Focus Group

After filming and editing our thriller we felt that it would be a valuable exercise if we showed the finished product to a focus group that consisted of different people with different tastes in film. This was a great way of getting a first hand response from our target audience. The focus group consisted of an equal amount of Boys to Girls this is very important because it allows us to get a balanced response and to see which areas they enjoyed and where we could improve.

The Focus Group liked the fact that we didn't force one perspective on the audience which subverts the convention of the thriller genre where the audience is commonly "forced" to side with one party rather than be free to make their own choice of which character they like and dislike. This was our intention when making the thriller and it is good to hear that due to the balanced editing that we were able to convey these ideas.

Another positive thing that was said was that they liked how our editing helped build tension because of the increasing length in cuts which we intended to do whilst editing. By having relatively quick cuts at the beginning which gradually get longer you help build up to a big reveal or event (climax).

One of the things that they felt needed improving was our casting decision because they felt that the two gang members might be too young for the part and that this took away from the plot a bit. However another member of the group mentioned that they felt this signified how young people get caught up in criminal activities and that they liked this side of the story.

Finally the group said that they felt the editing wasn't as clean as it could have been and that it distracted from the story a bit. Nevertheless a member of the group said that they liked this rough cutting because they felt it added to the very hectic atmosphere that we wanted to create.

Overall I felt that this was a very informative exercise and really opened our eyes when it come to what the audience feels and sees when they view our thriller.