Kiwi!

Directed by : Dony Permedi (2006)

The video begins with the title character dragging a rope that is obviously attached to something heavy. He ties the rope to a tree, and we see that the trailing end leads over a cliff. He runs to the edge of the cliff and slides down the rope to a brown platform below. The platform is perpendicular to the cliff and supported using only the aforementioned rope. Using a hammer and nails, he proceeds to nail the end of the platform to the cliff face, holding the hammer in his foot. The view zooms out to show us the platform is a tree, now nailed to the cliff by its roots. The kiwi climbs back over the cliff edge and looks over, to see many trees similarly attached to the cliff. He claps his feet together in a form of applause at the completion of his task, and proceeds to remove the rope. He runs out of frame, and returns wearing an aviators hat and goggles. He takes one final look over the edge, before moving back, and then taking a running dive over the cliff edge. We see him diving straight downwards, falling past numerous trees nailed to the cliff. The frame slowly rotates 90 degrees to the left, and suddenly the scene seems to show the kiwi soaring above a flat landscape and trees. The shot zooms in close to the kiwi, and we see him extend his small and flightless wings and proceed to flap them rapidly as though flying. He closes his eyes and a single tear escapes. The camera slows and watches as the kiwi soars on into the mist. As the scene fades to black, we hear a heartbreaking thud.

I like the end of the film and how it draws emotion from the audience as they see that single tear, it shows joy that for instance he is flying but also shows that he also knows what is going to happen. The scene fades before we see anything, we only hear the thud. I think this is effective, rather than showing what could have been a horrific scene. I think if i were to include a death or something similar in my Short, I would not show it in the film and perhaps only use the sound as 'Kiwi!' has done.