Analysis of short films: 1

Porcelain Rising

Porcelain Rising is a linear narrative as there are no flash backs included. Also this is a short film hence it being a single drama production. The location of this short film is based in the little girl’s bedroom. This adds to the theme of horror as the young girl is placed in her bedroom all alone. There is a use of low key lighting. This presents the idea of darkness surrounding the little girl almost telling us that something bad may happen to her, this also elucidates the fact that she is left vulnerable. Furthermore this is used because the colour of a white bedroom represents innocence so then this little girl displays a sense of purity.






The colours that are used in the film is mainly dark colours such as dark blue or black. These colours are mainly used to create an uncomfortable and disturbing atmosphere. As the little girl is by herself in such a big room space the creates more fear in the girl as there is more of a chance for something scary to appear in a bigger room than in a smaller room as there is less space for them to move around. Due to this it makes it even scarier for the little girl as there is something moving around in her room.

There is a great use of high key lighting, this presents the idea of there being thunder and this is commonly used in horror films as thunder is loud and it also creates fear for the audience as they are seeing a lot of lighting and quick flashes. The transition between the quick flashes of light to the change into low key lighting allows the doll to scare the little girl. Also the quick flashes makes it harder for the girl to see so therefore allowing the doll to hurt her without her seeing.

Also lighting for the lamp presents the idea of hope as the little girl was in the darkness and by her father turning on the lamp she is made safe. As when switching the lamp on makes her surrounding warmer and this also relates to the colour of it. The colour coming out of the lamp is yellow that represents happiness making it easier for the little girl to sleep. 

 At the beginning non-diegetic sound is used is used, such as the sound box which then adds to the suspense the film it can also be perceived as creepy. By just hearing the sound box at the beginning without watching the film we will already assume that the theme of the film will be a horror.

Ambient sound that is used is the little girl’s heart beating. This is used to elucidate fact that the little girl may be experiencing fear as she is hearing other sounds coming from the bed. When using this sound in the in films such as a horror is tends to create tension with the audience, because as the heart beat gets faster and the pace of the heart beat increases it then triggers a reaction and makes the audiences   hearts beat faster. This is commonly used in horrors to create fear so that the audience almost feel as if they were experiencing everything
that is happening in the film. The of ambient sounds
 is to create a tense atmosphere.

Also there is the use of diegetic sound when the doll is laughing and what also sound like she is running this is used to create fear with the audience and also the little girl. This is used so that we know that something is in the same room as her. 

A wide shot is used to elucidate that the little girl is getting possessed by the doll. This wide shot is for us to understand what is happening with the little girl. The ropes are used to display the fact that the little girl is tired up to the bed by the doll. This is also commonly used in horrors as the presents the idea of entrapment this could also relate to the doll being entrapped as the doll and wanting to be freed.

The use of the costume on the doll is very interesting as it is white. As I previously said white represents a sense of innocence. This is ironic as the doll does not display a sense of innocence as the doll is killing the little girl. This presents the idea that the girl was once pure and innocent.

 A low angle shot has been used to display the fact that there is something bellow. Which we can associate this with hell, as if something is coming from hell to possess her or to kill her. This angle shot is commonly used when there may be something moving from beneath the ground.

Make-up that has been used is blood as when the little girl is stabbed by the doll she has fake blood on her clothes. This links to the theme of horror as blood can be seen as quiet gory and due to the fact it is dark red/black this may relate to the fact that the colour relates to death the shows us that the girl may die. This makes us sympathize with the little girl.

The sound effect that is used at the end when the dad is going to be attacked by the little girl is the slashing of a knife this makes the film more effective as the audience can establish the weapon that is in the little girls hand. The slashing can also display the fact that it is very sharp and that it may be very painful. You will not be able to hear this sound effect if you physically will not be able to hear this sound, this use of the sound effect makes is sound effective rather then there being no sound effect. This adds to the theme of horror because the sound of a knife or a sharp object use a sound effect

 to make it much more scarier for then having no sound

 effect at all.