'Salaryman 6' is a 7 minute Japanese short film made in 2002 by director Jake Knight in collaboration with Ryoko Tanaka. The film follows protagonist Shiode, a Salaryman living in Japan as he documents his day today life using a automatic camera in an attempt to overcome his memory loss, the narrative ensues from there as the cycle and repetitive nature of his life unfolds. The themes of the film revolve around the emptiness of life and repetativness both of which are clearly shown through the films use of cinematography and the use of symmetry in the frame.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film, one aspect I felt was particularly effective was the use of symmetry in the frame. The use of an extremely wide lens and display ratio allows for a lot more to be shown in shot, this meant that Jake Knight was able to fully show how the architecture and surrounding life mirrors itself and repeats. In this shot for example by using an extremely wide angle lens Jake Knight is able to show the full repetition of the building in on single shot. This style has a likeness to Kubricks work or even Wes Anderson in terms of the construction of the frame.
One thing that i thought didn't work particularly well was the use of comedy during the final moments of the film. Throughout the film the use of morbid themes was clearly present and by using comedic elements ultimately took away from the mood. I think the film would have worked a lot better if it had kept with the running themes it had set up.
Multiple techniques were used in the making of the film that i felt impacted the overall mood and effect that the film has. one of the most prominent one was the colour pallet used in the film. All the colours used in the film wether it be in costume, set or props are all cold and dull. this enhances the overall dull atmosphere that the film is attempting to create. Nothing really stands out, nothing is unique and by having that, it in itself is unique and stands out.
The second technique is the use of a book ended narrative. The term 'Book Ended Narrative' refers to a narrative that finishes in the same place it began, a film in which the story does a full circle. I believe this also further enhances the themes the film is trying to represent. By having a book ended narrative it brings the cycle into full view and shows the repetition clearly to the spectator.
