“Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.” That saying is far older than I am and rings correctly for many great stories. However, when the truth is already great, we shouldn’t get in the way of it. This applies to a number of quality short films – here are three selected by the team at Show Me Shorts.
Here’s one I want to highlight:
The Polaroid Job is a New York Times short doco by Mike Plante, narrating the story of his parents’ brief career as Polaroid-snappers for hire. Using the old photos in combination with his perfectly dry delivery, Plante presents a slice of life that could only exist in the brief window between the age of accessible photography and the modern era of Instagram.
“Why would anyone want to come to a store opening and get a photo with a clown? Because small-town American is a beautiful, simple place.”
These little titbit tales may seem odd and peculiar today, but that’s what makes this short fascinating. The Polaroid Job doesn’t just capture a fleeting job, it portrays human behaviour moulded around it.
I get the feeling we’ll be seeing the same documentary about selfie sticks and duck lips by the time eyeball cameras are a thing.
