Film Analysis: Alone (Short Film)

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Characters
It’s a convention of many films, where if you
there’s no initial scene showing characters
different to the main ones (usually where the
antagonists are involved with something that is
likely to affect the protagonist later on in the
film) then there is a high likelihood that the
first character you are introduced to is the main
character. This film is no exception.
Immediately a close up shot of a young man
shows us that he is dressed smartly in what
looks like an office environment. In the background plays the diegetic sound of people
talking and phones ringing. Later in the scene, synchronous diegetic sound is used when
we see the man typing onto a computer keyboard. If we were to stereotype an office
environment, these would be the sounds to associate with it. Therefore this informs us
that the character works at a company with a main focus on admin tasks. If you look
closely at his make-up and costume you can see he has been presented as being clean-
shaven. He also wears a clean, white shirt with a grey/blue striped tie. This implies he is
smart, professional and what we can stereotype as being an astute and hard-worker, as
opposed to a stereotype of an unprofessional and disorganised worker who might be
seen as having a crumpled shirt, a crooked tie and a long, flowing beard (I only mention
this as office workers are stereotyped as having no facial hair, so it would be a
subversion of the stereotype if this character were to have that). The fact he is wearing a
suit, which is an icon of power, informs us that his job is an important one, suggesting
he is in a position of authority. What we learn of this character is that he is experiencing
a flashback, a dream of what once was.
This shot is very unusual since we are never
given the viewpoint by which we would be able
to see the character’s face. As a medium close
up shot we see him walk into the room, holding
paper-work for the main character. The diegetic
sound of the door being knocked alerts us of his
presence. In this shot the character is wearing a
smart, black shirt, belt and beige trousers.
Similarly to the main character, he is dressed
smartly which connotes professionalism and
power. When he hands over the papers he addresses the main character as ‘sir’ which
suggests that this man is working for the main character. This then confirms our reading
that the main character is in a position of authority, which is also further strengthened
when we see that the two characters’ costumes are different, with the protagonist’s
costume being more professional, by the fact he wears a white shirt and tie.
Conventionally it is the ‘norm’ for people in admin jobs or any specialised jobs to wear
white, which is seen as the smartest choice of clothing. Another point to add, is that as
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the character’s face isn’t shown in this film, we get the reading that this character isn’t
significant and is in fact, inferior to the main character.
Two other minor characters we are introduced to are done so through their voices
alone. One of these is the monotone answering machine voice which is there to sustain
realism in the film when we watch the main character listening back to his voicemails.
During this scene and at the beginning when we get the first idea that something has
gone wrong, is a female voice we assume is the man’s partner, whether it be his
girlfriend or spouse we cannot know, however it is from the use of words such as ‘babe’
we get this reading.
I’ve mentioned previously how we learn that
this is a flashback/ a dream. Once the call goes
through that people are dying, the shot cuts to
a close up of the main character jumping from
his bed. This is the sign of a bad dream and
instantly gives us the reading that what we
just saw was a memory.
On the left is a medium shot of the main
character walking past his car. In it, we get a
substantially different reading of the character than the former representation of him in
the office environment. Here, we see he is wearing a casual blue, short sleeved shirt.
Along with this is a backpack. In this scene he appears dramatically, a lot less
professional. Typically in sci-fi films, an apocalyptic future results in the characters
having to live sometimes in squalor, and in other cases we see that in terms of make-up
and costume, they appear as if they have been living on the streets for months on end.
Although the man isn’t as dishevelled as we might expect, by seeing that he has gone
from smart to casual in such a short time has a profound effect on us and really grasps
the concept that something has happened to cause his status and power within society
to wither. This character is, after all, the last man on Earth so it can be presumed
however that he is still just as likely to be able to wear nice things and look presentable
because he has the whole planet to scour for the supplies.
Settings/ locations
I have mentioned before how we have been able
to interpret the first location we know of, as being
set in an office building. Some of the other
locations we come across in this film includes the
house the main character looks in to search for
food, as well as his own home and the street he
lives on. On the right is a deep focus medium shot
of the man looking in the cupboard for food. What
we can see scattered across the counter are lots of bags of different products. It looks as
if cleaning products are also stood up upon this which would suggest that even though
the character is the last person on Earth, he still cares about making the house tidy,
informing us that as a character he likes things to be neat.
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Another of the locations, as mentioned is the
street he lives on. In this extreme long shot the
man is walking in the centre of a wide, empty
road, manned on either side by trees. From this
we get the reading he must live in a rural area of
his town/village. By seeing the street so empty
we understand that this man has nothing to fear
because the streets are abandoned and empty of
other people, just like the rest of the world. This
establishes that therefore this film must be a post-apocalyptic film because there was a
source which later caused the near extinction of the human race.
