Evaluation for Depict Production

In my Depict Production I used multiple techniques in order to achieve an appropriate final product, examples of this include a close up shot at 0:14 this is in order to introduce the character to the audience and to show the character’s emotions. At 0:31 there is an example of a canted angle which shows the piece of paper in his hand giving the audience an insight into the narrative keeping them engaged with the production early on. At 0:10 there is a pan down to reveal the establishing shot of the college and the main character, this is intended to intrigue the viewer and like the last shot keep the audience engaged at an early stage due to the short films runtime not really allowing much build up, the aforementioned shot acts as a proxy for the longer build ups which longer films can fit into their runtime. Going back to the shot at 0:14, it is also an example of the rule of thirds as it has our protagonist occupying the primary third, dominating the scene and attracting the most attention and showing his importance.

In terms of the use of editing, our production features a moderate amount, opening with a quick fade after the title splash in order to ease in to the unfolding narrative and make it less choppy with the high number of cuts present. Due to how this production is a short film, cuts become more noticeable and in order to not make the cuts become too jarring, some are turned into fades in order to lend a softer and more natural feel to our production. For continuity we included the example at 0:17 seconds, the shot is a POV and gives continuity to the narrative as it helps us see what the character is seeing, letting the audience see his internal narrative, with the shot also being up for multiple interpretations. The aforementioned shot is also an example of an identification device due to how it is a POV primarily and a Continuity element only in its use.

When it came to sound our production featured mixes of both Non diegetic and ambient sound with the cars speeding past at 0:17 being an example of this, the music featured is discordant and is used in order to create suspense for the final scene, giving it more pull and grabbing the audience’s attention for the film’s final act, the films music choices could also be seen as an insight into the protagonist’s mind, perhaps showing some form of anxiety.

Finally, mise-en-scene is used to great effect with examples throughout the film giving meaning to the production in a non-verbal manner, the pieces of paper although having little outside meaning to begin with, end up being a key part to the ending with the phrase “BECOME ONE OF US” written in bold capitals, its meaning is up for the audience’s interpretation and leaves them thinking about the film after the credits start rolling. Another key element of the film is how the lighting and use of colour affect the piece, the use of monochrome informs the audience that the protagonist is colour blind and gives them his outlook, emphasising shadows and showing that he has a darker side or that he sees the worlds shadows clearer than most.