Rough Costume Idea - Lucy

Costume is an important factor for representing a character to the audience. The clothing and appearance of a character helps to convey their personality, lifestyle and even their social status. By conveying these factors non- verbally, it gives the audience the ability to become involved with the narrative. It also adds more depth to the characters, making the plot more intriguing and it aids the consumption of the moral message. Costume and appearances also help an audience to relate to characters within a production.

The character of Lucy is a high profile business women and her clothing needs to represent this as well as her personality to the short films audience, without detracting from the theme of the overall narrative. Below are some of the first ideas of the style and colours of the clothing that the character of Lucy should wear. The features found in this articles of clothing are importnat to her character, and will be used and conisdered when producing the actual costume for this character.

This coat portrays a selection of important factors about the character of Lucy. The colour of the coat (Black) conveys the formal tone of her profession and of her personality. The colour allows her to blend into a variety of situations but also represents the authority that she posses. The dark colour also shows how often this coat could be worn, as it would be suitable to wear with a variety of outfits which can convey the importance appearance has for her. The length of the coat is also traditional for heroes and saviours. Long coats are synonymous for representing authoritative characters in a variety of media products. The length of the coat also protects her femininity from being largely apparent, representing how hard she works for an industry that could be deemed predominantly male. The cut and style of the coat are also highly relevant for conveying Lucy’s character. The long black coat is a traditional and stereotypical symbol for power, as are the majority of Lucy’s costume items.This can suggest to the audience the Horror genre of the film, because of the dark tone is possesses.  The cut of her coat offers a small glimpse to the personality that she represses in order to conform to her job description. The detail at the bottom of this coat represents the flare of individuality that Lucy has in her work, conveying to the audience that she is more rounded as a character and has outside interests of her work.

The necklace is simple design and therefore could be worn with a variety of items. The design and colours within the necklace mean that it would suit the professional and formal tone of Lucy’s outfit. The necklace conveys the femininity that is not often shown by Lucy. The design is simple but offers another example of the individuality that Lucy keeps throughout her outfit, showing a small rebellion in a career that needs conformation. The colour hue on the pearl features adds to the clear simplicity that her outfit is designed for. The connotations associated with “Pearls” represent her importance and ranking she has within society and her job. The fact that this design could appear expensive and may not match the rest of her plain outfit, could represent a gift, that conveys that she has relationships in her life. The fact she is capable of emotion, connotes this to that the audience allowing relation to be easier.

Once again a blouse of this design creates the simplicity and the formal features that make up the outfit of Lucy. The colour of this item is vital in conveying information about Lucy to the audience. White often symbolises purity and innocence but another important factor is that it conveys perfection, which is something Lucy holds crucial in her life as well as in her appearance. White is also representational of cleanliness, which is a feature that Lucy could pride herself on in order to achieve her position at work. The white blouse is a common and often stereotypical item of clothing worn by those who work in offices and high powered jobs; by keeping this feature in the costume, it allows the audience to relate to her as a character and offers them the chance to understand her behaviour and actions.  There are also aspects of this item of clothing that convey the individuality that is subtly used in the entire outfit.  The ruffle details on the sleeves and the central seam are the flare of personality that is found throughout her costume. The polka dot details on the blouse are also there to convey a sense of individualism, in what could normally be deemed a bland or uninteresting ensemble worn by many. It helps to create Lucy as an individual character as well as making her easier to remember from the audiences perspective.  

The skirt that helps to create Lucy’s character is a part of attempting to show the normality and the business position she holds. Black skirts and trousers are stereotypical components of professional’s outfits, making it easier for the audience to relate and understand her. The choice of colour in this item of clothing is also important. Black as a colour is representational of elegance and sophistication which are important concepts for a character, which has power and control, such as Lucy. Black is also recognised as a colour that changes the perception of people’s body style. This effect could be seen as important because of Lucy’s femininity but also reinforces other visual interpretations; that she cares about her appearance and the importance it holds.  Another important feature linked to the colour of this costume, is that black can also be interpreted as a colour of rebellion, which a theme running throughout Lucy’s outfit and her personality. This subtle use of colour reference allows the audience to connect with the character on a variety of levels as well as over a period of viewings. By using a skirt it reinforces her feminine nature, as it allows her shape and natural curves to be seen. The skirt also reinforces that this isn’t the most important feature due to its length. The skirt also allows for both genders to connect with the character, as men could see her as a portrayal of a female stereotype and women can see her as an inspiration and admire her. The cut and style of the skirt, is also important to show conformity in the position that Lucy holds, as the style is one that can be worn by many and has no extravagancies.

