Welcome back! As you know today we’re working on breaking down the conventions we see used in different short films. Up next on our list is Prosopagnosia by Hugo Kaijzer, which we also obtained from the "Short of the Week" website.
Camera Angles, Movement, and Shots:
In this short film, a number of different camera shots are incorporated. The most common shots within the film were long shots, wide shots, and medium shots. Long shots were used to capture subjects are they were first introduced, whilst wide shots were used with the purpose of exploring new and unfamiliar settings. Medium shots were reserved for conversations between multiple subjects, as were over-the-shoulder shots. Close-up shots were not as common, but they did make themselves apparent. The close-up shot was used to create of intensity during the investigation being held between the primary subject and the police officer.
Regarding the specific type of angle most often within the film, I would say that it was the high angle. It was used to a similar effect as the close-up shot, as to make the primary subject feel a sense of inferiority to the police officer who commanded power and authority during their conversation.
Camera movements in the film were fairly limited. The only noticeable camera movement was the simulation of the camera being handheld when the primary subject was traveling in a vehicle.
Mis-Én-Scene:
The subjects in this film were dressed rather formally, fitted with a suit and tie. Although not wearing any make-up, both men appeared to be well-kempt, with slicked-back hair. When it came to the situation that the primary subject was experiencing, I thought that it seemed a bit odd for a man who had supposedly found the body of his friend and then reported to the police station to report a crime soon after to look so put together. I was expecting to see a disheveled individual.
The entire short film was shot in darkness, with the subject being cast in shadow. Now, this did not interfere with the quality of the film, quite the contrary. This creative decision allowed for an added sense of mysteriousness to be layered over the already tense scenes, creating a gripping visual experience.
The primary subject seemed to be very serious throughout the entirety of the short film. At times he did seem to quaver, faltering under the imposing nature of the officer he was speaking to. He did not seem to be overly upset or saddened by the entirety of the situation, whilst I believed that someone in that situation would be at their wit's end trying to figure out what happened, although one could argue that grief is manifested in different ways. To sell the point (and the title of the film), the primary subject does a great job of making it seem as though he truly has forgotten the face of the officer he is speaking to. When it comes to the acting performance of the officer himself, he seems to have a dry sense of humor and a dominating personality.
As is to expected, there were a number of props that related to the specific locations included in the film. For example, in the police department, there was a case file, a clipboard, and a coffee cup. The most noteworthy of props within the film were instead the photo the primary subject had of his girlfriend Laura, which he later uses to piece together the fact that it was not his friend who he had found lying dead, but rather his girlfriend, the New York Yankee shirt seen encased in his girlfriend’s home, and the camera, whose flash allows the subject to recall, even for a fleeting moment, the face of his girlfriend.
The film was set in three locations, the interrogation room of a police department, the apartment of the primary subject’s girlfriend where her body was found, and directly outside of said apartment building.
Sound:
This short film had a number of diegetic sound effects, including the crackle of lightning, the sound of glass breaking (which was reversed and used to transition into a flashback), and the sound of a camera clicking. Even a voiceover was used when the primary subject began to regain memories of their girlfriend’s face. All of said sounds functioned to either further the plot in one way or another, or at the very least to set the tone of the film. When it came to the non-diegetic sounds, they mainly presented themselves in the form of dramatic music.
Editing:
Although this short film only switched between three different locations, the director’s decision to include flashbacks increased the need for the inclusion of some post-production magic. Cross-cutting is evident when the primary subject begins to think about memories they have of their girlfriend, whilst still immersed in a discussion with the police officer. Shot-reverse shots were also included during the exchange between the primary subject and the police officer when they were still in the interrogation room, illustrating the struggle for power they both engaged in as they tried to take control of the conversation. Moreover, the fading in and out of the opening sequence titles in the film, as well as the ending of the film which cuts to black, were also achieved via the use of editing.
Takeaways:
In this short film, we found there to be an interesting mixture of different filming styles. At points, the pacing slowed, particularly when the primary subject recalled times they had spent with their girlfriend, but at other times it quickened, such as with the conversation that transpired between said subject and the officer at the station. We especially liked the idea of using close-up shots to create feelings of intensity, so it may just be something that we include in our own work. With that being said, we did some faults within this short film, mainly with how the film concluded. While the ending was not ambiguous, it certainly was puzzling. Watching and analyzing this short has taught my fellow group members and I that we should not try to cram as many shots and details as we want into our film, despite how necessary we may originally feel them to be because instead of providing our viewers with more clarity, we may just leave them confused.
The short film was decent overall, despite its plot being a little spotty, the camerawork, dialogue, and sound were fantastic and make for quite an interesting watch-through. If we were to give a final rating, we’d say that it is just about “good enough” (Empire Cast 2016).
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