Short Film Analysis- Three of the same genre and three of separate genres

Drawn out- Action

This film is about two separate groups trying to achieve success through
music. They clash together and find them fighting verbally between
themselves for success of the objective. Until, it turns into physical
violence in which people are murdered and ending characters in prison.
This is the turn in time where they go back to the start and forgive each
other in prison. This film is action, you can tell through the music that’s
played due to it having a fast tempo.

Mise en Scene: The Mise en scene that is used in this short film is important to the film to show
the meaning of the area that it is set in. The short film is set in South East London; this can be
seen with the distinctive sights of London’s attractions and the urban areas around. This fits into
the action, due to the real life stories that are happening around the London suburbs and young
culture having physical and mental issues such as mental health and violence. This is effective as
it is associate able with the viewers that are watching. Similarly, the dialogue is spoken in a South
Eastern accent with the use of slang that they use in that area. This fits in with action due to the
accent and slang that is used can be seen in music videos in which people are driving fast cars
and shooting guns. The effect on the audience is that the accent is relatable as the audience that
is viewing this film will be around the area that it was filmed. Also, the costumes that they are
wearing are casual which age group the age group that are being filmed would usually wear. The
age group of the actors are 18 to 23; they are also wearing accessories such as jewellery and
expensive hats to show their age and uniqueness about themselves. What this says about the
characters is that they are earning a lot of money from their role in society and shows that they
want to stand out and be unique. This makes the audience want to be like them and have a
relatable factor due to the geographical location to the viewers. Mise en scene overall adds to
the success of the film as it helps makes the narrative flow and become a realistic story. The
setting and décor make the film relatable to the viewer; this makes the film a success as the
audience can relate to what’s happening on the screen which makes them become interested in
the franchise.

Cinematography: The cinematography that is used in this short film is diverse this can be seen
with the different types of shots. During the start of the film, we see an over the shoulder shot
that is suppose to be in a member of the gang’s point of view. This
can be seen due to other members standing in front of the camera
and the man in the corner that they are looking at looking at the
camera. It makes the viewer feel like they are in frame with the
characters and gives them a personal perspective. This is effective
as it makes the viewer feel on the edge of their seat and seem like
they’re in the shot making them feel more emotion towards the
characters. Also they use a high angle shot to show the vulnerability of someone who is getting
cornered by members of the gang. They done this to show the number of them between him
and makes the gang seem powerful in numbers. This fits in with action as it’s showing the
difference between power and vulnerability. The audience are meant to feel sorry/ anxious for
the boy on his own due to him being outnumbered by the rest. The high angle camera makes
him look smaller vulnerable compared to the gang members standing around him. This is
conventional as it’s showing the realistic violence that occurs during the film, its effective as it
makes the audience feel sorry for the boy who is clearly in trouble. Another camera angle that
they use is the pan as they are following the actor getting chased by the gang members. This is
conventional to action as the speed of the pan is fast implying it has a fast pace and that action is
taking place. This is meant to make the audience gain an adrenaline rush and feel involved in the
action sequence. This cinematography makes the film successful as the use of different camera
angles for the groups showing the good as vulnerable through high angle and bad as powerful
through low angle.

Sound: The sound that is used in this short film is fast paced due to the film being action it is
used when the actor is getting chased by gang members. This is non-diegetic sound that is used
to make tension during the film. The non-diegetic music that they used was the song ‘Traffic’ by
Milkabeats and MKtheplug. The reason why this music was chosen was due to the pace and the
beat of the soundtrack, it is of an upbeat tempo and a high volume. This is meant to stress how
fast paced the action is and that something bad is happening. It also fits well as the artists are
from the area where it is filmed, giving the music a meaning behind it as the music is relatable to
the audience whose age group will probably listen to that type of music. Due to the music being
fast paced, the action parts are exciting giving an edge of the seat feeling to the viewer. This is
conventional for an action film as it has a fast tempo which associates with fast movements. The
sound makes the film a success due to the diegetic music making the viewer want to watch on
and the non-diegetic dialogue relatable to the audience due to the location that it’s set.

