NEA Short Film Awards

Best Make-up 

The award goes to Slap 

This is a very important part of mise-en-scene for this film. Connor enjoys experimenting with make-up and wearing dresses.  This is seen as a stereotypical thing for homosexual men to do, even though it is just a stereotype and a lot of heterosexual men wear make-up. Connor’s love for make-up and dresses is no indication of his sexuality, so all it shows to the audience is that he hides this part of himself away and that the standards of life have caused him to live in shame. 

 

Best Costume

 

The award goes to Echo 

 

Although the costumes are simple, they do a good job of getting the story across.

The main character is wearing school uniform to give an indication of her young age and where she may have just come from. It also means that people are more likely to help her in the street. She is wearing a hoodie over the top and her uniform is a bit messy, suggesting that she doesn’t care so much about her appearance.

The mother is wearing a smart suit, suggesting that she has an important job that requires formal wear and works late, possibly suggesting why she has a bad relationship with her daughter, as she is hardly around. 

 

Best Use of Props

 

The award goes to Over

 

Since the film relies on visuals to tell the story, the props are an important part.

Cars are a big part of this film. The strangers pull up in a car. The body lands on the car that was taken away in an earlier shot. Police cars are all around the scene of the accident.

There is a bunch of flowers on the other side of the road, suggesting that something has happened that something wanted to pay respects to.

In the evidence bags there are the possessions of the body. They give an idea of who he was.

The pressure washer is cleaning the street.

 

Best Setting

 

The award goes to Echo

The film is set in a big city. It starts off in the street by a busy road with lots of shops. She gets into a taxi and when she gets out it cuts to her on a bus. She comes home and sits in the living room after having a smoke outside. The house has a reasonably sized garden and garage which means it can be assumed that they are quite well off. She is only at home for a small amount of time, always out in the city, suggesting that she has a bad relationship with her mother and wants to stay away for as long as possible. The film cuts to lots of different settings, such as a café and another street. This shows that she moves about a lot, not wanting to stay in the same place. This could be because she is running from the problems that she doesn’t want to face, or she doesn’t want to be anywhere that may make her confront her problems. 

 

Best Lighting

 

The award goes to The Arrival 

 

I think the train sequence is very effective as it creates a big contrast to the rest of the film.

The lighting in this film is grey and dull, showing that the location is England, as it is known for being wet and dark. During the train sequence, the lighting in the café shifts to darkness and there and flashing lights outside to give the impression that they are on a moving train. This represents her inner turmoil and battle with herself as a train can be loud and bustling. 

 

Best Actor in a Male Role

 

The award goes to Joe Cole

 

Slap was a very emotionally compelling story. Cole played a boy who felt vulnerable and unsafe expressing himself in front of other people. The final scene is quite harrowing to watch. The pure anger on Cole’s face provokes  an unwanted reaction from a spectator, unable to not feel sorry for him.

The best supporting actor would be Oliver Woollford from Echo. It’s unusual to have such a talented actor at a young age. His character expression made his feelings very clear. 

 

Best Actor in a Female Role 

The award goes to Emily Barber

In the arrival, she was able to do a five minute take with no dialogue, only using facial expressions, and yet was able to captivate an audience.

As there is very little dialogue because we are hearing the character’s thoughts, the actor must convey the emotion through facial expressions that match the voice over. If the tone of her voice becomes concerned then we see a worried look mirrored on her face.

She is a fidgety person, wringing her hands and shifting position constantly to convey her inner turmoil. Contrastingly, there are moments of complete stillness where her eyes glaze over and we see that she is completely lost in thought. 

 

Best Sound

 

The award goes to Over

 

All of the sound in the film is diegetic and can be heard by the characters. There is no soundtrack to keep with the style of realism that has been chosen. Also, it is a true and sensitive story, so it is best to be respectful. The film has a constant background babble that is typical of a big town, except at night and very early in the morning when most people are asleep. All the dialogue is heard at the realistic volume that it would be heard at if you were standing where the camera was. This again, stays within the realistic style.

There is a dramatic volume shift from when the camera is far away, to when it is close up on the pressure washer. It could be a representation of how quickly life changes and it comes out of nowhere. When the evidence bags are being shown, there are sounds that suggest that they were taken in a police station. 

 

Best Editing

 

The award goes to Slap

 

This film uses the largest variety of cuts and transitions.

A smash cut is used to transition from his bedroom to the boxing ring. It’s a harsh cut to break the audience out of the quiet and into the violence. It creates a contrast.

There is a sort of match cut when Connor is looking into the broken mirror at the gym, and cuts to him looking into the mirror in his bedroom. The broken mirror could signify how broken he feels when he has to hide himself, and the not broken mirror could show that once he is free to be who he wants to be, he feels whole again. There is another match cut when Connor is walking away from the party to when he is walking to the boxing ring.

Slow motion is used when the guests at the party and cheering and clapping at him to demonstrate that his world is crumbling around him. 

 

Most Creative Idea

 

The award goes to The Fly

 

This film is about a get away driver, waiting in the car for the robbers to finish their robbery at a bank. He is plagued and pestered by a fly that just won’t go away. I wouldn’t think of something like this in a million years. It’s such a unique idea and goes against your typical narrative.

