The Film Machine
‘The Film Machine’ is directed by Sonia and Miriam Albert-Sobrino, and stars Whitney Palmer as Alice Guy, a professor of a film class, who after a lecture is faced with a horror behind the props door of her film studio. This entity behind the props door is referred to as “The Antagonist”, played by Jason Wixom. who is desperate to get out, but will Alice succumb to its terror? What’s really interesting about this film isn’t so much in its story, but in the technical achievements and self-referential style, making ‘The Film Machine’ an incredibly impressive short.
The story starts out quickly introducing the setting and tone of the film with a quote by Jon Waters: “Get more out of life, see a f***ed up movie”. The last word is then immediately cut off by a student, who we see cupping the breasts of a mannequin doll. Not only does it set the tone immediately, but it also lets you know what you’re getting yourself into. The directors take a meta route of storytelling by softly breaking the 4th wall with its audience. It often references when the narrative structure changes to even having dialogue given by “The Antagonist” seem as if it were aware it is in a short story. It’s a fun way to tell a story and I had a lot of fun with it’s cheekiness in nature.
The performances are entertaining, there are really only two characters on screen, with the student in the beginning, Griffith, and Alice. Alice is the standout for sure, she’s by far the character we spend the most time with and I hope to see more from Palmer in future performances. “The Antagonist” is a great vocal performance (aside from him possibly being in the end, however, it’s hard to tell) from Wixom, that I feel was very creepy and unsettling. I think there could have been a little more backstory with Alice, to make her a more rounded character. But while that for me is an issue, the short seems more interested in its concept, rather than its characters.
Technically, It’s incredibly well shot. The 6 minute short was shot in about 5 hrs, in 3 long takes, meaning they had to not only focus on getting the camera to multiple positions that would normally have to be in multiple takes, but they also had to carefully time out and choreograph the camera with the performances, which makes each frame feel so much more alive and engaging. The lighting and camera techniques used in this short are very well helmed and refreshing, albeit there are a couple transitional moments when the long take does end and the next one begins that need minor adjustments. Particularly when Alice is calling for help after trying to open the prop door. Additionally, there were a couple times in the beginning where it’s hard to hear the dialogue, where maybe adjusting the levels of the music could help.
Overall, ‘The Film Machine’ is a fun, creative short that shows great technical work and a unique, meta, tone. It’s a great example of independent filmmaking at it’s best, and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the art.