Editing: The editing that is used in this short film is fast paced due to it being an action film. They
use many short takes in this sequence to make the action seem even faster. The reason why they
have made it fast paced is to make you want to watch on as a viewer and keeps you engaged at
the edge of your seat. They also added in lots of shot reverse shots as characters are in
conversation, later they cross cut to different parts of the location to show two things happening
at the same time. Also the music that they use connotes with action films due to it creating
tension. How? The choice of music was fast paced which made the tempo of the film and shots
speed up as well which created an adrenaline feeling. This is conventional as the chosen music
encourages the pace of the film. Another technique that they use is an eye line match when they
look at each other. This is to make the audience feel in the position of the characters and to see
how they view one another. The slow takes between them make them look like they have
tension between the characters and create contrast between the two. This is conventional for an
action film as usually you have a hero and villain, and the use of shot reverse shots and eye line
matches conveys the tension between the two clearly.

This film follows the structure of Todorov’s theory; this can be seen as there are five key stages
that happen in this film. The first stage is the equilibrium which is the start of the film, which
starts with the main actor on the bus with his friend However this changes quickly and
transitions to the disruption which is a gang that are looking to attack him. They used this
disruption earlier in the film to show the contrast from him joking with friends to them running
away. The third stage is the realisation, which is when the character finds out that they have a
serious problem and they start to plan what happens next. This is usually the middle of the film
until, the next stage which is a restored order. This is usually a solution to the problem from the
previous stage. However, at this part in the film the main character is in jail, speaking to the bad
guy trying to resolve the problem which follows the Todorov’s theory. The final stage is the
equilibrium again. Which is the happy start again as the disruption has been resolved. This film
has followed the Todorov theory by using the different stages; this has allowed the narrative
work and made the audience want to watch on. This is conventional to action films such as ‘Fast
and Furious’ which also ends on equilibrium, they done this to show how far the characters had
come during the franchise.
 Blue

This film is about a couple who are going out for a walk around the park. During the walk, the girl
meets an old friend who has suspensions about the girl having bruises over her body. After that,
the girl denies it but the boyfriend knows that the other person knows about the bruises. As the
person keeps contacting her about the bruises, the boyfriend becomes aggressive towards the
girlfriend who ends on a cliff hanger of rage and screaming from the couple. This film is thriller as
can be seen through the use of a knife at the end of the film and the mystery of not knowing
what happened after the argument.

Mise en Scene: The Mise en scene that is used in this short film is shows the different emotions
of the characters in the film. The short film is set in two main locations; one of them being the
park and the other being the house. The use of the phone in this video is key as it shows the
isolation and communication that can be used to communicate with other people. This is
conventional to thriller as we don’t understand why she’s trying to keep the bruises away from
her friend. Also, the costumes are significant to the video. Due to the use of makeup and the
scarf, covering her face it makes the bruises disappear. This is conventional to a thriller as it
shows her covering up clues to what has happened in the past, this is effective as the audience
doesn’t know what has happened to the girl yet as the film had only just begun. The Mise en
scene makes this film successful due to the mystery factor in which the costume and makeup
plays as the audience don’t know what has happened between the couple.

Cinematography: The cinematography that is used in this short film is diverse as they use a
variety of different shots to show the action and emotion of the characters. During the start of
the film, we see an over the shoulder shot that is supposed to show the girl using the makeup to
cover the bruises that will later come up in the film. This is effective due to them showing us the
character she puts on at the start of the film and at the ending of the film. It shows a contrast
between her and her boyfriend as his always looking over her powerfully. Also they use a high
angle shot to show the vulnerability of the character when she is on the phone at home. The high
angle camera makes her look smaller vulnerable compared to the boyfriend. This is effective as it
makes the audience understand the abuse that the woman is being put through. Another camera
angle that they use is the pan, which they use when the couple are walking through the park.
The cinematography makes the film successful as it shows the contrast between vulnerable and
powerful directly to the audience through high and low angle shots.

Sound: The sound that is used in this short film is fast tense and has a lot of tension. This can be
seen when she drops her phone at the end of the video. This is conventional as the sound gets
muted and we here an argument as the film closes. The reason why this is effective is due to the
mystery that they had left behind which is conventional to a thriller and the unknowing for the
audience. The majority of the film is dialogue as there are many speakers in the film. During the
filming when the characters are speaking, they use non diegetic music of birds and cars going by.
This is to give the effect that they are living a normal life outside of the house, but inside the
house is a different story. This makes the film a success due to the sudden silences inside the
house which leaves a mystery factor for the audience to decide how it ends.

