Holiday work - screen grab analysis

This is a mid shot showing the character of the joker. The Mask in the characters hand shows a sense of mystery and hidden identity. This implies that this particular character is unknown and has a false identity. The lack of appearance and identity suggest that the character is a villain within the story.

The use of the bag suggests that the character is going to collect something or drop something off. This creates tension because the audience are eager to find out what he is after. The stance of the character suggests that he is a lower class citizen. He is shown as lower class because of his slouched back and lowered head. The setting is shown to be the centre of a busy American town. A busy town is a place of danger and can suggest a tense scene. The use of natural light creates a natural feeling about the scene. It shows the character in shot to be a simple man in a simple place.

 

This is also a mid shot. This shot fits with the thriller genre as it shows some of the popular thriller conventions. The use of the weapon shows that the scene contains action between characters. The shotgun shows that there is death within the scene as one person is trying to kill another. This shot shows the man to be more dominant and powerful. He is shown to be higher above than other characters. The setting in the shot also shows a suggested conflict. The building looks like a bank. A bank is a popular place in movies where a conflict takes place. This could be Bank robbers and the police. These show that the rest of the movie will be action packed.

 This shot is a close up. This close up once again shows a sense of hidden identity. This character in the shot is using make up to cover up his face. The comical element of his face paint suggests an unserious attitude within the character. It implies that the character has a childish mind and is up to no good. This tells the audience that there is more law breaking to come throughout the movie.

 This shot is a medium shot. This shows another masked character. This Once again shows a hidden identity in the character being shown and adds more mystery to the story. This shot also makes this character look more dominant and a lot more powerful. This shot makes the dark character look like a thrilling character and suggests that there will be lots of action following the character. This is also a mid action shot. This shot shows the figure stopping someone whilst trying to get away. This suggests that the character in shot may be a hero in the story and is trying to stop someone bad getting away. This is a classic contrast between good and evil within movies.

This is along shot. This shot shows a setting of some kind of underground warehouse. This setting can suggest that a character is hiding away from civilisation or trying to stat out of site. This adds to the sense of mystery in the story. The way the character is hiding away can suggest a shady personality that may affect the characters in the movie. The vehicle in shot is a black armoured car. This tells the audience that the character is familiar to dangerous conditions and is someone who is often in fights and battles. This shows that this particular character will have much more action later on in the rest of the film. This shot is almost used to try and set the scene for the audience.

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Questionnaire evaluation

Questionnaire evaluation

 

Target audience: 20-35 males who enjoy watching films.

1.    In a thriller, is fast paced or slow paced music more effective in creating a tense atmosphere?

Slow paced – 2

Fast paced - 4

Both – 2

-We asked this question to see which style of music is more effective when making people feel tenser. We’ve found out that most people think that fast paced is more effective, so we will include some fast paced music to increase tension.

 

2.    How do you usually hear about new films?

TV – 6

Newspaper – 1

Internet – 1

Social media – 1

-These results show us the best way to publically release a film. We have found out that people hear about new films mostly from the TV and adverts.

 

3.    What is your favourite film opening and why?

The Departed – makes it look interesting

Gravity – exciting

Rush – wets appetite

We’re the Millers – funny

White House Down – intense atmosphere

Anchorman – funny

Pacific Rim – exciting music

The Great Gatsby – Soundtrack

-The results that we have collected from asking this question lets us see what people determine to be a good opening, so we can draw from famous openings and include some of it in our own.

 

4.    What props would you expect to see in a thriller?

Weapons – 5

Crucifix and holy water – 1

None answers – 2

-We have learnt from this question that people expect to see weapons in an opening to a thriller. We will include a weapon of some kind to our video. We will look at famous thriller openings to see how different weapons are used and compare it to what we can do.

 

 

5.    What is the worst thriller you have seen and why?

Paranormal Activity - 4

Mama

Ghost rider

None answer – 1

- After collecting the answers to this question, we have a wider knowledge of what conventions and themes we should not use in our thriller. The results tell us that a thriller opening similar to Ghost Rider or paranormal activity will not appeal to our audience. We will not create an opening like this.

 

6.    What grabs your attention in a Crime thriller and why?

Good plot

Suspense

Death

Music – suspenseful

Thrilling events

An unknown killer

-We learnt from these answers what will help to grab the audience’s attention in our thriller opening. We found out that suspenseful music will grab the viewer’s attention and will make the thriller more effective. We will also make sure that our thriller opening has an effective plot that will keep that audience engaged.

 

7.    Do your personal interests affect the types of films you watch and why?

Yes – 6

Why? Suspense

No – 2

-After collecting these answers, we found that linking the thriller to people’s interests would make it more interesting.

