2. Question 1
Did you understand the film?
Yes
No
Kind of
From the results, we know that a large
majority of the audience understood
the film. This is good because we know
through research into the genre, that it
can be easy to confuse an audience in a
psychologically based plot. To have the
majority that understood the plot and
the minority ‘kind of’ understood
positively relates to our film as we
know that we didn’t completely lose
the attention of the audience.
Although, to have a minority that ‘kind
of’ under stood the plot leaves open
chance for us to change certain aspects
of the film to make it more clear to the
audience.
We knew that this was a closed
quantitative question, so we added the
next question with an open question to
receive a qualitative answer so we could
find select areas for the audience to give
direct comments about the film.
3. Question 2
We then asked the corresponding question ‘Explain why you
chose the answer to the previous question’ to give the
audience chance to explain why they understood/didn’t
understand the film.
We got a lot of compliments about the editing which is crucial
as the plot is quite detailed so to know that the edits made
the film a lot clearer is great feedback to us.
The first response (shown right) mentions the quick editing
making the film more exciting. For a typical thriller, a film
would include this and to know that we fulfilled that condition
of a conventional thriller film shows that our editing was quite
successful in means of fulfilling the genre.
The second response mentions that the shots ‘gel together’
and that this made the film a lot easier to understand. This is
also mentioned in the third response shown. This is a
completely crucial element in a film that involves a jigsaw
narrative and has a plot based around a psychological sub-
genre. It is an achievement to know that we almost ushered
the audience in the right direction to avoid confusion as you
can easily lose and audiences attention when you confuse
them so to know we didn’t to this is reassuring.
4. Question 2
Some of the answers to this question were:
To also have responses that mention the non-continuity
(flashbacks) being effective is also reassuring to receive as
this was almost the key thing that the audience had to rely
on. Therefore, knowing that they could easily rely on the
flashbacks to grasp the background information shows that
we clearly portrayed what we wanted to.
We received an answer that mentioned that the audience
understood the clues that we left through out the film. This
is promising to hear as the psychological jigsaw narrative
idea that we went for in this plot line was effective.
5. Question 2
We also received some less positive feedback from question 2.
The main reason for this was that some of the respondents found that the plot was quite
confusing and hard to follow. They also tended to lose track and also couldn’t understand
everything that was happening in the film because of this.
The first response says that they aren’t sure what it is the Employer is wanting from Kyle in order
to kill him. Because of this response we are thinking of looking into the final confrontation scene
between the 2 characters and seeing if all the information is clarified in the Employer’s
monologue. If not we shall consider moving around some dialogue to help it to make sense when
making the final cut.
The next respondent overall found the plot confusing. Although this is something to consider, we
also need to consider the fact that this genre of film isn’t to everyone’s interests and maybe this
isn’t the typical film that they watch, therefore they might not understand it. Also we found that
the majority of the respondents understood the narrative and only a minority didn’t. Because of
this we are going to look into the film’s overall clarity again, but not particularly in fine detail as
most of the respondents did actually understand and enjoy the film.
The last 2 responses mentioned that they understood the beginning which is good as this was
our chance to set up both characters to build an understanding of them to the audience, without
giving too much away. They also said that they understood the ending which is also good as now
we know that the narrative was cleared up and understood but they middle confused them.
I feel that we need to look into the scene in which Kyle reads his first piece of paper. I feel that
this scene needs to include chance for the audience to see what it says on the paper. We created
the scene with the note on the off chance that the audience may just pick up on the fact that the
envelope with the money is a bribe from the Employer and the note is instructions. I feel that in
this case then, the paper needs to be shown to the audience for them to know that Kyle is going
to people’s addresses on the paper. So when we look back into this shot, it needs to be included
in the final cut.
6. Question 3
The next question was to ask if the
audience understood who each character
was. This follows on smoothly from the
last question, as some were quite
confused as to the middle of the plot and
who the characters at the doors were.
