This document analyzes and summarizes key elements of the short film "December". It discusses the film's use of intense point-of-view shots, distorted camera angles, aggressive camera movements, and diegetic sounds to create an unsettling thriller atmosphere over its 1 minute runtime. Specific shots are examined that feature low angles, mysterious lighting, and characters dragging victims to evoke confusion, fear and intensity. The document argues that the film effectively uses cinematography and sound techniques to involve the audience and reveal the story.

1. DECEMBER
THRILLER SHORT FILM RESEARCH

2. OVERVIEW
December is a short film I have analysed that has particularly
interested me because of the shot types, camera movements,
editing and sound. This short film lasts around 1min however
evokes a powerful thriller aspect with a hint of dark humour
to conclude. The camera shots in particular are striking
because I as a viewer I was initially confused however
fascinated; this is emotions I would like and hope to evoke
from our short film.
http://shortsbay.com/film/december

3. The film runs through a series of intense point of view
shots. This P.O.V shot in particular is interesting because
it shows a victim in a forest that has presumably been
attacked and is on the floor. The idea of a short film
being depicted through P.O.V shots is particularly
intriguing because it helps the viewer see the action
from a characters viewpoint and thus empathise them.
Almost all the shots in this short film is distorted, i.e.
the camera is not straight, this enviably would confuse
the audience and therefore give it that thriller aspect
as the audience would be easily scared.
The man in this shot is holding a chainsaw, the lighting
is dark and the camera is distorted. The film
continually uses the genre thriller throughout.

4. The camera movements are very aggressive
thus intensifying the scene. This is a low angle
shot which immediately makes the subject in
the frame appear powerful and mystifying as
the viewer is still trying to access characters.
To clarify the term aggressive I mean that the
camera is very shaky, this would confuse the
audience and thus entice them and therefore
involve the audience. Confusion is a convention
of thriller.
In this shot the victim is being dragged; this is
poignant to me because it is the sounds that would
captivate and involve the viewer. The diegetic
sound again intensifies the scene as it makes the
scene more realistic which therefore makes things
more interesting.

5. MIS EN Mis en scene particularly in this short film was used to confuse
the audience, this is apparent to me because of the correlation
SCENE between the beginning which is initially confusing and thrilling
and briefly towards the end when lighting especially acts as a
visible metaphor for the revelation of the story.
LIGHTING This scene
looks
particularly
mysterious as
the lighting
creates
The dingy shadows.
colours worn
by the actor
alongside the The lighting in this short film interests
dimed lighting
compliments me because there was a positive
the scene, correlation between when the story was
making him
look more at the peak of its climax and towards the
grim and
frightening end when the key aspect of the story
with his was revolutionised…
chainsaw.
I selected these shots in particular because they evoke an eerie scary
feeling, they are examples of how lighting can be use to evoke emotion
and why lighting is very important when creating our short film.

6. LIGHTING The lighting
reflected on the
In comparison to the protagonists face
previous scenes this evokes a feeling of
is the brightest. warmth, this is
Previously the scene different from the
was dark and dim other scenes
with only one or a where he is
few sources of portrayed as a
lighting, this one has murderer because
multiple sources. of the dark
This evokes a feeling shadows and
of warmth; especially colours; whereas
being because of the now he looks like a
fireplace.
After.. friendly and
harmless
character.
This Christmas item reveals the
perspective or who the POV shot
was coming from. The lighting
decorated around the item draws
the audience to look at it and it
BEFORE.. enables us to understand what
the film was about.