Draft One of Evaluation

Film Studies Evaluation


‘My Perfect Boyfriend’ is the name of my short film. I have purposely chosen a ironic title for the film to emphasises the idea of sarcasm. The genre of the short clip is Horror. My film is based on a couple which at first to the audience look ‘perfect’ however it turns out that the boyfriend is not so wonderful after all. Through cinematography I have tried to highlight Kurt’s, (the boyfriend) abnormal thoughts, the film which I chose to emphasis this point was ‘Psycho’ Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. This films plays a major role in my short film, the reason for this is because it is through ‘Psycho’ audience understand what ‘My Perfect Boyfriend’ is about, and realise about Kurt’s illness. I have done this by selecting a specific scene of the film in my short film. I have tried to make meaning of the shower scene from the film ‘Psycho’. I achieved this by the use of mise-en-scene, lightning, cinematography and also my characters acting. Throughout the whole film I have given Kurt a unsettling, cold scene of humour. He is a dark character, which is quite distanced from the audience. In my opinion such characteristics would conclude to the viewers that Kurt is strange and unusual.

Cinematography is a key issue in all films. In ‘My Perfect Boyfriend’ I have tried to use different shots to create specific meanings. I have lots of reaction shots of Louise been scared, crying ECT. I think reaction shots are important in a horror/thriller film due to the fact that it emphasizes the panic that the character is going through to the audience. I have also used point of view shot twice within the film. The reason I have chosen such shots was to build up the pace of the film to create more excitement. Another shot that I have chosen was the freeze shot. Using this shot was difficult because I had to not only make sure that it matched the non-diegetic music playing but also to not slow down the pace of the sequence too much. One of the main reasons for using this shot was that I wanted to emphasize the fact that Louise’s life was going to freeze. My Master shot is in the middle of the short film, when the two are watching the film ‘Psycho’ it’s a pan shot. The reason I have made this shot my master shot is because in my opinion explains a lot about Kurt’s character, especially through the film psycho playing in the background. The diegetic sound from the television has a real effect on my short film. After many attempts of making this sequence perfect and matching the sound from the TV to the acting within my short film, there is a Dutch shot which leads to a close up of Louise’s eyes shut. Then there is a cut shot to the dream sequence. I have used the effect ________ in this sequence. The reason I have done this was to emphasis the fact that this is only a dream. The effect really does importance on the sequence itself. The aim of the effect was also to create a spookier atmosphere. The location where the dream sequence was filmed was on an isolated field. Even though there is no actual establishing shot to show this, it is clear that the two characters are alone. During the dream sequence I used plenty of straight cut, cut shot, jump shots to build up the pace of the scene to create anticipation and excitement within the audience. My other aim was to create a freaked out, spooky scene of atmosphere. By the use of straight cut I put across the idea of Jack moving towards Louise. Long shot, medium shot, close up. During this sequence of Jack moving towards Louise, I purposely asked Jack to stand in the middle of the long shot, to show that he is in control of Louise’s mind, in control of the film. The next shot I asked him to stand on the left side of the medium shot, and the shot after I asked him to stand on the right side of the shot. I wished that this idea of Jack been in the centre, left, right of the shot shows that his all over, always there, taking over. But the hidden meaning behind this was psychiatric. I tried to show in some scene’s that Jacks abnormal psychopathic mind is unpredictable; he could be anywhere doing anything. At the end credits I have finished the film with a ________ dissolve, which is very similar to Psycho’s opening credits. My aim was to show that my film was very much influenced by Alfred Hitchcock’s film ‘Psycho’ and for the last time emphasis on the fact the Kurt was a psycho.

I have chosen to start my short film with the ending of the plot, rather than going about it the ordinary way. The reason I had decided to do such filming was because I concluded that by getting the audience confused at the first sense would attract more attention to the film. The fact that the audience would be lost and puzzled would mean that they would be interested to figure out what is going to happen. I know this from my own experience where I have watched a film that started with the ending of the film ‘Memento’ Directed by Christopher Nolan film due to me having to put pieces together and having to figure things out rather than just sitting and watching like other films.

