Review for ‘‘Illustration’’ by Clayton Burns

''Illustration'' by Clayton Burns is a short drama about Jimmy's deepening mental health issues. Following the continuous downfall of our main protagonist, through a spiral of tragic events, we are led on a climax that feels deserved and makes the structure of this film a massively strong point.

Although it may not be the most original idea to be presented in a short film, the fast paced direction in collaboration with the excellent cinematography create a unique experience. Scene by scene there are occasionally small acting over-dramatization moments that deduct from the viewing experience and give a more theatrical sense. The sound design and effect choices feel great and fill the atmosphere positively. Minor VFX errors can be attributed to the fake blood usage but the makeup department played a huge role on the dark facial expressions.

Clayton Burns makes clear his understanding of the audiovisual medium as this is outstanding production, that always interacted with the audience to make up for a unique experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat. We would like to see Burns take more risks in his future projects.