A consistent theme in this series, this is another really well-made, style-over-substance short film which has the potential for poetic and insightful interpretations. At just over two minutes long, the film captures the first light of a new day, emphasizing what symbolic connotations a sun represents, a new day, a metaphor for hope. Each film I look at has had some small connection to my own short film, in order to ensure I always have something to learn from; in this case, I loved the cinematography, plus the shots capturing the eyes of the protagonists as they look off-frame, something I aim to do in my own short film. "First Light" can be seen below:
Camera: A common repetition of shot type is the close-up of the children looking upwards in profile; this shot, albeit repeated perhaps too often, helps contribute to the idea of the significance of the first light,what it means and represents to all these children. Asides from this there's quite a lot of variation in shot types, long shots, mid-shots, coupled with extreme close-ups, all of which add to the scope and enchanting nature of the short film. a zoom is used at one point, intensifying the emotion of the piece. High-angled shots adds to the idea of innocence and naivety,whilst low-angled shots makes us, the audience, feel part of the action. Soft focus in the background adds to the dreamy-like quality of the film. Therefore, the planning of angles and styles of shot contribute to making an effective short.
Cinematography: A large part of what makes this short film so special is its cinematography. The way in which the film has been shot gives the film a cinematic style that engages the audience. The combination of otherworldly colours and soft focus camera shots adds to the films reflective and emotive tone; the cinematography therefore is really fundamental to a film of this nature, particularly when there's no dialogue or plot, and so the quality of shots captured is key to making this short film a success.
Editing: The lack of edits in this short film and its long shots add to the reflective nature of the short film. No character is given more prevalence; it feels as though the film is trying to say that an entire generation of youth is looking for hope, which reinforces the philosophical message of the film. Editing adds to the ambiguity of the film- the setting and characters constantly changes, and the omission of what the children are looking at for part of the film adds to the mystery of the short film.
Mise-En-Scene: Shots of animals, nature and impoverished children creates a naturalistic tone. The light of the sun is red, which has symbolic connotations of danger, or perhaps love and compassion, which links in with the positive message of the film. The characters are all young, I believe, as it adds to the idea of the younger generations have this opportunity for hope.The mise-en-scene contains a variety of colours and, amongst all the poverty and rubble, creates a sense of vibrancy
Sound: Eerie non-diegetic music complements the slow, melancholy and ferflective tone of the film. Like a film soundtrack, it's an emotive track that encourages thought with its ethereal sound. The lack of diegetic sound reinforces the idea that the purpose of the short film is to be philosophical and reflective, as opposed to film that aims to entertain with dialogue or plot. In this respect, its quite a sophisticated short film.
"First Light" was definitely a moving and thought-provoking short film about the idea of hope, opportunity and faith set amidst the backdrop of poverty. The film showed me the power of cinematography and non-diegetic music, and so in this way I hope to emulate the success of "First Light" in my own short film.
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