User Reviews

One of the great myths of the 21st Century is the concept of being " over-qualified " . Let me elaborate . Someone leaves university with a degree in say media studies and they go around with their heads in the clouds that no one will give them a job say in car washing because they're " over qualified " . In other words it's a cop out excuse and what they really mean is that they're not going to bother applying for jobs that they feel are below them . In my experience employers are happy enough to give a job out to anyone who shows a work ethic towards a low paid menial job and I've known plenty of people who have uni degrees and are happy to work as waiting staff . What's wrong with waiting on tables ? Check out my profile pic and tell me I wasn't one lucky b*stard in my old job

SHIFT taps in to this . Alex is a student who works as an actor but needs a second job because acting school is not cheap . Ten thousand dollars a term ? That's what I call expensive . It also makes the brilliant point about the networking aspect of working . Forget all about searching online for a photographer because you might just meet someone who can take a picture for your portfolio dirt cheap . You pull yourself up by the bootlaces and help yourself and you might just find other people can help you . SHIFT doesn't pull back from a painful aspect in life that sometimes life just kicks you in teeth but as Alex goes back to the workplace at the end it signifies that bitter sweet aspect of loyalty . It's only a work of fiction but if you remember someone gave you a chance and you grabbed that chance with both hands and made the most of it destiny might just reward you with more opportunity . Always remember that

This is definitely one of the most brilliant short films ever produced. If you are living in America, you will relate to every aspect of this film. Alex, who is an acting student at a college in New York, starts working a summer job in San Francisco at a stock market-based mailroom during the graveyard shift. There, he works with first generation immigrants and minorities and he learns valuable lessons about America. The film starts slowly and quietly but soon you are thrown into discussions about race, class and wealth. From the perspective of Alex, and through the co-workers sense of humor, we can glimpse their hope and despair while working at their dead end jobs. In a scene where emotions burst to the top, the film is handled simply but effectively. The impact of the film stays with us for a long time. The cinematography is superb and the soundtrack is also perfectly matched to the tone of the piece. In this rather small film, we can see director Jonathan Yi's artistic talent thoroughly. I would truly recommend you see SHIFT if you haven't seen it already.

About once per year I go to the US for work and have to spend a few days in the main HQ where most of the directors and equally important people have their offices. Each morning I'll see the same security guy checking people in and out, knowing everyone's names and talking to people ranging from secretaries up to global directors with a friendly ease. This guy is on the first of several of his jobs each day and how he does it I will never know – he works longer hours than most people in that building but for a fraction of the pay; he is also probably one of the nicest people in the building. I mention this because watching Shift put me in mind of him because although it doesn't really have a narrative so called, it is essentially a study of the unseen workers who do several jobs to get by, who are basically the "have nots".

This film shows us this by giving us the character of Alex, who is the "new Frank" after Frank got fired. Importantly Alex is not really in this world since he is working nights to keep the days free for acting work if/when it comes; this means that he can act as our fresh eyes in the mailroom. As well as being an outsider, the daytime of fake actors and rich friends also serves as a nice contrast to the mailroom, where all races are together, where people are genuine (for good or for bad) and there is no hint of luxury there. As a plot the film does have a flow but mostly it is the characters that makes it engaging, with these men of all cultures just trying to get by, tired, frustrated but still trying to get by. It isn't rocket science perhaps but writer/director Yi gives us a feel for the people in the room and it does feel like part of a group, albeit a fragmented group.

Shift is long by the standards of most shorts – indeed it is long compared a lot of TV show episodes, however it justifies this time by the strength of its characters and their stories, which it tells without ever feeling pat or patronizing.