Twenty Eight Feet: life on a little wooden boat from kevinAfraser on Vimeo.

As soon as the background music starts I imagine a seaside, and have an impression of the story that will unfold. The tempo of the music is steady and calm like the boat I see moving on the waves of the water. And then I see close shots of wood and steel (0:17). The filmmaker uses these detail shots to pull me aboard the boat. This transition works well.

The balance between the voiceover and the background music also works well. The pauses in speech are especially effective (1:35), as they allow the listener to take a few breaths and simply appreciate the sailor’s daily routine as it appears on screen.

Another interesting moment happens when the sailor is walking (3:21). The filmmaker uses graphic matched action cuts to make him appear as if he is walking out of one setting and into another without ever breaking a stride. Soon after, the filmmaker uses time lapse as another effective transitioning technique (3:28).

At the end of the story the camera shows a close shot, which is similar to the ones shown at the beginning (6:52). Then I see the boat sail further and further away from the camera (08:03). This image serves as a metaphor for the sailor’s future. He and his boat will continue on their journey.