Wild Tales (Szifron, 2014) – Analysis Sheet for Evaluative Commentary

Film 1: Pasternak

What did you like about the film? I really liked the use of mise en scene – which really enhanced the acting, I liked the use of the film being in continuous shots.	What didn’t you like? Not knowing what would happen at the end of the film.
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? I think I will use the continuous style shots instead of singular images.	What ideas won’t you use? Why? The cliffhanger at the end of the film. As I want my film to have a full structure of beginning, middle and end.

In-Depth Study – Film elements

Film element	Example
Cinematography	Example 1: I liked the use a worm’s eye view for the beginning of the film it helped establish where he films, or scene was going to take place.   Example 2:  I like the use of high angle shot when the women was needing help to put her bag in the overhead locker, this helped establish the height different and the overall experience of getting on a plane
Editing	Example 1: I like the use of shot reverse shot of the man and women chatting on the plane, this really showed a typical conversation   Example 2: I really like the quick editing when the plane was starting to crash this helped show the intense and worrying situation the characters are in. furthermore the quick editing makes you empathise with the characters as you are worried for them.
Sound	Example 1: I like the use of the foley sound, like when the suitcase is rolling in the opening scene, this sound was good as it really set the scene of the film.   Example 2: I liked the contrast to the heavy pace of people screaming on the plane when it is crashing to the silence, and quite sound of the old people sitting in the garden, I like this contrast because it shows the difference between the old and young.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film?

Cinematography: I will be doing lots of different shots to shows the genre of the film	Editing: I will doing a mix of editing style and slow and quick pace to show the intensity of the films.
Sound: I will be adding different types of sound and  music to intense the scene making the audience feel intrigued by my film.	Other:

Film 2: The Rats/Las Ratas

What did you like about the film? I really like the acting for this one. I think the acting enhanced the scene as the scene and location took place in one area and the mise en scene was the same, so by having good actors with amazing facial expression really helped enhance the seen for sure.	What didn’t you like? I didn’t really like the repetitiveness of the scenes. This is because the location was the same and the scenes kept changing from inside the restaurant to the kitchen.
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? I will be using similar music to my film which will add hints of intensities and intrigue my audience to keep watching.	What ideas won’t you use? Why? I don’t think I will include violence in my film as I want the film to feel not really scary but more mysterious.

In-Depth study – Mise-en-scène

Feature	Example – how does it convey meaning or create an effect
Set Design	I really liked the set design it really communicated the idea of the film being set in a restaurant.
Costume	The costume really set the characters and the jobs of the characters; however, you wouldn’t exactly know what the man does from his costume and what he is like.
Space	I liked the use of the filming and the space between people it made the film feel not cramped and not put together from one tiny room.
Lighting	I liked the scene where there is light and dark colour of lighting use for example between the waitress and the chef to show each of their personalities.
Composition	I like when the chef and waitress was arguing in the kitchen and they were both in the middle of the shot showing how they both had different point but where both valid in their arguments.
Hair and makeup	I like the use of the hair style of the waitress, it was put together however quite messy showing the nature of her job.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film?

Cinematography/Sound/Editing: I will be using similar style cinematography by capturing the essence and style/ genre of the film	Narrative structure: I think for my movie I will make sure there is a beginning, middle and end, like The Rats movie
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme:  For my film there will be certain location that will really convey the theme of my film.	Creating enigmas: I really like not knowing whether the guy was going to die, and I think in my film you will find out the secret or equilibrium at the end

Film 3: Bombita

What did you like about the film? For the film I really like the story and plot of the film, going from him working then buying cake and then the end scene of the car blowing up. It was like a cycle	What didn’t you like? I didn’t really like the main character as at first, I thought he was quite rude, I want my main character to be like by my audience straight away. I think I didn’t like this through the acting from him.
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? I really liked the narrative of the story. I like the plot of the first scene almost repeating in the last scenes.	What ideas won’t you use? Why? I don’t think the location of the film will best suite my genre of film.

In-Depth study: All elements

Feature	Example
Narrative structure	I really like the opening scene and ending scene as it showed a car blowing up, then ends in someone blowing candles out because it is their birthday, I really liked this because it was repetitive but slightly shown differently.
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme	I really liked the theme, which was revenge, however I was quite unsure during the middle of the film what could happen which for me was quite good as it added a sense of mystery to the film.
Mise-en-scene	I really like the props, by having a birthday cake and birthday props and more it really showcased where a scene was taking place and what could happen in the following scenes.
Cinematography	I really like the use of different camera shot types especially long shot of the car blowing up. This long shot made the car blowing up more of a surprise as in the long shot there was quite a lot of things being shown so when the car blew up it was a bid more of a surprise then it being a close up shot.
Editing	The film’s editing was used effectively because I liked the sequence near the end where the newspaper reports about the attack are overlayed which creates a sense that news spread quickly.
Sound	I really like the soundtrack – for example after the main characters has bought his cake and he starts to walk across the street, there is a soundtrack that makes the scene more intense and mysterious.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film?

Cinematography/Sound/Editing: I think I will be using some similar shot types like having long angle, low angle, close up shot to make the scene feel more impactful.	Narrative structure: I really like the idea of starting my short film and ending my short film in the same way to kind of show the cycle of life
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme:  I think I will use a similar plot of having a problem and trying to overcome or fix the problem, I think I also want to use a similar theme of mystery.	Creating enigmas: Towards the middle of the film, I was a bit unsure and confused what could happen next as he kept getting fined so it created this enigma of not knowing how the story could end.

Film 4: Til Death do us Part/Hasta que la muerte nos separe

What did you like about the film? I really like the shot types and the movement of the camera. It made you feel like you were part of the film. I really like the music and soundtrack, especially the opening scene really enhanced the scene making the party seem more believable.	What didn’t you like? I didn’t like the narrative as much as the ending was a bit confusing and was a bit unexpected. I felt like the ending, I didn’t know how the story was ending.
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? I think I am going to use similar shot types as it enhanced the scenes. Especially the opening scene, it was quite a quick camera movement show case the busy atmosphere.	What ideas won’t you use? Why? I don’t think I will be using a confusing narrative. I want the audience to not feel confused at the end part.

In-Depth study: All elements

Feature	Example
Narrative structure	The narrative was linear and in chronological order, which I quite liked.
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme	I really like the setting of the film, and I thought the characters where very interesting to follow along as they where very similar but had many differences as well.
Mise-en-scene	I really like the location of the film, which was like in a hotel, but they were also a scene on top of the hotel rooftop which was showed the city in the background. The props also helped to establish where the film took place.
Cinematography	I really like the shot types and the movement of the camera. It made you feel like you were part of the film. The fast-paced camera movement when the party first started really showed the atmosphere of a party as if you were experiencing the same thing in the movie.
Editing	The editing was amazing because when the wedding was more alive and happier it was fast paced and quick and not noticeable when the shot changed, when the fights and commotion started happening it was good because the editing was slow and more noticeable.
Sound	I really like the music and soundtrack, especially the opening scene really enhanced the scene making the party seem more believable.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film?

Cinematography/Sound/Editing: I think I will be using similar editing techniques by having fast and slow-paced shots.	Narrative structure: I think this film has definitely showed me that I want a linear film and want y film to be shown in chronological order.
Establishing characters, settings, plot, theme:  I really like the character, and I think I will definitely have characters who are brave.	Creating enigmas: I will definitely be using enigmas because my film will be the genre of mystery so by adding enigmas it will add more mystery to my film.

La Jetée (Marker, Korea, 1962) – Analysis Sheet for Evaluative Commentary

Part 1: Brief Reference

What did you like about the film?   I really liked the score throughout the film – the choral singing brought a sense of awe and intensity to the stills of Paris being destroyed – I like the very dissonant music used in the scenes of when the main protagonist is in the past to perhaps imply his deteriorating mental state.   I also enjoyed the use of the voiceover throughout the film, as I thought it brought a level of emotionality to each still.

What didn’t you like?   I didn’t not like it, but I found the way the film was made, using stills instead of continuous shots, very odd, and the fact that this somewhat hard to follow way of filmmaking was matched with a quite complex sci-fi plot though for me was quite interesting I feel would be hard to follow for most.   I didn’t like the lack of dialogue, as I felt it meant I wasn’t emotionally involved in the characters in the film.

What ideas could you use? Narrative or style?   I like the idea of a voice-over, and I feel I may incorporate some still shots into my film.   I like making the idea of a sci-fi film, and I think I may base my short film on the sci-fi novel ‘Behold the Man’ by Michael Moorcock.

What ideas won’t you use? Why?   I won’t be using the lack of dialogue, as I feel it leaves characters within the film less developed.   I don’t think I’ll be making a film composed entirely of still shots.

