Short Films

I watched short films “Embrace” and “Roof.”  Both were about extreme closeups on characters with heavy dialogue in an attempt not to have to portray surroundings or setting and both with apocalyptic themes.  The first focused solely on a couple with more intimate shots revolving around touch and extreme distance with the two in a tight embrace, as well as a heavy soundtrack providing staggered breathing to exhibit emotion and connection.  The second was a series with three friends, one extremely upset, one extremely scared, and one playing the mediator.  Again the focus was on tight shots on the face, although the color scheme was black and white.  The characters also portray a poorly choreographed fight in order to introduce tight intimate touching shots as well.  While the actors were talented, the films both lacked something to be desired,  I grew tired of the characters complaining and crying through the entire place and I craved outside action and an engaging storyline.  The camera moves were at least interesting with a nice bird’s eye zoom out on the girl in the “Embrace” piece at the end, and the effective and smooth tracking shots swooping around the characters following the story arch in the “Roof” piece.  The point of the films seems to be that you can convey enough with tight shots, smooth cuts and heavy emotion ridden dialogue and soundtracks without needing a story or setting, but these would be more effective as tools within a more engaging piece.