Terra Cotta - ID# 8
Lyons Township
Dramatic Narrative
Entry Description
Admiration turns to something else in this short film.
Copyright Info
Recent Teacher Comments
- 4/27 6:05 pm - Very unique and ambitious! Sometimes, a single shot for so long can come across as lazy, but that was not the case for this at all! That is largely because the voice of the character is so heartfelt and compelling. Also, really appreciate the color grade – it is quite beautiful and nostalgic. The different aspect ratio was a wise choice. Something I would suggest is having the character's writing match and attitude how the person is talking. While I understand because of the reveal that this wouldn't be logically necessary, this would still further pull the audience into the trick of believing the writer is the person who is narrating. Really, really impressive acting – both from the narrator and the person on the screen. Really dug the camera movements and editing at 3:30. The ending is so unexpected and delightful – a really great way to end this story. Excellent work – very ambitious!
- 4/21 10:12 am - Story: Great job getting us into the mind of the girl with a twist at the very end! Your story comes full circle and your audience definitely doesn’t expect the twist at the very end. Sound: You have very clear sound throughout your film. I love how you mix the soundtrack at the end to contradict the rest of your film. It amplifies the anticipation at the end of your film and changes the overall tone from the beginning. Camera: I do like how you were able to use one camera shot throughout your film and it was mainly the narration telling the story. I did find myself getting distracted halfway through the film by looking at one shot continuously and started to focus on what was going on in the background of your shot. I do like this concept, but maybe some cutaways would have worked to keep your audience’s focus on the film. For example, maybe a CU shot of what was being written in the journal, or a POV shot of what the girl was seeing while she was writing. Or you could even include a shot of the girl from a different time and day to imply that the stalker has been getting footage of this person for a longer period of time. Lighting: Love how you used more intense/harsh lighting in the ending scene to paradox your previous shots. Overall you demonstrate effective lighting in your film! Editing: Great editing at the end! I love how you add in the extra zoom ins and cuts on the final photo at the very end. It just intensifies the overall story.
- 2/23 12:27 pm - Camera: interesting that the majority of this film was a long take. One shot. Initially, I was going to criticize you for this choice, but then I realized toward the end what you were doing. Genius. Lighting: the lighting worked, and even the end scene was lit appropriately. Sound: the voice over and music bed were clear and mixed appropriately. The ending sound built up to a menacing crescendo. Disturbing and effective. Editing: the editing at the end is really what made this work. You revealed the twist very well. Story: clear story, you drew us into the mind of the girl writing in her diary, and then the twist at the end was shocking! Well done!
Judge 1
Positives: • Really interesting execution w/ a genuinely good twist- caught me off guard in the best way- good stuff! • The music score/sound design is great, especially toward the end when we see the plot twist & realize the true nature of the story.
Improvements: • I def understand you were going for a simple story & execution (which was done well btw)- Maybe a more interesting intro with an additional scene would have kept the story more dynamic before we started to watch the live feed of the lead character as she sits and writes. • A more clear backstory to our supposed 'stalker' character would have really enhanced the stakes of the story.
Judge 2
Positives: Style of video and camera is done well; sound is well balanced
Improvements: Some action within the dialogue or change of scenery would have been nice
Judge 3
Positives: I think eh framing and lighting of the long shot was really good. I also liked the emotion heard throughout the voice over.
Improvements: Needed a lot more shot variation!!! The emotion of the voice over needed to match the emotion of the actor drawing. It was drawn out way too long, and then became confusing.
Judge 4
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Judge 5
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