Possible Realities - ID# 279

Downers Grove North

Dramatic Narrative

Entry Description

A teenage boy meets a girl and has high hopes for an exciting new relationship in this surrealistic short film. MUSIC: Tranquility https://www.purple-planet.com/tracks/tranquility Sunny Dream https://freesound.org/people/kjartan_abel/sounds/532935/ Thinking of Driving https://freesound.org/people/kjartan_abel/sounds/532774/ Pretty Things https://www.purple-planet.com/tracks/pretty-things A Beautiful Morning https://www.purple-planet.com/tracks/a-beautiful-morning Giant Step https://freesound.org/people/mareproduction/sounds/533270/ Dream of You https://www.purple-planet.com/dreamy

Copyright Info

Recent Teacher Comments

• 4/29 4:35 pm - Sam's thought process and struggle touches on something universal and relatable. This isn't just key to great short filmmaking, but great storytelling in general. If this was a short story, it would have been excellent. That you supplemented the story with such a mastery of the craft is truly impressive. All around superb cinematography. This was at another level. You shot with intention, and everything was aesthetically pleasing, and at times - stunning. There is so much to love - from the dramatic rack focusing to excellent variation of shot types that move the story rather than distract from it. You managed to demonstrate so many skills without ever taking away from the storyline. The performances were excellent. Did you cast from the theatre department? Very believable and complete characters. I cannot speak highly enough of the editing. The cut at 1:22 showed off your gaffing and editing skills - and that is exactly what one needs to do to stand out in a film festival. While you repeatedly demonstrate a mastery of editing technique, this never takes away from the story - and that is the most important component in editing. You balanced a dynamic timeline filled with dreams, imaginations, and realities - and it all worked. It always remained clear, and this is especially difficult. I really cannot speak highly enough of this short. All of your hard work shows, and I would heavily suggest you look into film freeway and submit this to other national and international fests.
• 3/10 8:23 am - Loved this as a story, this is a dramatic narrative because it takes me on a journey with twists and turns and surprises with the story. Story was really relatable which is what gave it an advantage, a story about simply having a crush and not overthinking it. It was a story I get invested in and care about. That doesn’t happen by accident it happens through planning and an understanding of how to use the tools at your disposal. Excellent Job. I loved it. You had so many great shot throughout, for example the establishing shot of her then panning to the mugs, I also really liked the shot from under your arm in the mirror. Also really liked the shot at 3:30ish where his head falls into the bed/pool and Liked the shot where he wakes up and the sun shines on his face. There was so much great job! I thought the patterns you set of turning off the light was helpful to let the audience know when he was headed off to dreamland. Along those lines I really thought your music helped set the tone of how the viewer / actor was supposed to be feeling in each section Found both of your actors very believeable and likeable End got a little confusing because your music ended at 3:56 and so I wasn’t sure if it was still a dream or he was back in reality, and then the girls response made me wonder if she was starting to “dream” of a reality she was seeing with him. I wanted to see him end up with the girl in reality, and never did, so I felt like the video ended with some uncertainty. Overall great job, I enjoyed it!
• 3/9 8:28 am - Story: Creative and well written script Camera: Your camera work was extremely well done. The creativity you showed in shot selection helped the story Lighting: Well done Audio: Great

Judge 1

Positives: • Very good production value from beginning to end- everything from the camera work, sound design, to the character choices all came together so well! Not to mention the acting- that opening scene was every bit as hard-to-watch as you wanted it to be- well done! • The surreal nature of the film really shines here- it's engaging to watch from beginning to end; Very interesting to see the subtle character differences between the different scenes.

Improvements: • The ending, while beautiful, didn't feel like an ending rather than a continuation; for that reason, I felt that the story was unfinished- but this is more of a personal preference; Overall I get what you were going for. • Shooting in direct sunlight is a bit distracting for me, but also your actors as they're squinting the entire time! Something to keep in mind.

Judge 2

Positives: The narrative works well as a fictional narrative and has all of elements that make a ‘first contact’ between a boy and a girl rather exciting. The actors are natural and deliver the emotions (and anxieties) with awkward confidence. Each scene is approached with a new set of emotions and sets up the progression of the visuals in a ‘Groundhog Day (1993)’-esque tapestry of interactions. Excellent use of the music/score in each of the scenes. They don’t seem frivolous and with each emotion moment the music complements the possible realities without overwhelming the viewer. A beautiful scene is the walk in the woods with the music accompanying the scene of exploration of bonding. Production design-wise, 'Catcher in the Rye' is a fantastic choice to which everyone can relate. A very effective use of the music is at the end (4:00 – 4:30 sec mark) when Sam’s resolve brings him to Grace’s attention by introducing himself. The music itself has a quality of determination, born of courage rather than desperation, and Sam’s actions are just perfect. The actress ‘Grace’ embodies a sweet and wholesome persona that makes her an ideal casting choice. A young Amanda Bynes quality from her acting shows. Young 'Sam' is played in a very effective and anxiety driven manner; his journey as a character is shown with remarkable aplomb (the narrative arc is carried by his growth). The title, 'Possible Realities,' is very apt. The film also appears to be about 'Realistic Possibilities,' too. Nicely done.

Improvements: What could have been a better set of images were lost in the actor moving out of frame, especially just after the coffee spill (37-43 sec mark). Sometimes a wider shot to establish the geography of the scene would have helped inform the viewer. Except for the wide shot showing ‘Sam’ longingly gazing at ‘Grace’ from afar, everything seems to be a medium shot at best (except Sam at 1:22-1:34 sec mark). Things do indeed get better with each successive ‘reality’ but the emotional intensity doesn’t appear to change that much (camera-wise). The possible exception is when the camera pushes in on the contemplative and option-weighing ‘Grace’ towards the end of the story. The cut to Grace (27-29 sec mark) when Sam is stuttering to find the right words shows that she is more apprehensive and stressed out at his seemingly innocuous approach causes fear and dread in her eyes. This reviewer would recommend a different take to show her curiosity and her willingness to listen to him – in a neutral or positive light. Not too sure about the sound effect when Sam is approaching Grace in the park (2:22 – 2:26 sec mark); it always seems a bit of a suspenseful take, more than an innocent one, with the sensation of dread introduced by the low sound effects (3:23-3:27 sec mark).

Judge 3

Positives: The narrative is interesting and compelling. The use of music is thoughtful.

Improvements: The performances can be much better. I see both actors thinking about their lines before they say them. The performances need to be effortless. Film seems a bit long. The editing style can be more consistent.

Judge 4

Positives:

Improvements: