Shifter
This section is an analysis of the short film Shifter by Ben Parker. I am analysing this film as a horror genre example. Shifter interested me particularly for the ability to illustrate a narrative in under eight minutes and the traditional codes and conventions used of a horror genre in that time . I will analyse the media language of the mise en scene, sound, editing and cinematography through the same clip found on Vimeo. Along evaluating with institutions genre, representation, audience, narrative and ideology.
http://vimeo.com/31905571
media language
This section contains my analysis of the media language used by Ben Parker in the short film Shifter, including the mise en scene, sound, editing and cinematography.
mise en scene
http://vimeo.com/31905571 00:20-1:02
In this section I will look at the mise en scene in the short scene I have selected from Ben Parker's film Shifter. I will do this by studying everything within the frame such as costume, props, make up and set.
As this is the opening scene to the short film the aim is to clearly get the audience questioning things from the very beginning Opening with a shot of Emily, looking messy and upset. There are no props or particularly defining set behind her. Yet the audience instantly begin to question where she is, why she looks that way and why is she crying.
This is a typical device used for horror films as they usually are shrouded in mystery or have some form of twist to keep the audience on edge at all times. Parker is conforming to the genre conventions with this.
However he is deviating from the traditional horror genre by having a female main role and this becomes part of the media language instantly as she is the first person the audience see.
As this is the opening scene to the short film the aim is to clearly get the audience questioning things from the very beginning Opening with a shot of Emily, looking messy and upset. There are no props or particularly defining set behind her. Yet the audience instantly begin to question where she is, why she looks that way and why is she crying.
This is a typical device used for horror films as they usually are shrouded in mystery or have some form of twist to keep the audience on edge at all times. Parker is conforming to the genre conventions with this.
However he is deviating from the traditional horror genre by having a female main role and this becomes part of the media language instantly as she is the first person the audience see.
The mise en scene of Shifter has influenced me in mainly the normality of the protagonist, the audience instantly relates and sympathises with her as she is being forced to do something whilst clearly in despair and pain about something else. This kind of relatability between audience and character has to be prevalent within my film as I want the audience to be able to identify with the characters, regardless of how foreign and alien their situation may be.
sound
http://vimeo.com/31905571 00:20-1:02
In this section I will analyse the sound used in the short scene I have selected from Ben Parker's film Shifter. I will look at the diegetic and non diegetic sound used and what mood and feeling that creates for the audience in the scene.
As the opening scene the sound starts before the visual as the title appears on screen, the music becomes deeper as Emily states that she "can't". This instantly creates tension in the audience, there is a sinister element to the music as it sounds eeiry at the same time as being in deep base tones.
The dialogue is the most predominant sound as it tells the audience the most about the scene itself. The part that most suggests the horror genre is the voice off screen that is not seen. Comparisons can be made to narrators such as the mask in SAW. Combine this with Emily's clear despair and the whole scene becomes incredibly forced and full of dramatic tension.
As the opening scene the sound starts before the visual as the title appears on screen, the music becomes deeper as Emily states that she "can't". This instantly creates tension in the audience, there is a sinister element to the music as it sounds eeiry at the same time as being in deep base tones.
The dialogue is the most predominant sound as it tells the audience the most about the scene itself. The part that most suggests the horror genre is the voice off screen that is not seen. Comparisons can be made to narrators such as the mask in SAW. Combine this with Emily's clear despair and the whole scene becomes incredibly forced and full of dramatic tension.
Just as with Moonrise Kingdom the sound focuses on the dialogue remaining with only digetic sound. This influenced me as I want to achieve this in my film, as the dialouge is so important to the overall narrative.
editing
http://vimeo.com/31905571 00:20-1:02
In this section I will be evaluating the editing style in the short scene that I have selected from the film Shifter by Ben Parker. By looking at Parker's specific style of editing to conform and deviate from the traditional horror genre films.
In this scene the editing is not a large influence on the storyline itself. From 00:20 to 1:02 there are a small amount of frames. With a minimal amount of shots this does remind the audience that it is the beginning of the film and is establishing the protagonist Emily. This is a deviation from a traditional horror film as the pace is usually kept to its up most in order to keep the audience on edge. The only time long shots are used is to build the tension for the audience.
