Drama Short Film Analysis 3

Detention Breakout

For my final short film analysis in the drama genre, I opted for a product that had been made by a student as part of their coursework. This is so that I can get a well informed understanding of different levels of expertise as well as a look into how a fellow student constructed their work. Although this film is done for the effect of comedy, the way it is put together depicts the story dramatically. 
The film is about two friends who meet in the corridor and discuss a new videogame being released the following day. This conversation makes the student late for class, and consequently earns him a detention. He persuades his friend to help him come up with a plan to get out of detention so that they can both go home and buy the game. This involves a montage showing them come up with different ideas on how to disrupt the school, but in the end they settle with lowering the school's legal temperature to force the head teacher to close the institution for the day. In order to gain access to the boiler room, they distract the caretaker and sneak into his office to get the keys. Having broken the boiler, the friends watch the temperature decrease and go to the headmaster to complain. Unfortunately the plan doesn't have the desired effect, and the student is forced to go back to class and await his detention. When the bell rings and all the other students leave, so does the teacher. The student looks confused, and realises that the teacher has completely forgotten about the  detention. 

Dialogue

There is a lot more dialogue in this short film than in the previous two, and I think this is because the context of what they're doing needs explaining. For example we wouldn't be able to understand that there is a legal obligation to maintain a certain temperature in school if it wasn't explained in the dialogue. So overall I would say that the dialogue is included for the audience's clarity, and so sometimes it comes across as necessary rather than natural. 

Camera Shots/Angles

• Two Shot: The importance of the two shot in this short film is that the narrative follows two protagonists on a mission to rebel. Therefore by using shots of them both in the frame it creates the sense that they are partners in crime, looking out for each other.
• Pan: In instances where the two boys are on the move, the camera pans to follow them. For example as they go into the boiler house and as they run away from the flooded toilets; it has the effect of a tracking shot but adheres to the motion of a pan. 
• Close Ups: I actually think that this short film uses too many close ups. They are identifiable mostly during scenes of conversation, where the film cuts to and from both of the characters. However I think that an over the shoulder shot would have been put to better use here, since it would help to establish some continuity with the two shots. That way the interaction would look more natural, rather than the shot reverse shot editing being used here. 
• Mid Shots: The mid shots are most notable because they can show us more body language and also expose some of the context of the scene. This can be noticed during the P.E lesson, where the camera uses mid shots rather than close ups so that we can watch them pass the ball to one another. 
• Low Angle: This short film uses a low angle shot to act as an establishing shot in the opening scene. It is a shot of the floor in the school corridor as the student runs along it. The action seems more immersive from below since we cannot tell where he is running to and it also gives the student an imposing frame. 
• Extreme Close Ups: There is a frequent use of extreme close ups to draw our focus onto a very specific thing. In this short film the toilet flush, the overflowing toilet, the caretaker's door, the caretaker's keys, the boiler dial, and the thermometer are all captured using extreme close ups. This is done to remind the audience that what they're doing isn't allowed, so the focus on the 'Caretaker' sign on the door hints towards the rebelliousness of their actions. 

Editing

This short has a distinctly faster pace due to the use of a montage sequence that watches their plan unfold. Although it is not officially a montage, the clips all play in a fluid chronology, using time jumps and playing to an upbeat song to maintain the pace. The headings of the school day for the different periods and 'lunchtime' clarify the temporal context, for which the result is a slick and well constructed sequence with an energetic feel. A less effective use of editing present here (as I've mentioned earlier) is the use of shot reverse shot to cut the conversations together, because it makes the scene seem more rehearsed and emotionally detached. 
Regarding transitions, the short film uses lots of wipes from one scene to the next. Like in the cyclist, this is achieved by doing a really fast pan in one direction, and continuing this when filming the following scene, so that when edited together the two shots look seamless. 

Diegetic/Non-Diegetic Sound

Detention Breakout continues the trend I have found in the other two short films, and has a non-diegetic score which is crucial to the tone of the narrative. To accompany the boy running at the start, there is a fast beat which establishes a sense of urgency and speed. Then as the narrative picks up pace when they come up with a plan and put it into action, a non-diegetic song plays across the entire sequence, which adds a jolly but energetic pace to it. This is the reason we know not to take the story too seriously, because the song downplays the rule-breaking and contributes a sense of fun to the rebelliousness of the content. 
I think that the most relevant piece of diegetic sound is the lesson bell, which plays as the opening titles roll. This is also done in parallel with a non-diegetic, intense score as the teacher says 'detention, after school' which is melodramatic and is brought back to reality by the sound of the school bell ringing over the titles that follow. 

Mise-en-Scene

The mise-en-scene establishes the school setting well. The corridors, school uniforms, classrooms, offices and playing fields create an immersive scope, allowing us to follow the students on a routinely day and getting a feel for what they are used to. By using so many different settings, I think that the fast-paced montage works well to keep the story simple and chronological. 

Ideologies/Themes

These will be less apparent in a short film like this because the tone is less serious and it's subject matter is played for fun rather than to send a message. Nevertheless I think that the film attempts to portray the youthful creativity of students in an institutional environment. By defying the discipline and rules of the school, the students are indulging in their own interpretation of their surroundings and making choices which are bound to have consequences. 

Review

Even for an amateur, I am impressed with the editing and pacing of the short film. It utilises setting well and condenses what seem to be quite an elaborate conspiracy into an easy plot, made easier by the light-hearted tone of the film. I also think that the twist at the end is an amusingly effective tweak; by having the teacher forget about the detention anyway it makes all of the student's efforts seem pointless, undermining the desperation they had to get out of it. It thrives on exaggerating a rather simple scenario, and the effects of this provide entertainment and humour rather than provoking thoughts. It is a light-hearted drama whereas the other two held deeper meanings.