French Impressionism Short Film

Synopsis

The story is about a girl who enjoys her day off at a shopping center. She found her ideal jacket and imagines herself wearing the jacket that she wanted so badly. The imagination was interrupted by a phone call from her superior. She thought of the moment (flashback) where her superior gave her tons of workload, which causes her to answer the phone call in an unpleasant mood. She was in a dilemma situation where she had to choose either continue to shop or get back to work. In the end, she made a decision.

Content

This short film is taken to pay tribute to French Impressionism film. Our short film focuses on the fast changes of emotions. 

At the beginning of the short film, point of view editing is used.That scene first shows the point of view of a car where we can see the main character is walking towards something, then shifted to the car that she is looking at. Point of view of a car is not a usual view that we can see in the reality.

As French impressionist emphasizes on character’s feelings and emotions, a lot of mobile framing which is also described as point of view shots are used in this short film. The scene where the main character is driving is shown by using the point of view of her and the car (Figure 1.1 & 1.1.5). Besides that, the point of view of the main character is shown when she is shopping in the mall (Figure 1.2). It is to show the exciting mental state of the subject where the scene is shot in a fast pace when she is in the mall.

Figure 1.1: The driving scene shot by using point of view of the main character

Figure 1.1.5: The driving scene shot by using point of view of the car

Figure 1.2: Point of view of the main character by indicating the eyes’ level around shopping mall

Next, the fantasy part of the character and her ideal jacket. Dreamy effect is applied in that particular scene. The main character imagines herself wearing the jacket after she saw the jacket that she likes (Figure 1.3). This scene not only indicates the happy and satisfy feeling of the subject while wearing the jacket but also indirectly shows that most of the people will also have the same kind of fantasy when they are shopping.

Figure 1.3: Main character’s fantasy while wearing the jacket

There is an abrupt cut of the fantasy part and jump cut to the phone scene to indicate subject's fantasy had been interrupted. Flashback is used to bring audience to the character’s thoughts and to show memories in the past. In this short film, the flashback indicates the main character’s thought of the workload while she has received the call from her superior (Figure 1.4). Also, mono color is used to indicate flashback scene.

Figure 1.4: Flashback of the main character

Superimpose is normally used to show character’s feeling or thought by dissolving two visuals in one scene (Bordwell & Thompson, 2009, p.465). The visuals of her face are cutting cross each other in the scene to show different emotions in the scene. The superimposition is used to represent her who is in dilemma and confusion by blending two visuals of shopping and working together (Figure 1.5).

Figure 1.5: Superimposition that represents the dilemma and confusion faced by the main character

The characteristic of focusing is also used in this short film. Focusing technique shows character’s feeling in great detail and the scene will slowly focus on the character’s facial expression by using close up shot. When the main character is talking to her superior on the phone. Her eyes are in focus to show her feeling after receiving the order to go back to work (Figure 1.6).

Figure 1.6: Close up shot of the main character’s eyes

Lastly, Cinema pur/pure cinema is applied in this short film. There is no narrator in this short film. It left some space for the audience to think and understand the feeling of the main character and hidden meanings of the film. For instance, the ending of this short film is up to the audiences' thought.