Why a fixed focal length makes better films.

On the day, the crew had one battery left and a train to catch. They filmed the ending in a single take and ran for the platform. Every frame could be a postcard, but the film never stops to admire itself. It keeps moving, and so do you.

Why one lens

Behind the scenes, the set was held together with tape, string and a surprising number of clothes pegs. Some viewers write in to say the film made them call their parents. We think that is the best review a short can get.

Most of the footage was shot on a single lens, handheld, with whatever light the day allowed. That limit is part of why it feels so honest. There were three versions of the ending. The one you see was the smallest and quietest of them.

• Fewer decisions on the day
• A consistent look
• A lighter bag

There is a quiet joke running through the whole piece. Once you notice it, you will want to go back to the beginning. We watched the rough cut on a laptop in a noisy café, and it still held the whole table’s attention.

Look closely at the background of the second half. Most of what makes the scene work happens behind the main action. The edit was built around the music rather than the other way round, which gives the whole piece a steady, walking rhythm.

Walk closer before you reach for a zoom.

Rafa Quintero, street desk

The creator shot this in the gaps between a day job and a long commute, a few minutes at a time over most of a year. The creator told us the edit took longer than the shoot. Every cut was argued over, and it shows in how little is wasted.

Nothing here was staged. The crew set up, waited, and filmed what happened, which took more patience than any script would. The music was recorded live in the same space, on the same afternoon, which is why it fits the pictures so well.