Editing: The editing that is used in this short film is fast paced at the end of the film due to it
creating tension for the viewer to watch on. This is conventional to thriller as it usually has a slow
start until the disruption and it then speeds up towards the end. This is effective as they build
the story up for the audience which beforehand gives those clues to what happens next. They do
this by using lots of shot reverse shots as characters are in conversation at the end of the film.
This is effective as it shows the conflict that the two characters are happening between each
other as the argument starts to heat up. Another technique that they use is cross cutting. At the
start of the film it was happy and slow which made the ending of the film exciting. Another
technique that they use is an eye line match, which shows the two characters good and bad. This
technique shows the fear in the eyes of the female character. The reason that they have done
this is to show the contrast between female who is emotionally drained and the man who is seen
is powerful. This is a convention of thriller as it finally shows the true villain of the film through
the use of his eyes. This makes the film successful to the genre as the audience thought that they
were just a normal couple having a walk in the park until later on and the characters moods
started to change. It shows what the characters real personalities are like.

This film doesn’t follow the structure of Todorov’s theory; this can be seen as there are five key
stages that happen in this film. The first stage is the equilibrium which is the start of the film,
which starts with the main two characters leaving the house happy. However this changes
quickly and transitions to the disruption which is them meeting an old friend at the park and
splitting up with each other. The third stage is the realisation, which is when the character finds
out that they have a serious problem however the friend finds out instead of the main character
and she wants to help. This is usually the middle of the film until, the next stage which is a
restored order. This is usually a solution to the problem from the previous stage. However, at
this part in the film the main character is when the boyfriend finds out about the conversation
that they had about the bruise. The final stage is the equilibrium again. This film doesn’t follow
the todorov theory due to the ending being left on a cliff hanger.
 Choice

This film is about a man who is trapped in a chair next to his girlfriend. It starts like this due to
the film being in the present and slowly unlocking clues in the past into why he and his girlfriend
have got into this situation. As the story goes on we slowly understand as the audience why this
is taking place as the villain narrates through the past. This film is a mystery horror, we can
generally tell through the use of the weapon and the low key lighting but also the clues that are
slowly getting unlocked throughout the film.

Mise en Scene: The Mise en scene that is used in this short film is important to the film to show
the emotions of the characters. The short film is set in in a dark room, which looks like a
dungeon. This is a conventional setting to a horror due to the violence that uses to take place in
them. This is effective as it makes the audience feel fearful for the characters due to the
unknowing of why they are in this situation. Also, the costumes that they are wearing are torn
which shows the torture that they have been put through. This is conventional as it shows the
violence that has been conflicted on them which is usually seen in horror films. This is effective
as it gives an understand on what has happened to them for the audience. Also the makeup is
essential in the film as it shows the stress that the characters are going through throughout the
film. This is effective as it shows that the characters have to be decisive in there answering which
could affect the outcome of the ending. The Mise en scene makes the film successful due to the
unknowing of what has happened to the characters for them to be in this situation which adds to
the mystery genre.

Cinematography: The cinematography that is used in this short film is in the same room.
However they use lots of close up shots to show the emotions of the two characters that are
being tortured. This is conventional to the horror genre as it shows the decisions that are having
to be made and the confusion in why this is happening. They do the close ups to show the effect
that emotions of the characters who are have to make decisions that will affect the end of the
film and outcome. During the start of the film, they use a high angle shot to show the
vulnerability of the person which is getting questioned. This is conventional to a horror as they
are making the villain seem powerful and stronger to the victim. This is effective as it shows what
is going on from the villain’s perspective which we don’t know what he looks like yet giving a
mystery factor to the film. Another camera angle that they use is the pan as they ran across the
two actors when they are talking to each other. This shows the audience what how far apart they
are and the setting that they’re in. the cinematography makes this film successful as it clearly
highlights the contrast between good and bad through the use of high and low angle shots. Also
the setting and costume connotation to the horror genre in which the characters are feeling. This
can be seen through the use of the makeup dripping down the face of the girl.

