Short Film Research: Gridlock Thriller

     Welcome back! I have done research on a short films, this being on the movie Gridlock by Ian Hunt. Gridlock is the same genre as what I am planning to film, thriller. This short film is about a little girl going missing on a country road from inside one of the cars in a traffic jam. Her father goes on a vicious hunt to find her and soon everyone becomes a suspect. The vivid camera work seen and consistent pressing rhythm of the editing made it seem as if the audience is in the center of the events unfolding. In the film an accident regarding a horse is what causes the traffic jam. An extreme close-up of the fathers eyes staring at the horse's body lying dead in the middle of the street. This creates intensity and suspense within this scene which was then followed up by the realization of his missing daughter. All of the bystanders and constant accusations making everyone a suspect is a convention that leaves the viewers on the edge of their seat. With all the well-timed revelations it sustains the audiences attention to the movie well. Although, I had mentioned in my previous blogs that scenes and settings must make sense. The setting is on a secluded road with a traffic jam which is unlikely. The tone of this film leans more toward dark-humor which adds the perfect amount of lightness to an unsettling scene. The film indicated many views and lessons. We can see this with each interaction between the father and the individuals in traffic. Commenting on how easy it is for a victim to become a perpetrator and sometimes individuals do not learn lessons from their own mistakes. Each interaction in traffic people have different reactions which either create suspicion or empathy. For instance, the main suspect Steve Wall being weirdly empathetic. Clothing consists of monotone clothing, plaid shirts, or blank tees. Given these conventions, close up camera movements, rhythmic editing, country clothing, and the suspense emphasized to the audience, these are strategies seen throughout a thriller and I will be taking notes and utilizing them into my film.