Audience Feedback on Final Edit

Now that I have finished my opening sequence I have handed out another questionnaire to my target audience to see whether the changes have made an evident improvement to my opening sequence; the main focus being on the titles and music as these are the main things that have been changed since my first edit. These are a few of the comments that I have recieved: 


Do you think that the opening sequence is more successful with music than just the speech and song? Explain why you think this.
- Yes, I think it is much more successful with the music as it builds the tension much more and the suspense makes it very typical of horrors. Although the voice over of the girl singing 'Ringa Ring O'Roses' is very effective- is very scary!
- Yes it is more successful with the music as it creates an atmosphere that compliments the footage and horror genre.
- Without the music the opening sequence sounded a bit plain and now it sounds more scary and creates a tense atmosphere.


Do you think the song creates the right atmosphere for a horror film?
- Yes definitely, the mood created it very tense as you want to know who the killer is and why he is killing the children
- Yes because it's orchestral and quite slow which is typical of the genre.
- Yes it does especially when it first comes in when the boy starts counting

Do you think all the titles are successful and necessary? Explain why you think this is.
- Yes, all the titles included are very effective and successful, as most openings include many titles to introduce who is involved in the film
- Yes, especially the film title as it is very atmospheric.
- They are all necessary because it's typical of the genre to include the production and distribution conpanies as well as the casting first and then the title later on; which is what you have done.


Do you think the pace is effective at mirroring the atmosphere?
- Yes, the pace mirrors the atmosphere very well. As well as mirroring the music. Is very good :)
- Yes the pace mirrors the atmosphere and the narrative, such as when it starts slow and then gets quicker in the build up to the boy getting killed and then slower afterwards.
-Yes it's much better now that you have quickened the pace in the buildup to the boy being killed as this is key to creating a tense atmosphere.


Do you think the positioning of the titles is more effective, or are there still too many of them  or on for too long?
- The positioning of the titles is very good, there isn't too many, just enough. I especially like all the production titles at the beginning and I really like the film title itself, is very clever and professional! Suits the genre well.
- Big improvement since first edit. The titles breaking up the boy counting are now shorter and get quicker as he reaches '10' , as well as having the dialogue over the titles so that they are more interesting and don't break up the narrative as much as they did previously.
- No I don't think there are too many as horror films generally have most of there titles in the first two minutes, so would be stranger if you didn't have many.

Final Edit-

I have added in this title because I got the music from mp3 unsigned and so thought I better mention the artist(s). It looks quite simple but fits in with a lot of the other titles (actors and produced by...)which also appear in black and white. Each of these titles has the effect 'squeeze out' on them to add a little more interest.

Music

I have finally found some music which I have added onto my opening sequence. I have put in on when the boy starts counting as this was a section that my target audience felt needed some sound.  I think this sounds really effective especially  at the start and when the title appears afterwards, but when the music carries on, it begins to sound quite 'spacey' and I'm not really sure how well this fits with the narrative. I think the music has finally helped the opening sequence to sound more scary although there are still areas that need tweaking.

Furthermore I have added  in a thunder clap at the beginning when the establishing shots are shown of the house. I have added this in because it's quite conventional and creates a tense mood that foreshadows dark events to come. However I'm not completely sure that it fits in too well or if it's necessary,
as it's not raining in any of the shots, but I suppose it could be the beginning of a storm.

A little more editing-

This editing session was just so that I could add in the sound of the little girl gasping when she sees the killer. This was something that was brought up and so I thought I should add in. I was also going to add in some shallow breathing to show how scared the girl is, however this didn't sound too great so I haven't included it. I am happy with the sound of the gasp though as it was originally from a different shot. I have just taken the sound and paired it with the more successful footage.