David Makalena - Film Studies Coursework

The Fly (2014) by Olly Williams What did I enjoy? The film is shot in a good way. The driver is always in shot and the camera focuses on him constantly. This makes sense obviously because he is the main protagonist but the personal feel of the close up camerawork truly drives that relation between us and him home. What did I find interesting? Similar to Operator, a feature film wouldn't necessarily show this side of the situation: in this circumstance we are seeing the getaway driver of a bank heist as opposed to the actual bank heist. What could I challenge? I feel that the wacky methods of this man trying to kill this fly ramp up too quickly. Also, I know the intention of this short is to be outlandish and funny because of it but a man shooting a car with a shotgun to kill a fly isn't funny in this sense because we haven't had time to learn about the character. All I am seeing in this moment is a very angry man destroy a car. If we spent time with the c...

Slap (2015) by Nick Rowland What did I enjoy? How brutally honest this film is hurts at times but is so rewarding overall because we get to see the struggles that trans-people go through on a day to day basis. The scene in the toilet stands out in particular where the main characters two best friends seemingly turn against him and are no longer his support systems. I also loved the long shot of the lead walking down the middle of the street. Coupled with the intense music, it shows a change in mood and a gaining of confidence as he doesn't care what other people think and feels truly happy in his appearance. Getting all this from one shot is very impressive and clearly the intent of the filmmaker. What did I find interesting? The ending of this film is open to interpretation about what happens. Why he keeps hitting the man is understandable due to what the character has been through but what happens when the film fades to black is not known. Having the audience left ...

The Arrival (2016) by Daniel Montanarini What did I enjoy? I loved how theatrical this short was: the way the film was presented was like we were audience members to a stage play and just watching the scene unfold from the one angle. How the film starts with the camera looking in from the outside is something else I enjoyed as from the get-go, we understand that we are bystanders to the events on screen and are merely observers to what is happening. What did I find interesting? The visual cues throughout are very impressive if they are done to be in time with the monologue. Having the man only visible in the couple tells us that the protagonist is thinking about the male side of her relationship; the pushchair comes into view as she starts talking about pregnancy and her expecting a child; de-caff coffee instead of normal coffee is a subtle change but one which would be taken by someone who is pregnant. What could I challenge? I am a big fan of how this film is made ...

Echo (2011) by Lewis Arnold What did I enjoy? Honestly, not a lot. If I had to pick one thing it would be the long take about a third of the way through where the protagonist gets into the taxi. Over the course of the shot, we see the woman's expression get less and less emotional making us as audience members question what is happening. What did I find interesting? The open-endedness of the finale of this short leaves the viewer questioning if that call was yet another fake cop-out or if that was the short showing the viewer the original phone call which the protagonist repeats throughout. What could I challenge? There seemed to be no stakes in this film: I didn't know who I was rooting for, if anyone, and I didn't really know what I was meant to be following. It's a short where events occur seemingly unconnected and without affecting anything else. It is a pretty nothing film. What do I want to use? The whole premise of the film is centred aroun...

Tight Jeans (2008) by Destiny Ekharaga What did I enjoy? I loved the general look and aesthetics of this film: the opening shot of the three characters sitting on the wall is low, slow moving and wide - showing us a deprived council estate vs the three figures dressed in coloured hoodies and trousers. What did I find interesting? The camera is always moving throughout the short and although slow and uneventful, I do find this choice interesting. I also can't deny the representation in this film: of both young black men and white women who as the film states 'are trying to be part of the black community'. The film is just three guys talking and what they talk about and the way they talk about it is very clearly a choice by Ekharaga who wants to make sure her voice is heard. What could I challenge? The film just consists of three men talking and nothing really happens. Whilst this can be effective to build character in feature-length films, in shorts I per...

Operator (2015) by Caroline Burtleet What did I enjoy? The whole concept of the film was showing us the operator, not the scene of the incident. A traditional feature film would be action-packed so would show the fire, not the operator on the other end of the phone. This makes the short film incredibly tense, as we know as much as the operator in this scenario. I also love how still the camera is - meaning we are forced to imagine the fire as not much is happening on screen. The lack of action on screen is made up two-fold in the dialogue as the script is chock-a-block. The relentless of dialogue results in me being emotionally exhausted by the end of the film, I feel like I have watched more than I actually I have. What did I find interesting? The action starts very quickly, the call is intercepted as the woman panics and worries about her son stuck upstairs. Both her and the operator are instantly thrown into action. It's not until her son has been found that they ta...

The Ellington Kid (2012) by Dan Sully Link to Film What did I enjoy? As a big fan of dark comedy, this film entertained me greatly with its dark underlying message but comedic approach to telling the story. The quick cut to the kid being stabbed, every time, without a doubt, makes me chuckle. It is like an Edgar Wright style cut in its quickness and absurdity. The use of voice over was also used well, positioning as listeners to the story as opposed to involving with the unfolding events. This storytelling method is effective as it fits more comfortably into the dark comedy genre. What did I find interesting? The cyclical story. The way the film starts with the sound of scraping knives and ends the exact same way - and with an unsettling stare from the kebab store employee. What could I challenge? Its' flashback narrative structure is very by the books and so is the majority of the film. I would challenge the film's lack of challenging traditional film makin...