MRANG in 'INSiDE' - 4th Short Film Analysis

Applying the 5 Key Concepts to the Short Film 'INSiDE'

Brief Summary

'INSiDE' is a short sci-fi film about dissociative identity disorder in which a male protagonist attempts to fight away the identities buried deeply inside of his mind.

Media Language

• The titling opens the short film and it begins with a black screen and a title fades in. The titles font is white in colour and appears in the center of the screen for a few seconds before fading out again. 

• To begin with the camerawork is blurry showing the door prop opening and not establishing much setting.
• The long shot at birds eye view angle that follow this, however, provides the spectator with a view of the setting, decor and props of the room. All of which are miminal if existent and bland.

• The costume, hair and make-up of the male protagonist all suggest he is not worried over his appearance and present him rather as a prisoner.
• Medium close up shots are used at mid angle to show the male protagonist as he and two guards walk down the hallway setting.

• The lighting in the hallway setting is very low-key and gives a shadowy effect sometimes only showing silhouettes. 
• Over the shoulder shots are used of the nurse showing the male at medium close up at mid angle.
• Close ups at mid angle of the male are used showing his facial expression more to the spectator after seeing his body language.

• The female protagonist is shown through medium close up at mid angle similarly to the male protagonist.
• The females costume, hair and make-up all look formal and well put together.

• The loud dialogue on screen sound and fast pace cut transitions build to a climax and obtain a tense atmosphere.
• Costume, hair and make up then all play a massive part as a range of completely diverse people surround the room, all of whose costumes, hair and make-up appear well suited to them as well as contrasting to one another.

• Crescendo sound then builds until the female uses an exclamatory in her dialogue which leads to an eerie sound effect similar to a 'ding' followed by silence.
• Pan camera movements are used frequently throughout the short film showing more of the setting, decor and props surrounding the protagonists.
• Shot reverse shot is also used within the short film forming fluency in the dialogue as the male protagonist begins to understand who he really is.
• The 180 degree rule is broken in this short film, helping add to the distortion of the plot and the male protagonists mind.
• A two shot extreme long shot at mid angle of both the male and female protagonist is then used towards the end of the film.

• The costume, hair and make-up of the male (Doctor) who finally enters the room is formal but bland, dressing in all brown colours.

Representation

The use of the blurry effect on the camerawork at the start of the short film could be represented as though the male protagonist has just woken up, or as though he hasn't seen life form in a long amount of time.

The birds eye view angle long shot showing the male protagonists costume, hair and make-up along with the setting, decor and props in the room suggest that the male is being represented as being looked down upon; as though he is of a lower class than the guards.

The use of low-key lighting suggests a representation of the male protagonist living a dark an solemn life.

Using medium close up mid angle shots are very generic and suggest a simplistic and minimalistic impression of the male, perhaps contrasting to his inner feelings and emotions.

The close up shots used suggest a level of intimacy between the male protagonist and the spectator, showing facial expression much more clearly.

Costume, hair and make-up all play a huge part in creating the effect of the protagonist having a split personality. By using completely different colours and styles this could represent how confused he is feeling.

With the 180 degree rule being broken this could be used as a representation of the male protagonist showing that he has got to 'cross the boundaries' in order to obtain his usual self. The use of the breach also creates a more ambiguous effect and leave the spectator wondering why the technique has been used.

Audience

The target audience of this short film is much easier to identify than previous short films I have researched.

It is clear from the genre that the target demographic for the film would be males as males are stereotypically more well-known to prefer sci-fi films. I would estimate the target demographic of being between the ages of 18-25, a much less broad audience than of the other short films I have researched. I have arrived at this theory in the sense that a younger demographic may not understand the plot and that an older demographic may not find the short film as interesting or applaudable as the target demographic I have arrived at.

The target psychographic for this short film, however, I would say is anyone who has a love for psychological or science fiction films and enjoys understanding the human mind. People of a high social class, who have an interest in psychology or who are psychologists themselves, perhaps, might thrive in the creativity of this short film.

Narrative

The short film makes use of a linear structure and un-restricted narration.

Bordwell and Thompson: Story - The male has issues with dissociative identity disorder and is sent to a mental institution to be held under observation. He finally comes to terms with his disorder throughout the short film and starts to redevelop a lifestyle of which he understand who he truly is.

Plot - The plot shows how the male protagonist suffers from dissociative identity disorder and the trauma or the ordeal is emphasised. Towards the end of the short film the male manages to get the disorder under control and begins to speak to the Doctor in a way that re-assures both the Doctor and the spectator of his newly found sanity.

Todorov: Todorov's 5 stage theory can be applied here -

1. Equilibrium - Being held in rehabilitation as the protagonist deals with his disorder.
2. Disruption - Taking on new identities throughout the corridor scene and room setting scene.
3. Recognition - The female Doctor appearing and helping him.
4. Repairing of the damage - Getting the disorder under control.
5. New equilibrium - Speaking to the male Doctor as though nothing is affecting him, though it is.

Barthes: Enigma Codes - 

• Who is he?
• Costume, hair and make-up - Why is he wearing that?
• Setting, props and decor - Why is he being kept by himself in an empty room?
• Crescendo sound - What is this building to?

Action Codes - 

• Costume, hair and make-up - He is being kept as though he is a prisoner.
• Dialogue - He is speaking to a Doctor to sort out a disorder.
• Male walking in towards end - The female Doctor was also in his head.

Strauss: Binary Oppositions - 

• Sanity versus Insanity
• Male versus Female (Doctor)
• Freedom versus Surveillance 

Other theorists unmentioned are difficult if not impossible to apply to this short film. 

Genre

It is quite clear throughout this short film that the genre is sci-fi.

Rick Altman's Semantic and Syntactic Codes theory - 

Semantic Codes	Syntactic Codes
Low-key lighting – very iconographic of the sci-fi genre.	180 degree rule – The breach of the rule is very stereotypical of the sci-fi genre generating a sense of abnormality.
Medium close up shots – common of the sci-fi genre, particularly used with mid angles.	Binary oppositions – Use of contrast between sanity and insanity is a theme used frequently within the sci-fi genre.
Costume, hair and make-up – Typical of the sci-fi genre, especially with the theme of being a ‘prisoner’.
Blurry effect – Nearly always used within the sci-fi genre to give an impression of new-life or awakening.
Colours – the colours used are stereotypical of the sci-fi genre providing a dark and eerie insight to the short film.

David Buckingham and Steve Neale's Theory - The short film does involve many repetitive themes, for example the idea of being in containment, etc. Though, the short film does also take on a range of negotiation and change themes creating variation in the sic-fi genre. For example, the use of human characters compared to maybe extra-terrestrial characters is a less used concept within the genre.