PORCUPINE #3

A terrified, young widowed woman, in order to protect her young infant, asks a 911 operator for the permission to shoot an intruder attempting to break into her home. This intense, fear-gripping thriller tells a real story that resonates with audience that the threat of an intruder could happen to anyone. The film also features a number of flashbacks of the woman (Nora) with her husband who appears to be ailing slowly, and their young child. The maternal instinct of protection I feel is a relatable emotion for the audience as Nora decides to protect her baby, even at the cost of a human life. The film covers a variety of important topics , both cinematical (the element of suspense and fear mixed with the desperation to survive) and societal (is killing anyone, even an intruder, justified?). The phenomenal acting in this film starring Samantha Bilinkas was definitely a big contributor to the success of the film as a thriller.

SHOTS THAT COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE PAST AND PRESENT

The use of memory or flashback shots are something we are also including in our project and they are essential to the plot. The use of dark colours in the shots filmed in the present tense contrasted with the bright colours used in the memory shots mirrors the colour patterns we are using. The contrasts drawn between Nora's happy past and her lonely present evoke sympathy from the audience, making the film resonate more effectively with the audience when she is putting in a dangerous situation. An example of this is in the middle of the film in which two shots are parallel each other but also contrast immensely. In both shots, Nora is holding a gun ready to shoot. In the extreme closeup flashback shot, she is evidently more calm and comfortable as she regulates her breathing. This differs from the closeup shot in the present time in which Nora is clearly panicked and unconfident as the focus on her breathing is repeated and this time it is unrhythmic and panting which she attempts to regulate

  COLOURS AND LIGHTING

Here are some examples of closeup shots in the film that feature the use of a cold, blue external light (see previous post to create shadow on the protagonist's face which heighten the tension and emphasise her fearful expression.


The warm light glowing from the tall light beside the baby's cot brightens the room and places the baby is a welcoming and relaxed area of the room in contrast to the dark hallway leading to the door.

SOUND 
Porcupine does not included the usual fast paced high pitched music associated with thrillers. In a similar way to our own project it focuses on important sounds that are critical to the plot e.g. the baby crying in the background, sounds of fireworks overlapping from the flashbacks and the loud sound of the banging door. The ambient noise mimicking ringing in the ears to reflect distortion effectively mirrors the isolation the character is immersed in and we hope to achieve something similar in our film as the overwhelming emotions begin to consume both characters.


COMPARING AND CONTRASTING THE FILM'S THEMES TO OUR FILM

• Loneliness - in this film, Nora is evidently faced with loneliness after her husbands seemingly untimely death with only her baby to keep her company. In our film, the male protagonist is not faced with a similar loss but rather a similar absence of someone (hence the name of the fiml 'Cumha' which loosely translates to feeling a sickness for someone)
• Nostalgia - both films maintain a reflective tone from the beginning until the end of the film through the inclusion of flashback or memory scenes. These scenes simulataneously create a divide between the past and present by contrasting them while also using the past tied in to the present to elaborate more on the current events. 
• Suspense - both films feature dangerous, high intensity situations and open endings which are designed to leave the audience sitting on the edge of their seats. Even after the films reach their climatic conclusions the audience are left with even more questions than they began with, most of which probably focus on the fate of the remaining characters. The openness allows the audience to make their own decision using their interpretation of the film's events, therefore making the audience feeling more personally connected to the film as they are in control of their own imagination. This technique is common in romance and thriller films for the purpose of carrying on the suspense or curiosity that the audience experiences and these films often end up being the most memorable