Clogwyn

The title of the short film-Clogwyn can have the connotation of a psychological barrier faced by victims of gambling addiction that the protagonists Carl Hansen (Michael Lake) and Andriette Hansen (Bella Duve) are trying to get out of this bad habit.

The plot of the movie revolves around an impressionable Canadian born who takes to the Uk’s rife gambling culture which in turn can alter the plans of Carl Hansen and his family to start a counselling practice in the United Kingdom in tatters.

Clogwyn opens with a long shot of bright light radiating into the dark room highlighting the efforts made by the writer-director George Veck, cast, and crew towards gambling. The colour palette of the film is white-greyish signifying the need to protect the innocence of people involved in the social menace and create a healthy balance in life away from it to have a better future. The lighting has been kept natural to complement the subject matter of the movie. The multi- coloured costumes add colour to the mundane routine of the central character. This is done to keep the audience engaged with the content. The use of the video call format also showcases how the work-from-home culture is still prevalent and it will take time to come to normalcy.

In terms of performance, Michael Lake plays Carl Hansen a probation officer who is working hard at work and also trying to take out some time for his family life Lake efficiently communicates the work pressure on Hansen, and yet the commitment towards it is visible through his body language, facial expressions, and voice modulations.

Bella Duve in the role of Andriette Hansen is a very loving and supportive wife but also gives Mr. Hansen continuous reality checks with everything so that he understands his responsibilities regarding both home and work. Duve carries her character with the utmost elegance, grace, and glamour with the use of a specific tone by the actress to deliver the dialogues. The costumes also add to the poise of Andriette Hansen.

George Veck plays Godfrey Vince Rowlands who is a gambling addict. Veck depicts the range of problems Rowlands faces and finds himself in deep trouble and cannot see himself out of these problems any time soon. Veck utilises facial expressions, eyes, high pitched voice to showcase Rowland’s casual outlook on life and the requirement to prove himself and his cravings right.

Clogwyn attempts to warn its audience about over- dependence on gambling by people of all ages for entertainment purposes can cause lifelong consequences like mental health issues, depression, and suicide. Bad habits can prove detrimental to family members and loved ones also so one needs to be extra careful with any such obsessions. The cinematic piece also discusses the importance of acknowledging the issues like alcoholism, smoking,and drugs while dealing with gambling addiction. The creative piece also tells us how crucial it becomes to understand the emotions of people suffering due to the art of betting to help them recover.