Review and critique at least one short film production

Dawn of the dead is a 2016 short zombie horror film written and directed by Rob Savage, it features a new take on the genre and tackles themes of discrimination, disability and sexual abuse throughout. 

The film is interesting in how it approaches its central story, by showing the viewer scenes with little to no context as an opening, Rob Savage manages to create a sense of intrigue while introducing the main characters.

The short as a whole works as a set-up for the actual story, not revealing what it is really about till the end. This makes for an interesting watch and leaves the viewer in a suspenseful cliffhanger where they’re wanting to know what happens next. 

Savage uses four separate narratives to display the beginnings of a zombie apocalypse all while not completely telling the viewer this, all narratives include deaf people which already gives the audience an unconventional premise for main characters. We see two deaf girls being taunted on the street by a group next to a scene of a deaf man giving an inspirational speech, by having these two moments we are offered a wider scope of how it may be dealing with not being able to hear rather than one similar story in all cases. 

The film also deals with sexual abuse and how disability can have an affect on the victim, by showing the character literally not be able to speak up for herself (as her mother doesn’t quiet understand sign language) we are given insight into a feeling of being trapped inside ourselves, and are able to sympathise with the character’s situation. 

None of these scenes have anything to directly do with a zombie apocalypse but the introduction of each one forces the viewer to question what is going to happen to these people as we learn more about them. Although at first it may be difficult to try and completely understand what is going on, this questioning of the film makes for an interesting first viewing. Savage effectively manages to set up each storyline in the 12 minute short while displaying enough information to make us empathise with the characters. 

 

The cinematography offers a bleak world these people reside in, a darkened blue colour pallet is present throughout, artistically accompanying the rising tension of what will eventually happen. At one point in the film there is a beautifully choreographed shot set in a subway, two characters are having a argument and subtitles are incorporates in a clever and stylistic manor by having them disappear and reappear as the camera travels around the actors, giving the audience the same understanding of what is being said as the characters are through sign language. 

The sound design is particularly interesting as it creates a detailed soundscape for the world inside the short, by having the main focus be deaf people this gives the sound designers a chance to build a creative listening experience while not seeming over-stylised which means it doesn’t disturb the flow of the film. 

Although the film’s budget wasn’t particularly large, Savage still manages to make a great sense of scale to the city and locations they shoot at, he uses extras to fulfil the sense of a crowded and stressful city and incorporates sound into making the places really come to life. 

Dawn of the deaf is a compelling, unique and mysteriously intriguing horror short, it offers powerful displays of deaf talent that we don’t generally see in mainstream media.