Research Blog: Comparing 9, The Short, And 9, The Full-length Movie- Size Matters

Yoo-hoo! It is so nice to see you have returned for yet another one of our blogs! Today my team and I will begin by deconstructing a short film and its related feature in an effort to understand what makes the two forms of media so different from one another. We hope to apply this knowledge to our own short and allow us to make more rational decisions when it comes to our planning process. Short Film: Plot: The film is essentially about the emotional journey the primary subject, 9, takes following the death of one of his close friends, 5. The first part of this story is told in the form of a flashback, where 9 and their friend try to evade capture by an unnamed half-mechanical, half-bone beast. During their altercation, 5 steps up to try and save the day and is sadly killed, whilst 9 is able to make a hasty escape. Once the flashback concludes, 9 is brought back to reality by the thrumming of a green-glowing object in their possession, which seems to alert them of the presence of danger. 9 is then forced to try to escape the monster on their own, and using the skills they have presumably developed and acquired since their last encounter, is able to outsmart the beast and use their resourcefulness to kill it once and for all. At the very end of the short film, 9 retrieves a piece of their friend from the beast they have just slayed, and pieces together the glowing green orb with a similar piece to create a whole sphere. At that time, ghosts or holographic projections of others of their kind (including their friend, 5) are shown in the form of green masses. Directorial Style: The director of this short film seems to prefer a more dark and dramatic approach when trying to convey information. This is evidenced by their intentional decision to include certain tidbits of information (such as a piece of the deceased 5 on the back of the beast) to elicit an emotional response from the audience. With that being said, at least until the very end of the film, the director offers no time for the audience to dwell on those emotional impacts, opting for a fast-paced storyline. As a result of this quickened pacing, the director did leave out certain scenes of the film, but they still ensured to provide the viewers with just enough information for them to piece what may have transpired together, such as when the subject runs away in the flashback, or when they manage to kill the beast. Likewise, many of the director’s transitions were sharp and noticeable, likely done with the intention of painting a jarring contrast between scenes. When it comes to non-diegetic music it was used rather sparsely, being primarily confined to the very beginning and end of the film, likely a creative decision made so as to not distract from the desolateness of the setting in which the primary subject finds themselves. In terms of the film’s ending, my team and I found it to be quite ambiguous, being left up to the interpretation of the audience. Camera Angles, Movement, and Shots: This film made use of a number of different shots all used to the effect of creating a more immersive experience for the audience. One of said shot types was wide shots. The wide shots were primarily reserved for subject introductions, including that of the protagonist and the antagonist, although they are used to paint an image of said figures in reference to the backgrounds they were placed in. A high-angle shot was also incorporated for the purpose of making the subject seem small and helpless at the start of the short film, which paved the way for them to develop as a dynamic character over the course of the short. Another shot included in the short film was a long shot, which was used to show a moment of isolated desperation for the primary protagonist when they stood alone on a single beam with no place left to run. When the following high-angle shot was used to emphasize just how high the stakes were and how far the subject was from the ground, it caused the audience to feel a sense of overwhelming fear and concern for the subject’s fate. As the antagonist began to approach said subject, driving them closer to the edge, an aerial shot was adopted to further emphasize this point. An over the shoulder shot was also included when one of the subjects seemed to be unaware of the antagonist’s presence, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats as they lie in wait for what happens next. When both of the main protagonists were shown on screen, they were most often captured with two-shots, medium, and medium long shots, the latter two of which were also used when showing the singular primary subject on their own. The purpose of doing so in this short in particular was likely to make the audience akin to the location in which said subjects found themselves in (without the need to spend time world-building and explaining the dynamics of the environment), as well as to give viewers the chance to notice any danger before it arrives. When it came to camera movements, zoom-outs were utilized prior to the adoption of a wide shot when certain subjects were introduced, whereas zoom-ins were used to transition into a flashback that the primary subject had due to coming into contact with an object that carries sentimental value. Another example of camera motion occurred with panning, particularly when one of the subjects scanned their surroundings for danger, imitating the action of swiveling their head back and forth. Quick pans were also utilized during action scenes, such as when the primary subject was being chased by the antagonist as means of communicating just how nerve-racking the subject’s experience was to the audience. Similarly, a shot reminiscent of that of a handheld shot in live-action films was used in conjunction with a point-of-view shot to make the audience feel as though they had embodied the antagonist for just a moment, heightening tensions because if they were able to see the primary subject, so was the antagonist, meaning that they were in imminent danger. The director used this to their advantage, making it seem as though the primary subject was about to die before soon revealing that the subject had baited the antagonist with a decoy as to evade capture and death. Mis-Én-Scene: Looking first at the costuming of all of the subjects in the film, one will see that the two main subjects appear to be made out of a cloth-like material, with a painted “9” and “5” on their backs respectively, whilst the antagonist appeared to have a metallic exterior. The presence of said numbers on the backs of said subjects may