Evaluation of Peer Reviews

Peer Review #1

 "The cinematography was solid—nice framing and smooth camera work that made the scene look professional. The lighting set the right mood, and the background music added to the atmosphere. One thing that could be better is the dialogue delivery; some parts felt a little stiff or rushed. This definitely felt like a movie opener, and it got me interested in what’s coming next. To make it even better, the dialogue could flow more naturally, and a little more intensity in key moments would help build the suspense."

This review is basically saying that our technical elements were solid, however we should've worked on dialogue and better delivery. I would say that the dialogue itself is fine, but acting isn't much of a factor within the technical elements that are focused on such as lighting. So I disagree with the critics but appreciate the compliments on the technical aspects.

Peer Review #2

"The tilt-to-angle shot of the female protagonist was a standout technical element for me. My favorite part was the sound effects, which set a dramatic tone right from the start. The dramatic music for realizations and shocking moments made the conversation between the characters feel real. The voiceover choice, with the female protagonist describing her everyday routine, fit perfectly with the tone. I didn't find any technical elements I disliked; everything seemed good and aligned well. The movie does feel like a film opener, especially with the cliffhanger at the end where the male protagonist reacts to the girl's signs of illness. It leaves the audience wondering what will happen next. Initially, I was confused by the clip of her taking pills and throwing the container, but after rewatching, I understood. One thing I noticed was that when Angela looks at her computer to check her inbox while the camera is panning, I could hear footsteps even with the dramatic music playing. Of course, the film doesn't have to be perfect since we're not experts, but that's the only thing that stood out to me."

This review is basically saying that technical elements such as the camera angles and sound effects were some of their favorite parts, but there were moments when they were confused and/or there was a mistake in editing. Since this was the first-cut of our opener, the editor was able to take out the audio of the footsteps. So on our final cut, there are no footsteps interfering with the mood.

Peer Review #3

 

"The specific technical elements that I liked in this opener were the firstly the close up of the protagonist scratching her fingers and tapping her feet on the ground. Secondly I also liked the non-diegetic sound of the heart of the therapist as it adds tension to the situation and expresses that he is nervous since something in her story is not adding up.  There was no technical element I personally disliked. This movie opener did not feel as a real movie so much as others as it starts so abruptly, however it did intrigue me to know what followed after this opener. There was a single thing that made it a little confusing for me but then it all tied together. It was when Angela was telling the her therapist how her day went and there would be shots of her throwing the pills and of the dog not really being there, however this all made sense when the therapist realized something was wrong. Sincerely there is nothing much I could say to contribute to make this movie better but to add the title and the title sequence as it is all very pulled together and good."

This review gave our movie opener high remarks and appreciated the non-diegetic sounds that we utilized in it. They didn't really have much to say in terms of critiques but it did mention that the part with the pills was a bit confusing. This is the second time I've seen this critique, so maybe we should try to be more clear with this scene.

Peer Review #4

"In the opening above I particularly enjoyed the insert shots between the emails. I didn't like the ending, the sudden stop and no real emotion conveyed on the characters face felt off not really making me want to know what happens further. The mise en scene of the opener also didn't feel right. nothing seemed confusing the opener was straight forward and easy to understand. I suggest to make the movie opener better they should make the lighting a little bit darker in the therapy room and change up the ending a little to make the therapist seem a little bit more emotion regarding the girls case."

This review is emphasizing that there was no real emotion in the acting of the therapist as well as the lighting should've been darker. My acting is definitely not good, and I could barely even keep a straight face while trying to do that close-up. However, the lighting was meant to represent an actual therapist room. Maybe we could add overlays at some point to make the lighting seem darker.

Peer Review #5

"I really enjoyed the sound in this film opening. The ringing and odd heartbeat effects added a lot to the psychological suspense, and the background track was perfect for creating a creepy and unsettling tone. The sudden straight cuts were also a great touch. They mirrored the girl's chaotic mental state. But, I do think some parts could use improvement. The therapist’s costume didn’t feel formal enough, and the lighting was too bright for a suspenseful atmosphere. It would've worked better if it were darker or dim-lit. The opening scene was good and left a lot to ponder on. My main suggestion would be to refine the lighting to better emphasize the tone/mood of the film."

This final review really emphasizes the use of sound effects and how they were good along with the straight cuts. However, they do also criticize the mise en scene, specifically the costume of the therapist. I could've worm more formal attire and possibly also have gotten a haircut to make myself seem more formal.