Before it Ends - ID# 480

Maine East
Dramatic Narrative
Entry Description

This silent film is a coming of age story about acceptance.

Copyright Info

Recent Teacher Comments

  • 4/29 10:02 am - The elements of early Hollywood silent films read clearly here. Through the use of intertitles, a romantic orchestral score, and a black & white filter with the dramatic vignette and flickering film effect, I am instantly pulled into the drama of the film. There are elements that contradict the silent film structure of storytelling by a sudden shift in aspect ratio, as well as modern closed captions used for scene description. Stylistically, I’m not sure how they support each other. Thematically, this film does feel dramatic in this repetitive cycle of waking up and having to confront your reality. The story does lack emotional depth at times where I felt like the scene was meant to be serious, I could sense a little break in performance where characters are being seen smiling. I would’ve loved to see how the stakes could be pushed a little bit more for the protagonist. I really want to believe that they want a second chance in this relationship. Play more into the old silent film drama!
  • 4/29 9:48 am - What works well: Overall, this is a creative approach to storytelling. I like the fact that you made this a silent film. You have some interesting cinematography. The hallway scene at :42 makes good use of the leading lines in the hall and your OTS compositions work well. Some of your post production choices work well for the overall tone of the film. Excellent music choices. What to Work On: There are some issues with story clarity. I think he comes to terms with the break up by the end of the movie, so that reads, but it is not totally clear. The screen direction seems unnecessary. There are some grammatical mistakes, and at times, the text passes too quickly. I might also have music playing throughout. It is a little jarring when it cuts in and out.
  • 4/28 9:42 am - Pros: Striking opening with black and white imagery and use of appropriate underscoring. Clever use of text for dialogue - nicely designed graphics. Great framing for dialogue scenes - especially around 1:45. Nice choices of music to add to the story. Improvements: There was some shaky camera movement throughout the piece. Work on stabilizing shots to guide the viewer's focus throughout the story. The acting didn't always seem to match the written dialogue. I'm not sure if the written lines of direction were needed since we could see that action happening. For me, it didn't add anything to the story. Interesting concept but the storytelling wasn't always clear. Was he reliving the same day? The use of dialogue graphics could have been used more- inconsistent. I wanted to know more about the two characters and their relationship; for me, that's what I look for in a drama.
Judge 1

Positives: I like the addition of adding the Scene Info to the screen, it is unique. The framing of shots is good with how people and items are placed within the screen.

Improvements: I think his would have been more beneficial with the characters speaking, all of the text on the screen can be quite distracting and a silent film wouldn't normally include music. It was also distracting that there would be songs and then silent and then instrumental music. The screens with just text were not needed.

Judge 2

Positives: Love a good aspect ratio shift. Good job on the timing of it too! Worked very well narratively. The writing of this story also lends itself well to a silent film so kudos to your writing! The ending felt very well earned.

Improvements: Not a big fan of the subtitles! I didn't quite get why it was done in that way outside of a way to supplement the story where the silent film couldn't get the narrative across. There was also moments where it went by too fast. I like the idea, I think it just wasn't executed super well. Also, your cinematography could use some work. Be sure that if you're going to use a gimbal, practice the move a few more times to make sure you're not getting any jitters or unnatural movement. When tracking backwards, have your actor be further back; your head room wasn't great. Remember you can always crop in if it's a little too far.

Judge 3

Positives: Super super super creative story love the kind of Groundhog's Day storyline I think that you portrayed the relationships very well. I feel like I got to know your main character and who they are as a person. I think your shots were well composed, and your choice of light, whether artificially, adding or placing the camera and the actors in good places was done very well overall really nice piece of work.

Improvements: One of my issues were with the subtitles if we think about it, film is a visual language right if it was just audio would be radio audio is very important but choosing to do a silent film I feel like it's redundant to have subtitles like "he looks at her with love" not saying that's exactly what you said, but we see it as the audience. I see the way your characters interact with the world and the people around them so I ask how necessary are the subtitles. I would employ you to find a better way of showing the days repeating because it took a few watches and like rewinding to really kind of get that premise I like the clock but the way the shot was it was hard to process so maybe if there was some sort of sequence that they do in the morning like they get up they put their phone on the dresser and then they leave the room and they do that every morning or every time the store repeats so that way as an audience, we get a little bit more information that we're repeating days.

Judge 4

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Judge 5

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