• Skip to main content
  • Text Only version of this page
  • Access keys help

BBC Home

Explore the BBC


17th July 2009
Accessibility help
Text only
film network - short films from new British filmmakerssearch film network

BBC Homepage
Film
film network home
my profile
submit your short
magazine
film making guide
film catalogue
people catalogue
mobile
sitehelp
related links
film network feeds

Contact Us


Like this page?
Send it to a friend!

 
New visitors:  Create your membership
Returning members:  Sign in
DramaComedyDocumentaryAnimationExperimentalMusic
The Commuter
Martin Pickles
average rating from 35 members 
       
experimental | 2003 | London | 2 min
Published 20 Jul 05
A Surrealist film in which an office-worker shaves off his face in order to blend in with other commuters on their way to work.
email iconsend to a friend
  PLAY NOW
Requires windows media player or
real player.
synopsis
The film is a metaphor for the way people hide or erase their personalities when commuting to
work. The central image of a man in a suit and hat with no face is doubtless a reference to René
Magritte’s motif of the bowler-hatted man.
short fact
The Commuter is live-action/digital hybrid. I shot the live-action component on video and then captured it on computer, before repainting it a frame at a time in Adobe PhotoShop with co-effects-designer Jonathan Mercer. The grainy image quality, which gives the film its distinctive look and feel, is an artifact of the image compression available in 1996.

The Commuter is also drastic reworking of an older film of mine called 'Shaving'. This new version was made especially for the ‘Going Underground’ festival of 90 second films on the Berlin U-Bahn in February 2003. A blow up onto 35mm has been made possible by a grant from The British Council’s Film and Television Department.Since then it has enjoyed about 25 international film festival screenings.
crew
  • director Martin Pickles
  • writer Martin Pickles
  • producer Martin Pickles
  • sound David Peacock
  • camera and digital effects Martin Pickles & Jonathan Mercer
  • cast
    • 'The Man' Pat Reid
    format
    digital
    budget
    £600
    © 2003 Courtesy of G.M. Film & Dazzle Short Film Label

    comments

    subscribe/unsubscribe to receive email alerts for new comments on this film
    more about email alerts 
    add your comments
    comment by Ciaran  Denver
    Click this button if you think
				this comment breaks the house rules
    posted Feb 9, 2006

    This is a great 2min film. Theres a lot of meaning behind it. The Matrix also used this concept (Everyone is battery). The only thing wrong with this, is that I wanted to see more of it.

    comment by Frederic  Tschepp
    Click this button if you think
				this comment breaks the house rules
    posted Feb 3, 2006

    excellent, i loved it, this is exactly my sort of film if you ever make anything similiar please let me know.

    comment by Alice  Thomas
    Click this button if you think
				this comment breaks the house rules
    posted Dec 3, 2005

    Very good idea, although maybe slightly too short. A few shots of other, similarly "faceless" commuters may have been apropriate, but all in all an excellent idea!

    comment by Tom  bombadil
    Click this button if you think
				this comment breaks the house rules
    posted Nov 6, 2005

    Didn't expect it, expected something less obvious, but it's not pretencious even though the synopsis makes it out to be. This was the basis of the shocking amusement and entertainment i got from it---i guess humour's a good way of getting across poignance without making people cringe.

    comment by colin  clayton
    Click this button if you think
				this comment breaks the house rules
    posted Sep 27, 2005

    given the budget a good short film.

    view all comments 
    add your comments  
    Click ! on a comment that breaks the house rules
    send someone a message
    You can message anyone whose name appears as a link by clicking through to their profile page.
    alert editors
    If you were involved with this film and notice any errors on this page, please email the editors.
    rate this film
    5     
    4     
    3     
    2     
    1     

    see comments on this film 
    add your comments  
    stills gallery 
    view
    gallery
    useful links
    • www.gmfilm.co.uk
    • www.dazzlefilms.co.uk
    • Listing on www.britfilms.com
    production company
    G.M. Film UK
    world sales & distribution by
    Dazzle Short Film Label

    more shorts with similar themes

    This film is included in the film catalogue under the following themes:

    • Deja View
    Dazzle Short Film Label Index

    Some of the content on Film Network is generated by members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of any external sites referenced. If you consider this content to be in breach of the house rules please alert our moderators.

    About Film Network
    Film Network is a showcase and community for up-and-coming UK filmmakers
    Find out more  



    About the BBC | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookies Policy