Comparing 9, the short, and 9, the full-length movie.

 Welcome!

Today we will be comparing both nine the short and full-length movie. 

Short film: 

What are your impressions? The short film starts in a dystopian world and immediately got my eye through the puppet characters. There is no dialogue but you’re able to understand everything that is going on through the characters body language that the director greatly portrayed. However, the plot itself could’ve revealed more like why the puppets were getting chased by the monster, that was never made clear.

Plot - 9 and his companion, 5, battle a fearsome mechanical beast in a desperate struggle for survival. Although the story is minimalistic it becomes powerful through it’s storytelling.

Character development - Since it is a short film there isn’t much character development. 5 is portrayed as brave and deeply cares for the safety of 9. In the beginning 9 is told to hide and run while 5 picks up the battle, however, when 5 dies, he picks up the fight himself.

Special effects - The animation style is gritty, with a muted color palette that enhances the bleakness of the setting. 

Directorial style - Shane Acker's direction uses tight pacing, ensuring that no second is wasted in the short runtime.

Talk about the conventions - Without dialogue, the film relies entirely on visual storytelling, music, and sound design to build its world and convey the stakes.

Full length film:

What are your impressions? Expands on the short film’s world, adding more characters, a fleshed-out backstory, and broader themes. it dives deeper into the origins of the ragdoll-like beings and the conflict between them and the machines that threaten their existence. Therefore the full length film answered all the questions I had!

Plot - detailed backstory about the scientist who created the nine "Stitchpunks" and the rise of the machines that decimated humanity. Dialogue is now in this film which shifts the tone from the original's quiet mystery to a narrative structure. 

Character development - The full-length film introduces several new characters, each embodying different traits, from the warrior 7 to the cautious leader 1. This allows for a greater range of personalities and dynamics. However, some characters feel underdeveloped, and there is a disconnect to the portrayal of emotional depth.

Special effects - The feature maintains the dark, dystopian aesthetic but with greater attention to detail in the design of the world and its creatures allowing for cinematic moments. 

Directorial style - Shane Acker's style retains its tight, action-driven focus but allows for more dialogue and slower pacing.

Talk about the conventions - traditional narrative conventions, with a clearer protagonist-hero arc, dialogue-heavy scenes, and a more explicit resolution. It also incorporates more familiar sci-fi tropes, like the rise of machines and the ethical dilemmas of creation.

Comparison of the short and the full-length film. 

What qualities did the short film have that the full-length did not? Its simplicity allows it to leave a stronger impression without over-explaining or diluting the intensity. The short's ending, open to interpretation.

What was accomplished in the full-length that the short did not have? The full-length version achieves a fuller narrative, offering more context and exploration of its themes. It attempts to answer questions the short film leaves open

Which did you enjoy better and why? I enjoyed the full length movie more simply because I got  more of a backstory on why the puppets and machines dislike each other. While no dialogue in the short film engaged me to pay attention and analyze, the full films dialogue allowed me to connect deeper to the characters and fully understand them. Therefore, I liked the full length because of it’s immersive storytelling. 

That's all.

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