“Purr-Normal” Dir.: Noah Randle, Short Film Review, by Case Wright


Happy Horrorthon! This could be a rough start. I would normally be really rough with a short like this, BUT he’s got <500 subs and he’s definitely young. So, I’m gonna play nice.

Noah hear me, I get that you have a love for film, especially weird esoteric film. Here is your MAIN PROBLEM: there is no real story here that is identifiable outside of your own description. A short film needs a beginning, middle, and an end. What makes short-films a special artform is that they create: story, character, and suspense in an instant. They can make you laugh, jump, or cry- if they are done with intentional care.
Other than the make up, there is no character here. It is unclear the lady’s motivation, fear, hope, or even psychosis. The cat is a stranger in the film and it just gets gory for its own sake at the end. I hope you cleaned up after filming and thanked your amazingly patient and lovely parents for letting you do this.

There is NO STORY here. You need a story. You need character. You need for us to care about your protagonist or this is just you messing around with a camera. It is good to have an interest in film, but it’s like you’re trying to fly an airplane before you’ve learned how to walk. Come up with a SIMPLE STORY and get it right; then, go all weird, but even then, you still need a story and character or NO ONE will care about your characters or what happens. I am not doing a plot summary for this because there isn’t one.

I don’t want to be too hard on Noah here, but he’s missing the point of this art. There’s short films on YouTube that are barely a minute long that establish: Story, Character, and Stakes. This is not that, but Noah MIGHT be able to get there if he tries again and starts EXTREMELY small and tells a small story well.

2 responses to ““Purr-Normal” Dir.: Noah Randle, Short Film Review, by Case Wright

  1. Hey, this is Noah Randle! Thank you so much for the review! It means a lot to me! I have started my channel with short films that mainly experiment with the camera, lighting, and special effects, but I’m ready to write something good. That being a new script I have announced on Instagram today. Please contact me there! I’d love to stay in touch!

    Liked by 1 person

    • I was hard on you, BUT just remember a story needs a beginning, middle, and end. You need to earn concern for your character or why should we root for them. Read Syd Field…. If you can’t sum up your story in one sentence, make a new one. Feature length films need a clear description as well. I hope you take this as constructive and wish you the best.

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