Short Film Analysis - About A Girl

About A Girl

Synopsis: As a girl relates stories about her ordinary teenage life, there is an uncomfortable sense of sadness underlying her easygoing tales.

Genre: Drama

Although this film is from a different genre to ours, I feel that it uses similar shots to those we plan to use in our film. ‘About a Girl’ is written and directed by Brian Percival, it is a 10 minute short film. The order of this narrative is linear however it does include many flashbacks to previous times in this girl’s life.

Screen Duration- 10.10

Although the film is a whole of 10.10 minutes I am going to be focusing on what I feel are the most important parts of the film as for most of the film it is similar as it flashes back to many of the same parts.

The film opens with a black screen, where the title appears, which looks like it is being written as a text message. This suggests that the film is about a youngerperson, and by the title “About a Girl” it becomes obvious that the title is about a young girl.

The opening shot is a long shot with low exposure helps establish the scene and introduce the main character but also adds a bit of mystery to the main character as you can’t see her face just her outline but can hear her singing and see her dancing. The low exposure could be added into our film as it adds suspense and mystery to the plot.

Throughout most of the film, a tracking shot is used; this follows the girl on her walk as she talks about her life and the different things that happen in it. The tracking shot is mostly a medium shot of the girl, showing her facial and body expressions to the different subjects she is talking about. Also as a medium close shot is used for the tracking shot you can see the different locations she passes, this further suggest that this girl is going somewhere. It would be good to use a tracking shot in our film as it could be effective for showing someone walking somewhere creating suspense.

Another effect used is Pulling Focus, although the girl is at the front on her phone, the audience’s attention is on what her mum and little brother is doing at the back, this lets the audience have an insight on to what this girls mum is like, and makethe audience to feel emotions for the girl.

Throughout the film whenever and new location is introduced, there is the use of a long shot, this establishes the scene showing the audience where they are, and letting them have an insight to this girls life.Throughout the film whenever and new location is introduced, there is the use of a long shot, this establishes the scene showing the audience where they are, and letting them have an insight to this girls life.

Also another way the long shot is used is to show in one scene the girl is alone, this could reflect on how the girl is feeling, lonely. It also gives a further insight to how the girl is treated by her parents; it also shows how she’s really feeling to what she says in her narrative.

Later in the film, there is a long shot where the main character walks into and out of shot. This again shows the audience the girl’s location at the time. It also gives further insight into this girl’s background and where she is living, this further makes the audience empathize with the character. Also for the first time it shows the audience that the girl is carrying a white plastic bag, this creates mystery for the audience as they would want to know what’s in it and where is this girl taking it.

Near the end of the film, there is use of a high angle, long shot,this gives the effect that the character is feeling inferior to something. Making the audience think about what they think it could be, leaving them guessing and wanting to know more. Straight after the high angle, as the girl throws the bag in it cuts to an underwater low angle this straight away shows that the girl feels in charge of her own life again

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When the carrier bag reveals what’s inside, it turns to slow motion of the baby falling out of the bag and floating away, this shocks the audience and makes sure they don’t miss it as it is a crucial part of the film. It also adds in extra emotion to the audience.

The last shot of the film is a high angle low shot, however it shows that this girl now feels happier with her life now she has got rid of her “secret”. The shot is also high exposure, suggesting she is happy with her life now.

I feel that in our film we should use the different shots that are used in this film as it makes the film more effective and helps the audience to digest more of what’s happening. I also feel that in our film we should use a flash back as I think it’s a more effective way of letting the audience know different things that has happened in the past.