(Personal) Short Film Evaluative Analysis (including 3 selected short-films, that collectively total at 80+ minutes).

For the assigned ‘Film Studies’ project, we were tasked with the creation of a 5-minute short film that conveyed a sufficient understanding of standard film form, camera usage, script writing, necessary planning (prior to the final shooting of the film,) & basic acting skills. I decided, as one who possesses an interest in practical effects (, VFX) and science-fiction, monster movies from the ’80s to late ’90s, that I would create a short film that made use of my (already existing) artistic skill set. When first conceptualising the film’s plot and general style, I began to integrate visual & film based elements from a small referential collection of films & media that I had personally selected; these included titles such as, ‘The Thing (1982)’, ‘Evil Dead 2’ & ‘An American Werewolf In London’. It is from these sources of reference that I finally established my main film concept (along with some creative concepts contributed by my father who works within the film industry). The film was quickly given the name of ‘Man’s Best Friend’ as a direct form of dramatic irony since the film itself is presented as a student-horror production featuring my own dog as the antagonist. This was done in an attempt to create a deeper connection between the film itself and my own personal life & existence at home (with my family); I desired not to produce a 5-minute short that possessed no substantial, tangible connection to the one(s) who created it.

Since I wanted my short-film to be a student-horror that made efficient use of practical effects, stop-motion animation & my own pet dog, I chose to use the movie, ‘The Thing (1982)’ as my primary source of referential material & inspiration for this creative facet of the project. Upon having taken an interest in the somewhat morbid yet fantastical & bizarre physical props & models featured within the movie, I began to accumulate the required knowledge and materials/mediums to produce something of that standard on my own. Although it took a great deal of time longer than I would have originally suspected and or desired to create the finalised prop, I believe its quality is of a sufficient calibre to be used as a homage to 1982 classic as well as the man behind it, the now-retired special-effects artist, ‘Rob Bottin’. While the overall animation process of the finished prop has proved to be somewhat difficult due to slight structural faults and inconsistencies within the animated footage, I find that in its overall creation I have become enamoured with the creative process and have gained a new found respect for the artistic minds behind the previously mentioned titles.

The film’s plot is relatively simple as it was designed to be a compact narrative that would rely strongly on the delivery of the animation and use of practical effects (over any actual character development & critical dialogue). In short, I intended to take a creature as loveable as a dog, a species best known for its associated themes of loyalty, companionship & empathy, and simply turned into something that subverted all of these assigned traits. Though the film’s title does suggest quite clearly that the dog will be the primary focal point of the film, I should hope that the twist ending I have adopted into the narrative should prove to catch some individuals off guard (during their first viewing of it). During the constructive process of ‘Man’s Best Friend’, I was somewhat (creatively) influenced by the fourth-wall breaking, short film, ‘The Gunfighter’. Featured within this 9-minute long, western narrative is a number of intriguing plot based mechanics that not only helped to drive the quick & quirky story but also (somewhat) differentiate it from other titles featured within similar settings & genres. Unlike my own short film, ‘The Gunfighter’ makes considerable usage of (somewhat phallic) comedic elements to emphasise flaws within 19th-century society as well as stereotypical sexual concepts & themes that still exist within our current, 21st-century society. The short itself features a varying cast of (occasionally romanticised) western stereotypes conversing amongst one another whilst gradually becoming more irritable & irrational due to the intervention of a (somewhat) fantastical & malevolent, intangible narrator that can actively speak to all those featured within the narrative whilst also possessing a level of omniscience that allows him/it to draw upon character flaws & previously unknown information to further drive the narrative forwards. While this method of storytelling is effective at forcing character development as well as simply conveying a ‘character’ within a limited length of time; relying upon it too heavily for anything longer than a short film would (ironically) create a narratively weak story-line. In regards to the overall aesthetic of ‘The Gunfighter’, the western (themed) saloon that serves as the primary setting for the film serves as a fine contribution to the genre as the interior possesses a dulled colour-scheme that primarily features hues of a dark brown to tanned variety. The beams of light that manage to invade the inside of the saloon, forcing the shadows into the corners and innermost sanctums of the bar, emphasise just how engorged the air is with dust & other minuscule forms of debris; this truly helps to capture that western (stereotypical) environment that we have all been exposed to through a variety of written & visual media. However while the overall visual elements are well suited to the western genre, they do work against the narrative in a visual sense since they simply become monotonous to look at over an extended period of time. Having ultimately enjoyed my initial viewing of ‘The Gunfighter’, I found myself partially captivated with its implementation of an (arguably) twist-ending; as an individual I have always shown an interest in this narrative technique as it can be used to completely subvert concrete elements of a plot/story and ultimately create an ending that allows for the greater application of creative ideas. As one might suspect I have adopted a twist-ending into the plot of ‘Man’s Best Friend’ as I believe it allows for (a) sudden change relative to the brief context of the 5-minute short film.

