1. SHORT FILM ANALYSIS
1 – THE DATE
Sharna Mandil

2. The Date (iCandy Productions)
 This is a short romantic comedy film, which
has no dialogue throughout and instead has
sound effects and music playing.
 It is based around one central character, a
male, whom we know no personal information
about (age, etc), who sets up a date from his
home. However, his date stands him up... Or
so he thinks.

3. Film analysis
 The film opens with simple
text, which connotes to the
audience that the film isn’t
going to be too extravagant
and over the top, but instead
a short simple film that gets
its point quickly.
 Behind the text is a boiling
saucepan which also
connotes to the audience that
the film may involve some
sort of cooking, potentially for
the date, and sets up a scene
for the audience of a
kitchen, as this is where

4. Film analysis
 An over the shoulder shot,
reveals the setting of the
opening scene to the
audience, along with some
close up shots of the food he
is preparing.
 The opening setting of the
main character is in the
kitchen where he is preparing
food for his date. The setting
of the kitchen gives the
audience quite a homely feel,
and the bright colours of the
opening setting creates a
warm, calm atmosphere.

5. Film analysis
 The music within the opening
scenes of this short film is fast
and snappy, which shows the
characters anticipation for his
date, and throughout the
short film the non diegetic
score music changes
depending on the characters
mood.
 The characters clothing in the
opening scenes is quite
casual and laid back and
fashionable, so we as an
audience assume he is quite
young.

6. Film analysis
 The director has chosen to
use an establishing shot to
tell the audience that the
majority of the action will take
place within the dining
room, where he is preparing
for his date.
 The non diegetic music has
now sped up, which further
highlights and connotes the
characters anticipation for the
date, as we assume as an
audience he has never had a
date before as he is rushing
around even though he has
plenty of time.

7. Film analysis
 The next few shots within the
dining room, show the
character placing numerous
items on the table such as
candles, roses and red wine
onto the table.
 The director uses close up
shots so the audience can be
shown detail of the items.
This also shows to the
audience that the character is
presumably a perfectionist
and is going to all lengths to
ensure his date will be
romantic as possible.
 The items such as candles
and roses, connote love to
the audience and are typical

8. Film analysis
 The non diegetic background
music has further sped up, again
highlighting his anticipation. The
following scenes are of the
character getting ready for the
date.
 The typical stereotype of males
when they get ready for dates is
that they try everything to look their
best and scrub up well so that they
can impress their date, which is
what the character shows. He is
shown in a medium close up shot
in the shower lathered up in soap,
it is also presumed that the
character is singing as he is
moving his mouth. However, we
can’t hear him as the whole film
has no dialogue. This adds to the
comical side of the film as by his
mouth movement the audience
can presume he is singing quite
loudly, perhaps because he is
extremely happy and excited for
his date.

9. Film analysis
 The scenes when the
character is in the
bathroom, add to the comical
genre of the film, and also are
a convention of
comedy/romantic films, as it
is showing a character trying
their best to look as good as
they can to impress their
date.
 The extreme close up used
also adds to the comical
element, as the audience can
focus on the characters facial
expressions more, which
adds to the humour of the
film.

10. Film analysis
 The audience are then
quickly introduced to a new
setting with the help of an
establishing shot, and also by
the change of the score
music in the background.
 The setting of the mans room
is a typical stereotype of a
typical males room, as it is
blue, messy and
unorganised, which is the
common held view of what
males rooms look like, and
this setting conforms to that
stereotype.

11. Film analysis
 Throughout the bedroom scene
where the man is deciding
what to wear, he does very
typical male things. Such as
seeing how “ripped” he is in the
mirror, which is a typical
stereotype of males as they are
believed to do this.
 The characters attire in this
scene is of just him in his
underwear, which adds to the
comical genre of the film.
However, the underwear
seems to have a comic strip
design which can be seen as
childish as this is what a child
would wear, which connotes to
the audience that this character
may also have an immature,

12. Film analysis
 The mans attire has changed
to more formal wear, which
shows the audience he is
now ready for his date.
 The audience also know the
man is ready for his date as
he checks his watch, which
connotes he is now just
waiting for his date to arrive.

