WIP Wednesday: Condemned (Oren Shai, 2010)

Writer/director Oren Shai takes an old school look at the WIP genre with his 2010 short film, Condemned. This is far less what we normally see, yet true to a lot of the elements. The story reminds me quite a bit of Hemingway's The Killers, in that it is suspense driven noir.

Starring are Margaret Anne Florence as "Female Convict #1031," Aprella as "Laura (#1059)," and Ashlee Atkinson (Rescue Me) as "The Night Guard." Because of the small cast many of the staple characters are missing, but the three bring most of the elements out. #1031 is a mixture of The Good Girl and the HBIC, though she admits to not being good, and has no one to rule over. #1059 is her new cellmate who fuels #1031's paranoia. Most true to genre is The Night Guard, whom Atkinson plays with aloof menace, filling the guard archetype perfectly without raising a hand.

Otherwise, it is a nice dialogue study. There is a lot to be had in the fourteen minutes of film. The photography is done quite nicely, with quite a few beautiful shots that mimic stills. A very atmospheric film that most of you will enjoy. Watch it at Oren Shai's site for free. If you like it, tell your friends ;-)