I have chosen to analyse the short film, 'Maybe one day' in comparison with our short film, 'Rewind' to show the similarities between the two and what we could take from this clip. The film is directed by Chris Cottam and is about one day in a mans life and how it changes his outlook on things. It features the man as the only prominent character but other people are shown in the background. Throughout the film there is no direct speech, only a voiceover provided by the protagonist which allows it to feel as though he is talking directly to the audience; this gives the film a personal touch and makes you feel as if you are reading his diary or getting a rare insight into the inner workings of his mind. He describes how he feels about his boring life and how predictable it is, this prompts him to make a change and do something out of routine for once; the events that unfold provide the story for the rest of the film. The film relies on both the interchanging visuals in the background and the running voiceover to present the story effectively. The main focus is on the mans face which is in the centre of the frame for the majority of the film and shows his range of emotions well. He dresses in pyjamas at the start of the film as he wakes up and changes into a suit as he heads to work, telling us that he must work in some kind of corporate job which he clearly hates as he seems depressed when he is on his way there.
The thing I liked most about this film is that it feels authentic; it feels like this man is filming a day in his own life which gives it a warm feel but also it feels as if the film cost the man hardly anything to make. This allows you to connect more with the character because he seems like a normal person; you can put yourself in his shoes because the feelings that he describes reflect our everyday attitudes. There are a range of settings featured in the film and we are taken from the city to the countryside on this mans journey, this to me reflects how he becomes more relaxed as the day goes on as the countryside is more peaceful and mellow compared to the bustling, rush of the city. He changes his attitude in the middle of the film and as he gets to do the things he actually wants to do instead of just the boring routine he is usually confined to. He goes to sleep with a smile on his face and says, "I joyed today", however we are left with the feeling that tomorrow he will go back to his normal routine yet this one day has made it that more bearable.
The film is a comedy-drama and as our film is a comedy we could take inspiration from certain moments in the film. I think that the depressing tone at the start of the film that changes into a lighthearted feel gives it its drama element while the mans sarcastic voiceover provides the comedy. Our film is also a mash up of two genres, (romance and comedy), and this film could show us effectively how to carry off a film with a main genre and a sub-genre. This film provides the audience with a lighthearted, happy plot and this is what we are aiming to present with our film. We also want the audience to identify with the characters as is possible with, "Maybe One Day". The film shows good use of sarcasm and I think that we could incorporate this into our film well as it would be perfect for one of our characters.
The title sequence fits with the film well as it is simple and reflects the tone; it compliments the music and introduces the film well. The plot is not complicated and neither is the font for the titles. We should be aiming to match the tone of our film with our title sequence as well as, "Maybe One Day", does. I also think that it helps provide us with an idea of what mood the character is in without him even speaking.
There are many jump cuts used throughout the film that show the mans journey more effectively than if it was full of consistent shots; this is because the film only shows the significant points in his day and leaves out all the boring in between bits. This allows it to seem as though his day is more eventful than it really is. The lighting is quite dark and dreary at the start of the film, when he is in the city and facing going to work but as he gets into the countryside and can do what he really wants to do, the lighting becomes more natural and bright and we see him light up with his surroundings. Our film will not be like this as we are setting our film in a house which will require normal lighting and our shots will be consistent. The music used is non-diagetic and compliments the film. Overall I believe that this is a successful and entertaining short film that we could learn a lot from, especially since it has such a simple story to it yet it manages to be really effective and gripping.
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