Friday, November 20, 2020

Script to Screen: Short Film Review

 Snowbirds - Short Film Review


(Snowbirds, 2020)

Snowbirds (2020), written and directed by Justin Robinson, is a short film about a widow struggling to deal with the heartache at the loss of her husband and her journey of desperation to see him once again. The title Snowbirds is symbolic of the contents of the short film. In literature snow is often used to represent death, sadness and hopelessness. Birds tend to travel in a group or a flock. These two things could represent the fact that she's lost a part of her (her husband) and is lost without it. 

Robinson has consistently broken the 180 degree rule throughout the film. One of the most obvious breaks of this rule is in the scene where the couple seeking advice from Agnes are alone in her living room arguing. The rule is broken upon the fiancĂ© (Whitney) says "God, your hands are sweaty". As an audience, when this rule is broken we are left feeling uncomfortable, which reflects the fact that the couple are feeling a sense of discomfort. 

Fig.1

A shot takes place looking through the window at the couple arguing as they're getting in the car as though us as the audience are witnessing this from Agnes' point of view. This is then implied by a change in shot, zooming in on Agnes looking out the same window and shaking her head in disapproval. Blue lighting is used throughout most scenes of the film to represent Agnes' pain, sadness, heartache and feelings of isolation. The lighting changes to warmer yellow tones when she is in the presence of the character Ethel and in the final scene when she is reunited with her husband, Harold. This could mirror her feeling as though she is understood and feeling some sense of peace/happiness.

With regards to transitions between scenes within the film, most are rather smooth. For example, in one shot the camera zooms in on Agnes and the window she is staring out of (a close up shot) eventually going out of focus. This transitions to another window (a window in the church) that is out of focus, and pans across to the pews, with the camera slowly coming into focus upon Agnes. This is effective as it allows for a sense of fluidity between the two scenes. 

Fig.2

    

Fig.3

The fact that grief can be a shared and somewhat relatable experience is shown through the scene of Agnes and her friend (Ethel) that takes place in the interior of a church. However, we are reminded that everyone's experience of grief and loss is different through Agnes' earlier comment, "Don't ever tell anyone who's lost a loved one that you know exactly how you feel because you don't", in response to Whitney's comment about knowing how Agnes feels. 

Robinson has played into certain stereotypes in parts of this film. One of the main examples being the portrayal of Ethel. The character Ethel is a Southern American God loving middle-aged woman. This is subtly emphasised by the fact that Agnes is speaking to her within a church and that she is wearing a jumper that says 'Jesus lives within me'. The other main example is the portrayal of the Psychic (Monica). Throughout the reading Monica gets things wrong about Agnes and Harolds' lives and at one point, Monica stutters when she changes the subject after Agnes has said that she doesn't see her husband when Monica says "he's here". By doing this, it is implied that the psychic is making her readings/connection to Harold up. Robinson is playing into the stereotype of psychics being con artists and a load of nonsense. 

Fig.4

In the final scene, we as the audience are left questioning as to whether or not Agnes has passed away. The final piece of dialogue is of Agnes asking God to see her husband just once more ("Lord, I can't wait till Heaven, I promise I'll give him right back"). We then see his hands and arms placing a duvet over her and taking her glasses off as well as a picture of him to imply that God has answered her prayer. As she smiles at the end, we are unsure as to whether Agnes has passed away in her sleep and has joined Harold in heaven or whether she is now content but living. Harold taking off her glasses is also a reference back to the shot of the glasses on the Bible in the church as Agnes talked about her sleeping with her glasses on at night just in case she saw him in her dreams. The fact that he has taken her glasses off is symbolic of her desire to see Harold again coming true as well as the ending of the film.

Fig.5
In the scene where Agnes is sitting on the bed looking into the distance and thinking, it flicks back to different aspects of the film with her appearing to be sad and a picture of her husband. This further indicates and emphasises the great heartache and longing she is feeling. The visible distress she is in creates a sense of empathy within yourself as an audience member. 

