Short Film: “Morning Fall” (a must-see!)
I was browsing the previous posts in our private forum at Motorcycle Bloggers International when I encountered a post by Steve Williams of Scooter in the Sticks (a well-known and award-winning Vespa blog) about a short film called “Morning Fall.” I, personally, am not a fan of short films unless they came before a full-length Pixar animations. 
But the film below struck a nerve in me. It’s about a rider who crashed hitting a deer and was left unconscious for a while. When he woke up, it wasn’t clear to him what has transpired until he saw the pieces of the puzzle.
It was specially poignant to me since in my recent long ride to Quezon Province, it was my first time to see a canine roadkill while scootering. Further in the course of the trip, as I was coming from a bend, I was surprised to see a stray dog about to cross the mountain road. But upon seeing my scoot, it had second thoughts midway and decided to turn back. I almost run it over but thank God, I didn’t! And finally, during a stop in a sari-sari store, the locals decided to chat with me just when my riding buddies were already out of earshot and gearing up for the rest of the journey. They asked me where we’re from and where we’ve been to. Then they wished us a well-meant safe trip, but it wasn’t comforting for me at all. Why? They told me that just three days ago, an out-of-town rider hit a dog just down that road. The dog and the backrider died on the spot. These all happened within a day. Needless to say, these has gotten me so paranoid the rest of the ride that I was overly-anticipating a dog would suddenly run from the side of the road. The ride day ended without any further dog-related encounter.
Binggoy, Boo, me, Bimbo & Tonton at Lamon Bay Pier (pic courtesy of Boo)
Back to the film. The short is very well-made in a level that could affect even non-riders. It’s directed by Edward McGinty and it has actually won the “Best Live Action Short Film” in the 2007 Malibu Film Festival. Though I don’t agree that a fallen rider would first look for a cigarette to light up before looking for his bike; I do understand that the cigarette scene is essential to add to the “frustration” of the character. As the movie was about to end, I blurted out an “OH SHIT!” with what I saw. All these story build-up for ONE GREAT ENDING! Disturbing… yes, but great nonetheless.
There isn’t much dialogue but that didn’t diminish the message it tried to convey. Note that the movie starts with hardly any sound (except for some chirping birds) for almost a full minute. I have to add here that this isn’t a feel-good and entertaining film. It’s actually a downer and downright depressing. So if you’re in a ‘happy-happy, joy-joy’ state right now, better forgo watching at this time. This short will only take about 9 minutes of your time. Sorry for my constant blabbering. Here’s the movie now. 
The clues were there all along. The wedding ring on the rider and the pink hairbrush in the saddle bag. Noticed those? I like the way how the director told the story. It’s sad but that’s the reality.
It’s a wake-up call.
-o-
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J0HNRANA
john[dot]rana[at]gmail[dot]com
why is it that the video always stopped at around 3 to 4 mins of playing, i tried it for about 4 times and same thing was experienced. what about you guys, did you encounter the same, or its only on my end? im interested watching this nice short movie. thanks.
Hey Jersey! Here’s the direct link of the movie in Google Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6316443191185539008&q=morning+fall
Let me know how it goes.
It happens many times here in NJ, killing the rider but not the deer.
Agutoy, I assume those deers in NJ are big and fast to be alive after being hit by a bike.
The film is a fake, it was done for a contest. DOnt u think that the cameraman wuld be helping the guy instead of shooting him? Shooting the deer maybe …
Hey Zob! Thanks for the comment but if you read my post, you’d be aware that I know the film isn’t real.
Have tried watching from both the indirect and direct links but they keep stopping from several seconds to less than 2 minutes. I do have a broadband and generally don’t have problems with downloads but I’ve given up on this one.
Oh, that’s too bad Ben.
I do prefer YouTube over Google video but sadly, this film isn’t uploaded yet on YouTube. I’ll post a link here, if & when I see the short uploaded elsewhere. Still, thanks for visiting.
Good short. The director could have fixed the trajectory where the deer, the actor and the bike ended up, plus considered the length of the highway. Zob is a funny guy.
Good observations, critic. I also agree with your other point.
EVERYONE: since I’ve noticed that some are having a hard time accessing the film via Google video, I’ve now changed the embedded clip in the post with another; but from YouTube this time – http://www.youtube.com/v/_Vi3HiDspOM .
Please do let me know if you encounter anymore downloading problem. Thanks!
Youtube worked John! Thank you. It was probably the cigarette that caused the accident (he lost concentration as he desperately needed a nicotine fix). But then again, I blame smoking for everything that’s bad in this world!
Nice trip you had there with Binggoy and Boo. Wish I could transport my Yamaha Bianco 125 OVER the SLEX to join you guys in your next trip!
hi June! Glad you’ve finally seen it na.
So you’re part of AMDG din? Sure cool that you guys can take SLEX with your big bikes. For us scooterists, it’s simply out of the question.
Thanks for sharing these short motofilm in your part of the world. It has been out here in the States for a while and a lot of riders have seen it and identify with the whole scenario. It is a rider’s dilemma mostly during the cold months here in the states when animals feed outside of their lair due to the fact that most wild animals are loosing their feeding grounds to urban developments..sad but true. I would like to share with you folks our videos and photos of our “bikerkadahan” here in the westcoast as well as our Xcountry rides at: http://www.juandelacruisers.net and http://www.noypetes.multiply.com Salamat at mabuhay ang samahan niyo! Ps: We took Jake, the Pinoy Mototrcycle Safety Foundation guy in Manila on a day long backroads ride during his stay here in L.A. last year.
Thanks for sharing, Noypetes! Galing ng “bikerdahan” and “juandelacruisers” — very witty with the Pinoy touch. Saw the pictures in your site too. Looks like fun.:)
So you’re the guys Jake rode with in the States. He was sharing some stories when me and my riding buddies took his class last summer.