Institutional Information:
The short film I will be analysing is called 9 Metres and is about a sixteen year old boy who believes breaking his long jump records are keeping his mother alive, as he sets out to do his most dangerous jump yet. This film was directed and written by Andres Walter, produced by M&M Productions and made in Denmark. The cinematography was by Rasmus Heise and it was edited by Lars Wissing. This short film stars the actors Benjamin Gabrielsen as Daniel the main character and Oliver Methling Sondergaard as Bubka. This short has won awards at a number of film festivals a few including: Winner of best children and youth film at the Odense International Film Festival, winner of the international audience award at Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival and came second in the best teen film award at Kuki Children and Youth Film Festival. This film was also shortlisted for an Oscar for 'Best live action short' in 2013.
Shots:
The short film opens with a handheld close up shot of the main protagonist stood at the top of a building. This shot also acts as an establishing shot as it shows us the location. The fact that the shot is handheld creates a sense of unease as he is stood at such a height, it gives the audience a taste of the vertigo the character is experiencing. This also a good representation of the protagonist's character as he is presented as seeming a bit lost as the world passes by without him, this is because he is carrying the weight of his sick mother on his shoulders as he believes if he can beat his record he can wake his Mother up again.
This is then followed by a high angle shot of the main protagonist looking down at the drop below. This shot also displays the difficulties Daniel is feeling. It shows he isn't dealing very well with his Mother's illness as he sits on the edge of the tall building recklessly. This shows he doesn't feel threatened by danger or death as he doesn't seem affected by the height, this suggests that his reality isn't appealing to him meaning death doesn't seem so scary to him due to the difficulties he is facing.
This high angle shot is used to display the hopelessness the character feels towards his Mother's illness. It could also display the huge responsibility he feels towards waking her up by setting new records.
This close up shot is used to show the Mother lifting her finger up in response to the protagonist, Daniel, telling her how he had set a new record. The close up is used to emphasise the importance of this gesture as the idea of her responding to his records is what drives the plot. This shot of her lifting her finger is a symbol of hope.
This mid shot is used at a cantered angle. With the subtitles 'She moved a finger today. Its the third time she reacts to my records.' This is the protagonist implying that she moved her finger because he set a new long jump record. This angled shot is used to imply the twisted logic this character has used as he has linked her moving her finger to him setting new records.
This wide angle long shot is used to show the vast emptiness of the pit that the protagonist is about to jump over. This adds tension to the scene as it creates a sense of danger for the audience as they know he is about to try to jump over it.
These two tracking shots are used when move backwards as he runs towards the long jump pit. These show the extremely fast speed he is running at, we also see the determination on his face as he runs, showing the audience he will do anything to save his mother.
After Daniel makes the jump the scene cuts back to the hospital room as he tells his mother about his new record. Another close up is used of the mother's hand, this links back with the earlier scene where she moved her finger in response. This shot is even close than the last, showing the desperation of the protagonist to see her finger move again. It also emphasises the disappointment the character is feeling after there is no movement.
This close up of the floor level in the lift is used to show the audience that the protagonist is about to attempt a higher jump. This again builds tension as its common knowledge that a six stories is high up.
This extreme long shot is used showing the main character setting up for the jump on the roof of the building. This long shot is extremely effective as the audience gets to see the size of the jump he is about to attempt compared to the size of him. As the shot is so far away, the protagonist looks minuscule in size, making the jump seem almost impossible, therefore building tension.
This close up shot is used of his feet when they hit the hand on the other side of the jump. This shot acts as a break from the tension as it tells the audience he has made it across safely. Using a close up signifies the importance of him making it to that sandpit.
There are also a series of point-of-view shots used throughout the short film which all act as a way of showing what the main protagonist is planning without it being told. One example is the shot of him holding his thumb up to the gap from a distance, this is a common method people use to test distances. With that knowledge, the audience can gather that he is planning his next jump.
The above shot is also used to create unease in the audience as the lighting is set up to make the pit seem endless. This puts the audience on edge as they are uncertain of what the protagonists fate will be if he doesn't make the jump.
This long shot is used to make the protagonist seem very small and helpless. In this shot the character is very vulnerable as he is close to falling to his death. Being surrounded by concrete buildings gives it a very harsh, cold tone. This could imply that the character is very vulnerable to many different elements in his life such as Mother's illness. The cold blank tone of these empty buildings also links with the similar tone presented in his Mother's hospital room.
