The Cub by Riley Stearns- Short Film Rearch Imogen

The Cub by Riley Stearns- Short Film Research Imogen Evans

About the Film (Director, Release date, Overall plot and Issues):

The short film is 5 minutes long and was created and produced by Riley Stearns. It was produced on the 20th of August 2014. I found this short film when looking at a YouTube channel which specialises in Short Films called 'VICE Shorts'. The short film explores a child growing up under the influence of a wolf pack, time moves by for 10 years showing with the location changes in the forest and at the end it represents that the girl has become a wolf from her upbringing. She shows strength, self-reliance, and cunning behaviour which replaced her timid profile at the beginning completing her fathers desires.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf1L-bxtTgc

The Cub is set in an abandoned forest and it starts with a Close Up of the young girl. A close up is used to represent the innocence of the little girl, her facial expressions have big awe eyes and her hair is tilted to the side. The close up is focused on the little girl for 20 seconds whilst the dialogue is in the background so that the audience feel sympathy for the girl.

A long shot follows of the family together, it looks like a family picture but the Father's body language is distant from the daughter as if he neglects her as a child whilst the Mother is more upset about the situation which is shown by her facial expressions which are sadden and when  she looks at the child she always lingers because she will miss her.

The short film is shot in the perspective of the Wolves, the parents and the daughter directly look into the camera mainly with mid shots as if they are talking to the wolves. This makes the short film more realistic as you feel that you understand the wolves.

When the Father has given the child to the wolves it is followed by a 40 second video of various shots of scenery, this represents the time passing by of the girl with the wolves. It emphasises the length of the 10 years.

When the 10 years has passed the parents and the girl's images have completed changed, they have all aged well and the Father makes a comment how the daughter isn't wearing the shoes he gave her. This represents how she has become known to the wolves customs and has become one.

 
A mid shot is used to show how the girl has completely turned into a wolf like character, she is covered in blood and talks to the wolves in their language saying that she killed her parents. This represents how she has become the wolf like figure being cunning and evil, she has learnt the wolves ways like her father instructed but backfired at him.