Short Film Analysis - The Desk

'An anti-bullying short film written and directed by Albert Gonzalez. Produced by Albert Gonzalez Films. A story about communication.'

• Length – It lasts 7:43. This meets the typical convention of the length of a short film.
• Characters – There is two main characters, though only one main actor; the other character is not seen in the short. There are many other background characters such as other students and teachers but we don't 'meet' these characters. The audience can easily relate to the characters as only two to listen to.
• Budget – There is not many locations only the school and the boys bedroom. Keeping the locations limited keeps the budget low: a typical convention of a short film. Company – Albert Gonzalez Films – Films are only made and posted for YouTube. Only one main actor; this keeps the low budget and meets a convention. Created for a media class so this allows us to know the budget would have been low.
• Twist –  The short takes an everyday situation; school, talking to girls, etc. but puts a twist on the story, which is a convention of a short film. The short leaves the audience wondering what is happening as it is never fully explained. Is the girl Peter talking to a ghost, or is it his imagination?
• Technical Ideas/Recurring Themes – No special effects are used, just camera and tripod. There is no voiceover and barely any speech; just music and the conversation on the desk between the two characters.
• Camera Shots – Many close up and extreme close up shots are used throughout the short which, at the beginning, show the sadness in the main character's face compared to his peers. As well as this, extreme close up shots are used when we see the desk. This allows us to clearly see the conversation going on between the characters: the main part of the story. Close ups keep being used to show the characters facial expressions and feelings as the short goes on. There is few long shots used throughout.