The shoes are the final piece of costume that helps to give a visual representation of Lucy’s character.  The most important piece of information represented by this feature is her personality and rebellion against the conformist society she faces. The colour of these shoes is purple and therefore represents mystery and royalty. Mystery is a key aspect of the horror genre of this short film and by linking it into the costume, is strengths the importance and knowledge to the audience. Mystery is also an important factor of Lucy’s personality, as specific details are never given; her job and her reasons for being in the location of the film.  The royalty aspect of this colour again conveys subtly to the audience that she is an important character, with high status and large amounts of power.  The height of the heel and the style of the shoes are there to convey her femininity once again. The height of the shoe shows her confidence and ability to walk in them, which can convey that, she does it often. The style of the shoe also conveys that comfort is also important as they can be deemed practical when looking at the type of heel and the strap used. This can also convey that she spends a lot of time, sat or still, due to the height of the shoe. This connotes to the fact that she has authority and importance and has control over others and does not need to partake in activities herself. The material that the shoes are constructed from is also an unusual choice so it represents her individuality, which is referenced to throughout her outfit.

These factors found throughout the costume, are important in conveying Lucy as a character and allowing the audience to connect with her and the narrative.  Each of them is important in representing the genre, an example being the Social Drama that is conveyed by the normality of her costume, making it easy to relate to everyone, but also to important issues that societies can face. By representing personality traits and the moral of the film in the costume it reinforces it in the audience’s minds and also means that important screen time is not wasted by unnecessary dialogue. Even though these are not the actual pieces of the costume, the character of Lucy will wear, the features will be attempted to be replicated, in order to make Lucy as strong and interesting character.

Main Character Profile

The protagonist within my short film is named Rhys Miller. He is a dominant male character and takes the main focus of the film and its narrative. He is a professional and is often deemed inexpressive; his serious nature when dealing with business and his family are crucial to representing this. Even though he is perceived as inexpressive or emotionless, he cares deeply for his family and friends around him; mainly for his younger sister. By hiding his emotions he perceives it at saving his family from the danger his job brings, when in fact it just makes them cold towards him. This character flaw helps to make the audience sympathise and connect with him, making this an important feature. It makes him appear more human, as this is a common trait shown throughout characterisation and in reality. The only expressive features about him are his eyes, making him easier to relate to by adding more human characteristics.

The professional tone of Rhys’ personality is also conveyed and supported by his costume. His clothing is plain and doesn’t contain specific details. The unremarkable nature of his costume, allows him to blend into the background, which is important for his profession but also is a symbol of his actions. His clothes are well fitting, and his appearance is well cared for conveying his importance as well as his status and wealth, these are vital factors in representing his character to the audience.  The colours and tones used within his costume are also important. Dark blues, greys and blacks are used to support his professional stance, but also to reinforce his masculinity. His posture is also important in creating a strong character. He is straight backed and his posture connotes the power and authority he posses. His actions are relevant and considerate, detailing the amount of care and grace he puts into life, helping to support his intelligence and the depth of his personality. His posture is also relevant to conveying how guarded he is, the lines he creates are straight and harsh, but small movements such as the emotive eyes, convey his ability to be sociable. Age is also a crucial feature, the youth of the character, age being between late 20’s- early 30’s shows what should be his innocence but how it is lost, by the cold, harsh life that the character of Rhys posses, helping the audience relate to him.

Due to the fact that this is a short film, development of character is not shown on screen because of the time constraint. It also doesn’t hinder the moral message being conveyed to the audience, by distracting them, Keeping specific details such as his job title and marital status from the audience it doesn’t over load them with information, and keeps the main focus of the audience clear. By representing these facts through visual imagery, such as the wearing of a wedding ring, it conveys there is more about the characters than is shown on screen, allowing more belief in them from the audience, helping the moral messages of the film to come across stronger.

