The document provides an analysis of the short film "Lovefield" through discussing various film techniques used. It summarizes that the title is initially misleading by suggesting a love story but the film is actually a horror. Sound and cinematography aim to unsettle the audience and make them feel unsafe. Throughout the film, a crow observes the main character and adds to the unsettling tone. However, towards the end, the editing uses brighter lighting and music to convey a more hopeful message as a twist is revealed involving new life.

1. LOVEFIELD Analysis
By D.R. Hayes

2. THE TITLE
The title of this short film is very
deceptive, but this only becomes
apparent when you watch the first
minute of the film. With a title such as
LOVEFIELD, you would jump to the
conclusion that this picture is indeed
going to be a love story. However,
when watching the film you soon
realise that this is nothing like a love
story and you may just think that the
‘death’ is a twisted metaphor for love.
Contrary to this, at the end of the film
when the ‘birth’ is apparent we can
see looking back that the title does
indeed fit accordingly. We learn that
the pain and discomfort was all due to
the passing of love.

3. SOUND
The sign which is a main feature in the
opening of the film makes a sinister
creaking noise throughout. This idea of
diegesis has been around for a very
long time in the horror genre. This
consequently makes the audience
believe that the film they are about to
watch is a horror. The sound forces the
audience to think that something is
not quite right in the world they are
observing. The sign chosen is also
imperative to send the correct
message to the viewer. The sign is old,
and withered which indicates that the
land is made fairly redundant, where
nobody can hear a scream. A word to
describe such a place is isolation.

4. MISE EN
SCENE
Crows are an important part in art,
especially film and literature. There’s Ted
Hughes’s crow, Galway’s crow, Frost’s,
Pasternak’s, Locra’s crow, Homer’s crow
and Edgar Allen Poe’s, and lastly Carver’s
crow, all of which symbolise many
different things. This crow on the other
hand, does the same job as the sign, as
mentioned a slide prior. It makes the
audience jump to conclusions because of
the horror stereotypes shoved down their
throats. The job of this crow is to make
sure the audience doesn’t feel safe,
especially with the parallel cutting
between the man and itself. This animal
becomes a third character in a sense,
although only an observer he is noticed
by the main male lead. The man is always
looking over his shoulder to keep an eye
on the watchful crow. The audience at
that time just believes that the man is
extremely paranoid due to the ‘act’ he
has just committed. However, we can
later fix together that the man was just
looking out for the woman in need.

5. EDITING
Towards the very end of the film, the
editors use high-key lighting to make
everything look uplifting and full of hope.
This contributes massively to the twist, if
the baby appeared with the same sinister
feel to the film the audience would have
had a very different idea of bringing new
life into the world.
Although not strictly related to editing,
the music of this act also brings
something to the table. It lightens the
mood, going hand in hand with the high-key
lighting. Music is always an essential
part of a film’s landscape, it makes the
audience feel and helps the audience
resonate with the pictures on screen.
The amount of straight cuts also
decreases towards the end of the film, to
lower the pace of the picture. This
contributes to the feel and flow of the
overall message it is trying to convey.

6. CAMERA
WORK
This shot, when tracking is used, works
perfectly for the feel and aura the film
is aiming to accomplish. The camera
tracks through the grass with the
sound of screaming in the background;
the further the camera tracks back the
more items it reveals, including: a
phone, money, a bag, and what looks
like a bloody rag. Then the last object
is a human foot (attached to the body)
squirming and looking in some despair.
Then all of a sudden the foot stops and
we suspect that the person is dead.
This shot is obviously meant to horrify
the viewer and leave them guessing as
to who the killed and killer are.