Snowbird was an emotionally challenging film that made me feel a sense of discomfort, particularly with the breaking of the 180 degree rule. The sense of discomfort we were made to feel is representative of how hard it is to sit with grief and it's brutality.  As Glennon Doyle put forward the idea that "Life is equal parts brutal and beautiful" , which is very true in the case of this film as it shows the brutality of loss and the beauty of love. This short film is rather compelling as it emphasises the importance of connection alongside the beauty and pain that deep connections bring with them. 

Bibliography:

Doyle, G. (2013) Carry On, Warrior (6th ed). London: Penguin, p.7.

Fig.1 Still of Whitney (2020) [Film still, Youtube] In: Snowbirds

Fig.2 Still of Agnes looking out a window (2020) [Film still, Youtube] In: Snowbirds

Fig.3 Still of blurred church window (2020) [Film still, Youtube] In: Snowbirds

Fig.4 Still of Ethel (2020) [Film still, Youtube] In: Snowbirds

Fig.5 Still of Ethel (2020) [Film still, Youtube In: Snowbirds

Snowbirds (2020) [film] Directed by Robinson, J [Youtube] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRjlM-eemdc&ab_channel=Omeleto

Sunday, November 15, 2020

Script to Screen: Short Film Review

 Birthday - Short Film Review

https://vimeo.com/42734453 (Birthday, 2012)

'Birthday' (2012), written and directed by Pietro Malegori, is an emotionally challenging short film that deals with the subject of grief and loss. The film is shot from two main character's perspectives as they deal with the loss of their son. Throughout the film, the shots switch between the mother and father, depicting the different ways in which they deal with the loss of their son. 

The title 'Birthday' is symbolic of the fact that the film takes place on the day of their deceased son's birthday. The audience is subtly told this and reminded of this throughout the film in the form of shots of a birthday cake and a picture of their son. 

Fig.1 Still of Cake with lit candle from (Birthday, 2012)

The fact that the characters never meet and are in separate rooms throughout the film, could be symbolic of their loss of connection with each other as a result of their loss. The presence of telephones in both of their bedrooms and the use of one by the husband at the end shows a connection trying to be reestablished but it being too late as they were too wrapped up in their own pain rather than grieving as one. 

Malegori subtly matches the characters' costumes to their surroundings, in particular the mother's costumes. An example of this is in the penultimate scene, the mother's dress matches the bed covers, making her almost blend in. The use of this could reflect the emptiness the characters feel without their son there. Malegori and the director of photography, Michele Brandstetter de Bellesini, have also used neutral simplistic tones when shooting 'Birthday', which could be symbolic of the lack of emotion the parents appear to show throughout the film, until the father sheds a tear, or the numbness their loss has caused.  

Throughout the film, the music increases in volume and becomes more intense, reflecting upon the situation escalating. The music used is rather eerie and sad. The absence of dialogue is effective in this film as the audience doesn't need to be told through dialogue what the story is as it is explicitly implied through the use of objects and the characters' actions.

Malegori echoes shot of the mother in the bath in the penultimate scene where the mother has taken her own life. Both scenes start with the camera angled at the side of the mother, with her left hand on display. The audience is then forced to confront the mother's pain through the camera switching to a birds-eye view shot, making the viewer uncomfortable as the audience is having to look directly into the mother's eyes. Her eye's are often staring right at the camera and hardly moving, adding to the intensity of the atmosphere of the film and allowing the audience to experience the intense emotions the mother is experiencing as a result of her loss.  

 
Fig.2 Still of mother in bath from (Birthday, 2012)
Fig.3 Still of mother on bed from (Birthday,2012)

Malegori cleverly shoots the reflection of the father holding a gun up to his head in the mirror rather than the father himself. Through this shot, he is able to use the father's reflection in the mirror as a symbol of the father reflecting upon the life-changing decision that he is about to make. 

Fig.4 Still of father with gun to head from (Birthday,2012)

For the duration of the film, the mother and father's actions seem to be mirroring each other's in some way, but change at the end. The ending is bittersweet as the mother is finally at peace and no longer has to suffer with the emotional intensity losing her son has caused. However, as the father opted for a different outcome, he now also has to deal with the loss of his wife and son. 

