Short Film Research: Porcupine (Thriller)

 

In this film it begins with flashbacks of this women when her husband was alive to the present after his passing. This is a common thing used in thrillers as it shows important events in the storyline and increases thrill or suspense. Next in this film, they incorporated the sound of the intruders scheming to break in and rummaging through things. A tracking shot is used to show the women going to her window to see what the sound was. Once she hears more, they used a close-up to see her peaking through the window once again. Multiple times midway through this film the camera cuts from the women on the phone with 911 to her baby crying. This is commonly used in thrillers to show multiple things going on. It also creates lots of activity. A lot of over the shoulder shots are used. It shows the door and the women on the phone and the sounds of banging are heard all the while. Extreme closeups are used to show the womens fear as the intruders are continuing to try the door. Yet another flashback is used to show the man teaching his wife how to shoot. I believe this alludes to her preparing to shoot the intruders if they break in. The extreme closeup and flashbacks add to the thrill of not knowing what is going to happen next and that you know a lot of action is about to happen at once. The prop of the phone is an important part of the storyline was it shows the women on the phone with emergency services the entire film. There is ominous non diegetic sound used in the background as it is getting closer to the point where the intruders break in. That sound is important to the thriller genre as it builds suspense. As the women points her gun to the door, the combination of the diegetic sound of the door being broken into, the baby crying, and the radio playing as the new years countdown happening, this makes for a huge buildup of suspense. The intruder breaks through the door and the women shoots as the countdown hits 1 and a bunch of flashbacks are playing going through her life with her husband. Meanwhile, after, more diegetic sound effects are heard of loud buzzing being heard insider her brain as she processes what happened. A lot of cuts are used in editing to go from the owomen, to the man as he enters her house, to her shooting at him. Police lights are shown as a closeup of her face is shown as she walks out. While this is happening, we hear the police talking on the radio and explaining to dispatch who is dead. At the very end as the credits are playing, a voiceover is edited in of a newscaster announcing the death of the intruder and the event that took place. I really like the use of editing flashbacks in this film to portray the plot. In this film it flashed back to life when the woman's husband was around to the current situation of him post passing away. The element of the film i did not like is that it did not show the police officers coming in contact with women. I think that would have been an important part to show the viewers as they went through that with her.