Ad Astra

One main character, an external conflict and an outer space theme are the main elements of Ad Astra, a short film created by students from Montpellier-based ArtFX school.

Narrated mostly from the POV of the main character, the story focuses on showing his childhood dream, the growing up of the character, and where this dream leads him. An object is used to symbolize his dream and to bring back this image throughout the film, helping weave the story and transitioning between objective and subjective narrative POVs.

Ad Astra is divided into two main parts (the childhood and adult sections) and makes playful use of documentary footage and images to introduce historical information and give background and depth to the short’s diegesis. Narration is marked by ellipses, in this regard the function played by music is worth noting, as it helps strongly in building continuity and dictating the mood of the film. The aesthetic work is impressive, with good attention dedicated to composition and framing and notable use of CG and visual effects (don’t miss the making of link below), which is what ArtFX specializes in. Visual rhythm is high, produced mostly by editing (and complemented by music).

While most of the film is narrated descriptively, the sequence where conflict arises is shot in a more emotional tone. This change plays an important role in the film, allowing it to create a stronger connection with the audience. The expressive performances of the actors and use of tighter framing (together with faster editing pace) help transmit and build conflict.

What makes Ad Astra work so well? Childhood dreams make for a very appealing subject, and the short successfully manages to transmit the character’s dream to the audience, as well as the danger he ends up in due to it. The use of visual metaphors also adds interest to the narrative and pushes it away from the purely explicit.