Production Diary: Stutterer (Benjamin Cleary, 2015)

Stutterer (Benjamin Cleary, 2015) is a 12-minute short film which details the struggles of Greenwood, a reclusive typographer who suffers from a stutter. After talking to a girl for six months over Facebook, she finally decides to invite him to meet in real life as she is visiting London. The film details Greenwood’s anxiety as he attempts to muster up the courage to meet her, whilst also demonstrating the day-to-day social struggles he faces throughout his life.

The protagonist, Greenwood

The viewer is placed deep within Greenwood’s conflicted inner turmoil through the use of thought narration, instilling a strong sense of empathy in the viewer towards the protagonist. This is established immediately through the opening scene of the film, in which Greenwood’s stutter prevents him from discussing his bill over the phone. Cleary uses many centralised closeups of Greenwood to reinforce his position as the protagonist, as well as to display the plaster on his nose after he is involved in a violent conflict. Most of the film’s runtime is dedicated to developing Greenwood’s character, leading to a highly satisfying resolution.

The film follows the typical three act structure and additionally conforms to the typical conventions of a romantic drama. Stutterer prioritises narrative and character development above all else, utilising soft lighting and cinematography throughout. Cleary also incorporates elements of subtle visual storytelling into the film through mise-en-scène, displaying an array of books in Greenwood’s room, including sign language textbooks – reinforcing his introverted and secluded way of life.

Personally, I really enjoyed Stutterer and appreciated the simple but effective story it managed to tell brilliantly in a matter of 12 minutes. Embracing the conventions of the genre, the film aptly conveys themes of isolation and overcoming hardships throughout. The film demonstrated to me the importance of a cohesive three act structure and character development within the narrative of a short film.