Rob Munday
When you think of special FX in movies, certain iconic scenes are likely to spring to mind: the shape-shifting T-1000 in Terminator 2, the awe-inspiring dinosaurs of Jurassic Park, or Neo’s bullet-dodging feats in The Matrix. These are moments etched in the cinematic history of millions, but for fans of digital effects, there’s a new star on the horizon: Grandmother Margie Soudek and her extensive collection of salt and pepper shakers. Prepare to be amazed as she dodges explosions, conjures sparkles from her fingertips, and… delves into the story behind her unique array of condiment dispensers.
Described as ‘part love letter, part documentary, part experiment’, Meredith Moore’s perfectly-titled short, Margie Soudek’s Salt and Pepper Shakers, combines her expertise as a digital effects instructor with her love for her elderly relative. Opening with a fairly standard exposition – the camera browsing the titular collection in close-up as Moore discusses her intentions with her grandmother – that footage soon transitions to a minimised screen on a desktop, revealing the first indication that this short isn’t going to be a straightforward doc.
Moore with her grandmother in the green screen studio.
From this point on, the visual hook of the documentary takes hold, the approach consistently changing from that of an intimate documentary to a humorous Screentime insight into the world of special FX. This shift in approach proves to be both clever and indispensable for the film., as without it, Moore’s work would risk blending in with the myriad of other shorts that simply aim a camera at an elderly individual and prompt them to discuss a facet of their life. While there’s an inherent emotional resonance in capturing someone in the later stages of life on-screen, Moore transcends this narrow focus by expanding the scope, and impact, of her narrative.
As the short nears its conclusion and Soudek inquires of her granddaughter, “what’s this movie about?”, we witness Moore jotting down themes – obsession, compulsion, building identity, how we navigate the world – on a note on her desktop, providing an indication of her own personal aims for the film. While Margie Soudek’s Salt and Pepper Shakers is undeniably a short that initially charms with its intimate feel, its this complexity, to both the filmmaking and the storytelling, which truly leaves a mark. Funny, touching and inventive, there are so many layers to Moore’s short that after watching it, it’s hard not to reflect on both the obsessive nature of humanity and the legacies we leave behind when we die. Yet, amidst these profound reflections, the standout takeaway might just be the universal need for a salt and pepper set shaped like a pair of giant boobs! Who wouldn’t want to have one of those in their lives?