Over (2015) Dir. Jom Threlfall

Short Film Analysis: Over (2015) Dir. Jom Threlfall

Over is an especially interesting film to look at from a narrative point of view. The entire film has a reverse linear structure following the events of a tragic incident starting from 24 hours after it happened. The director chose this way of storytelling to create emphasis and a bigger shock for the audience when we see the man fall, as we are led to believe the entire way that he had been murdered. By choosing to shoot the film in this way it highlights the abnormal nature of this incident, this coupled alongside a very normal middle-class street. There is almost an element of suspense even after the fall as we are still confused about where he came from until the final title card.

The genre follows real-life crime, as the last image on the screen is to explain the true story from which this film was based off. This could be useful when coming up with ideas for a short film, I could try reading through news articles and seeing if I found anything interesting.

The audience is positioned throughout the film so that you have no idea what is happening and that questions are being continually raised, almost as if you are an onlooker in the street, without giving any answers until the final title card right at the end. This is highlighted through the use of mise-en-scene as it is shot in a very normal street prominently in daylight however the camera is gradually moving around the point of contact in the road forcing your eyes to be drawn there.

This film is very effective and resourceful in the way it is shot with what I can imagine to be a very small budget. I enjoy the way that at the beginning of the film you presume the incident to be a violent related crime and expecting there to be a victim and culprit and we continue to expect to see this right up to the very final last shot. This is probably one of the most effective uses of narrative in the short films which we studied.