'On the Other End of the Phone' - Final Evaluation

For this project, we decided to make a Crime and Mystery film based around a Detective who is put on a case with little evidence, but one day gets a phone call from someone who states they are the murderer. He is then taunted by the murderer as he gets closer to solving the crime. A common trope in the Mystery genre is a massive plot twist that the general audience wouldn’t guess, so for this film I decided to have the Detective suffer from a disorder known as DID (dissociative identity disorder) which is where someone has 2 or more distinct personalities. With the Detective suffering from this disorder, we were able to make the man on the phone who claims he is the murderer the Detective's second personality.   

The audio and sound effects in the film are one thing we are assessed on, and I think we did a great job at using sound effects, foley sounds and music to make this film. During this project, we learnt what foley sounds are and how to make them so we could feature them in our film. In our film, we used foley sounds that are very subtle but make the film a lot more realistic. We recreated multiple foley sounds such as footsteps on different surfaces such as carpet and concrete, the sipping of coffee, ears ringing, water dripping from a tap, cloth being removed from a subject, keyboard noises and gunshots. Most of the foley sounds were recreated by doing what was actually happening but some of them we had to think outside of the box such as the ears ringing and the gunshots. For the ear ringing we used a piano and played the highest note, and for the gunshot noises we blew up a sandwich bag and then popped it. We then used that audio and tweaked some things in adobe premiere pro.  One of the clips that influenced me for this project was the opening scene from The Batman (2022) which uses the ambient sounds of police cars to show the audience that the city is very crime ridden. This use of sound influenced me to feature the ambient sounds of police cars and helicopters throughout the film. Another thing we learned in this project was the use of J and L Cuts, which we have used a few times throughout our film to make it flow much better and to make the cuts between scenes look seamless. There is one scene in the film where the Detective can’t get to sleep and is suffering from Insomnia, and we wanted to use audio to show the audience this. To show this we included the ticking of a clock and the dripping of the water to show the passing of time. There are some sounds that I’m not happy with or need to be added. For example, when the Detective smacks the alarm clock to turn it off, it sounds more like a punch. To create this sound, I recorded myself smacking the alarm clock and it wasn’t what I was expecting it to sound like. I tried to think of what I could use instead but ran out of time and had to stick with what I had. Another thing I wish I added was the ambient sounds of background office noises during the office scenes, I think adding these might have added a bit more realism to the film. 

Another thing we are assessed on is the camera techniques used in the film such as shots, movement, cuts and lighting. As this is a crime and mystery film, we wanted to build the tension as much as possible to keep the audience thinking from start to finish. Jump cuts, when skillfully employed, can serve as a powerful tool to build tension and immerse the audience in the Detective's psychological journey. By rapidly transitioning between different shots, we created a disorienting effect, mirroring the Detective's state of mind as he unravels the case. These abrupt transitions can heighten suspense, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats. We also wanted to use Jump Cuts to get inside the Detectives head and to show the audience what he is thinking. The deliberate use of slow zooms is another camera technique that helps in making a suspenseful atmosphere. As the camera inches closer to the Detective, the audience becomes increasingly engaged, feeling the importance of the phone call. The final camera technique we used to build the tension was the use of canted angles as it creates a sense of unease and disorientation, showing that the Detective is being manipulated and toyed with. This technique allows me as the filmmaker to communicate to the audience the psychological toll the case is having on the Detective. At the end of the film, we used a POV shot when it is revealed that the Detective is the murderer. This perspective not only shocks the audience but also adds a feeling of vulnerability and weakness. The use of hard key lighting enhances the effect by obscuring half of the Detective's face, symbolizing the Detective's two distinct personalities. The use of the POV shot was heavily inspired by the ‘Chase Scene’ featured in Se7en (1995) where John Doe puts his gun to Det. Mills’ head. There are lots we could have improved on when it comes to camera techniques. The colour palette used in pre-production was like the colours used in The Batman and Se7en and I don’t think we achieved this at all. The lighting could have been much darker to try and fit the desired mood and tone. Additionally, we intended to reshoot some of the ending due to reflections in the unknown man's glasses, but this never went ahead due to scheduling issues with the actor.  

In conclusion, the creation of our Crime and Mystery film proved to be challenging yet rewarding. Drawing inspiration from films such as Fight Club (1999), Se7en (1995), The Batman (2022), and Insomnia (2002), we set out to construct a narrative that would engage the audience. The decision to incorporate a plot twist involving the Detective's struggle with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) added an unexpected layer to the story, keeping in line with the conventions of the Mystery genre. A crucial part of our project involved the mastery of audio and sound effects, such as subtle foley sounds like footsteps and coffee sipping. Our exploration of camera techniques, including jump cuts, slow zooms, canted angles, and a powerful POV shot, aimed to intensify the suspense throughout the film. Elements that need improvement in the film includes the use of dark lighting and using the intented color palette as these areas didn't fully reach what we were hoping for. We then faced the challenge of having to reshoot some parts but due to scheduling issues with the actor, we had to deal with what we had. This highlights the challenges and problems when making a film. 

(Will add photos later, just didn't have time)