After learning a bit about cutting dialogue in my last editing class it was nice to see another example of overlapping dialogue. This short one-scene film follows a couple who seem to have agreed to break up and go their separate ways two months prior to this moment. The very first shot we see is of their dog, Milo. The two find themselves arguing over who should get to keep the dog. The film includes lots of shots focused entirely on Milo, as we hear them arguing the background, such as him hiding under the sofa when their argument reaches it's 'peak' in tension, and when Milo leaves the two embracing one another as if to give them some privacy at the very end of the film.
The film makes a very obvious point that the dog is of a clear focus in this film by constantly splicing in shots of him, but with it's fast-pace editing (as the tension is being built up) it almost feels... too much. After reaching the peak of tension at around 2:24, the pacing changes to reflect the film's tone/mood. This segment of the film still includes shots of Milo, but it feels more balanced as we are able to focus more on the performance of the two actors. In writing this, I've realised my critique is that I wish I was able to experience more of their reactions and body language rather than being constantly reminded of the dog. I feel that the shot of the post-it notes at 1:19 and the picture frame at 0:06 are alone clear indicators of how much the dog means to the both of them.
Comments