Is that who I think it is? Hello again dearest reader, I am happy to inform you that we have now reached the last film on our watch list for examination, Oracle by Aaron Poole, which we also encountered on the "Short of the Week" website.
Camera Angles, Movement, and Shots:
In this short film, we saw that there were a good number of camera shots used. Said camera shots included medium close-ups of the primary subject as they went about their daily life, whether that be in bed, in the living room, or traveling up the stairs. Close-up shots were also used when the primary subject seemed to grow more aware and attuned to their surroundings. When the film began to devolve into a more experimental piece, over-the-shoulder shots were used to conceal the face of the primary subject and highlight their detachment from reality and the presence, an interesting and effective choice. The same was true for the usage of long shots in the short.
When looking at the camera angles used within the short film, my partners and I discovered that low, high, and eye-level angles were all used. Eye-level angles were used during moments when the primary subject had some sense of normalcy. This whilst the high and low angle shots were used in succession to distort the perspective of the audience as the primary subject began to question their own state of being on the stairs.
In terms of the camera movements applied, zoom-outs were used with the intention of showing the child zone out, whereas zoom-ins were used to the effect of showing the child become hyperfocused on a certain task or activity. This may indicate that the child has an attention deficit disorder or something of the like, which is why they are so adventurous, in their attempts to keep themselves preoccupied and other of their parents’ way. Panning was also applied when the subject shifted their focus from one thing to another.
Mis-Én-Scene:
This short film follows a young child who is dressed in regular casual clothing and then a set of pajamas later on. There is a point where they are shown in a jacket, but that marks the end of their clothing changes. In addition, seeing as they are a child, they do not wear any make-up whatsoever.
The lighting of the film was generally dark, since most of the short film is staged at night, although there are some moments of daylight earlier on in the film. The darkness in the majority of the film, particularly the extreme lack of light when the child enters a dream-like state, does add a sense of eerieness to the short, which does unnerve the audience a bit.
The acting within the short film was indicative of the symbolism within the film. When the film begins, the child seems to be entranced with the woodcutter and trying new things, like eating plants on their kitchen floor and staying up past their bedtime. Although, when it comes down to it, they still miss the idea of being a sheltered child, seeking to return to the safety in the cradle of their mother's arms once again, which they achieve by whining.
The blue balloon and wooden blocks were the only two main props used in the film. They had the most interaction time with the primary subject and seemed to symbolize their sense of innocence slipping away no matter how tightly they thought they were still holding on.
The entire film is set in one location, the primary subject’s household. This opens up the possibility to explore different sections of the house, such as the staircase, the kitchen, and teh bedrooms, as well as to shed the plane of reality and delve into the minds of those who dwell in the home, which is what the film does.
Sound:
In this short film, diegetic sound was essential to amping up what my group likes to call the “creep factor.” Ambient sounds, including the continued sound of the woodcutter even inside of the house (which later evolves into non-diegetic noise for the audience to hear as a call back to earlier in the film), are essential to creating a sense of familiarity that is still able to unnerve the audience. Additionally, the sound of muted and echoed screams by the primary subject was especially powerful, seeing to hint to them being trapped in their own desire to maintain their childhood innocence. The whispers of a female voice counting blocks were downright terrifying, especially when paired with a series of loud and heavy breaths made by an unknown source. Aside from this assortment of sounds, there really was no dialogue between any of the subjects shown in the film. When it came to the non-diegetic sounds, there was a continued droning of woodcutter at all times of the night, even long after the father of the child should have been asleep. That, in turn, creates a jarring, sinister sound just for being out of place.
Editing:
On our first watch-through of the short film, my group and I found it interesting that the film was framed in a way that resembled an older camera model’s style. It was almost as if the director wanted to cut out all other potential distractions from the background and have the audience focus their attention on one specific aspect at a time. It served as a visual guide of sorts. In terms of the other form of visual editing we encountered with this short film, we found there was some blurry imagery included to represent how the line between reality and desire for the child was being blurred. Jump cuts between the child’s nightmarish thoughts and that of them being safely in the care of their mother created a contrast between the thin line that the child is currently treading.
Takeaways:
After watching this short film, we have found the value in taking time to think through the symbolism our film could contain. Knowing that even a prop as simple as a balloon can carry such an impactful message has inspired us to look for meaning in the mundane and use it to turn our own short into a masterful allegory. The idea of aligning shots to the current mental presence of a character was also a very intriguing concept for us, especially with the zoom-ins and zoom-outs.
I will say that watching that did make me a bit unsettled, so it definitely gave us the “heebiejeebies” (Aminé and Kahlani 2017).
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