below
Directed by Dalton Parkinson, Below is a poetic short film about the difficulties of love and divorce. This short film features original poetry and music that accompanies a young couple struggling to grow their love in this world that relies so much on technology. Their relationship quickly falls apart as they struggle to talk about their feelings, running away for a brief moment from their emotions, and eventually ending in a divorce.
The musical score is called World of Mirrors. This piece utilizes unique synthesizers, ambiance sounds, and artificial instruments to convey an interesting premise that explores the inner depths of emotional instability. The soundtrack is all one piece that flows with the short film, never stopping for a break. Just as the original poem by Dalton tells the story of a faltering relationship, the World of Mirrors represents a world where nothing makes sense and emotions are left to be questioned. It’s a very ambiguous score that leads viewers to ponder about their own emotional and relationship state.
Below was premiered in the Winter of 2022 at the BYU-Idaho Senior Showcase in the I-Center. A full article of the making of this short film can be found on CommShowcase’s website. Check it out! I also encourage you to follow Dalton Parkinson’s growth in the film industry and I would love it if you would also subscribe to his channel!
Check out Dalton Parkinson’s Short Film: Below
unearthed
Directed by Isaac Padilla, Unearthed is set in a dystopian future where books and knowledge are made illegal by the federal government. The story follows a young woman who gets a mysterious letter in the mail from her missing father, telling her about a discovery he has made and to go and meet her at a specific location.
The soundtrack for Unearthed utilizes a lot of synthesizers and ambient sounds on top of a heavy-string ensemble. This was inspired by popular films composed by Hans Zimmer and his team. Each piece is a heavy, repeating motif that helps build the atmosphere of the story and immerse the viewer into the story.
ghost story
Directed by Garrett Hettinger, Ghost Story is a microfilm about, well a ghost. Inspired by David Lowery’s horror film: A Ghost Story; published by A24 Films, the micro-short follows a recently deceased ghost wandering the outside of an old building. The ghost wanders and lingers around the building for a time, reminiscing about life.
The score created for this short is called Smoke and Mirrors. The piece utilizes ambient sounds in dissonance to best convey discomfort and cold chills.
hard times
Directed by Wytemi (myself), Hard Times is a micro short I and a team of young filmmakers created. Hard Times is about a nameless student who is struggling over an undescribed circumstance. The student argues with the mentor figure who is leaving for the day and eventually gives up on life. This micro short is very reminiscent of life as a student in college where we often feel that the bureaucracy of education is too much for us to bear and impossible for some to achieve completion of.
The composition is Wish Upon a Moonlit Sky, a piece I wrote many months before the making of this short. The melody fits rather nicely with this film and helps add emotional weight to the short.
*This is a reconstruction and reupload. Original Article posted June 30th, 2023