In this scene the editing is not a large influence on the storyline itself. From 00:20 to 1:02 there are a small amount of frames. With a minimal amount of shots this does remind the audience that it is the beginning of the film and is establishing the protagonist Emily. This is a deviation from a traditional horror film as the pace is usually kept to its up most in order to keep the audience on edge. The only time long shots are used is to build the tension for the audience.
Similarly to what inspired me in the editing style of Moonrise Kingdom, Shifter keeps the edit simple. This focuses the audience and employs them to question certain elements, such as who is the man speaking off screen? I aim to get the same response with my film through using minimal editing.
cinematography
http://vimeo.com/31905571 00:20-1:02
In this section I will analyse the cinematography in the short scene from Ben Parker's film Shifter, specifically analysing the camera angle, movement, shot and composition. I will do this by studying the clip above and evaluate what this cinematography promotes and communicates to the audience.
The camera stays perfectly still on a medium close up of Emily until 00:55. The stillness of the camera contrasts the heavy emotion and physical shaking of the actor on screen, intriguing the audience. The camera is then placed on a tilt looking upwards at a stair case as men in bomb suits run up the stairs. This quick shot gives the audience a sense of location along with heightening the tension. Lastly the camera is brought back to a still head on close up of Emily crying. With only three shots to talk about the cinematography is minimal and this is a theme throughout the short film.
However by using shots that are so still and either include a lot of mise en scene, such as the men running up the stairs, or barely anything at all, such as Emily's desperate crying, the contrast of the two work well to create dynamic visually interesting cinematography for the audience.
The camera stays perfectly still on a medium close up of Emily until 00:55. The stillness of the camera contrasts the heavy emotion and physical shaking of the actor on screen, intriguing the audience. The camera is then placed on a tilt looking upwards at a stair case as men in bomb suits run up the stairs. This quick shot gives the audience a sense of location along with heightening the tension. Lastly the camera is brought back to a still head on close up of Emily crying. With only three shots to talk about the cinematography is minimal and this is a theme throughout the short film.
However by using shots that are so still and either include a lot of mise en scene, such as the men running up the stairs, or barely anything at all, such as Emily's desperate crying, the contrast of the two work well to create dynamic visually interesting cinematography for the audience.
The two main aspects of Shifters cinematography that inspired me were the use of still camera and long shots. I find this simple but effect technique keeps the audience intrigued whilst also allowing them to become slightly uncomfortable with the rare use of camera as most films are constantly changing angles and moving.
institutions
The film Shifter by Ben Parker is an independently produced film. The film was financially backed by the magazine Film3Sixty. This magazine focuses on the independent film industry. Aiming to keep you informed on critics choices and films that might not get the mainstream publicity that they deserve. They are quoted as saying Shifter is supported by Film3Sixty "as part of our aims to assist emerging film talent".
The fact that Parkers film was backed by a magazine indicates that he would have entered into some kind of competition and won the grant to take his film into production. This makes Parker's void of any production companies, or distribution houses. Therefore making his film almost entirely independent of outer influence.
The fact that Parkers film was backed by a magazine indicates that he would have entered into some kind of competition and won the grant to take his film into production. This makes Parker's void of any production companies, or distribution houses. Therefore making his film almost entirely independent of outer influence.
(The Film3Sixty logo)
Shifter made its screen debut at FrightFest. This is a film festival held in the UK hosted by Film4, a well known production and distribution company for independent films and mainstream successes. FrightFest premiers international horror and fantasy films. Obviously the audience in FrightFest are specifically there because they enjoy these genre of films. Therefore his success at FrightFest would have spurred on the next step for the films promotion.
Shifter was shown before the UK premier of Kill List. A film that was produced by WARP films and known for the theme of horror. As a film made by WARP there would have been a certain niche audience available that Shifter would have appealed to, mixed with the choice of genre film they were seeing illustrates the interest they would have in a film such as Shifter, regardless of length.