Part 2: In-Depth Study – Narrative

Narrative Feature	Example	Your own example
Establishing protagonist – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	Introduced only in narration – first in third person as “a man marked by an image”; then in first person -memory of incident at the airport. We don’t see him until the first experiment is shown. This shows how core the act of remembering is to his identity – indeed we find out very little about him (he remains nameless) apart from his ‘remembering’ (even when he is travelling in time).	The narration within the opening scene foreshadows the ‘Time Loop’ plot that the main protagonist is involved in, saying ‘That face he had seen was to be the only peacetime image to survive the war. Had he really seen it? Or had he invented that tender moment to prop up the madness to come?’. Also reflects how the main protagonist is mentally affected by the war and the incident he sees on La Jete.
Establishing other characters – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	The Woman is the first person we see (“the only image to survive the war”) – and she is defined only by the fact the narrator remembers her. Feminist critics may comment on the fact she barely seems to exist outside the experiences of the narrator and her growing belief in him.	We are told that ‘The victors were left to an empire of rats’ and that ‘The prisoners were subjected to experiments, apparently of great concern to those who conducted them.’ – this along with a long shot of one of the scientists and his outfit, leaning against a pipe presents this scientist in an eerie manner, and perhaps as someone who finds pleasure in human pain. The other scientists are presented as more official looking characters – perhaps representative of government officials.
Establishing location (time and place) – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	We are told immediately that the location is Paris. The bombed out wreckage of the city (real WW2 images) don’t immediately establish that this is the future until the narrator mentions radiation. The underground location beneath the Palais de Chaillot is shown by intercut images of broken cherubs and other sculptures.	We are told that survivors are held captive by a group of scientists – ‘The prisoners were subjected to experiments, apparently of great concern to those who conducted them.’ And that of they fail the experiments conducted on them they will face a gruesome fate – ‘The outcome was a disappointment for some – death for others – and for others yet, madness.’
Creating Enigmas – what are they? How are they created?	The Image the narrator obsesses over is the central enigma: who is the man he witnesses dying? How does he die? Who is the woman? The still images and voiceover powerfully evoke the nature of memory.	What other questions are posed throughout the narrative?   What is the main goal of those in power? Are they truly sending people back in time for humanity’s betterment? Or are they doing it for their own personal gain? – the sound of the whispers (that are in German, not in French, giving suggestions of Nazi Germany) and the fact they kill all the test subjects that fail the experiments suggests that they are doing this for the latter.
Narrative binary oppositions	The ‘Living Present’ vs Past/Future. As the film progresses, what constitutes the ‘present’ (for the protagonist) seems to shift from his dystopian subterranean society to the ‘past’ of pre-apocalypse Paris. This is conveyed by the faster rhythm of the montage and the sequence (18:00-18:49) where the images almost become like traditional cinema.	The Main Protagonist, who wishes to live back in time with the woman he has fallen in love with, which suggested through the shots getting longer as the film goes on, and the Scientists, who say they wish to help humanity rebuild after this nuclear war, but I think they are doing these experiments for their own personal gain, as is suggested through the whispers, which are not only German, and not French, but also are quite sinister and eerie.
Crisis – how was this conveyed?	Is it the first experiment? The moment the man spots the woman from the airport? Or is it when the future society offers him the chance to escape to the future?	What do you think is the crisis point? How does this affect the rest of the narrative?     I think that the crisis point is probably the first experiment, as without them as an opposing force to the protagonist in the narrative, there would be no one to shoot him at the end of the film, and the vast majority of the plot doesn’t operate without them.
Resolution – is it closed or open narrative?	The narrative is closed – but it is also in a loop: the narrator is both the dying man and the child watching the scene. This ‘time paradox’ has inspired films as diverse as The Terminator and Looper (as well as 12 Monkeys which is almost a remake).	What do you think about the end? Is it closed – or endlessly circular?     I think it is in both ways closed and endlessly circular, because at the end of the film we watch the man get shot and presumably die, but that can only happen if he sees the woman and himself get shot when he was a child.

Part 3: Meaning and Effect

What did you think was the intention of the filmmaker(s)? Intellectual message? Emotional response? Everyone is trapped in their time – they cannot escape it, even through memory. It is also about concept of photography and cinema itself, trying to ‘freeze’ time with images despite time always being in motion.

How was this achieved? The use of photomontage separates each frame of the story into a frozen image – even though these are joined together using traditional narrative film techniques such as voiceover, dissolves, fades and music. As the man begins to ‘live’ more and more in the ‘past’ with his lover, the space between these frames speeds up to resemble ‘motion picture’ speed at one point. The stuffed animals in the museum are also ‘frozen’ in a single moment.

Aesthetic binary oppositions The use of still photo images are combined with traditional narrative cinematic techniques that bring them ‘to life’… until the moment around 18:00 when they flow together.

Effect of these oppositions? Shows the intensity of emotion the narrator feels with his lover: like he is finally ‘living’ in moving time rather than a series of frozen, separated moments.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film?

Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme       I like the idea of a sci-fi time travel plot and will perhaps use that for my short film, and the way it uses establishing shots to quickly ground the film in its time period and setting is a technique I may also use.	Creating enigmas The obvious enigmas within ‘La Jetee’ are the scientists, as through their costumes and the dialogue of the whispers, the audience are positioned to ask deeper questions about these characters. Who truly are they and what are their true objectives? In my short film I may use this technique of a mysterious character within the world of the film.
Narrative structure (non-/linear? Open/ closed ending?)         In terms of the narrative structure of this film, I like how it is told in this non-linear, cyclical way and it may be something I wish to apply to my own short film.	Striking use of technical features The obvious striking technical feature in ‘La Jetee’ is that the entire film is composed of merely still shots, and though I will most likely not create my entire short film in this way, I may incorporate this technique at certain moments throughout the film.

Wild Tales (Szifron, 2014) – Analysis Sheet for Evaluative Commentary

Film 1: Pasternak

What did you like about the film? In all of Wild Tales short films, I think the dialogue is very well written, as it conveys character information well within the short time of each film, as well as being very funny and somewhat witty.   I thought the film’s cinematography was very effective and visually interesting and appealing.   I also liked the moments at which music was used, as felt the times in which it was placed added something to scene rather than just be there and not add anything to the short films.

What didn’t you like about the film?   There isn’t much I don’t like about these short films, as I thought that they are very well constructed and use of the micro elements of film very well to convey meaning.   I guess one thing I don’t think is executed that well is the actions taken by the characters within the short films, as at certain moments they don’t seem to make sense. Though I know the films are supposed to be about discussing human’s more animalistic urges, I feel the actions taken by some of the characters are not realistic.

What ideas could you use? Narrative or style?       I could use the idea of these very stylistic and unique shots within my film, as I think it creates a very unique effect for the viewer and keeps the film interesting.

What ideas won’t you use? Why? I could use this narrative style that the events that are happening within the short film are all linked and interconnected, but I probably won’t as it don’t think it fits the genre of my short film.

In-Depth Study – Film elements

Film element	Example
Cinematography	Example 1: A great example of cinematography within this short film is the shot in which a camera has been placed in the overhead locker of the plane at a high angle and is looking down on the passengers of the plane.   I feel this is a very unique and effective technique, as it is not only interesting visually for the audience but could also foreshadow the lower moral position these people are in due to their acts towards Pasternak.   Example 2:   Another example of cinematography within this short film that I also really like is the close-up of the magazine the main female protagonist is reading, as it shows a gazelle being hunted by a group of leopards.   This foreshadows the message of this short film to the audience, which is that Pasternak feels as if he’s been ‘hunted’ by these people his entire life and has been their ‘prey’, and now, with this plane scheme, he gets to be the ‘hunter’ and the people that have hurt him the ‘prey’.
Editing	Example 1: A great example of editing within this short film is the sequence in which the distress in plane is being shown and it then suddenly cuts to the old couple sitting in the garden, which through dialogue you can infer are Pasternak’s parents.   The sudden change in visual content going from intense panic to relaxation, and the also sudden drop out of sound within in the sequence creates a comic effect for the audience.   Example 2: A great example of editing within this short film is how the cuts between each shot get faster as the cabin descends into more and more chaos as they slowly begin to realise that they’re going to die. I feel it really reflects the sudden change in mood from the calm and casual conversation between characters on this peaceful flight, to this impending doom of death.
Sound	Example 1: A great example of sound within in this scene is the diagetic sounds that can be heard throughout the end of the short film, where the plane is hurtling towards the ground and the air masks are coming down and things are falling out of the overhead cabins. These sound effects add to the intense panic be shown in the scene for the audience and adds to the mise-en-scene of the plane about to crash.   Example 2: Another great example of sound within this short film is the ending of the short film where the old couple, who are assumingly Pasternak’s parents, are sitting in their serene back garden and the sound of the plane approaching them slowly gets louder and louder.   This adds to the tension and drama of the scene, as we know that the plane is about to crash into them, but they don’t.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film?

Cinematography:       This short film has inspired me to use unique and interesting ‘impossible’ shots within my film, to keep my short film interesting and exciting for the viewer	Editing: This short film has inspired me to use the comedic idea of suddenly cutting from a busy and panicking scene, to a scene which has a much more peaceful and calming tone.
Sound:         This short film has inspired me to pick sounds within in my film which actually have substance and add to the emotion of the scene, rather than just be there for filler.	Other: This short film has also inspired me to perhaps have a unique twist within my film, such as the amazing twist within ‘Pasternak’. It has also inspired me to try and write funny and clever dialogue that conveys character information efficiently and positions the audience to root for certain characters and turn on others.