have led the audience to question what happened to other individuals preceding those and those who came after. Furthermore, one of the two main subjects appears to be missing an eye, which may potentially indicate that they have experienced prior trauma due to an earlier encounter they may have had with the antagonist, especially since the antagonist appears to be missing an eye as well. Regarding the lighting of this film, it is clear that it was the director’s desire to keep the included shots dimly lit and dark. That, in turn, would create feelings of suspense and fear subconsciously within the minds of the audience and keep them captivated the entire time. Additionally, when the antagonist was first introduced, they were shrouded in shadow, which we felt was done with the purpose of maintaining an element of mystery before their big reveal. Given that there was no dialogue in the short film whatsoever, acting was heavily relied upon in order to relay how the subjects were feeling, in terms of their current motivations, concerns, or ideas. Facial expressions were essential to portraying said information, through the use of smiles, a look of realization, or even fear, especially when paired with bodily movements such as the shaking of one of the subjects’ heads in disbelief once the object they are in possession begins to glow once again. Even the deaths of the subjects are convincing, seeing as when one of the main protagonists is killed, they fall limp and no longer move on their own. The film made use of a limited number of props, including a metallic weapon that one of the main protagonists had armed themselves with, a bolt, a small light bulb, and the most important item of all, a glowing orb, a meaningful object that proved to be central to the film, seeing as it not only triggered the flashback experienced by the primary subject, but it was the key to unlocking the truth that they needed to see for themselves. The setting of the film varies between a dark room, deserted streets, an abandoned building, and a barren desert-like location. When the primary subject is first introduced, they are pictured to be much smaller than the everyday objects (with which the audience is likely to be familiar) around them. This is achieved with the usage of props, such as the bolt they used to hammer the piece of wire. In contrast, when the antagonist is first introduced, a regular-sized umbrella is seen in the foreground, being roughly the same size as it, which makes them out to be a threatening figure. Sound: When we initially began watching the short film, we immediately noticed that there was a lack of dialogue between the two primary subjects of the film, as well as the antagonist. That is not to say that diegetic sound was not capitalized on, given that had the film been entirely devoid of sound, the sense of tension would have not been properly conveyed. The film started with an eerie composition of non-diegetic music, with the lull in diegetic sound being broken by the noise created by the subject hammering a piece of metal and moving it around. In doing so, the director made it seem as though the subject was rather harmless. The most used sound in the film was that of footsteps, which quickened in times of distress, being paired with the sound of a drumming heartbeat in those tense moments, and was slower when the subjects were not in any immediate danger. The other sound that the main protagonists made quite often was a clicking noise whenever they would blink, being vaguely reminiscent of the sound of a camera taking a photo. The antagonist themselves did have a sound motif that was included whenever they were approaching, a jarring metal screech and clank that resulted from their movement. In addition, the antagonist also made a variety of animalistic noises, including hisses and roars in an effort to assert its dominance. Editing: The bulk of all special effects is made in the editing stage, unless they are practical effects. However, in the case of this animated short film, they are all confined to the post-production process. In order to create a smooth transition between shots, fade-ins and fade-outs are used interchangeably to shift from one location to another, such as with the first transition from when the primary subject is shown to when the antagonist makes their initial appearance. In the scenes that follow, there are variations in the transitions used, switching from sharp cuts to different settings or dissolves to reorient the audience into the present happenings of the film once the primary subject emerges from their flashback. An action match cut is also used within some of the scenes, although it does throw the pacing of the film off a bit because they are so abrupt. During the short film, a glowing green light, which the audience may presume represents the soul or life force of others like the main subject, is seen to be sucked out (for lack of a better word) of their friend, 5. Later on in the film, the very same light illuminates the barren land in which the primary subject finds themself, introducing a wide array of holographic figures, which allow 9 to see his friend, 5, once more and gain the closure he deserved. This parallel would have not been achievable without the help of special effects editing. Full-Length Film: Plot: The main subject, a ragdoll by the name of 9, finds itself trapped in a post-apocalyptic society where it is forced to survive under the threat of beastly machines who hunt its kind. Over the course of the film, 9 grows to be more proactive in its efforts, forgoing its once naive self to save the world. Along the way, 9 gains and then loses a share of its allies and friends, but uses their losses are reasons to continue its journey to battle against the oppressive machine regime. Directorial Style: The directorial style of the full-length feature remains the same as the one previously stated above given that the same individual, Shane Acker, has taken the reigns in terms of directorial lead. Camera Angles, Movement, and Shots: With the liberty of being able to produce a film free of tight time constraints, there was room for a number of different camera techniques to be incorporated. The same shots, angles, and movements as previously mentioned above were incorporated and utilized for the same purposes, although others were also included. Looking first at the camera shots, my team and I immediately noticed the presence of three shots. Given the need to account for a larger cast of characters, three shots were more prominent when trying to have the audience gauge the reactions of multiple characters on screen