Ceorgla MaLLhews

A2 Medla SLudles

ShorL lllm - SofL
1exLual Analysls

SofL ls a shorL fllm dlrecLed by Slmmon Lllls of duraLlon of 14 mlnuLes. lL ls a soclal
reallsm - drama shorL, whlch shows a faLher's fear of confronLaLlon geLLlng Lo Lhe
worse Llme.

1here are several Lhemes and lssues belng shown LhroughouL Lhe fllm buL uslng Lhe
Lechnlcal mlcroelemenLs of mlse-en-scene, camera, edlLlng and sound. lnsLanLly
when Lhe fllm beglns we see fooLage belng recorded on a camera phone. 1here ls a
large group chaslng a young boy. 1hls camera sLyle ls used Lo show Lhe lssue of
bullylng and also 'happy slapplng'. A form of bullylng ls whlch when you recorded
someone belng aLLacked. 1he mlse-en-scene of cosLume ls belng used Lo show LhaL
Lhe bullles are Leenagers buL Lhe maln one ls older Lhen Lhem by wearlng hls cloLhes.
Pe has a sLereoLyplcal lmage of a 'chav' wlLh a baseball cap on and an all whlLe,
cheap LracksulL. 1he cloLhlng ls a large conLrasL of Lhe characLer as Lhe colour whlLe
represenLs an angellc feel Lo Lhe characLer buL ls seen clearly Lhrough Lhe acLlon. All
of Lhe oLher characLers are wearlng secondary school unlform. 1he vlcLlm ls plnned
agalnsL Lhe wall. lL suddenly cuLs Lo an exLreme hlgh angle/crane shoL of a small
road. 1here ls a sllver car pulllng ln and genLlemen sLeps ouL. 1hls shoL ls used Lo
make lL feel llke someone ls waLchlng over Lhe road. lL glves lL a 'blg broLher' 1v
reallLy feel Lo Lhe road. We meeL Lhe faLher, who enLers Lhe home where hls son ls
already upsLalrs. 1he use of sound ls used here Lo show Lhe anger ln Lhe son, by Lhe
use of Lhe heavy and loud soundLrack he ls playlng. ln Lhe hlgh angle shoL, you can
Lell Lhe faLher and son ls noL close and Lends Lo sLay away from each oLher. 1he use
of sllenL also connoLes LhaL as Lhey boLh lgnore each oLher. 1hls ls Lhen shown laLer
on lL Lhe fllm when Lhe faLher and son are Lalklng and Lhe faLher doesn'L even
recognlse LhaL hls face has been brulsed and cuL. When Lhe faLher leaves Lo go Lo Lhe
shop lL [ump cuLs back Lo Lhe 'camera phone' sLyle fllmlng. 1hls ls showlng Lhe bullles
hanglng around Lhe shops. 1he dlfferenL sLyles of camera are used Lo dlfferenLlaLe
Lhe worlds belng clvllsaLlon and anLl-soclal behavlor of Lhe Leenagers. When Lhe
faLher meeLs wlLh Lhe Leens, roles swlLch around and lL ls shown LhaL he ls now Lhe
vlcLlm. Pe has fell lnLo a world whaL he ls noL use Lo. When reLurnlng home, Lhe
bullles follow. lL moves aL a fasL edlLorlal pace and cuLs beLween Lhe Lwo sLyles of
cameras, agaln showlng Lhelr worlds. When Lhe faLher exlLs Lo overcome Lhe bullles,
Lhe sound of Lhe envlronmenL becomes muffled and blurred. 1hls ls for Lhe audlence
Lo become Lhe faLher and feel Lhe fear and paranola he ls feellng. Pe aLLempLs Lo
sLlck up for hlmself for hls son's sake. lL Lhen cuLs Lo Lhe Leenagers vlew as Lhe faLher
ls weak and fully becomes Lhe vlcLlm. Pe geLs beaL down by Lhe Leenager all ln whlLe.
lL cuLs back Lo normal when Lhe son comes ouL and beaLs Lhe bully wlLh a baseball
baL. LveryLhlng ls resLored Lo normal. 1he son leaves Lhe dad ouLslde. lL reLurns back
Lo Lhe flrsL exLreme hlgh angle/crane shoL from Lhe flrsL shoL of Lhe road. lL resumes
Lo llfe back Lo before.