The short film “Pearl Was Here” was written and directed by Kate Marks. Its intention was a real and gritty look into a child’s adventure while at the market with her mother. The little girl in this short named Pearl is in between those ages where a child must be attended while shopping and when they can venture on their own. In this case Pearl, left to her own device, manages to climb into the stuffed animal machine and swim in her own sea of softness. The majority of the piece revolves around us being lost in Pearls world until her mother, realizing she is missing, frantically tries to find her. The last half to third of the film is the effort to get Pearl out. We see the mother run the gambit, from coaxing to literally prying her out of the machine. What makes this piece standout is that it gives its audience the opportunity to experience the events while being able to project their own experiences on to the situation. Some people feel for the little girl Pearl, while others may understand what the mother is going through. The incorporation of Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the USA” sung by the rebellious Pearl, maybe gives us a glimpse into what the film makers where trying to portray. In the end the piece was entertaining, it allowed the audience to engage, and the camera work and angles were phenomenal in telling a relatable story. The best pieces of art let us find parts of ourselves in them, and this piece does that perfectly. Everyone will have their own opinions and that’s exactly the way it should be.
Pearl Was Here was about a young girl, Pearl, who hides from her mother in a store. Pearl crawls into the claw machine amongst the toys. When her mother can’t find her Pearl secludes herself in the depths of the beanie babies. The stuffed animals were shot like a POV, as if Pearl was looking at the mountain of toys like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. This was juxtaposed with the static shots of her mother looking at merchandise. If I may inject personal experience in this analysis, I will say that I was one to hide in bookshelves or betwixt clothing racks with not a care in the world for how my mother would react when she recognized my absence. Even when she would run around calling my name, I would not budge. I would sit, and I would stare. This was the first time that I watched this incidence through the eyes of an older person closer to maternalism than childlike naivete. However, Pearl’s motives were much clearer. She was afraid of the abusive woman and that forced her into the solace of the tribe of soft bears and animals. I found this ending completely unsatisfying. Most kids would do exactly what Pearl did independent of the danger of abuse. Perhaps it is a matter of personal preference, but I wished for story that explored more of why children have a natural tendency away from even the most loving parents.
Pearl Was Here was my favorite short film so far. This brought me such nostalgia because it seemed like something I would have done as a child. I did actually hide in stuffed animals from my mother in a department store but I popped out when I realized the joke wasn't funny anymore. I really liked how there were little clues that this child might have a rough life but nothing was specifically shown to us. It was as if we were in the store watching these strangers walk into our lives and walk out. We can only imagine where they were coming from and what they are going home to. This was just such a unique story that is so simple others would not think to do it. There was great character development with little dialogue.
Pearl Was Here was amazing to watch. I loved this because once again we have a short film that shows so much meaning. The first thing I noticed about this film was the camera angle. If you didn't notice, pretty much every shot towards the beginning was shot in the eyes of Pearl. Low level shots where, if you were watching, you pretty much saw the world as Pearl did. The angles themselves gave me a good idea that there was much more to this story then what you see. The main message that I got from this was "everything happens for a reason." It seemed to look as if Pearl was just a bad child but she wasn't. The author made this known by bringing in the little boy who came in throwing stuff everywhere. At the end we see why Pearl disobeyed and wouldn't come out of the machine when her mom demanded her too. She was scared of her mom. Pearl did it for a reason and wasn't just this crazy little girl that she seemed to be.
Pearl Was Here is a very emotion filled short film about a young girl, Pearl, who decides to crawl into a claw machine and won't come out. This causes a scene in which her mother is freaking out and random people are just watching from the sidelines. There are a lot of strong metaphors throughout this short. The mother putting on makeup while leaving Pearl unattended and then later threatening to call an unknown male character would imply that the mother is not married and has a boyfriend. The use of the male character as a threat to Pearl strongly implies that Pearl and this man don't get along. This is later enforced when the fireman breaks the claw machine door open and is trying to pull out the girl. The fireman's roughness most likely reminds Pearl of the unknown man and the unknown man might be abusive to her. The mother throughout the short looks extremely tired and about to break down under stress. She clearly loves Pearl because of her great concern for Pearl missing. It is hard to judge the mother in this situation because she comes off as very cold to Pearl near the end. Pearl wanting to stay in the claw machine seems to imply that she wants to disconnect from her reality. She is cherishing the couple of hours that she has away from her mother and anyone else that might scold her. The stuffed animals represent pureness and safety. She gravitates to them because they are a strong contrast to everything else in her life. I personally really enjoyed Pearl Was Here in that I feel that everyone wishes that they could escape their reality for a little while.
