The Arrival

The Arrival is a short film about a woman who contemplates on whether or not she should keep her baby, while waiting for her lover to tell him she is pregnant in a coffee shop.

The film starts with her entering a coffee shop and ordering a non-decaf coffee. This prompts the start of her thoughts and so her inner monologue that we hear throughout. As the film finishes, this original order is changed to a decaf coffee, displaying her change in decision and progression from the start.

mise-en-scene is heavily used to create an almost theatre-like performance. The cafe is very small, with a theatrical-like lighting on the left side of her face, and she is placed in the centre of the frame, as if we are receiving a first-row seat to her performance, like in a theatre production. There are also no visible cuts which adds to the authenticity of it, as making it seem as if her thoughts are all coming out at once. However, the camera is always slowly dollying in towards her, until we get to a close-up medium shot of her at the end. This makes us feel closer to her and her story and emotions, creating a connection between the audience and the character.

Her thoughts are triggered by the setting around her and people walking into the shop. For example, when there is an elderly lady paying, she thinks about how much time she has left to have a baby. Similarly, when a mother and her crying child comes in, she becomes almost in a trance and forgets she is pouring milk, spilling it everywhere.

This change in lighting creates an extremely theatrical tone and makes us feel very close to her constantly changing emotions, as it focuses all our attention on her. Her outfit is also very simple, so our focus is directed to what she is saying and her facial expressions and body movement. 

Overall, this film uses very simple techniques to convey very powerful meanings and messages about the decisions a woman faces within her life.