Sound: The sound that is used in this short film is fast paced due to the film being having a lot of
action and tension. They use non-diegetic sound of a clock ticking to make the time seem
quicker. This is effective as it shows the inside emotions of what the characters are feeling in
which they have to make a decision that could affect the outcome of the film. Another reason
why they have done this is to make the reader want to watch on as the music gets louder and
heart beats faster. This is conventional to a horror in which the audience are feeling on the edge
of their seat into what’s going to happen next to the characters. They also use diegetic sound of
the actors breathing heavily, which shows the emotions of the characters. It shows that the
characters are scared which makes the film seem more realistic and enjoyable as it connotes the
thriller and action genre also. This is effective as it brings in aspects from different genres which
make the film even tenser for the viewer. The sound in the short film makes is successful as it
makes the film tenser which gives an edge of the seat feeling for the audience.

Editing: The editing that is used in this short film is fast paced due to it being an action film. The
reason why they have made it fast paced is to make you want to watch on as a viewer. They use
two shots of the two people tied up in the chairs. They also blur the two characters out when
each one of them is speaking which makes the speaker the most important aspect in the shots.
This is effective as it shows the importance in what the character is saying also it gives the
audience an understanding into what decisions are going to be made. The reason they do this is
to create tension between the three characters as they are trying to come up with a decision
that will change the film. This is effective as it gives a mystery factor as we still don’t know the
full story in which why they are in the situation. Another technique that they use is shot reverse
shot; which is when the camera goes back and forward between characters in conversation. They
have done this to make the pace of the conversation increase which makes the viewer want to
watch on. They also use a montage when the character is trying to think back to the past about
what happened for him to be in this situation. This is conventional to the mystery as is finally
uncovers what has happened beforehand which gives an understanding for the audience into
what has happened. This makes the film successful as it slowly uncovers what the mystery is and
why they are in the situation. This is uncovered well through the use of the montage which gives
an understanding to the past.

This film doesn’t follow the structure of Todorov’s theory; this can be seen as there are five key
stages that happen in this film. The first stage is the equilibrium which is the start of the film,
which starts with the two main characters tied up in chair. This does not follow the todorov
theory as they are already at the distraction. They used the disruption at the start of the film and
they didn’t give a beginning. The third stage is the realisation, which is when the character finds
out what has happened to him and why he is in the situation. This is usually the middle of the
film until, the next stage which is a restored order. This is usually a solution to the problem from
the previous stage. This doesn’t follow the Todorov’s theory because they don’t come out with a
solution until the end and it then ends on a cliff hanger. The final stage is the equilibrium again.
Which is the happy start again as the disruption has been resolved. At the end of the film, the
disruption does not get solved and it ends on a cliff hanger as the third character puts a gun to
his head and it ends.
 The smiling man

The smiling man is a horror story about a little girl, who can hear noises from down the stairs.
She goes down the stairs to find out what the sound was. As she gets closer to the kitchen she
sees a figure eating the groceries out of a bag. The villain turns around and the girl and villain
interact with each other for a while getting the little girl to smile through the use of a red ball. It
ends on a cliff hanger of the girl seeing her mum behind the villain covered in blood; leaving
behind a mystery.

Mise en Scene: The Mise en scene that is used in this short film is shows the different
surroundings where the characters are. The short film is set in one location. It is based in a house
near with low key lighting. This is effective due to the genre being horror as it’s a conventional
into the mystery behind the villain and what has happened. The use of the balloons in this video
is to show the villain being a clown and child friendly. This is a convention of horror as clowns are
usually associated with children. This is effective as the as it shows the audience the contrast
between good and evil through the use of red balloons relating to blood/death, but children’s
parties also. Also, the costumes are significant to the video, as the girl is in a one piece pink
dress, which connotes the vulnerability and weakness. This makes the film successful as it shows
the audience the weakness and vulnerability of the girl. Also the red themed balloons show a
contrast between children’s parties and death through the colour association.