Narrative Structure

Although in a short film there is not a lot of time for equilibrium to be established, it is important to consider the narrative structure in order to make the film understandable and represent key features of the plot that cannot be changed. The equilibrium is established within “two” is the relationships between Rhys and Kathy, brother and sister and Rhys and Lucy, two good friends and colleagues. The connections between Kathy, Lucy and the films protagonist Rhys are standard and relatable relationships for the audience. Even the troubles that later become evident between both Rhys and Kathy are commonly found in society. The clothing that all the characters wear also represents normality. They are all well kept and each of them shows pride in their appearance. The style of clothing is also a common feature of young adults and makes them easier to relate to.

The disequilibrium for this film is the decision that Rhys has to make. It threatens his normal life and holds the possibility of breaking his heart and therefore hurting him.  The choice disrupts their everyday lives and forces them to exist outside the boundaries set by society.  The fact that Rhys is forced into a decision between saving Kathy and Lucy destroys his previous life as it does not allow anything to return to as it was previously. The disequilibrium is featured at the start of the film and is carried through until the end. There are a variety of aspects that portray this change. Rhys’ behaviour alters dramatically. He begins the narrative frightened but managing to hide it behind a façade of confidence. By the end after deciding upon Kathy’s death his posture is no longer rigid but slumped as if he no longer as the will to live. His voice and language are lacking emotion and are cold as the decision appears to have hurt Rhys to the point where he is psychologically removed from the situation.

The resolution of the piece is when the equilibrium is returned to the narrative. In the case of “two” the death of Kathy brings the end of the film to what could be interpreted as a return to normality; both Lucy and Rhys are free to return to the world. The decision has been made so for now there is no danger to the characters. It helps to represent to the audience that although normality has not always been carried through this episode of their lives that it has always been present in the world around them. This is not a strong return to equilibrium as both Lucy and Rhys will never be the same as they were previously but it does reinforce that the danger and fear that encompassed the decision Rhys had to make has now diminished.

Action and Enigma codes are also an important feature of a film. The enigma codes are crucial as they pose questions to the audience about the narrative and keep them interested in the film. The action codes are how the enigma codes are portrayed to the audience. Within my idea for “two” the largest enigma code possessed is about who will Rhys choose and that is not answered until the final moments of the film. There are also a lot of questions posed that are never answered and is left to the audience to decide, allowing them to engage with the film on personal levels. These questions are Why Rhys? Where are they? Who is Lance? There are also enigma codes that answered as soon as they are posed; an example being, wondering who Kathy is. Through dialogue it will become clear that she is Rhys’ sister. Knowing this information helps to give audiences a sense of power as they know more about the characters in the narrative.  

My Short Film - First Idea

The basis of the theme for my short film is about choices. The first concept for my plot is about one character by the name of Rhys. Rhys, works in a high profile job, that is never specified, but has a large amount of security and secrecy that accompany it. Rhys, receives a message informing him to go to warehouse, where he finds his sister Kathy and his business associate Lucy standing on a trap door, both with nooses around their necks. His staff and police are already on scene and inform him that a decision has to be made about who can survive; removing one body, tips the counter weight for the trap door, hanging the other victim. Time is ticking away as he struggles between the decision that will benefit the world (saving Lucy) or the decision that will save his heart (Kathy). Rhys eventually decides to over rule his heart and save Lucy. The end of the narrative, is watching both Kathy's and Rhys' reaction as they both know when the time runs out that she will die. The final moments of the plot are revealed by focusing on the Rhys' face as his sister is killed and the anguish he faces at not choosing to save her.

The extreme decisions that Rhys has to face are exaggerated beyond anything that would occur naturally, but this plot has an important moral message, about the right decisions not always being those which are easiest to make. This narrative, also conveys to the audience the strength of love and bonds between characters. Both Rhys and Kathy are very different in personality and lifestyle choices, but they still care about each other and respect them, an important message to convey to the audience. Moral messages are also an important convention of the short film genre and therefore are crucial within my work.  

Research - Film Posters

Posters, are an important advertising tool for a film. Posters are used to intrigue the audience, by representing a key concept of the narrative. They also supply important information such as the cast and crew and the release date and occasionally the location. These conventions are commonly found in both Short and full length films. For Short films, that will not have the budget or marketing that full length films will have put into them, so the poster has to represent the concepts behind the film. Examples of this in the short film sector are the creative aspects as well as the theme of the film. It helps signify its content to the audience of these productions.