The majority of the respondents understood each character but a minority (2
responses) were that they didn’t know or only partially understood the
characters in the film. Like proposed in the previous slide, I feel that when we
introduce the actual content of the letter, explaining why he goes to the
houses, it may become more apparent to the audience in the final cut how
the characters are used in the film to create a more effective narrative.
Did you understand who each
character was?
Yes
No
Only some of the
characters
7. Question 4
Did the music fit to the film
relevently?
Yes
No
Sometimes
Around 90% of the respondents felt that
the music fit the film. The other 10% felt
that music only fit at certain times.
The next question that we asked was
another with a qualitative answer so we
could completely understand why they
chose this answer so it could be directly
changed in the film for the final cut.
To have 90% of the respondents feel that the music fit well to the film was extremely
successful on our behalf. This was because the score in a film is crucial, it is an indicator
of behaviour, a mode of foreshadowing and it can tell an audience almost how to feel.
The music is a very important attribution in a thriller as it can indicate the tense scenes,
especially when the plot grows closer to our climax.
So to have the majority think that our music choices fit to the film well means that we
achieved that ideal.
8. Question 5
We then asked after this why the respondents
chose the answer that they did.
The majority of the answers were based around
the music creating the right atmosphere for the
film and developed tension in scene where it
was necessary.
9. Question 5
All the answers to the right commented on either atmosphere or
tension. To know that the audience all commented on something
that we thought as a necessity to create is extremely positive
feedback.
To know the music ‘grabbed the audiences attention’ is particularly
effective as, as previously stated, conventionally in a thriller you have
to be careful that you don’t lose the attention of your audience.
So, in knowing that the music created or chosen reined the audience
back in is beneficial for us. We also included the most suspenseful
music in scene where the audience may need some guidance on how
to feel and the most pivotal moments in the film that you need to
pay attention to.
Also, one respondent said that the music ‘created a sense of
loneliness’ in regards to Kyle’s character. Knowing that the music we
chose also gave clues to Kyle’s character that weren’t apparent shows
that we successfully used conventions of a psychological thriller. This
is because when looking at plot lines and theories, such as in Usual
Suspects, things are more effective when implied through various
elements such as lighting and music, so knowing that our film
created those suggestions without obviously portraying it through
internal monologue voice overs is good to know.
10. Question 5
We also had a response (shown left) about the sound of the
flashbacks being effective. We searched for a long time to find a
sound that would created the right atmosphere through the volume
and tone that would be appropriate for our film. To know that a
respondent found it effective shows that we found the right sound for
the fit and it fit appropriately.
We did receive some constructive criticism for the sound in the
film. A respondent said that the music is a little dramatic at points.
Maybe to solve this problem we could possibly turn down the
music to be less obvious to an audience. This would attempt to
subconsciously create an atmosphere instead of being too obvious
with the music and forcefully telling an audience member that they
should feel a certain way.
This is something to consider when creating the final cut of the
film.
11. Question 6
What genre would you say 'The
Employer' is?
Thriller
Horror
Drama
Crime
Psychological Thriller
Psychological Drama
Action
When asked what genre the respondents
thought the film was 50% of the responses
said that they thought the film was a
psychological thriller.
We are happy to receive this result as this
was our intended genre so we know that
the conventions that we considered when
making the film successfully put the film in
the genre we wanted.
On the other hand, 25% of the respondents also thought that the film could have been a
psychological drama. 8.3% of the vote was a drama and another 8.3% was for drama.
I, personally, feel that this doesn’t mean this we didn’t completely achieve the goal of creating a
film in the psychological thriller.
Although 50% said the genre that we wanted, I feel that there is a fine line between the effect of a
thriller and the effect of a genre. Both are to create tense entertainment. You can have a thrilling
drama and you can have a dramatic thriller.
So knowing that half of the respondents considered the psychological attributions that we tried so
intensely to consider and involve shows that although some of the respondents maybe disagreed
with our initial plan of a thriller, the majority picked up on the psychological factor.
