28/3/2022
What really makes a film so amazing? How have your favourite films truly made an impact on you?
There are the essential components of story, acting performance, music and many more. That said, I believe the most vital to be the cinematographic aspect; how it is constructed through the director’s camerawork and photography, transitions and placement of musical pieces. This is what truly finishes a brilliant piece. But who am I to say what is most important? The beauty of film lies of course in the perception of it all.
At Beeston Film Festival we’re lucky enough to enjoy the jaw-dropping excellence of such film-making from the array of carefully selected masterpieces on show at the festival. There is a plethora of techniques and cinematography to be observed and awarded by our prestigious B’Oscars for the most expert of film-makers.
Swipe directed by Anthony Sneed, with cinematography by Aakash Raj, is a perfect example of the level of beauty and craftsmanship to be expected at the festival. Swipe is a quirky, light-hearted film with hilariously tense camera-work and music that really makes you feel the awkwardness and embarrassment of the situation, concluded with the sweet touch of a credit scene that I refuse to spoil! Sneed’s picture is a prime piece to study when looking for a project that is carried out so professionally by the production’s film-making and techniques, one that cannot be missed from your schedule.
Another similar case is the rodent-centric animation World’s Gone Nutz, constructed masterfully by visual effect artist Daniel Robert Cohn. This brilliant, humorous animation showcases the ordinary life of a family of squirrels that then bursts into a shocking and hilarious musical depiction of our own world as ruled by the furry tree-climbers. The uproarious, catchy tune is a relatable mockery of the current social, political and economic climate we all endure today. The fantastic visual effects by Cohn really make these furry friends come to life, hilariously enhanced by his own vocal performance.
Film production and direction truly is what makes a motion picture experience. As obvious as that may sound, camera work and musical attachment can really make a scene and lead us, the viewers, to feel and react exactly as the film-makers intended. A shaky camera creeping through an old, rickety house alongside tense, sharp orchestral tones, for instance, dramatically intensifies our experience in watching horror. I myself feel very passionately about music and massively appreciate, as much as you, I’m sure, how it is used in a film and how the use of it can propel our experiences to another level. My Friend Who Shines in the Night is a beautiful blueprint of this, with its masterful musical balance in the opening sequence, orchestrated by Arthur Dairaine Andrianaivo, really setting the tone of our emotions and curiosity for the rest of the viewing.
We’re proud to be showcasing such beautifully-made productions as World’s Gone Nutz, Swipe, My Friend Who Shines in the Night at this year’s Beeston Film Festival, and we’re all eager to have you here.
See you soon!
– Kieran Storey