'Vicky', follows the story of a dog who, after being caught in a booby trap, finds a new found appreciation for freedom and independence. The newly enlightened character then goes on to set two of her owner's caged birds free in a display of rebellion.
Narrative.
The protagonist of the film is a dog, therefore providing an interesting point of view for the audience. This character choice also makes it important for the plot not to be too complex, otherwise the story will become difficult to follow. This short belongs to the genre of drama, and thus is true to Todorov's theory of equilibrium. Firstly, there is equilibrium. Vicky happily bounds around her comfortable, rural home seemingly without a care in the world. Her owner then brings home two caged birds, which, through camera, editing and sound, is presented to the viewer as an unusual event. However the overall tone of the film remains happy and up lifting. The disruption in the story comes when Vicky mistakenly falls into a hidden booby trap. Once she is free she appears to have a new-found appreciation for freedom, and thus frees the birds, bringing peace and equilibrium back into the story.
This film features virtually no dialogue. Therefore, camera, editing and sound play vital roles in the telling of this story. We follow Vicky, a dog, in her journey of self realisation. As the main character is an animal, Antony (director) has had to develop innovative methods of conveying Vicky's emotions and reactions to particular events. For example, shortly before Vicky sets the birds free, a close up shot is used to suggest that she is feeling empathy towards the birds. This is further enforced with a back and forth editing sequence between past and present. This was effective as it displayed the similarities between Vicky's brief experience of being trapped, and the bird's current situation.
Editing
As I mentioned before, editing plays an important role in this film, as dialogue is almost not included at all. Due to the film's dependancy on editing, Antony has included some complex and interesting sequences and techniques. One example of this comes when Vicky awaits her owner's arrival. This is an important scene in the film as it introduces the two birds. As Vicky waits she imagines what treats he may bring; this is displayed through the use of special effects. A high angle shot shows Vicky sitting expectantly as the screen fills with images of cartoonish bones and food. The scene then cuts to differing shots of the owner carrying items such as chicken or fish. These hopeful expectations come to an end when Vicky first sees the birds. This leap back into reality highlights how unusual this event is, as it is far from the expectations Vicky had.
Another interesting sequence comes when Vicky falls into the booby trap. This scene features rapid cuts and changes in shots, to correspond with Vicky's panic. This sequence is therefore effective in conveying the tone of the scene.
This scene is used again later in the film, as a few clips replayed when Vicky decides to free the caged birds. This is an interesting editing sequence as the shots cut from past to present to display the similarities between the two situations. Therefore conveying the sympathy that Vicky now feels towards the caged animals. Post-production also added a sepia tone to the booby trap scenes in order to present them as memories and not events happening in real time.
Mis En Scene
All of the locations is this film are rural. There is a strong theme of man versus nature within this narrative and therefore nature is a prominent element in the story. Each scene appears naturally lit with a natural jungle background, which provides a raw, untouched feel to the locations, therefore ultimately corresponding with the theme of nature.
The props used in this film also confirm the simplistic lifestyle that these characters lead. Each item appears make-shift or to have come to be there by chance. For example, there is a scene in which Vicky looks into a mirror. The mirror is merely a shard of reflective glass, that appears to be rough and old. This prop is important to the narrative as the scene conveys Vicky's self awareness as she assesses her reflection.
Costuming is also used to effect in this film as after Vicky has been saved from the trap, we can see a distinct difference in her appearance. Before, she was well groomed and clean. Whereas, after the incident she appears dirty and disheveled. This shift in physical appearance parallels Vicky's character development, as she is now sympathetic to the situation of the caged birds.
Sound
Throughout the entirety of this short film there are diegetic sounds of insects and the forrest played in the background. This therefore provides a constant reminder to the audience that this is a rural setting and also reinforces the prominent theme of nature within the narrative. Antony has also made use of diegetic sounds from Vicky. Barking, whining and panting noises are all included to serve the purpose of conveying the dog's emotions. For example when Vicky is trapped in the hole she is distressed and therefore she whines and barks. This in turn creates sympathy within the audience as they understand that she is frightened and alone.
Music is also used in this short. This music fades in and out and changes in tone depending on the situation. For example, as Vicky realises that she is trapped and she becomes tired, a melancholy instrumental begins to play. Another example of music can be seen when Vicky releases the birds. Up until she opens the cage, the music builds in sound and tempo, thus conveying to the audience that something significant is about to happen.
Camera
The use of camera to convey emotions and reactions to particular events is important in this film as there is virtually no dialogue. Therefore a range of varying shots and angles are used for this purpose. For example, during the booby trap scene a variety of shots are used, in order to express Vicky's panic. The scene ends with an extreme low angle, looking up out of the hole towards the sky. The shot is completely out of focus and the camera moves in a disorientating fashion. This serves to present Vicky's point of view during the scene as the panic eventually subsides and she passes out.
Particular shots have also been included by Antony in an attempt to enforce the theme of nature. For example, the first shot of the film is a long, establishing shot that presents the rural setting of the film.
Also, throughout the film, extreme close ups are used on a variety of insects. These shots not only convey the theme of nature but also freedom. They show a juxtaposition between the life of a pet (Vicky) and the life of free creatures.
For the shots that feature the only human character in the film, particular care has been taken not to show the man's face. A variety of shots are used to serve this purpose, for example mid shots are used to introduce the character. These shots do not reveal anything above the man's shoulders, therefore maintaining an air of mystery around the character. Again, when Vicky waits for him to come home, we only see his legs and the caged birds in a low-to-the-ground mid shot. These techniques have been used to present the character as a metaphor for mankind, not an individual person. By not revealing the man's face it de-humanises him and takes away his individuality, thus conforming to the prominent theme of man versus nature.
Conclusion
I believe that I will refer back to this short film when I am story boarding my own project. The use of camera in this film is interesting as it tells a story without the need of any dialogue. Sound also plays an equally important part in the telling of this story and therefore I will refer back to both f these elements when developing my own short film.
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