Shifter was shown before the UK premier of Kill List. A film that was produced by WARP films and known for the theme of horror. As a film made by WARP there would have been a certain niche audience available that Shifter would have appealed to, mixed with the choice of genre film they were seeing illustrates the interest they would have in a film such as Shifter, regardless of length.
I found Shifter extremely interesting when it came to the subject of institutions, I was inspired by the partnership of Film3Sixty and the short film. This kind of synergy would be ideal for my short film if it was ever going to go into production. As I would need full financial backing, and the existence of companies such as Film3Sixty make that possible for short films.
genre
The genre of Shifter is a slight mixture of horror and thriller. Regardless of the film lasting approximately eight minutes one can infer the genre from some of the traditional conventions used to communicate these genres.
For instance the characters portrayed are typical of a horror/thriller genre, there is a wronged hero, an innocent by stander with a emotional attachment to the hero and a villain blackmailing the protagonist in some way. These stock characters are easily recognisable in a horror/thriller genre film, creating a narrative with a normally twist ending.
For instance the characters portrayed are typical of a horror/thriller genre, there is a wronged hero, an innocent by stander with a emotional attachment to the hero and a villain blackmailing the protagonist in some way. These stock characters are easily recognisable in a horror/thriller genre film, creating a narrative with a normally twist ending.
(The villain character in the SAW films)
Shifter incorporates the twist ending even in the limited time period of the film. This kind of storyline again is expected in a horror/thriller genre. For instance comparisons can be made to the SAW films which were famous for there psychotic villain and twist endings.
I was inspired by the hybrid genre that Shifter portrays of horror/thriller. Just as Shifter and Shaun of the Dead show hybrid genres appealing to audiences despite the lack of ability to truly categorise them. I want to be able to achieve this with my film.
representation
In this section I aim to analyse the representation of women in the short film Shifter by Ben Parker. I will do this by evaluating the protagonist as not only the heroin but also as a wife and mother.
Throughout the eight minute film the audience follows Emily through a confusing and thrilling journey. Yet it is worth noting that Emily's femininity is challenged the entire time. She may not give a Lara Croft style character yet she is unmistakeably female and this is a conscious choice by Parker for his film.
Having a female protagonist is an interesting choice as a typical horror genre film lacks this. The main character is often a male and if it is a female she is of little help or impression on the storyline as a whole, for example The Grudge. It is normal for female roles to either be killed off early or to stay as an attraction for male audiences.edit.
Throughout the eight minute film the audience follows Emily through a confusing and thrilling journey. Yet it is worth noting that Emily's femininity is challenged the entire time. She may not give a Lara Croft style character yet she is unmistakeably female and this is a conscious choice by Parker for his film.
Having a female protagonist is an interesting choice as a typical horror genre film lacks this. The main character is often a male and if it is a female she is of little help or impression on the storyline as a whole, for example The Grudge. It is normal for female roles to either be killed off early or to stay as an attraction for male audiences.edit.
(A screen capture of the female protagonist in a mother position, rare of a horror/thriller genre film)
However Emily is different in this sense, not only is she a strong independent female figure, she is also shown as a mother and wife. The film begins with her morning the loss of her child. This natural, real emotion is contrasted by the tension and confusion of her situation.
Later in the film Emily is seen as a devoted wife as she helps her husband out of his bandages. She is clearly worried and caring towards him despite having only just brutally murdered someone seconds before. This creates a depth to her character and she appears a strangely well rounded individual, showing real emotion for people close to her.
Later in the film Emily is seen as a devoted wife as she helps her husband out of his bandages. She is clearly worried and caring towards him despite having only just brutally murdered someone seconds before. This creates a depth to her character and she appears a strangely well rounded individual, showing real emotion for people close to her.
