Short Film Analysis 1

The Ellington Kid

This short film tells the story of a South London Kebab shop that has a dark and sinister past. Nathan describes the stabbing of the Ellington kid to Beefy, which is conveyed to the audience through a series of flashbacks. The past and present narratives are delivered simultaneously. Nathan's voice over span's across both time frames, making the Ellington kid's story happen in real time. It puts the viewer in the moment. This effect creates a story within a story, making Nathan'a character very unique as he is a character in one plot, but a narrator in another. The cuts between shots are very frequent which builds tension and keeps the viewers intrigued. Because of the narrative of the short film, cut-away shots are crucially important, unlike in feature length films. Story telling is shown through suggestions and gossip rather than evidence or fact. The sharpening of knives and the chopping of meat in the beginning forces the audience to actively participate in the narrative and decide upon what they think is true or real. In this short film, the viewers are not given all the answers, it is for them to decide what is the truth. This short film has an open ending because it ends with one of the workers sharpening the knife he uses to cut the meat, and smirking listening to Nathan's story. Suggesting that the Ellington kid story was not a myth after all.