Cinematography: The cinematography that is used in this short film is diverse as they use a
variety of different shots to show the action and emotion of the characters. During the start of
the film, we see an over the shoulder shot that is supposed to what the girl is visualises which is
the TV. This is effective as it makes it seem like the viewer is watching the footage on the TV as
well with her and makes them feel part of the action. This is conventional to horror as it gives the
feeling in which the villain is standing behind her. They also use a pan when she is walking down
the stairs following the balloon pattern. This is effective, similar to the other shot as it seems like
the audience are following the girl behind her down the stairs which makes the audience feel like
they’re part of the film as well. Another camera angle that they use is close ups, this shows the
emotions through facial expressions. The close ups are conventional to a horror film as it helps
the audience understand what the characters are feeling. These shots help the audience
understand the different emotions that the girl is going through in the film. The cinematography
makes the film successful as the shots used make the audience feel as if they are part of the
action following behind the girl who is the guidance.

Sound: The sound that is used in this short film is minimal. This is due to only a small amount of
non-diegetic sound that can be heard is when the creature moves. They done this emphasises
the creature seem even more unnatural. This is effective to make the creature seem mysterious
as the girl hasn’t seen anything like it before. Only diegetic sound that can be heard from the TV
in the background as the girl watches the TV. This is effective as it shows the deathly silence that
the TV leaves behind which allows for more tension between the two characters not
understanding each other’s purpose. The majority of sound is non diegetic sound, such as when
the creature starts to turn towards the lady. This is conventional as the story is getting
uncovered for the first time and we see the other side of the creature start to come out. This is
effective as it puts more of a fear factor into the audience as they didn’t understand what
happened before. This created tension in which the directors wanted to get across as the film is
about to eclipse. This makes the successful as it gives the audience a fear factor towards the girl
as her guardian in which is her mum has been hurt from the creature in which the little girl is
next.

Editing: The editing that is used in this short film is slow paced at the start of the film and slowly
increase in pace at the end. They done this as they wanted to make the viewer and it helps the
stories feel more realistic. One technique that they use is cross cutting. It shows the girl looking
at the creature and the girl. The reason why they have done this was to show the emotions that
the creature is trying to get across to the girl. This is a convention of horror as it also shows her
size comparisons between the two characters. This is effective as it makes the villain seem
powerful and the little girl vulnerable in which the directors of the film wanted to get across.
Another technique that they use is a pan into the primary action which is when the creature puts
his hand down and scoops up blood from the floor and puts it on his face. This is conventional as
it seems like the viewer is watching the creature scoop up the blood from inside the house. As
we get to see the full story moments before the girl finds out. This leaves are fear factor for the
girl who’s in trouble but she doesn’t know yet. The reason why they panned into this is because
it gives the film a new situation and asks questions to the viewers about where it has come from.
The editing makes the film successful due to the fact that it builds emphasis for the viewer as we
understand what happens before the girl does. It makes the audience feel sorry for the girl as
she doesn’t know what has happened yet.

This film doesn’t follow the structure of Todorov’s theory; this can be seen as there are five key
stages that happen in this film. The first stage is the equilibrium which is the start of the film,
which starts with the girl in a content mood watching the TV. However this changes quickly and
transitions to the disruption which is her hearing screaming down the stairs. The third stage is
the realisation, which is when the character finds out that they have a serious problem however,
this is seen nearer the ending of the film as in the last 20 seconds of the film she finds out that it
was her mother that has been screaming. This is usually the middle of the film until, the next
stage which is a restored order. On the other hand, there was no restored order in the film as it
ends too soon and is left on a cliff hanger of the creature putting his hand out. The final stage is
the equilibrium again. This film doesn’t follow the todorov theory due to there not being a
restored order in the film, and the final equilibrium ending on a cliff hanger.
 Goodnight

This film is about a little girl going to bed, but hearing noises under her bed. It’s a paranormal
film as we don’t find out what’s under the bed. The parents run in and check under the bed, they
don’t find anything until the creature pulls the mum under the bed. The whole time, the girl is on
her own lying on the bed. This is when she finally checks the bottom of the bed and can’t find
anything. Her dad walks in and nothing happens to him leaving a suspicious feeling towards him
having something to do with it.