 

8.    What is your favourite poster for a film and why?

The Departed – 2

Pulp Fiction

Die Hard

Friday 13^th

Star Wars

No answer – 2

-By asking this question we have learned what kinds of things people like when viewing a film poster.

 

9.    What characters appeal to you in a Crime Thriller and why?

The hero

Helpless victim – 2

Vulnerable female

Interesting characters

The killer

Psychopaths

-From asking this question we aimed to learn what people wanted to see in a thriller. We learned that people like a stereotypical hero and helpless victim. We will include a psychopathic killer and helpless victim in our film as a result of this question.

 

10. For a setting, would you prefer:

An isolated building-8                An open area-0         An urban setting-0

Storyboard testing

Story board testing against the target audience

 After creating our story board, we gave it to people that fitted with our targeted audience and asked them what they thought. This is the feedback they gave:

 

·         They didn’t approve with the idea of filming in a built up location. They said that the opening would fit more with the thriller genre if it was in a small isolated location. We have chosen to film in this sort of location because it will appeal more to our audience.

·         They agreed with the use of the table prop in the middle of the room. They said that this would make the character on screen look more mysterious and will create tension as the video goes on. We have decided as a group that this will be definitely be in our thriller and will be one of the most obvious props.

·         They said that another effective prop for our thriller was the lamp on the table. The lamp will light up what’s on the table. Such as the photographs, notebook and gun but will keep the face of the killer hidden. This will make the thrilling nature of the video more effective.

·         The storyboard testers also said that our thriller plot fits well with its genre. They said that it will be successful in keeping the audience on edge and will build tension throughout the 2 minutes.

Thriller openin storyboard

What sub genres appeal to the target audience

 

 

What Sub-Genres appeal to the target audience?

 

 

 

Thriller props

 

Typical props in a thriller

 

 

 

Thriller Shots

Shot list

Actor Wordle

Lighting

Props

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For our ideas we will be using a backpack, torch and a camcorder. We will be using a backpack to illustrate to the viewer that the two characters are adventurers. As well as that, we will be using a torch so that when they are in the isolated house, only some of it will be illuminated. This will make the viewer feel tense as they can't see everthing that is going on. Furthemore, the characters will enter the scene on bicycles which will make them seem vulnerable and it will make them seem more realistic. 

Costume

Costume

 

The costume for the characters will be different; the killer will be wearing a smart suit and the victim will be wearing a rough suit with dirt stains and rips in it. We wanted to use these costumes because they don’t fit the location that we wanted to film in. This will create an atmosphere of uncertainty within the audience because they know that something isn’t right because they look out of place. The costume itself is quite stereotypical because in most crime thrillers you have the person in charge who is always dressed smartly, and his men who work for him are dressed quite smart too. We have used this idea but slightly tweaked it so that the two smartly dressed characters are fighting instead of being on the same team, we liked this because it’s very high in action and sets the rest of the film up really well. We got the idea from Momento where the main character is dressed nicely and he kills is co-worker.

 

Actors

Actors

 

The actors that feature in our film opening will have different characteristics for the different roles. For the killer we wanted a tall & muscular male, it wouldn’t matter what he looked like because we would conceal his identity and not let the audience know who he was. We wanted him to be tall & muscular because they give the impression of power and dominance and also emphasise them, also using the camera effectively would help do this too. For the victim we wanted a small& skinny male, again it wouldn’t matter what he looked like because we plan to cover it in fake blood, but as long as it showing that he’s quite inferior and doesn’t really have control over the situation, we would also use effective camerawork to show this. These characteristics are stereotypical because the bad guy always over-powers the victim and wants to inflict pain or suffering into their lives because of a past event. The victim isn’t really stereotypical because he doesn’t have any strengths, he gets beaten and hurt badly by the killer and can do anything to save himself. We got these ideas from several thrillers like Seven and Momento because it uses the stereotypes well and it has a good use of actors.

Location

 

This is our first location idea for our thriller opening. For our main idea we wanted to shoot the thriller in an isolated location. We originally chose this location because it looks run down and adds to the thrilling nature of the video. This makes the intention of the video clear to the audience. We got the idea of a house like this from the movie seven. In the opening of seven there are various close ups of a man in a dark and secluded room. This is how we want to shoot our thriller opening.

 

This is another idea for our thriller opening location. With each of our ideas we agreed on the idea of setting it in a secluded location. This dark location will allow us to use multiple types of shots and will give the video more variety. The dark location will also enable us to use lighting to create tension throughout the video. This will make it possible to gain full marks for our production.

 

We got the idea of these houses from various horror films such as texas chainsaw massacre and house in the woods. Each of these films use the house to create a neative atmosphere as the location adds effect.