The poster for the short film "Unstoppable". It is creative and visually attractive. The use of the vivid blues and the imagery contained and layered within in it are unique and appealing to an audience. The use of this creativity is representative of the perspective that short films contain. The focus of the poster is the central image. The layering of images, colours and textures make it unique and stand out to the audience. The use of it against black background, conveys a large contrast. The names of the cast and director are at the top of the poster are traits shared with posters of full length feature films. The information underneath the title, means that attention is not removed from the representational image but details to the perspective audience the films key information. These features are found in both a short film as well as feature length film posters. The use of these conventions allows the audience to understand and retain information about it.

The 2008 short film "Purge"; winner of a variety of awards such as Best dramatic short film, AOF festival is featured around the struggle of a young women named Joy, and the sexual abuse she has come under and her escape from it. The use of the image of the young girl is representative to the audience that she is the main focus and character of the film. The fact that only half of her face is shown, can signify the portrayal of her hiding, wearing a mask and therefore trying to protect herself. It is open to a variety of interpretations. The creativity and difference of opinion this offers is crucial to the audience type as well as the category of short film itself. The typography on this piece is feminine due to the shape and curve of the font. Again connoting the link to the young women which the narrative focuses upon. The fact that the font is simple, can also represent the importance of theme and creativity of the film. The simplicity can also convey the title of the film "Purge". Again, like the majority of film posters, details about the cast, crew and other information are detail at the bottom in order not to detract from the main focal point. The choice of background is plain, conveying the importance of the young female character, but the choice of green, can represent nature and freedom, linking to the theme of the title. Green is also representative of modern existence, as it is a calm and focused colour.The background on the original picture is blurred, creating a focal point of the young girl, instead of her location. By keeping it out of focus it can suggest the changes and development of the main character that are needed to make her life clearer. This is a tool used in order to successfully convey the theme and focus of the film to its audience.

Although, this film poster is not one from the category of short films, I feel that it offers a wide range of important conventions that could be used within my product in order for it represent and market a short film successfully. This is the film poster from Tim Burton's, Alice in Wonderland. The choice of background and imagery are important as it is a strong connection with the film. The iconic imagery is bright, and the key focal point of the poster. This feature would be important in a short film poster, due to the common conventions found in them. This poster, although for a feature film, is creative and artistic in its style and approach to the narrative and imagery, an important link to short films. This poster, does change the perception of film posters, as the name of the film is at the bottom in the right hand corner. This feature would be used to make sure attention is drawn first by the image, and that the audience is forced to take in the entire poster in order to receive this information. The font and colours used throughout this poster, are crucial in portraying the theme of the film. One trait this poster does share with other film posters is that important information is once again shown at the bottom of the poster, keeping the attention of the perspective audience.

Each of the posters above, uses a variety of different conventions in order to successfully demonstrate to a perspective audience, the theme of the film. Iconic images of the film, are used as the main focal point and attraction of the poster. This helps to market the film clearly, without the need for a large quantity of text. The positioning of the title and the typography are also important in representing the content of the film. Films in which creativity and the unique content they posses such as "The Alice in Wonderland" poster are represented by the lack of conventions shown on it. Colours and tones are also an important aspect to be considered when producing a successful poster. In order to make the poster for my short film successful, I will have to apply the conventions of posters in the genre of my piece, such as dark colours, unusual fonts and dark imagery. The conventions of varying short film and feature length films posters will also be used within my work. Images that represent the film, typography and the choice of colours are all important in making sure that the poster can represent my film accurately and successfully to its audience.

Audience Research

Audience is an important aspect to consider when considering aspects for a film. Knowing the target audience means that it is successful within its genre, as it is interesting and easily understood by them. If the film is targeted at the wrong audience, it would make it unsuccessful as the content would be inappropriate and possibly uninteresting to them. The audience for short films is very specific due to the content and style that they deal with.  Due to the fact short films aren’t often sold, or classified, there are no customer reviews or BBFC classifications, the research on audience interests will have to be conducted by a questionnaire.

