Final 15 images ( The Darkest Torment )

We chose this image to show the messages coming from the stalker, however due to bad weather lack of lighting equipment and getting both the character and the phone in shot this one did not come out as we had hoped. The image isnt strong and does not convey everything we wanted in an opening image. As our opening image it is not eye catching and does not draw the attention of the viewer visually. in contrast the phone is shown as we would have wanted however the overall image inst strong.  

I dont think this image is visually very beautiful there are drain pipers advertising and way too much to focus on in the shot to concentrate on the stalker and the girl being stalked. We wanted to show that the stalker followed her everywhere however with cars coming and going, a lot of people walking this made the task very difficult and had we had more time at the location getting the shot without cars and people passing, we would definitely have changed loads about this shot, moving the character, placing her where there wasn't so much to take the viewers focus away from the character. 

I like this shot showing the character emotions this is at the point where the character isn't feeling herself and is slowly becoming miserable and terrified. We chose this close up to make it feel more personal to the character and the characters feelings. However I would have liked exploring other options for this such as showing her isolation and how broken she is though another way.

This isnt the shot we originally decided on, we wanted to stalker to appear however when we moved behind a wall or somewhere the character wouldn't be seen the camera was too far away, and it felt less personal. We did want the stalker to be behind a wall or far enough in the distances the character wouldn't be seen. 

I liked this shot because it showed the characters escalation, and made her look small while  giving the viewer a clear view of the not and bracelet. However I would move the chair and other stuff in the background because they are drawing the eyes which can take a lot of the focus from the story in the image. 

I do like this image of her because it shows her vulnerability and her isolation however i would have liked to try different shots of this, and different angles to make it more personal to the character. 

I though this shot worked well giving the viewer the character and the stalker who is everywhere yet never seen. However I would have preferred to have even less of the stalker in this image and bring it a little closer. 

I wasn't pleased with this image however we did explore other angles and this was the only angle that allowed the viewer to see what the stalker is doing. now I wished I had tried other angles and left the viewers guessing what the stalker is actually doing. 

This shot was framed how we wanted with this sort of look however because of the confined space and the characters hight this made the shot tricky and didn't give the correct message of the character looking for something under the bed, instead it looks like the character is hiding. 

I don't like this shot at all, there is too much going on and doesn't allow the viewer to truly see what is happening, the shot didn't go as planned however we didn't have one to replace it with. when it came to the edit as a group we didn't like this shot. 

This image is meant to show that the stalker had got into her house and is taunting her with her key to make her feel uneasy. I think this is shown through the image however I wish we had tried something different because it is not as strong as some of the others. 

We decided to place this on in the sequence because we wanted to show the audience that no matter where she is what she is doing the stalker is always around. I do like the shot however I think there is too much too look at, and a different shot might have shown the message we were getting across better. 

This shot we chose was to mimic the first one, that they are very similar in framing and shot size. I liked this idea to begin with that we are seeing her unintentionally taking a picture. However I don't think it looked as realistic as I hoped it would. 

I liked this image for the vulnerability and  fear the character is portraying however I wish we had chosen a different shot and tried a different way of showing sadness and isolation, 

This is one of my favorite shots, I like the framing and liked the idea of the stalker watching her from his car while she is going home, a place she should be safe. However I wish it was closer and the image tighter because she seems so far away and it takes a lot of focus to look at the girl being stalked. 

experimental images for the 15 image story

Women stalkers

As strange as it may sound, there are both men and women stalkers out there causing pain and fear and victimizing others. Consider these points when it comes to victimization and understanding women stalkers.

§   There are approximately 6.6 million people stalked every year in the United States

§   Statistics show that 1 in 6 women and 1 in 19 men have already experienced being stalked.

§   Most victims of stalking are stalked by someone they know.

§   66% of female victims are stalked by a current of former intimate partner or spouse.

§   41% of male victims are stalked by a current or former partner or spouse.

§   More than half of the female victims reporting said they were 25 or younger when stalked.

§   Approximately 1/3 of the male victims reporting said they were stalked before the age of 25 years.

§   About 1 in 14 males and 1 in 5 females reporting experienced this victimization between the ages of eleven and seventeen years.

§   46% of those stalked said they had at least 1 unwanted contact with the stalker every week.

§   11% reported that the stalking lasted 5 or more years.

Characteristics of Women Stalkers:

According to JR Meloy, (Am J Psychother. 1997 Spring; 51(2):174-84), stalking is “the willful, malicious, and repeated following or harassing of another person that threatens his or her safety.” Stalking is also illegal in every state in America even though the penalties and classification of the crime does vary from state to state.

An international study conducted by Meloy and Boyd,(Meloy JR, Boyd C. Female stalkers and their victims. J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2003. 31(2)211–219.) found the following to be true based on the collected data.

§   The typical perpetrators were Caucasian

§   Most were heterosexual and single

§   The average age was 35 years but all ranged from 18-58 years

§   Most of these women did not have children

§   Most were well educated having graduated high school and a strong minority having graduated college with a degree

§   Most were intelligent which is believed to have assisted them in pursuing victims.

§   Most used drugs during pursuits but did not have substance abuse history

§   Their was a high rate of sexual and physical abuse in the stalker’s history

§   Most of these women knew their victims although 1/5 of the victims were strangers

§   The average victim was Caucasian, heterosexual and around 41 years old

§   One third of the victims were women

§   The average time these victims were harassed was 22 months

§   Common reasons given for the stalking included: anger, dependency, loneliness, obsession and feelings of abandonment.

Women Stalkers : Identifying 5 Common Stalker-Types

The rejected stalker makes up the largest group type. The stalking behavior from this group is usually the result ofan ended relationship with a romantic partner. These also could be the result of relationships broken with mothers, friends or co-workers. Many of these stalkers tend to suffer from personality disorder and are ambivalent about reconciliation and revenge. This group uses a lot of methods for their stalking including a high incidence of telephone harassment.

The intimacy seeking stalker has a desire to be intimate with someone and usually has determined that their victim is their true love. This group of stalkers seem to be the most persistent.

The incompetent stalker tends to lack normal social skills and know-how for a appropriate courtship but hope that their persistence and stalking will lead to intimacy. They know that their feelings are not being reciprocated but believe that they are entitled to a relationship. This type of stalker has usually stalked before.

The resentful stalker intends to frighten and worry their victim. These usually hold a grudge against the victim or have picked a person at random because of their own unhappiness. These stalkers are most likely to threaten and harm their victims.

The predatory stalker is the most notorious group of stalkers. This tends to be the smallest group and almost always is comprised of men. These are usually preparing for a sexual attack and are enjoying a power surge they get from their stalking. Many of these stalkers have a prior record or conviction on sexual offense charges.