5.1       Review and critique at least one short film production

Nursery Rhymes, Tom Noakes, Australia, 2019

Storyline summary; A group of ‘metal-heads’ (young musical individuals, all united with the love for heavy metal music and a certain dress sense to do with that scene) had been involved in a critical car crash with another car, resulting in several casualties. One of the main metal-heads sings Old MacDonald throughout the short film, who we find out is to comfort a baby who is distressed. The baby has clearly has lost their parent, during the horrific scene, and the ‘nursery rhyme’ clearly serves as a distraction from the chaotic atmosphere and death.

The theme somewhat chilling, to do with reckless driving. Possibly the reality of reckless drivers and death. Also an underlying theme about the true kindness of metal head people, as they are stereotypically seen as scary looking individuals and because of the extreme style music they listen to, they are generalised to be angry, dangerous people. The short film very much shows them as any other human, potentially nicer than most strangers because they willingly help a parentless baby in such a distressing situation. 

The short film is a Drama, because it showed a serious real life situation without filters, the main characters were realistically portrayed as distressed and emotional during the intense scenario. It was gripping and impactful due to the realism.

Sound was used in a minimalistic way. There was a gradual increase in sound, caused by a layering affect of different voices, naturalistic background sounds (e.g. cars driving by, talking) whilst the sinister sounding song continued more or less throughout. 

The camera techniques used were also very subtle, simple and effective. The film was a ‘one-shot’ piece, creating a sense of realism as everything occurred in one shot just like situations in real life. The camera slowly turned round the setting, until it was right in front of a crying woman’s face, where it zoomed in and focused on the baby she was holding. This was a 360 degree camera shot.

Consequently, obvious editing was sparse if any major editing was used. At one point there was an industrial, ambient, drone sound which was used very subtly to sound like a busy road was nearby. So I would say the editing style was simplistic creating a very raw feel to the short film (which seemed appropriate considering the bleak situation of a deathly car crash). This is one of the main reasons I enjoyed the film so much, because it wasn’t over done or therefore melodramatic in it’s presentation in anyway, so immediately it came across as realistic and compelling; like I was witnessing a real situation in front of my eyes as the film unraveled.

Setting; rural roadside next to a farm. For most of the film the setting was a farm, seen behind the singing metal head man. The setting then progressed to a roadside, with rural surroundings.

I think the film could have been aimed at reckless drivers, local farmers (as some of the farmers came to help with the casualties) but potentially anyone. This is because car crashes occur on major roads in industrial areas like our own cities/neighbourhoods, to rural areas so the audience is technically world wide as anyone, anywhere can relate and be caught in the same situation.

Th film was very effective in my opinion as it shocked me, due to the unexpected development of the storyline; it took a dark turn which affected me emotionally because it was realistic and unfiltered. In this way, the film was very powerful, also in the sense that it destroyed stereotypes.

Overall, I would recommend the film because it is moving, gripping, chilling and relatable.