I ran into this interesting and creative online independent short film while I was surfing youtube. The film is called Spin and it is an 8-minute short, directed by Jamin Winans. The short is about a mysterious stranger who seemingly appears out of nowhere. The obvious visual suggestion is that he fell out of the sky and landed in a deserted alleyway. A split second later a few heavy-duty metal steel latched cases fall next to him. He picks them up, one in each hand, carrying them by the handle. He walks toward a busy public street and witnesses a bicyclist getting hit by a car. He opens the suitcases, and inside there are turntables. He assembles them, preparing to play manually, rotating the turntables with his finger. By doing this, he is able to control the accident by either rewinding it as he manipulates the turntable, or fast forwarding it, giving him the power to control time and space. He saves the bicyclist and changes the outcome of other similar tragic events.
I found this eight-minute independent short to be very creative, extremely well shot, with great timing and editing. Winans utilized a lot of intricate shots; including the editing direction in conjunction with the cinematography and placement of the cast. All played a key factor creatively and aided in establishing this compelling story.
This director definitely has a signature style. Spin is not a unique story . . . but what really is original these days? Be advised, anyone who sees Winans’s work should just enjoy it for what it is . . . a well-told, creatively shot story.
Spin has appeared in over 80 film festivals and has won over 40 awards. It stars Hayz II, who plays Scratch. The crew members are as follows: producer, Joe Sekiya; director of photography, Jeff Pointer; writer, director, and composer Jamin Winans.
