Feedback from my Teacher

Refining Shaam

After completing the first cut of Shaam, I showed it to my teacher for feedback. While he appreciated the overall structure and visual style, he suggested a few key improvements to enhance the film’s impact:

• Adding more sound effects – He felt that some moments could be heightened with subtle audio details, making the atmosphere more immersive. This includes ambient sounds, foley effects, and possibly more emphasis on the diegetic sounds already present.

• Inserting extra shots – Some sequences needed additional coverage to improve pacing and clarity. These new shots will help bridge certain moments more effectively and strengthen the storytelling.

After implementing these changes, I showed my teacher the final product. He told me that it was a well-shot film and that he liked it overall. However, he suggested a few final adjustments:

• Cutting down the opening shots – Some early scenes felt slightly prolonged, so trimming them would improve the pacing and keep the audience engaged.

• Adding a graphic content warning – Due to the film’s sensitive themes, a brief content warning at the beginning was necessary to prepare viewers.

• Including subtitles – Since the film features Urdu dialogue, subtitles were essential for accessibility.

Taking this feedback into account, my next steps involved:

1. Refining the edit – Cutting down the opening shots while maintaining their impact.

2. Integrating a content warning – Designing a simple yet effective warning screen at the beginning.

3. Adding subtitles – Carefully transcribing and timing them for accuracy and readability.

4. Finalizing the sound design – Enhancing key moments with additional sound effects.

This process has been invaluable in shaping Shaam into a more polished and engaging film. Receiving constructive criticism and making these adjustments has improved the overall pacing, clarity, and accessibility of the film. With these refinements, Shaam now feels closer to the vision I initially had.