Film 2: The Rats/Las Ratas

What did you like about the film?     I’d liked the film’s kinda neo-noir, dark, gloomy aesthetic, which I thought was established very well throughout the short film, specifically within the film’s opening shot. I also liked the dialogue as, like the rest of the ‘Wild Tales’ series of short films, it was really funny and really effectively positioned the audience to cheer for one group of characters and despise the others. Specifically, I really liked how the character of who I’m assuming is the main female characters grandma was written, as I felt it was not only really funny, but also highlighted the short film’s message of challenging the government and their values. And finally, I really liked how the cinematography in this film was really effective as it not only played into it’s film noir visual style, as seen in the film’s opening shot and the ending spiral camera shot of the dead man, but it also conveyed character information effectively to the audience, as we see the two characters of the woman and the grandma in to two different windows of the cafe.

What didn’t you like?   There wasn’t much I didn’t like in this film, as I thought it was a very enjoyable overall experience. However, I thought that the actions that the characters carried at certain points were somewhat unrealistic and didn’t make sense, such as when the grandma stabs the loan shark out of nowhere. I also didn’t like the performance of the loan shark’s son, as I thought it was very flat and emotionless, and didn’t add much to the film.

What ideas could you use? Narrative or style?     I definitely could use the film’s ‘Film Noir’ aesthetic within my film, as I think it would fit the premise of my film very well. I could definitely use the ‘Film Noir’ inspired shots within my film to push home the aesthetic. I could definitely use the idea of Binary Opposites within my film. I will definitely use effective and witty dialogue within my film, and perhaps the key underlying message of my film will be criticizing the government and what they do.

What ideas won’t you use? Why? I won’t set my film within a diner as a I don’t think it will fit my premise well I won’t have the characters within my short film perform unrealistic actions that don’t make sense, as I feel it takes away from the versimilitude of the film.

In-Depth study – Mise-en-scène

Feature	Example – how does it convey meaning or create an effect
Set Design	An example within ‘Las Ratas’ of good set design is the shot within the film when the two characters of the server and the cook are framed in two separated windows. This imagery conveys to the audience the different moral viewpoints the two characters in the film have on the situation.
Costume	The costumes in ‘Las Ratas’, the suit of the loan shark snarky character, and more tattered and everyday clothes of the grandma and her granddaughter, show the different classes the two sets of characters have to the audience.
Lighting	The lighting within ‘Las Ratas’ definitely goes along with the short film’s neo-noir aesthetic and conveys to the audience the short film’s overall darker tone.
Composition	The composition within ‘Las Ratas’ plays into the grimy aesthetic of the film. For example, the shots throughout the short film that take place within the kitchen though high-key lit, have these grimier feel to them, perhaps showing to them the lower class of the two characters that work within the kitchen.
Hair and makeup	The main example of makeup within ‘Las Ratas’ is the difference in makeup between the young female character and the older grandma character. The young female character is seen to be wearing thicker layers of makeup, whereas the older grandma character isn’t wearing any makeup at all. This perhaps signifies to the audience once again the difference in the moral standpoints of these two characters.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film?

Cinematography/Sound/Editing:   I like the use of dolley shots throughout the film and that may be something that I choose to use in my short film.	Narrative structure: I don’t think this film has given me any ideas for my short film’s narrative structure.
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme:          I like the way in which this short film quickly established the setting through the establishing shot and I may use that. I also the way it established character background information through the female character’s dialogue.	Creating enigmas: I don’t think this film has given me any ideas for my short film’s narrative structure.

Film 3: Bombita

What did you like about the film? I liked the kind of ‘Falling Down’ and ‘Joker’ type narrative, and the idea that society’s flaws turn an ordinary man into someone who leads a rebellion against them.   I also liked the cinematography of the short film, specifically the shots of him sitting in the café near the end of the short film, and the opening shot of the film, which shows him planting explosives.   Additionally, I like how the main character was quickly established within the first 30 seconds of the film.   And finally, I once again though the dialogue was really well written and funny and in this short specifically, I like how it clearly laid out these animalistic emotions the main character

What didn’t you like? I didn’t like how, like the rest of the short films in the collection, the actions the main character took felt unrealistic.   I felt a few of the performances within the short film weren’t the best, such as the main character’s wife and the man he works with.

What ideas could you use? Narrative or style?   I could perhaps write a film around this ‘Falling Down’ type of narrative, where society’s flaws cause him to slowly descend into madness.   I could perhaps use a bookend ending, where the beginning of the short film mirrors the end.

What ideas won’t you use? Why?   I probably won’t show unrealistic actions within my film, because I just don’t think it will fit what I want to make.

In-Depth study: All elements

Feature	Example
Narrative structure	The film’s ‘Falling Down’-esque narrative structure where a man just one day snaps after society as tested him for so long I find really interesting. I also like the film’s visual cyclical narrative structure, as the film begins with blowing up this structure that then fall apart one part after the other, which visually foreshadows how the events within the film are like a chain reaction and they all happen due to the effect of something else.
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme	The way that characters are established within ‘La Bombita’ is really clever, as by immediately showing the main character within the short film working with explosives it immediately establishes his profession and also foreshadows the ending of the film and how he will send a car filled with explosives to the DMV to get his revenge.
Mise-en-scene	An example of great mise-en-scene within ‘La Bombita’ are the scenes that take place within in the various DMVs. Like in the real world, the interiors of the different DMVs are all very bland and boring, perhaps signifying how, once he starts breaking them, the main character is fed up with the mundaneness of his life.
Cinematography	The cinematography throughout this film is great. I especially like the shots within the film where the framing is really tight and not a lot of the main character’s face is visual within the frame. The use of this visual effect really creates this tense and panicked feeling for the audience and conveys how the man is getting more annoyed by the DMVs as the film progresses.
Editing	The constant use of jump cuts throughout the film definitely adds to the main character’s sense of frustration that builds up constantly throughout the film.
Sound	The use of constant jumps in volume within the film add to it’s overall energetic nature and perhaps conveys to the audience how main character feels he may snap at any moment.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film?

Cinematography/Sound/Editing:   I liked how the film-maker created tension within in the film through their use of tight frames, conveying that the character is getting more and more frustrated and pent up with rage.	Narrative structure: I like the film’s ‘Falling Down’-esque narrative structure, and how the narrative structure is also somewhat cyclical and order based, as the events within the film feel like they’re a result of one another.
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme:      I like how the opening of the short film quickly establishes key character information about the main character within the film, as that information definitely plays a role later in the film.	Creating enigmas: This film did not give me any inspiration when it came to creating enigmas.

Film 4: Til Death do us Part/Hasta que la muerte nos separe

What did you like about the film?   I liked the cinematography in this film, as like the other ones, the setting and aesthetic was quickly established very well, and it also used some very unique and creative shots, such as the ‘Impossible Shot’ where the camera is placed on the door handle.   I also liked the dialogue as like the rest of the collection, it was very well written and in this case of this short film, adds to its intense moments and climaxes.   I found in this one the actions taken by the main characters did make sense do some extent, as I feel like the woman having that reaction to her husband cheating on her does feel logical and justifiable.

What didn’t you like?   I found the narrative and plot of this short film less enjoyable than the others, as, personally, I don’t particularly like films who’s main theme/setting is love, though the way this short film approached the genre was rather interesting.

What ideas could you use? Narrative or style?     I may use this idea of a revenge plot within my film, as I think it will suit the idea I have in my mind very well.

What ideas won’t you use? Why?   I don’t think I’ll base my film within the setting of a marriage, as it won’t fit the type of plot I’m going for.

In-Depth study: All elements

Feature	Example
Narrative structure	The narrative structure of the wedding
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme	As with the rest of the short films key character information is established quickly by an opening establishing shot. This is a typical technique used in short films, as there is obviously less length within the film to establish characters and their backgrounds.
Mise-en-scene
Cinematography
Editing
Sound

Film 1: Pasternak 

What did you like about the film? I liked the narrative/plot twist of finding out that everyone on the plane knew ‘Pasternak’	What didn’t you like? I felt that it could be longer as the whole story felt a little rushed
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? I would use the narrative style of a big plot twist at the end	What ideas won’t you use? Why? I don’t like the style of it being done on a plane as I feel that this would be very difficult to do

In-Depth Study – Film elements 

Film element	Example
Cinematography	I liked the high angle on the main characters in the overhead locker. It is an interesting view and gives more of an insight into the characters’ expressions when they interact. It also allows the spectator to see another person on the plane, which they will then find out will be significant to the story  I liked the low, long shot on the couple at the end as you watch them read and chill out in the garden. It is really effective for when the plane comes in the distance and gets closer and closer
Editing	The editing towards the end of the short film is really frantic, especially when it is showing the people on the plane. Also, this emphasises the contrast between the calmness of the garden and the out of control  I really like the editing at the end with the freeze frame because I feels almost comical to contrast how intense the scenes on the plane was.
Sound	I like the way the sound of the plane coming closer is very subtle and gets louder and louder as the only sound playing. It feels very ominous and atmospheric  There is a string underscore when more and more people find out that they know Pasternak which feels very unsettling and uncomfortable and gives a feeling that there is something wrong before you even find out what it is

