Section 12: Anaylsis of Completed Thriller

Shattered Dark is a 2011 amateur student Thriller Film, based on an Original Story by Fay Smith. Written and Directed by Paul Pope and Danielle Nunnerley, Shattered Dark is the first film distributed by ‘Popsminun Films’ (nay Lipopsminun) and stars Jasmin Doran as Ebony Hart. The film was created as part of the AS Media Course at Priestley College, where   only the opening sequence was filmed.

Narrative Structure

• The film opens further along the narrative (rather than the beginning) This was chosen as to follow several codes and conventions associated with a thriller e.g.- Partial Vision Theory- As the audience are not told who killed Benjamin, and they are unaware of Ebony’s disorder, and the fact she killed him, till the end of the narrative.
• In the opening sequence there is a jump in the narrative, from when Ebony is kneeling against the door, and when the black and white filter plays across the shots, there are several shots of blood on the floor, Ebony washes blood of her hands and Benjamin’s hand is shown covered in blood. This jump in the narrative was used to again follow the codes and conventions of a thriller e.g. The Question and Answer Model. As it is apparent that someone has dies, and that someone was trying to get in to the house. However this is not revealed in the opening sequence, causing the audience to ask questions that they hope to be answered later in the film.

Mis-en-Scen

• At the start there is a shot of Ebony behind the cloud of steam coming from the kettle. This was used to be symbolic, as Ebony is distorted with smoke, represents the distorted view we have of Ebony, and Ebony has of her own life, and the distortion within the narrative.

• Throughout the film, Ebony portrays the persona of either being very tired (as she has just awoke) or incredibly uneasy and frightened. We asked the actress to do so as at this point Ebony will be portrayed to the audience as a victim at this point, who is vulnerable to the antagonist. Also this would suggest to the audience that she CAN NOT be the antagonist, making the red herring (when revealed) more devastating to the audience. This is also emphasised as Ebony is wearing white, connoting innocence. And again when she very nervously locks the door, indicating to the audience that there is ‘something’ outside that is threatening.
• When we are shown the ECU of the mug and Ebony stirring her tea (after the bang) Ebony walks away from the character and becomes out of focus. This was used to suggest to the audience that Ebony is no longer safe, and that she is now entering danger.

• As Ebony enters the lounge, the lighting is very dim, this was used to again symbolize the danger Ebony has now entered.
• When Ebony returns from upstairs, we chose to show a shot of Ebony staring at the side board where the tea is now missing. This was used to inform the audience of the strange going on, and as Ebony shares half the shot with the sideboard, this emphasises the importance of this.
• We also chose to show the audience of a shot from outside, with Ebony looking through the window. This was chosen as this would again mislead the audience into thinking that someone is outside trying to get in.

Sound
As the film begins, the only sound heard is diegetic, with sound from the kettle and the scooping of the sugar, this was used to create a sense of security which Ebony feels within her home, again to mislead the audience.

When Ebony begins to stir the tea, and hears the loud diegetic sound of the bang. We used a mysteriously sounding non-diegetic sound, which starts with a loud piano strike, to perhaps make the audience jump, often seen within a thriller. The music is very slow tempo and a low pitch, creating an eerie and threatening atmosphere, a contrast to what was first presented to us at the start.

As Ebony enters the ;lounge, the diegetic sound of someone running up the stairs is heard, which might at this moment in time seem unthreatening, but when the narrative indicates that Benjamin is ‘asleep’ the audience would then become aware of the threatening implications of the sound.

After Ebony says ‘Honey, Are you up?’ Which indicates that she is in fact married and that someone else, an unthreatening force is in the house, the echoing high pitched sound of the piano is heard emphasising this was used to symbolise her aloneness in this house-which again will mislead the audience with the line just said.

As Ebony is locking the front door, the non –diegetic sounds build up to the fast passed threatening ambience creating sound. This was used to allow the audience to identify that something just as, if not more threatening as the ringing phone was about to approach.

After the knocking on the door has stopped, the non-diegetic sound automaticity stops. This was used, as appose to it fading, to imply that the danger had automatically left without a sound. To again mislead the audience in preparation for the red herring that will later be revealed in the narrative.

After looking through the window, the sound of the phone and both doors knocking begins to overlap, with the assistance of the non-diegetic sound heard before. This was used to emphasise that the danger has not only returned but it is in fact more threatening than before. However this then fades, dissimilar to before. This was used to imply that the danger has left, but not before leaving something behind.

When this sound has stopped, the rather sad and depressing Piano music is used. This was chosen to emphasise the depression and woe that will now appear throughout the film.

Camerawork and Editing
After Ebony has said ‘Are you up?’ The camera is looking down at her from a LS. This was used to imply that she is even more of a victim, helpless to the danger that encases her. Also, as Ebony walks up the stairs, the camera moves, as though it’s a POV shot, this was used to convey to the audience that someone was watching her, and that someone other than Benjamin is in her house.

Graphics
We chose to have the colour of the graphics as red as red is a satanic colour which connotes danger and lust, themes that are later explored in the film.