Short film research: Election Day/Thriller

Election Day (Short Film by Zach Wechter) - A Thrill Ride Through the Ballot Box

a. Common Sounds:

  • Tense score: Pulsating strings, discordant electronic beats, sharp stings to punctuate action.
  • Diegetic noise: Buzzing of fluorescent lights, frantic typing on keyboards, murmurs of crowds, unsettling radio broadcasts.
  • Silence as anticipation: Moments of hushed tension before the inevitable eruption, drawing the audience in.

b. Common Mis-en-Scene (CLAMPS):

  • Confined spaces: Voting booths, cramped back offices, claustrophobic polling stations amplifying paranoia.
  • Power dynamics: Contrasting sterile campaign headquarters with grimy backstreets, highlighting disparity.
  • Technological reliance: Screens everywhere – projecting propaganda, manipulating data, fuelling suspicion.
  • Hidden agendas: Shadows in corners, secret meetings, characters with obscured motives creating unease.

c. Common Editing:

  • Fast-paced cuts: Heightening anxiety, jumping between frantic characters and escalating events.
  • Shaky cam: Creating a sense of immediacy and chaos, blurring the line between observer and participant.
  • Flashbacks/flashforwards: Distorting perception, revealing hidden truths, questioning memories.
  • Sudden shifts in perspective: Disorienting the viewer, keeping them guessing who to trust.

d. Example Films:

  • V for Vendetta
  • The Manchurian Candidate
  • The Purge
  • Nightcrawler
  • Wag the Dog

e. Elements I Like:

  • Exploring the dark underbelly of political systems, exposing the human cost of ambition.
  • Blending psychological thrills with political commentary, keeping the audience engaged on multiple levels.
  • Using the familiar setting of Election Day to heighten the sense of unease and unpredictability.
  • The potential for a twist ending that recontextualizes everything we thought we knew.

f. Elements I Don't Like:

  • Overly preachy or partisan messaging that sacrifices the art for the agenda.
  • Repetitive tropes and predictable plot twists that feel derivative.
  • Glorifying violence or manipulation as tools for achieving political ends.
  • Losing sight of the human element amidst the political machinations.



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