Editing. During the opening credits, which portrays the end of the story I have started it with a montage sequence. I have done this by putting together shots which doesn’t make much sense to the audience, until the end of the film. I have used a dissolve to show that time has passed, and by use of a fade I have attended to show a flashback which leads to the beginning of the film. However I figured it may be hard for some people to realize that, the scenes that are to appear are going to be flashbacks so therefore by using inter-title its been made clear that we are rewinding time. From the beginning of the film I have made Louise the alignment of the story. The focus of the story, it’s her life been unfolded. In order to create emotional bond between Louise and the audience was very hard due to the length of the short film. Usually it takes time for the audience to connect with the characters within a film. However by the use of panic, shock, and lighting I have tried to create sympathy towards Louise, because it is usually sympathy which leads to emotional bond. I have tried to create a verisimilitude storyline, for the reason that audiences feel more involved if they imagine themselves within the characters position. It could be argued that this is another reason why emotional bond could be created, between the spectatorship and Louise, because it’s a lot more realistic due to it been set in everyday life.


Music. I could of chosen a song that suited the situation, this involved, Metal music, and horrific music. However instead I chose a incongruities non-diegetic song that did not suit the situation at all. Yet again joking with the audiences expectations. Going against the ordinary pattern of film making. I figured that if I chose a playful happy song the audience would not anticipate a murder scene. I purposely picked Bob Marley’s song ‘Three little birds’ due to its lyrics of ‘Don’t worry about a thing cause every little thing is going to be ok’ however in reality she is getting stabbed. Another reason I had chosen this song was due to the three character in my film, representing the three characters within my short film. Jack, Louise and Mark. Another piece of music I picked to be played in the short film was by Bob McFerrin ‘Don’t worry be happy’ I set this as Louise’s ringtone for the same reasons of playing with the audiences expectations. Such songs usually are played in romantic comedy films, yet I am trying to emphasis the fact that even though Louise dies this film is still about the two romantic couple. The music goes against what audience imagine, but yet again so does the short film. You don’t really expect Kurt to kill Louise. So the music is ironic of the short film.

During a tracking shot of Louise I have purposely asked her to walk down the stairs to emphasises the fact that she’s going down, it could represent going down to grave (dying), going down to danger. I have also tried to emphasis this from the use of sound. Sound also plays a major role in my film, I have tried to get lots of loud screams, clock ticking, knocking, loud noises, to emphasis the fact that danger is ahead. In this particular scene with the tracking shot I have used the sound of a ticking clock, when she walks past the clock, the mise-en-scene is there purposely to show that time is running out. The sound emphasises that. Time ticking, the closer she gets to the door to let Kurt in the house, the louder and quicker the ticking gets. I also tried to make the lighting at the bottom of the stairs bright to create a danger zone to emphasis the fact that Louise is in danger walking into the red light. Other forms of sounds are gasping and screaming. These two sounds are usually a horror/ thriller convention sounds. During the dream sequence I have tried to use lots of screaming and yet again I used the non-diegetic song ‘Don’t worry be happy’ going against the horror convention, instead of having a horrified song playing I have tried to mock the murder scene.

