Research Blog: Soft (2007)

                                                 Research Blog: Soft (2007) 

             Soft (2007) is a tense short film drama directed by Simon Ellis. The film is fifteen minutes long and depicts the terrorizing of a father and son by neighborhood teens. Throughout the film we see the emotions of the characters. The father remains visibly scared of the young teens but the son remains angry. The director uses close ups to give the audience a better understanding of the characters emotions. The conflict of the film is that while they are being terrorized the father doesn’t want to retaliate because of his fear and tries to keep the son from doing anything. Although both were assaulted only one wanted to do anything about it. The camera switches between a regular phone camera and the directors. The phone footage belongs to the teens who record their heinous acts and assaults. The audience is made to sympathize with the son with this footage ultimately siding with him. He received punches multiple times but held to not return anything or flee. The teens terrorizing this neighborhood have no self control. The audience realizes this with each act they commit, unprovoked mind you. Before the film ends the conflict is resolved, or so it seems. The father takes another beating only for the son to return with a paddle and beating the assailants. Ultimately though while the conflict is resolved the son seemingly loses respect for his father. The director uses eyeline match to show the disgust he has towards his father. The father shown to be ashamed that he couldn’t do what his son had. While the conflict was resolved or seemed like it I wonder how it really would end. Consequences happen, in my groups short film I’ll try to keep the end as the end with no possibility of questioning what will occur next.