Identity analysis - Alex

Identity is a short film about living in a world where everybody wears masks due to lack of self-identity, a brave girl encounters the truth that sets her free.

The first thing we see for this film is the title “Identity” which is on screen when the non-diegetic sound of a record playing backwards is playing. This gives a sense of disorientation and discombobulation which reflects on how the director wants the audience to feel. The opening line to the short film is “Today, I found the truth.”, and this is done as a voice over. This intrigues the audience in finding out what this truth may be and what epiphany she comes to. This is an example of enigma.

The short film begins in reverse which makes it a non-linear narrative structure. The girl in the mask begins unmasked, but then the clip is reversed and the audience see her put the mask back on and go back in the direction from which she came. The sound effects used during this reversal is sharp, and sinister, extenuating the seriousness provoked by the opening line. This makes it parallel sound because she is walking backwards and this makes the audience feel confused.

Although the film appears to now begin in chronological order, we know that it isn’t because people are still walking backwards and supports the idea that the film is non-linear. When the mysterious girl is sat at table we can see that she is at school and judging by herself and her peers: a high school.

She sits alone as a number of people walk past her and the camera looks at this from a low angle. She is ignored and isolated and her mask (costume) is unique from everyone else’s, this suggests that she is an outcast, a lonely character. Therefore I think that this film is supposed to attract an audience who also feel lonely and out-casted and inevitably has the purpose to inspire them.

Here, we find our mystery character in a classroom. The key focus point here is the content the teacher is delivering to the class. The words “Plato’s Allegory of the Cave” are written on the board and the teacher goes on to talk about it. In Plato’s allegory, he talks about human beings living in cave all there life, lived in such a way that they cannot move their bodies and all they can see in front of them is a dark wall. They have never been outside of this cave all they know about life is this dark wall.

However one day a slave is released and he discovers a whole new world outside of this cave and because he is now the enlightened one his job is to come and free those that are still trapped in this cave. While the teacher explains this, the girl plays little attention, flicking through the pages of her book filled with intricate drawings, it is not until the teacher says “because he is now the enlightened one his job is to come and free those that are still trapped in this cave.” This suggest that the girl resented with these words and feels a sense of enlightenment and may mean that she is able to relate to what the teacher is saying. At this point she tilts her head up and the camera starts to get closer to her, the non-diegetic score music is suspenseful and tension building, implying to the audience that she will somehow be the enlightener.

It is from the classroom scene, that we can clearly see everyone around here is also wearing a mask through an establishing shot from the camera. It is made apparent that in this world: everyone is wearing a mask.

Generically a mask connotes a disguise of someone’s true identity, perhaps as fear of rejection that their true self would not suffice, or in hopes to ‘fit in’ to society’s expectations. Again this is evidence of the audience this is aimed at because it is obvious that they are reaching out to them through making the piece relatable and inspiring.

As the girl walks through the corridors, she looks at a poster. This suggests that this world in which everyone wears a mask, is an analogy for our own as it represents societies social implications of what ‘beauty’ is as is interjected though media. Often what it is deemed beautiful is very particular and specific, a look that is often unobtainable for the majority of people.

This is suggested in the poster as it writes this is what beautiful looks like: suggesting there is a singular transcript of beautiful. This implication can be seen as damaging and negative as it is likely to make the majority of society feel inadequate and worthless.

The mystery character walks through the corridor, observing her peers. She witnesses the people divide into their groups and notices a series of notable events.

This reinforces the connotation that she is the enlightened one, as whilst everyone is absorbed by their own doings, she sees what everyone else misses.

An interesting element of this short film, is this scene where the girl in a purple mask, takes off her mask in place for another one as she goes to talk to a group of people. It suggests she literary takes off one face, and applies another.

The girl has a need to modify herself, her personality dependant on who she is talking to. This implies insecurity, a low self esteem, and a need for acceptance and to conform to the group in order to be liked.

The following scene, returns to her sat at the cafeteria table alone. She looks around at her peers, sat in groups, each group wearing the same coloured mask; suggesting they are similar and belonging of each other; or perhaps a lack of individuality.

The mystery girl’s mask is unique, different to everyone else’s suggesting a sense of individuality and uniqueness to her. It further supports how she is represented, as her being the enlightened one of them all because she stands out. Here, as she sits in the cafeteria, as she was in the beginning of the short film, she is again watching everyone around here. Then we see her body language change completely as she gets up and starts to move backwards at a very fast pace.

The on screen diegetic sounds of their discussions and laughter fade to a low murmur in the background but all collide together creating a sense of distortion and drowning. At this point, the story has turned a full circle. The non-diegetic score music crescendos, suggesting that she is to fulfil her sense.

We find here in the same position as when we were first introduced to her (composition within the frame), staring at herself in the mirror, with a broken mask.

The broken mask suggests her disguise is crumbling and her true identity is breaking through. She is clearly disturbed by this as reinforced by the shaking of the camera and the dramatic non-diegetic score music.

The mystery girl, takes off her mask, revealing her face, smiling proudly at her reflection. This is implied to be an important act as no one else is seen without a mask and the build-up in her taking the mask off was slow and emotional.

It follows with the non- diegetic voice over saying “Today the truth found me.” This suggests the mask was a lie, and now her truth, is revealed bare to the world.

The girl walks out into her school, for everyone to see. As she passes, every head turns, connoting the magnitude and daringness of her removal of her mask. It is also exhibits her as the enlightened one, as the audience see her act, as an act of bravery and heroism which suggests that she is the protagonist in the piece. Others in the film see it as absorbed and outrageous which is relatable for our audience.