Short Film That Challenges Narrative Conventions The Most

 

The Award goes to Over

 

The film is told in reverse order, so that the audience is seeing the story unravel backwords, meaning that they don’t find out what has happened till the end. We don’t get to explore character’s or form out own opinion. We just have to watch it play out.

11:45PM – Night time on the street

7:30PM – A couple parks on the pavement and gets out to spot a bunch of flowers on the other side of the road.

4:20PM – A man is pressure washing the road and a woman is talking to him. We see that it was probably blood.

3:00PM – A removal van is taking a car away. It cuts to stills of clothes in evidence bags.

12:30PM – Police take the body.

9:50AM – Forensics are taking pictures of the body. Cuts to stills of possessions in evidence bags.

8:00AM – We see the body lying on the street.

7:45AM – The body hasn’t been found yet. People pass by until a man walking his dog finally sees it and calls the police.

6:20AM – The body falls out of the sky, hitting a car and setting of the alarm before hitting the road.

Short Film That Conforms to Narrative Conventions The Most

 

The award goes to Slap  

 

We are introduced to the main character first, and then we see his hobbies and interest and then the action takes place.

Equilibrium – Connor is a boxer who likes experimenting with make-up, but no one knows. His dad is his coach. He has a girlfriend named Lola and a best friend called Archie.

Disruption – Connor has put on a dress and make-up and sees Archie being chased by people that want to beat him up. Connor goes out to help him.

Recognition – Connor tells Archie why he’s dressed like he is and shows him his box of make-up.

Attempts to Repair – Connor goes to a birthday party dressed up, thinking that no one will think too much of it, but everyone mocks him. Archie kisses him, thinking he’s gay, and when Connor punches him, he exposes him to everyone and Lola is not having it.

New Equilibrium – Everyone knows about Connor and Lola isn’t with him anymore and he is left feeling very angry. 

 

Short Film That Kept Me Most Engaged Throughout

 

The award goes toThe Ellington Kid

As the characters seemed so engaged in the story they were telling, it allowed us to share their excitement and wonder. Seeing the story play out, as well as hearing, helped to give the film pace and a fast tempo that meant an audience wouldn’t lose interest. 

  

Short Film Most Likely to Recommend Others to Watch 

 

The award goes to Operator 

 

This film is short and sweet. Because it is a dire situation, the film has a good pace to it. It is shot very well, only showing the operator. It is a good insight into a very important job that doesn’t get enough credit. The performance is very good, compelling, allowing you to sympathise.

 

Short Film That Made Me Think The Most About After It Finished 

 

The award goes to Slap

 

This film poses a lot of good questions. Does the way we dress signify our sexuality? Can men wear make-up? Are the youth today educated enough? Are the parents? It made me wonder how other people had reacted to this and what they thought. Did they find it funny? Joining in with the opinions of the people in the film, that he was disgusting and confused, or did they feel sorry for him? It made me think about how a lot of people don’t have the best upbringing and are afraid to show who they are because of the judgement of their peers.  

 

Short Film That I Was Most Glad Finished When It Did, and Not Looking Forward to Having to Watch Again

 

The award goes to Echo

 

This film was overly long, and I was checking the time every few minutes to see how long it had left. I was very confused, and by the end of the film, had not been enlightened. I think that the plot could have been more clear and some questions should have been answered. I did not know if there was a message, and if so, what it was. The film didn’t seem to be trying to achieve anything and felt like it was going nowhere. I wasn’t particularly entertained, and although the performances from the actors were good, I was very bored.

 

Short Film That Entertained Me The Most

 

The award goes to Tight Jeans 

 

It was definitely  a comedy and focussed on very trivial subjects. The characterisation was effective, making it clear who the smart ones were, even if what they were saying may have been incorrect. I enjoy films that are set in one place and I think, the more dialogue, the better.

  

Short Film That Informed/Educated Me The Most

 

The award goes to Over

 

This film is unlike anything I’ve ever really seen before. I knew that people went to great extents to leave their countries, but I had no idea about this particular method or story. This film, is one of the only out the eight that is directly based on true events. 

 

Short Film I Could Most Relate To

 

The award goes to Slap

 

I could most relate to this film as I have had similar experiences to Connor. I have been called a lot of the same slurs that he was called and been harassed and tormenting for just being myself. I think a lot of young people can relate to his experiences,  whether it is because of their, gender, sexuality, or just how they choose to dress. The world is full of judgement and I think that this film is important for showing that we don’t choose how we feel and most of us just want to fit in. Being who you are is scary and it can leave you vulnerable and alone. Connor just wants to live his truth, go to a party with his friends and his girlfriend, wearing what he wants to wear. His friends turn on him for being different, something I have experienced and can relate to.

 

Short Film I Believe I Will Take Most Inspiration From In Preparation For Making My Own

 

The award goes to Slap

 

I really like the genre and style of acting. I want to tell a story that can open an audiences’ eyes and make them aware of something that they may have previously misunderstood. I want my film to be a serious drama with naturalistic acting and characters that represent real people and real stories. The cinematography doesn’t focus on lots of imaginative edits and cuts, but picks up the emotion of the characters, and that’s something I want to put emphasis.