Name: Blue Season
Genre: Short, Horror, Mystery
Released: 2013-04-08
Duration: 5 min
Rating: 5.1
Cast: Kenneth Jay, Daisy Ridley

Doesn't manage to make things as sharp as required but still is good for a 48 hour challenge film

Although it doesn't manage to get the line of dialogue quite right, this short film was made as part of a challenge where you are given a title, a line and a prop to get into a short film – and then you have 48 hours to write it, film it, edit it and deliver it. I have seen a few of these and few are perfect but most impress in terms of what was done with so little (planning, time, money, whatever). Blue Season opens with a young woman hanging upside down when a wrong number happens to contact her – before he hangs up she cries for help, which he gives remotely the best he can.

There is an solid 5 minute thriller here but unfortunately, while okay, this short lacks the polish and refinement to make it work. It is not in one area that this is the case but rather it is across the board. The writing; the concept is good and offers plenty of danger and mystery to draw the viewer in, however it is an odd serious of plot decisions. For example the wrong number device doesn't work as well as a deliberate rescuer would, while the escape itself doesn't have much tension or substance to it. The rush to urgency is also pretty odd – the score rises the film higher than the material and it feels over done – in particular the building noise towards an ending that we "got" 30 seconds ago already.

The lack of cohesion in delivery jars as well – the wrong number guy being the best examples; he jumps too quickly to pouring with sweat and too much is made of that with close-ups and the camera. His performance was not great either, although Ridley was good apart from some of her early clunky dialogue. The ideas here are all fine, but it jumps around a lot and maybe doesn't always construct the ideal way. It is understandable perhaps to have issues with a film made under such competition restrictions, but it doesn't mean that the film doesn't still have them at the end of the day.

The horror genre features stories that aim to elicit fear, suspense, and a sense of dread in its audience. Horror stories often explore themes related to the unknown, the supernatural, and the macabre, and they frequently evoke strong emotional reactions such as anxiety, terror, and unease.

The mystery genre features the investigation and solving of a puzzle, typically a crime or an enigmatic event. Mysteries are known for their suspenseful narratives, intricate plots, and the challenge they present to readers or viewers to piece together clues and solve the central mystery alongside the characters.

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The sci-fi genre, short for science fiction, features imaginative and futuristic concepts that are often rooted in scientific principles, technology, and possibilities. These stories delve into "what if" questions and can serve as a platform to address contemporary social, political, and ethical issues by projecting them onto future or alternate settings.

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The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

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Sarah wakes up to find herself hanging upside down. As she screams for help a phone rings and the person on the other hand helps her escape. Is all as it seems to be?

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Blue Season

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