Get off my land compared to Ralph

Get off my land compared to Ralph

Get off my land is a short film released in 2007 directed by Douglas Ray. This is quite a dark comedy and its not until the end of the film the big punch line is delivered. From the opening of the film we see a couple. The women in walking shoes,walking trousers and a coat and a man in white trainer,jeans and jacket. From this alone we see there is quite a difference in them.When going over a fence we also see him complaining while she is on the other side. This could be foreshadowing as when there are obstacles in the way the woman just does what ever is easier but the man always questions what and why something is happens. The way they speak also suggests they come from different places as the women is very well spoken but the man is less well spoken and sounds as though he is from more a city life so is unfamiliar with what is all around whereas the woman is local and more familiar with the area. The context of why they are there or what relation they have to one and other is never told but an audience could guess they are a couple who have possibly had a row so are not really talking to each-other. Later we find out the couple are walking on private land and the man wants to fight the land owner over it. This is were the action becomes climactic, as the tension builds between both men the camera zooms in closer  and closer to there faces showing their reactions and emotions between one and other. The audience think the fight is over and then at the same time the characters and audience realize the land owner has a gun. This could link Chekhov's to gun law meaning if you put a gun in a scene it will have to be shot otherwise there is no point of it being there, so the audience know that this story will end in a grisly way. When the man and woman are shot the camera is some distance away making the audience feel like a bystander and though they can't help.At the end of the film the land owner looks at the camera  breaking the fourth wall saying how it was a footpath and at this point the audience know the story may not be that serious as they have be directly addressed by the character and the line is rather comically delivered.

Ralph is also a short film, released in 2008 and directed by Alex Winckler. It is a romantic film and follows the theme of unrequited love from first the shot of the film we know our main protagonist  is in place he is unfamiliar with. He lugs around a large suitcase wearing an outfit very different to the people around him making him look much more out of the ordinary. The protagonist has gone to France to try and find the girl he likes but has a phone number with a number missing so is frantically trying to find it. As the viewer we feel as though we are in Ralph's shoes as there are no subtitles and the other characters are speaking in another language so we are also unaware of what is happening through out. The colour pallet is also very bright and colourful suggesting that where we are is quite hot and tropical. As well the audience feel as though they can empathise with the character as we have started journey with him arriving in France and are also wanting him to find the number of the girl. Later we see love start to blossom between Ralph and a waitress and when Ralph says the girl he likes sees him like a brother this is a point of realisation for him and the audience that the girl he is after does not love him.We see as well that another man who works at the resistant likes the girl and Ralph is kicked out because he gets jealous.The action builds as Ralph is asked to leave and the sound of busy traffic in the background builds up the tension as it adds layers of anger. When the girl he is after arrives at the end of the film the audience know that the girl he really wants is the waitress. He runs off down the hill to find her and this open ended way of ending the film allows the audience to imagine what they think will really happen next. We may also feel worried for Ralph as he is quite young and is in a foreign country on his own so the audience do not know how he will manage there.

Both these films are good in throwing an audience into a story and gives them a situation and story they are not expecting when the film first starts. They both also use natural sounds to build the drama and allowing the audience to know where they are being the sound of  of birds in get off my land and the sound of traffic and people talking in Ralph. This makes the stories seem more genuine and realistic as well as the audience being  there with the characters and we feel as though we are on the journey but just bystanders as we can't help them in their situations.