Short Film Analysis: Lucia, Before and After

This short film I felt was more along the lines of the darker of my two current ideas for a short film. After perusing a number of short films, of which none really piqued my interest - aside from some brothers quay and a film based off a game titled 'Papers Please', but one is stop motion and I wasn't sure whether we were allowed those and the other, though it focused on the hardships of life, it just wasn't quite what I was looking for, though would say to give it a look- I came across Lucia, Before and After, a short personal drama film which was described as being focused on a young woman who travels alone to an abortion clinic and is faced with a days wait before having the procedure performed. I felt as though the film would focus on the effects such a situation may have on a person. A woman going alone to such a place paints a picture that this is having to be done in secret, dealing with something so troubling and having to undergo dealing with it alone is something my short film will focus on (if I remain with this idea), so I thought it was the best suitor for this analysis. I wasn't entirely correct. The narrative instead focused on how a woman, though agitated and clearly somewhat troubled throughout the situation, can spend a day in a town she isn't from without any money, it shows her arguing with restaurateurs and motel employees as she tries to have an easy night before finally stealing food and sleeping in her car. The film follows a linear narrative, which allows the audience to see her change in mood throughout the day, and puts focus on her increasing desperation, the linear narrative works best in this narrative as it is set over the course of 24 hours and would seem disjointed and would distract from the narrative if it were to cut away, that is of course just for the before section (the entirety of the film) if the filmmaker had decided to include the promised 'after' segment of the film, then a nonlinear narrative could have been a good way to show how the events of the past have influenced her later life. This could have been done to show what hardships one would face if caught in an unknown place without friends or family able to help provide support. With this being done, it would reflect Lucia's current circumstances, having to run away from all that she knows to deal with a personal secret, which would otherwise damage her current relationships if found out back home. I feel that this would draw sympathy and that the metaphor would work better if the protagonist were a touch more likeable. Though I do not feel that the struggle she faces works to create a sympathetic view from the audience, it does fit the codes and conventions set by other personal dramas, it shows what the protagonist's circumstances have left them to and how it is affecting their day to day life, the focus of their social interaction and how her situation is affecting her outlook and actions, however, I feel that it fails to show any real character arc, something which is usually seen within dramas, the narrative ends before Lucia can have any real change, due to Lucia's lack of change or any sympathy being drawn from the audience, I feel that it fails to move the audience, a key role in drama productions. The narrative comes to an end just as I thought the 'After' section of the narrative should've began, she has the abortion off screen and then returns to her daily life, showing her playing with a friend in a 30 second clip before cutting to the credits. This could have been done to show that Lucia returned to normal life, only having to live with what happened as a secret. Though, if this is the only lingering effect, then I feel the narrative loses its purpose, the narrative has focused on the struggle and what an troublesome scenario Lucia has to deal with on her own, which would have worked to alter her in a natural way, ergo, the titled 'after' segment would have been interesting, it would have given the audience a look into her life 'after' the traumatic event. However, all the audience is given is a quick game of paddy cake and the end credits.  I just felt there could have been so much more to this, the minute long segment of three tap dancers out in the street trying to appear as hip as possible I feel could definitely have been cut in place for something more engaging or vital to the plot. Granted, it could've been used to show how the world just moves around people, passing them by, those three will never stop and ask the young woman how she was doing, what was wrong or if there was anything any of them can do, they just carry on with their daily lives never even knowing of her existence. During her search for food and lodging she ventures to a bar, and a lonely pregnant woman seeking refuge in a bar does do a good job of showing her current despair as well as indicating how far removed she is from the comfortable setting of home, she is visibly an outsider, which does again add to the absent but attempted aim of moving the audience. The camera moves around Lucia and a man, the way the camera framed the pair, I felt as though the man would play a part in providing a room for the night, in exchange for the usual.  But instead the camera pans around the two and she makes a run for the door, opting to just steal the food and drive around for a bit. The narrative defies -my- expectation, this may just be my somewhat pessimistic view on the world, I kept expecting things to go worse for her. Having to trade sexual favours for a place to stay, being out on the street, locked out of her car, an emotional breakdown... but none of this ever happened. Alongside a pessimistic outlook, the narrative did indicate that the situation was due a turn for the worst at every interval, this is because of the woman chasing after her, having to run away, failing to find a place to stay, driving around all day and having no money. It would have made sense for Lucia to have a worse day, and it would have added to the absent narrative thread of how she is struggling with her secret and having to make her own way to deal with it, as well as following the standard codes and conventions set by other personal dramas. The absence of these themes I feel does negate from the audience's reception of the film, it feels incomplete, this highlights the importance of  adhering to the standard codes and conventions of genres, as their absence leaves the audience wanting more, and never getting it has a disappointing affect on the audience and a negative view on the film. Aside from showing her, literally, rubbing elbows with a woman in the reception of the clinic and some minor tapping and humming in the car, she seems more put out and a little disgruntled at most. Nothing really happens, which is probably more realistic than if things did happen. And that's part of the reason of why I might take some bits from this short film to use in my short film, the displacement of the main character, it is clear that she is out of her usual place, unsure of what to do and where to go, the focus drawn to the small nervous tics a person has I liked and would like to include. Some of the camera angles and movements I liked, the panning shot in the bar I liked, by having a close panning shot of the protagonist in a crowded environment, I think could add to the isolated feeling I would like to portray. The lighting was natural for the most part (I think) which gives things a bit more of a washed out look, it isn't high definition  studio quality, it's just run of the mill, depressing life. These things I do believe I will use, and I do think this was important to look at the things I would like to focus on (primarily the struggle and the 'After') there are some things I will take and some bits I will use to, in a way, attempt to improve on the parts of this narrative I felt could've been done better in my own movie. The sound design I didn't feel was anything special, little diegetic music in the bar and the rest was natural sound effects. As seen with the nonsensical tap dancing.