Cut Print Review

As much as I enjoy watching and critiquing movies, I would much rather be the one making them. When it was announced that we would be required to make a short film for my Bachelor of Media University degree at Adelaide University, I jumped at the opportunity to finally be behind the camera. But having never made a short film before, it was both a daunting and exciting experience to be appointed director and writer (as well as co-editor and co-sound designer). It was also a great challenge since we had a budget of $0 and only a few weeks to complete the film before submitting it for grading.

The final product, which is entitled Elevator (how original!), can be viewed below. It’s a thriller about a young couple, Alex (Edward Gilmore) and Sarah (Briony Kent), who get caught inside a malfunctioning elevator. What starts as in inconvenience becomes a nightmare as the elevator starts to act more and more irrationally, actively denying their avenues of escape, forcing them to question whether there’s something more  sinister at play.

Whilst there is an array things I would love to re-script, re-shoot and re-edit, I’m ultimately quite proud of the film given the restrictive circumstances surrounding the production.

By sharing this video, I realise the roles are being reverse: the critic is allowing himself to be critiqued! It’s only fair as I’ve dealt enough of it, now it’s your turn. My only ask that you if you are to leave a comment, please make it constructive criticism. You certainly have plenty of ammunition!

Thank you to the nine motivated classmates I had the pleasure to work with.

I’d particularly like to thank the actors Briony Kent, Edward Gilmore and Tess O’ Flaherty for willingly contributing their time without pay. Given they were not a part of the video production course, they were under no requirement to contribute at all. Yet without hesitation, they gave up hours upon hours of their free time and I am dearly thankful for it.