A young couple with different views on their future clash over the direction of their relationship, in Nick Fuller’s short drama Changing Tune.
We’ve all been there; young, enthusiastic, full of dreams, hopes and ambitions. Then life gets in the way. Suddenly people say we aren’t good enough, and your bills and mortgage need paying. Then to top it all off we all get a little older, and then your partner wants to start a family. Suddenly we are stuck between a rock and a hard place, and we have to make grown up decisions.
That is the premise of Nick Fuller’s low-key drama that introduces us to Phil, played innocently enough by Freddy Goyner. He’s a musician waiting for his big break but he’s been waiting for a while. After a bit of shaky cam to simulate a crash, the opening scene gives us an excruciating zoom call between Phil and a big-shot record producer. Goyner’s performance during this scene is very good as he manages to sell how important this meeting is. The pompous producer, in true Simon Cowell fashion, tells him he just isn’t good enough and that he may as well give up and work in a call centre and the deflation in Goyner’s reactions are palpable. Our next scene cuts to Phil and his partner Becky as she scolds him for using all of their money, well mainly hers as the main breadwinner for his stupid pipe dream. Olivia Dowd as Becky also gives us some fine acting as she manages to deliver some huge home truths and cut lines without coming across as the nagging girlfriend type, so often used as the villain in these male-led relationship dramas.
The 13-minute short film is set in a small apartment and consists of mainly two-shot conversations between Phil and Becky, and Becky and her friend Melanie played by Maya Pilley, at a kitchen table. It can sometimes come across as a bit soap opera but the performances of everyone remain strong and keep the interest ticking over. Director Fuller and his cinematographer Mark Wiggins try a variety of techniques to avoid repetition. There are variations in framing with close-ups for intimate moments and medium shots to emphasize body language. There are also a few wider shots that subtly incorporate the apartment’s limited space, reminding us of the characters’ confinement. Static shots are strategically used during heightened emotional moments, emphasizing the weight of the words of our main characters. While Robin Bharaj’s editing is crucial to the pace of the film with his sharp cuts between reactions helping the film move along swiftly.
Lighting plays a key role in conveying mood shifts within the conversation. Natural lighting is used for a sense of normalcy, while the dim glow of darkness manages to create intimacy and a sense of unease. Careful attention to depth of field, while manipulating focus to shift between characters, helps to direct the viewer’s attention and emphasize the push and pull of their interactions.
Ultimately, “Changing Tune” is a fine short film that demonstrates how creative direction and camera work can transform a potentially static setting into a dynamic space, while strong performances from our leads enhance the emotional depth of the dialogue keeping the audience visually and emotionally engaged.
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