AICE Media Studies Blog

Is that who I think it is? Hello again dearest reader, I am happy to inform you that we have now reached the last film on our watch list for examination, Oracle by Aaron Poole, which we also encountered on the "Short of the Week" website. Camera Angles, Movement, and Shots: In this short film, we saw that there were a good number of camera shots used. Said camera shots included medium close-ups of the primary subject as they went about their daily life, whether that be in bed, in the living room, or traveling up the stairs. Close-up shots were also used when the primary subject seemed to grow more aware and attuned to their surroundings. When the film began to devolve into a more experimental piece, over-the-shoulder shots were used to conceal the face of the primary subject and highlight their detachment from reality and the presence, an interesting and effective choice. The same was true for the usage of long shots in the short. When looking at the camera angles used wi

    Hello! We will now continue to examine the conventions we found within other short films in our genre. The next film will we be taking a look at is Porcupine by Clifford Miu, which we also acquired from the "Short of the Week" website. Camera Angles, Movement, and Shots: Within this short film, we saw a decent amount of camera shots being used. The most often utilized shots being the medium and medium long shots. Given that there is only one primary subject of the film, said shots capture her in the isolation of her own home. That, in turn, creates a more tense scenario once she realizes that she is in danger. Close-up shots are also used to create contrast within this short film, such as when the film opens and the shot transitions from a close-up of the sparklers children use on holidays to the cigarette a woman was smoking. Additionally, an over-the-shoulder shot was also used to place the focus on the main threat that the primary subject was facing, making her fade

  Welcome back! As you know today we’re working on breaking down the conventions we see used in different short films. Up next on our list is Prosopagnosia by Hugo Kaijzer, which we also obtained from the "Short of the Week" website. Camera Angles, Movement, and Shots: In this short film, a number of different camera shots are incorporated. The most common shots within the film were long shots, wide shots, and medium shots. Long shots were used to capture subjects are they were first introduced, whilst wide shots were used with the purpose of exploring new and unfamiliar settings. Medium shots were reserved for conversations between multiple subjects, as were over-the-shoulder shots. Close-up shots were not as common, but they did make themselves apparent. The close-up shot was used to create of intensity during the investigation being held between the primary subject and the police officer.  Regarding the specific type of angle most often within the film, I would say tha

  Hey again! Today we have decided to inspect other short films that match our genre. First on our list was Gridlock by Ian Hunt Duffy. The short film was made available to us because it was uploaded onto the "Short of the Week" website, which is easily accessible on all platforms. To obtain the best viewing experience, my teammate and I watched them on a large laptop in a quiet room where we would be free of external distractions. We then conducted a thorough analysis of the conventions used by the short film, and we have outlined them below. Camera Angles, Movement, and Shots:     In the short film, there are a wide variety of camera techniques applied. In terms of camera angles, the film primarily relied on eye-level shots, particularly when subjects wre conversing. The reason being is that doing so allowed for the audience to feel grounded in said conversations and not be tempted to dsitract themselves with what might be happening in the background. High angle shots were

   Hi! Today my teammates and I viewed a quick video on YouTube to gain insight on how we should go about creating a short film of our own. The video itself was quite enlightening, bringing up some points we had not yet thought to consider and reaffirming those that we had already been aware of, yet presenting the information in a digestible manner that really drove the message home.     When looking at conceptualizing our short film, we felt as though the video made some valid points. The first of which was concerning the realisticness of actually being able to film what my fellow members and I are envisioning. The reason why it is so important for us to keep this simple rule in mind is to not only avoid going over budget, but to also ensure that we produce the best possible product. If we were to run into a roadblock regarding the inability to capture a shot that may have been essential to the storyline once we are already in the process of filming, we will be setback and inevitab

    Hello! We have returned once again to further our efforts in comparing short films to those that are fully developed into lengthy features. To do so, we have chosen two more pieces to compare, “La Jetée” and “12 Monkeys”.     “La Jetée” was originally a collection of black and white still photos; however, it was eventually adapted into a major motion picture under the direction of Terry Gilliam. Instead of keeping it in the likeness of flipbooks, the 1962 featurette, or photo-roman as its director Chris Marker refers to it, was completely readapted to fit the modern interests of Gilliam’s modernized audience in 1995. This meant that it underwent a complete makeover in terms of its visual aesthetics, although it did remain mostly true to the basic concepts of the film.     In the aforementioned featurette, Parisian society has crumbled under the devastation of World War III, leaving survivors to flee underground for safety. Throughout the short, only the singular voice of one male i

    Yoo-hoo! It is so nice to see you have returned for yet another one of our blogs! Today my team and I will begin by deconstructing a short film and its related feature in an effort to understand what makes the two forms of media so different from one another. We hope to apply this knowledge to our own short and allow us to make more rational decisions when it comes to our planning process. Short Film: Plot:  The film is essentially about the emotional journey the primary subject, 9, takes following the death of one of his close friends, 5. The first part of this story is told in the form of a flashback, where 9 and their friend try to evade capture by an unnamed half-mechanical, half-bone beast. During their altercation, 5 steps up to try and save the day and is sadly killed, whilst 9 is able to make a hasty escape. Once the flashback concludes, 9 is brought back to reality by the thrumming of a green-glowing object in their possession, which seems to alert them of the presence of