Mise-en-scene. One of my main mise-en-scene which I tried to get into most shots was the use of ‘Mirror’. The Mise-en-scene in the scene where Jack is walking down the corridor with the knife, if you notice closely they are at least 8 mirrors down that specific corridor, showing his dual personality. I tried my best to film him both in the mirror and while walking down the corridor. The main Mise-en-scene in that scene is Jack, Knife and Mirrors. When Kurt first enters the house, the high angle shot of him walking into the living room shows his reflection in the mirror. Showing his dual personality from the moment he walks in. When Louise is in her room at the beginning of the film she is cleaning the mirror. Even though she hasn’t really got a dual personality, we have to bare in mind that what we are seeing is a flashback so she is already dead, so there is two sides to her. She cleans the mirror we see her get killed in. We don’t see any direct shots of Louise getting stabbed; we see her getting stabbed through the mirror and shadow of Kurt. Next Mise-en-scene I used a lot was the mobile phone. Mainly due to the picture of Kurt on the ID caller. First time the audiences see’s the phone it’s a close up of Kurt on the picture, and then a zoom out. Than near the end of the film there is a zoom in of Kurt’s picture on the mobile. I have done this purposely to show that the film has started with Kurt and its ending with Kurt. He is the centre of the film. Even though this story is Louise’s the use of Mise-en-scene may lead the audiences to differ and say it is in fact Kurt who has the leading roll. Although shots of Louise dominate the short film, on the other hand by the use of cinematography, Mise-en-scene I have in fact made Kurt the alignment of the film, he is in dept the focus of the story rather than Louise. The knife is also a key Mise-en-scene in this short film. Not only do we see a knife in the film ‘Psycho’ but I have tried to find an identical knife to the one in Psycho and I have attended to get it in as much shots as possible. A usual horror convention involves such Mise-en-scenes like Knife, blood ECT, that is one of the main reasons I chose this weapon. The Mise-en-scene in Louise’s room is everyday things you see in a girl’s room. DVD is also another important Mise-en-scene. During the phone scene, Louise’s scrip wrote: ‘scary films, I only have Seven and Psycho.’ Both films are involved with death. The reason I picked the film ‘Seven’ Directed by David Fincher for her to mention was the fact that the film Seven is about the seven deadly sins, and people dying and getting killed. This could be stressing the fact that Louise may have done the seven deadly sins, so therefore death is near by for her. The reason why I put this suggestion together was due to the idea that I needed a deeper reason for why Kurt kills Louise, and this was the best way to achieve reasoning. Also if the audiences recall the flashback inter-title wrote ‘se7en hours earlier’ recalling back to the film Se7en. I have dropped a few clues for the audiences to pick up. I achieved this through Mise-en-scene and editing.

Costume. Louise had a black and white top which in my opinion fitted in quite well with her character and her situation. White resembling her character and the black is Jack’s dark personality that is taking over her. Jack had the best coat for the job. The horrified coat collar fitted brilliantly with his character. Spooky, long, dark and mysteries really did stress his characteristics.

Lightning. I used dark lighting in most scenes. I ether used bright light on a specific Mise-en-scene to highlight the detailed item. This included DVD’s, Louise’s face, the Knife, Mobile phone. I also made the lighting for when Jack comes down the corridor bright to try and create a dangerous zone and atmosphere. The dark lightening that I used is to stress the point that things are unclear, characteristics are dark. The only natural lighting used in the film is during the dream sequence. My aim with this was that dreams are usually meant to be pure, natural but Louise’s dream have been taking over by Kurt. I also used lighting to create lots of shadows within the film. This included the stabbing scene. Shadow was also used at the beginning of the film when Louise is getting chased up the stairs. When Kurt is walking after Louise with the knife we see the use of shadow once again. The reason why I created lots of shadows was to create yet again a dual personality. During the stabbing scene I thought it be unusual to not actually see what happens but with the power of lighting and editing you could get such a idea through to the audience, that Louise is getting stabbed.

In my opinion my weak points of the film is the beginning of the short sequence. I haven’t quite achieved what I wished. The telephone scene is also longer than I had planned, which makes the short film longer and in some spectatorship’s eyes the may find the scene ‘boring.’

Overall by using an older film such as ‘Psycho’ made in the 1960’s, I tried to not just appeal to the younger generation but also 30+. Since this film may not be very familiar with a younger audience, I have tried to use dark humour such as dancing with a knife, picking fun at the horror convention and using well known music. I picked such playful, cheery song was to appeal and attract my target audience. I have found that by showing the scene with Jack and the knife rather than chasing Louise he walks after her while dancing is rather humorous. I tried my best to keep the film humorous but at the same time in the horror convention.