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Cinematography: I really like the use of symmetry in some of the shots such as when they used a long shot down the aisle of the plane while the man and the woman were talking. I would like to use similar, symmetrical cinematography in my own film	Editing: I really like the idea of using a freeze frame, like in Pasternak because it gives a comical undertone to the short film, as well as it being an open ending. Freeze frames could also be used for jumpscares, which I am considering using
Sound: After watching Pasternak, I know that I wouldn’t really want to have it as quiet, though I do like the tenseness of the underscore and the chaos	Other: I really liked the use of a plot twist, which I will likely use in my own short film

Film 2: The Rats/Las Ratas 

What did you like about the film? I really liked the general aesthetic of the film—how dark and dingy it feels. I also like the way it used only one set the whole time as it feels more low budget and accessible	What didn’t you like? I didn’t really like the exposition and how everything is immediately revealed when the gangster comes into the diner—I would prefer for it to be revealed over time
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? I like the murder-mystery tone that it has, which I will likely use in my narrative.  I also really like the style and how dark it feels which I would like to replicate. The use of symmetry in the composition of shots and cinematography is also something I will consider using	What ideas won’t you use? Why? I would not use the blatant violence and murder that happens in The Rats

In-Depth study – Mise-en-scène 

Feature	Example – how does it convey meaning or create an effect
Set Design	The diner feels very authentic and fitting for the tone—almost run down and dingy which is further suggested by the fact that there is rat poison and other toxic substances lying around in the kitchen. It feels similar to where a murder would really happen
Costume	Similar to the set design, costume feels very authentic and fitting. Costume could also suggest characteristics about the characters – the older woman who wanted to poison the gangster seeming dishevelled which fits with her deranged nature, and the gangster also looks far more put together than the other characters which emphasises the struggle that the protagonist is going through.
Space	Everything is tightly framed with little empty space that is always filled with little bits like empty glasses etc., which makes the set feel cozy and
Lighting	There is a stark difference in lighting between the kitchen, which has very cold lighting, and the main diner, which has very warm lighting. This could suggest that the chef is cold and calculating, while the diner/gangster is unaware of what is happening
Composition	Everything is rather symmetrical—there are multiple shots where the protagonist is being framed by windows or keeping her in the middle of the frame. This is very aesthetically pleasing
Hair and makeup	Similar to the costume design, hair and makeup also is used to suggest character information – both the older woman and the protagonist are depicted through this as tired and dishevelled, suggested by the slightly messed up hair and the way a combination of lighting and makeup makes them look pale and almost sickly

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Cinematography/Sound/Editing: I really liked the visual style of Las Ratas as it felt homemade and quite low budget. The use of lighting helps with this, as well as the disturbing and contrasting string underscore which I really liked. There are a lot of aspects of this short film that I will likely take inspiration from.	Narrative structure: I will be doing a linear narrative like Las Ratas
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme:  I didn’t really like the amount of exposition given in the beginning when the gangster first arrives – I’d rather keep it a mystery.	Creating enigmas: I like the use of enigmas in Las Ratas and I would like to make some of my own to create a sense of mystery in my short film

Film 3: Bombita 

What did you like about the film? I liked the use of a plot twist where it turns out that the protagonist ends up blowing up his car and the car-towing building (revenge). I also liked the addition of his birthday at the end that his wife and daughter show up to as it is also a plot twist	What didn’t you like? The narrative towards the end was slightly confusing as I didn’t understand what the protagonist was doing when getting his car towed again
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? I’m probably going to use the use of a plot twist and I liked how the protagonist isn’t portrayed as a villain for what he did and rather praised for standing up against the towing company	What ideas won’t you use? Why? I probably won’t use the more modern style/aesthetic as I prefer having an older/film noir sort of feel to it like is La Jetée

In-Depth study: All elements 

Feature	Example
Narrative structure	Mostly linear narrative structure – everything happens in order/chronologically However, there are a few scenes that interrupt the narrative that include the protagonist planting, what we later learn is a bomb, in the car
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme	The setting of Bombita changes frequently, unlike Las Ratas which is set in one place. It is used to establish setting and plot – the plot is established through showing the towing company’s office, which also helps to display the protagonist’s characteristics.
Mise-en-scene	Lighting: initially quite light as quite a significant amount is filmed outside and in light areas, though it gets noticeably darker as the story progresses – reflects the story Costume/hair + makeup: used to suggest character information such as the protagonist, who is first established in a more normal way, though he gets far more dishevelled towards the end as is sanity declines.
Cinematography	There was some very interesting use of cinematography such as when the protagonist is seen in the dark room from a low angle. It is suggested that the spectator is seeing him from the boot of his car as he plants the bomb. Also interesting cinematography when the protagonist is typing in a password on a keypad that is displayed on the screen in a holograph type shot
Sound	Wild Tales soundtrack written by Gustavo Santaolalla, a famous Argentinian composer who enjoys using strings, especially ronroco and guitar, which is evident in Bombita’s underscore which features these instruments. This gives a slightly unsettling feeling to the short film and emphasises the uncomfortable atmosphere, especially after he finds out his car has been towed for a second time

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Cinematography/Sound/Editing: I really liked the use of the unsettling sound, and I will likely use something similar to this in my own short film. I also really like the use of more art-y shots such as the one from the point of view of the boot of the protagonist’s car	Narrative structure: I really like the idea of putting small short scenes of the future in the rest of the story (not completely linear)
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme:  While I like the idea of using multiple settings to help establish plot etc., I will likely only use one setting similar to Las Ratas, as it will be easier	Creating enigmas: I want to create enigmas in a similar way to Bombita by using a not completely linear narrative and adding some scenes from the future in the middle of the story

Film 4: Til Death do us Part/Hasta que la muerte nos separe 

What did you like about the film? I enjoyed a lot of the cinematography, such as when the camera was on the handle of the kitchen door that swings open as the woman storms through it. It feels very disorientating which could signify how she is feeling at the time	What didn’t you like? I didn’t really like the narrative/ending as I feel that it didn’t make a lot of sense
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? I liked the lighting in the film, and I think that it would be cool to imitate disco lights in my own similar to this	What ideas won’t you use? Why? I probably won’t use the idea of it being set in a party as I think it would be really difficult to gather that many extras and imitate that setting

In-Depth study: All elements 

Feature	Example
Narrative structure	Completely linear as everything happens in chronological order
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme	Characters and relationships are suggested through the way the protagonist treats the others – nice to parents, friends etc., but for example, the performance from the protagonist shows how she feels negatively about the woman she later finds out her husband has been cheating with. Mise en scene establishes setting – very obviously a wedding, seen by the white decorations, cake etc.
Mise-en-scene	Lighting: very dark during the party scenes and mainly uses the strobe lights that are typically found in settings like that, but becomes far lighter at other moments like in between the partying and when the protagonist is running out of the venue Costume/hair + makeup – originally everyone looks very neat and put together (nicely done hair and clean clothes), though that quickly changes after the protagonist finds out that her husband had been cheating. Her clothing and makeup is almost a way to display her declining mental state throughout the short film.
Cinematography	There are some very interesting shots, such as when the protagonist in running from the main venue and the camera is almost mounted to the handle of one of the doors she pushes which feels very disorientating and almost out of place. Another technique that is used a few times in the film is when the couple is dancing, and when she spins the woman who her husband had been cheating with around – the camera spins with their movements to increase the intensity of the moment significantly.
Editing	Gets very frantic at intense moments, such as when the protagonist finds out that her new husband has been cheating on her – editing frantic when they are dancing to increase the intensity of the moment. Similar happens when she is spinning the woman who her husband had been cheating on her with around before throwing her into a mirror.
Sound	Uses music outside of the score created for Wild Tales, Titanium, in the party scenes which brings the energy of the party up significantly, also aligns with the lighting and how dark/bright it is in the hall.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Cinematography/Sound/Editing: I like the use of the spinning shots, though I am unlikely to do something like this. I really like the score that is used and would like to use the unsettling string style that Santaolalla uses throughout all of Wild Tales	Narrative structure: I’d like to use a linear narrative structure as displayed in Til Death do us Part, though I think dipping into the narrative style of Bombita would also be really effective
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme:  I like how the relationships between characters and their personalities were established through listening to how the protagonist talks to them and feel this would be an interesting technique to use.	Creating enigmas: I’d like to create mysteries in my own short film as they do in Til Death do us Part.

