Stalker Film

Link: http://vimeo.com/33622304

Our presented us with a few challenges. We initially wanted the film to be more traditional with a boy stalking a girl and the camera as a voyeur. Since one of our partners could not come the day of filming we needed to change the concept. Making the camera the stalker or point of view filming was the most efficient possibility. It allowed us to get footage of both characters even though we only had two people in our crew.  We also changed the story and made the girl stalk the boy, which I think was an interesting juxtaposition of roles. It added a sense of mystery and suspense to the storyline. When we showed the film in class many people thought it was a love story about the boy at first, but knew something was wrong when they heard the music. The title of the film is Somebody is Watching, which after discussion could have been changed to something a little more suspenseful. Since the assignment was to display a space within Hunter College, we had the stalker follow her victim all over the buildings and outside. This allowed for a combination of shots including high angle, low angle, and tracking shots. We used a few props in the end to display the murder, just a white t-shirt and some ketchup for blood. In the editing room our goal was to put together a cohesive stalking sequence that did not get boring or redundant. Keeping it interesting by switching between tracking shots, which take up most of the film, and static shots. With the music choices we tried break the film up into sequences. The first sequence with a lighter song, something someone might be listening in his or her headphones. We chose Psycho Killer by the Talking Heads; it is a lighter song that goes with the film’s theme. Then for the second portion of the film when the film begins to take shape as a thriller we chose a stock suspense song from the Internet that fits the scenario well. Despite the minor setbacks I think our film was successful, it displayed the space, used editing techniques learned in class, and thrilled our audience.