Contextual Studies - Short Film Review 1 - D.I.Y

I watched a short film called D.I.Y which can be viewed below:

It follows the story of a man who catches his wife having an affair with a worker from the local D.I.Y store. Instead of confronting them he keeps it to himself but later goes to the store to pay the man a visit. The overall film is exciting and thrilling all the way through with heightened tension throughout. This is done with the help of many different aspects and techniques to elevate the story and ensure the success of the many awards it won.

When looking at locations there are 4 different places in which the film is shot. These are the garden, bedroom/ landing, the D.I.Y shop and inside a car. With it being 9 minutes 30 long, the producers have kept to only these 4 as more would not be needed keeping the film flowing. They also have only used 2 characters, the husband and the lover for the same reasons of not over complicating the story.

When looking at camera angles there are many different types of shots used. Close ups are used a few times but for different reasons. There are close ups and extreme close ups of the protagonists face several times showing him crying and angry. They specifically use these shots to strongly express the emotion of the character and what he's going through. This is something I will take on board when shooting my shooting my film when I want to convey emotion. In the opening scene there is a close up of the sheers showing the audience that this object is important.

An Establishing shot is only used once outside the D.I.Y store as this is relevant to show where the scene is set. Apart from this, no other establishing shots are used throughout the film as its not relevant.

When looking at the editing the pace moves very quickly, especially when there are intense moments where the main character is seen thinking about killing the lover with tools from the D.I.Y shop. It heightens the atmosphere and creates excitement as well as unsettlement for the audience. When looking at sound there are many uses of diegetic and non diegetic audio. From background noise of cars and wildlife to the dialogue and the audio used when the intense scenes take place. This all helps to build the narrative and lets the audience know how to feel.

Overall this is a great short film that I will take a lot from when shooting my film. Since its a drama about an affair I realise that its very conversational using the 180° rule to shoot the characters back and forth when they speak. It also uses ambient sounds to make scenes more natural as well as an intense score to relay the emotions and create tension.