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Mastery Journal
There once was an old lass named Meredith,
Though small she was a beast to contend with,
She took the name Willow,
Threatened all with a deathblow,
And refused to descend from her zenith.
She took the last name of Delphi,
A difficult word to classify,
She studied the art of film,
Didn’t become overwhelmed,
And watched all her dreams solidify.
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“Where does the newborn go from here? The world is vast and infinite.“
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A limerick
There is an assignment that’s bullshit
And I’d honestly rather not admit
How much I complain and despair
And rather be anywhere but here
But in the end, simply, say “well, fuck it.”
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Mastery Journal
For this journal post, I will be analyzing the sort Bedfellows by Drew Daywalt. I would consider the logline of Bedfellows to be something along the lines of: After being woken up by a phone call and unable to rouse who she thinks is Danny, her boyfriend, to answer it, Rachael reaches across the prone figure sleeping beside her, answers the phone, and is shocked to hear Danny’s voice at the other end asking to be let into the house. The genre would be horror, the tone dark, and the theme being fear.
The inciting incident in Bedfellows is the phone call that wakes up Rachael and she finds her phone missing from her bedside table (Plot Point I). Rachael cannot get Danny to give her the phone located on his bedside table (Midpoint). She leans over a sleeping form and retrieves it (Plot Point 1). She answers the phone and is shocked to hear Danny’s voice on the other end telling her he went for a walk and accidentally locked himself out of the house (Plot Point II). Stunned and scared, Rachael reaches over the prone unknown figure and attempts to pull the covers down exposing the unknown intruder (Climax). At the last second, before Rachael can pull down the covers masking the figure, he launches himself at the camera creating a jumpscare (Resolution).
What makes this short film so effective is its use of simplicity. The various elements of this short’s production design are all very simple and effective. The bedroom, make-up, nor hair are very elaborate. The simplicity of all these aspects enhances the feel of the film as it appears to be much more realistic.
The midshots and close-ups are all used very effectively after the establishing shot of the bedroom. The establishing shots of the various photographs are also very helpful to establish who these people are and the fact that they are in a relationship together. It’s a quick and effective way to lay the necessary groundwork of information in order to establish the central dramatic question. The lighting is also effective and realistic considering the time of night when the short is taking place.
It uses sound simply but effectively. The simple sound effects such as the clock ticking and the phone ringing work well as does the voice of the man from the phone. The breathing from the monster coupled with the intensity of the clock ticking and the single background note growing louder all enhance the moment of tension before it breaks. The editing of this short, like most of its other elements, is very simple but effective as well.
What I see as Bedfellows most effective element is its use of the simple. Every aspect of the film benefits from being simple which in turn enhances its believability and therefore makes it creepier. I took away from Bedfellows that less is definitely more.
The shots used to establish Rachael and Danny’s relationship were absolutely key. I plan to use a similar mechanics to establish and then reinforce the relationship between Adrian and Val Davis. I will use a hallway draped with pictures and strategically placed photos in various rooms and shots. This is a simple and effective way to establish a relationship and backstory between two characters without taking much screen time, dialogue, or exposition.
Another key component of Bedfellows effectiveness is how simple and believable the set is. The room isn’t fancy or unrealistic and is what a young couple would conceivably live in. Reflecting this idea of realism and believability, it’s going to be very important to have a house that is realistic for Adrian and Val. A slightly messy office and desk, scattered coffee cups, a slightly ragged armchair, and a hallway filled with photos are all small details that will further enhance the believability of these characters and their lives together. They must not feel like fiction, but rather like people the audience can relate to personally or recognize in friends and family. The sets should be realistic as should the individual props. The lighting should also be as real as possible. In the funeral home, however, the lighting should not be too bright, but rather be darker than what presumably is normal. This will enhance the establishing moment and also help to enhance the sorrow Adrian is experiencing. By contrast, the lighting of the house should be natural. It should be during the day and should contrast with the funeral home and Adrian’s mood. Natural shadows within the home and hallway should be preserved, but ample natural light should be used for juxtaposition. If natural light is lacking or runs out, basic lighting kits can be used. Various creative edits and cuts can be used in place of special effects as well as clever camera movements and freeze-frames.
Daywalt, Drew, Director. Bedfellows., FEWDIO, 2008, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z6xGU2_g9s. Accessed 11 May 2017.
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TheHeartOf TheEntrepreneur. (2013, August 13). Steven Spielberg Dreams For a Living. In YouTube. Retrieved April 27, 2017, from https://youtu.be/I5_cGrNoRd0
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