'Blast Off' - Mae Webb

Blast Off

2013

Director: James William Raynard

Found: Virgin Media Shorts

Summary:A little girl since birth has dreamed of blasting off in to the stars. Building her own rocket she plans to do just that.

Why I chose this film: I chose this film because I think it's interesting the way it shows life from a child's perspective.

Representation with Media Language

AGE - 

• In the first shot (point of view shot) of the parents standing together, their body language suggests they are a couple as they are standing close with their arms around each other, their facial expressions suggest they are looking at a child as they are making baby faces (exaggerating their faces) and smiling.
• The point of view shot creates empathy with the child as we're able to see things through their eyes, and the two shot of the parents shows the child sees them as united as if one person. The shot is also of a worms eye view angle suggesting the child is very young as they are looking up at their parents as their role models.

•  The next shot of a medium close up of the baby from a birds eye view angle shows the parents have authority over the child, and also that the baby is precious and small.  
• This is an ongoing shot reverse shot sequence between the parents and baby and it creates a connection between them and shows how different generations view each other. In the two shot of the parents a tripod has been used and the shot is still suggesting suggesting the parents offer the child stability and are seen as strong and a guide. Whereas the shot of the baby is hand-held making the shot quite shaky.

• There is a voiceover throughout the shots of the child speaking in the future, we can tell the child is around 6/7 years old as she speaks quickly but elongates the ends of words. This allows us to empathise with the child as we're hearing her thoughts and feelings. She talks about going into space and how she thinks she's an alien showing how children's imagination can grow and how they have unrealistic dreams and create fantasy worlds.

• The next shot pans down over a drawing of planets etc, and the words 'Some years later' appear on screen showing this is the present. The bright colours in her room show she is still quite young and show the youthfulness and vibrancy that children surround themselves with. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• There is then some eye level shots of the child drawing pictures, a typical thing for children to do, which allows us to come down to her level and understand her world more. The close ups allow us to see how she carefully colours the pictures showing that she is trying to be grown up by colouring them in properly.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

•  The extreme close up shots of her eyes and mouth smiling show her innocence as she looks in awe of the television and is dreaming about things.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• There is also an extreme close up tracking back shot of her feet walking as she goes outside to 'go to space' which is reminiscent of a child's first steps and shows how important children view things that to adults might be seen as silly as she walks very slowly and carefully rather than running.

• This short film represents young children in the stereotypical way in that they get carried away with their dreams and live in their own world.
  
  
  
  
  
  Audience
• This film is recieved to the audience through the internet and is available on Virgin Media Shorts. Therefore it would be aimed at people who are interested in short films.
• The audience may also be women (especially mothers) as they would relate to when their child was that age and had unrealistic dreams and made a fantasy world. They may find this film amusing and sweet thinking about what similar things their child has done and seeing things from their perspective.
• This may also appeal to children of around this age, if their parents show them, as they can relate to the characters thoughts and feel as though they are similar to her and they may also share the same dream.
  
  Narrative
  
  
• This short film has a linear structure as tells the story in chronological order, however it does show the girl in the past at the beginning but makes it clear when it changes to present day. The structure also doesn't have closure as we never properly see the ending of the film, it ends with the girl saying 'blast off' with a close up of her face.
  

  

  The final shot in the film

  
  
• Todorov's Theory of Classic Narrative (1977) - this film does follow Todoro'vs theor, however 
• Equilibrium - normal life, the baby and parents communicating.
• Disruption - the girl reveals in the voice over that she thinks she is from a different planet and dreams of going back.
• Confrontation - She plans to build a rocket so she can go back to space, she starts building it.
• Resolution - she finishes building the rocket and is about to blast off into space to fulfill her dream.
• New equilibirum - we do not see this as the film ends with the audience questioning if she fulfilled her fantasy or not.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

A little girl since birth has dreamed of blasting off in to the stars. Building her own rocket she plans to do just that. - See more at: http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/3820/blast-off#.UkFUhGewV6c

A little girl since birth has dreamed of blasting off in to the stars. Building her own rocket she plans to do just that. - See more at: http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/3820/blast-off#.UkFUhGewV6c

A little girl since birth has dreamed of blasting off in to the stars. Building her own rocket she plans to do just that. - See more at: http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/3820/blast-off#.UkFUhGewV6c

A little girl since birth has dreamed of blasting off in to the stars. Building her own rocket she plans to do just that. - See more at: http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/3820/blast-off#.UkFUhGewV6c

A little girl since birth has dreamed of blasting off in to the stars. Building her own rocket she plans to do just that. - See more at: http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/3820/blast-off#.UkFUhGewV6c

A little girl since birth has dreamed of blasting off in to the stars. Building her own rocket she plans to do just that. - See more at: http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/3820/blast-off#.UkFUhGewV6c

A little girl since birth has dreamed of blasting off in to the stars. Building her own rocket she plans to do just that. - See more at: http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/3820/blast-off#.UkFUhGewV6c