Echo

 Narrative 

Linear three act structure  - Uncertain/ open ended ending . Act one audience introduced to girl and supposed dilemma where her scam is the revealed . Act two we are introduced to her real self and she is caught in her lies by her brother and stander by. Act three she potentially faces a real accident or simply continues with her scam (it is left unclear to the audience). 

Genre

 Drama - Central focus on a singular person in supposed emotional distress. 

Representation

The short film is centered around and focuses on young children and family members as a whole coping and dealing with the loss of a family members which in this case is the children's father figure, presumably in an accident of sorts with the daughter various scams for cash serving as an "echo" of the incident that actually took place. 

Editing

The editing of the short film is extremely linear with simple cuts from one shot to the next being the main and only type of editing throughout with the passing of time between the scenes being conveyed entirely off screen. 

Mise en scene 

School Uniform - Makes her appear more young and vulnerable likely invoking greater sympathy from the people she tricks/scams. 

Cigarettes - Shows a more mature and adult side to her character which contrasts with the fake vulnerability she shows in the opening scene. The cigarettes could also represent an abandonment or lack of care for her future hinting at the grief and depression she feels due to the loss of her farther. They also show to the audience  what shes doing with the money she receives from people who think they are helping. 

  Lighter - Serves as a metaphor for her fleeting youth and innocence with the snuffing of the flame representing how that was destroyed when her farther was killed. 

Red Mobile phone - Serves as the main vehicle for her elaborate charade as an inaudible mouth piece of a hospital worker its red coloring hinting the audience that the supposed voice on the phone is not to be believed/trusted.       

Dark and grimy low key lighting - Represents the the teenagers depressive mental state with the lack of vibrancy further signifying this. 

The girls stressed and tearful diegetic dialogue - Adds a strong sense of authenticity which further tricks her victims and initially the audience while also alluding to her act being a rendition of the conversation she actually had when her farther died. 

Non diegetic orchestral/violin music- Played when the girl sits outside her house smoking the non diegetic music creates a sense of sadness emphasizing the depressive state she is in while also potentially commenting on the saddening idea of such a young person smoking. 

Diegetic ring tone of the schoolgirls phone - Its happy and up-beet jingle contrasts with the news she will receive from the phone. 

Cinematography

Establishing medium shot of girl walking through the crowd - Potentially suggests that the problems of loss and depression she feels are not exclusive to her and are shared by all the people in the crowed surrounding her.  

Over the shoulder medium close up when the man discovers her scam - Emphasizes the shift in tone and dynamic between her and the stranger following his discovery as he is now in a position of power to apprehend her or bring her to the police. 

Close up shot of girl - Emphasizes her emotional response and the panic/disrepair she is trying to act out in order trick others. 

Inspiration - This short film has inspired me to use more nuance in the nature of my story telling potentially leaving a story open ended or just simply not making a conventional story arc.