FEEDBACK SAMPLE
"The Twickenham Murders"
The director of The Twickenham Murders wanted to receive honest feedback for his independent short 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 #2
Age - 20
Gender - Female
Profession - Student
Did you like the film?
Yes
Anything you'd like more of?
I’d enjoy more of the way the main character attempts to discover the story. Perhaps, provide more research into his methods like the exploration of drowning on Wikipedia. Furthermore, I enjoyed the snippets of the pills. Perhaps we could reflect back on this more as it doesn’t come into full fruition to the end, also perhaps more of the mental decline of Oliver. I’d also would like to drive the horror segments, especially with Oliver thinking someone is in his house.
Were there any moments/scenes you particularly liked? (Please list and explain)
I really enjoyed the twists and foreshadowment of the film. Especially, with the bottle of pills and the ending where we find out it was Oliver. At first, the we are led to a false accusation towards Clyde due to his sneakers having patches of red on them and his reserved nature, but then at the end, it turns to Oliver. Furthermore, the pills are revealed not to be taken out of overdosing but to be thrown in the bin, which correlates really well to Oliver’s mentality and state and reveals so much through just visuals. I also enjoyed the horror elements applied within the film, especially those commencing in Oliver and Clyde’s house as they brought a lot of suspension and tension. Lastly, I really enjoyed how the narrative was progressed through the radio telling us the news. Keeping us fully aware of what is happening within the neighborhood.
Were there any moments/scenes you particularly disliked, or felt didn't work? (Please list and explain)
Despite really enjoying the music used at some points it seems too overpowering versus the visuals of the film and becomes distracting. For example, when Oliver goes into Clyde’s house. Although going suitably, its amplification was a little bit overwhelming.
Were there any moments you felt annoyed or frustrated by the movie? (Please list and explain)
Sometimes the camera felt too shaky and appeared disorientating at times taking me away from being fully encapsulated by the film. For example, 48 seconds when Oliver goes to the crime scene, the movement should seems to warp and distorted before it stabilizes when Oliver enters the frame.
Were you confused at any given time? (Please list and explain)
There was no points where I was confused. I thought the narrative was told very well and clearly.
How would you rate the following elements? (1 to 5)
Please explain your rating.
The Beginning
4/5
Reason
The story is setup very quickly. Through Oliver’s narration and the radio show, we know exactly what is happening and sets the film up very well.
The Ending
4/5
Reason
I really enjoyed the ending as it concludes on a twist that was not anticipated. Throughout the film, the ominous Clyde is left to be the main suspect as we approach the story through our unreliable narrator. However, the ending shows a turn as Clyde had suspected Oliver of the murders through his board at home. Although Clyde’s fate is left ambiguous as we see no dead body, the implied nature of the pills being chucked in the bin turns the audience against Oliver, the reveal of the fabric missing on his shirt perpetuates this further and I think it was executed really well.
The Music
4/5
Reason
I really enjoyed the music. It kept with a constant theme of strings and the distorted and absent melody structure of the music when he finds the fabric in the woods gave me goosebumps as it worked really well, creating a sense of unease and builds tension. Furthermore, the piece used when Oliver enters Clyde’s house was very suitable as the chords became intensified when entering the house. Although, a bit too loud, the build of the music build suspense and anxiety very well.
The Pace
3/5
Reason
The pacing was very well done especially through the montage sequences. However, the segments where Oliver is walking to places and pondering about the situation are sometimes a bit slow and disrupts the flow. Other than this, I think it is very well paced.
The Story
4/5
Reason
I really enjoyed the concept to the story and felt it was executed excellently. The twists throughout are good and the story is very interesting and upon hearing the synopsis, I got very excited to watch it and was not displeased.
The Drama
4/5
Reason
The drama was suspenseful and fueled with tension. The ‘suicides’ in the lake are left mysterious and with Oliver’s narration, I am left to be fully suspicious. The drama between Oliver and Clyde is interesting as they are both suspicious of one another, the tension between them drive the drama. The unexpected twist to the case brings the drama all together in one nice ending.
The Characters
3/5
Reason
The conflict and awkward nature between Oliver and Clyde’s relationship showed an interesting dynamic as Clyde teases Oliver whilst Oliver remains reserved and uncommunicative. They both remain suspicious of one another, but Clyde is more subtle in his approach. Although Oliver can seem a bit flat at times, his character is interesting and I wanted to know more about his psychological state.
Any other comments or feelings about the film?
Other all, director Samuel Reznikov did a brilliant job in his execution of this film. They should be proud of their work and it was an enjoyable experience to watch. Also, the scene in Oliver’s house at night did make me jump.