Evaluation of Postproduction techniques

 

Postproduction Techniques Evaluation

 

At the start of the opening sequence the title appears at the top center of the screen. However, we can denote that this title is meant to add an ominous feeling whilst also telling us the main premise of the movie. We can connote that the opening sequence abruptly appears on screen with no animations, whilst also being followed by an SFX which is conventional of that of a thriller. This makes it so that the audience associates the thrill and tension of this movie with the Hedge that is made prevalent by the opening shot. By adding a graphic title here, it allows for the audience to in the first 15 seconds of the opening sequence understand what theme of movie this is and what the main subject of the movie is. Therefore, this postproduction technique is effective at raising tension in the opening sequence as it at the very start of the movie creates a sense of dramatic irony as the audience now goes into the movie knowing something is wrong with the hedge and every time a scene with It is involved, they will start to have a rise in tension because of it.

 

Later in the opening sequence, we can denote that an SFX is played whilst the ball rolls up to the hedge after having been kicked by Jordyn. This connotes to the fact that the turning point in the opening sequence has been reached. The audience already knows from earlier editing decisions that the hedge is a subject of tension and therefore anything associated with it will lead to a rise in tension. Therefore, when the ball rolls up and nestles at the bottom of the hedge while being accompanied by the SFX that plays it makes the audience start having a rise in tension as they have a sense of dramatic irony knowing that something is wrong with the hedge. Overall this post production technique is effective as it uses the earlier established dramatic irony effectively and signals to the audience that this is the turning point in the opening sequence and from here the audience’s tension will rise even more because of this.

 

Whilst Shiloh is crouching down next to the hedge, we can connote that a heartbeat SFX is played, and we can hear it eventually start speeding up. This connotes to us that Shiloh has figured out that something is wrong with the hedge and is getting an ominous feeling and in this moment, we are put into Shiloh’s shoes as we are able to hear his heartbeat. This makes the audience start to fear for Shiloh’s safety as the dramatic irony once again takes affect as the audience knows something is wrong with the hedge ever since the beginning of the opening sequence. This is an effective postproduction technique as it effectively places the audience into the shoes of one of the characters and makes the audience able to relate to that character even more as he now knows the same thing that we do, therefore making the scenes that play out even more suspenseful for the audience.

 

Finally, we can denote at the very end of the opening sequence that the shot cuts to black, and then cuts back into a shot of the ball being shaken by something that resides inside of the hedge, and then back to black again. This sudden change in shots whilst accompanied by an SFX connotes to a tension point in the opening sequence. It confirms all questions about if there is something in the hedge and now going into the rest of the movie the opening sequence has effectively made it so that the audience understands the premise of the rest of the movie. The postproduction techniques used at the end of this opening sequence therefore make the audience prepared for the rest of the film and also puts them on high alert therefore making the rest of the movie have much more tension simply from the opening sequence alone.