacques, flashbacks occur to at the beginning of the film where Ollie was reading the book on her bed. It constantly flashes between the images from the book to the corresponding parts of Jacques. This is effective because it brings the story together and reveals to the audience that Ollie must’ve been told that her baby has a chance of being diagnosed with Down syndrome. The non-diegetic music of chimes creates a smooth and relaxed mood, this is effective because Down syndrome is a gentle situation. The gentleness of scene is also shown through the use of Ollie’s soft and reassuring dialogue “it’s ok”.

A close up shot is used to show how feeling emotional after having a conservation to Jacques’ mother about Jacques being diagnosed with Down syndrome. The diegetic sounds of the wildlife in the garden particularly the pigeons creates soothing atmosphere. Due to Ollie being positioned in front of what seems to be a row of bushes and trees she stands out because of her light coloured clothing is more vibrant than the green trees, this is effective because it makes Ollie the focal point and the audience automatically focuses on her. As the conversation finishes the camera pans around which allows the audience to see Ollie’s body language and how she is fiddling with something in her hands, this implies that she’s trying to hide away her tears.

The screen then fades into a medium shot of Jacques listening to Ollie’s baby, the fading of one scene to another shows a change in time and has moved on a few months, this is also shown by the size of Ollie’s baby bump being noticeably larger. The use of the bright colours in this scene, particularly the green leaves, Ollie’s red dress and Jack’s baby blue hoodie creates a jolly atmosphere. The non-diegetic music of piano playing one key at a time slowing emphasises the happiness in the scene. The shot allows the audience to see Jacques’ smiling face, this shows that Ollie and Jacques have grown a bond over time and that Ollie doesn’t care that Jacques has Down syndrome, whereas at the beginning of the film she was seen as nervous around her.

Amy – Drama – Jacob Chase

One shot has faded into another, this shows that there’s a connection between the two shots. Its fading from a shot of a photo frame to a high angle shot of a garden. The non-diegetic voiceover of Ollie explains what the photo frame is as she reads the quotation “I do care… that you do your best and enjoy life”. This scene links back to the title of the film ‘I Don’t Care’ as the voiceover of Ollie explains that she doesn’t care that her baby as Down syndrome, all she does care about is that they’re happy. There is also non-diegetic music playing, this music is slow playing and smooth and gentle, this is effective because it brings the film to an end and suits the scene as it’s a serious but gentle topic. It then fades into a high angle shot of Jacques playing in her garden with her friends and Ollie cuddling up to her partner and holding her bay bump. This is an effective shot because it’s the last shot and the high angle allows the audience to see a large number of the characters being happy, this creates a warm feeling for the audience because it implies that Down syndrome children live a happy and sociable life with all the other children.

The film starts with the camera positioned behind the male character; this allows the audience to see the environment and setting. The shot shows a male character running down a road; the houses suggest that it’s a neighbourhood. His blue top implies it’s a causal run rather than a part of a training programme. The diegetic sound of his heavy fast breathing emphasises his running and makes the scene more realistic. The lighting in the scene is naturalistic, this implies that it’s just part of his routine and is a ‘normal’ day.

As the scene continues the camera gets closer to the character as he slows down. As the camera zooms in the diegetic sound of him breathing slows down. The woman across the road starts to come into focus this suggests that the male character has stopped because of her; at this point the audience have no idea who she is, this is effective because it keeps the audience intrigued to their relationship of one another. The ambient sound continues to make the scene more realistic. The over the shoulder shot allows the audience to see the surroundings, it shows that the road is quiet and suggests that is a rural neighbourhood, this implies that the male character must know the female character because it’s unlikely that the in a quite area that they won’t be familiar with each other.

A shot reverse shot is used between the female and male characters, by using this shot it suggest that there is some sort of connection/relationship between them. As the woman approaches him with “Hi”, the camera reverses back to him which allows the audience to see his reaction and the fact that he doesn’t reply suggest that his in shock. This close up in the shot reverse shot allows that audience to see his facial expression, his eyebrows are down which implies that he’s confused, this suggest to the audience that they knew one another and instantly implies that they were a couple. He eventually replies to her with “what are you doing in my neighbourhood”, this instantly informs the audience that they used to be friends. The use of ‘my neighbourhood’ suggest that he doesn’t want her to be here, he’s shocked to see her and whether this is in a good or bad way isn’t revealed to the audience yet which keeps them intrigued to find out more about their history.