at a time. Since there were now more changes in location, with the increased length in time of the film, establishing shots were more common. Additionally, medium close-ups were also used when multiple subjects conversed on screen, or when their facial expressions needed to be the center of attention. Next come the camera angles, which aside from all those previously mentioned, have now come to include eye-level shots. During conversations, said shots made the dialogue easier to follow, as opposed to portraying the conversation from a different, skewed angle. Finally, come the actual movements of the camera. Tilting was used often when trying to showcase new locations, or introduce the danger at roughly the same time that the subjects were getting to see it. The same is true for tracking shots, which allowed for the subject on screen to guide us as they walked along in an unfamiliar setting. One thing that stuck out to us when watching this version of the film was that the camerawork seemed to be more stable, perhaps lending itself to better equipment and a bigger budget, or a desire for smoother shots to allow for the pacing of the film to remain undisrupted. Mis-Én-Scene: Since the director remained the same for both projects, the character design in the full-length feature did not really change, although there were variations made between each of the subjects in the film, as to differentiate between them. Such differences lie in some of the subjects wearing capes, masks, hooded body suits, and headpieces, or even the fact that one of them had a striped exterior and was missing an eye. The lighting in the film was still dark overall, but there were more scenes with clearer illumination, especially when they were more lighthearted or there was a need to bring attention to a specific object in the background. The cast of the film extended substantially, and this time around, dialogue was incorporated. Although non-verbal acting was not relied upon this time around, acting still proved to be essential. The voices of each character conveyed emotion- distress, fear, happiness, and relief. Although the animation could have visually shown the audience that, actually hearing the feeling and conviction in each actor made all the difference. In this film, props were used to indicate the personalities of each character. For example, the initially more passive primary subject, 9, carried around a lamp that illuminated the path for it and its fellow allies. This lends to its personality being more altruistic, as well as it having the desire to light the way to a better life. This whilst most of the companions 9 stumbles upon are equipped with makeshift tools, such as a telescope, weapons, such as a spear and scissors, or objects like canes and staffs, indicative of their capabilities, dispositions, outlooks, and opinions of the situation they have placed themselves in. Of course, the most important prop in the film was the talisman, which not only gave the primary subject purpose, but also resolved the outstanding issue of providing closure to the surviving subjects at the end of the film. As previously mentioned, the film is set in a post-apocalyptic world, which means that all of the settings used are almost entirely devoid of any life aside from that of the protagonists and the antagonists who are on their tail. Said locations included old buildings and bleak oil rig fields, but with the scale of the subjects in comparison to their environment, there was no need to change location all that often. All that the film’s creators were required to do was to create enough room for the characters to move around within a pre-established environment, where there was the possibility for them to encounter new threats and challenges, which they did exceptionally well. Sound: The sound design of the film was comprised of diegetic subject-produced noises, whether they be those that directly originate from the mouth of the subject or from objects in the set with which the subject interacts. It is important to note that there is a relative lack of diegetic ambient noise, likely because of the context within which the film is set (following an apocalypse). That does not stop loud noises, such as explosions from taking precedence over other sounds in certain parts of the film though, but once again there is a lack of “natural” noise in the movie. Having said that, I would also like to bring to light the inclusion of suspenseful music when tensions rose, as well as bittersweet music when those who survived were met with the souls of those who had fallen. Editing: The only major new addition to the editing scheme of the film was the usage of cutaways to provide context for where the subjects are currently located in terms of significant landmarks in their surroundings that would come into play later on in the film, such as with the windmill that was briefly shown earlier on in the movie. Takeaways: Overall, I would say that both the short film and the full-length feature were both executed fairly well. Whilst the short film did resemble more of a video game in terms of its use of cutscenes and primarily action shots, it still did a great job at allowing for the primary subject to undergo character development even in such a short time span, marking their shift from a timid and weak persona to one who was more resourceful brave in the face of danger. The short film had been able to offer more attention to the background than the longer film did because it was focused on developing multiple characters and their personalities to further the plot. As for the longer film, the ability to include voice acting, which the short film lacked, greatly impacted the emotional effect that the film was able to have on the audience. That, in turn, was the main reason why my groupmates and I felt that the full-length film was the better of the two. All of what was mentioned above was only possible with the help of filming conventions that were used with the specific intention of supporting a specific theme, idea, or plot point, preventing each of the stories from becoming disjointed and keeping the films from losing sight of their true meaning. Since there were variations in the length of either film, it is important to note that whilst different conventions may have been applied, there were some conventions that remain shared specifically with transitions, camera techniques, and character design, especially since the directorial style never differed. I’d say that we’ve been rather productive thus far today, so I feel like that calls for a round of “applause, applause, applause” (Lady Gaga 2013).