Grey
“Grey” accomplishes so many things with no words whatsoever. It’s an experimental short film that’s accompanied with some neat music to really help compliment the editing, the visuals, and the overall message the short film itself is saying.
Don’t get turned away by the word “experimental”. It’s more of a music video than anything. All music videos are experimental in a way as they compile a bunch of footage and try to convey what the overall song is trying to say. It’s pretty much the same with this one with an exception of lyrics because there are zero. Instead we get to witness two subjects – one covered in white in a white space; the other covered in black in a black space – come across a veil that holds something true to both sides. This is more of a modern dance and the way the dancers express themselves holds symbolism that we have to decipher. It’s a really cool way of conveying an idea and I have to say, I absolutely loved this short film.
One of the many things that helped this piece of art is the editing. Hands down. With precise cuts that showcase each subject mirroring the other while being in two different places makes this one interesting piece to watch. It pulls us in. The editing goes with the music and that too slowly becomes mesmerizing as the actions of the dancers help transition us further into the message behind the veil. The editing also helps the visuals stand out.
The visuals, I’ll say, are symbolic and entrancing. There’s something ambiguous and artistic with how the dancers are presented in their rooms and costumes. The dance moves alone are interesting enough to really keep our eyes glued on the screen to guess what’s going to happen next. The only way I can describe this piece is David Fincher’s “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” title sequence. The artistic skill that goes into that whole sequence is pretty much the same kind of skill that we see in the short film “Grey”. It’s ambitious, it’s visually appealing, and it’s thought-provoking. Wait. What? Thought-provoking? Yes. That is correct. This film has a lot of hidden messages within it. Be it the dance moves, the visual cues, or even the objects found within the footage itself. I don’t want to give my own interpretation in this review because I think it’s worth watching this with a fresh mind and set of eyes.
I am actually writing this as I’m re-watching the video and the music. It’s pretty meditative and focused. I hope others will watch this because this is definitely something I would share on social media or send to people through text messages bragging about how cool it is. This is a short film that will cause discussions, important discussions keep in mind, and for that reason alone I do think people need to see this. The technical aspects of this are really impressive and the message the filmmakers get across is relevant in today’s world.
