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 fiancé (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