Research Evaluation - The Expert

Short Film Analysis - The Expert

Research Evaluation





Area 1:


Learning how to create a similar short film - primary research.




Sources used

The Expert - Short Film


Description of sources used

Camera 

Shot Type and Angle

The most common angle used in this film was again the eyeline match. As the setting of the film is a corporate office, it is connoted that the office seeks efficiency and clear ways of doing things (connoted by the minimal, sparse decorations of the room, the propor mode of address of the actors in the beginning, and denoted by the company seeking a professional for a task). This angle supports this theme, especially as it lacks handheld for the whole film, because it shows clearly facial expressions of the actors without angles or movement to distract or get in the way of the key information. This was an especially effective technique as the film went on and the narrative of the film showed the descension from order to incompetence, while the angles and techniques stayed the same, connoting that the company is still keeping it's professional facade even when they're obviously inept.
Apart from eyeline level shots (which ranged from close up to medium shots to show hand motions and facial expressions), the only other shots used were high angle long shots to show people using the white board while the rest of the cast spoke. This was effectivly jarring, as it differs so much from the standard shot of the film, which highlighted the connoted confusion and frustration of the expert, which he was trying to remedy by using the white board that caused this shot.

Movement

There was no camera movement in this film, all shots were steady and the only transitions used were cuts. This was effective, as said earlier, in connoting a clean and efficient work environment, which contrasts with the narrative to justify the confusion of the expert, and make it relatable.

Editing

The editing in this film was unobtrusive, with no VFX or transitions other than a simple cut. This was effective in making the film feel overly corporate and clean - professional, which again contrasted with the film's content to make the protagonist relatable.

Sound

As this film lacked non-diegetic sound, it relied completely on dialogue and ambient noise for effect. This was an effective part of the film, as it focussed on normal, almost ambient noise (for example the pen squeaking on the whiteboard) to highlight the awkward scenario in place, without being overt about it.

What I was hoping to get from this.


The film was made on a small budget, and used comedy with a theme of average situations shown to the extreme, which my film also does. So from this I was looking to learn how to create an effective short film cheaply, while also learning how to implement comedy in a normal situation effectively.


Brief summary of what I gained through my research


Production techniques were effective in this film by creating a contrast between the narrative of the film and the techniques used to make it, which was effective in portraying the feelings of the protagonist to the audience. From this, I have learnt that the camera and editing techniques can be used to portray a character in a certain way very effectively, which I will use in my film.

Reliability of the sources used

As the film came from an established short film creator from a reliable site (Youtube), I think it's very reliable to learn from.