A stereotypical audience for them would often be of higher education, often to University level. The manner in which short films convey their content through metaphors and strong creative imagery would require a large degree of interest in content similar to it, like literature. Due to the education level of a typical audience member and the importance of imagery and visuals for the moral message the audience members would typically be middle to upper class, to represent the well educated creative society. Gender is an important category to consider, unlike films of stereotypical gender genres such as Romantic Comedy and Action, the morals and content of a short film can be deemed suitable for both genders.  After analysing and viewing a variety of comments on video sharing sites such as YouTube the mainstream television shows and films mentioned convey the theme’s ad content that that the typical audience are interested in.

From comments they have shown an interest in shows such as “Sherlock”, “Doctor Who” and “Silent Witness”.  These shows convey the passion for imagery and unique content, due to the strange cases that are solved in the majority of the productions. “Sherlock” and “Silent Witness” also show the interest in programmes that require thought and concentration, an aspect that is heavily involved in short films.  Films that they may also have an interest in are supernatural and have content that is unique and carries a moral message to the audience such as “Donnie Darko” and ”The Secret Window” they are also films that have certificates and content that are suitable for the age category stated above.

Genre - Social Drama

Social Drama is one of the genres that my short film will be based upon. The social drama genre is about questioning the morality of situations and societies that can be found throughout humanities existence. It conveys issues that individuals can face as well as problems facing humanity. The key factor of a film of the social drama, is dealing with features of humanity that can be difficult to portray to an audience or are relevant to humanity as a whole. Social Drama films often use creative methods to reinforce and portray the message to the audience. An example of the content used in social drama, would be issues such as poverty, consumerism and death. The idea of these films is to convey other interpretations and idea's about these situations to the audience. Films of the Social Drama genre often try to demonstrate a cure to what is shown. It may have a negative or positive portrayal of the social concept of the film. Social Drama's often feature in other sub genre's such as medical drama's and political drama's.

The social drama genre is relevant to my short film idea because of the theme and content I plan to use. The basic outline of my film is about the idea of decisions. Within my short film the decision is about the life of one of two characters. The main character can only save one of them and the decision has to be made about whether it should be made for the benefits of society or for personal reasons, because they love the second character. Even though this decision is the extreme, it links back to the basic and often difficult decisions that everyday people have to make in real life. It connotes to the audience, that the message of the film is about the variety of choices that need to be made and that coming to the right conclusion isn't always quick and simple.

Genre - History of Horror and Conventions

One of the main features of a horror film is that is has to engage with the audience by inciting emotions such as fear and disgust about what they are witnessing on screen. The Horror genre can overlap with a variety of other genre’s in order for it to progress and continue to terrify the audience. An example of the genres that horror can link to is the Supernatural genre as well as well as Thriller. Plots and narratives for horror films often use images for the actual world and pervert and change them by adding in monsters or accentuating real violence from society. The varieties of fictional characters that stereotypically appear are ghosts, werewolves, Satan and vampires. Horror also features characters that could exist within real life, such as Jack the Ripper and other forms of killers and torturers. Some of the original horror films were based upon Gothic Literature. Examples of these are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein and Dracula. A large amount of the original horror films were created in Germany. The Hollywood films began in the early 1920’s, where popular films such as Phantom of the Opera and Waxworks were created. The 1930’s is when Hollywood horror films became intended for mainstream audiences. It was during this time period that notable actors such as Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff became famous for their portrayals as Dracula and Frankenstein respectively.

Hammer Horror was a production company that had large amounts of success with the Horror genre in the 1950’s – 1970’s, these films contain blood and gore in colour. They often stared the respected actors of horror at this time such as Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. They had large success with films such as the curse of Frankenstein and The Mummy. The director of these films, Terence Fisher, is deemed the creator and biggest influence for all modern Horror films. Hammer Horror films were popular until the 1980’s when the studio ceased to produce up until 2007, when larger Hollywood budgeted films took over. Horror films after this developed into psychological films, in which the perpetrator and the object of horror are not revealed to the audience, an example of this being the popular film Halloween.

During the 1990’s Horror films took a step backwards as the gore aspect had worn out and the audience had changed and developed. The new audiences wanted films that challenged them instead of simple slasher films. The Horror genre has inspired a variety of different productions, that span a variety of genre because of the well recognised traits it posses. It has had a variety of documentaries and show dedicated to the progression that has happened since horror began. One of the most recent is “A history of horror” a BBC 4 production that stared Mark Gatiss running down a list of some of the most arguably influential films produced in this genre.

