'Over' analysis

'Over' analysis

'Over' is a short film we have looked at in class. The film was directed by Jörn Threlfall, released in 2015 and is about fourteen minutes long. This film is based on real events and the genre it belongs to is best described as drama.

The editing in this film is very interesting as the filmmakers decided to redirect the arrow of time and edit the film in reverse chronological order and hence defy narrative conventions of linear storytelling. The filmmakers take advantage of the short film format to subvert typical film tropes to create an unconventional film that still maintains the important and reliable three act structure. The film closely follows the three act structure as it starts by showing the quiet suburban neighbourhood in a state of equilibrium and harmony before revealing the inciting incident which comes in several forms including the flowers, the blood on the road and the car being brought in for repairs that all show something bad has happened, these are important aspects of act one of a tradional three act structure. Although the viewer may not think there are any obstacles to challenge the protagonist as would be found in the middle act of a typical three act structure film they are present but instead of targeting characters in the film they target the viewer, the viewer is presented with small clues and bits of information and must attempt to decipher what is going on whilst overcoming the obstacles of their own prejuidices and the initially disorientating editing. The midpoint of the film also features a twist which are common in a lot of three act structure films as it is revealed to the viewer that the film is actually in reverse chronological order through the time stamps that start appearing, this was previously not apparent. The climax comes when the proper context is given for all the information that has been exposed throughout the film and it is shown that the man dropped from the sky leaving the viewer more confused and with questions that are answered by the tragic and shocking ending that reveals the whole film was based on a true story ending 'Over' with an impactful social message.

The film uses a lot of narrative techniques to engage the viewer such as a variety of shot types each chosen to convey meaning at certain points throughout the film, mise en scene which enriches each scene with detail and a powerful and careful usage of sound. The shot types in the film vary between long shots and close ups. The long shots are used as establishing shots to introduce the location and setting of the film, a rural neighbourhood which is then contrasted with the shocking events that unfold as the film progresses. The close ups are used to identify details that act as clues to give the viewer hints about where the plot of the film is going. Throughout the film the camera is very conservative with how much detail it indulges the audience with, the slow panning shots are tedious and induce a sense of anxiety that permeates the film. All these shots are used to elevate what in concept is a very simplistic idea for a film into a much more thought provoking experience for the viewer that makes the resolution to the film so much more compelling and impactful.

The mise en scene in the film is all carefully chosen, the setting of the film is familiar and comfortable with passerbys participating in their daily routines such as going for a run and gardening which makes the film feel more real and the setting lived in. The flowers at the beginning of the film foreshadow the tragedy of the story. The clothing items shown are generic and could belong to anyone but their placement in the evidence bags seem perverse and lead the viewer to speculate on who they belonged to, guilty perpetrator or innocent victim? All the police cars and crime scene pariphenalia paired with the blood that was being cleaned off the street will likely further feed the viewers curiosity about what kind of crime could of taken place here. The photo shown towards the end of the film is more personal and gives the viewer a connection to the man, a picture of a family shows that he is someone with strong familial bonds which is potentially relatable to the viewer and makes the story all the more tragic. 

The film is devoid of non-diegetic sound until the very end, this is potentially more engaging for the viewer as it sucks them into the setting of the film. The lack of music creates an unnerving silence that makes the viewer pay more close attention to the diegetic sounds however the film cuts to loud sounds multiple times for quick intervals such as when the car is being towed away and when the police move the body to grab the attention of the viewer. The silence, just like life in the rural neighbourhood is disturbed by the sound of the man's body hitting the car followed by the car alarm. The final diegetic sound heard in the film is the plane passing by overhead which gives the last piece of context clues to explain the events of the film. As the credits begin and the titlecards reveal the true story of which the events of the film depicted derived inspiration from a harrowing piece of music plays emphasising the dark subject matter.

Because of the nature of the storytelling techniques employed in this film it may be hard for the viewer to align themselves with any characters in the film as there really are no characters in the film and the people in the film are experiencing the events of the film in a different way to the viewer. However the viewer could be narratively aligned with an investigator of some sort who is attempting to analyse the evidence about the events of the film.

Overall 'Over' is one of my favourites of all the short films we have looked at in class, there are several aspects of this film that I wish to incorporate into my own short film including the subversion of narrative conventions whilst sticking to a three act structure, careful use of multiple shot types and a powerful social message that underlies the text.