Option 2: Short film 1: The Plan

Short film 1: The Plan (Award winning short film)



From looking at this award winning short film, I distinguished the ways in which the text has been structured to show a clear representation to audience members. The use of black and white editing shows the blatant message/ purpose of the text, that being the differences in gender, class and wealth. As there are two predominant characters in the text, the contrast of the two colours help to identify the opposing ideas that both characters present. The black colour is used to highlight the darkness of the male character and emphasise the distressful narrative. This makes audience members feel as if the character has just come out of a bad experience and is trying to save himself. This is emphasised through the spoken non-diegetic sound at the beginning of the extract, "quit my job, pack the essentials to sustain life". Thus, showing the troubled situation that the male protagonist is trying to overcome. Sympathy is evoked from the very beginning of the text, this is reinforced through the light/ soft melody played. It makes audience members percieve the male as being naieve.

The extract opens with an establishing long shot of an american highway, thus showing the freedom of the male protagonist. Whilst, also showing that the character is unable to decide where he wants to go in life. This is reinforced through the use of ELS's in this particular scene, thus showing the distance of finding something, i.e. love, money, adventure. The audience members become engaged with the character as he narrates the text, thus meaning that the audience members are made to follow the story from the mans perspective.

A shot reverse shot is used, in order to introduce the female character to the text. Thus, helping to increase the continuity of the text and allowing the audience members to engage with the new character through the use of close up and mid shots. Another way in which the director has maintained the continuity of the text is by creating ambient sound. This helps audience members relate to the text and it also makes the whole film appear more realistic to real life. Whereas, if ambient sound were not used -the scene was quiet with just two characters speaking- it would cause audience members to lose interest and make the text devalued.

Upon discovering that the male protagonist has taken a picture of the female the main action of the narrative begins to take place. The director uses straight cuts at a faster rate to emphasise a build-up to the narrative of the text. This helps engage audience members as they are kept waiting for more action but are being given hints that something is going to happen that will alter the flow of the narrative.