When creating ‘Man’s Best Friend’, I desired to have the big monster reveal at the end to convey a deep, personal love for early science-fiction, monster movies whilst also possessing a semblance of my own artistic integrity (& infatuation with works born of true innovative passion). That is why, upon my most recent viewing of (Wallace & Gromit’s,) ‘The Wrong Trousers’ I have been influenced enough, to try my hand at stop-motion animation (, an art form I have not attempted in years,) in an effort to create something that I can pride myself on, long after its completion. The (30-minute long,) short film, ‘The Wrong Trouser’ is an animated production brought to us by the inspiring minds working at ‘Aardman Studios’ during the late ‘90s. The short itself possesses a narrative that draws greatly from British themes & stereotypical elements, including but not limited to, constructed settings, (contextually relevant) mannerisms & characters; though the overall plot is nothing entirely new, it serves as a humble, visually appealing & entertaining example of what a group can achieve with plasticine & an idea. Each of the characters featured within the film have been designed in such a way that one might be able to immediately grasp the kind of personality they have been assigned without any prior information, take Wallace for example, his standard attire resembles that of a humble, British male; the implementation of a woollen (sleeveless) jumper suggests that he prefers to live a comfortable lifestyle and his small but exaggerated red tie conveys latent qualities of formality. In addition to this, his smile/mouth is broad and kind, this immediately implies that he is a simple, empathetic man whose physical appearance actively contrasts elements of hostility & general negativity. It is this concept of constructive character design that greatly inspired me to create my own character/creature whose physical appearance/properties/characteristics immediately conveyed elements stereotypically featured in genres such as horror, science-fiction and thriller. It was with this sudden revelation of creative freedom that I decided to dive head first into the creative process with the full intent to imbue my design with a sense of character that best suited the narrative I was constructing at the time. That is why, much like Wallace’s exaggerated smile, my design was given physical characteristics/qualities that emphasised the cinematic context that inspired its conception.

Upon my first viewing of the 39-minute short film, ‘Elephant’, (directed by Alan Clarke,) I found myself bored beyond reason by the formulaic sequence of gunfights that trivialised all aspects of conflict within the seemingly non-existent narrative. The film presents itself as a visual commentary on the IRA and the violent acts it spurred amongst (primarily) male groups. Most of the instances presented are completely devoid of dialogue and leave one to wonder what is being gained within the context of the scene; though each sub-narrative is presented in a manner that is realistic and well-choreographed, the overall short-film feels as though it is intentionally lacking any real sense of structure or form. Ultimately I interpreted ‘Elephant’ as being a callous demonstration of (gun) violence within society that dehumanises both the attacker and victim(s), almost conveying them as mindless props within a setting that instils feelings of emptiness within the audience due to the overwhelming lack of ‘life’ which we can empathise with. This focus on constructing instances/settings that serve to bolster the overall effect of the (conceptual) narrative is why I chose to film my short horror film in an intentionally dark & naturally disturbing environment. By putting greater focus on how the setting made me feel as a viewer, (rather than an auteur,) I began to visually realise a narrative that effectively coincided with visual themes and elements that were being passively conveyed to those that viewed it.