Film Analysis: RUN

By Tia-Reisa Apaloo-Clarke

RUN (2012)

• Run is a drama short film based on assault. A woman's daily run in the park gets disrupted when an unexpected event leaves her running for her life.

• The beginning of the short film uses text to explain the main inspiration for the film and how its based on assault.

Mise – En – Scene • Location/Setting: The director has set this film in the

present(2012) in a park this makes it more realistic as all age groups can relate to this setting. This is a location where every day people go to a numerous amount of things such as exercising, which fits in well as the main character is seen running. In the opening scene the main character is seen as young and innocent, she is unaware of what is about to happen and is happily running.

Mise – En – Scene

• Man: He is seen wearing trousers and an army print jacket with his hoody up covering his face. His clothes are dark and convey mystery and danger. His clothing tell the audience his menace and will pose a threat to the woman.

• Woman: She is seen wearing casual gym clothes such as leggings, trainers and a hoody. This adds to the verisimilitude as she is wearing everyday casual clothes that a runner would wear. The pink conveys her youthfulness and innocent and highlights to the audience that something may be about to happen and the status quo will soon be disrupted.

Make-Up/Clothing: There are two main characters shown within this short film. The woman running and the male capturer.

Mise – En – Scene • Lighting: At the start of the film the lighting is bright and

vibrant. It also looks like a good day as the sun is shining , this shows a happy atmosphere and a normal, everyday mood.

• But, the film changes and the becomes dimmer, this then shows a true reflection of the film and how the film is about to be situated. The darker lighting creates a mysterious and worried atmosphere. Leaving the audience unsure of what's going to happen next.

Cinematography• The shots used in the

opening sequence are a variety but are mainly wide shots and close ups. Wide shots are used to show the woman is being watched, location and what she’s doing.

• close ups and medium close ups are used to show the audience her facial expressions and emotions while running and highlight how scared and frighten she is.

• A high angle looks down on the woman and highlights how vulnerable and powerless she is.

• A point of view shot is used to show the audience what the women is seeing while she runs, its shaky as she's running fast.

Editing & Sound• The use of slow paced editing highlights to viewers how vulnerable

the woman is running. An eye line match showing the protagonist’s headphones shows how close the man is to the victim and how eager he is to find her.

• Fast paced editing was also used with a variety of camera movements and angles to make the scene more captivating for the audience.

• The non-diegetic score music used consisted of instruments such as drums which grew louder as the credits and titles of the film appeared. Non-diegetic screams can be heard which set the scene and alert the audience that the protagonist is in trouble.

• The diegetic scream the protagonist shrieks out while swinging the hammer and the use of blood on her face connotes to the audience that protagonist may have killed the stalker. This is then followed by non-diegetic score music which is melancholy and saddening, the beat then kicks in and it connotes a sense of hope that she may be free from her stalker.

Enigmas• Many enigmas are placed within the film, when the women is

caught why does the man walk after her instead of run? Why is there a focus on the women’s headphones? And why does the women never scream for help once the tape on her mouth is ripped off?

• The man looks like his walking instead of running because his bought the girl to a secluded forest. He knows that its likely she wont escape and find help. He may also be walking as it adds a sense of suspense of whether his going to catch the girl or not.

• The focus on the headphones may be because the women ran ahead it helps the man to see what direction she's run in, so he can follow and find her.

• The woman may also not scream for help as it makes the film more dramatic.

Convections• During the opening sequence the audience can relate as the park is a

realistic location, this also hints the status quo will soon be disrupted as the audience are unaware of what's about to happen to the woman. The film has many stereotypical drama convections such as the characters; they are seen doing very realistic things such as running in the park. Also it deals with realistic and true human emotions, the short film is based on a very serious issue rape/assault, these themes helps viewers engage emotionally.

• At the end of drama’s there is often a form of realisation, the women is conveyed as brave and daring when she gets a chance she pushes the man and gets the hammer, you then see blood on her face which make the audience think she's killed him unfortunately later on we figure out this is not the case. This drama follows the convection of realisation, as at the end of the film after a black screen a new girl is seen running in the exact same place along the same path and a wide shots shows she's being watched, this conveys to the audience this woman is about to go through the same torment and danger as the last woman. This highlights that rape and assault are on going issues in todays society, however they need to be stopped.