Smaller institutions are more likely to be interested in my short film because the companies shown in the animoto above demonstrate that they usually release blockbusters that will generate more money at the box office.Warp films are known for films such as Dead Mans Shoes and Kill List. I think it will be very difficult to gain attention of bigger companies with my film due to its low budget and short running time as well.I think that the film could be shown as part of a festival for young people interested in the subject rather than a multiplex release.
Below are some short films that inspired me during my research from youtube.I have looked at a wide range of genres from action to animation-
Doodlebug(Christopher Nolan,1997)
Christopher Nolans debut short is weird , original and completely mesmerising. It combines a lot of elements that can be seen in his newer blockbuster releases with its emphasis on style and a twist ending which takes its audience by surprise.I found the black and white style quite intriguing swell , as it seems to highlight the lighting and unique mood of the film.The non diagetic music is probably the creepiest I have ever heard.Even the title in the beginning replaces the text with two eyes, creating the sense of we are watched.This film noir style is very stereotypical of older features from the early 20th century.
Victor (Tim Burton,1982)
This Tim Burton short film is quite similar to his later work where style and animation are concerned but is also bizarre and unlike anything else I've seen from the director recently. Cleverly, the piece is actually narrated by Vincent Price himself, the seven year olds inspiration making it a lot more effective and authentic. Again the black and white visual style fits the disturbing atmosphere.The narration also feels like a parent telling a story to a child.This style is similar to Burtons newer multiplex releases such as Alice in Wonderland and Dark Shadows.The narration seems to be in a style of a bedtime story for a child , although the subject matter is probably to creepy for that audience.
The Elevator(Greg Glienna,2010)
Although this is not a thriller short film , It still inspired me because of the humor and comedy which I hope to include in my own project. I liked the film because it took a .everyday situation which most people can relate with on some level.The close up shots of the people in the lift help to emphasis how full the space is.The extreme close up of the maximum weight sign allows to build a sense of awkward humor as we can guess what will occur.The sound effect towards the end when the person walks up to the lift is similar to Jaws, in that it raises suspense and the main characters worst nightmare.The film,s ending is common in comedy as the protagonist finds himself in a worst position than he was initially.
Here is my mood board for A2 Media studies. As you can see this is the starting point for my project and gave me an opportunity to explore what my project could contain:
For the A2 media course , I have started gathering initial ideas for my project. I have decided to research short film in depth to find out more on how to create my own product and see what genre suits this form. This year I want to challenge myself when planning and filming my product , as I want to steer away from the horror genre , since an amount of AS concentrated on it. My first thoughts were maybe creating a comedy drama , although I am still in the planning stage.
For my two an ancillary tasks, I have decided upon creating a poster to promote the film but am currently deliberating on choosing either the radio trailer magazine review page. Below are a couple posters and images in the thriller genre that have inspired me:
I rather like the dark color scheme this poster has included as it gives the island setting seem isolated.The low key lighting makes me think the protagonist is alone, afraid and in danger.
This is a conventional thriller poster as it doesn't reveal anything about the story,it leaves it all to your imagination .
This poster is obviously for an adult audience because of the "seven" sins placed in the centre , between the two characters.
Before choosing my inspirational texts I decided to look at a variety of short films to help me chose the genre I would base mine upon. Here I have listed a few short films which I came across:
Knick Knack (1989,John Lasseter)-animation
This short film from Pixar was made six years before Toy Story directed by John Lasseter and follows a snowman who wants to join a summery party outside his dome can never quite get to his goal. I like this short film because it was influenced by Lasseters love and interest in snow globes and was ,in many ways , ahead of its time. I really like the the style of the short film and basic story which creates some humorous moments.Actually , I think its the comedy aspect of the film which drawn me to it.
A trip to the moon
The first true science fiction film was made in 1902 by director Georges melies. Although a silent film it is easy to follow and inspired many future classics such as Alien. Although not necessarily a conventional short , it has enough ideas of its own than many feature length films in the cinema now. Its unusual length, amazing production values, special effects, and wonderful storytelling were influential for film-makers.
Pixels(Patrick Jean,2010) and Western spaghetti (PES,2008)
Although I have decided not to focus on stop animation for my short film due to the high budget I did find these two films which inspired me as they were very interesting concepts. Pixels focuses on the integration of pop culture videogames into the modern world whereas Western spaghetti is unlike anything I have seen before because it turn something so simple into something unique.These film inspired me as they made me want to create a film with the same originality.
At AS level , I felt as though my work could have been improved as I didn't have much experience with the technology I was using such as phototshop. This year I feel as though I can make a better overall product as I have learnt from my mistakes last year. My finished product suffered from a lack of models and I did not have the skills to make a better piece of work.I found it difficult to make the magazine have its own identity as it did entirely not match the genre either. Despite this , I am glad I made this magazine because it had helped me develop my skills further this year.