Themes
Since this is an analysis on the apocalyptic/ post-apocalyptic sub-genre, I cannot define
it as any more than its own genre. However in identifying some of the themes and ideas
put across, the case is still just as difficult to pin-point, as what we see in this film is no
combat, no good vs. evil, nor romance. But what can be said of it, is that it shows
resilience of character since this is the last man on Earth and the predominant theme of
this is thus survival.
Genre Iconography
One of the most common pieces of iconography
associated with apocalyptic sci-fi films are
weapons. These can be both futuristic (glowing
or being powered by some unknown force
which is found in several of the shorts I have
analysed) or similar/ the same as the weapons
we find today. In ‘Alone’ the main character
finds a gun and in this medium close up shot he
is surveying the gun. This allows us time to acknowledge that this is a weapon and a
weapon which we find today, not something you would expect from the future. The
reading we get from this is that this film is set in the relatively present day because the
technology is no more superior than what is available to us now, including artillery
power. As an icon of violence, the gun is something often used in post-apocalyptic/
apocalyptic sci-fi films as in most cases, these films involve combat and show the
conflict between a force of antagonists and protagonists. Yet in this film, although we do
see the gun, it isn’t used by the man because he has no primary purpose for it. That
primary purpose would be survival but survival is only an integral thought when
applied to a situation where there is a risk of danger- which of course isn’t shown in this
because the character is the last man on Earth.
Another piece of iconography which isn’t
touched on heavily in apocalyptic/ post-
apocalyptic films is a first aid kit/ survival kit.
It seems obvious that one would be included
considering it’s essential to have one, when
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knowing that there is an impending apocalypse. In this film the character makes a quick
comment about how the kit is incredibly important and fundamentally useful for him,
while before it was seen as something that was useless. This goes on to his point about
how impractical the presence of money is.
Another icon we see is the character’s back-pack. For an apocalyptic/ post-apocalyptic
sci-fi film it is essential to have this piece of iconography as it is an integral tool the
characters can use to collect resources that will enable them to stay alive. Even in this
film we see the man carrying around his bag collecting supplies, something very
conventional of short sci-fi films to show and involve.
Camera Shot/ Angle/ Movement
This short demonstrates an effective and diverse
range of camera shots, angles and movements, all
used for different effects. A lot of close up shot are
predominantly used in this short, particularly at the
start when the character is just getting up and
preparing breakfast. Furthermore we also see high
and low angles used to take on the perspective of
the object the character is looking at. One really
effective shot is this close up shot of the man looking through a cupboard. In this, we
take on the perspective of the jars, watching from the inside as the character cringes
from the smell/miasma of one of the substances. I really like this shot; it’s intuitively
chosen and used to make the film much more interesting so that instead of simply
getting one viewpoint of this man we get it from different perspectives- much like a
point-of-view shot but from the back of the cupboard.
In relation to movement, we find that this film makes use of panning, tracking and
tilting. One example of an effective use of camera movement is at the start when the
camera pans right across from the mouse to the man typing. From this we get the fluid
action of the camera showing us that there is a unity
between the mouse and keyboard (computer) and
suggests that there is ease in what the man is doing, such
as the fact he might be completing work simple for him
to keep track of.
Focus pulls and blurred shots are very common in this
short. In the close up shot on the left, half of the man is
hidden while the other half is on view against a blurred
background. The effect of this is that it means we are drawn to the character and the
voice coming from the other end of the phone. Heightening the drama of the piece, this
is a really interesting and effective shot.
Although the screenshot isn’t as clear as in the short
film, this close up (almost over-the-shoulder-shot),
shows deep focus which causes us to draw our attention
to the light in the window- a pivotal point in the
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narrative. From this, not only is the character’s attention concentrated on but also ours
is, so by using deep focus it’s almost as if both perceptions, character and audience, are
merged into one.
Editing
There are several edits we see in this film. Cuts are used with a form of continuity
editing this film transpires with. We also see that when the man is gathering supplies
from another household, the footage is sped-up to show the passing of time. By editing
in this way, shooting time is being saved so that the scene can be kept more interesting
by which point we hear the character say he
should be getting back before it’s too dark. Thus
it helps to lead us onto the next scene. Another
form of editing we see in this film are flashbacks.
At the start the man is dreaming of a memory
from before whatever happened which left him
alone. Another is when he reminisces over the
freedom and comfort he had doing everyday
things. With the help of the voice-over which
describes this, the shot is also bordered with
white, dissolving into the shot. This conveys to us that this must be a memory because
the image isn’t as clear as it would be if the man wasn’t bringing up a memory.