This long shot allows the audience to see the characters body language which reveals their mood. This shot shows the male character playing with his headphones in his hands, this connotes that he’s nervous. The use of dialogue also shows his nerves as he keeps asking questions such as where do you live and what’s in your bag, this infers that he could be hiding something as he want to keep the conversation rolling. However, after an awkward silence when both characters looking around aimlessly, he suddenly asks “do you want any help carrying your bags home?” this implies that he wants to find out more about her.

This medium two shot shows the two characters walking along an old train track, the fact that it’s an old train track matches the fact that they’re talking about their childhood. The shot allows the audience to see both characters laughing which is the first time in the film the audience have seen them happy. During this scene it’s the first time the audience get some information about their past as he says “after all the shit went down between us”, this suggest that they were couple and but had broken up because of an argument. The surroundings in the scene at rather plain and dull, this is effective because it makes the two characters the focus point and the audience focus on them. It’s also the first point in the film that the title ‘Amy’ has been suggested that the female character must be Amy as she’s the only female in the film.

As Amy leaves the track, the camera zooms in on his face which allows the audience the see a smile on his face, this implies that he might still have feelings for her. As she is leaving the track and he follows behind it symbolises that they’re leaving their past behind and starting on a new track. There is no non-diegetic music, there is only ambient sound and dialogue, this is effective because there’s no music to distract the audience, and it allows them to stay focused on the two characters.

As the film continues, the final scene is in Amy’s house where the characters are talking about their past. Amy jokes around by pretending that she’s three months pregnant, the shot reverse shot is used to allow the audience to see both, but mainly the male characters, facial expression. This close up allows the audience to see his eyebrows raised which implies that he’s shocked, he immediately asks who the father is, however Amy can’t continue with the prank without laughing. The camera reverses back to the male character where you can see he is angry with Amy for lying, this suggests to the audience that he still cares about Amy, and that he may have never got over her and still has feelings towards her. This impression given to the audience is also supported by his dialogue of “I don’t enjoy picturing you with someone else”.

This medium shot shows Amy kicking the male character out, after he revealed that he had been following her more a few months. This shot shows two different types of lighting which is very effective, in the house is a low key lighting where Amy is left feeling miserable after she has been messed around with,. Whereas on the outside where the male character is, there is a more naturalistic lighting which is a high key lighting which reflects his mood as he feels he has accomplishment his plan to make Amy feeling like how he felt when he was ‘the other man’. As the male character walks away, non-diegetic music begins this emphasises him leaving and because this is the first bit of non-diegetic music it shows a change in the story.

It then cuts to the male character running, this is effective because the first scene was him running away from the camera and towards her. Whereas now, in the last scene, he is running towards the camera and away from her. This also symbolises a change. The non-diegetic is still playing which is at a fast pace and in a high key, this matches the smile on his face and suggests that he is happy of what he has accomplished as he wanted to make Amy feel like how he felt.

A medium side-on shot is used, the room and stuff in the background is out of focus, this is effective because it makes the two characters the focal point and makes the audience focus on them. This shot allows the audience to see that both characters are starring deeply into one another’s eye, which shows that there is a connection, the shot also allows us to see the characters slightly tilting, implying that they’re leaning in for a kiss. The male character slowly reaches his hand out the Amy’s hair to pull her closer, this shows that he’s taking control, this supports the stereotype of men being more powerful and ‘wearing the trousers in the relationship’. As they lean in for the kiss, the music the sound of sirens sped up and get louder, this emphasis the kiss. The fact that the siren gets louder connotes that the kiss is dangerous and won’t led to a good/happy ending for them.

Throw me to the dogs – Aaron Dunleavy & Joseph Ollman - Drama

The first shot of the film is a close up of a pair of hands holding a magpie, this instantly suggests to the audience that this character is a shy and caring person. The close up shows that the hands are dirty it also shows that there is a lot of dirt underneath the nail, this implies that they like to be in the garden a lot or they are poor/homeless. The low key lighting creates a dull scene and suggests that the character is more likely to be poor and live in a rough place rather than doing the gardening. The camera then switches to a close up of a young boy who is holding the bird, he has mud on his face and his top is baggy a dirty which again suggest he is part of a poor family.

