Bad Printing

 Note 

The film is spoken in French and doesn’t have subtitles, but can hopefully be understood without them.

A photo booth’s unusual printing problems triggers an internal conflict in this fun, highly psychological short by Yann Sông Le Van Ho, produced at French animation school La Poudrière.

Staged in a supermarket (urban location) and inside a photo booth, the short uses close-ups and medium shots to accentuate the expressions of the character, which together with his body language are key to transmitting the conflict to the audience. Internal sounds are also used extensively (heartbeat, heavy breathing, etc.) to show the psychological struggle of the character. Increased visual rhythm also helps heighten tension (via camera moves, editing or motion within the frame).

Also worth noting are how the anonymous crowd is employed as an amplifier of the situation, the painterly aesthetic and the inclusion of a metamorphosis sequence, which pushes the film away from purely naturalistic narration. The short offers a fun look at paranoia.