The last shot is of the cake with the single candle that was once alight now out, mirroring the death of the mother, the end of her pain, and the end of the short film. 

Fig.5 Still of unlit candle and smoke from (Birthday, 2012)

The short film is simple but effective. At some point in our lives we all encounter grief and the loss of someone or something, meaning the audience are able to hold a greater sense of empathy whilst watching the film. Whilst watching 'Birthday' I was left feeling both saddened and uncomfortable as I was taken on the characters' journey of grief and loss. The film left me wanting to know more about how their son passed away, how old he was when he passed away, whether the husband ended his own life after discovering his wife had taken her own life, and many more. Malegori has created a very powerful piece that leaves a lasting impact upon the audience with regards to the understanding the effect grief and loss has on people. 

Bibliography:

Birthday (2012) [film] Directed by Malegori, P [Vimeo] At: https://vimeo.com/42734453 (Accessed at 15/11/2020)

Fig.1 Still of Cake with lit candle (2012) [Film still, Vimeo] In: Birthday

Fig.2 Still of mother in bath (2012) [Film still, Vimeo] In: Birthday

Fig.3 Still of mother on bed (2012) [Film still, Vimeo] In: Birthday

Fig.4 Still of father with gun to head (2012) [Film still, Vimeo] In: Birthday

Fig.5 Still of unlit candle and smoke (2012) [Film still, Vimeo] In: Birthday

Monday, November 2, 2020

Script to Screen: Screenwriting Workshop with Jane Marlow

Workshop with Jane Marlow

On Friday 30th October 2020, we participated in a workshop with screenwriter, director, filmmaker, and journalist, Jane Marlow.

We were put into groups of two or three and had to come up with a story, focusing on character, plot, conflict, resolution. We then had to pitch our story to our peers. 

My partner, Derrin, and I came up with the story of a deaf customer in a diner receiving a meal that contains dairy, which their allergic to, from a waiter about to finish their shift. The deaf person is unable to communicate with the waiter as the waiter does not speak sign language and their friend has left to go to the toilet. As tensions rise, a bystander walking past the diner intervenes and resolves the situation.

Jane Marlow put forward questions to my partner surrounding our idea/story, which allowed us to develop it even further. For example, we gained an understanding of the need to differentiate between the bystander and the deaf character's friend who had gone to the toilet. In order to do this, we decided to emphasise the difference between the friend's and the bystander's behaviour around the deaf character. The two friends appear to have banter between them and appear to have a more joking/friend-like relationship whereas, the bystander appears softer in their manner towards the deaf character and the interaction. The bystander is also looking for a resolution to the situation whilst it is occurring whereas the friend seeks to console their friend after the situation has been resolved. Jane also made us think about the possible twists and different versions of aspects of the story. For example, the story could be made out as comedic through the use of exaggeration from the deaf character and the waiter exaggerating their response. 

Throughout the workshop, Jane provided us with advice with regards to screenwriting and the industry, which I found to be very useful and reassuring. Jane's advice and the activities throughout the workshop have enabled me to develop my thinking surrounding how to go about screenwriting. I now have a greater understanding of how to pitch a screenplay/form a log line (e.g. it has to be 20-30 words, pitch conflict not plot, keep it simple). 

Sunday, November 1, 2020

Script to Screen: Late Afternoon Short Film Review

 

Late Afternoon – Short Film Review 



Late Afternoon (2017) is an Oscar-Nominated short film written and directed by Louise Bagnall. The film focuses on an elderly lady, Emily, who suffers from dementia.  

Late Afternoon flicks back and forth between Emily’s past and present trying to connect the two, a task which Emily struggles with, taking the audience on a journey alongside Emily. This allows the audience to empathise with Emily and understand more about who she is in the present at different stages of her life. Emily’s struggle to connect her past and present is reflected in many ways with one being her always chasing or struggling to catch up with something or someone. 


