Feature Film Review

Film Info:
The Greyness of Autumn follows the
final days of the life of Danny McGuire, an ostrich living in Scotland. Danny's life is suddenly turned upside down when he loses his job and his girlfriend in the same day.

Written By: Chris Quick,
Andy S. McEwan
Directed By: Chris Quick
Genre: Comedy
14 Minutes

IndyRed.com

THE GREYNESS OF AUTUMN ( 2012 )

  At first I was expecting a silly short film involving puppets. Even after reading the description, and sensing the possible serious tone, I still only saw a puppet as the lead character. Labelled as a comedy I pretty much knew what I was in for. Right? The first scenes of the film were just what I thought they would be, although done rather well. A puppet ostrich wearing a tie, and his puppet monkey housemate. Anyone who has seen Shaun Of The Dead will probably find that the monkey, has an eerie similarity with Shaun's housemate Ed. Yes. This is a comedy. Right? Not quite. Once the initial sequences of "The Greyness Of Autumn" are behind you, the real entertainment begins. Slowly, writers Chris Quick and Andy S. McEwan's short film get's darker and takes on a much more serious tone. What began as a short film of gags quickly became one of sadness and finally... death. Watching "The Greyness Of Autumn" was like falling into a hole on a sunny day... in slow motion. A short film showcasing the real problems of real people. In this case though, the seriousness of the situation is offset by the use of a puppet. But make no mistake. By the end of the film the puppet, who is Danny McGuire, is just as human as you or me.
  The lensing for "The Greyness Of Autumn" was done in a good way. Nothing fancy or complicated, just straight to the point shots. I personally feel that approach worked perfectly. To much gusto may have detracted from the story being told; since using a puppet as the lead character was wonky enough, adding fancy camera work could have pulled even more away from the dramatic elements of the story, resulting in a less than stellar viewing experience. The audio was done very nicely and a fitting assortment of music was present. Overall, the production aspects of "The Greyness Of Autumn" were quite good considering the nature of the short. Well done.
  Here lies a story that begins as a silly one, but quickly touches on a lot of elements most of us avoid. Stress and depression, life and death. All the dramatic elements that make a film a good one... done with a puppet! The best part though, when it's all said and done is quite simple. Here is a short film that is actually entertaining. For that, director Chris Quick easily earns his solid score from me.
-JT

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