Part 1: Brief Reference 

What did you like about the film? I liked the ideas of the plot. The lighting was fun. The use of stills made it feel disconnected, possibly like the minds of the people who have been made mad because of the experiments. But the stills where cool sometimes.	What didn’t you like? The whispering. It was probably there for a reason, but it doesn’t feel good on my ears. The museum was a bit boring. I get it was there to establish a connection between them, I was just bored.
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? The lighting. The funny camera shots. The lighting in the present scenes gives a sense of unease. I like it.	What ideas won’t you use? Why? The stills. I think it was effective in the way it makes the story feel alien which ties into its sci-fi genre, I don’t think it works for every sci-fi story (like Star Wars. Star Wars wouldn’t be shot in stills)

Part 2: In-Depth Study – Narrative 

Narrative Feature	Example	Your own example
Establishing protagonist – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	Introduced only in narration – first in third person as “a man marked by an image”; then in first person -memory of incident at the airport. We don’t see him until the first experiment is shown. This shows how core the act of remembering is to his identity – indeed we find out very little about him (he remains nameless) apart from his ‘remembering’ (even when he is travelling in time).	We see that from the beginning, the woman will play a large part in the man’s story, her being the reason he is able to go back in time to do this research. The audience is immediately shown that she is of great importance due to her being the first full face that they see, the close-up being to emphasize how the only thing he remembers about that day is the woman and her appearance.
Establishing other characters – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	The Woman is the first person we see (“the only image to survive the war”) – and she is defined only by the fact the narrator remembers her. Feminist critics may comment on the fact she barely seems to exist outside the experiences of the narrator and her growing belief in him.	The men who are experimenting on the protagonist are speaking in German. This could be to show that they are othered or could be referencing similar events that happened during World War 2. While not specifically time travel, the Germans did experiment of people cruelly. This could also be showing the still present fear of the Germans, in the scenario that World War 3 where to occur. They are also shown from high angles.
Establishing location (time and place) – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	We are told immediately that the location is Paris. The bombed-out wreckage of the city (real WW2 images) doesn’t immediately establish that this is the future until the narrator mentions radiation. The underground location beneath the Palais de Chaillot is shown by intercut images of broken cherubs and other sculptures.	The past is presented in a much brighter, as they are from the above ground pre-WW3 Paris. While the Present is shown in a very dark shadow (low lighting). This is connoting the fact there is no electricity, relating to the Sci-Fi Genre. The past is shown as very colorful (for black and White), with nature and people walking around. While the Present is shown as very industrial and cold, with the lack of color and limited set space.
Creating Enigmas – what are they? How are they created?	The image the narrator obsesses over is the central enigma: who is the man he witnesses dying? How does he die? Who is the woman? The still images and voiceover powerfully evoke the nature of memory.	What other questions are posed throughout the narrative?  Makes the audience wonder about this universe’s time travel policies. If he goes into the future to get the answers, did the people in the future get there by having him go forward in their timeline??
Narrative binary oppositions	The ‘Living Present’ vs Past/Future. As the film progresses, what constitutes the ‘present’ (for the protagonist) seems to shift from his dystopian subterranean society to the ‘past’ of pre-apocalypse Paris. This is conveyed by the faster rhythm of the montage and the sequence (18:00-18:49) where the images almost become like traditional cinema.	The past is bright. The present is dark. The lighting crates a contrast. This is because it shows the protagonists comfort in each area of time. The past being the brightest, the present being darker and the future being almost completely black, the only light being on the faces of the people he sees.
Crisis – how was this conveyed?	Is it the first experiment? Is it the moment the man spots the woman from the airport? Or is it when the future society offers him the chance to escape to the future?	What do you think is the crisis point? How does this affect the rest of the narrative? When he witnesses the man dying (himself). It is the catalyst for everything else in the film to happen. Because without the hard memory of that, he wouldn’t be able to go back in time.
Resolution – is it closed or open narrative?	The narrative is closed – but it is also in a loop: the narrator is both the dying man and the child watching the scene. This ‘time paradox’ has inspired films as diverse as The Terminator and Looper (as well as 12 Monkeys which is almost a remake).	What do you think about the end? Is it closed – or endlessly circular? I assume that it is circular, but less like a circle and more like a jump ring. It is a loop but only for a certain amount of time, it will eventually be cut off and be able to change.

Part 3: Meaning and Effect 

What did you think was the intention of the filmmaker(s)? Intellectual message? Emotional response? Everyone is trapped in their time – they cannot escape it, even though memory. It is also about the concept of photography and cinema itself, trying to ‘freeze’ time with images despite time always being in motion.  That change can happen in something that seems frozen. That when something especially special is found or discovered, it can change a timeline that seems frozen.

How was this achieved? The use of photomontage separates each frame of the story into a frozen image – even though these are joined together using traditional narrative film techniques such as voiceover, dissolves, fades and music. As the man begins to ‘live’ more and more in the ‘past’ with his lover, the space between these frames speeds up to resemble ‘motion picture’ speed at one point. The stuffed animals in the museum are also ‘frozen’ in a single moment. Your own idea: By having the woman be in regular motion picture speed for one single scene, it emphasizes how the man has impacted her life, letting her somewhat break free from the restraints of the single frame per second/couple of seconds.

Aesthetic binary oppositions The use of still photo images are combined with traditional narrative cinematic techniques that bring them ‘to life’… until the moment around 18:00 when they flow together. The past is shown in the daylight, making the screen often very bright and almost colourful. While the present is shown in the dark

Effect of these oppositions? Shows the intensity of emotion the narrator feels with his lover: like he is finally ‘living’ in moving time rather than a series of frozen, separated moments.  Your example: The visual differences in the past and present are clear as a way to show the audience that the man is uncertain in the present, as it is a much more dreary and drab sense of life as they are living underground because of the war. While the past is shown in a much brighter light to show how he knows what’s going on and to emphasize how bad the present is because of the war and how he may have taken the past for granted, as he seems it through a sense of rose tinted glasses.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme I like the idea of showing rather than telling. (the only scene with movie images showing that there has been a change and it’s not frozen and set in stone).	Creating enigmas  By having the woman at the beginning, it makes the audience wonder how she is connected to the moment and how she is so important to his strong attachments to this memory.
Narrative structure (non-/linear? Open/ closed ending?) By having the narrative almost split in two. The past and the present. It gets the audience more involved in the love story unfolding between the man and the woman in the past.	Striking use of technical features  I will probably not be using still images to tell my story. But i can see how there was a reason for them being used in the context of this short film.

Part 1: Brief Reference 

What did you like about the film? I liked how it still managed to keep me engaged through narration, shot length, and music despite it only having one motion shot.	What didn’t you like? Why was the man from the present timeline doing the experiments in the future timeline, when the protagonist was shot – this would mean that the man was there in the past where the protagonist witnessed a man die on the observation platform as a child. Plot hole.
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? Using liminal space to convey a sense of futurism, I liked how they got rid of all defying elements of reality in the setting when showing the future timeline.  Allowing music to carry the narrative instead of dialogue, music is a universal language.	What ideas won’t you use? Why? The narration as it was taking away from the mystery.

Part 2: In-Depth Study – Narrative 

Narrative Feature	Example	Your own example
Establishing protagonist – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	Introduced only in narration – first in third person as “a man marked by an image”; then in first person -memory of incident at the airport. We don’t see him until the first experiment is shown. This shows how core the act of remembering is to his identity – indeed we find out very little about him (he remains nameless) apart from his ‘remembering’ (even when he is travelling in time).	Before we are shown the man himself, the narration points out that this is a story of the child who was taken by his parents to watch the airplanes on the observation platform. Later stating: “Or had he invented that tender moment to prop up the madness to come?” This foreshadows the plot twist at the end of the short film, where he is shot. Establishing that memory is the only thing that can keep post-war citizens going.
Establishing other characters – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	The Woman is the first person we see (“the only image to survive the war”) – and she is defined only by the fact the narrator remembers her. Feminist critics may comment on the fact she barely seems to exist outside the experiences of the narrator and her growing belief in him.	During the experimentation shots, there is a whispered voiceover of the experimenters speaking in German. This could be throwing shade at communist parties through film propaganda, given that Germany has links to Russia, France holds democratic values unlike the USSR.
Establishing location (time and place) – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	We are told immediately that the location is Paris. The bombed out wreckage of the city (real WW2 images) don’t immediately establish that this is the future until the narrator mentions radiation. The underground location beneath the Palais de Chaillot is shown by intercut images of broken cherubs and other sculptures.	In the opening still we’re shown an observation platform, ‘la jetée’ which is also the title of the short film, establishing that this is the place where the pivotal events take place – the protagonist witnessing a man die there when he was a child and then being the man who died on the platform. Circular narrative.
Creating Enigmas – what are they? How are they created?	The image the narrator obsesses over is the central enigma: who is the man he witnesses dying? How does he die? Who is the woman? The still images and voiceover powerfully evoke the nature of memory. What other questions are posed throughout the narrative?	Time. The short film proposes a question to the spectators, is time fixed? Therefore, questioning the inevitable, are we capable of preventing particular events? “there was no way to escape Time” is a quote spoken by the narrator when we’re shown the shooter aiming his gun at the protagonist. (Is there a reason why ‘Time’ is capitalised? Making into an entity on its own instead of a human construct.)
Narrative binary oppositions	The ‘Living Present’ vs Past/Future. As the film progresses, what constitutes the ‘present’ (for the protagonist) seems to shift from his dystopian subterranean society to the ‘past’ of pre-apocalypse Paris. This is conveyed by the faster rhythm of the montage and the sequence (18:00-18:49) where the images almost become like traditional cinema.	Romance and Fatality. During the romantic sequences between the woman and the protagonist the shot length is significantly longer in duration, holding our attention with them for longer; also the music becomes lighter and melodic compared to the operatic and dramatic score used during scenes where experimentation takes place or the situation of Paris is being explained by the narrator. For fatality, in the final sequence where the protagonist is running towards the woman the cuts become more frequent as the intervals between each shot is shortened, creating a sense of urgency.
Crisis – how was this conveyed? Is it the first experiment? The moment the man spots the woman from the airport? Or is it when the future society offers him the chance to escape to the future? What do you think is the crisis point? How does this affect the rest of the narrative?		I think the crisis is when the future society offers him the chance to escape to the future – by doing this the man is faced with uncovering the full story of him seeing the woman on the observation platform, revealing quickly that he was the man he witnessed dying when he was a child. The reason why the initial experiment isn’t the crisis, in my opinion, is because the protagonist has been a prisoner for much longer, preceding the beginning of the short film, so I personally don’t believe that this was a crisis, especially for him since he’s probably been subjected to similar in the past. This heavily affects the narrative because it provides us a plot twist – the sequence of events leading up to this moment didn’t indicate that he might have been the man he witnessed as a child dying,
Resolution – is it closed or open narrative? The narrative is closed – but it is also in a loop: the narrator is both the dying man and the child watching the scene. This ‘time paradox’ has inspired films as diverse as The Terminator and Looper (as well as 12 Monkeys which is almost a remake). What do you think about the end? Is it closed – or endlessly circular?		It is an open narrative because inevitably the narrator is bound to be stuck within this time frame. We start off with him in the underground prison being experimented on, present, his past consists of a memory witnessing a man dying on the observation platform as well as seeing the woman. His future is him dying on that platform, seeing the woman, yet there’s also a man there who kills him; he is the man who died in his past. Resolution isn’t truly met as the narrative is endlessly circular.

