Wilhelmina Denness

Characters

In this short we find there is only one main character and several stock characters who act as the antagonists in these slightly confusing narrative. The first character we’re introduced to is 15 year old, Scott. At the start of the film he slowly wakes up quite content, for that matter, before a blinding light hits him and he falls back down. Graphic match is used then here as we see him rise again but in a different location and in a different state of appearance. In the first shot we can just make out that he’s sat in a bed, clothed in nightwear. Yet in the second medium close up shot Scott instead appears dishevelled and clearly living in squalor.

In the close up shot on the right is the main character, Scott. We can see that he is wearing a green hoodie and in other shots we find that his full costume is made up of several tops, a scarf, trainers and baggy jogging bottoms. His overall appearance is shabby and gives us the reading that he lives in squalor and has been doing so for some time. This is also supported by the location which we see almost immediately after we are initially introduced to the character. It’s conventional of apocalyptic sci-fi films to present the characters in a dishevelled and unkempt way in order to give the reading that the characters have been living in the wild, trying to survive in a hellish world/ society. In this film we see just that. In addition, Scott’s makeup, which has been applied to resemble dirt, further confirms our reading that he’s been living in conditions far from ordinary and that he must either be on the run from something or in hiding.

The close up shot on the right pans to the right as Scott puts his shoes on his feet. From this close up we can see that the shoes are severely worn and that the bottom of his grey jogging bottoms are stained with mud. This emphasises the reading that the conditions and state Scott live in is tragically poor and so both costume and make-up have been used effectively here to inform us of the apocalyptic sub-genre.

As an additional note, in the above shot you can see a discarded paper cup and broken glass. These are obviously dangerous conditions, especially for a 15 year old boy to be sleeping beside. The fact broken glass litters the floor implies a window must have been smashed, providing connotations of vandalism. Thus this suggests that the houses have all been ransacked as a result of what has happened to society: causing crime and homelessness to be a bigger issue.

The stock characters we see in this short are a group of what we might classify into the stereotypical group, ‘hoodies’. Dressed in dirty tracksuits, these characters act as the antagonists in this film which we get the reading for initially from the way shaky high

Wilhelmina Denness

angle long shots are used and cut between these and close up shots of Scott looking warily out of the wall. These youths are dressed in black jackets with some sort of black jumper covering the lower part of the characters’ faces. What we see towards the end of the film is the antagonists finally catching up with Scott and pinning him to the floor. As one of the characters steps back, the rest of the group encircles the boy once they

have parted for one character, who we assume is the leader of the group (boss). This ‘leader’ kneels in front of Scott so that in this close up shot on the right we can see he is a grown man, with hard set features and an unshaven beard growth. This suggests that like Scott, him and the group have been living in the same conditions and are in the same state, fighting for survival. The build of his character gives us the reading that he must be aggressive and violent because people who appear dressed the way he does, and with a lean appearance, are often stereotyped as being vindictive and violent, thus the reason why we get the reading he is an antagonist. The fact that their jackets/ hoodies are black as opposed to green like Scott’s, with connotations of evil and antagonism supports this reading also.

Settings/ locations

It’s very difficult to see this medium close up shot easily however right at the start of the film we see Scott waking up, squinting in the bright light. In this shot and a later medium long shot taken from the side of Scott’s bed (lasting less than a second), we can see he’s wearing a clean, white, pyjama top and is lying beneath a striped duvet. Our reading of this is that he’s in his own bed and so must be in his own room, and has only just woken up from sleep. This strikes us as something normal. However, the lighting suggests something different, causing us to be weary as to why it is that bright and to consider that maybe the intensity has been used to convey the fact that this is a dream.

Our reading is correct as the next moment the shot fades to white and suddenly a long shot of Scott cuts in showing us a completely different setting, a binary opposite to the conditions he was in before. Whilst he was once in the safety and comfort of his own home we now see his conditions proving dismal and unattractive. On the left is a medium long shot of Scott lying down on the floor, covered by a thick fabric which looks

like a sleeping bag or at least a familiar material. His shoes rest by his head, close by,

Wilhelmina Denness

implying that he is wary someone or something is likely to take the shoes if they were discarded further away from him. We see that Scott is wearing gloves which implies that the room is cold and for one thing, this isn’t a nice place to live. The wall and floor are covered with dirt and grime. As unpleasant and repulsive as it seems, the fact Scott is lying down on it tells us that this building must be a derelict one where furnishings are something of a luxury and would not be found in a place such as this. Already we get the reading that something has happened to have caused him to come into such conditions, from once living in a hospitable and appealing home. Like most apocalyptic sci-fi films, the characters do live a life separate from luxury and are thus set in locations that appear grotesque and unappealing. Their rights as a character/human are compromised when they live in such locations. We are seeing here then that this film too, conforms to the conventions of an apocalyptic sci-fi film.