After the protagonist enters his mother's hospital room to say goodbye, we get a close up of Daniel's hand. This links with the close ups of his Mother's hand which have been used throughout the short film every time he went to tell her about a new record. His trembling fingers show what an emotional moment this is for the character as this is what he has been trying to avoid the whole short film. The tremble in his fingers also link to the beginning of the short film when his Mother first moved her finger what he told her his first record, which is what drove the plot initially.
After the protagonist runs out the room and to the next jump, a close up shot of the numbers of the lift is used again. This links directly with the same shot used earlier when Daniel went up to set the jump up previously. This time the shot adds tension as the numbers move up slowly, delaying the dad from stopping his son from making this impossible jump. This is also reinforced by the shot of the dad banging on the wall of the lift impatiently.
Towards the end of the short film this mid shot is used with the reflection of the light on the lens in the corner. This could be used to represent the clouded and dazed mind of the protagonist as he then turns around and runs at the jump anyway as he sees this as his last resort to save his mother no matter the consequences.
Narrative:
This short film does not follow Todorov's equilibrium theory which suggests a film should have an equilibrium which is then interrupted by a disruption which is then set right and restored with a solution. This short film immediately opens with the problem of his Mother being in a coma, there is some hope when he starts to believe he can save her through setting new long jump records, however this hope is soon crushed for the audience after she doesn't move after his second record. The film also does not find a resolution as the film ends on a cliffhanger with the mother still being sick and the fate of the protagonist unknown. This film fits into the coming of age genre as the journey of the protagonist is to overcome childish superstitions, however he never does and it ends with him putting his life in serious danger due to this, therefore it doesn't follow popular film structure.
Character Representation:
Daniel is represented as being quite childish in this short film as he doesn't ever face the real problem of his mother being sick and instead focuses on childish superstitions which he naively believed will wake her up. He is presented as being unable to deal with the reality of what is happening to his parent, therefore he focuses on a made up reality he has created in his head, an example of this being after his Mother doesn't react the second time he sets a new record he still tells his friend that she moved her whole arm, when we as an audience saw she lay still.
However Daniel is also presented as being very determined as we see in the first few scenes. These shots show the tension and attention he has in his hands and feet, showing he is completely focused on setting a new record. The shot below shows the vulnerability of both Daniel and his Mother as its shot from a high angle.
Daniel also speaks frequently and turns to his younger friend for advice. This character type as the 'Heroes best friend' is a common character featured within the genre of Coming Of Age films, this also fits into Vladimir Propp's theory on characters in film.
The protagonist Daniel is also presented as always wearing the same red tracksuit throughout the short film. The colour red has connotations of danger which could be linked to or could foreshadow the danger he gets himself into frequently when trying to set new records to save his Mother. He also doesn't change out of these clothes throughout the film which is set over a few days, therefore hinting at his determination as he hasn't stopped trying since the start of the film.
Editing:
Shot reverse shot and over-the-shoulder shots is a technique used throughout this short film. One example of this is when he is talking with his best friend while sitting on the bleachers next to the long jump track. These demonstrate the close and equal relationship these characters have as they are friends. However when Daniel mentions the fact that his Mother will be taken off life support, they use a mid shot of him however it isn't an over-the-shoulder shot, as his friend isn't in the shot. This could represent how alone he feels in the situation.
An eye-line match is used at 3:05, this shows a point-of-view shot of Daniel looking up at the building and measuring it with his thumb, then we see a shot of him with this thumb up again out of the shot. This tells the audience that he is measuring the rough size of the building.
A match on action is used to show Daniel dropping the can into the dark concrete gap in the floor. This is used to show continuity between the shots and emphasises the depth of the pit. It also gives us a glimpse at the reaction of both characters as each different shot focuses on a different character or object while the same action is occurring.
Jump cuts are used of the protagonist when he is preparing to make his first jump. This gives the effect of him being in two minds about whether to do the jump or not. It also builds tension as you can see he is under a lot of stress making the idea of him jumping a lot more dangerous in the audiences mind, making the actual jump a lot more dramatic.
A fade transition is used between the scene of the boy sat with his mother and when he comes out the room into the corridor to face his friend after the disappointment of his mother not reacting to his new record. The transition hints that some time has passed between the two scenes. It could also represent the new mindset the character leaves the room in, he leaves his emotion in that hospital room as when he leaves he lies to his friend about her moving her whole arm when in reality she didn't move at all.