Pearl Was Here is one of those shorts that for every one thing I loved, there was a small thing or two that I didn't feel was really necessary. The humor inn the movie does add some comedic relief but it feels extremely out of place. I liked how the mother just threatens to call an unknown male character and Pearl's reaction gives us basically all of the information we need to understand who this person is. It leaves a good amount of mystery and you think that Pearl is hiding from this man but when Pearl finally gets freed her mother just walks up and smacks Pearl. Where most mothers would hug their child or say something like "don't do that, you had me so worried!" In the end we (or at least I did) come to the conclusion that it was the mother that Pearl was hiding from, which I should've realized towards the middle when Pearl's mom was up close with Pearl's and just said "you're bleeding me dry" before slapping pearls face through the glass. This short is a great example of something that has a plot that is contained in the duration of the movie but has so much more going on than it's 8 minute run time would suggest.
I really liked "Pearl Was Here". It is very emotional, and the way it was shot had a lot to do with that. I think the parts in the machine are so beautiful, and it really expresses how safe and innocent she must have felt in there, everything outside of it is pretty dull. The message definitely comes at the end. Up until Pearl's mother slaps her, it all seems pretty harmless. Pearl is just a little kid who, like most children, get up to no good when the mother isn't looking. In the end you realize that Pear wasn't just goofing around, she was trying to hide, or escape.
Pear Was Here by Kate Marks digs deeper into the imagination, and life of a young child. Pearl is following every little kids' dream of getting inside the claw machine, surrounded by stuffed animals, as well as portraying the life of a young, rebellious child. I liked how the mothers character was not the stereotypical bright smiled, standoffish mother, but she was able to show real anger, and the stress of raising young kids. There were hints of comedy, which is lightened the mood a little bit, but some very serious parts, like when the mother slaps Pearl after she gets out. I liked a lot of the shots, they were interesting and not to repetitive in composition. Overall it was a good short film, and the narrative was very clear, telling the story through and through, easy for the viewer to follow.
"Pearl Was Here" had many transitions with its emotions. In the beginning it gave off an overwhelming feeling of wonder and enchantment when looking at the arcade games. This change to comfort when Pearl was in the crane game. The bright colors of all the stuffed animals and the loving touch of the stuffed monkey really showed you what kind of life Pearl dreamed of. This feeling then turned in to fear when Pearl's mother was brought into the picture. Pearl's mother spoke in tones of anger rather than concern, which gives us a window to her home life.She was constantly slamming her hand at the glass and yelling at everyone around her. Once the fire department get there, Pearl struggles and fights to stay in the container. When Pearl is finally released the joy and excitement of the crowd is overshadowed by the anger in her mother. But my favorite moment has to be when Pearl is being carried out of the shop and the road just watches her with true concern, showing twice as much worry as her mother did when she was stuck.
Kristin Anderson: "Pearl Was Here" is a short film that covers almost all ranges of emotions. In the beginning there was a sense of wonder and child-like amusement that the girl felt. This soon turned to curiosity as she saw the parrot in the claw machine which lead her to squeeze herself into a confined space to fulfill her curiosity. Soon the feeling was pure happiness as the girl was playing with what seemed like an infinite amount stuffed toys. The progression of emotion quickly went to the panic and concern of the mother and the defiant attitude of Pearl, which soon turned to anger when the mother threatens to call "Russel" who may be someone who Pearl fears, causing her to go into a state of panic as well. Soon both mother and daughter are in a quiet and tired state as the firman works to get her out and that is when we think that about it and the story will end with this emotion, Pearl is dragged out of the machine kicking and screaming which is followed by a harsh slap in the face my her mother. This is where the story came together for me. The mother didn't second guess physically reprimanding Pearl, the bystanders stand in shock and disapproval but Pearl is not phased by it. It can be assumed that Pearl is mainly abused by "Russel" but her mom also participates. While she was climbing in the machine there seemed to be a large scar or burn mark on her back indicating severe abuse. The change from happiness and curiosity to pure shock and fear is what made the ending so impactful. That is when the directors point is proven and it turns this film from a story about a curious girl to a story of child abuse. Many don't want to talk about this topic but this story almost forces a discussion on how little we see this through media and if we should at all. I really found this film interesting, I had never been taken through such a range of emotions in just a short nine minute time span. It is provocative and I would like to see other viewers perspectives on this commentary on child abuse.