 

Thriller opening meeting

Thriller opening meeting: 14/11/13

 

-       We discussed some new ideas for our 2 minute thriller opening. We came up with new ideas of the order of the video and chose which would be more effective.

 

-       Discussed multiple costume ideas for each of the characters. E.g. we decided that both characters will be wearing smart wear such as a white shirt and a tie.

 

-        Discussed possible locations to shoot our thriller opening. We talked about what kind of area would make our video more effective.

 

-       We decided that our video will begin by showing the result of a fight. There will be a bloody man who is injured and is being dragged along the floor. The killer will drop the injured man and will put a gun to his head. After a cut to black, it will start to show a man crossing out faces on a picture and loading a gun. It will show him loading a gun, crossing out names and looking at photos of people.

 

-       Credits: Carved name in table. The names of the director etc. will be on the list of names that the killer is hunting. The names will be crossed out after the team members names have been made clear.

Location ideas

This is the groups first location idea for our thriller opening. We chose this place because it is a isolated building and adds a sense of mystery. We wanted a location that looks abandoned and run down becuase it adds to the thrilling aspect of the video and makes it more effective.
Filming in an isolated location, will make narrative of our opening more effective. It would also make it more understandable to the audience.
The courtyard of the house has got multiple run down cars parked. These cars will give us the oputunity to use multiple shots throughout our video.

Pitches

Thriller openings analysis

Thriller openings analysis

Se7en

The thriller se7en uses different camera techniques and editing to create an effective opening. The most obvious use of camera shots is the close ups of the hands during the openings. The use of close ups show a lack of identity within the scene and helps to build the thrilling nature of the film. The close ups also show the detail of what is happening in the opening. The character is shown to be writing in a book and handling a razor blade. This sets the atmosphere for the rest of the film as it shows a hint towards violence.

The use of props is also effective in creating an effective opening. The props used in the opening are revealed as it progresses through the scene. This helps the continuing build of a gripping atmosphere throughout the opening and keeps the audience more on edge as it goes on. The props are also used to show the mysterious feeling of the film. During the scene the character is crossing out names or writing from what appears to be a book. This makes it seem like the character in the opening is some kind of sick murderer that is counting his victims.

No country for old men

The opening for this thriller is not like any of the others, instead of car chases or killings; it just has different shots of what looks to be a desert in America. Because most of the shots are extreme long shots of quite peaceful locations, it connotes calmness and gives the audience the impression that nothing bad will happen. There is also a voice over during this opening; because the voice isn’t shouting or aggressive it also connotes calmness as well as the scenery. But, the audience is made to worry about the male that gets in the police car at the end of the scene. We are made to worry because of the weapon that this man has on him.  This makes it a good opening because of the mixed feelings that are expresses through scenery and mise-en-scene.

Soundtrack

Soundtrack

 

Inception soundtrack:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT8hilib_6Q&list=PL001A57588A6E955F

This soundtrack from Inception is effective in creating an atmosphere for the audience. This soundtrack fits with the gripping nature of the film and helps ads to the tense atmosphere of the film. When the bass drops in the soundtrack, it creates a sudden drop in pace during the film and has a large increase of tension.

 

Jaws soundtrack:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9QTSyLwd4w

The jaws soundtrack is very good at creating tension at a particular point in the film. The soundtrack is used in the film when the shark (Jaws) approaches it’s pray. The song helps to build tension as the pace gains speed. This makes the nature of the film more and more gripping throughout the course of the film.

 

The dark knight rises soundtrack:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbJmpKcNrLQ

This soundtrack is affective in creating a tense atmosphere that continues through the entire film. This helps to keep the tense atmosphere within the movie and keeps the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the film. This helps the thriller appeal to the audience as they are attracted by a tense and gripping nature.

Sub-genres and audiences

Sub-genres and audiences

 

Action thriller - Aimed at teenagers of 16+. Appeals mainly to males.

-       Items in the film such as guns, knives, women, and chases get the audience excited and create a thrilling atmosphere.

Sci-fi thriller – Normally aimed at ages of 18+.Both genders. Appeals to the more sophisticated audiences as they find it easier to understand. Aliens and future weapons attract these kinds of people.  

Crime thriller – Aimed at ages of 18+. Appeals to males. The audience enjoy the violence and conflict that occurs throughout the film.

Noir – Aimed at ages 18+. Appeals to both male and female audiences. The audience are attracted to the shady characters and contrast of characters.

Religious – Aimed at ages 18+. Attracts both genders. The devil adds a surreal atmosphere the film that attracts the audience.

Psychological – Aimed at ages 18+. Appeals to both audiences. The film keeps he audience thinking as they wonder what is going to happen in the film.

