ShortFilmsMatter.com

Played by Record

2/5
An experimental short that delves into angst and hinderance.

Synopsis

A man stumbles upon a mysterious vinyl record. Trying to play it becomes a challenge, putting his soul through the true test.

Review

Written and directed by Danny Rio, ‘Played by Record’ is an experimental comedy film that delves into one man’s angst whilst attempting to play an LP vinyl record. John Williams stars as the central protagonist, who’s infuriation escalates during the course of the narrative. Produced in black and white, with no verbal character dialogue, the film utilizes on-screen-text to convey conversations. Despite being billed as a comedy, the film largely omits implied humor – instead focusing on character tribulations.

The 11-minute film opens with an introduction Williams’ character, a businessman-like figure with a trilby-style hat. After unlocking his briefcase to reveal an un-sleeved record, he sets about playing the record on the player – with unfortunate complications. The narrative also explores the backstory of how he retrieved the vinyl in the first place. The overall plot is weakened by the lengthy runtime – which feels a tad long-winded that might just thwart viewer engagement.

Danny Rio doesn’t quit succeed in living up to the expectation of the genre. The unamusing storyline can be tedious viewing at times – drawn-out by the continuous character hindrance that would benefit from witty dialogue or rib-tickling action. The low budget production value is of a reasonable experimental standard, albeit slightly shattered by its unnecessary jukebox soundtrack. John Williams’ portrayal fails to captivate from the offset – which is perhaps due to the mundane narrative and muddled post-production. A forgettable watch.

Cast/Crew

Director(s): Danny Rio
Writer(s): Danny Rio
Cast: John Williams
Producer(s): Danny Rio
Director of Photography: Danny Rio
Animation (if applicable):

Specifications

Country:
Language: English
Year: 2021
Runtime: 11 min

Recommended

Synopsis

A man stumbles upon a mysterious vinyl record. Trying to play it becomes a challenge, putting his soul through the true test.

Cast/Crew

Director(s): Danny Rio
Writer(s): Danny Rio
Cast: John Williams
Producer(s): Danny Rio
Director of Photography: Danny Rio
Animation:

Specifcations

Country:
Language: English
Year: 2021
Runtime: 11 min

Recommended

Played by Record

2/5

An experimental short that delves into angst and hinderance.

Played by Record Short Film
Written and directed by Danny Rio, ‘Played by Record’ is an experimental comedy film that delves into one man’s angst whilst attempting to play an LP vinyl record. John Williams stars as the central protagonist, who’s infuriation escalates during the course of the narrative. Produced in black and white, with no verbal character dialogue, the film utilizes on-screen-text to convey conversations. Despite being billed as a comedy, the film largely omits implied humor – instead focusing on character tribulations.

The 11-minute film opens with an introduction Williams’ character, a businessman-like figure with a trilby-style hat. After unlocking his briefcase to reveal an un-sleeved record, he sets about playing the record on the player – with unfortunate complications. The narrative also explores the backstory of how he retrieved the vinyl in the first place. The overall plot is weakened by the lengthy runtime – which feels a tad long-winded that might just thwart viewer engagement.

Danny Rio doesn’t quit succeed in living up to the expectation of the genre. The unamusing storyline can be tedious viewing at times – drawn-out by the continuous character hindrance that would benefit from witty dialogue or rib-tickling action. The low budget production value is of a reasonable experimental standard, albeit slightly shattered by its unnecessary jukebox soundtrack. John Williams’ portrayal fails to captivate from the offset – which is perhaps due to the mundane narrative and muddled post-production. A forgettable watch.

Recommended