Random Knowledge [Michael Charron, USA, 2018]

Random Knowledge is a comedic short film from director Michael Charron, which gets most of its laughs out of applying the tropes and the aesthetics of the sports movie genre to a simple pub quiz.

For example, each of the quiz team members get a screen overlay that shows their statistics (examples: pop music, anime, butts) as well as some trivia about their lives. There are also dramatic camera arc shots as the team debate geek trivia among themselves. It’s a fun conceit that goes a long way into making what is essentially just some talking heads sitting at a table genuinely interesting at times, with all the tension and suspense expected from the sports genre.

On a technical level, Random Knowledge does some interesting things with lighting. The dramatic lense flares of the world inside the characters’ heads contrasts nicely with the warm yet dingy lighting of the real world, the latter effectively capturing the lighting of pretty much every pub to have ever existed. The editing is also strong, creating a good pace where each member of the quiz team gets a moment to shine. Speaking of the characters, there’s an admirable focus on characterisation with each of the team feeling like the sort of big personalities you tend to meet at pub quiz nights.

Random Knowledge is a good idea (sports movie tropes applied to a not particularly unexciting activity) executed with aplomb.

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‘Random Knowledge’ was a film in consideration for Short Focus Film Festival 2019.