Part 3: Meaning and Effect 

What did you think was the intention of the filmmaker(s)? Intellectual message? Emotional response? Everyone is trapped in their time – they cannot escape it, even through memory. It is also about concept of photography and cinema itself, trying to ‘freeze’ time with images despite time always being in motion.  How was this achieved? The use of photomontage separates each frame of the story into a frozen image – even though these are joined together using traditional narrative film techniques such as voiceover, dissolves, fades and music. As the man begins to ‘live’ more and more in the ‘past’ with his lover, the space between these frames speeds up to resemble ‘motion picture’ speed at one point. The stuffed animals in the museum are also ‘frozen’ in a single moment.

Your own idea: Memory is static, you cannot change it, so by continuing to use a photomontage for the final sequence where the man is being shot dead on the observation platform, it conveys a message to the audience that you also can’t outrun fate. The protagonist was bound to witness a man die, whilst being the man who dies. This would, and probably still does, coax an emotional response from the audience by eluding to ideas of existentialism.

Aesthetic binary oppositions The use of still photo images are combined with traditional narrative cinematic techniques that bring them ‘to life’… until the moment around 18:00 when they flow together.  Effect of these oppositions? Shows the intensity of emotion the narrator feels with his lover: like he is finally ‘living’ in moving time rather than a series of frozen, separated moments.

Your example: The speed of cutting between clips used to reflect slower, romantic moments between him and his lover, letting us get drawn into their world compared to the fast-paced cutting which forces us to feel the imminent danger which is felt by the protagonist.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme The opening/establishing shot which is what the title is: an observation platform. I like how it is obvious at first, but as the story progresses it becomes clear how significant that location is for the protagonist – it’s where his most profound memory took place, as well as his death.	Creating enigmas In La Jetée the enigma is him, which only becomes apparent in the final sequence, but I like how the enigma was right in front of us the entire time. Subtly hinting at the answers throughout the short film.
Narrative structure (non-/linear? Open/ closed ending?) I’d argue that this short film has an open ending. This is because the ending is also the beginning (his childhood memory which is why he’s selected for the experiment), a circular narrative which I think would be interesting to implement into my own short film.	Striking use of technical features The shift from still images to a second long motion shot of the lover opening her eyes was impactful because I had become so accustomed to the still images used up until that point.

La Jetée (Marker, Korea, 1962) – Analysis Sheet for Evaluative Commentary 

Part 1: Brief Reference 

What did you like about the film?  The music used and changes at different moments, for example the higher pitch in the romance photos. The overall plot was also good, and the use of photos instead of actual film was unique.	What didn’t you like?  The photos could’ve been clearer, was hard to follow at times, although they added to the effect of an apocalyptic setting.
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style?  The style, I like the order of photos and how they built the background of the plot instead of introducing the protagonist straight away.	What ideas won’t you use? Why?  I wouldn’t use the music at as high of a volume as I felt at times it overpowered the voiceover and made it more difficult to understand.

Part 2: In-Depth Study – Narrative 

Narrative Feature	Example	Your own example
Establishing protagonist – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	Introduced only in narration – first in third person as “a man marked by an image”; then in first person -memory of incident at the airport. We don’t see him until the first experiment is shown. This shows how core the act of remembering is to his identity – indeed we find out very little about him (he remains nameless) apart from his ‘remembering’ (even when he is travelling in time).	Introduced through one of his memories as a child of a man dying, later learnt to be him dying. Highlighting how we cannot escape the past and the connection between past future and present. This shows the profound effect memories have on us as people (especially the protagonist) and the strength of human connection can overpower his real-time experiences, he always remembers her no matter the time he’s in.
Establishing other characters – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	The Woman is the first person we see (“the only image to survive the war”) – and she is defined only by the fact the narrator remembers her. Feminist critics may comment on the fact she barely seems to exist outside the experiences of the narrator and her growing belief in him.	The scientists are the first established in present time outside the protagonist’s memory, this could be an early sign of their power over him as he is only used for their benefit and is eventually killed back in the past.
Establishing location (time and place) – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	We are told immediately that the location was Paris. The bombed-out wreckage of the city (real WW2 images) doesn’t immediately establish that this is the future until the narrator mentions radiation. The underground location beneath the Palais de Chaillot is shown by intercut images of broken cherubs and other sculptures.	The location of their last meeting was a museum, they are looking at animals, dead as a benefit to humans. They are really looking at themselves as soon he will die as he is no longer useful to the scientists. Also, can be reflective of how he was treated as an animal being experimented on with little choice and then being killed once he was deemed unneeded.
Creating Enigmas – what are they? How are they created?	The image the narrator obsesses over is the central enigma: who is the man he witnesses dying? How does he die? Who is the woman? The still images and voiceover powerfully evoke the nature of memory.	What other questions are posed throughout the narrative? What is the benefit of his time travelling, how will that help the present if the future is already set? Scientists want to find a way to change the future, or they could just want to see future events. Causes audience to question their motives, did they just want to hurt the man due to a previous hatred?
Narrative binary oppositions	The ‘Living Present’ vs Past/Future. As the film progresses, what constitutes the ‘present’ (for the protagonist) seems to shift from his dystopian subterranean society to the ‘past’ of pre-apocalypse Paris. This is conveyed by the faster rhythm of the montage and the sequence (18:00-18:49) where the images almost become like traditional cinema.	Life in the past vs his present, where does he want to stay. I think he wants to be wherever the women is as he continuously returns to be where she is and spends his time during his time travel, with her.
Crisis – how was this conveyed?	Is it the first experiment? The moment the man spots the woman from the airport? Or is it when the future society offers him the chance to escape to the future?	What do you think is the crisis point? How does this affect the rest of the narrative? I think the crisis was the protagonist’s realization it was him shot on the pier, it was his worst fears coming true and all his work to overcome the trauma of seeing that man die as a child becomes his reality as he will live both experiences. Shows the idea that you can never escape the past.
Resolution – is it closed or open narrative?	The narrative is closed – but it is also in a loop: the narrator is both the dying man and the child watching the scene. This ‘time paradox’ has inspired films as diverse as The Terminator and Looper (as well as 12 Monkeys which is almost a remake).	What do you think about the end? Is it closed – or endlessly circular? It feels like an ending as we do not see him after he is finally shot at the end., however it is circular as he is also seen being shot at the beginning. I think the ending is endless as the cycle can be repeated forever, yet it still felt like an ending as we do not see this happen and there is no more narrative.

Part 3: Meaning and Effect 

What did you think was the intention of the filmmaker(s)? Intellectual message? Emotional response? Everyone is trapped in their time – they cannot escape it, even though memory. It is also about the concept of photography and cinema itself, trying to ‘freeze’ time with images despite time always being in motion.

How was this achieved? The use of photomontage separates each frame of the story into a frozen image – even though these are joined together using traditional narrative film techniques such as voiceover, dissolves, fades and music. As the man begins to ‘live’ more and more in the ‘past’ with his lover, the space between these frames speeds up to resemble ‘motion picture’ speed at one point. The stuffed animals in the museum are also ‘frozen’ in a single moment. Your own idea: By using photographs, the impression of stopping in time is given which is overall false as time cannot be stopped. Can also reflect how the narrator felt stuck in time as he could never escape the boardwalk and the trauma it gave him as a child.

Aesthetic binary oppositions The use of still photo images are combined with traditional narrative cinematic techniques that bring them ‘to life’… until the moment around 18:00 when they flow together.