I was inspired by both the relatabilty of the protagonist in Shifter but also by the side character that is hinted at throughout. I am developing a similar character and also aim for him to be surrounded by mystery, and his relevance will be questioned, just as the characters is in Shifter. Shifter showed me to how to create a character like this within the limited time frame, and also to not be afraid of a questioning audience.
audience
The audience for a short film such as Shifter is difficult to define as it is not a stand alone film, it has always been associated with other films such as the ones at FrightFest and Kill List. Yet it is clear that the target audience would be from the 18-30 age range and a niche audience who enjoy independently made films in the horror/thriller genre.
Shifters audience is, similar to Shaun of the Dead and Moonrise Kingdom, basically my target audience. A 18-25 age range of male and females, however I think Shifter slightly deviates from my film in this sense as the audience is particular for horror/thriller genre and my audience will be slightly more wide than this.
ideology
The aim in this section is to discuss the hero/villain ideology that the short film Shifter by Ben Parker communicates. I will do this analysing the characters presented and how it confuses the audience of who they should trust.
The film is focused on Emily so the audiences instantly sympathises with her. Yet later the audience is forced to question their ideas as she is clearly wanted by a higher authority. Huxley is not fully established as a bad man or villain, even though he has some characteristics of villain such as black mail and a cold exterior. However Emily also shows qualities of villain as she murders the men with guns quite easily.
Much of this confusion is down to the films length as it does not have enough time to explain itself fully and leaves the audience waiting for more.
The film is focused on Emily so the audiences instantly sympathises with her. Yet later the audience is forced to question their ideas as she is clearly wanted by a higher authority. Huxley is not fully established as a bad man or villain, even though he has some characteristics of villain such as black mail and a cold exterior. However Emily also shows qualities of villain as she murders the men with guns quite easily.
Much of this confusion is down to the films length as it does not have enough time to explain itself fully and leaves the audience waiting for more.
I was influenced greatly by Shifter in the blurred lines between hero or villain This concept speaks to me particularly as I create and develop my mystery character, as I want the mystery that surrounds him to leave the audience questioning who exactly he is and whether he is a good or bad influence, or maybe neither of the two.
narrative
In this section I will look at the narrative structure of Shifter by Ben Parker. I will do this by outlining the base structure and then comparing the short film to my other two film analysis Shaun of the Dead and Moonrise Kingdom.
The short film follows Emily trying to escape some kind of debt or blackmail for her super natural power of jumping from place to place. As it is a short film the narrative cannot take its full structure and much of the storyline is confused by flashbacks and separate storyline's, however in this time the audience can begin to build some kind of sympathy for Emily and her abnormal situation.
Shifter relates to both Shaun of the Dead and Moonrise Kingdom in its conforming to some traditional genre codes and conventions, focusing on the horror genre. In relation to Shaun of the Dead, Shifter manages to create a fear from the audience towards a character(s) for instance Huxley or the zombies themselves through its media language. When comparing to Moonrise Kingdom it is the character choice that unites them. In Moonrise Kingdom to young actors are chosen to play roles usually portrayed by adults and in Shifter a woman plays a role traditionally performed by a man.
The short film follows Emily trying to escape some kind of debt or blackmail for her super natural power of jumping from place to place. As it is a short film the narrative cannot take its full structure and much of the storyline is confused by flashbacks and separate storyline's, however in this time the audience can begin to build some kind of sympathy for Emily and her abnormal situation.
Shifter relates to both Shaun of the Dead and Moonrise Kingdom in its conforming to some traditional genre codes and conventions, focusing on the horror genre. In relation to Shaun of the Dead, Shifter manages to create a fear from the audience towards a character(s) for instance Huxley or the zombies themselves through its media language. When comparing to Moonrise Kingdom it is the character choice that unites them. In Moonrise Kingdom to young actors are chosen to play roles usually portrayed by adults and in Shifter a woman plays a role traditionally performed by a man.
The main aspect that I took away from the narrative in Shifter is the ability to communicate a storyline in a limited amount of time. This is a huge inspiration to me as it has showed me to not be afraid of not being able to tie all the storyline's and questions up at the end, to leave the audience wanting more. The narrative and concepts all have to be prevalent and it does have to make sense of a base level, but I should not fear if audiences are slightly confused as it is a chance to let them make their own minds up about things, such as who is good and who is evil.