Rooster Teeth Productions is a very small production company, which is mostly known for its machinima series Red vs. Blue.  However, recently it has started to experiment in comedic live action shorts. In one of these shorts called “Catch”, three guys named Joel, Matt, and Nathan are playing catch when a conversation starts about their fathers.   As Matt begins talking about his father he becomes distracted and hit by a baseball which was thrown by Nathan.   As the short continues Matt constantly becomes distracted and is hit first by two more baseballs, then a basketball, and afterwards has a knife thrown at him by Nathan.   After the knife is thrown at Matt, Matt and Joel agree that Nathan has gone too far.   Matt of course wanting to get even with Nathan wants to throw a baseball back at Nathan. However, a truck comes and runs Matt over, after Matt is hit a old man gets out of the truck and explains that he is Matt’s father and he is looking for Matt.  When he finds out that he has run Matt over he becomes distressed until he is hit by a baseball.

The short “Catch” is over all a very well put together short because it combines a cinematic effect in the beginning with a funny and comedic ending.   For instance, in the opening sequence of the short there’s a color change in order to bring out the yellows of the scene with a brightening of the over all video and the scene is in slow motion.   These effects along with the slow melodic music and the fact that they are in a field of sunflowers, gives the impression of a happy event.   Also, the attention to certain details such as the coloring of Matt’s, Joel’s, and Nathan’s shirts so that they do not interfere with any of the coloring effects.  This along with the joke after joke creates a very well put together short.

This is not to say though that there are not certain parts of the short that could be improved upon.   For instance in the end where Matt is hit by the truck, the effect that is used is a masking effect where one layer has Matt falling down and another has the truck coming in.   While it is very hard to combine and accomplish this effect flawlessly, the truck pulls up further than Matt falls down.   While this may be a minor flaw, if you are a person who edits films or has incorporated this type of special effect, you realize it.    Also, near the end of the short, Matt and Joel discuss switching the direction in which they throw the ball.  This part of the short seems a little out of place and the discussion should be more focused on discussing their fathers so that it flows with the rest of the discussions and adds to the irony.