Cross Cutting is used to play two scenes along side each other. These two scenes are Daniel sat on the roof of the building contemplating whether to jump as a desperate last attempt to save his mother and he scene with his dad trying to find him and eventually going into the lift to meet him on the roof and stop him. Editing these two scenes to run at the same time builds tension for the viewer as it leaves the question of whether the dad will get to Daniel before he jumps and stop him in time.
Just before Daniel jumps cross cutting is used again. This time it cuts between Daniel preparing for the jump and the Mother in her hospital bed. This gives the audience a reminder of what the stakes are for whether he jumps for not as this is what he believes to be the last chance to save her.
As Daniel completes the run up for the jump it goes into slow motion. This is used to dramatise the fact that he is putting himself in a very dangerous situation and its unsure of whether he will make the jump or not. This is an effective way of building tension as it drags the moment out longer increasing the audience's anticipation.
Sound:
In the beginning of the short film, as Daniel focuses and prepares for his long jump, the non-diegetic ringing noise fades out to a very low bass sound, this represents his focus as he prepares to run.
A sound bridge is used to tie these two scenes together. As Daniel lands the long jump in the first screenshot, upon impact instead of hearing the thud of his landing the sound is replaced with the beep of a hospital machine. This noise carries on as he stands up and as it cuts to the next scene which shows the Mother in hospital connected to the machines. This sound bridge immediately links these two elements of the short film together e.g. the long jump records and his mother's illness, which is the key theme throughout. Sound bridges are used throughout the short film a few examples being when he tells his friend he hasn't set anymore new records at 1:54 and after the hospital scene when he tells his dad his mother reacts to his records at 1:10.
At 2:20, non-diegetic music is added after his friend tells him about the fact he runs faster when he is being chased and the protagonist gets an idea and the scene cuts to him doing research online. This music gives the impression that he is putting together a plan. This music gets louder and more layered when it cuts to him outside physically measuring the distance between the buildings, this change to the music demonstrates his plan being solidified.
At 4:06, the diegetic water droplet sound in the concrete building where Daniel is about to perform his first jump makes the setting seem cold and damp. This adds to the discomfort the audience should feel in the moment he makes his first jump.
At 4:51 when Daniel is about to try the jump the sound echoes and becomes distant, this adds to the idea the character is overcome with fear and that his head is somewhere else. The music used when he runs has a beat similar to a heart beating very fast, this adds tension to the moment.
When Daniel arrives at the hospital and tells her about the new record and she doesn't the sound again becomes very echoed and elongated as he lifts her finger up himself, mimicking her reaction previously. This points out his devastation in her lack of movement.
At 9:00, when Daniel prepares for another jump the sound fades out to silent, again representing his concentration before he jumps, also building tension for the audience. At 9:24 when he makes the jump and starts shouting out to his mum, sad music is used to represent the loss of hope in the moment. This music then stops once he jumps again and is hanging off the edge, this sudden end to the music will add to the shock of him being in danger.
In the scene where Daniel is saying goodbye to his mum just before he runs out the door the music gets very loud, representing his clouded mind as he tries to decide whether or not he should try one last time. The music suddenly stops as he makes a fist with his hand, showing the audience he has made his decision and this is the moment he needs to act on it.
Mis En Scene:
As well as having connotations of danger, the colour red also connotes love. This represents his undying love for his mother and his passion to wake her up again by putting himself in dangerous situations with the hope that his new records will wake her up. Having the mother wearing a white hospital gown makes her seem euphoric, angelic and just out of reach for Daniel. Having the best friend wearing a grey hoodie throughout the short film represents strength and stability as this is who Daniel always goes to for support and advice.
The setting of the short film is conventional for the coming of age genre, being set in a city. It makes the film feel very cold and empty for the protagonist as he surrounded by concrete grey buildings. Another elements which conform with the genre is the graffiti on the wall outside where Daniel makes the 6 metre jump. The hospital is also a common setting for this genre in film. The lighting in the hospital is very dim and miserable making the room seem depressing and dull. In scenes where Daniel is told bad news the lighting is very dark, for example when he is telling his friend about how they are thinking of turning off her life support, this presents his almost complete lack of hope as he searches and waits for a solution. In scenes such as the second jump he successfully makes the lighting is very natural, bright and sunny, this is represents the fact that he has set a new record.
Conclusion:
Overall, there are many different elements used in this short film which I can bring into my own. For example I think they way they use colours in the clothing of the characters to represent their personalities is interesting and would be good to include in my own. The lighting in this short film is one of their most successful elements and is something I will plan out in my own piece to make sure it reflects the mood in the scene. I also really like the sound bridges used in this short film and will incorporate these into my own.
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