Short Film Analysis- Goodbye To The Normals

Goodbye to the normals is a short film added onto a Robbie Williams song, This relates back to Rubber Johnny in 2005 as they both emerged from music videos. 'Goodbye to the normals' stars and was made in 2007.

I'm going to analyse mise-en-scene in this short film. The first shot is of a man dressed in a suit walking out of his car towards his house where his partner meets him with a kiss. We can tell the man is a well off business man as his fancy car is on the right hand of the screen and he is carrying a briefcase in his hand. The couple both walk into the house and there is a long shot of the shut door and outside of the house. Next is a black screen with the text 'Goodbye to the normals' in white writing which zooms outwards giving it a Hollywood blockbuster look which could be a pun as this is only a short film.

Next to set the scene we see a close up of a teddy bear on a chair, the main colours are reds, browns, yellows and cream in the scene, setting a very comfortable, homely and warm atmosphere this is ironic as the little boy is then sat down saying that he is leaving home. We get a close up of the man talking to his son 'Magnus' then the camera cuts to him sitting on a big chair re-enforcing the fact that he is too young to be leaving home. We then see an over the shoulder shot of the two was they are having a conversation but the son is talking to his father as if he is an adult.

Next is a medium shot of the son sitting in a lounge chair with a little ragged suitcase by his side and a big backpack on his back but he seems very stern and prepared to leave, his shoes are undone but he says he is "Ready to leave" which is comical for audiences. The camera then switches between close ups and over the shoulder shots during the conversation.

The mother then walks into the room and there is a medium shot of the mother and father, she is wearing a blue shirt which contrasts with the rooms red and yellow colours suggesting that she is a more cooling person, she then speaks softly and offers the son a sandwich, he asks if they are fair trade and she says they are organic and he then reply's "is that what I asked you?" and we see a close up of the mothers expression, she looks hurt but does as she is told. The audience are now confuse as too why the parents are letting him go.

We then cut to a low angle shot of the little boy empathising his size by the mum and dads arms higher at each side of the shot. They say goodbye by shaking hands. Then a high angle shot from the boys perspective, we see a medium shot of the mum and dad saying goodbye. Next the camera is at the boys level and he runs off down the road, the camera then tilts upwards and we watch a long shot off him run off to the distance, the camera then cuts to a medium shot of his parents watching him anxiously. The camera cuts back to the boy then back to the parents and then we see a wide shot of the boy turn around after a build up of tension, he then smiles and starts running back, the Robbie Williams song then starts.

A shot of the parents look relieved then is shown and they bend down with their arms out waiting for their son to run to them, the camera then cuts back to the boy running right past his parents and into the house. The parents then stand up with the camera tilting with them, they look confused and the camera cuts back to the low angle shot of the road, we hear a diagetic bang of the front door and the boy then says "I forgot my f***ing passport" and runs back off into the distance then the camera cuts back to the parents looking angry and upset.

The credits then run and we still see the little boy running and then fades to black with the Robbie Williams song plays on.

This short film was funny and showed me how you can build up suspense and then break it effectively. I would like to do a comical short film but will consider other options as the actors have a big role in the comical side of things.