Terminal Bar is an expeditious photo driven documentary short film by Stefan Nadelman showcasing one of America’s most notorious bars. The short film is made up of majority still photographs which were accumulated between 1972-1982 furthermore, the photos are predominately portraits and more importantly the photos are all black and white. Alongside these images newspapers/magazine clippings are used throughout. Each time the clippings appear on the screen they’re enlarged therefore allowing the audience to read along with the narrator (Tom Clifford.) Clifford is a prominent part of the film and interestingly he himself has a very strong New York accent which coincidentally is where the bar is situated.

Sheldon Nadelman is also seen within the film where he discusses the people in the photos, each time this happens the photos are zoomed in. Moreover, there is an atmospheric sound in the background which mimics the sound of a bar – people talking, glass clinking. Music by Dick Zved, Steve Rossiter and Michael Reid breaks up the talking within the film. The rhythm of the music works alongside the photos entering the screen – each beat adding a new photograph. The short film flows between past, present and future however, the film is broken up by a rapid photomontage half way through creating a quick pause as such.

The way the film is edited is very interesting and something I could consider when producing my own work. For example, the images aren’t thrown straight onto the screen instead they enter in a unique way. In addition to this I noticed how there is a black background/boarder throughout the film ensuring the focus is on the photographs. Consistency is very important for a cohesive flowing film.