Wasp (short film notes)

Wasp (short film notes)


The beginning of this film could be compared to another film that we analyse within film a level- captain fantastic. Both of the films begin in the middle of the action with no explanation as to what is happening and no sound over the top of the scenes. Both of these film start of, not by aligning us with the parental figure, but instead allowing us to make our own judgment of the parent and their choices, but go on to explain that the parents truly love and care about their children. Another thing that captain fantastic and Wasp have in common is that the “main character” isn’t specifically just a lovable character, each one has flaws that get exposed as the film goes on, but both characters truly care about there kids, and when it comes down to it, choose to make the decisions that would benefit their children, rather than support their own personal gain. The films do not create loveable characters, they make relatable parents instead, showing the struggle that mainly parents, especially single parents go through, having to sacrifice your life and sometimes your own dreams to do what is best for your kids, but rather than use this message to portray a negative view of life, both of the films show the comprise that can be made, where you can still follow your dream, and support your children.


There are not really “binary opposites” in the same way that some films have binary opposites, as there isn’t two characters that directly oppose each other, however, you could argue that the binary opposites in this film are not people, but a battle within the mother (Zoe) of the film. She is two different people in her head, and she does not seem to realise that you cannot just separate your love life from your children. One hand she has an overall need to be a good mother to her  children, trying her hardest to feed them and make then happy, but on the other hand she still wants to be the person that she was in her youth, represent by her compulsive need to lie to David about her children, although logically she knows that she cant keep something that big a secret forever. This battle within herself results in her almost ruining both parts of her life, as she could of easily lost her children if someone had reported that they had been left alone outside by themselves, and she almost loses David, as he eventually figures out that they are her kids, and she isn’t in fact babysitting.


Narrative resolution within this short film is different from the other short film that we recently watched (Wallace and Gromit: The wrong trousers), as rather than neatly tie up all the issues that the characters have, this is much more open to the watchers interpretation. We do not see a particularly positive or negative ending. We do not see the kids get taken away from their mother, something that some people may consider to be a “good” ending, although not a happy one, some may even consider it a negative ending because the kids remain with a parent that is clearly endangering her children, however the this would be a fairly extreme view. Although it is not exactly a positive or negative ending, I would argue that it leans towards a more positive ending, as although we don’t get a confirmed solution to all the problems, we see the kids in David’s (the potential love interests) car, suggesting that although there isn’t a particularly “happily ever after” type ending, it suggests to the audience that maybe, in the future there will be a brighter life for the characters within the film.


Film form is used within the first scene to create tension and entice the audience. As this film is a short film, it doesn’t have the time to establish a quick family backstory or explain the situation slowly, withholding information from is its views (unlike in captain fantastic where we slowly piece together information about the mother), the use of film form helps us to gather facts about the family in a quick way, for example the setting is made obvious from the start of the film, the streets are clean, there is litter lying around, and the hallway that they are walking down is not well lit, this allows the audience to understand the situation that are characters are living in, they are a working class family. This allows us to sympathise with Zoe, as she is a single mother trying to provide for her kids, and we soon learn that that father of the children is not around to help support her. Another clue to their living situation is their wardrobe, for example, are first introduction to Zoe is her in her nightgown, without shoes on, while the rest of the kids are dressed and ready, this suggests to us that Zoe has been sleeping in while she lets her fairly young children go out by themselves, showing the struggles that will continue to be a theme for her throughout the short film.