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.
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 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. This also meets conventions for the genre as in a drama film a
situation would be exaggerated to create sympathy.
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. This is so the focus is completely on the old man.
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. This is significant
to the storyline because it makes the audience feel
more sympathy for him. It also suggests
that he cant afford to make himself happy so he would
rather not live.
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 first
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. However they cannot totally connect because his grief causes him to
not want to live, therefore having more consequences. This is conventional for
a short film, however it is sympathised 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 understand 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.
However there is also an impending sub-
narrative then the old man’s family turn
up at the end. This suggests we
are in the middle of their narrative
therefore ending on a cliff hanger.
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.
