(Analysis of ‘Time Persists’ by Matthew Silva)
Dialogue: There is very little dialogue in this short movie. There is a xylophone playing Mockingbird throughout the whole movie and the dialogue is delivered over the eerie music. The dialogue is occasional and is spoken at a regular pace. Every time someone speaks their line it cuts to a closeup of that person. You can hear some voices of kids jumping rope in the background as well.
Effects: The video is shot outdoors in the woods. You can hear the sound of trees rustling and rushing water as these kids go on about playing. At the ending scene when the kids square up to the adults, they draw their play weapons which the editor added real sounds of those objects over the audio. A moment in the film that stands out is when one of the kids leaves his fellow friends to join the adults. When she looks at her friends and tells them, “I’m sorry”, the editor cut her dialogue. this better draws the readers attention, and creates a more somber tone.
Music: The only music in the film comes from one of the kids playing the famous lullaby, Mockingbird on the xylophone. The music is used in the forefront, as it plays throughout the entirety of the film. The music is used the accent the theme of the death or passing of childhood into inevitable adulthood. All the kids are playing nursery games or playing with toys when they are confronted by adults in black suits telling them “it’s time to leave”, a reference to coming of age and growing up.
Literary and theatrical elements: The sound design of the film adds an eeriness and unsettling tone. The sound of the xylophone is loud and somewhat uncomfortable to listen to. It made me think of when I was a child and my mom would sing me that song before bed. That connection creates a strong thematic element, and transports viewers back to their childhood of their mother singing the same song to them, or just a lullaby in general.
(Analysis of ‘Joe’ by Sasha Wolf)
Dialogue: There is zero dialogue in this short movie. The only instance you even hear someones voice is in the beginning when the nurse is laughing over the phone. All natural noises and sounds like static and footsteps are amplified to create a more intimate, personal feeling.
Effects: Like I said before, the only audio the audience hears is the amplified noises of background noises, and the guitar and harmonica used in the intro and ending scenes of the film. One particular effect that adds to the plot of the film is when one of the nurses is jangling a large keyset. This scene is shown over again for a few times, making it seem like no one can leave the building. This lets the audience assume that the patients of the hospital must be in a psychiatric ward. The film is also shot in black and white, which gives the film an overall dreary and somber tone.
Music: The only music that can be heard is in the beginning and ending scenes of the film. The guitar and harmonica together create a very somber and sad mood. the style of music played sounds like a mix of blues and country.
Literary and thematic elements: The eeriness and quietness of the film add drama, as the audience doesn’t really have any clues on whats going to happen next. Joe, the main character, is not a very exciting character. His movements are slow and his facial expression practically stays the same throughout the film, making him seem unpredictable. I’m sure most of the audience assumed that when that man spilt his bottle of Malox on Joe’s newly shined shoes, he was surely going to beat him up for it, especially as it showed a little later on in the scene Joe walking into the mans room alone.
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