Short film analysis - ‘Dust’ – By Ben Ockrent & Jake Russell (shortoftheweek.com)

In the short film extract ‘Dust’ it uses a wide range of camera angles. Firstly, over the shoulder camera angles are used a few times in this film. This occurs when the man is watching/stalking the little girl and mother, which is used to show the scene from the stalkers point of view. This is used again when he starts to follow the girl and mother home, where the camera is over the mans shoulder to almost show what he is looking at, and to show the importance and significance of the little girl and mother to the audience. Also, an eye level shot is used, whereby the camera is positioned as though it is a human observing a scene (in this case the man). This is effective as it conveys to the audience exactly what the man is seeing from his eyes, making the audience connect with the storyline.

In addition close up shots are also used on the little girl at the start when she is waiting for her mum outside ballet practice. This is effective as from early on we see she is a main priority and character in the film. The close up shot shows the innocence of the little girl and almost makes the audience form a connection with her and also build up a fear for what may happen to her. Abduction and being taken is a primal fear found in all of us, and the fear that something bad will happen to someone we love is a huge fear factor, therefore this is effective of giving of a vibe of something ‘not being right’ or that something bad is going to happen to the little girl which we don’t want to happen as she is innocent and cute. Also close up shots are used of the man aswell to show his important in the film and his main role. A wide camera angle is also used when the man is following them. This way the man is positioned to the left of the frame while getting the whole background in the frame too. This is effective as it lets the audience get a good look of what the we think ‘antagonist’ and the surrounding scenes.

Millie Price

Likewise, there is also a range of different sound elements that have been put in place to achieve tension and effectiveness. Sound in this short film plays a huge role as there is no initial speaking in it (diegetic sound), it is completely reliant on non-diegetic sound such as music and sound effects to Increase tension. Firstly, right at the start music is played; this has a mystical and suspicious feel to it. It uses piano sounds and a creepy monotone drone of one pitch for a few seconds. This gives to the audience that perhaps something isn’t right or that the man is suspicious from the outset. Also this creepy music is foregrounded when the man knocks over the vase when creeping around the house while the mother is in the bath and little girl in bed asleep. This signifies to the audience that someone is going to happen and increases the tension to a maximum to the viewer.

In addition, the diegetic sound of an ice-cream van music that passes the man and little girl connotes children and the innocence of children. Along with the uneasy music together with the ice cream van music it creates a feeling of worry and anxiousness of what’s going to happen next, with is perhaps involving the child. Likewise, other diegetic sounds are also used such as dogs barking and car alarms going off to portray a spooky and uneasy feeling when the man is approaching their house at night.

Also, I believe the ideology of this short film is a feeling of yes, being aware of its powerful context of child abduction in present in modern-day society. Where we are in an age where never-ending news reporting has us all too aware of the dangers present in every day life, on the corner of every street. But I think it also teaches us a lesson that we shouldn’t judge someone by a stereotype (as we later discover the man is innocent). They have cleverly Presented us with the image of a solitary-man, of an older age looking suspicious following a young girl home from school, and it appears at first as if the journey of this tale can only follow one path. Yet, just as it looks like the storyline will play-out exactly as expected it changes.

Moreover, mise-en-scene is also used to set the audience into thinking a certain way. The area the film is set in seems like quite a rough city town of cars and commuters, along with sky-high flats and derelict buildings. The setting appears dark with the use of dark colours in not only the setting but the costume too. The man wears dark clothing (browns, greys and blacks) to perhaps reflect a gloomy storyline and setting. And also the woman and little girl wear dark gloomy colours too.

Lastly, the short film also uses a range of transitions and camera shots. Firstly, the film uses a considerable amount of slow edits. The transitions of a slow edit from the man to the little girl show there is going to be an event or connection between them. These are used to engage the audience into the storyline and to

create a dramatic effect. The crosscutting between the man and little girl is used to establish the action occurring at the same time in two different locations. Suspense is then added as the audience can see the story unraveling. Moreover, the transition ‘fade to black’ is used when cutting from one scene to the next. This is used when the woman and little girl enter their house in the daylight to then cutting to nighttime when the man returns to the house to enter it. This signifies to the audience the passing of time.