Research on short films - Just say hi (Sarah)

'Just Say Hi'

http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/4531/just-say-hi

Film maker: 'worryingdrakeproductions'

Genre: Romance

Running time: 2:-119860

MRANG

Media Language:
Camera -

Medium close ups are used for facial expression and to convey to the audience the characters feelings which change as the plot develops. Extreme long shots are mainly used to show the location and change of costume or to compare the characters body language. The only pan is used as a transition into another shot to represent the next day.

Editing -

• Transitions - swipe of same long shot with characters in different clothes to represent new day
• Titles - bubble writing type of font - could represent youth and indicates the genre of the film (that it's a romantic comedy). 

Sound -
Music: Celeste - Les Enfants - Romantic song to go with theme of the film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDip6DYnNVQ

The upbeat soundtrack increases in pace as they begin to acknowledge eachother which helps convey their feelings. The only diegetic dialogue used is 'Hi' placed in the gap of the song. No foleys are used in this film.

Mise en scene -

• Costume - The costume of the two characters changes but the same location remains, this is to represent the change of time and day. Their casual costume also conveys their young age as if they were going to an important job they would be dressed more smart. This could indicate they are waiting for the bus to a college of university. 
• Hair - The girl takes down her hair down as soon as she spots the guy walking up to the bus stop. This hinting action is an indication to audience shes trying to impress him.
• Lighting - There's no harsh lighting here as it uses mainly natural lighting to appear as realistic as possible.
• Props - The tissue box is used to convey the female character is thanking the male character for giving her a tissue the day before and acts as a present.
• Location - The constant use of the one location (the bus stop) makes it easier for the audience to understand the link between the two characters and also helps define their age. 

Representations
Male/female - Neither gender are represented in a negative way in this film. The male character is represented as quite clumsy
Stereotypes - The way the characters are quite clumsy and not serious could be a stereotype of youth that younger people are less serious and stern as older people.
Power and status - I would say in this film the female character has more power and status as towards the beginning atleast as she is quite judging of the male character and laughs at him.
Body language - The characters sit with a wide gap between them which conveys to the audience they do not know eachother with arms crossed. However as the plot progreses they slowly get closer to eachother and at the end up standing next to eachother as the girls says 'hi'.

Audience

Place of viewing/exhibition
Online - Appeals to younger audience






How the content of film conveys the audience

• Young 'goofy' characters
• 'Scrapbook' type font
• Humourous elements
• Could be relatable for audience

Narrative

This film uses a linear narrative as the plot progresses slowly and there is no other information needed, so flashbacks wouldn't be useful and a non-linear narrative would confuse the audience and the film would lose its simplicity. 'Just Say Hi' uses restricted narration as we only know as much as the characters, there is no other information known. Using the theory of Bordwell and Thompson, the plot ends as the girl says 'hi'. The director has made this so we assume the rest of the story is they get to know eachother, fall in love and all the other connotations of a love story. This film doesn't apply to Todorovs 5 stages of narrative.

Genre: Romantic comedy

• Romance
• Comedy

Semantic/syntactic codes
Semantic code in 'Just Say Hi': The girl taking his hair down - shows she likes the boy and this is a turning point in the plot where instead of laughing at him, she's the one trying to impress him.

Steve Neales theory- repetition and variation
Uses the same type of story line as other romance films, keeping to the genre.

Buckinghams theory
Uses the hybrid genre of romantic comedy as it uses the main element of romance but also in a humourous way.