12. Question 7
Did you expect the ending?
Yes
No
We asked the participants if they expected
the ending because we felt that this
moment in the film was something that
the entire film was leading up to. This was
the part in the film when you finally find
out everything that had been alluded to in
the rest of the film.
10 out of the 11 participants did not expect the ending. To know this shows that we
achieved the surprising ending that we felt very strongly about including.
From this is shows that the audience were successfully lead on by the ‘innocent’ and
‘vulnerable’ character that we created with Kyle through the film.
We also then asked the respondents why they didn’t expect the
ending to see in detail what it was about the film that lead them to
feel either surprised at the ending or didn’t…
13. Question 8
These answers to the right got the basis of the idea to the ending.
They at least showed that they didn’t expect that was the way
that the plot was going to go.
Every answer shows that they were all surprised, but I believe
that the last answer specifically looks into the idea regarding
human nature and moral conscience that we wanted audience to
consider.
It says that Kyle ‘turned out to be violent’ so this shows that they
were drawn in by the innocent way that we portrayed Kyle as.
They understood Kyle being ‘violent’ towards the Employer in the
flashbacks which shows that they saw the contrast in behaviour.
The respondent also said that Kyle ‘finally got punishment for
beating’ the Employer.
14. Question 8
Many other answers also dipped a little further into the
human nature side of the plot that we were trying to create
attention to.
Another person answered the question with the answer
highlighted in red. This shows us that it is an opposing idea to
the rest of the answers, particularly the one that said that
Kyle received ‘punishment’ for what he had done in the past.
It shows that this respondent actually sympathised with Kyle
and still considered his as homeless state as a reason to
support the idea that being violent and mugging someone
was okay because he was homeless and it excused him for
doing to.
This is the correct effect that we wanted to create. We
wanted to let the audience consider what was right or wrong
in this situation. This explores the complex consideration of
what an audience would consider as appropriate behaviour
for the things that Kyle did in his past. Overall, this would
make the audience consider what they would do in that
situation and make the film a lot more relatable to the
audience, even with a situation quite far from everyday life
like this one.
15. Question 9
What rating would you say the film is?
U
PG
12A
15
18
64% of the responses were that
the film was of BBFC rating 15. This
was good as we included elements
in the film such as the bad
language, violence, threats and
violent themes that would make
this rating up to 15.
The other 36% of the responses said that they believed the film was a 12A. This
actually was quite surprising as I believe the things that we included, such as the bad
language and the violence isn’t appropriate at all for anyone under the age of
possibly 13.
So for respondents to suggest that the film is appropriate for children around 12 or
even under, regardless of whether they have an adult with them, we felt that this
would be a little too inappropriate.
But having over half of the respondents say that they believed the film was a 15
rating showed that we met the criteria to get the rating to the one we wanted.
16. Question 10
We asked the respondents if they had anything
that they would change about the film.
The majority of the answers were relating to the
middle of the plot. They wanted some form of
clarity about who each character was so that it
would make more sense and link to the end of the
film a lot easier.
I feel that this can be achieved either through a
voice over of the scene of Kyle receiving the first
letter explaining what it actually says and what he
wants him to do or we could film the shot again
with an actual shot that shows what the letter
says.
I feel that if we clarify that then the rest of the film
might make a lot more sense to the audience and
they would enjoy the film a lot more.
17. Question 11
Did you enjoy 'The Employer'?
Yes
No
91% of the responses were positive about the
film and said that they did enjoyed the film.
Overall, to know that the majority of the
respondents enjoyed the film shows that we
did successfully create a film that was
entertaining and an audience did enjoy it.
Even though there was 9% that didn’t enjoy
the film, I don’t personally feel that we need
to take this so much into account because not
every person enjoys every genre of film.
Conclusively, I feel that because of the feedback we received, we
do have a lot of things to consider when making our final piece.
I feel that once we have edited and adapted the rough cut we will
have a successful psychological thriller.
