Critical Review

 

1. How does your short film represent social groups or issues?

I would not consider addicts to be a social group or marginalized community, but people in addiction and recovery are all over. There is a massive stigma surrounding addiction, and that is an issue. In my short film, I challenge that stigma. When I began writing my script, I wanted my actor playing Jim to be a little older, as I had a preconceived notion that a majority of the people who suffer from addiction would be older, but this turned out to be wrong. I utilized “Addictioncenter.com” to do my research, and it was there that I discovered that people in their early to mid-twenties are the most likely age to suffer from alcoholism. Upon realizing this, I cast my younger brother to play Jim, and although he is physically 13, his youthful look represents the issue that is alcoholism in young people. A lot of people don’t see the younger side of addiction, but it is a very real issue. Another issue I challenge is the stigma around men seeking mental health help. Unfortunately, in this day and age, it is seen as shameful for anyone, but mostly men, to seek mental health assistance. One of the main aspects of my short film is that Jim seeks therapy. I use it both to make a statement and advance the plot.  Additionally, young people, early-20s in this case, are less likely to go to therapy as their independence is new and they may receive criticism from their parents.

2. How do the elements of your production work together to create a sense of ‘branding’?

Branding in this modern day and age comes from a collaboration between social media and visual branding. Visual branding includes elements such as the postcard, or my website, which may not be the prettiest. Everything I made works together to create one unified brand image. I realize one mistake in creating my branding was that I don’t have a consistent visual style between my poster, my website, and Instagram, which is important to branding. Across all the platforms, however, my message is consistent. The message is to watch my short film and it is promoted everywhere. The only difference would be that the postcard promotes a specific event, which is a screening. I also have a blog, which is accessible to the public, where anyone who may be interested can find behind-the-scenes looks at what went into making my short film. In my eyes, the largest part of branding is cross-promotion. My website is the center of the cross-promotion “web” as every other part of my promotional material leads back to it. By “web,” I am referring to the interconnectivity of my promotional material. My website is linked on my postcard, as well as in the bio of my instagram and is linked in the contact section of my website. I also mentioned it at some point on my blog. The last important part of my branding is my audience engagement, which is in place from the comment section on my website as well as open Direct messages on instagram.

3. How does your short film engage with the audience?

A man named Jim fights with addiction and gambling in my short film, which also stresses the importance of getting support and assistance during the course of recovery. The film explores themes including mental health challenges and the necessity to face issues head-on while delving deeply into the difficulties faced by addicts and those in recovery. As viewers follow Jim on his battle to recovery, the script was written to arouse empathy, compassion, and a sense of hope in the audience. The viewer can identify with Jim's character in terms of the sentiments of helplessness and hopelessness that frequently go along with addiction and mental health issues. In order to overcome the difficulties of addiction, the narrative I wrote focuses on the significance of accepting responsibility for one's actions and the need to ask for and get help from others. The movie inspires the audience to face their own issues and take decisive actions in the direction of their own recovery by providing a genuine representation of Jim's struggles. Despite the difficult subject matter, the movie finishes on a good note with Jim making progress toward his recovery. This gives the listener a sense of resolution and fulfillment while also conveying a message of hope. Overall, my short film captures the audience's attention with its relatable themes, moving plot, and inspiring message of healing and hope. It is a powerful depiction of the difficulties faced by addicts and those who are recovering, and is proof of the human spirit's resiliency.

4. How did your research inform your short film and the way they use or challenge conventions?

While researching for production, I found three important points: the stigma against men getting mental health help, the way that addicts are perceived by the public, and the misconception that only older people suffer from addiction. To tackle the first point, I already had some idea as to this stigma, as I have looked for mental health help throughout my life and have faced such criticisms as “it isn’t manly,” and that I was “weak” for seeking help. I used statista to back up this point with facts, where I found that 12.1% of men received mental health help in 2021. The second convention that I challenged was that of the functionality of alcoholics. More than 6 percent of adults in the U.S. have an alcohol use disorder, about 1 in 12 men and 1 in 25 women. There is a stereotype in media that most addicts, especially alcoholics, are lower class and helpless, but that is very much not the truth. Addicts, and by no means is addiction a good thing, are able to maintain a level of success and control. I used Caron.org to research that point. The final stereotype I challenged was that only old people can suffer from addiction. This is far from true, both in personal experience as I have met young people with various addictions, but facts disprove that. Addictioncenter.com says “Individuals in their early to mid-twenties are the most likely to abuse alcohol and suffer from alcohol use disorders.”

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17-GxTk7j6NVZzvLH1lEKNBwahsYHvSE5jFuE972gtYQ/edit?usp=sharing