Researching Short Films
- valentina Wong
- Apr 9
- 5 min read
Before going into researching specific films, I kept in mind these differences:
SHORT FILM
Smaller budgets
Usually less locations and sets, cast, equipment
Single, simple narrative
Imagery and plot can be a lot more experimental (more niche)
FEATURE FILM
Larger budgets
Usually can have more elaborate sets, cast and equipment
More complex storylines
Multiple characters + arcs
Three-part structure
Usually more for commercial consumption, so not as experimental
GENERAL NOTES:
Pace! – there needs to be a range and change to make the story interesting
Stops in sound from diegetic to non-diegetic, a mix for the two would be good as well
Music/audio plays a big part in making a short film good
Variety of shots but CUs are used a lot
Potentially plot twists? or open-ended endings
References to other media forms, styles of filming
Possibly sticking to certain more obvious codes and conventions of the genre, but changing the details to make it more interesting
Blend of low culture and high culture
ANIMATED
In general what I liked
Amazing buildup + progression (makes us care immensly for the characters)
Simplistic story that moves through time
Emotional through relatability
Story is told through visuals and music rather than dialogue
Aspirational and motivational in a way
Love the symbolism in the shoes/hair/ties/the paradise falls jar/the balloons
One Small Step - Taiko Studios
There is a sense of pastiche, given how the creators used to be in disney, so the style is very typical of 2d animation
Specific shots or media language I liked:
The colour palette of this film is breathtaking. It goes from a lot of blues and greens to orange and yellow. Then when the father passes, it's completely desaturated and almost monotone. It is only when she opens the shoe box that colour and more saturated lighting fills the screen again.
They use complementary colours like blue and orange a lot, purple and yellow too.
I love how the representation of Asian culture, specifically Chinese culture, was done so subtly. It wasn't there for the sake of representation, but just another fact of the story. Showing how stories from other cultures can be about family, hope and joy.
The way that so many of the details are circular, fitting into the whole planets and space theme. The circles are also used in the transitions for the imaginary world to reality. I really liked how the o in TAIKO is replaced with the moon.
The cardboard cutout really shows the power of a well-done character design. That was about a minute into the film, but we already recognise the characters via the cutout image. The surreal, dream-like transitions also solidifies the hopes and dreams the girl had for herself and how much her dad supports her through it.
The girl's name being Luna also adds that je ne sais quoi.
When the dad was alive, there was an emphasis on the shoes, done using CUs of the shoes and her walking. After her father's passing, there were no CUs of her shoes again. Mostly long shots and mid shots. It was only when she reached the moon, she felt more connected to her father, that there was another CU of the shoe.
I loved the different parallels, from the first shot of the girl being the CU of her watching a rocket launch, to when she lands on the moon and it is almost an identical CU shot. The rim of the helmet glowing in the same way.
Time passing through the living room was done so well. It's also so special that they chose a round table, with it representing harmony and togetherness in Chinese culture. It shows how the dad has always been a steady presence in her life, the one she could always rely on no matter what. That's why that shot where he wasn't sitting there feels so uneasy and distressing for the audience as well.
Hair Love - SONY Pictures Animation
Specific shots or media language I liked:
In the first few shots of the film, it already shows the audience images and drawings of the family together, of women with different hairstyles and especially the one with the bald lady and the crown. Establishing the themes of the film without having to over-explain through dialogue
Then it cuts to a montage of the girl getting ready, I like the fast pace of these shots and how they only showed certain parts of her body. It creates a sense of urgency and energy, the determination of the girl shining through.
The CU of the from the mirror's perspective was really creative, I also like that there wasn't a dramatic time skip, but rather implied through her hair and the products on the sink
The extreme CU and the angle from the girl's hair were unconventional, but I think adds a layer of depth and narrative.
The sound effects are also amplified, like when the drawer is opened, the footsteps, or when door is slammed. The mother speaking through the video is also louder and clear. Spoken using language typical of a Youtuber, but also the way we hear the full story at the end makes it so much more impactful.
I like that they didn't reveal that the woman in the video was her mother, it was only clarified at the end. It puts so much more weight on why the daughter cares so much for her hair, because that was the connection to her mother.
The UP intro - PIXAR
Specific shots or media language I liked:
I like that there were a few of these close up shots that cuts to a long shot or a wide shot, it gives some interest without needing to rely on dialogue.
I like the montage shots of them being in the same setting, but then the details are changed.
In their reading room (?), the chairs are slightly askew compared to when they first moved in, the walls filled with shelves and a rug is added. Making the room look more lived in.
When they were younger, the hill shots were bright, not many flowers on the grass, the buildings in the background also look typical of a town. When they were older, it's a completely different colour palette. The buildings have become skyscrapers, Ellie is climbing the hill instead of Carl, though their poses parallel when they were younger. There are so many more flowers grown in the grass.
The complete shift in colour palette to represent the hope and joy to the utter despair and sorrow, the two shots linked using a pan dissolve transition. I also really like that in the OBGYN office, we only see the main couple through a doorway. Further isolating the couple from the audience.
The saturated ending places emphasis on the complete grief Carl is feeling, a huge contrast compared to the initial shot of the house, bright and full of colour.
NON-ANIMATED
but what I liked in general
CAFFINE
Really easy to follow story
Funny punchline
Love the colour grading and fast paced style of editing
Is very detailed, playful and creative with its shots
Isn't really a smooth and pretty story
Almost parodies ads for energy drinks
REBUILD
Great, relatable story
Uses a variety of shots
Change in lighting and pace to signify a new era for our main character
No dialogue, but uses words mindfully
I really like the calendar shots and how they transition
The symbolisms and flashbacks/flash-forwards were done really well too
Not trad kind of ending – open-ended with a hopeful tone
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