Short Film Industry

Who Makes Them & Why?

Young people pursuing a career in film making (gain experience) Students creating a portfolio People who want to express their ideas/opinions of current affairs Companies in the film industry – testing how two employees would work together

(experimental task) Film companies testing out concepts Film companies testing out target audiences

Funding

Government funding for short films largely comes through the UK Film Council Other sources if you are prepared to look and work

Distribution

Dazzle Futureshorts Network Ireland TV Shorts International

Research

1) Fight – Lewis Metcalfe

http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/films/p005h7xw

Setting : North West England Duration: 10 minutes Released: 2008

REPRESENTATION: Themes - school, youth, violenceThe film represents some of the pressures that British youth face in school, especially through peer pressure and the decisions it leads them to make. This film particularly deals with the curiosity of young males regarding violence as two boys are chanted on to fight one another. It can be seen that violence is the way they think is

normal to resolve a problem. It shows how impulse decisions can be re-considered after as regrets when the guilt and realisation kicks in.

INSTITUTION: British short film written, directed and produced by an independent film maker Lewis Metcalfe set in North West England. It has been shown at five film festivals and won Best Short at Renderyard Short Film Festival, 2008.

VALUES: The style of the film seems to be realism, inspired by modern to covey a story in the most effective way. The setting is a natural schooling environment, not going over the top on the price for filming.

AUIDENECE: I think the target audience could be across a broad variety. It would appeal to youth that are at secondary school between the ages 12-18 as they can relate with the problems (violence and peer pressure) dealt with in the film. However, I think it would be an educational insight for parents of the students too so they know what their children may face.

LANGUAGE: The film is set in a school with all the children wearing uniform however one of the boys involved in the fights wears a black hoody, this could connote a stereotypical role of youngsters in hoodies using violence but being ashamed and hiding their identity under the

hood. The film used a lot of focus pulls to single out characters, showing that your own actions don’t just affect you but a chain of people after. These also exaggerate the single characters emotions at a time along with close ups of eyes. There is also a focus on the boy’s knife which could represent the power it has and that it is controlling his mind at that point, he was acting on impulse rather than thinking his actions through.

There is not a lot of dialogue other than the students chanting “Fight! Fight! Fight!”, this highlights the

representation of peer pressure leading kids to violence. Near the end the repetitive, alternate sounds of the

kids hitting the bin and fighting with diagetic sound of kids playing in the background, portraying the idea that it is normal for these fights to go on un-noticed as people pass by.

IDEOLOGY: The film deals with reality without trying to sugar coat anything. It could work well as an advert to deter teenagers away from violence and make them think about their actions before they have to live with regrets. The writer and director, Lewis Metcalfe wants the audience to consider the consequences of not only you but the people around you when using violence. It questions whether it is worth it and that you can walk away from it.

NARRATIVE: there is not a lot of dialogue, the film lets the powerful filming do the talking and this works effectively. It tells a single story about one group of school children in society but represents for a general audience so that everyone can relate to it. Most teenagers will have been involved with or know people involved in fights so this single story could make them re-consider fighting again after seeing one boy walk away form it.

GENRE – Drama: Displays elements of social realism relating to youth facing violence in school.

2) Fence – Matthewl Murdoch

http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/films/p004tzrd

Setting : South West England Duration: 4 minutes Released: 2005

REPRESENTATION: Themes – school, conformityThis short film represents one of the big troubles children can face in school, especially as a new student. It deals with the loneliness you can feel as an outsider coming into an alien social environment where everyone else is in their comfort zone with their friendship circles. It is all about not fitting in and feeling intimidated by other peers the same age as he does not conform to the ideals of them.

INSTITUTUION: British short written, directed and produced by an independent film maker Matthew Murdoch, set in South West England.

VALUES: The film shows one child’s sense of place in a new social environment. It is set on a real location keeping the budget low.

AUDIENCE: The target audience is large as it would appeal to youth that are at school as they can relate with the problems with conforming in a new school. It would help them to realise that they are not alone and the only person feeling like an outsider. It would also be beneficial for the parents to watch the film to give them an understanding of what environment they’re throwing their child into. The father in the film does not seem to pay much attention to his child’s state of unrest and his priorities lie with his own work, by parents watching this they could reconsider their priorities.

LANGUAGE: There is little dialogue in the film, the boy does not say anything the whole way through to emphasise at first his nervous feeling towards starting a new school and then his isolation amongst the other school children. There are lots of diagetic sounds of the other children playing exaggerating that he is alone and they already happily settled in with their own friends leaving him out casted. The connotation of the fence is a metaphor for seeing his life in two different ways, the part where all the school children are facing him like an army seems surreal as if the idea has been exaggerated in his mind and this is what he sees but is not the true reality.