13. Film analysis
 As the date is further approaching
the music slows down, which
suggests to the audience the date
is arriving soon.
 However, the equilibrium is soon
disrupted when he cannot get
through to his date.
 The audience are notified by this
as the non-digetic dialogue
says, “the number you’re trying to
call has not been recognised”, and
also through the clock which has
been faded in into the background
which connotes that time is
passing and that she is late and
therefore, isn’t going to show up.
 The audience then empathize with
the character as the music slows

14. Film analysis
 The director has chosen to use
an extreme close up of the
mans face to show in detail the
characters downbeat, upset
facial expression and mood, as
his date has stood him up.
 The director also alternates
between different types of shot
to show his upset. For
example, the director uses an
establishing shot of his
bedroom to show him being
alone. A bedroom usually
connotes a place of personal
space which you can go to
when you want to be by
yourself as it is an escape from
everyone, which is why the
director has used the location

15. Film analysis
 The director uses a mid shot
to show the character alone
at the table, and has also
slowed the score music down
even further to create a
sad, alone atmosphere for the
audience, so we empathize
with him.
 The props used in this scene
further help the audience to
empathize with him, as the lit
candles and the rose create a
romantic scene. However, no
one is there to share it with
him.

16. Film analysis
 As the man believes his date has stood
him up, the mood completely changes
with the help of the non-diegetic
background music, which is now quite
loud and bold.
 The close up over-the-shoulder shot of
the man shows him aggressively eating
the dinner he prepared for himself and
his date in time with the background
music. To add to the comical genre the
man also eats his dates dinner
too, which again is a typical stereotype
of a man, as a typically held belief is
that men eat a lot.
 The man also drinks the whole bottle of
wine. Wine is typically associated with
romance. However, the character
finishes the whole bottle of wine in an
aggressive manner, which connotes to
the audience that the man is drinking
the wine to drown his sorrows as his

17. Film analysis
 After the man has drank his
sorrows away and finishes
the meal, the director uses a
mid shot to show the man
sitting alone depressed as his
date didn’t arrive. The mid
shot, is quite a distanced shot
which may be a reason the
director wanted to sue this
shot, as the shot reflects the
characters mood (distanced).
 The lighting is also quite dull,
and dark with only a small
lamp providing a small bit of
brightness. The dull lighting
may also be reflecting the
characters mood.

18.  The background music has
now quietened down
drastically, and is interrupted
by a message tone from the
mans phone (diegetic
sound).
 The director uses an
extreme close up shot to
show to the audience the
mans confusion/shock as to
why he has received a text.

19. Film analysis
 It is then revealed to the
audience using an extreme
close up shot of his mobile
phone, that his date in fact
is coming to
date, however, her phone
was just playing up.
 An extreme close up of the
phone is used to make the
audience aware that the
female companion is now
coming, and to add to the
comical element as it
comes to the audiences
attention that the man has
just ate all of the food and
drank all of the wine even
though his date is coming.

20.  The director then uses an
extreme close up of the
characters expression to
show his wide-eyed shock
emotion and panic.
 The director then also uses
an extreme close up of the
man looking up at the clock to
show that the time is now
9:30, the time Chloe said she
was going to get there for.
 This whole scene is a typical
convention of a comedy
film, as in comedy films
people are usually late which
adds to the comical genre

21. Film analysis
 The director has chosen to
fade the music out of the final
scenes, so that the audience
can hear the diegetic sound of
the doorbell (presumably his
date, Chloe) which creates a
comical ending to the film, as
we are left on a cliff hanger of
what is he going to do next as
he has eaten all the food and
drank all the wine, so there is
nothing left for his date.
 The final close up of the man
used, shows his awkward
nervous expression as he has
no idea what excuse he can
come up with to his date as to
why there is no food and wine
left.

22. Film analysis
 The film then cuts to black, as
we are left on a cliff hanger
and the end credits are
shown.
 Like the beginning of the film
the ending credits are also in
simplistic text, which shows
that the film was simple and
had a clear simple narrative
easy for everyone to follow.