Short Film Review: 'Camera Test Subject' (2020)
How awful can a simple camera test be? Well, if you’ve ever been in front of the camera you may be accustomed to just how tedious it can be. Even for someone excited about acting — perhaps a career professional — the sheer thought of just standing a
★★★½
NR - Drama (2 minutes)
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“A peek inside the mind of an actor in the throes of something truly terrible: a camera test.”
— Official Synopsis
How awful can a single camera test be? Well, if you’ve ever been in front of the camera you may be accustomed to just how tedious it can be. Even for someone passionate about acting — perhaps a career professional — the sheer thought of just standing around sounds horrific. In that regard, Camera Test Subject does evoke the same feeling that many in the industry are likely familiar with.
Camera Test Subject relies heavily on guerrilla-style filmmaking, and its amateur nature is its most notable achievement in the entire two minutes of the film by grasping onto the very foundational elements of filmmaking. No, you don’t need an overly complicated plot to be entertained. Some of the greatest movies have barely any plot at all; the main goal being to essentially shift your focus elsewhere: to become meta on different levels. For a short film, this approach is admirable — but ultimately menial.
However, what separates this short from being overly basic is the recognition that individuals do, indeed, crave the attention of the camera; or rather, the complete focus of attention on their subject . If we look towards the early days of cinema, people weren’t too sure how to feel about being filmed. Over the course of time, though, it became highly popularized. Now, social media and advancements in technology have accelerated the process by which people live “through the lens,” so to speak. Camera Test Subject is a subtle reminder that the even the most aggrevating parts of life are sometimes the most desirable.
Watch the full short film below and let us know what you think in the comments below!