Vimeo+Experience+Project

Vimeo Experience Project

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Table 7 is a live action short film written and directed by Marko Slavnic. It was chosen to be featured as short of the week on Vimeo, and is a very good piece of storytelling video. The video is extremely dramatic, and has a complete plot arc with beginning, middle, and end.

The description for Table 7 on Vimeo reads: "A couple on the brink of a breakup has an intimate conversation in a restaurant, unaware that their every word is being closely monitored. However, not all is as it seems." A couple is shown arguing at a Chinese restaurant over dinner, and the discussion is quickly spiraling downwards. unbeknownst to them, a man in a dark basement listens in intently and takes notes on the argument. Who is this man and why does he care so much about a breakup? Watch the video to find out! Overall I found the storyline to be extremely satisfying. The plot is simple but very interesting, with a very unique concept, and the ending of the video left me feeling exactly the way the director wanted his viewers to feel. I would in fact say that the story is one of the strongest points of Table 7.

The shot selection in Table 7 is also very simple, consisting of establishing shots, over-the-shoulder shots, several revealing shots for the more sinister moments and an assortment of medium to close up shots of the couple's conversation. Since almost the entire film consists of people in their seats, there are not many advanced camera techniques and special lenses for extremely wide or narrow footage, but the shots used are very effective nonetheless, closing in and retreating to fit the suspense and emotion of the moment. The film was shot with a Red One camera.

The color of the video seems to have been edited to enhance the shadows and bring out more warm colors, making the film seem very mysterious and emotional at the same time. There are not many video transitions, but the director uses one technique where the audio will carry directly over from a scene of the couple arguing straight to a shot of the mysterious man listening in through the headphones, so that aside from the static effect of the headphones, there is not cut in the dialogue. This creates a very good flow and puts the viewers even more into the moment. Overall the scene cuts alternate between shots of the couple, and shots of the eavesdropper.

The soundtrack to Table 7 is likewise very minimalistic, consisting mostly of a single piano melody line played over very quiet background strings. The strings get louder and faster towards the climax of the film, building suspense very effectively. The mood of the soundtrack changes with the emotions of the viewer. Some extra details in sound effects include background noises at the restaurant, as well as a burning light bulb in the basement. The light bult was one particular sound that stood out to me as it added to the atmosphere very well, but very subtly.

The acting in the film is decent, I would say average quality for amateur or semi-professional films. The couple's performances while fighting are quite believable, as is the tension of the man in the basement who is eavesdropping on them. The ending lines were somewhat cliche and cheesy, but that was a problem with the screenplay as well as the acting. However the soundtrack complemented the mood very well and enhanced the actors' performances greatly.

I chose this video to present because I found the plot extremely well-delivered, and I liked the idea of a simple-but-effective film whose sum was greater than its parts. Also, last semester I had written a story for English class with events almost exactly the same as Table 7, but with a different setting and mood in mind. Seeing an idea so close to my own on film was very satisfying for me.

Many of the comments to the film state that they are impressed with the plot, and about how the story keeps them guessing until the very end. Many people also praised the cinematography and simple-yet-effective camera movements. The director of the movie said that it was purely 'a labor of love', in that it was filmed purely for fun and for satisfaction rather than as a commission. I would agree with many of the comments that Table 7 is a simple film that ends up being far better than the sum of its parts.