Effect of these oppositions? Shows the intensity of emotion the narrator feels with his lover: like he is finally ‘living’ in moving time rather than a series of frozen, separated moments.  Your example:  Shows how the narrator feels his life didn’t truly start until he changed time, could reflect the different ups and downs in life. Could also show how his childhood trauma caused him to feel stuck in time, frozen there like a photograph.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme Characters are well established as they are mentioned in the voiceover along with a photo of them, we are told only what the narrator wants us to know about them. Adds a sense of mystery as we only see photos and how the narrator describes them rather than seeing genuine clips and shots of them.	Creating enigmas Cause the audience to ask questions, in La Jettee we are constantly asking who the man the narrator sees die is, we are left waiting to find out and after we do all other questions feel answered and everything fits together. It is an engaging concept.
Narrative structure (non-/linear? Open/ closed ending?) La Jetée was a good example of an open ending, gives inspiration to include an ending that is up for interpretation for the audience to decide what happens. A non-linear narrative structure can be inspirational as it portrays time travel well.	Striking use of technical features Pictures fit together seamlessly especially in the scene of his lover in bed; by including the only moving shot then, it gives the effect that whole scene is a constant clip of her. It may be difficult to recreate.

Part 1: Brief Reference 

What did you like about the film? I liked the sound in the movie, I found having the whispering and thumping sound made the movie more intense in parts. I found it really added some mystery into the film.	What didn’t you like? I found some of the still shots and the narrative didn’t completely match up, some of the still shots were repetitive and the narrative didn’t completely explain parts I found.
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? Not introducing your main character to create mystery, I also liked the shock moment of when the eyes opened for that brief second I found that affect really interesting.	What ideas won’t you use? Why? The still shots I think did not provide a lot of information and did not expand on the plot. As at the end, it isn’t fully explained I think in a short movie you really need a clear plot.

Part 2: In-Depth Study – Narrative 

Narrative Feature	Example	Your own example
Establishing protagonist – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	Introduced only in narration – first in third person as “a man marked by an image”; then in first person -memory of incident at the airport. We don’t see him until the first experiment is shown. This shows how core the act of remembering is to his identity – indeed we find out very little about him (he remains nameless) apart from his ‘remembering’ (even when he is travelling in time).	We know that he is a prisoner due to the voice over explaining that experiments are done on them. We also see the large destruction that the nuclear bomb has caused. You see the Prison beds and rooms conveying that is where he must stay. This shows the uncomfortable settings that he lived in and how unhuman the experiments are due to the uncertainty of the time.
Establishing other characters – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	The Woman is the first person we see (“the only image to survive the war”) – and she is defined only by the fact the narrator remembers her. Feminist critics may comment on the fact she barely seems to exist outside the experiences of the narrator and her growing belief in him.	Scientists gaze is always on the camera, normally close to the camera with a MCU and CU conveys to the viewer that they are intimating with the focus of the camera being on the face showing the power they possibly have
Establishing location (time and place) – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	We are told immediately that the location is Paris. The bombed out wreckage of the city (real WW2 images) don’t immediately establish that this is the future until the narrator mentions radiation. The underground location beneath the Palais de Chaillot is shown by intercut images of broken cherubs and other sculptures.	The movie starts with the planes opening the scene, this tells us that it is a current movie as the planes clearly being identified as Modern. This allows the spectator to understand that is this either set in the current time or the future just from one of the first shots. This first scene allows the spectator to establish the time and the location of the observation deck.
Creating Enigmas – what are they? How are they created?	The image the narrator obsesses over is the central enigma: who is the man he witnesses dying? How does he die? Who is the woman? The still images and voiceover powerfully evoke the nature of memory.	The quick shots of the experimenters show the mystery of them they create many questions for the spectator such as why is a prisoner? who are the experimenters? the close ups of them possibly show the seriousness of them with their face lacking emotion .
Narrative binary oppositions	The ‘Living Present’ vs Past/Future. As the film progresses, what constitutes the ‘present’ (for the protagonist) seems to shift from his dystopian subterranean society to the ‘past’ of pre-apocalypse Paris. This is conveyed by the faster rhythm of the montage and the sequence (18:00-18:49) where the images almost become like traditional cinema.	The binary oppositions of maybe Good vs. Evil within the film the way that the experimenters are framed its very tightly and they never show any emotion creating a eerie effect while the movie allows yourself to align with the main character as you see him form a romantic relationship in the future it gives him a better sense of character compared to the experimenters
Crisis – how was this conveyed?	Is it the first experiment? The moment the man spots the woman from the airport? Or is it when the future society offers him the chance to escape to the future?	I think the crisis point of the movie starts from the very beginning, I think it shows that he is troubled from the very beginning having this vivid memory of a woman dying.
Resolution – is it closed or open narrative?	The narrative is closed – but it is also in a loop: the narrator is both the dying man and the child watching the scene. This ‘time paradox’ has inspired films as diverse as The Terminator and Looper (as well as 12 Monkeys which is almost a remake).	The in my opinion is that he is stuck in a loop, the scene starts with the moment on the observation deck and it ends with the child version seeing him die. I believe that this suggests that the narrative continues on.

Part 3: Meaning and Effect 

What did you think was the intention of the filmmaker(s)? Intellectual message? Emotional response? Everyone is trapped in their time – they cannot escape it, even through memory. It is also about concept of photography and cinema itself, trying to ‘freeze’ time with images despite time always being in motion.

How was this achieved? The use of photomontage separates each frame of the story into a frozen image – even though these are joined together using traditional narrative film techniques such as voiceover, dissolves, fades and music. As the man begins to ‘live’ more and more in the ‘past’ with his lover, the space between these frames speeds up to resemble ‘motion picture’ speed at one point. The stuffed animals in the museum are also ‘frozen’ in a single moment. Your own idea:        I think there is a brief moment where she opens her eyes, this breaks away from the normal still image’s and creates a emotional and stand out effect to the viewer this a moment that the filmmaker intentionally.

Aesthetic binary oppositions The use of still photo images are combined with traditional narrative cinematic techniques that bring them ‘to life’… until the moment around 18:00 when they flow together.

Effect of these oppositions? Shows the intensity of emotion the narrator feels with his lover: like he is finally ‘living’ in moving time rather than a series of frozen, separated moments.  Your example:    I think when they travel to the future acts as a opposition to the past vs. present under score changes to a lighter tone symbolizing that they are in love and ion the present the underscore was much darker.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme     I think having a overview of the area whereof where your film is taking place as it links your character introduction to a place. I love the idea of not introducing your main character identify I think it creates mystery and questions for the viewer. The plot for this film was interesting the idea of a narrative loop could be something I might use,

Creating enigmas  I think having unanswered questions within the movie, is something I will definitely use as inspiration from this movie as I effect it had on me on the viewer was impactful .

Narrative structure (non-/linear? Open/ closed ending?)   I think I may follow the linear story setting but may use the technique as inspiration of having a open ending.

Striking use of technical features  The black and white setting created a gloomy look of the setting, the still images of the settings are also something that i may adapt into my own movie.

Part 1: Brief Reference 

What did you like about the film? I liked the style of using still images and then using a dissolve to make it seem almost as if they were moving because it was very unique	What didn’t you like? The story was a bit confusing, especially when the protagonist was sent into the future
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? Despite being confusing, I like the idea of using a time travel/post nuclear war story. I would also make my own version in black and white like this as it gives it a more vintage feel which is almost film noir reminiscent	What ideas won’t you use? Why? I probably wouldn’t use the still images because while it is a cool style, I don’t think I’d enjoy making a film like this

Part 2: In-Depth Study – Narrative 

Narrative Feature	Example	Your own example
Establishing protagonist – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	Introduced only in narration – first in third person as “a man marked by an image”; then in first person -memory of incident at the airport. We don’t see him until the first experiment is shown. This shows how core the act of remembering is to his identity – indeed we find out very little about him (he remains nameless) apart from his ‘remembering’ (even when he is travelling in time).	A little boy standing on the railing of the Jetée and is suggested to be the protagonist—we never see his face. A POV shot is used to align with him; you can see the women walking to the plane from his point of view, and a few moments later, the point of view of the man dying even before the ending, where we find out that the protagonist is actually the one who died.
Establishing other characters – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	The Woman is the first person we see (“the only image to survive the war”) – and she is defined only by the fact the narrator remembers her. Feminist critics may comment on the fact she barely seems to exist outside the experiences of the narrator and her growing belief in him.	The scientists are shot using a low angle to show how they are important, just as the narration says ‘the victors stood guard over an empire of rats’, to suggest the way they rule over the people who live in the underground and turn them into their experiments. Furthermore, the use of the low angles on the scientists can be used to further suggest how menacing and evil they are—not only because of how they are using people for their experiments, but also for when they plot to murder the protagonist at the end.
Establishing location (time and place) – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	We are told immediately that the location is Paris. The bombed out wreckage of the city (real WW2 images) don’t immediately establish that this is the future until the narrator mentions radiation. The underground location beneath the Palais de Chaillot is shown by intercut images of broken cherubs and other sculptures.	Time is established through narration, as well as the images—the narration suggesting when the protagonist is being sent into the past. The future is established by the use of costume design—the people from the future are shown with a mark on their forehead and the futuristic design of where they are As well as this, sound is important in establishing when time travel is happening—there is a thumping noise that is reminiscent of a heartbeat that quickens when he gets closer to a different timeline
Creating Enigmas – what are they? How are they created?	The image the narrator obsesses over is the central enigma: who is the man he witnesses dying? How does he die? Who is the woman? The still images and voiceover powerfully evoke the nature of memory.	What other questions are posed throughout the narrative? Is this going to happen again?
Narrative binary oppositions	The ‘Living Present’ vs Past/Future. As the film progresses, what constitutes the ‘present’ (for the protagonist) seems to shift from his dystopian subterranean society to the ‘past’ of pre-apocalypse Paris. This is conveyed by the faster rhythm of the montage and the sequence (18:00-18:49) where the images almost become like traditional cinema.	La Jetée uses the binary oppositions of beginning vs end by establishing the protagonists’ opinions on when he saw the man die at the beginning – how he was traumatised. This is opposed by the realisation that he was that man at the end of the short film – how his older and younger self coexist.
Crisis – how was this conveyed?	Is it the first experiment? The moment the man spots the woman from the airport? Or is it when the future society offers him the chance to escape to the future?	I think that it is the man dying in the beginning as it poses many questions to the audience—who was the man and how and why did he die? The film is built around it; the man wanting to travel back to when that exact moment happens to meet the woman again in the past
Resolution – is it closed or open narrative?	The narrative is closed – but it is also in a loop: the narrator is both the dying man and the child watching the scene. This ‘time paradox’ has inspired films as diverse as The Terminator and Looper (as well as 12 Monkeys which is almost a remake).	What do you think about the end? Is it closed – or endlessly circular? The film’s ending isn’t exactly closed thanks to the circular timeline – we know that war is going to break out again and that what we just saw is going to happen all over

