Textual Analysis: Inside

Directed by Trevor Sands

Time: 5.08

Country: USA

Filming Location: Illinois

Company: Quality Filmed Entertainment

Inside is a short film written and directed by Trevor Sands, released in 2002 it won two awards. San Diego Film festival, Festival award in the category for Best short Film and also Film and video short Narrative at San Francisco International film festival Golden Gate award.

The short film introduces as to a young man who is later named as Daniel portrayed by Jeremy Sisto who suffers from a multiple personality disorder. We follow him as he’s escorted to see the doctor.

The film opens with slight whispers heard under and atmospheric tone that rings as the name of the film appears from the centre. Immediately this plays on the fact that the films title is 'Inside' and the title is unveiled for inside its self. After the title disappears light shines through and an out of focus shot is viewed, we then hear the sound of keys unlocking the doors and a voice delivering the line that the

“doctor is ready to see you,”

automatically a high angle shot is seen of the character this line is directed to, this angle shows him as a vulnerable character in an isolated place. From this we the audience know that he’s in a under a certain type of surveillance and needs medical attention as he has to visit a doctor. The way that this character is portrayed to us draws us to feel sympathy towards him as we are not allowed to see him on the same camera level otherwise forced to look down at him from a high angle.

In the high angle birds eye shot we see him wearing only white clothes with no shoes sited with his feet crossed and only minimum lighting is around, the light source can be clearly seen to be from above this means that the light was only able to come through when the door was open. It takes to repeats of the same statement and the guard who opens the door enters to pull Daniel to his feet.

After his lifted to his feet and walks outside the room all three walk away from the camera, the shot being positioned that all three men’s feet will be seen and as they walk further on into the distance. This is something the director to show that we the audience have no attachment to him and can't offer any assistance to him either.

As he’s being escorted down to see the doctor both guard on each side there are followed by endless whispers atmospheric sound that build also the chiming of the guards keys and flickering of lights that are unsteady about to switch off, during this time we hear a more in control voice amongst the other whispers but its hard to fully concentrate on all that said by the voice, we hear as much to know that it’s a female that confidently sates the sentence

“Suffering from condition known as multiple personality disorder”

At this point the whispers get more profound and we also notice an appearance of a young girl and as the two guards escort Daniel down the corridor more and more people appear beside them steadily walking in phase with them. The director shows the importance of these character by making sure a clear mid-shot is captured this lets the audience know that they have a significance to the character Daniel.

Sands use of pure colours and natural tones in this film brings out the vulnerability of the characters that he portrays it also shows that even though one would have the colours representing purity could completely be on the opposite side and be striving for control. Sands also leave the film to his audiences’ interpretation after watching it for the first time I was shocked by the twist at the end and spent time breaking it down to be able to find an interpretation to what happened. The nurse that Daniel meets is part of the many people who are inside him, but the nurse is the one who has control over the other personalities enough power to get him under control so that he can pass his check up so and be released from the institution.