Short Film Analysis- The Exam

Short Film Textual Analysis

Short film title: “The Exam”
Genre: Comedy
Year: 2007
Director:  Chris Schwager
Source (web address): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HC1ANf4L6s&feature=related

Camera angle, movement and position

The camera is positioned in many different areas in all parts of the short film,  there are many different types of shot used for example close up, extreme close up, long shot, medium shot and tracking.  Camera angles are used to suggest camera representation by showing different levels which represents status. The camera movement creates meaning by it having quite straight cuts to each different shot which shows that they’re straight forward men. There is a wide depth of field within the shot.

Framing.

The characters and locations have been framed using rule of third most of the time except when using extreme close up, the characters are also sometimes put on the edge of the frame to make it look different and show the meaning of how the characters possibly aren’t boring/like to life life on the edge.  There are many thngs inside and out of the shots like props, backgrounds, different locations etc.

Editing and special effects.

There hasn’t been alot of editing put into this short film, there are quite alot of shot reverse shot when characters are talking, there are also cuts to each different shot and this creates meaning by not messing around, it’s just straight to the point. Editing and sound work very well together in this short film, it is quite patronising music which makes it seem like the boys are naive.  The composition and shots are pretty straight forward, there are parts where the composition includes a location, and sometimes when it doesn’t and it’s just an extreme close up on a particular characters face like it was in the first few minutes of the film.

Mise en scene.

The film is set in many different places, in the first few minutes it’s set in a pub, then it cuts straight to a hotel bedroom and then it changes to a side of a road, then to a university, therefore it creates a feeling that maybe the boys are confused and muddled up and there are alot of places to be. The location has a very big impact on the film and it creates atmosphere because it makes the audience aware of what we should expect, so we expect to hear music and loud noise from the pub, and quite at the university, and car horns etc when their at the side of the road. Lighting has alot of impact as it also reflects on the kind of people the characters are, bad lighting, bad person, good lighting, good person.

Sound.

There is diegetic sound in the first few minutes when their in the pub and there is music being played in the surround sound, also there is non-diegetic sound when the boys are taken into different university lecture halls to sit their exam.  There is not a voice for narrator, just dialogue. The use of music creates atmosphere and a subtle tone creates calmness.  The use of silence in this short films makes the audience take more notice to what is happening because they can’t hear anything, it also makes them wonder and question why no one is talking or why there is no sound.

Script.

The dialogue is very important in this short film as it tells us exactly what is happening so the audience doesn’t have to work it out for themselves. If there is not a script for the character it could show that because they are of a higher status they don’t need to say anything- character representation. Or maybe they’re too much of a lower class. Although dialogue has a much larger impact on the film because people in this generation are less likely to go and see a silent film.

Titles/Institutional Reference.

The font is very small and italic, they’re positioned at the end of the short film because the director probably didn’t want them to be distracting at the beginning of the film. They are black on a plain white background- this could show stupidity which is shown throughout the whole film. The titles do not stay on the screen for very long and they are meant to be obvious by showing them at the end.

Macro.

The conventions that have been challenged would be the fact that usually there is quite alot of editing used in films although this short film has hardly any editing, just uses straight cuts. The audiences expectations of this genre is satisfied due to the ending being very comical.

Representation(s)

The film is set in present day, this would make the audience feel more involved. The characters are represented through the use of the camera because of the different shots and levels used, for example right at the beginning there is a close up on a particular actors face which could show that he is the main character as we’re getting personal to him because the camera is extremely close to his face. This also follows the stereotypes. Todorov’s theory doesn’t really apply here due to the fact Todorov thought to believe that there is a good beginning, an act of uncertainty and then a good ending but this has not got a good ending.  I think that age is being shown here that even in university some people never grow up because otherwise you’d know not to get drunk before your last exam.

Audience.

The target audience is teenagers and university students, I know this because the actors in it are university students and the film is constructed in a way to show them as students who go out and get drunk all the time and don’t really care, just think that life will come easy to them. The audience will respond well to this film and also relate to its comedy genre.

Themes/Messages.

This film is trying to give a message that don’t ever be late for an exam or go out the night before because things don’t always happen the way you want them to, and if things seem too good to be true, they probably are.

What have I learnt from this construction of this short film? How can I apply any of these techniques to my own short film?

By watching this short film I realised doing a short film based on reality and events that could happen to people would be more exciting because it could be an event I’ve been through myself or someone else that I know and it would make it more appealing for a bigger audience.