1. Review
By Jacob Ashley
Director Megan Windmill’s new shortfilm ‘Bus Stop’ has an
intruding form - a conventional structure with a beginning,
middle and end - but the shape is unconventional.It starts
contained,minimalistic and raw in style as the two siblings
wait at the bus, then moves to being expansive as we enter
labyrinthine pathways,concealed by dense foliage.The
shape is also a metaphor,as it starts with a standard sibling
dynamic –siblings paired with mutual responsibilities - at the
start then becomes complexat the end. Some of the
romantic aspects ofthe storyline mightcome across as
cliché,if they were not balanced with an intriguing plotwith
strong themes and issues,as the vulnerable young girl is
abandoned in a spine-chilling situation,which really
highlights the underscoring interpretation surrounding neglect
and isolation.
The poetic framing of the scenery matches thatof Windmill’s
previous work in her social realism film introduction
Addiction, however if there is a weakness in her artit is the
close dynamics of relationships – emotional interactions at
time lack authenticity. Despite this her directing of the young
girl on her own creates a performance which speaks to the
audience with such intensitythat our response rides on
waves of empathyand fear. Borrowing the simplicityof films
like ‘The Most Beautiful Man In The World’, ‘Two cars one
night’ and ‘Bus 44’ Windmill uses the setting ofa normal
mundane bus stop.The action then moves to the natural
setting of a forest – mirroring the urban to wilderness
transition in the firstof those films.Butwhereas the field in
Duffy’s film is a place of hope inspiration and stimulation,
Windmill’s dark eerie and foreboding wood is an altogether
more sinister environment.
Whilstwe mightexpect the acting of the younger girl Lilly to
be slightlylacking in realism due to the young age of the
actor herself,the performance is distinguished and
outstanding.The facial expressions ofthe close up shots
capture the details of angstand dismay.This capability in the
actress is supported byadmirable direction from Windmill
eliciting a particularly high level of performance from the
protagonistin a shortwith such high stakes.This allows the
audience to connect with the raw situation Lillyis left in and
the deep internal conflict allows us to connect through body
language and facial expressions.Lillyis seen atthe bus stop
with the dilemma ofwhether to follow her sister or stay put.
The lack of dialogue never results in any problems or lack of
understanding for the audience because there is a solid
internal logic running through each scene with each scene
motivating the next more as the struggle is materialized on
the girl’s face.The lack of dialogue follows the rules of
Milgrom’s theoryas to have minimal dialectin order to be
successful.
Windmill is on record as having said how much Marilyn
Milgrom has influenced her,and this is demonstrated in ‘Bus
Stop’. Windmill has created a character, a world and a
problem.The predicamentand dilemma ofthe older girl links
to Milgrom’s idea thatthe main character should have a
want, need and obligation.The older girl wants to meetup
with the love interest,but she has the obligation to look after
her sister butwhatshe needs is a deep meaningful
relationship,which is the one she has with her sister if only
she could see it. This ensures thatthe character’s problem is
the heart of the film.With the representation ofage being a
factor in this as the older girl neglects to show any nurture
towards the younger girl, which allows the audience to
understand the perhaps self-serving priorities.Kate’s
girlfriend has a big impacton Kate’s decision to abandon
here sister.The girlfriend plays a big part in the short,
however, has a lack of screen time,which adds to the
mystery of this character and their intentions.
Overall it is evident that Windmill’s shorthas had a lot of
thoughtput into it, and this is well demonstrated in every
aspectof the production from mise en scene to internal
emotions ofthe characters portrayed on the screen.If the
work of Windmill continues to flourish then there will be more
intriguing films being produced bythis young director.
63 / Shorts Monthly / May 2017
Credits & Synopsis A girl in her late teens is at a bus stop. She receives
messages from someone pushing to meet up. Eventually
she decides to go, leaving her younger sister alone. Who
stays at the bus stop before following her sister into the
woods. Inside the woods she gets lost and falls over. The
older girl meets her girlfriend in the woods and they sit
together until the girlfriend tries to kiss her. But the girl
doesn’t want to be kissed and starts to look at her phone.
The girlfriend snatches the phone and aggressively throws
it to the floor. The girl screams and run off. She searches
for her sister until she finds her, when reunited they
embrace and the older girl says sorry.
United Kingdom 2017
Director: Megan Windmill
Certificate: PG
Producer
Megan Windmill
Written by
Megan Windmill
Photography by
Megan Windmill
Edited by
Megan Windmill
Assistant Director
Aimee Lee
Production Companies
Windmill Studio With 123
Production In association
with Beacon Studio
Cast
Emily Townsend
Erin Windmill
Beth Izatt
Runner
Jennifer Windmill
MAY 2017
SHORTS MONTHLY
