Notes on short film- 'The Fly'

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 Sound:

  •  Hear sound before action- sound bridge- situates us immediately in the action.
  • Monotonous undertones of the engine revving- builds tension, suspense, anticipation 
  • Sudden breakout of sound on the title- doesn't 'fit' with the previous aesthetic of the film- its surprising/ shocking
  • Due to the way that sound is recorded, we are able to hear the fly in the same way the actor is- thus the noise is jarring to us also- situating us with him
  • The cut-back to the bank robbery- the sound of screams/ mass violence- almost comedic as we are being invited to compare the two situations- they are mirroring each other- both are seemingly as violent as each other.
  • Credit music- heavy rock- fits with the aesthetics of the short film well- almost comedic, like a relief after what we have just seen, what the actor (and thus us) have just gone through. 
General notes:
  • When/ where is the film set?
not specific, but Mise en-scene would suggest around the 70/ early 80s.
  • Beginning, middle, end?
Beginning- when we first hear the fly, middle, when he begins to grapple with the fly, end, when the actor takes his shotgun and gets out of the car, begins shooting at the bonnet in anger and frustration. 
  • Invited to compare the drama in + out of the bank- how? what is the effect?
The frequent cuts to the doors of the bank allow us to compare the situations, with a comedic effect- each situation is seemingly as difficult. 
  • Consider performance- what direction did the actor have?
directed to push all energy into his ordeal- let the tension build- spiral into madness for comedic effect as well as concern for the spectator 
  • Genre?
Action- however, the film subverts action and crime expectations through his growing madness. 
  • Eye-line?
The spectator is positioned immediately with him and his eye-line- the actor is looking beyond the dashboard, clearly anxious about someone approaching- this fuels immediate anxiety for the spectator also. 



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