This medium shot allows the audience to see inside the young boy’s house which confirms that he and his dad are poor. Their lack of money is shown by the lack of decoration within the house, as their walls haven’t been painted, their cooking appliances are very basic and the kitchen is dirty. Once again, low key lighting has been used, this is effective because it makes the house look dull and presents it in a negative way. The fact that they’re both struggling is shown by the dad cooking dinner in a pan with something from a tin and neither the son nor dad can bare to smell it.

A high angle shot is used to show his lack of power when he’s getting bullied by a gang of boys. When the camera switches to the focusing on the bullies, the camera is a low angle shot so that it’s looking at them which shows that they are power and authority. It’s mainly dark colours during this scene which creates a dark and dull mood. There’s diegetic sounds of all the bullies shouting and laughing, this again shows their power and that the son has lack of power as he remains silent throughout the beating.

A close up is used to show the main boy in the gang of bullies threating the son (Dylan) not to turn up to the football match. This shot allows the audience to see both of the characters facial expression, Dylan has his eyes shut which shows that he’s scared of what will happen next. This close up also allows the audience to see a scar on the bullies face which suggests that he’s been in a lot of fights and not all the time he has won.

Stop – Reinaldo Marcus Green – Drama

The over the shoulder shot allows the audience to see Dylan hit the bully around the head with a hammer, this challenges the stereotype of how bullies are also seen as winners and how the victim hides away and doesn’t stand up for themselves. During the film Dylan has been seen as shy, therefore the audience weren’t expecting him to stand up for himself, it left the audience with a shock which is one of the conventions of a drama genre film. After he has fallen to the floor, the screen goes black which leaves the story on an edge which again shows that it’s a drama.

A close up shot is used to show a male character in a hoodie and wearing a baseball cap in the night in a park. This shot instantly suggest to the audience that he could be doing drugs because of the stereotype of how black men are represented. The lighter background allows the audience to see the characters outline however the characters identity is kept hidden, this is effective because it encourages the audience to continue watching. His hidden identity suggests that he could be hiding something and implies that he could be dealing drugs. However, this impression is soon changed when the pan pans around to see another male character holding a baseball which suggest that they could be doing some extra training, however the question why would they be doing it at this time enters the audiences head.

This low angle shot lets the audience look up at the male character, the use of the low angle shot shows the characters power and dominance, and this supports the stereotype of how black men are seen as strong. The shot allows the audience to see the character sitting in the bus, the complete darkness out the window is effective because it makes the audience focus on the character, and this symbolises and supports the stereotype of how black men want to be the centre of attention. This shot shows the male character looking out the window, it allows the audience to see the left side of his face and part of his facial expression which suggests that he’s quite relaxed. Due to the impression he’s calm implies to the audience that it’s leading up to an event as the genre of the film is drama and so far nothing dramatic has happened yet.

This long shot is effective because the camera is in the perspective of the person in the car. The car shows the dashboard of the car and in the distance can be seen the outline of the male character, this implies that the car is after the male character. The darkness of the scene creates a mystery which suggests that it’s now leading up to the drama. The camera cuts from the view in the car to a close up of the male character, this are quick short cuts which builds up the tension and implies that there is a link between the two.

The flashing red lights instantly implies to the audience that the car was a police a car and has pulled up the male character and is now searching him. The impression that they were given at the beginning of the film of how he could be a drug dealer has now been reinforced. Again the scene I very dark, but the audience can make out the police office searching his bag, this side on shot allows the audience to see the male character looking over at the police office searching, this suggests that the boy may be hiding something in his bag. However, he is soon let go after the police can’t find anything in his bag, this suggests to the audience that either he is innocent and has nothing to hide or he was lucky that he police didn’t find whatever he was hiding in his bag.

This is scene is very dark which is effective because it keeps the audience intrigued as they have to guess what’s happening. After being released by the police, the male character arrives home and immediately rushes into his room this suggests that he’s hiding something in his bag. This shot shows him in the bathroom unwrapping something that he had taken from his back, instantly drugs are suggested. The diegetic sound of the toilet flushing implies that he has got rid of the drugs. This challenges the stereotype of how all black men do drugs and there are some sensible ones. It links back to the title of the film ‘Stop’ because he stop the rugs before anything could happen.