FEEDBACK SAMPLE
"CHROMOPHOBIA"
The director of Chromophobia wanted to receive honest feedback and get a deeper understanding of how the viewers interpret his film.
You can watch the film below and read a sample of the feedback the filmmaker received below, or you can read the feedback in Excel.
FEEDBACK #11
Age - 25
Gender - Female
Profession - Student
Did you like the film?
Sort Of
Anything you'd like more of?
I am interested in understanding the main characters more, as well as the patient who died at the beginning of the film. A lot of questions went through my mind, such as the history of the doctor and patients, who that shadow figure may be, why red and black/white are such recurrent themes, and the link between the doctor and artistic patient as he seems to know about her past.
Were there any moments/scenes you particularly liked? (Please list and explain)
The moments revealing the doctor’s thoughts interested me, and I would love to see more of that. Peering inside the doctor’s mind allowed me to feel closer to the character. She displays a strong front in front of her patients and staff, but through the monologues and visions, there are glimpses of vulnerability. This makes her seem fallible, more realistic, and more relatable as a main character. I am fearful for her.
The scenes where the doctor is flipping through the charcoal drawings rapidly, as if looking through a flipbook, was fascinating. I really enjoyed that creative choice, because it felt as if I was watching an animation. With each flip, my anxiety grew. It is a great use of suspense as the shadow figure in the drawings slowly reveals itself.
The back-and-forth switching between the attic/studio and hospital room was nerve-wrecking and suspenseful. I jumped a little when I noticed the black figure, and I appreciate that it was not actually a jump-scare. I especially love the surprising moment when the camera panned to the charcoal drawing which filled an entire wall in that hospital room. It looks so beautiful and ominous, almost like a black and white portal to the other room (the attic/studio).
Were there any moments/scenes you particularly disliked, or felt didn't work? (Please list and explain)
The scene of the mother in the bathtub felt disconnected from the rest of the film, but that is only because there was no explanation for that (or how the patient is able to see into her past). I am sure that this will be built upon and explored to explain the doctor’s connection to the patient or the color red.
The music, which I feel may be suitable in a thriller film, seemed too strong at certain points. I think that a slower build-up would create a much more suspenseful or ominous atmosphere.
Were there any moments you felt annoyed or frustrated by the movie? (Please list and explain)
I was mainly frustrated that there was no answer given for any of the strange happenings and instead I only had more questions towards the end of the film. However, an unpredictable movie is not a bad movie. The music was also a bit frustrating because it was loud and excitable at parts which I found to not be very climactic.
Were you confused at any given time? (Please list and explain)
The ending was the most confusing for me because it was cut off so soon after a series of flashbacks. The open-endedness leads me to question what will happen to the doctor and patient, as well as ask what those visions mean.
If this film was going to be expanded into a feature film, what part of the story would interest you to see expanded most? Please explain why.
I would love to see the doctor’s backstory, such as what happened to her mother. I would also love to know what triggered the fear of color in the patient. It feels as though those two events are somehow related to one another. Knowing and fleshing out the origin of these characters would give the viewer a lot of answers; however, it would also be interesting to omit these details until the very end (if at all) because the unknown is far scarier.
How would you explain Arthur's character?
He seems like he knows much more than he wants to say, perhaps because he is traumatized. It seems as though he is obsessed with the two rooms which he keeps drawing. It is hard to say if he is actually in reality because he does not seem entirely mentally present. He is a character that is shrouded in mystery. It is even more mysterious that he seems to possess the ability to see within the doctor’s mind, or perhaps the audience is only led to believe that.
How would you explain Arthur's powers and what part of his power would you like to see more of?
It seems he can peer into the doctor’s mind. He can also “see” the other room which he keeps drawing while at the hospital. I would like to see what other things his extrasensory perception is capable of. Can he access a different dimension? Can he read the doctor’s mind? Can he predict the future? It would be fascinating to learn that he is drawing future events.
What do you think is happening with Dr. Haver's character?
Dr. Haver seems to be heavily entangled with Arthur, and she is trying to figure out what is haunting his mind. It looks like her life may be endangered, yet at the same time, perhaps she is meant to save Arthur. One of the drawings that she finds depicts a (future) dead Arthur. It seems that she has taken up the task to figure out what is happening so that she can prevent another patient from dying.
If Arthur's character were a figment of Dr. Haver's psyche and Dr. Haver was actually a patient — would you find this to be a predictable story twist?
So far, with the scenes that were shown, I could not really see any indication of Arthur being imaginary and Dr. Haver actually being a patient. I would be surprised if this was the case; so for me, this twist would be unpredictable.
Is there a direction the story might go that you would suggest would be very unexpected?
I would be quite surprised if the woman in the bloody bathtub was Dr. Haver herself, meaning that the “flashback” is not a memory but a vision of the future.
Any other comments or feelings about the film?
I would love to see this film being expanded on. It can go in so many different directions. The acting is great, and the use of the drawings is unique. I especially love the fact that there were no jump-scares, which I feel can cheapen the film. chromoPHOBIA comes across as a psychological horror to me, which is a great genre to explore. Thank you for the opportunity to view this!