Horror is an important genre, within my plan for a short film. The idea of frightening the audience and to push the boundaries of their perceptions is a concept used in my short film. The fact that my plan consists of two characters stuck on a platform that is counter weighted with a noose around their necks; if one of them is removed from the platform, the weight on the platform shifts and the second character is hung. This aspect of the characters death, could be deemed gruesome, even though this action is not conveyed on the screen and is only suggested to the audience. The idea of the audience perceiving the death in their own minds, not only links to the psychological aspect of the film, but makes it terrifying in its own way to the individuals watching the film. It also signifies that all though the threat of death is a crucial piece of content, it is not the main feature of the film or the narrative. Due to the fact this film contains a constant threat of death as well as images of people being ready to be hung; horror is an important genre choice for it.

Short Film - Idea's

The main focus and thought for my products are those based around morals and important issues that humanity can face. One of these is the concept of choice. Choices are made constantly throughout life and can be difficult and highly important as well as simple and unconsciously done. Consequences and outcomes are not often considered or portrayed, which could become an interesting concept for a short film. Using this as an idea would mean that the short film would relevant for a wide audience and could feature in a variety of genres and styles. Due to the fact that decisions are made all of them time, its importance is timeless and relevant to almost everyone.

Another Idea I have at the moment is of innocence and childhood, in the theme of nursery rhymes and lullabies. These methods of delivering warnings and comforting children are commonly found and make up the basis of the interest in music, reading and comfort of many people's lives. These concepts could easily be manipulated or changed to become threatening or callous in nature and could be interesting to see the uses they could have in changing the perception of the world children have.

Preliminary Research - "Intangible" - Short Film Analysis

- Part One


-Part Two

The basic plot outline of the short film "Intangible" is that the character of Billy, portrayed by Arthur Darvill, believes that the most important people in his life are replications. He carries out an experiment to test his theory, while his psychiatrist believes him to be suffering from a serious delusion. The film opens to Billy on a trip to the bathroom before shaving himself, a regular activity that conveys to the audience his normality in the strange unsettling camera and editing work of the beginning. By portraying his normally to the audience, it allows them to connect with him and empathise with him. In doing this it makes his opinion about the doubles more believable. By cutting himself on the cheek and the camera filming a close up it adds emphasis on what could be described as a normal action for the process. A quick cut is used into the next scene, of Billy and his psychiatrist. The location is white, clinical and professional, contrasting with the only other location of the film, Billy's home which is cluttered and has a darker filter on it.

In these scenes, character development and narrative are progressed by the dialogue of Billy. Billy explains to his therapist that his mother had a cut on her finger (scar) one day and that it was gone the next. The use of close ups and over the shoulder shots, help to portray that this character is key and important as is the dialogue being spoken. The tone of voice, the fact he is a well spoken character, with intellectual abilities is also important in his story being believable. Dialogue is also used as a tool, to convey the theme and message to the audience. The fact he corrects the psychologist reinforces this. The dialogue used throughout, such as him knowing the "destroyer of worlds" also help to present him as a slightly mad and a deranged character. The artistic nature of the film is also conveyed by the close up shots of Billy, cleaning a paintbrush in water, covering his brush in paint and finally by painting on his girlfriend. These a visual representation of what is an important concept of the film. The variants on normal social behaviour, such as clearing up and moving from room to room, are small but significant representations about the characters mental state. The accident that apparently causes these delusions is uncovered again through the dialogue of the counselling sessions.

The use of the varied camera recordings taken by the therapist is another technique used in order to vary the method in which the audience uncovers information about Billy and his life, but it also helps to support a claim about being watched, paranoia that unsettles the audience and makes the question the character of Billy.

By showing the removal of the painting on Anna's (The Girlfriends) shoulder it leaves a questionable feature to the audience about whether it’s really happening or it’s just Billy's perception of the situation. The use of the voice over at the end of the film, creates a believable and closed ending to the story, bringing in a calm collect voice, makes a final and serious ending to the film and the existence of Billy but also still questions the mental state of the character. This ending leaves questions that are not answered and representing pity or fear of the character of Billy. Creating this impact and leaving these questions, makes the theme of the short film more memorable.