Mise en Scene: The Mise en scene that is used in this short film is important to the film to show
the meaning of the area that it is set in. The short film is set in a young girl’s bedroom; this can
be seen within the first few seconds as a teddy bear prop and fairy dress are the first two scenes
we see. This is conventional to horror as we see the vulnerability of the character right of from
the start. Its effective as the audience can identify the age group in which the character is in
before looking seeing the visuals of the character. Also we could clearly see the time of day it
was due to the low key lighting and the first shot of the girl in her pyjamas. This is conventional
due to a number of horrors being set at night time as it leaves a mysterious feeling behind them.
The reason why they have used a young girl is because she is likely to be most vulnerable in a
horror film. This is effective as the audience can clearly understand what the story is about
through the use of the bed and darkness. Also, this may make the audience feel calm at the start
and it allows for a jump scare to be committed. The Mise en scene makes the film successful as it
makes the audience understanding how the story start but also leaves a hole in which they don’t
understand what’s going to happen next to the girl.

Cinematography: The cinematography that is used in this short film is diverse this can be seen
with the different types of shots. During the start of the film, we see an establishing shot of the
whole bedroom; this is because the majority of the action will be filmed in this room. Another
shot, that they use to replicate this is the wide angle, the reason why they used this was to fit the
dad and girl in the shot. This was showing what the mum was looking at which gave the viewers
an inside into the mums vision. A shot that was used frequently at the when using jumps scares
is the low angle shot. The reason why they used this was to show the action of the girl looing
under the bed. This showed her lowering down to the bed and looking under it from another
angle.

Sound: The sound that is used in this short film is slow paced at the start and stays slow paced
throughout with bursts of energy throughout. They use a lot of non-diegetic sound film, this can
be seen when the mum is running into the bedroom of the girl. During this, the music gets louder
and faster which made it seem more aggressive. This is a convention of horror as it puts fear in
the audience as we can’t understand why she is running quickly. They used sound effects,
throughout the film. This was seen when the women got dragged underneath the bed. This was
effective as it emphasised the force that she hit the ground which portrays the paranormal
creature as strong. The reason why they used sound effects was to emphasis the impact of the
fall. They also used sound effects when the paranormal sounds of footsteps can be heard. This
emphasises movement of ‘Billy’ the monster, which also makes it seem more realistic. They also
have a lot of diegetic sound; an example of this is at the end when the ballerina is dancing
around without being touched which connotes the paranormal activity of the monster. The
sound makes the film successful due to the increase in volume and sound effects of the woman
hitting the floor which tells the audience that the monster is powerful.

Editing: The editing that is used in this short film is slow and fast paced at different times in the
film considering what scene and what action is happening in that scene. The reason why they
have made this is too match the heart rates of the little girl mainly and other characters. They do
this by using lots of shot reverse shots as the mum and daughter are in conversation. This is
conventional to horror as it shows the mum trying to calm her daughter down due to her crying.
This is effective as it shows the two emotions of the characters as the mum is calm and the girl is
crying. They done this too help the conversation flow and make the viewer want to watch on as
it was getting to the action point. Another technique that they use is a transition, between the
mum and dad upstairs and the daughter down the stairs. This is showing two sides of the story,
but also shows the vulnerability as the girl is by herself. This is effective as it makes the audience
feel like the parents aren’t caring for their daughter as they can still hear her screaming down
the stars. One of the main reasons why they had done this was to show the similarities in the
action that was going on in the background. The editing makes the film successful as it adds
suspense as the parents are running down the stairs towards her daughter. Also the transition
from the parent speaking to the daughter and the mum getting pulled under the bed is fast
paced. This is effective as it makes the audience understand that there is only the dad who can
save her.

This film follows the structure of Todorov’s theory; this can be seen as there are five key stages
that happen in this film. The first stage is the equilibrium which is the start of the film, which
starts with the family tucking the girl in the bed, this is a calm scene. However this changes
quickly and transitions to the disruption which is the paranormal footsteps. The third stage is the
realisation, which is when the mum gets pulled underneath the bed. The next stage is a restored
order. This is usually a solution to the problem from the previous stage. However, there is no
restored order as the father comes in and girl goes calm again. The final stage is the equilibrium
again. Which is when the father closes the door and the girl goes back to bed.
 Don’t look

