Camera Test Subject – A Short Film Review
At under three minutes long, writer and director Sean Meehan has managed to pack a powerful punch into such a short space of time delivering a fascinating incite into the mind of an actor in the most daunting of challenges.
What’s It All About?
A peek inside the mind of an actor in the throes of something truly terrible: a camera test.
My Opinion
This story of the actor and the cameraman is an intriguing one. Coming from the point of view of the actor, this short follows the actor as ‘The Man’ directs him. Watching through the view of the lens gives ‘The Man’ a personality of sorts. We never see him but we know he is there. The actor acknowledges the camera, he looks into it, rolls his eyes at it and even stands staring at it. Certain shots give us the impression of his playfulness, follwing the actor around at a shop, filming from behind a stand. It also his stubbornness as he refuses to stop filming and follows the actor home. We are aware that ‘TheMan’ is in complete control of the film, which makes me question, is this really a story of the actor or a story of ‘TheMan’ These simple plot points make the alot more interesting as the actor questions ‘Why him?’ was he ‘special’? I found this dynamic worked very well. Almost coming off as a battle between the two, the actor shaking his head as he captures the camera watching him, or getting frustrated at being told to do different things. As the short progresses the actor begins to question his own sanity, ‘is the camera really there? Do other people have a camera watching them? This camera test pushes this actor to his limits.
What immediately took me with this short was the slick editing and cuts throughout the film. The cinematography in this short was great. THere are some very interesting shots around New York. Giving us a different side of this fascinating side. Director Sean Meehan did an excellent job in capturing this. The short was perfectly paced never feeling too rushed considering its running time. I loved the fact that this was set during the night or early morning. The street lighting really helped to create a great atmosphere. Some quick cuts and mixing up the close and mid range shots really helped this move along at a rapid pace and keep the audience interested. The Man also filmed some interesting shots which I enjoyed from some obscure angles. The hand-cam felt as though things were always moving and although I am not usually a fan of this style of filming I thought it really worked here.
The soundtrack was another big plus for me. The track that accompanied this short was an excellent choice and really helped set the scene as well as adding to the atmosphere. A somewhat qwerky track was definitely a good fit for this. THe saxophone is an almost eerie prescence throughout the short snaking through the dialogue.
The actors’ thoughts that narrate the film are interesting. Listening to how the actor keeps himself occupied during this ‘camrea test’ and how his thoughts wonder around bouncing from one subject to another gives us the ‘push-and-pull’ relationship between the actor and the man behind the camera. The actor clearly getting frustrated at being told what to do. As he begins to question if he is special, if others can see the cameraman or if they have there own cameraman it does seem to reach a new level as things seem to take a darker twist. Does this take a more sinister turn or is this a more of a philosophical question? With these questions being left open leaves it up to your imagination to decide.
Notable Performances
Timothy J. COx is the sole performer in this short. He narrates the film, his voice giving the audinece the thoughts of the actor. But what really stands out is his visual performance. His facial expressions and mannerisms throughout are what really tell the real story. From frustration and boredom to Happiness Cox takes us on a visual journey in this film. He manages to say so much using his body langauge communicating with the audience without ever needing to mutter a word manipulating the audience with every turn of the head, raise of the eyebrow or roll of the eyes. Capturing the audience and taking them along for the ride.
The Verdict
Clocking in at under three minutes this short really punched well above its weight. I thoroughly enjoyed this short film, so much so that I immediately watched it again. Sean Meehan has delivered a fantastic piece of work that is rich in atmosphere and multi-layered. Great acting, terrific editing, a superb soundtrack and some excellent writing make this short a must watch any fan of short film.
