Echo (Arnold, 2013) - Short Film 3

 Echo (Arnold, 2013)

Narrative:

This girl doesn't turn out to be up to what people think. Echo follows a 17 year old girl, Caroline, as she suddenly receives a phone call with some tragic news. Shes told that her Dad has gotten involved in a motorbike accident, panicking she tries tries to get something from her bag. Being in a public area, Caroline is approached by a stranger to see Caroline was alright, kindly they give her money for a taxi to the hospital. 

Unexpectedly the girl gets out the taxi and goes home, later on revealing that it was all a ruse to get money from unsuspecting strangers. Curious, Caroline's little brother follows her to finds out what she's up to. During one of Caroline deceptions is interrupted by her little brother. Her little brother asks "how does that man know about what happened to dad?" and revealing to us that their Dad actually died from a motorbike accident. Unexpectedly even though being caught by her brother, we see her performing the same phone call as the beginning.     

• The short film was based on real events witnessed by the writer James Walker.

Representation:

Though the camera work of the short films, we are put into the mindset of our main character Caroline's chaotic thought process, through the use of long shots of her in the middle of a busy street and close ups of her worried and confused expression. When we get towards the middle of this film we are made aware that this might have happened to Caroline, which makes us question her motives for doing this. This film, in my opinion, looks into how trauma can affect someone's actions. Caroline relives the day she got a call that her dad was in an accident because she can't move past her father's death. This film is making the audience aware of young adults mental health after going through something life changing as losing her father.

Micro Elements:

Cinematography:

• During the phone call at the beginning, a variety of different shots are used. Long shots of Caroline in the middle of this very public area makes the scene feel more busy and anxiety inducing as it reflects Caroline's seemingly panicked mental state.
• Close ups of her face are used to show Caroline's shattered mental state. The film-maker cleverly use this to make us feel sympathy for Caroline when shes getting that distressing call, making the twist more impactful.   
• After Caroline gets out of the taxi, we see that a long time has past with her being on a bus. The scene feels more ominous with Caroline's face being barely lit. As an audience member you feel quite betrayed by this character you felt sorry for.   

Sound:

• The combination of the busy diegetic sounds of the people in the street and  the phone call makes the scene sound much more strenuous.
• The ominous non-diegetic music that starts to play in the background of Caroline on the bus makes us feel uneasy. The audience doesn't know whats going on, the level of discomfort is intensifier by the use of the music 
• In the middle of the film after Caroline has pulled the scam, see barely talks, and when she does it seems very hostile and on edge, we can see that Caroline is in a mentally withdrawn state of mind.  

Mise en scene:

• Caroline is dressed in a school uniform, although she covers it up with a jacket and coat. Shes made to feel like an average teen, someone unexpected to pull such a devious scam. 
• The scenes often feel cold, with background characters as well as Caroline wearing coats. This cold feeling reflects Caroline's mental state; cold, bitter, uncomfortable, withdrawn.
• The scene being filmed in such as busy area makes the scene feel realistic, which reflects that this is based on reality and this scam could be pulled in real life. 

Performance:

• She is very emotionally withdrawn in the scenes shes not on the call. The audience is made to feel that she isn't all there and shes very emotionally numb.
• The moments Caroline interacts with her mum are very hostile, she might hold resentment towards her. We can interoperate that during the phone call when Caroline was trying to get a hold of her mum was true and that her mum didn't pick up in time so she blames her for not being there.
• Caroline doesn't seem to feel any sympathy, from the end of the film when she does it again we can tell that she doesn't care even after she got caught. We can tell that this isn't just to get money but for some other psychological reason.

Editing:

• The editing goes from slow paced to faster paced editing as it cuts from different close ups and long shots of Caroline on the phone to emphasis how alarming this call is and what the character is going through.
• The films pace slows down massively in the middle of the film. The audience is in suspense after its revealed that it was all a scam. We get close up shots of Caroline's face for long periods of time to show her emotionally withdrawn state.
•   The color pallet is cool and gray, which goes back to the coldness that Caroline feels.    

Meaning & Messages:

There's a clear message about metal health in young people, but also on the concept that 'Not everything is as it seems' and how the most innocent looking people like Caroline doesn't always have good intentions.

Influence:

• The unexpected plot twist in the story 
• A Narrative about mental health
• The use of its cinematography to make us feel a curtain emotion. For example, we feel that chaotic feeling that Caroline feels during that call because of the jump between different camera angles.