Evaluation Question 3

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR AUDIENCE FEEDBACK?

After placing my finished video on a number of websites such as YouTube and Facebook, I received a number of opinions regarding the impact and effectiveness of my 5 minute short film.

One of the most common points of view in these various comments was that the storyline was a little confusing. Personally, I think this is because of the lack of  a credible transition between the scenes in some parts of the film, such as the transition between the flashback scenes and the immediate capture of Frank Myers  (Played by Lewis Pickering). I could rectify this by adding more shots in these parts to fill up the gaps in the storyline.

Some people also said that the film was a little too quiet in the places where music/sound wasn't included, such as for the majority of the interrogation scenes. However, this was intentional as I believe that a break in audio helps to build tension almost as much as the music does.

The film was praised on the overall style and idea, as well as the sounds/ music and the cliff-hanger ending. One person also praised the film for being engaging, even though he generally avoids amateur films.

Overall, the responses from the various websites have shown that although the films storyline could have been clearer, the film clearly made an impact on its target audience. The techniques used, such as the cliffhanger, and the tense music, which were key aspects of the film, received the most positive reviews, showing that the conventions play a pivotal role in the reception of film noir’s, This is especially key, in my own, opinion, in short films, due to the fact that these types of film adhere to a lesser timescale, meaning that the director’s decision of what techniques and conventions would best suit the audience can often ‘make or break’ the short film in question. Film noirs also have a more ‘niche’ audience meaning that directors have to make as much impact as possible upon said audience.

 In total, my video received 9 likes across the three websites that I put it on, as well as 5 comments. All of these were positive, but only two contained constructive feedback.