A common theme throughout Late Afternoon is identity and our loss of sense of self as we age. For example, as a child, Emily is seen shouting `hello’ into a dark cave. This could symbolise Emily’s search for her memories and her loss of identity as a result of both the process of ageing and her dementia. The cave could also represent Emily looking for herself. As an audience, this relatable because as human beings we always seem to be searching for our identity and when we think that we have found it, it often slips out from our grasp and we are left searching again. 




In the opening scene, the audience is led to believe that the character, Kate, is Emily’s carer. However, towards the end of the film, the audience discovers that Kate is in fact Emily’s daughters. This reflects Emily’s difficulty in making connections and causes the audience to feel a greater sense of empathy and allows them to experience aspects of Emily’s life alongside her. 


After Emily’s first childhood memory, it flicks back to the present, with Emily still appearing as her childhood self. This shows the infantile state that those suffering with dementia often return to. It also shows that we are all children at heart. The roles are reversed with regards to Kate as Emily’s caregiver. Later on, in the film, one of Emily’s memories displays Emily being Kate’s mother and caregiver. In the present, the roles have been reversed and Kate is now Emily’s caregiver. This aspect really resonates with me as my granny suffers from dementia and this has meant that I am now filling the role of the caregiver that she used to hold when I was a child. Once Emily’s memories have connected, she remembers who her daughter is, shouting her name, which is a change in her tone of voice from the rest of the film. This change in tone and repetition of Kate’s name is symbolic of her trying to hold onto her memories and the memory of her daughter.  


The audience can align to Emily’s experience of her fleeting memories as the experience is similar to everyday experiences, like going into a room to get something, forgetting what you went to get and then seeing something that triggers the memory as to what you’ve forgotten.  

Emily is not the only character facing conflict, Kate is also facing her own conflict. Up until Emily remembering her daughter, Kate calls her mother Emily rather than mum. Kate desires the mother-daughter relationship she has previously had but she doesn’t want to scare or upset Emily by calling her mum. Dementia has a big impact not only on the sufferers but also those around them. Covering the topic of dementia in the short film not only impacts the characters but also leaves a lasting impact on the audience 



For 
the present day, Bagnall opted for warm colours and simplicity within the living room. Whereas, she opted for a variety of colours and open spaces when looking into Emily’s memories. This allows the audience to easily differentiate between Emily’s past (her memories) and present. As the film develops, more colour is introduced into the present day, reflecting upon Emily’s past and present slowly finding their way to each other.  



Bagnall always ensures that we are somehow brought back to Emily, emphasising that present day Emily is still there and that she is searching for her memories. It gives the audience a sense that Emily’s memories are slipping away. It also allows the audience to stay connected to reality and remember that present day Emily is still there, and this is a journey of her remembrance and realisation. 


Upon Emily witnessing her reflection in the photograph of her and her husband as well as her looking at her hands she displays fear and anxiety. This creates a sense of fear in the audience and evokes a sense of sadness. There is always an aspect of anxiety throughout the film, which reflects the anxiety that ageing induces, making the film more relatable and allowing the audience to have a greater sense of empathy. The transitions throughout the film flow fluidly, which is illustrates the rapid changeability of the ageing process. The emphasis on time also shows how time is constantly changing and before we know it we have changed and grown as people. It could also mean that we often get caught up in moments in time. 




In the final scene, a stick is being washed in and out of the sea by the current, with the stick eventually fading. The stick being used in this way represents that a big part of Emily, her memories, are being washed away. It is also symbolic in terms of the fact that memories fade and don’t last forever, especially as we age. The final scene brings itself back to beginning in terms of the biscuit breaking off into the tea representing a piece of Emily becoming lost. 




I focused on this short film as it will aid me in writing my screenplay. My screenplay is based around an elderly lady suffering with dementia and the ramifications it has on her. Late Afternoon is an emotional, thought provoking film that touches upon an often-misunderstood syndrome. It leaves a lasting impact on the audience and creates a sense of warmth within us.  

 






Bagnall, Louise, (2017), Late Afternoon