The short film “Pearl Was Here” was written and directed by Kate Marks. Its intention was a real and gritty look into a child’s adventure while at the market with her mother. The little girl in this short named Pearl is in between those ages where a child must be attended while shopping and when they can venture on their own. In this case Pearl, left to her own device, manages to climb into the stuffed animal machine and swim in her own sea of softness. The majority of the piece revolves around us being lost in Pearls world until her mother, realizing she is missing, frantically tries to find her. The last half to third of the film is the effort to get Pearl out. We see the mother run the gambit, from coaxing to literally prying her out of the machine. What makes this piece standout is that it gives its audience the opportunity to experience the events while being able to project their own experiences on to the situation. Some people feel for the little girl Pearl, while others may understand what the mother is going through. The incorporation of Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the USA” sung by the rebellious Pearl, maybe gives us a glimpse into what the film makers where trying to portray. In the end the piece was entertaining, it allowed the audience to engage, and the camera work and angles were phenomenal in telling a relatable story. The best pieces of art let us find parts of ourselves in them, and this piece does that perfectly. Everyone will have their own opinions and that’s exactly the way it should be.
ReplyDeletePearl Was Here was about a young girl, Pearl, who hides from her mother in a store. Pearl crawls into the claw machine amongst the toys. When her mother can’t find her Pearl secludes herself in the depths of the beanie babies. The stuffed animals were shot like a POV, as if Pearl was looking at the mountain of toys like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. This was juxtaposed with the static shots of her mother looking at merchandise. If I may inject personal experience in this analysis, I will say that I was one to hide in bookshelves or betwixt clothing racks with not a care in the world for how my mother would react when she recognized my absence. Even when she would run around calling my name, I would not budge. I would sit, and I would stare. This was the first time that I watched this incidence through the eyes of an older person closer to maternalism than childlike naivete. However, Pearl’s motives were much clearer. She was afraid of the abusive woman and that forced her into the solace of the tribe of soft bears and animals. I found this ending completely unsatisfying. Most kids would do exactly what Pearl did independent of the danger of abuse. Perhaps it is a matter of personal preference, but I wished for story that explored more of why children have a natural tendency away from even the most loving parents.
ReplyDeletePearl Was Here was my favorite short film so far. This brought me such nostalgia because it seemed like something I would have done as a child. I did actually hide in stuffed animals from my mother in a department store but I popped out when I realized the joke wasn't funny anymore. I really liked how there were little clues that this child might have a rough life but nothing was specifically shown to us. It was as if we were in the store watching these strangers walk into our lives and walk out. We can only imagine where they were coming from and what they are going home to. This was just such a unique story that is so simple others would not think to do it. There was great character development with little dialogue.
ReplyDeletePearl Was Here was amazing to watch. I loved this because once again we have a short film that shows so much meaning. The first thing I noticed about this film was the camera angle. If you didn't notice, pretty much every shot towards the beginning was shot in the eyes of Pearl. Low level shots where, if you were watching, you pretty much saw the world as Pearl did. The angles themselves gave me a good idea that there was much more to this story then what you see. The main message that I got from this was "everything happens for a reason." It seemed to look as if Pearl was just a bad child but she wasn't. The author made this known by bringing in the little boy who came in throwing stuff everywhere. At the end we see why Pearl disobeyed and wouldn't come out of the machine when her mom demanded her too. She was scared of her mom. Pearl did it for a reason and wasn't just this crazy little girl that she seemed to be.
ReplyDeletePearl Was Here is a very emotion filled short film about a young girl, Pearl, who decides to crawl into a claw machine and won't come out. This causes a scene in which her mother is freaking out and random people are just watching from the sidelines. There are a lot of strong metaphors throughout this short. The mother putting on makeup while leaving Pearl unattended and then later threatening to call an unknown male character would imply that the mother is not married and has a boyfriend. The use of the male character as a threat to Pearl strongly implies that Pearl and this man don't get along. This is later enforced when the fireman breaks the claw machine door open and is trying to pull out the girl. The fireman's roughness most likely reminds Pearl of the unknown man and the unknown man might be abusive to her. The mother throughout the short looks extremely tired and about to break down under stress. She clearly loves Pearl because of her great concern for Pearl missing. It is hard to judge the mother in this situation because she comes off as very cold to Pearl near the end. Pearl wanting to stay in the claw machine seems to imply that she wants to disconnect from her reality. She is cherishing the couple of hours that she has away from her mother and anyone else that might scold her. The stuffed animals represent pureness and safety. She gravitates to them because they are a strong contrast to everything else in her life. I personally really enjoyed Pearl Was Here in that I feel that everyone wishes that they could escape their reality for a little while.
