Are you an Atlanta filmmaker? If you have a short film you would like to be reviewed for the next Short Film Showcase, email entertainment@scadconnector.com for more info.
“Escape” (2019)
Director(s): Yeliz Motro
Rating: 5/5
This senior film created for SCAD Atlanta’s animation program tells the story of a young, adventurous girl who seeks to escape her humdrum existence and ventures deep into the wilds of the woods, hoping to find serenity with the natural world around her.
“Escape” makes for a simplistic, yet nonetheless compelling, journey that would not work nearly as well if it weren’t for its stunning art direction and animation quality. The film’s seamless combination of 3D, 2D and other animation techniques blend together to craft a visually dazzling and tangible piece of student animation that truly excels. This attention to detail in the visuals brings to life a tale that will scream childhood to many who long for the days of exploring and adventuring without a care in the world. Top it off with a tender musical score and you get a wonderfully nostalgic animated short that is impossible to not smile at by the end.
“Time Flies“ (2019)
Director(s): Joshua Walquist
Rating: 3.5/5
“Time Flies” chronicles the life of a couple and the many precious moments that become important to them in the end.
An impressive feat of cinematography and editing, “Time Flies” tells a familiar and somewhat predictable story, yet does so in a manner that is elevated by its presentation. The flowing cinematography glides through the space with grace and the simple yet well-thought-out shot compositions do much of the heavy lifting storytelling wise. Similarly, the editing, despite one slightly jarring edit towards the end, works in tandem with the camera to create seamless transitions that makes the film feel like it was mostly done in one take. An overall simple yet still enjoyable short, its one worth a watch.
“Planet Homosapien“ (2019)
Director(s): Angelo Guevara-Malavé, Nick Pletcher, David Akridge and Dan Reinert
Rating: 4/5
This sci-fi flick focuses on a futuristic race of aliens who are teaching a newly established group of humans, recreated by strands of DNA. But as tensions rise, can coexistence find a way?
With its “Planet of the Apes”-esque story and thematic nature, “Planet Homosapien” has fun with its idea. The film may not be the most visually stunning and there are some creative choices that could have been committed to, but the final product still achieves what it wants to and proves to be very entertaining. The film plays itself very comedic and most of its humor lands, thanks in large part due to the dedication of its cast. It’s clear that everyone apart of this project was having a blast and that jovial energy translates perfectly to the audience.
“kya dekh raha hai?” (2018)
Director(s): Manahar Kumar
Rating: 5/5
This Emmy Award-winning documentary short looks into the lives of impoverished children roaming the urban landscape of India who must face the harsh realities of life and find ways to make it on the streets.
With a title translating to “what are you looking at,” the execution of this poignant piece of filmmaking reflects that name with amazing results. The film has a raw nature to it in large part due to the stellar cinematography that utilizes real world lighting and close ups to capture a beautiful sense of intimacy that never lets up from the first frame. A short documentary that isn’t short on quality, “kya dekh raha hai?” makes for an excellent piece of real life storytelling that truly resonates.
“Gwilliam” (2015)
Director(s): Brian Lonano
Rating: 3/5
This unapologetically grungy short focuses on an ex-con who finds himself in the alleyway of a bar intending to pleasure himself in the company of a prospective lover. However, what he ends up finding may change him for better or worse.
“Gwilliam”‘s intensely explicit nature may be off putting for some and may come off as shock value, but the film embraces this nature. The creative camera angles, filthy production design and descriptive sound design all lend to this tone and stay consistent throughout. The ending, while connecting decently enough to the rest of the film, could have used more of a punch and the puppetry used to bring the titular character to life felt stiff to a distracting level at times, despite a solid creepy design. While it isn’t perfect, “Gwilliam” still makes for a creepy little short that succeeds at getting under your skin.
