Within the short film 'Silent Things' disability is represented in a stereotypical, negative way. This is done through use of camerawork, mise en scene, editing and sound.
The short film begins with diegetic on screen sound of waves crashing and wind, already this could be seen as a representation of pathetic fallacy, perhaps creating a dark and eerie impression. A quiet, relaxing parallel soundtrack runs on and off through the entirety of the short film; used to emphasise the silence as it falls. The first shot - a high angle extreme long shot - establishes, showing the vacant beach setting and the high key lighting coupled with the natural colouring. Composed towards the middle right of the shot are two characters who one can assume are the protagonists of the short film.
This is soon clarified as a two shot at medium long shot mid angle enlightens the spectator of the pairs costume, hair and make-up.
With the male protagonists costume, hair and make-up all seeming rather simplistic and informal it leaves the spectator (of whom is unaware of his disability) thinking of the male in a positive stereotype when looking back. Though, it is not necessarily the costume that portrays a negative stereotype, but rather the colours, with darker, tonal colours being a preferred choice. This creates the representation that the protagonist is quite a deeply dark, mysterious character not only on the outside but maybe in his inner feelings. This could be suggested from his absent facial expression, slouchy posture and blasé body language. The informality of his clothing and hair may also be a representation of the protagonist not caring for his appearance, perhaps that he is too stressed inside or has more important things to worry about.
Whereas, the female protagonist tends to be wearing colourful clothing, and seems moderately well 'put together' in her appearance, including hair and make-up. This could be suggesting she is more clear of who she is, what she is faced with and how to overcome those difficulties, representing her as a sly, rather unnerving character. Her innocence is shown through her body language as the female protagonist strokes her hairs in an over the shoulder medium close up at mid angle. Though, the facial expression of the female does suggest differently, creating an intimacy as though she is concealing something. Her facial expression particularly emotes that she is 'in her own little world'.
After a number of shots giving more information of the protagonists with no speech and little diegetic sound, a cut transition then leads to an extreme long shot at worms eye view angle (possibly pov) of the prop of a kite; the colouring is purple.
After a range of mid angle close ups and medium close ups of the male protagonist and young girl having a conversation, the female protagonist is again shown walking towards the pair. A point of view shot extreme long shot at high angle then shows the two composed on the far left of the shot, packing away the kite prop. The sound is diegetic.
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| Range of shots |
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| Female walking and POV shot |
A medium close up at mid angle then shows the spectator the facial expression and slight body language of the female protagonist, showing she is feeling anger and jealousy towards the young girl. The female protagonist then confronts the two - all shots being medium close ups at mid angle - and dialogue is exchanged, alongside this diegetic on screen sound is the crashing of the waves. Silence then falls again as the shot uses a cut transition to the next one.
As the prop of a ferry adds to the setting and decor of the long two shot at high angle the camera switches to a two shot at mid shot at mid angle conversation then begins of the young girls trip, deterring from the non-diegetic eerie soundtrack.
Through use of a passport prop, the male protagonist soon begins to find simplistic mutual relations between the young girl and himself and the spectator begins to see a friendship forming. As the male protagonist recites a large amount of information about ferries in medium close up at high angle, it could be represented as though he is trying to impress the young girl. However, it is very bizarre that the male protagonist would know so much about ferries, so this technique could have been used in order to create more ambiguity around his character.
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| Passport in left of shot |
Silence then falls once again - with very quiet diegetic sound - when the shot cuts to a medium close up at mid angle of the female protagonist looking rather disgruntled in her facial expression.
The lighting suddenly changes after the next cut transition to rather low key and naturalistic lighting (perhaps pathetic fallacy of his dark emotions), a long shot at mid angle cuts to a close up of the male protagonist, who, through his facial expression, body language and heavy breathing diegetic on-screen sound appears extremely nervous and anxious. A big close up at mid angle is then used of the young girl, conversely, mid shots at mid angle are used mostly in two shots showing other characters on the ferry. This could be a representation of how the male protagonist has found peace and friendship in the young girl, juxtaposed with the other characters, of whom he feels completely uneasy and outnumbered around. This could be clarification of why the male protagonist enjoys being on his lonesome or with only with the female protagonist; who he has also found peace and friendship in.
The shot then takes on a large depth of field, making the male protagonist appear very distorted and blurry, again, maybe representing pathetic fallacy. Diegetic sound then becomes very muffled and quiet, with non diegetic sound having completely faded out by this point.
Lighting becomes very low key as the two enter the inside of the ferry setting, silhouettes are almost used, though the spectator can just about make out the facial expression of the pair. All shots involving the young girl, ranging from close up to medium close up at high angle, now become blocked in some way, this is an interesting use of composition and props and decor, maybe representing her feelings of having no clue of what's happening or how to help, e.g. 'somethings always in the way'.
The colour becomes extremely desaturated and the lighting very low key in the extreme long shot of the female protagonist. The close up at mid angle following this shot shows the facial expression of the female looking very worried and the muttering under her breath suggests that she could be wishing for him to be ok. The sound again reappears alongside the male protagonist, this could suggest he or she is causing the noise or disturbance in the others life. As the music soundtrack starts it begins to grow to a crescendo, becoming very sharp and sinister. A close up at mid angle of the female and medium close up of the male at mid angle shows a pov shot from either's view as they are looking at each other, their facial expressions suggest an impression of astonishment though depression at the same time, as though something like this has happened before, though this is paramount.
The off screen non-diegetic soundtrack soon fades to be the only sound left, and it seems eerie and delicate, perhaps how the male protagonist feels after his experience. As the young girl and female protagonist then confront each other it seems as though the young girl realises that the female protagonist was stopping the male for a reason; shown through her facial expression and body language.
One of the two only fade to black transitions used in the entirety of the short film is then used leading to a extreme long shot at mid angle of the male protagonist again fixing the prop of the kite. The female protagonist then joins him in fixing the prop, her bright costume, contrasting very much with the now desaturated colour and low key lighting of the beach setting.
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| Fade |
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| Black |
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| Extreme long shot at mid angle |
In the last range of shots, particularly the close ups at mid angle, the facial expression of the protagonists show that they are no longer that worried about the past experience. And alongside the darkness of the beach, delicate soundtrack and smoothness of the prop of the kite, the feeling of relaxation is now portrayed as though the storm has passed and the calm has now arrived again.
In the final shot (extreme long shot at mid angle) the setting is established and contrasts very well with the beginning of the short film, perhaps representing that though they are in a darker place now, they may be able to find that brighter and happier place they were in at the beginning of the short film.
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