ReplyDeletePearl Was Here is one of those shorts that for every one thing I loved, there was a small thing or two that I didn't feel was really necessary. The humor inn the movie does add some comedic relief but it feels extremely out of place. I liked how the mother just threatens to call an unknown male character and Pearl's reaction gives us basically all of the information we need to understand who this person is. It leaves a good amount of mystery and you think that Pearl is hiding from this man but when Pearl finally gets freed her mother just walks up and smacks Pearl. Where most mothers would hug their child or say something like "don't do that, you had me so worried!" In the end we (or at least I did) come to the conclusion that it was the mother that Pearl was hiding from, which I should've realized towards the middle when Pearl's mom was up close with Pearl's and just said "you're bleeding me dry" before slapping pearls face through the glass. This short is a great example of something that has a plot that is contained in the duration of the movie but has so much more going on than it's 8 minute run time would suggest.
ReplyDeleteI really liked "Pearl Was Here". It is very emotional, and the way it was shot had a lot to do with that. I think the parts in the machine are so beautiful, and it really expresses how safe and innocent she must have felt in there, everything outside of it is pretty dull. The message definitely comes at the end. Up until Pearl's mother slaps her, it all seems pretty harmless. Pearl is just a little kid who, like most children, get up to no good when the mother isn't looking. In the end you realize that Pear wasn't just goofing around, she was trying to hide, or escape.
ReplyDeletePear Was Here by Kate Marks digs deeper into the imagination, and life of a young child. Pearl is following every little kids' dream of getting inside the claw machine, surrounded by stuffed animals, as well as portraying the life of a young, rebellious child. I liked how the mothers character was not the stereotypical bright smiled, standoffish mother, but she was able to show real anger, and the stress of raising young kids. There were hints of comedy, which is lightened the mood a little bit, but some very serious parts, like when the mother slaps Pearl after she gets out. I liked a lot of the shots, they were interesting and not to repetitive in composition. Overall it was a good short film, and the narrative was very clear, telling the story through and through, easy for the viewer to follow.
ReplyDelete"Pearl Was Here" had many transitions with its emotions. In the beginning it gave off an overwhelming feeling of wonder and enchantment when looking at the arcade games. This change to comfort when Pearl was in the crane game. The bright colors of all the stuffed animals and the loving touch of the stuffed monkey really showed you what kind of life Pearl dreamed of. This feeling then turned in to fear when Pearl's mother was brought into the picture. Pearl's mother spoke in tones of anger rather than concern, which gives us a window to her home life.She was constantly slamming her hand at the glass and yelling at everyone around her. Once the fire department get there, Pearl struggles and fights to stay in the container. When Pearl is finally released the joy and excitement of the crowd is overshadowed by the anger in her mother. But my favorite moment has to be when Pearl is being carried out of the shop and the road just watches her with true concern, showing twice as much worry as her mother did when she was stuck.
ReplyDeleteKristin Anderson: "Pearl Was Here" is a short film that covers almost all ranges of emotions. In the beginning there was a sense of wonder and child-like amusement that the girl felt. This soon turned to curiosity as she saw the parrot in the claw machine which lead her to squeeze herself into a confined space to fulfill her curiosity. Soon the feeling was pure happiness as the girl was playing with what seemed like an infinite amount stuffed toys. The progression of emotion quickly went to the panic and concern of the mother and the defiant attitude of Pearl, which soon turned to anger when the mother threatens to call "Russel" who may be someone who Pearl fears, causing her to go into a state of panic as well. Soon both mother and daughter are in a quiet and tired state as the firman works to get her out and that is when we think that about it and the story will end with this emotion, Pearl is dragged out of the machine kicking and screaming which is followed by a harsh slap in the face my her mother. This is where the story came together for me. The mother didn't second guess physically reprimanding Pearl, the bystanders stand in shock and disapproval but Pearl is not phased by it. It can be assumed that Pearl is mainly abused by "Russel" but her mom also participates. While she was climbing in the machine there seemed to be a large scar or burn mark on her back indicating severe abuse. The change from happiness and curiosity to pure shock and fear is what made the ending so impactful. That is when the directors point is proven and it turns this film from a story about a curious girl to a story of child abuse. Many don't want to talk about this topic but this story almost forces a discussion on how little we see this through media and if we should at all.
ReplyDeleteI really found this film interesting, I had never been taken through such a range of emotions in just a short nine minute time span. It is provocative and I would like to see other viewers perspectives on this commentary on child abuse.