'Slap' (2014) is an NFTS short film directed by Nick Rowland about a young boxer who secretly wears makeup and women's clothes, and must come to terms with his true nature.
SLAP - BAFTA Nominated Short Film from Nick Rowland on Vimeo.
I think that Slap is a fantastic short film and easily one of the best shorts which we have studied. The fairly long running-time (by short film standards) allows for an in-depth character study which is not at all cliché or predictable. While the audience may expect the character to discover that he is either gay/trans, this is left ambiguous and the character himself doesn't know. It's a fascinating study of masculinity as, although the character enjoys wearing makeup, he also seems to genuinely enjoy more stereotypically masculine activities such as boxing. The structure of the film is fairly predictable, but effective. The lead performance is excellent and we really empathise with his character. I like the way that the film was shot with lots of handheld camera and 16mm film stock, giving a very raw, documentary-esque quality to the film.
For my short film, it may be hard to do such an in-depth character study in just 5-6 minutes, however I will definitely think about how I could avoid clichés or portray social issues in a unique and interesting way. Also, if I felt that the story suited it, I may think about using a similar style of direction.
SLAP - BAFTA Nominated Short Film from Nick Rowland on Vimeo.
I think that Slap is a fantastic short film and easily one of the best shorts which we have studied. The fairly long running-time (by short film standards) allows for an in-depth character study which is not at all cliché or predictable. While the audience may expect the character to discover that he is either gay/trans, this is left ambiguous and the character himself doesn't know. It's a fascinating study of masculinity as, although the character enjoys wearing makeup, he also seems to genuinely enjoy more stereotypically masculine activities such as boxing. The structure of the film is fairly predictable, but effective. The lead performance is excellent and we really empathise with his character. I like the way that the film was shot with lots of handheld camera and 16mm film stock, giving a very raw, documentary-esque quality to the film.
For my short film, it may be hard to do such an in-depth character study in just 5-6 minutes, however I will definitely think about how I could avoid clichés or portray social issues in a unique and interesting way. Also, if I felt that the story suited it, I may think about using a similar style of direction.
Do you think any of the micro-elements might influence your own film? Or perhaps the subject matter?
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