ECHO

 DIRECTED BY LEWIS ARNOLD

'Echo' opens with a teenage girl receiving devastating news over a phone call, but all is not as it seems. The film delves into Caroline's grief and questions the decisions she makes, but what makes 'Echo' stand out as a short film is the performance of Lauren Carse in the lead role.

The use of phone calls in this film is very interesting. We only ever hear one side of the conversation, which makes it incredibly easy to trick the audience, and therefore subvert our expectations. The film also has a cyclical structure, ending as it began, with another phone call, which again we only hear one side of. Although Caroline is probably playing the same trick again, there is always the chance that in the final scene something tragic really has occurred.

Throughout the films, there are many shots of Caroline alone, but positioned on one side of the screen, as if there were someone next to her. This highlights her loneliness, as even when she is the only person in a shot, there is a lot of empty space.

There is also a motif of transport in 'Echo'. As seen in the picture, Caroline sits alone in the taxi. She also sits next to her brother on a bus, as well as helping him with his bike. There is an awkwardness in the bus with the act of sitting next to each other rather than face to face creating a sense of distance. The idea of travelling is also important in this film. Are they running away from something? And in Caroline helping her brother with his bike, is she helping him gain a sense of independence and freedom that she will never have?