Stop That Knocking (2020): The ritual of sound

Simplicity is often the key to an effective short film. Especially on a microbudget, it’s almost impossible to cram a full three-act narrative complete with interesting characters and thematic depth into 10 minutes or less. So, at the length of just three short minutes, Qeyana Kennedy’s Stop That Knocking is an impressive example of how a stripped-down story that relies on a few simple plot beats and sensory tricks can make for the most effective cinematic experience. The unsettling emotions evoked by Kennedy’s film are derived from the tension between rhythmic auditory beats - the repetitive clanking of a spoon against the bottom of a nearly empty cereal bowl, the ominous ticking of an ever-present clock on the wall, shotgun shells snapping into place - each sound a piece of the protagonist’s ritualistic devotion to fighting off the existentialism that consumes him. Set against the backdrop of stark, high-contrast black-and-white cinematography that is frequently composed of uncomfortably tight close-ups, these sounds provoke a gnawing unease that builds until the film's final seconds. In nearly every shot the protagonist occupies, the frame cuts off part of the top of his head. By not allowing him any headroom, Kennedy creates the feeling of a life not fully lived - an incomplete existence. In place of a life, there is ritual. The titular song, “Stop that Knocking”, drones on like a never-ending loop in the man’s head, drawing suspense from the unknown threat that looms outside his door, insisting that it be let inside. When the film cuts to black, the song won’t leave the viewer’s mind. These disturbing sonic rhythms reverberate past the screen and through the subconscious, burying themselves in your ears and promising to stick around for the next time you hear a knock at your door.

Check out more of Qeyana Kennedy’s work here!