Surrogate - ID# 34
Lyons Township
Comedic Narrative
Entry Description
"Surrogate" is a comedic short film about a strange interview for a job.
Copyright Info
Recent Teacher Comments
- 4/25 1:33 pm - The opening scene's graphics that's timed with the music is very clever and well executed. Shot and edited well. The use of comedic timing with your editing is very well done. I like this idea, but I was confused about the story. At first watch, I didn't quite get that it was an interview.
- 4/24 11:29 am - Strong, simple concept that's also unique. Great job creating an uncomfortable, weird mood. Excellent pacing in the editing to add to the vibe. Good choices in shot composition. Costuming, production design and black and white filter all work well to add a dreamlike quality. Great performances from the actors. Overall a well-written, well-produced short film that came together nicely.
- 4/21 11:53 am - Good sound effects and close-up camera shots at the beginning of the video to catch the viewer's attention. Good framing of camera shots at 37 seconds. Good variety of different camera angles throughout the video. Editing is well done. Keep producing more videos.
Judge 1
Positives: Nice variety of shots in an almost claustrophobic setting. I liked the moody, mysterious black and white. The close-ups and your emphasis on the beleaguered interviewer's eyes were very good. The guy running the show was intense.
Improvements: I'm not sure what got resolved or why. The interviewee seemed just as perplexed. Maybe having him start manipulating the interviewer and turn the tables on the guy in the suit or both of them verbally gang up on the suit would have tied up the story.
Judge 2
Positives: Very interesting premise for a story. The way it played out was confusing in a good way and there were enough twists to keep it from getting stale. The acting was strange, but also in a good way. The surrealistic tone of the project allowed for a lot of weirdness and that's not easy to pull off. Naming the character Lou Sir is a legitimately funny thing to do. And the buzzing noise was a nice touch.
Improvements: The storyline worked effectively until about the 3:30 mark where the interviewee starts having his big revelation. It went from weirdly comedic to just kinda sad with no resolution or explanation. It would have been nice to see him get the job at the end or something along those lines but I didn't get that impression from what happened. It felt like a great idea that lost its way and never really found it again.
Judge 3
Positives: Nuanced and stylized in a way I didn't expect to see in this competition. Keep making films There's a little bit of a David Lynch vibe going on here, and I absolutely love that. Great job with that sound design. Silence, buzzing, all adding to the overall feel. The best thing about this is I never really knew what to expect. Can't tell you how refreshing the originality is.pite the bizarre nature of the film, it still pulls off having a clear narrative arc. Keep making films together!
Improvements: Rather than find something to nitpick here, I'm just going to take the opportunity again to tell you this is great, and keep at it! You have something great here.
Judge 4
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Judge 5
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