'Lou-Lou Lives Here' has an unclear storyline that raises questions from the start. It is by far one of the most intriguing short films I have watched and one of the shortest. Directed by Hazel Grian and released in 2005, it is a black and white film with one main character, a young girl.
1. Using black and white throughout along with the sound used I would say this short film is a thriller/mystery film. The main setting is a forest with our first shot seeing a yo
ung girl wake up in it, immediately this raises questions of which I am beginning to find is a typical thing to find in these short films. Being black and white in a forest there is times where the lighting seems to be very low key, this adds to the suspense and connotes it being a thriller. Props and sounds such as a strong wind blowing as well voices whispering are other conventions that can be typically known for being in a thriller.
2. A style used uniquely within this short film is it all being black and white, I feel that due to it being set and shot in what looks to be quite a light area, despite it being set in a forest, it would have been difficult to create low key and hard lighting. Hence it being in black and white, there are a lot more shadows and its all quite dark around the character adding to the effect that she is isolated and confused.
3. The narrative follows a little girl as she explores a forest coming across odd props along the way. Half way through the film she comes across a man who she runs away from. In the end there is a slight
twist which has caused many different views on how to look at it, it seems that the girl was really a dog all along but the director just showed the dog as a young girl, hence all of the strange actions the girl acted out such as licking her leg and interest in the dead rabbit. Again the order of this film is easy to follow and includes a set up, problem and resolution with a slight twist in the final minute also. The whole story includes many confusing points with no on screen dialogue, this lack of dialogue means the audience have only their thoughts to interpret this film. In this film there are a lot of complicating shots from all types of angles as well as many effects making it seem blurry in places, this helps to build a complicating story with many enigmas.
4. The sound is very interesting using many sounds that could easily be used in any thriller, in this film they add to the effect in confusing the audience as they tend to be quite random with sounds including the 'helicopter' at the beginning. Other sound effects such as 'crows' and 'dogs barking' add to the creepy effect. A voice over is used saying the words "lou-lou", this is also quite creepy as it is whispered tending to also be used in thrillers and horrors. The non diegetic music is used throughout the whole film includes a lot of instruments including strings and a dominant piano. Both sets of instruments are played in a minor scale and are high pitched, the fact that there isn't much other sound other than sound effects means the music is focused on quite a lot from the spectator. As our second character is introduced, the male stranger, the music gets darker with strings playing low key, this makes us weary of the character and puts him in an antaganist pov. At times the music sounds very contrapuntal and as if it isn't part of the film, it sounds improvised. This is to confuse the audience more and add to the complicated on screen action.
5. It is difficult to pick out themes and issues within this piece, at first it looks to be about a girl who has got lost and is being chased by a kidnapper, as we learn it was always a dog we figure the male character was there to retrieve it. This film definately includes the most restricted narration and enigma and with the resolution not telling us much, we are left to our own beliefs and thoughts on what it was about. We are never told anything about the girl so we aren't in a position to feel for her apart from her being alone. The male character is seen upon as being an antagonist due to the dark, low key music being played from the dominant piano as he approaches.
1. Using black and white throughout along with the sound used I would say this short film is a thriller/mystery film. The main setting is a forest with our first shot seeing a yo
ung girl wake up in it, immediately this raises questions of which I am beginning to find is a typical thing to find in these short films. Being black and white in a forest there is times where the lighting seems to be very low key, this adds to the suspense and connotes it being a thriller. Props and sounds such as a strong wind blowing as well voices whispering are other conventions that can be typically known for being in a thriller.2. A style used uniquely within this short film is it all being black and white, I feel that due to it being set and shot in what looks to be quite a light area, despite it being set in a forest, it would have been difficult to create low key and hard lighting. Hence it being in black and white, there are a lot more shadows and its all quite dark around the character adding to the effect that she is isolated and confused.
3. The narrative follows a little girl as she explores a forest coming across odd props along the way. Half way through the film she comes across a man who she runs away from. In the end there is a slight
twist which has caused many different views on how to look at it, it seems that the girl was really a dog all along but the director just showed the dog as a young girl, hence all of the strange actions the girl acted out such as licking her leg and interest in the dead rabbit. Again the order of this film is easy to follow and includes a set up, problem and resolution with a slight twist in the final minute also. The whole story includes many confusing points with no on screen dialogue, this lack of dialogue means the audience have only their thoughts to interpret this film. In this film there are a lot of complicating shots from all types of angles as well as many effects making it seem blurry in places, this helps to build a complicating story with many enigmas.4. The sound is very interesting using many sounds that could easily be used in any thriller, in this film they add to the effect in confusing the audience as they tend to be quite random with sounds including the 'helicopter' at the beginning. Other sound effects such as 'crows' and 'dogs barking' add to the creepy effect. A voice over is used saying the words "lou-lou", this is also quite creepy as it is whispered tending to also be used in thrillers and horrors. The non diegetic music is used throughout the whole film includes a lot of instruments including strings and a dominant piano. Both sets of instruments are played in a minor scale and are high pitched, the fact that there isn't much other sound other than sound effects means the music is focused on quite a lot from the spectator. As our second character is introduced, the male stranger, the music gets darker with strings playing low key, this makes us weary of the character and puts him in an antaganist pov. At times the music sounds very contrapuntal and as if it isn't part of the film, it sounds improvised. This is to confuse the audience more and add to the complicated on screen action.
5. It is difficult to pick out themes and issues within this piece, at first it looks to be about a girl who has got lost and is being chased by a kidnapper, as we learn it was always a dog we figure the male character was there to retrieve it. This film definately includes the most restricted narration and enigma and with the resolution not telling us much, we are left to our own beliefs and thoughts on what it was about. We are never told anything about the girl so we aren't in a position to feel for her apart from her being alone. The male character is seen upon as being an antagonist due to the dark, low key music being played from the dominant piano as he approaches.
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