Part 3: Meaning and Effect 

What did you think was the intention of the filmmaker(s)? Intellectual message? Emotional response? Everyone is trapped in their time – they cannot escape it, even through memory. It is also about concept of photography and cinema itself, trying to ‘freeze’ time with images despite time always being in motion.

How was this achieved? The use of photomontage separates each frame of the story into a frozen image – even though these are joined together using traditional narrative film techniques such as voiceover, dissolves, fades and music. As the man begins to ‘live’ more and more in the ‘past’ with his lover, the space between these frames speeds up to resemble ‘motion picture’ speed at one point. The stuffed animals in the museum are also ‘frozen’ in a single moment.  Your own idea:   There is a moment of movement, where the frames merge together to create the illusion of the woman blinking her eyes – suggests that they are breaking away from the time loop to maybe give the audience a glimmer of hope and tranquillity, though that immediately breaks at the cut to one of the scientists

Aesthetic binary oppositions The use of still photo images are combined with traditional narrative cinematic techniques that bring them ‘to life’… until the moment around 18:00 when they flow together.

Effect of these oppositions? Shows the intensity of emotion the narrator feels with his lover: like he is finally ‘living’ in moving time rather than a series of frozen, separated moments.   Your example:      The sounds in the background – something reminiscent of birds chirping – gives the audience a sense of reality which gets broken for dramatic effect

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme I really liked the use of narration, especially in French, to establish key points of my film	Creating enigmas While I do want to include a narration to give exposition, I also want to include mysteries that will be solved in the form of plot twists, as it is in La Jetée. You hear about this mysterious figure who the protagonist saw die when he was younger, who ends up being himself from the future
Narrative structure (non-/linear? Open/ closed ending?) I’d rather do a linear plot rather than the non-linear story in La Jetée, but maybe include an open ending	Striking use of technical features I don’t want to do the still images concept and would rather make it like a regular film, but I do really like the look of black and white/film noir which I will probably do for my own film

Part 1: Brief Reference 

What did you like about the film? The darkness and bleakness of the post war society, and how the music blended	What didn’t you like? I liked the whole film
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? Pictures in film (mix media) circular narrative and the mystery genre	What ideas won’t you use? Why? Post apocalyptic settings and dystopia

Part 2: In-Depth Study – Narrative 

Narrative Feature	Example	Your own example
Establishing protagonist – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	Introduced only in narration – first in third person as “a man marked by an image”; then in first person -memory of incident at the airport. We don’t see him until the first experiment is shown. This shows how core the act of remembering is to his identity – indeed we find out very little about him (he remains nameless) apart from his ‘remembering’ (even when he is travelling in time).	When first introducing the protagonist, the narrator describes him as a “prisoner” and “guinea pig”. These descriptions give the audience a key insight into the fate of the man and ultimately what he means to the story- his life ends in tragedy. As most of his adult like was being a “guinea pig” for the scientists
Establishing other characters – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	The Woman is the first person we see (“the only image to survive the war”) – and she is defined only by the fact the narrator remembers her. Feminist critics may comment on the fact she barely seems to exist outside the experiences of the narrator and her growing belief in him.	We first see the woman through the eyes of our main protagonist, showing us that she is only a memory, like something that the protagonist is grasping onto. She is portrayed to have no agency, only existing throughout the story to serve as emotional motivation for the male protagonist
Establishing location (time and place) – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?	The audience are told immediately that the location is Paris. The bombed-out wreckage of the city (real WW2 images) doesn’t immediately establish that this is the future until the narrator mentions radiation. The underground location beneath the Palais de Chaillot is shown by intercut images of broken cherubs and other sculptures.	In the beginning of the film, we are initially told that the traumatic death that the man seen many years ago cements Orly airport  And Paris itself as a place which holds a lot of emotional strength for the man- not including the repeated images of a woman that he cannot rid himself of.
Creating Enigmas – what are they? How are they created?	The image the narrator obsesses over is the central enigma: who is the man he witnesses dying? How does he die? Who is the woman? The still images and voiceover powerfully evoke the nature of memory.	What other questions are posed throughout the narrative? -= who are the scientists- how are they sending the protagonist back in time, how are they in his memory
Narrative binary oppositions	The ‘Living Present’ vs Past/Future. As the film progresses, what constitutes the ‘present’ (for the protagonist) seems to shift from his dystopian subterranean society to the ‘past’ of pre-apocalypse Paris. This is conveyed by the faster rhythm of the montage and the sequence (18:00-18:49) where the images almost become like traditional cinema.	In the present, there is a stark visual contrast between the architecture seen in post/pre apocalyptic Paris. The set design and visual appearance of the set show the binary oppositions throughout the transition of Paris. There is no clear indication of what the underground tunnels look like, showing the desolate-ness of Paris post apocalypse.
Crisis – how was this conveyed?	Is it the first experiment? The moment the man spots the woman from the airport? Or is it when the future society offers him the chance to escape to the future?	What do you think is the crisis point? How does this affect the rest of the narrative? – the crisis point would be, the man figuring out that the scientists want to kill him, leading him to gain help from the future humans- which he ultimately rejects.
Resolution – is it closed or open narrative?	The narrative is closed – but it is also in a loop: the narrator is both the dying man and the child watching the scene. This ‘time paradox’ has inspired films as diverse as The Terminator and Looper (as well as 12 Monkeys which is almost a remake).	What do you think about the end? Is it closed – or endlessly circular? The story is circular, similar to the ending of lost highway by David lynch, these events will forever repeat as the protagonist cannot recognize their cations or mend them until it’s too late. but the spectator may feel robbed as there is not a resolution which is common in western mainstream cinema.

Part 3: Meaning and Effect 

What did you think was the intention of the filmmaker(s)? Intellectual message? Emotional response? Everyone is trapped in their time – they cannot escape it, even though memory. It is also about the concept of photography and cinema itself, trying to ‘freeze’ time with images despite time always being in motion.

How was this achieved? The use of photomontage separates each frame of the story into a frozen image – even though these are joined together using traditional narrative film techniques such as voiceover, dissolves, fades and music. As the man begins to ‘live’ more and more in the ‘past’ with his lover, the space between these frames speeds up to resemble ‘motion picture’ speed at one point. The stuffed animals in the museum are also ‘frozen’ in a single moment. Your own idea:

Aesthetic binary oppositions The use of still photo images are combined with traditional narrative cinematic techniques that bring them ‘to life’… until the moment around 18:00 when they flow together.

Effect of these oppositions? Shows the intensity of emotion the narrator feels with his lover: like he is finally ‘living’ in moving time rather than a series of frozen, separated moments.  Your example: Alternatively, this technique could be seen a an attempt to create a look of “found footage”- someone in the diegetic world or le jete, presumably in the future has found documentation of the man and his memories that the scientists recorded. The use of still image filmmaking creates the effect of someone looking through an album of pictures. Additionally, the score in this film could be an indicator of this presumed person’s feelings and emotions while looking through these findings.

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme-  The tragic romance and themes of memory in this film inspired me to base my stylistic choices on a French new wave technique, although I would like to take a different route away from having my film be a romance. The post-war industrial setting was not my preference, although the characters being doomed from the beginning is a plot/theme that I would like to explore further.

Creating enigmas-  The themes of mystery and tension created throughout this scene have inspired my thoughts about set design. I liked the dark lighting and cinematography which influenced the dark themes of this short film. Although I do not plan on having a romantic interest in this film as I want to keep the cast as small as possible so that the audience can be enriched with the themes and aesthetic of the story.

Narrative structure (non-/linear? Open/ closed ending?) I like the idea of a circular story, finishing where I started

Striking use of technical features. I liked the idea of the circular story line, while also keeping elements of mystery. We do not find out if this process will repeat forever or if a resolution is ever found.