9 Frame Short Film Analysis 2

The second analyzed short film is still a psychological thriller named "The Baby Monitor" https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+baby+monitor . This short movie puts in scene a woman taking care of a baby. Her behavior is shown as a caring but still flawed mother. As she takes care of the baby, the feeling of a presence in the closet can be felt. As the woman walks through the house (more precisely as she enters the bedroom) there is a picture of a man that seems to be the baby's father. We can then hear that the father is calling on the telephone, saying that he will be a bit late.

As the woman opens the closet and its content is shown, another woman being tied up can be seen; on one of her fingers, she wears a wedding ring. The protagonist approaches the woman to hit her to tranquilize her and steals her ring, it can then be understood that she is an intruder.

Frame 1: A mid-two-shot portrays a woman holding a baby and whispering to it with a soft and reassuring voice under a softy bright light, giving the feeling of comfort and safety, suggesting that the woman is that baby's mother.

The elements of the room such as the walls and the chair being colorful give a positive tone to the scene. The blue being the color of trust, and yellow of loyalty.

Frame 2: After the protagonist puts the baby in bed and sings a lullaby, she is seen on screen using a midshot walking in the room. As she walks, a sound can be heard from the closet. The mid-shot is used here in order to film both the woman's reaction and expression of surprise when the sound in the closet is heard. After a short silence, a non-diegetic void-like music/sound starts playing making the scene tense, but yet, the room is lit and colorful, there is still a reassuring feeling of safety and comfort.

Frame 3: On the screenshot, it cannot be clearly seen but the character is throwing away in the trashbin the toy that she took away the baby. The fact that she throws aways a toy that the baby possessed, instead of just confiscating it, shows that there is something wrong with the way in which she indirectly treats the baby and that the adopted behavior isn't mother-like.

In this frame, the use of the tracking shot focalizes the attention upon the toy and action of the woman throwing it away and also empowers and gives an impact to the scene.

With a more philosophical/analytical point of view and knowing the context, the meaning of the lighting showing that the desk is bright and clean while under it it is dark and shady reflects the protagonist's (whom is an imposter) character traits: clean and nice but it hides something.

Frame 4: The fourth frame is a POV from inside the closet proving that there is something inside of it as it could only be suggested in the second analyzed frame, and a close-up onto the baby, showing that the baby is the target, that this unidentified entity inside the closet, is aiming for. The fact that the shot is mainly dark suggests that there is a danger.

The sound being smothered shows that what can be seen in this shot is the vision of this "creature" since it is enclosed.

Frame 5: In this frame, the mother-like imposter comes back to the baby's room as she hears the baby crying, therefore, also meaning that the being in the 4th frame is probably watching her; now, the atmosphere is more tense due to the fact that the danger has been confirmed; although the shot being bright and colorful again, bringing life and a feeling of safety, supported by the sounds of the baby crying as calming down as the "mother" the baby in her arms.

Frame 6: The shot being filmed using a tracking shot, demonstrates that she is discovering and exploring the house/room along the viewers, immersing them into the action and the ambiance.

The lights of the room being at first turned off, gives this impression of mistery and thrill to the action and scene, then when the woman turns the lights on, this impression wears off, but after a very short while, a mysterious and intriguing music starts playing, as she examines the picture of the man near the bed, suggesting that he is the baby's father living in that house.

Frame 7: The kitchen is shown in the dark still using a tracking shot until it reaches the phone which is ringing and being the only thing being lit on in this darkness, highlighting the importance of it.

It can be heard then that, the husband shown in the previous frame, is calling and leaving a voice message in which he uses the word "honey" which confirms that he is the baby's father and the man living in the house. His tone of voice lets understand that there is nothing wrong to worry about regarding him and from his point of view.

Frame 8: This second to last analyzed frame shows what is inside the closet, and it can be seen that the living being inside of it was a woman being tied up and gaged, this shot reveals the true nature of the character we have been following from the beginning of this short film, her being an imposter. Adding tho the mise-en-scene, the music reaches its climax with a gloomy mid-pitched note as the woman in the closet is shown indicates the revelation that this frame is.

The real mother of this baby is being filmed in the dark and using a high-angle shot shows that she is weak and endangered, facing the protagonist.

Frame 9: A close-up is then used to show the mother's hand wearing a ring onto her finger revealing that she also is the man's wife, as she struggles to take off the strings.

The sound of her heavily breathing can be heard, indicating her stress and fear of the main character, showing the real danger that is.