Roses Are Red is a short film created by university students. The piece can be analysed by its use of camerawork, mise en scene, editing and sound to discover the meanings, skill and motives of the work.
Camerawork
Mid and long shots are frequently used to establish the setting and characters easily.
Other techniques of camera work are used effectively, such as the over the shoulder shot. I interpret this as symbolosing the girl (who we soon discover is the girl he thought he saw earlier in the film, and who died) perhaps watching over him. It almost reinforces the venerability of the main boy and how it is shot above him slightly. Reinforcing the vunrebility and conveying perhaps negative emotions of the character is also shown through the use of high angle shots, which again potray how small he could be feeling due to his loss.
The tracking shots frequently used allows the audience to follow the frequent movement that is used in the film and gives it more fluidity rather than cutting as the characters move. It also could be used to establish how the boy is feeling, constantly wanting to follow this girl as she walks away. At first it looks slightly 'stalkerish' but the plot soon twists and we discover he is following her perhaps out of grief and the fact it was all in his imagination in the first place implies that he is willing to 'stalk' her anyway.
The camera also zooms out frequently, and the setting that becomes visible as it zooms out reflects the emptiness the boy could be feeling.
Mise en Scene
The location of the film is first an ordinary looking outdoor space with buildings, there are barley any other characters about which conveys a sense of loneliness. The location changes into what looks to be a quite ordinary looking apartment. Perhaps hinting at a simple life to lead, and with the grievance of loosing his loved one, it is perhaps quite monotonous.
The main character is dressed in black which subtly hints his emotions, likewise the girl who we discover to be dead, is dressed in white, therefore looking angelic. Both these colours have strong emotional connotations attached to each.
The prop of the red rose which was in the girls hair is key as it represents the girl he has lost. Perhaps how he is constantly reminded of her in materialistic, everyday objects. Capturing the object drop from the girls hand is key as it perhaps reflects how he would have felt. The fact it is red links in with a colour connoted of strong emotion, such as love. Ofcourse it is also quite cleverly done as the girl is called Rose.
The weather, which was probably just due to luck, is grey and dull and is a good example of pathetic fallacy, being used to represent emotions.
The lighting is particularly dark in the ending scenes, when he is looking at the photo of the girl and himself, which was most probably intentional to again, show how he is feeling negative.
Editing
Slow motion can be recognised when the boy is looking into the photo of the girl and himself and he proceeds to put his head in his hands in remorse. This is a technique used to heighten the drama and add to the twist of the film as this is where the audience can figure out why he thought he saw the girl earlier and overall creates a more effective mood.
There is a shot of the rose, close up and the shot goes out of focus and is blurred, and I percive this as perhaps tears, and think it is a very effective way of displaying how he is feeling and also makes it more personal, like you are in his position and therefore seeing what the rose looks like with tears in your eyes.
There are fades used in the film to when the location changes, I believe this hints to the subject of death and 'fading away' that the film is about. Also, the fact he has imagined the girl being out and about, the fades hint a dream-like state he could be in.
Sound
The main piece of music used throughout the film is a repeated composition of music played in minor key, and is played on the piano, the melody that this instrument creates enforces a quite sad and emotional feel. The constant music perhaps symbolises the constant reminders the boy faces of the girl and also sticks in the audiences head quickly and is simple to remember and therefore engaging.
The music stops when the boy stops the car and realises he was just imagining the girl, and normal noises such as the non-diegetic sound of the window screen hints that he has been brought back into reality and the real word where the girl does not exist.
The dialogue is scarce and the main character only says one sentence and repeats it at the beginning and the end which suggests how he could be feeling with his monotonous lifestyle now the girl has gone and connotes a very different meaning at the end than it did at the start which is quite powerful. The radio broadcast is a clever way of allowing the audience to easily understand the plot. The fact he did not turn the radio on suggests he can constantly hear the broadcast in his head and conveys a powerful emotion.
