Mariya-9014

 The mood of a film is portrayed by multiple visual aspects in a film. A film addressing a social issue requires strong visual features, which play a huge role in setting the mood and allow the audience to get immersed in the film. These features can include:  1) Overall Mood The dominant mood of the film is anxious, isolating, and introspective , reflecting the emotional experience of phone and social media dependency. Through visual contrast, colour design, and pacing, the audience is encouraged to feel the protagonist’s growing sense of pressure, distraction, and emotional detachment. The film’s mood evolves across the narrative: Early scenes: calm but uneasy Midpoint: tense, overstimulated, chaotic Final moments: reflective, subdued, and emotionally grounded This emotional arc mirrors the cycle of addiction → overload → awareness. 2. Visual Tone The tone is communicated primarily through colour theory , lighting , and animation style . A. Colour Palette Real-w...

  Research on representation allows me to understand how social media addiction is depicted in animated shorts, campaigns, and media targeted at youth. This understanding helps me create characters and scenarios that are authentic, relatable, and responsible while effectively conveying the film's social message. I analysed a range of films and media texts that explore digital dependency, mental health, and youth behaviour. Common representational patterns include:  Emotional Detachment Characters are often shown : isolated distracted unable to connect in real-world spaces physically present but mentally absent This is usually communicated through: downward eye-lines hunched posture duller colour palettes in “real life” scenes high-contrast neon colours in digital scenes This visual contrast symbolises the split between real vs digital identity.  Representation in Animated Short Films Animated films tend to use exaggeration and metaphor to represent psychological stat...

 When creating a film that aims to make an impactful message, it is especially important to know your target audience and the reasons for producing a film on that particular topic. Age range (e.g., 16–30) Genders: All Lifestyle indicators:  Students, young adults,  Highly active online High daily screen-time Familiar with issues such as distraction, mental health, or digital pressure Media consumption habits:  YouTube, short films, TikTok, Instagram According to various websites, research reveals that audiences expect: Expressive, stylised visuals Metaphorical storytelling to represent internal emotions Fast-paced but meaningful narratives Minimal dialogue , replaced by strong visual cues Emotional or socially aware endings Symbolism (e.g., the phone as a character, exaggerated digital environments) I also viewed various research surveys on short films online and saw that to understand the current generations and their attitudes toward animated soc...

The film example being used->  https://youtu.be/QugooaNRnsk?si=aFwKMJAlNlkSNYTP  The film opens with an establishing shot of the protagonist in their everyday environment. The framing immediately shows their relationship with their phone, suggesting dependency. A medium shot is used to show natural behaviour. A series of close-ups and insert shots focuses on the phone screen and the protagonist’s facial expressions. These shots highlight: constant checking of notifications emotional reactions to online content the compulsive routine of scrolling The tight framing isolates the character, symbolising obsession with their gadgets. The film shows the character ignoring the people around them. Wider long shots and two-shots emphasise distance from others. Composition places the protagonist physically present but mentally absent, reinforcing the theme of digital isolation. The protagonist (a little boy) looks around, seeing people (adults around him) immersed in their de...

Last year, my team and I created a thriller short film opening that featured no violence and used limited props. This year, I decided to take a different approach by focusing on a more realistic topic. I wanted something that addresses a real-life issue and feels relatable to people my age. Initially, I planned to explore psychological problems like depression or anxiety. However, while drafting a brief plan, I realized the storyline felt predictable and too similar to many projects that had already been done. I then decided to stay within psychology but shift my focus to a different issue: social media and phone addiction. I also wanted to show how this addiction can connect to or even cause other psychological challenges. I found this topic especially engaging because it lets me address multiple psychological issues through a single, relatable problem. As I am planning to do an animated film, this short film found on YouTube did give me an idea of the different types of ways ...