Goodbye Earthlings

Goodbye Earthlings is a creative SciFi short by Ylang Lebot about a woman whose encounter with a UFO turns into an unexpected fun experience. The short was produced during the artist’s studies at French school La Poudrière.

A woman character, plus a UFO with an unknown number of characters inside, no conflicts, a SciFi theme with a focus on surprise and joy are the main elements of the short.

Staged in a rural landscape, the short employs a stylized manga aesthetic, with a palette of night-time colors that contrast with white for illuminated areas, characters and objects.

The artist makes good use of extreme long shots to capture and transmit vast landscapes, complemented by close-ups to transmit the expressions of the woman character. There’s also skillful use of varying sizes of objects to create an impression of scale. Sensory images are also worth noting (the character’s hair and dress blown by the wind when the UFO rises, her feet levitating, etc.), combined effectively with leaving part of the action out of frame.

Visual rhythm is high, handled through editing, motion within the frame, changes in lighting and a few camera moves (tilt, pan and a flying camera). The later help convey the impression of flying and the character’s experience.

Sound design plays a prominent role. The short was made as an exercise for a workshop on creating a film based on a soundtrack.

What makes Goodbye Earthlings work so well? Creative script, joyful mood, great framing and composition, fun elements of surprise and stimulating sensory images.