The exterior shots are just as worse. In this long shot of Scott exploring the street it looks as if the whole place has been ransacked, whether vandalism or warfare has taken place here we cannot know but what is clear is that destruction is all that remains of the place. The trees in the background are bare which implies that the film is set during the tail-end of autumn/ winter. If you take the full length feature film, The Hunger Games as an example, you’ll find that the Districts, such as District 12, are all presented presenting the area as being consumed by poverty and this takes on an atmosphere of distress, devastation and dreary desolation. What we see is that by creating a setting that is rundown, the film is further conforming to the sub-genre and this is shown in the same way even in blockbuster films such as The Hunger Games.

Themes

Corrupt society Antagonism Survival Violence

Genre Iconography

In this short we find that violence is a concept mainly dealt with. In accordance with this we find that in terms of iconography it is very conventional to find that with sci-fi films, aggression and hostility are the focus of the story and therefore weapons are icons we can expect as part of the genre. When shot-reverse-shot shows Scott and one of the ‘thugs’ staring at one another, building the intensity of the scene, close up shots are taken, focused on the knife in the antagonist’s hand whilst Scott holds onto a rock in his own hand- another

Wilhelmina Denness

weapon, although feeble, which is the only resource he could manage to get his hands on.

Knives are icons of power and violence. They connote danger and death. This shows that the character must be an antagonist because he is intending to use it on this boy, who we are assuming to be innocent from the way he fears the men who hang in groups to look sinister and overpowering. Not only does the iconography inform us about the characters but we can also mention that as it isn’t a futuristic weapon which glows, this film is set in the near future. It also must be an apocalyptic sci-fi as it is this sub-genre which is most likely to make use of the weapons we have today. Therefore this informs us of the sub-genre.

Another piece of iconography is the backpack which is focused on in this medium shot which tracks Scott picking it up and putting it on his back. One of the most conventional icons associated with apocalyptic sci-fi films are bags, used to store food. Later on in the film we see that this is what Scott uses it for. It is an essential piece of iconography which straight away, we can link back to the sub-genre since the icon is a

necessity for characters who are collecting supplies to survive in an apocalyptic world.

Camera Shot/ Angle/ Movement

A majority of the movements seen in this film are shaky and sometimes canted shots. The effect of shaking the camera and thus making the images more confusing than what they ought to be, gives the film an edge to it, increasing the tension because it acts a reflection of Scott must be feeling: wary and on edge. The movement does get quite annoying at times and I think it’s been overused in this short however I like how it has been used at points to almost mimic Scott’s breathing which must be erratic and so give reason as to why the camera shakes so much. We also have tilts, panning and what’s also used a lot is tracking, particularly for when Scott picks up his backpack (iconography of the genre) and during the fight scenes.

A variety of shots are used throughout the film to convey different meanings. For one, we have a close up deep focus shot of Scott holding onto a photo of him and his family. The photo has been folded several times and it’s slightly worn suggesting he has been carrying it around for some time. We also get the reading that he must have lost his family since this is the first thing he looks at when he’s just

Wilhelmina Denness

woken up and does so with a sadness in his expression. This is accompanied by the diegetic sound of the photo being unfolded.

We also find that there is a point of view shot for when Scott zips up his hoodie (accompanied by the synchronous, diegetic sound of the zipper) which creates the effect that we are Scott, looking on at the zipper being drawn up. This is really effective as already, we are being given a closer connection to the character.

Later on in the film we also find that like in ‘Alone’ when the man is taking jars of food from the

cupboard and a close up shot has been taken from the point of view of the jars/ back of the cupboard, this shot is used again in this film to provide a new perspective of the

character, as if we’ve been detached from the perspective we’re already used to seeing.

Birds’ eye shots are used several times in this short where we see Scott walking about and also during the scene where he is running from the antagonists who shortly follow him (and the shot tracks

these movements). From this perspective it emphasises Scott’s vulnerability in the world he now has to survive in.

Another really effective shot is this close up shot which pans left and right (tracks Scott) as he quickly surveys the area before deciding to walk away. At first the site is clear and it looks safe for Scott to move away but just as he does so we see one of the antagonists to Scott’s right and the moment a sharp non-diegetic sound plays he jumps for him. This creates fear and tension for the audience and is a really interesting use of shot.

Editing

The edits in this film are fairly simple with a majority of cuts being used. Fade to white has

been used at the start which I have explained before, creating the effect that what Scott just experienced was a flashback in a dream. When the antagonist is about to kill Scott at the end quick cuts are used to dramatize the scene, like the other fight scenes which builds pace and tension to reflect the quick actions used by Scott in his attempt to escape. A blackout is followed when both lunge to attack so that we are left wondering what has happened to both characters and thus leaving the audience on a cliff-hanger. A

1 Low angle deep focus medium close up shows emphasises the dominance the antagonist has over Scott.

Wilhelmina Denness

cut to black is appropriate here, rather than a fade as it’s snappy and helps reflect the quick actions of the two characters.

Sound

Diegetic sound dominates this film, used as a way of upholding the verisimilitude of the film. As the shot of Scott fades to white, non-diegetic music plays in the background very similar to white noise. The shot then cuts to another shot of Scott in a different setting and the music stops. From here we hear the ambience of birds in the background, followed by diegetic sounds such as Scott rubbing his eyes and shifting about in his make-shift bed. We also hear the faint ambient sound of the wind in the background which suggests the wind is important and thus we get the reading that it must be a bitter and icy wind -winter. Some of the other sounds we hear include the diegetic sound of Scott zipping his hoodie up, unfolding the photo of his family, and his footsteps. Just before the title appears, doleful, non-diegetic music fades in which sets us up for a film we get the reading for the film as being based on the character’s loneliness and desolation. Diegetic sound perspective is used here also for Scott’s footsteps when he’s walking on the streets and a long shot still captures the sound. The music then fades out.