The film is about a man going to another man’s house to watch a film. The man who’s gone to
the house is unaware of what they are going to watch. The home owner goes out of the room
and the man starts the film on the TV. In the screen there is a figure that disappears slowly. The
man watching the TV realises it’s the outside of the house that his act like a CCTV camera. The

Mise en Scene: The Mise en scene that is used in this short film is important to the film to show
the meaning of the area that it is set in. The short film is set in a boy’s bedroom; this can be seen
with the props used such as the men’s aftershave and men’s sunglasses. This is effective as it
allows the audience to identify the gender of one of the characters before we see them. The
costume that the girl is wearing is similar to the previous film wear the girl is wearing pyjamas.
What this tells the audience is that she is either going to bed or just got up. We can also
determine this through the low key lighting that has been used. The use of low key lighting
highlights that this film will have activity in as horror films are usually set at night. The Mise en
scene makes the film successful due to it showing the time of day through the use of costume
and lighting.

Cinematography: The cinematography that is used in this short film is diverse this can be seen
with the different types of shots. During the start of the film, we see a wide angle shot this was
used to show the setting which was the bedroom. This is effective as the window that she is
sitting behind is where the villain will first be seen. Also, the wide angle shot shows the villain
and the girl together however she doesn’t know that his behind her. Another shot that it used,
over the shoulder shot which shows what action the person is doing on her phone. They also use
a pan that follows her to the other rooms of the house. Another camera angle that they use is
the two shot, this can be seen in the beginning when the girl takes a selfie and the person is in
the background behind the window. This is conventional to horror as she turns around there
wasn’t anything in the window which gives a mystery factor to the film. The cinematography
makes the film successful as we get to see the victim and villain in the same shot and location
multiple times. Also we understand as the viewer how close the villain is to her and she doesn’t
know. This makes the audience feel nervous of what is going to happen next to the girl.

Sound: The sound that is used in this short film is slow paced throughout as it is just her own.
They used non diegetic music, when she first found out about the man behind her. The reason
why they done this were to first show her as scared. This also has an effect on the audience as it
creates tension which makes the audience feel scared and created a jump scare which is a
convention of horror. The diegetic sound that was used in this film is when she is speaking on the
phone to someone. She changes her tone of voice to sound scared, she also done this by
breathing deeply. This is a conventional of horror due to the character heavily breathing and
feeling nervous. This is effective as it makes the audience understand that she’s feeling scared
and frightened. The sound makes this film successful as it creates tension which makes jump
scares when the villain appears which help the audience to feel scared also.

Editing: The editing that is used in this short film is fast paced. The reason why they have made it
fast paced is to make you want to watch on as a viewer. They do this by using fast transitions of
zooming in and out of the window where the man is standing. This is effective for the audience
to know that he is there as the women still doesn’t know his in the window. Another technique
that they use is cross cutting. The reasons that they have done this to show the screenshots from
the phone... This allows the viewer to see the reaction of the person sending the message, which
allows them to get a better understanding on how the character is feeling. Another technique
that they use is an eye line match, which shows the two characters eyes locking onto each other
for the first time. This is conventional to a horror as its shows a contrast between the two
characters; this helps the viewer see the intent of both characters and what their next action is
going to be. This is effective as we get to see the first reaction from the girl which makes the
audience feel nervous on how she will react. The editing makes the film successful as it makes
the audience want to watch on through the fast cuts that are used between the two characters.

This film follows the structure of Todorov’s theory; this can be seen as there are five key stages
that happen in this film. The first stage is the equilibrium which is the start of the film, which
starts with the girl on her phone talking to her boyfriend about staying over. However this
changes quickly and transitions to the disruption which is a picture that she took of her and a
suspicious looking man in the background. The third stage is the realisation, which is when the
character finds out that they have a serious problem and they start to plan what happens next.
This is when she starts to hear non diegetic paranormal sounds around the house and looks for a
solution. This is usually the middle of the film until, the next stage which is a restored order. This
is usually a solution to the problem from the previous stage. However, at this part in the film the
girl is getting worried about the sounds that she is hearing from around the house and starts to
counter a plan together. The final stage is the equilibrium again. Which is the happy start again
as the disruption has been resolved. The example of this is when the boyfriend comes home to
help her. This film has followed the Todorov theory by using the different stages; this has
allowed the narrative work and made the audience want to watch on.