'Just Say Hi' by John McPhail
(Link to the film)
Media Language
- Music - cheerful, sets atmosphere
- LS - establishes setting, characters
- CUs - focuses on main characters
- Parallel editing - shows connection between characters
- Facial expressions - he's trying to talk to her, she doesn't want to
- Transition - change in time
- Change in costume - also shows shift of time, creates ellipsis
- MS - focuses on his expression, notices her more, she smiles because she's being noticed
- Walking backwards - nervous to talk/look at her, she's confused at this
- CU - sees her face, awkward moment, he helps her out
- Smug expression - knows his way with women
- Grin - excited because he helped her
- Box of tissues - he helped her, he cares
- Smiling - she knows he cares
- Different shot/MS - makes audience see something different
- Changes hairstyle - wants to look appealing
- He falls over - clumsy, funny, stereotypical 'romance', instantly embarrassed
- Music - lyrics suggest feelings towards each other
- Two shot - nearly together
- He slides towards her - building up to climax
- Cut - hides new character, blocks them, frustrating for characters and audience
- Facial expression - looks determined
- Match on action - reveals it's not her, awkward
- Doubt - she may not come
- Parallel editing - shows connection, OTS finally shows how close they are
- Two shot - finally together
- Lull in music - can hear dialogue, dramatic
Narrative
Bordwell and Thompson's theory can be applied effectively to this short film. The audience doesn't know the back story of these two characters, so the plot is only focusing on how they met.
The transitions and their continuous change of clothes shows the days passing, but it is unclear if it is consecutive. However, the plot does leave an ellipsis as to what they do when they're not at the bus stop; do they think of each other?
At the end, when they finally meet, the audience can only assume that they continue on into a conversation that hopefully leads to some form of relationship, even when it's only hinted by the story.
The transitions and their continuous change of clothes shows the days passing, but it is unclear if it is consecutive. However, the plot does leave an ellipsis as to what they do when they're not at the bus stop; do they think of each other?
At the end, when they finally meet, the audience can only assume that they continue on into a conversation that hopefully leads to some form of relationship, even when it's only hinted by the story.
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