A2 Media Studies coursework. Film: Volume

1. Kieran Morris
ShortFilms Research(2):
Volume:
Genre: Drama
www.shortoftheweek.com/2015/12/05/volume/
The film begins with a montage sequence in a rural,forest area
showing a variety of people staring at the camera.The camera
moves naturalisticallyin a fast pan motion,and shows the
innocence ofthe people in the forestarea. This is accentuated
through the use of mise-en-scene ofa ‘missing person’ sign
which is seen in every shotattached to trees,implying to the
audience thatsomeone has gone missing in the forestand that
others in the montage sequence could be unsafe or mayhave a
personal connection with the girl.This makes the audience
instantlyquestion whatthe narrative may be and therefore
persuades them into watching the film. Non-Diegetic sound is
also used in the form of a voiceover, to introduce the narrative to
the audience,thus creating a sense ofuncertaintyfor the
audience.
The film then cuts to a title sequence featuring the missing girl in
a swimming pool. A medium-shotin a swimming pool and
bubbles are used to continue to create a feeling of uncertainty
and portray the film naturalisticallyas the shotused would not
usuallybe seen by the human-eye.Muffled sound is used to
suggestthatthe audience are underwater and therefore makes
them feel they are lonely or isolated,and have no relationship
with any of the characters in the scene,including the girl in the
swimming pool.The film title then fades into the shotat the same
speed as the moving bubbles,using a lightcolour scheme to
blend with the light blue background.A capitalised fontis used
which makes the title clear to the audience.
An over-the-shoulder wide shotofa group of young male adults
is then used to representthe boys negatively. The mise-en-
scene of a derelict,empty outdoor swimming pool and old deck
chairs suggests to the audience that the teenagers are atan
abandoned place which they shouldn’tbe at. This has been
used to representthe teenage boys stereotypically as people
who would often be involved in crime or are up to mischief.This
negative representation links to the ‘Folks,Devils and Moral
Panics’ theory of Stanley Cohen (1972) which suggests that
teenagers are represented negativelyin the media in order to
create good drama for the audience.The film conforms to this
theory, in particular in this scene due to the use of inappropriate
sexual references by the boys. These scenes make the
audience feel uncomfortable due to the portrayal of the boys
negatively; thus conforming to Cohen’s theoryof teenagers
creating good drama.

2. Kieran Morris
Later in the film, the girl mentioned atthe start of the film
(Georgina) then appears to be alive and well and other
characters don’treact. This creates a feeling of confusion for the
audience as the narrative of the film is not yet quite clear to the
audience.The girl is portrayed ‘through the eyes of a man’
through the use of little, yet revealing clothing and a pedestal
camera movementfrom the top to the bottom of her body. This
links to the theory of Laura Mulvey (1975) which implies thatin
film,women are viewed from the perspective of a heterosexual
male cameraman.Whilst more women have gained roles in the
media industryas camera operators;itcould be argued that
Mulvey’s theory isn’tapplicable as the camera is ‘the eyes of the
male character (Sam)’ rather than of a camera operator.
The film later changes to a scene wherebythe two characters
are swimming.The use of high-key lighting suggests thatthe two
characters are developing a strong, happy relationship.A shot-
reverse-shotis then used to show a conversation between Sam
and Georgina underwater.The use of the muffled diegetic-sound
which is recognised as ‘ILove You’ accentuates the strength in
their relationship and portrays young love as romantic rather
than of a sexual nature as previously suggested. The muffled
sound also creates a feeling ofisolation,possiblysuggesting to
the audience thatthey are watching the love develop. Despite
this,due to the conventions of drama narratives usuallybeing
sad and sometimes upsetting;the audience maybelieve that the
films narrative may change and the relationship maynotfully
last.Therefore, the audience are more likely to continue
watching the shortfilm.
A scene later in the film reveals to the audience thatGeorgina
has since died highlighted through the narrative and the mise-
en-scene ofthe flip flops.During the scene, diegetic sound in the
form of dialogue is used to try and find the shoes before
everyone but the visitor goes quiet. A medium close-up ofthe flip
flops suggests thatthese are Georgina’s and creates a feeling of
sadness and empathyfor Sam. The lighting juxtaposes from
previous scenes,using low-keylighting to connote sadness and
upset,linking to the death of Georgina. Meanwhile the use of
pink flip flops connotes brightness and happiness,contrasting
from the darkness and sadness ofthe scene,thus also
juxtaposing from previous scenes wherebyGeorgina would be
wearing the flip-flops.
The film then switches back to Georgina being alive; creating
confusion for the audience and suggests thatSam maybe
having continuous flashbacks ofhis memories with her
throughoutthe film.This represents Sam as lonelyand
vulnerable;making the audience feel sympathetic towards him.
High-key lighting is also used in the scene,continuing to link to
the common theme ofjuxtaposition that has so far run
throughoutthe film;whilsta medium close-up ofthe two
characters together in bed portrays the comfortthey feel
together. Furthermore,this continues to make the audience feel
sympathetic towards Sam as they know Georgina has died. Little
sound is used during the scene to portray life for Sam and
Georgina as relaxing,contrasting from after she has died.

3. Kieran Morris
The film cuts to a scene with Sam,Sam’s mother and Georgina’s
father; which suggests to the audience that the scene has
switched back to reality after Georgina has died.This is further
accentuated by the juxtaposition from previous scenes,whereby
low-key lighting is again used,continuing to connote sadness
and isolation. The continuing theme of contrastshows thatthe
film conforms to the theory of Claude Levi-Strauss which
suggests thatfilms use binaryopposites as the central climaxof
a narrative structure;whereby in Volume the binary opposites
would be happiness V sadness. The binaryopposite also
creates a state of confusion for the audience.
The film then ends by returning to reality and uses non-diegetic
sound to end the film on a sad note, building to a climax. The
camera also zooms outfrom an extreme close-up ofSam to a
wide shotof Sam standing in the middle ofa road. This creates a
feeling of vulnerability and ‘distances’ the audience from Sam’s
life. Despite this,high-keylighting is used to suggestthatthe film
ends on a happy ending and could suggestto the audience that
Georgina has gone to a happy place in heaven. This represents
death as a happy ending of life, contrasting from the sadness of
death usuallyportrayed in drama.