Operator- Short Film Analysis.

Short film analysis

https://www.shortoftheweek.com/

Genre: Drama
Short film: Operator (https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2016/04/01/operator/)

As the short film begins the audience is instantly introduced to the only setting that is used throughout the film. In order to present a stressful and busy atmosphere to the audience, ambient sounds of voices and keyboards typing is included in the first scene. Two of the most used shots during the first few seconds of Operator starting are shallow focuses. 
At first the camera focuses on an operator taking a call while the computer screen he is using is blurred out, however in the next shot while an operator is taking a call she is blurred out the screen with all the information on is in focus. I think this is done to show the
relationship between the operator and the caller in distress – both of the people are equally as important. The caller is important as they are the ones requesting immediate help in a possible life or death situation while the operator is equally as crucial as they are the ones offering advice.

 

The medium shot of a female operator talking to a frantic caller is particularly effective as she is completely surrounded by computer screens with the only light seemingly coming from the screens giving the impression that the operators are all but consumed by their jobs when they are on duty.

Another reason why I think this shot if so effective is due to the way it was set up. The previous shot to this was a close up of another operator calmly talking to a caller – up until this point the atmosphere felt settled and calm. However after this, the scene cuts to the Scottish woman as her caller screams “Fire in the house!” completely changing the feel of the scene. The camera begins an arc from right to left of the operator while she begins to quickly record details on her computer. This suggests to the audience that things are slowly becoming more intense as the caller’s voice becomes more and more panicked.  

As the film nears the end and the fire brigade has reached the woman and her son, there is a close up shot of the responders face after the call has finished. This is a really effective shot as just seconds before diegetic sounds of a siren and the panicked woman breathing heavily down the phone could be heard and then a second later everything is silent and the responder is processing what has happened.

After a couple of seconds the woman looks up from her screen and the shot changes to a shallow focus of her with another responder working behind her on their computer. An ambient sound of a telephone is ringing which suggests to the audience that calls like these are the normality and you have to forget about them no matter the outcome when the phone call ends. I the shallow focus shot is done to convey the effect that she’s ‘back in the room’ after such an intense few minutes and is ready to take the next call as immediately after she greets another caller with “Hello fire service, can I take your address please?”. And then the screen cuts to black before the credit role.