Sound
As the film begins, instantly we hear the diegetic sounds associated with an office
environment: people talking, phones ringing, the synchronous sound of the man clicking
his mouse and typing on his keyboard. A diegetic knock at the door alerts our attention
to the man walking through the door and handing the main character a document. In
this moment we can faintly hear the diegetic sound of a pencil scratching onto the
surface of paper. Dialogue is exchange between the characters and the next minute we
hear the synchronous, diegetic sound of the man staple the papers together. The phone
then rings and the man picks it up. Behind the voice which sounds afraid and tense,
there is the diegetic sound of ambulances coming through the receiver. This suggests
that something has happened which has caused lots of deaths and/or injuries: hence the
ambulance wailing in the background. Just as the woman is speaking to the main
character, a high pitched non-diegetic sound fades in and increases in volume right until
the scene changes and the man bolts up from his bed, panting heavily. From this we get
the reading that the dream he just had was a nightmare of a memory since the music
built in intensity, putting across the character’s terror. The fact the main character is
panting suggests the memory was so deeply chilling that the emotional effect it had on
his ego, went on to dramatically affect him physically also.
Following on from this, the man drops his feet to the floor and from this close up, light,
non-diegetic music plays in the background shortly followed by a voice-over by the
man. Through this we get a constant vision of the narrative for what has happened and
what is going through the character’s mind as well as what he’s feeling. The music
creates a doleful mood and makes us sympathise with the character further than how
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we would react to his situation if up-beat, jolly music was used. Diegetic sound is one of
the most predominant sounds that this film affords. This includes sounds such as the
shower, the draws being opened, the man brushing his teeth, spitting toothpaste out,
cooking, adding sugar to a cup etc. When the man makes his way to go look for food the
music changes into something much more melancholic than before, as a piano softly
plays on. A sound bridge is formed as the character has a flash back. By retaining the
music’s volume and tone through this scene pathos is created for the character as it
suggests that he can only look on at the past with sadness and nostalgia, just as he feels
now. When the man reaches a final room where he can gather food and resources, the
volume heightens and the tempo increases. This fades out and yet again we have
another music change as he finds the survival kit. Non-diegetic synth sounds rise in
pitch, frequently interrupted by blips. When this then fades out, the character is on his
way back home. Diegetic sounds of thunder resonate in the scene and all that is left is
the voice-over from the man. Suddenly cut short, the man stops the moment a non-
diegetic ‘boom’ sound plays and then builds into tense music the moment we see that a
light has come on in a house to his left. This then cuts out before the title sequence is
then cut in. The effect of this is that it creates dramatic effect and leaves the audience on
edge and wary of what is behind those doors. Instead of having finished the film with
answers, as would usually occur in a full length feature film, we are left with more
questions, instantly gripping our attention.
Lighting
In the most part of this film high key lighting is used to give the audience the best view
of the characters. In technologically-based sci-fi films this high key lighting would be
used to intentionally put across the fact that the film is set in the future, where there are
brighter and more powerful lights to bask over the characters. Yet for this post-
apocalyptic film it is simply used, as said, to allow the audience to see what’s happening.
There are times where low key lighting is used for shots in the dark, enabled so as to
sustain the realism of the film. A red filter is used when the man is looking for jars of
food and when he opens up the bag and finds a survival kit. Here we see this is used to
mimic the lights for the basement/garage of a house the characters has been exploring.
As for when the character is walking back home. Light rains down on him from different
angles, but as a way of mimicking the street lights and thus to enhance the
verisimilitude of the film.
Typography
The credits and title for this film come right at the end, rather than beginning at the
start to introduce the film. Forming a sound
bridge over the last shot we see where we get
the reading that perhaps the man isn’t the last
surviving person on Earth, the title comes into
the shot with a heavy beat which continues
playing as the title appears, building suspense
and alerting curiosity in the audience. When
the title comes in, it does so as if fractured and
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the pieces are merging together. The shot shakes several times with the shapes quickly
going out of focus several times also. This creates the effect that these pieces are flying
in, like a storm, giving us the reading that not is all as it seems, leaving us questioning
what will happen next to the character since now we’re left on a cliff-hanger. Behind the
words flashes what looks to be stars and just as the title finally comes together to form
the word ‘ALONE’ a circle flashes up behind the writing. This adds a very typically sci-fi
edge to the film and helps to inform us that although we are looking at a post-
apocalyptic future (which some people might at first not understand), the title secures
the reading that the film comes under
the genre.
As for the title itself, it has been
presented in upper case letters, using
very rustic colours and a similarly rustic
and incomplete font. By doing this, the
title appears to reflect the post-
apocalyptic genre through appearing
imperfect and cracked with devastation
which is now how the world has been
left, following on from what must have
happened to cause the entire human race, with the exception of the man, to be wiped
from the face of the Earth. Thus the title helps inform us of the sub-genre.
As the music fades out, a new, peaceful track
comes in (part of the score). It’s an instantly
recognisable piano solo however
unfortunately I was unable to find the exact
name and composer. Nevertheless, the effect
of this would usually create a calming
atmosphere. Although because we
understand the narrative and nature of the
genre, it leads on to instilling a disquieting
mood- something typically found in sci-fi
films.
The credits roll up quite fast and use an undesirable font, but one that is simple and
reflects the simple daily routine the man has to deal with.