Research Blog: The Last Three Minutes

  Research Blog: The Last Three Minutes

            The Last Three Minutes is a short film directed by Po Chan in 2010. It is a five-minute short film drama just like how my short film will be. In it the main character, a janitor, has his life replayed for him after suffering what seems to be a cardiac arrest. A common element of dramas is making the audience feel involved in a way with the story. The film is shown to the audience from the janitor’s point of view. A camera angle is used to give the audience a more intimate view of the character. Another element of drama is evoking heavy emotions to have the audience feel for the character. The film does this with these flashbacks of the character from his worst moments to his earliest memories. The director does this to properly affect the viewer in sympathizing with the dying character. He uses this clear crystal to view his life. Starting from his wife leaving him, to when they were happy together. From fighting in the war to his elementary school days. Ultimately to his birth where the audience sees that he received the stone he’s currently using from his parents. Throughout the flashbacks, the audience hears background music played over. Nondiegetic sounds bring the audience to feel even more for the character, feeling as if they lived his life.