When Scott is walking around one of the buildings where he manages to find food, we can hear the diegetic sounds of his footsteps followed by the crunch of dirt and glass being crushed under the soles of his trainers. This suggests that the floor is covered with grime, just as we actually see and get a reading throughout the film. There are also many diegetic sounds used along with this such as the sound of Scott pushing aside branches and Scott opening up a cupboard whilst looking for food.

When Scott looks out of one of the holes in the wall where a window would normally be, tense non-diegetic music fades in as an extreme long shot shows the ‘hoodies’ walking into the street. This is used to show the anxiety these characters put on Scott. This then fades out and the diegetic sounds continue to dominate the scene.

I’ve mentioned how one of the shots shows Scott about to walk away from one of the buildings and how he looks around before venturing out, when suddenly one of the antagonists jumps on him. The moment we see this character a soft non-diegetic thud plays which is shortly followed by face paced music as Scott tries to break free from his grip. The only bit of dialogue in the whole of this short is when one of the antagonists shouts ‘Oi!’ in an aggressive and informal tone. The music then becomes a lot more dramatic and increases in pace and volume the closer the characters are to catching Scott. At one moment when Scott is being focused on as well as one of the antagonists, we hear the diegetic sound of their heavy breathing which adds suspense to the mix of this film.

The music cuts out the moment Scott is thrown to the floor and the diegetic sound of the bodies shifting and Scott’s wriggling away across the stones is audible. As the main antagonist reaches for a knife and bends down, ready to use it on Scott, music cuts in and becomes very dramatic and tense, almost with the undertones of being ominous and threatening/scary. This builds to a crescendo which ends with quick thudding

Wilhelmina Denness

sound effects as quick cuts show the characters about to fight and this suddenly cuts out. As the credits finally fade in, mysterious, eerie music plays on. The effect of this is that it has built tension and increased the intensity of the scene so much that we are left feeling cut-off suddenly from what has happened. The use of the music at the end leaves us feeling chilled to the bone because we aren’t sure whether anybody has been killed.

Lighting

At the start of the film, I have mentioned how we see that Scott is having a dream/ flashback of his previous life and this shot is consumed with a degree of high key lighting to create a bright, clear and calming mood. Yet this changes when we see that low key lighting is used for when Scott is walking around different buildings. The quick alteration from high key lighting to the scene where Scott wakes up from the dream to find himself back in the derelict house, emphasises the dismal appearance of the building as well as the depressive and lonely emotions he must be feeling having lost his family and now having to live with the bare minimum with nothing to look forward to except for the shelter of a building at night.

Typography

Different to the short films I’ve looked at so far, this short, whilst using non-diegetic music in the background (following on from

the previous

scene/shots) shows the camera tilting up and shaking slightly as the title fades in and out. The difference here is that the title appears over the shot rather than over a black background, which I’ve

found is the case in almost all of the films I’ve analysed. In a translucent black colour, the font we see is broad and stands out well. It is also in upper case letters which is something I’ve found to suggest that violence is involved in the film since capital locks imply an urgency and rash boldness about the film because of how they stand out more to the audience. The same effect is created from the use of the font. As for the choice of a black translucent tone, the colour must have been chosen to reflect the antagonism and evil that lurks in this film whilst the fact it has been made translucent helps to show that this doesn’t mask the possible hope of goodness in this film.

This then cuts into a close up shallow focus shot of a branch where a credit is centred in the shot. The font is simple, which reflects the simplicity of the narrative and possibly acts as a reflection of Scott’s monotonously simple days, searching for food, eating, sleeping and most of all, surviving. The colour also mimics the colour of the branch which creates the effect that nature and the environment has an important element on how we must judge the film; after all, we see the two binary opposites throughout the film, both manmade obstruction and destruction of ruined and abandoned homes and

Wilhelmina Denness

the dying beauty of the landscape-nature. We also see this contrast when Scott and the antagonist are about to fight and the male character holds out a gun while Scott is ready to pounce with the rock. Possibly this nature vs. unattractive appearance of the derelict buildings could be representing the divide between the two characters and their class/ backgrounds. However I could also just be reading too much into this. We see that ‘EDGE’ is written in capital letters but most likely for the purpose of the font used to establish the name. When this cuts out a nice, effective focus pull is used where deep focus shows Scott walking across the shot. This creates continuity and thus helps lead us on from the statement to the actual film.

The credits at the end of the film slowly fade in and out whilst in the background, ominous and haunting non-diegetic music plays in the background which creates an eerie atmosphere. The typography used here is the same as for the credit at the start which outlined the production company. However the colour and background are both different. It seems conventional of all films to use a black background and white writing so I can assume that the case for

this choice was for professionalism, since every full length feature film presents credits in this way.