In the tute we screened a short film called Rolling – a film made in Film-TV1 a few years ago. In 300 words or less describe what you through worked or didn’t. At this stage we don’t expect you to have a great deal of film knowledge or language. Don’t be afraid to use your own words. Things you could talk about – script, casting, timing, camera movement, location. You may not remember much detail, if so, it could be helpful to talk about your first impressions, after all this is what most of us are left with after one viewing.

My first impression of the short film Rolling was that the overall depiction of the story idea was cleaver. I think the idea development was achieved well by beginning the film with the stacks of toilet rolls as we meet the main character as it allows the progression of the story to further develop him as a character as we learn how he came to possess all this toilet paper. I think the titling of the piece was also well done, as it’s an obvious link but not a predictable one. When I first heard the title I can’t really say what I was expecting, a part from the fact I had Tina Turner in my head for the rest of the day, but my immediate connection was not toilet paper.

In terms of script, I thought the dialogue kept the scenes going and created the necessary awkwardness to capture the crush he had on the shop assistant and the male actor did a good job of articulating this through his speech and body language. The use of location kept the story well contained and structured, the spaces were also well established for the audience, for example the panning shots of the kitchen in the house and the the stocked shelves in the supermarket. The lighting of the locations also helped with the story, the supermarket’s fluorescent bright light compared to the house’s darker light – the bright light is associated with the girl and how the boy views her, while the dark light is his life without her.

My only negative for the film would be the girl coming to his house in the end, personally I believe his character is endearing enough for the audience to love him so for him to get the girl as well I find somewhat over satisfying.