Short Film Research: Porcupine Thriller

     Hey welcome back!! Did you get enough of this short film research? Well good news, I have researched one last thriller film, Porcupine. This film is directed by Clifford Miu and is inspired by a real-life story. The inspiration for this film originates from a real-life story. A tense-tale involving a mother, an intruder, a shotgun, claustrophobic quarters of a trailer, and a police operator. At the beginning of the film, I noticed scenes started off slow then increasingly got more intense. The film puts the audience in the mindset of the petrified protagonist. The mother, as an example, puts on display what she feels, hears, and understand every decision she makes. Doing so creates a more interactive appeal to the viewers amongst the film resulting in a more immersive experience. The director shot in a multiple of long takes then broke them up in post. This strategy is very effective as there can be a wider range of decisions that can be made in the post emphasizing certain scenes or events rather than cutting shots short and limited to a certain time frame. Lighting in this film is dreary, blues and warm lighting are the main sources of visibility. Most shots are handheld. This creates a shaking real camera effect complementing the rise of intensity as the film goes on. Close-ups, extreme close-ups, panning, over the shoulder, and tracking shots are utilized for emphasis.  Similarly to the lighting, clothing and props are not bright but not super dull either. In addition to these conventions, editing also played a big role in Porcupine. Smooth transitions panning from one object to another, mainly used in the beginning of the film, as dramatic events carried on jumps cuts and fast transitioning were employed. Overall, the editing, camera angles and use of gradual intensity were all techniques that I will keep note of and implement in my short film.