Lighting, color, edits, sound effects and camera movement are some of the primary tools a filmmaker uses to effectively tell a story. The short film titled ten minutes directed by Ahmed Imamovic in 2002 is a great example of how using these tools can tell a powerful story. "Ten Minutes" is a short film showing the difference ten minutes can make for two different people. The film begins with the introduction of a tourist as we follow him through his journey in Italy. We can tell he is a tourist and not a resident through scenes of him asking for direction and carrying a map. We also get a glimpse into the busy lifestyles of the Italians around him. As we follow the tourist he finds a camera shop and stops in to ask the clerk about the 10 minute film development. .
As the film continues, we follow Memo and his family through regular interactions of the day between children and their mother. We follow Memo out to the street to fetch a pail of water and bread where he runs into old friends kicks a ball around, he runs into soldiers where he tries to get their gun but they offer him two cigarettes to get them bread. As soon as the bread truck comes the bombings start. Memo runs for cover and fills his water jug at the last minute. He makes a brave way back to his family as he enters the building the soldier tells him not to enter, but he does and find his family has been killed and his sister crying. Right at that moment we cut back to the tourist scene as soon as he looks at the clock and finishes his cigarette. As this story may seem simple in a description the directors fantastic use of lighting, color, edits, sound effects, and camera movement make the characters more relatable and give depth to the story. .
Lighting and color can breath life into a film. This film makes many transitions in color during its short ten minute stint on the screen. It starts out black and white to give a sense of artfulness.