This is my second short film from Dan Allen – the teenage filmmaker who is obviously keen to make a career out of this. I saw enough in the first film of his to wonder what else he could do, even if I personally found the content laughable. With The Open Door I am in two minds because there is something good in here but it is struggling to get out. The plot is simple; the first half is a bit weak in terms of build up, but there is a jump cut in the middle which suddenly makes it interesting but only for a few moments until it ends with a good cut but not much in the way of content to take away.
Indeed this line could sum up the whole film because it is very much a case of Allen being good technically but not as a writer. For all the lack of plot and substance, the idea is technically well delivered. It is only right to overlook the limits of budget in terms of it clearly being shot in and around someone's home, but it is the shot selection and the "putting-together" of the film that I liked the most. The editing is tight and (opening scenes aside) the shot selection is good. I liked the jump-cuts and in particular the jump from black/white to colour. Staff is wooden in the first half of the film, but in the colour section she is much better and able to forget the camera is there with her.
Overall The Open Door is another short film that shows Allen is ambitious and a dab hand with the camera and the editing software he uses – unfortunately the film also showcases the idea that he is not much of a force when it comes to writing and ideas of substance. Shame – but again the technical aspect is enough to make me check him out some more.