IDEOLOGY: The film shows the pressures for children when being placed alone in a completely new environment and the feelings of intimidation by other peers when they are not welcoming. I feel the writer and director, Matthew Murdoch has set out to make the children who feel like this know they are not alone but also try to make the parents aware of their priorities.

NARRATIVE: The story is simple and typical of a young boy’s feelings when starting a new school without knowing anyone or having any friends there. The story has added emphasis by the surrealism factor at the end when the army of kids is almost like a surreal, exaggerated adaptation of reality from what he is imagining and panicking in his head. This helps us understand the thoughts that cross his mind without having to use any dialogue.

GENRE: Drama - Displays elements of social realism relating to children conforming in a school.

3) School of Life – Jake Polonsky

http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/films/p0058x2j

Setting : London Duration: 7 minutes Released: 2003

REPRESENTATION: This short film represents the life of a not very popular kid in school fighting to do the right thing but seeming to face problems along the way. A metaphorical lesson is taught to him that life is not always simple and easy, it is an understanding of growing up.

INSTITUTUION: British short film written by Malaki Smyth, produced by Richard Weager and directed by Jake Polonsky, set in London.

VALUES: The film is again set on a real location in an ordinary school environment keeping it low budget. The film has a slightly satirical tone with the underlying message being about growing up and accepting that not everything will always go your way.

AUDIENCE: The film is aimed at school children from both ends of the social ladder. It is there for perhaps the unpopular children who could be getting bullied to help them realise that sometimes you may have to stand up for yourself rather than rely on the people around you and fade into the background. The film could also help the bullies themselves to realise the affects they have on their victim’s lives.

LANGUAGE: The film has an individual style using a metaphorical representation of growing up through the circumstances in school and dealing with what life throws at you. All of the children are wearing the same school uniform suggesting a sense of collective identity however under this we can see that there are differences. The bully is shown as scruffier with his top button undone which fits with his aggressive, rebellious attitude.

IDEOLOGY: I believe the write of this short film make set out to teach school children that as they grow up they have to make their own decisions and it is your own choice in which pathway you take in life (shown through the boy choosing to go to his lesson instead of truanting and being

peer pressure by his friend). It deals with the issue that life will never be simple, nor will people always look after you so sometimes you have to take care of yourself as you grow up.

NARRATIVE: The film starts out simple and typical of a film about youths in school as one boy chooses to go to class but then the surrealism of the teacher’s lesson changes the style slightly. His journey past the classrooms to the staff room represents him as an individual and how he deals with his problems but in the end he learns that sometimes you can’t rely on your elders and you have to look after

yourself when growing up.

GENRE: Drama - Displays elements of social realism relating to making your own decisions in life and growing up.

4) The Ends – Justin Edgar

http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/films/p005g5pd

Setting : South East London Duration: 9 minutes Released: 2005

REPRESENTATION: This short film represents British youth culture and the violence some areas face in the society of today. The issues that cause the violence appear mainly to be about race but family and relationships also seem to play a part.

INSTITUTUION: British short film produced by Len Trusty/Richard Roberts and directed by Justin Edgar, set in South East London.

VALUES: The film is set on real location in South East London starting with establishing shots to show the run down area of estates and flats. The style of the film is realism trying to portray a true representation of the depths of violence in society.

AUDIENCE: The film could be aimed at two different extremes; the first being the youths similar to those who are represented in the film form lower class backgrounds who may face violence frequently. The film could also be educational for people from middle or upper class to gain an understanding of what some people’s lives are like in run down areas that they may be unfamiliar with.

LANGUAGE: The clothing worn by the violent youth in the film is stereotypical of what is heard on the news. They are wearing tracksuits and hoodies, clothing that has become recognised in society for

being trouble so automatically they look like the people that use violence before we even see the story. They also walk around in gangs which are threatening to the public.

IDEOLOGY: For the youth who may watch the film it could be a realisation of how serious their actions are by hearing stories of the after math. They may possibly reconsider before using violence to solve a problem again. If they stopped carrying knifes completely they may not take the impulse reactions they do without considering the consequences fully.

NARRATIVE: The storyline of the film is quite chaotic as there is a lot going on at once. This builds tension and dramatises the event as there are many characters involved and everyone is acting frantic. It is not made clear who the gunman is and is left with a sense of mystery and a whole lot of disaster behind.

GENRE: Drama - Displays elements of social realism relating to the violence used irrationally in today’s society without much consideration and the casual carrying of weapons by youths.