Short Film Analysis 1

In this post i am going to be doing an in-depth analysis of a short film. The one i have chosen for this is called Lovefield which was directed by Mathieu Ratthe.

Lovefield:

Micro Elements:

Camera Angle, Movement and Position:

• Establishing shot - iconic image of the wheat field
• Camera pans lowers down to each strand of wheat, the focus blurs as it zooms in on each strand of wheat. Variation in depths of field. 
• Wide shots to show how far away from civilisation the film is set. No one could hear or help you. 
• Slow movements - There is a slow camera rise showing a crow sitting on a welcome sign. This has been used to create tension. 
• Slow diagonal pan showing phone and money as well as other objects. This could be used to give audiences clues.
• The camera pans up to reveal a man. 
• Focus is racked between him and the crow showing that the man knows the crow is the only witness. 

The manipulation of the camera only tells one part of the story, filling us with a sense of dread until all is revealed. 

Framing:

• The man is usually in the middle of the shot this means that the focus is on him and his reactions.
• Rule of thirds - When he stands up and looks around (for the police car), He’s in the middle of the screen to show how isolated he is. It shows that there is no help around. 
• The director has chosen not to put the woman in the frame, otherwise the plot of the short film wouldn’t be too interesting. 
• The wheat field location has been put in a wide frame, this shows how isolated the characters are. 

Editing:

• Fade transitions is used to create tension from the image of the wheat.
• Editing and Sound working together to add to the tension of the scene when the foot goes still and the knife strikes the ground. 

Mise En Scene:

• The crow is a connotation of bad luck. Mathieu Ratthe has also used this connotation in other short films as such as ‘The Talisman’. 
• Number 13 - On the ‘Welcome to Hedren Hill’ sign, it says there are 13 miles to Bishopsville, the number 13 is known as bad luck. This is another connotation of bad luck. 
• Location - The location is a wheat field. It is quite an iconic image and also is intertextual with the film Gladiator.
• Props:
• There is a phone which shows the audience that someone has tried to make a hasty phone call. 
• We can see money on the ground, is the person being robbed, brings a question to the audience. 
• Undergarments - These are covered in blood. This leads the audience to assume that if she isn’t being robbed for money, she’s being raped. 
• Bin bag - When we see the bin bag the man pulls out from the car boot, we get the idea that it’s so he can hide/cover the body.
• Costume - Man wearing dungaree’s and baseball cap, creates a suspicious look for him. 

• Lighting:

• In the beginning, when we have the establishing shot, the sun is covered with clouds, creating a darker looking surrounding This would be naturalistic lighting. 
• This goes well with the narrative when the audience is still finding out what actually happens. 
• Just after the baby is revealed, the sun comes out. This could signify new life coming into the world. 
• In the ending shot, we can see the light reflecting off the police car’s windshield and the wheat looks shinier. 

• Sound: 

• Non Diegetic: 
• Long violin chords, used to build tension.
• Welcome sign creaking. 
• Phone beeping - This tells the audience that the call has failed. 
• Diegetic Sound:
• Woman crying out in pain, This causes the audience to think the worst. 
• Crow Cawing.

Macro Elements:

• Codes and Conventions:
• Horror - Creepy, suspenseful music, Black crow, Number 13, Sign making creaking noises, A woman crying in pain, Blood, Knife, Skull tattoo. 
• Suspense - Music. Unrevealing camera shots, used to build up the narrative. 
• Drama - Child birth, Police intervention. 

Narrative: 

• The narrative is being told by the man. 
• If it were told from the woman’s POV, we’d have a whole different story. But because it’s from the man’s POV.
• It looks like a completely different situation. 
• The concept of time is being represented by the field of wheat. The montage of shots that fade into each other show time passing by. 
• The characters play a vital part in moving the narrative along. The story centres around this man and what’s happening to him. 
• The audience can understand the narrative when the baby is revealed, all the clues piece together and you’ll be left completely surprised by the turn of events. 
• You now know why he needed a knife and a blanket, etc. 
• The crow also plays a big part in the narrative.
• Especially at the end when the man lowers the blanket.
• The crows beak is open, just like the audience’s mouths would be, he’s mimicking our expressions. 

Representations:

• Context - obviously set in present day, tractors, mobile phones, police cars. 
• The micro elements build up The Man to look like a villain - the bloody knife, etc, when in fact he’s actually the hero of the story. 
• The film challenges stereotypes: 
• The evil rapist is actually a helpful caring farmer.
• Gender - Men have been represented, in the end, as kind, helpful saviours.

Audience: 

• The target audience of this short film could range from any age to any person - there’s no guidelines. 
• The audience would respond positively to the film because of the happy ending. 
• The audience are being asked to identify with the man because the narrative is being told from his POV. We won’t initially sympathise with him until the twist in the story is told.