2. The slow violin music gives the film a sombre feel to it. This
is because the sound of a violin suggests loss and sadness.
This implies to the audience that the narrative for the film
will not be jolly and exciting. This can suggest a drama
genre to the audience because the genre usually deals with
the difficulties of someone’s life.
There is no dialogue throughout the majority of the film.
This suggests to the audience that the focus on the film is
the old man’s emotions. This allows the audience to
connect with the protagonist because they are easily able to
understand his emotions and can therefore link to them.
This can also suggests a drama genre because within this
genre of film the director usually focuses on the emotions
and feeling of the protagonist, meaning that the audience
are able to connect and relate to the character.
3. The lack of dialogue is used as a selling point for this film. This is
because it makes the audience focus on the old man’s emotions,
allowing them to connect to the character and therefore feel more
involved.
Another element in the film that can be used as a selling point is the
twist at the end of the film. This is because it immediately increases the
sympathy from the audience because they are able to understand the
reason for his sad emotions. This is conventional for a short film
because usually a short film would consist of a twist in the plot to shock
the audience and sometimes create more sympathy from the audience.
The establishing shot of the sea at the beginning of the trailer implies
to the audience that the protagonist is just a normal person. This is
significant because the audience are easily able to connect with him as
they could be in the situation he is in. This fits conventions for a short
film because the narrative of a short film usually deals with a normal
situation that any audience member are able to relate to in some way.
4. The music is an extremely key element when establishing the
mood for the audience. This is because the low violin music
immediately gives the audience an idea of sadness. This is
because the violins are associated with something negative if
they are played. For example they are usually played as funerals.
This can foreshadow some of the story for the audience if they
are concentrating on the action as well as the music. The music
contributes to confirming the characters emotions in the
beginning of the film. However the music soon stops, this can
symbolise a sudden change in his emotions or a pause due to a
possibility of confusion.
The lack of dialogue can also be used to establish the mood. This
is because he is not talking it can suggest something has
happened that he doesn’t want to talk about or is scared to. This
also makes the audience focus on his emotions, establishing the
mood of the character.
5. The film follows key conventions as it is about a well-known situation that the
audience are able to relate to. This is shown by the loss of a loved one, this is
seen from and audience as a well-known situation because people are losing
loved ones everyday. This is also something that most audiences will have been
through, therefore allowing them to relate to the narrative. However within a
short film the narrative has a twist put onto it to make message within the film
more obvious.
It also follows conventions of a short film as it ends with a twist in the story.
This is shown in the mid-shot of him in the grave with his wife. This follows
conventions of a short film because the twist at the end of the film had been
hinted at throughout all of the film. However what happens within the twist
the audience do not expect.
The film also follows conventions of a short film because there is only a small
amount of actors in the film. This is shown by the old man being the focus of
the film, with a small amount of extra characters throughout, such as the
delivery man.
The film only involves one location throughout the film too. This follows
conventions of a short film because short film is low-budget film meaning that
the directors and producers are unable to afford to use many different locations
within a film.
6. There is a representation of class within this film. This is
shown through the mise-en-scene and what the old man is
wearing. In the mid shots of him the audience can see that
the bottom of his jumper is ripped and that he wears the
same jumper the next day. This suggests a lower class to the
audience because it implies he is not able to afford new
clothes.
The representation of loss is also portrayed within this
film. This is evidenced by the sombre music of the violins
throughout the film, linking to the miserable emotions
that the protagonist if feeling. This suggests to the
audience that loss of a loved one leads to a person
becoming upset.
7. The expectation of this film after watching the firs few
shots is that the film will focus on the old man. This is
shown by the majority of close ups of the old man.
This allows the audience to connect with him and
relate, as they are able to visually see the emotions he
is feeling.
Another expectation of the film is that it will focus on
not only the old man, but also more specifically his
emotions. This is implied through the continuation of
the music of violins as it allows the audience to be
informed on the old man’s upsetting emotions.
8. There is a strong ideology of age within this film. This
is particularly shown through the twist at the end of
the film. This suggests to the audience that he wants to
choose how he lives his life. This is implied through
the mid-shot of him in the grave with his wife. This
implies to the audience that he chooses to die with his
wife rather than live on without her. This is also
suggested through the sombre music of the violins.
This is because violins give connotations of a funeral
and death because this is the instrument usually
played at a funeral.
9. I found the lack of dialogue particularly successful in the film. This is
because it made the audience concentrate on the emotions of the
protagonist, therefore allowing them to connect to him. This made
them feel more involved within the story as they are able to connect to
the situation he is in. This is also shown through the close ups of the
old man because it clearly shows how the focus is on him.
I also found successful how the narrative dealt with a situation that
audience members are able to connect with. This is because majority if
audience members will have experienced a death or someone close to
them having dealt with it. This is conventional for a short film, however
it is emphasised to make messages within the film more obvious. This
also allows the audience to feel more sympathy for the old man because
they know what he is dealing with.
I also found the music of the violins quite successful because it
immediately portrayed the emotions of the old man to the audience
without the narrative starting. I also found this successful because it
foreshadowed events in the story, such as the twist at the end. This is
because the music of violins has connotations of death and a funeral
therefore hinting towards the end.
10. I did not find successful how strongly the
ending of the film was hinted at to the
audience. This is because if it were only
subtly hinted at the ending would have
shocked the audience. As a result of this
more sympathy would have been created, as
they will have suddenly realised the love he
feels for his wife and how he doesn’t want to
live without her.
11. I think that does meet expectations for a target audience.
The target audience is more for young adults and older as
they more likely will have experienced the death of a loved
one. The audience are immediately able to connect to the
protagonist without even seeing him. This makes the
audience feel involved within the film also contributed by
the situation that the audience will be familiar with. This
also makes them feel empathy for the old man, as they
know what he is experiencing and the difficulty of it. This
audience is not gender or culture specific as this is a
situation that people around the world go through. This is
also shown through the lack of dialogue, as the audience
are able to connect to the old man through the music and
not through what he is saying.
12. The narrative structure of this film is singular
stranded. This is conventional for a short film because
it means the audience are able to feel involved with the
story. This is shown by the continuation of the music
and the close ups of the old man. This is because the
focus is always on him, implying that the audience are
only following his story and not any other story.
13. This short film both follows and doesn’t follow narrative
conventions. There is a clear ending in the film however there is
not a clear beginning and middle. This challenges Aristotle’s
theory because he says that there is a beginning middle and end
to every narrative. However the film starts when the old man is
in the middle of something, not suggesting a clear beginning. It
follows Barthes’ narrative theory because he says the audience
are able to interpret a narrative for themselves to work out what
is happening. This is suggested through the lack of dialogue, as
the audience have to take connotation from the music in order to
understand the narrative and connect to the protagonist. The
film does agree with Campbell’s theory of narrative as he says
that all narratives follow the journey of the hero. This is clearly
shown through the music and the close ups of the old man
throughout the film. This remains the focus on him and
therefore telling the audience they are following his story.