During the film, a variety of techniques are used in order to make the film as interesting as possible and to convey as much information as needed to make the film a success. It also uses a variety of aspects and features found in Short Films. The use of only a small number of locations and the small number of characters is important. The creative and imaginative style in which the theme is conveyed is also another feature. One of the most significant is the way in which the narrative is moved forward by dialogue and the narrative is portrayed by imagery on screen is vital to the film and its audience.

Preliminary Research - Examples of the variety of Short Films

"Highgate House of Horror" - The League of Gentlemen.

The first part of "The League of Gentlemen" short film titled "Highgate House of Horror". This is an example of short films being used by a production crew and writers who have worked on previous media items before; they also have production and acting experience. This short film is around thirty minutes in length, but still completes the frame needed by a short film. The short film focuses strongly upon the narrative and the location. It is based upon the strong emotion of fear and the destructive and criminal actions that humans can be persuaded into, all be it through the use of comedy.

The Black Hole - Phil and Olly

"The Black Hole" - Future Shorts - Phil and Olly - Virgin Media Shorts Grand prize winner 2008. This short film is based upon, the moral of greed. The main character is punished ultimately for the greed he possesses at the end of the film. The use of humour and the creative and imaginative plot, allow for the audience of the film to remain interested and to help put the message across. Creativity is an important aspect of this film. It conveys and important message in an unusual method; a black hole is not liable to be found in a photocopying machine. It keeps to the conventions shown by these productions, such as one main character and non varying locations.

The Life and Death of a Pumpkin - Blame Society Productions

"The Life and Death of a Pumpkin" - Winner of Best Short Film and Best Concept at Chicago Horror Film Festival 2006. It uses the pumpkins point of view in order to connote to the audience, the unusual perspective of how it feels about being stolen and the mutilated in order for it be made into a lantern for Halloween. The narrative and the theme's of this short film are important as it personifies the pumpkin and gives details about human emotions that could be complex and difficult to convey otherwise. Another important aspect is the creative imagery used and the artistic camera work throughout, in order to make it, unique, interesting and thought provoking.

Preliminary Research - What is a Short Film?

A short film has a variety of factors that classify a product under this category. One of the most important and recognisable traits of a short film is the fact that the narrative is used to convey an important theme or message to the audience. An example of this is the short film "The Black Hole" in which the theme of greed is portrayed and the negative connotations that can occur by it being present are shown. Short films encourage those in the process of them to convey creativity instead of using the conventions used by full length feature films. Short films have the ability to use a variety of contexts and idea's in them, no matter how unusual or imaginative. Visual imagery is a strong feature of a short film, again linking back to the theme of creativity.

They help to tell stories and are often produced by individual groups instead of professionals. They tend to have only a small variety of locations and do not have an extremely vast budget. The focus of the film is often one or two characters and long introductions to their lives and situations are not normally a given. The length of these films often varies, and can be as short as one minute long and as long as thirty minutes. Short films also have the ability to convey a narrative by image and locations instead of the story being conveyed step by step. They often tell stories and contain strong morals but are often used to "push boundaries" and to convey ideas and concepts that are not often portrayed in mainstream cinema. Short Films are to focus upon the imagery, creativity and theme of the film and to convey this to the audience.

Brief - Short Film

The brief that I am considering undertaking is that of the short film and the other two products needed to accompany this; the two I have decided upon are the Radio Trailer and the Poster. The reason behind my decision is that, this brief offers a large range of creative freedom, due to the fact that short films are able to push boundaries and are able to convey strong ideas and moral beliefs to the audience, in a format not often seen in professional films. The short film brief also offers a wide range of choices and decisions to be made at various levels because the genre is not set.

The other two tasks which I am deciding upon is the radio trailer for the film and the poster. The radio trailer allows for various different features and skills to be used as it requires more precision in content and choices in order for it to represent and convey the film successfully. The film poster allows me to use other programmes and skills in order to construct a high quality product, as well as conveying how important colour, typography and imagery are in constructing the film to an audience. The main reason for my consideration of this brief, is the fact that it encourages the use of imagery and imagination of those involved in the production of the short film and the audience that watch it