Textual Analysis – Owl Creek Bridge by director John Giwa-Amu

Owl Creek Bridge is a modern day adaption of the short story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge that won Best Short Film at the 2007 BAFTA Cymru awards. The story was adapted to follow the last days of Khalid, a young boy who is caught by a gang of racist youths.

In terms of cinematography, the director uses many wide shots to help show the central protagonist’s Khalid’s isolation when up against the youths that are chasing him. The film opens with a wide shot of a bridge, surrounded by dense woods enforcing the idea that the area is secluded and isolated. Non – diegetic sound is heard when we see the group enter, with the sound taking a deep and dark tone, the connotations of which are danger. This idea of danger is fulfilled for the audience when we see an over the shoulder shot of the protagonist being held over the side of the bridge, the use of rope makes the audience aware of the dangerous intentions of the youths. Another over the shoulder shot is used when Khalid escapes and looks back at the youths, demonstrating to the audience that the protagonist is still in danger, helping to maintain tension within the scene. The director the uses a tracking shot of Khalid running through the forest, helping to maintain the pace of the scene, as well as maintaining the sense of danger.

The film then fades to black, and a change of non-diegetic soundtrack, with a softer tone taken, as well as a change to black and white predominant colours, showing a change in time and setting. As the scene progresses a low angle wide shot is used to show Khalid and the antagonist, and the danger and threat that he poses. A mid shot is used of the antagonist is then used as he is invited into Khalid’s house to highlight his slight distress at being invited into the house. A sting and a close up is used to bring us back to the original setting, and to help re create the sense of danger and tension surrounding Khalid’s situation. Similarly, the director reverses this technique later on when the danger is supposedly passed.

As the film continues back into a flashback at the dinner table, the director uses a close up of the antagonists face when Khalid jokes with his brother, to highlight the jealousy, and therefore possible motivation for his prejudice of Khalid. This motivation is reinforced in the next flashback, when the director uses a close up of the antagonists face standing at his front door, suggesting the antagonists apprehension in entering his house, reinforced when he does open the door and the line is heard ‘Where the **** have you been’, before a fast fade to black. The director uses a mix of non diegetic and diegetic sound during the chase scenes, as well as stings to help maintain the sense of danger and pace throughout. Khalid’s costume, which is ripped and dirty highlights the struggle he has faced in trying to escape the gang.

Finally the director uses a close up, with a jump cut of Khalid’s feet as he has been caught and hung again. The jump cut to Khalid’s motionless feet makes the audience aware of Khalid’s death, as does the following wide shot if just the main antagonist looking down at his body, showing the isolation that both characters shared.