Erotic - Aimed at ages 18+. Appeals to mainly. Attracts the audience as they explore the parts off life that is not usually shown.

Supernatural – Appeals to ages 15+. Attracts both males and females. The series of unnatural events attracts the audience as they are unsure of what is happening within the movie.

How does Thompson create an atmosphere of threat in the school yard scene in cape fear?

 

In the classic thriller movie Cape fear, Thompson uses the school yard scene to create an atmosphere of threat and tension. The atmosphere created overhangs throughout the rest of the movie and keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. This is a typical style of scene with a film of the thriller genre. The setting of the scene plays an important role in creating a sense of threat. This particular scene takes place as the female is leaving school. Throughout the scene there are metal bars in shot that are surrounding the school yard. The bars remind the audience of a prison and imply the feeling of being trapped. This suggests that the female is trapped and can not escape the scenes villain. The atmosphere of threat is created as the audience realise something bad is going to happen to this young female character and there is no way she can escape.

 

The sense of threat is also suggested right at the beginning of the scene. As the scene begins, there is a shot of a working water fountain. The fountain is making some sort of hissing sound. This Non – diegetic use of sound is similar to the hiss of a snake. Because the snake is a predator, this noise suggests to the audience that the man involved in the scene also shares the same instincts. The snake is also the Christian religious symbol for the devil. This creates a larger sense of threat because he is like a predator himself looking for the little girl.

 

The costumes also help to suggest a different attitude of threat between the two characters. Although both characters are wearing mainly white, the colour has different meanings between the two. For the girl, the white school uniform suggests innocence and purity within the character. This shows her to be the typical sweet young daughter figure of the time. The sense of threat is added as the man begins to follow her. This suggests that the man is trying to attack her and wipe away her innocence. On the other hand, the use of the same colour on the males costume suggests a hidden identity and sense of mystery within the character. Although the colour white is a symbol of peace and harmony, the man is clearly shown as a villain as he stalks the young girl. This shows how the male character is not what he appears to be and will likely cause trouble throughout the course of the scene. This continues to expand on the atmosphere of threat as the audience knows that the man will do something to the young female. The man hat also helps to build tension within the scene. Throughout the scene the hat is covering part of the man’s face. This once again suggests a lack of identity with this particular character. The bright clothing is also important as it links to the lighting of the scene. The white clothing is easily visible in the dark room that the girl hides in.  This implies that there is no way of the little girl hiding and there is no escape from the man chasing her. This is another one of Thompson’s ways of creating tension and threat throughout the course of the scene.

 

Another way of creating tension in this scene is Thompson’s use of music and chromatic sound. At the beginning of the scene when the man walks towards the girl, the backing music begins to play. The most effective piece of music is the chromatic sound as the man gets closer and closer. As the distance between them decreases, the music gains volume and it becomes much more jumpy. This makes the audience feel more on edge as the scene becomes increasingly alarming. This also makes the audience feel more involved in the scene as they share a sense of threat just as the girl does.

 

Throughout the clip there are also different shots that are used to emphasise the threatening nature of the scene. For example, after Nancy has entered the class room and hidden away, there is a shot of the man’s pelvis as he comes down the stairs. This is a phallic symbol within the scene that suggests some kind of sexual threat towards the female character. The use of this phallic symbol suggests to the audience the kind of things he may do if he caught the girl. This creates a new style of threat as it gets even clearer to the audience, the horror of what the man will do. This also helps to create a clear contrast between innocence and the evil that is shown throughout the scene.

 

How does Wilder convey the characters and their relationships in the penultimate scene of Double Indemnity?

Throughout this scene Wilder uses different camera techniques that help to convey the typical Film Noir genre. The first example in this scene is when the male character first enters the room. As he comes through the door he is placed in a dark area on the far side of the room. This prevents the audience from being able to see the characters face. This suggests a lack of identity within the character and adds a bit of tension to the scene. A lack of identity may also suggest a sense of mystery within the character and suggests that he is unpredictable and can do something out of the ordinary. This builds tension as the character may do something hostile later in the scene and the audience don’t know what it will be. Building tension at the beginning of the scene is Wilders way of setting the rest of the scene. The continuous build of tension will keep the viewer on their seat throughout the entire scene. This is common with movies of the Film Noir genre.

 

The composition of the scene is also important in conveying the characters and their attitude. After the male character enters the room, he takes a seat on the arm chair above the woman. The male is made to look more dominant as he is sitting in a higher position than the woman. This suggests a more powerful figure and shows a difference of class between the man and the woman. This also links to the stereotypical view of men being superior to woman at the time and how women were believed to be below men. This helps to build more tension in the scene as the more dominant character is likely to cause some kind of damage to the people below him.

 

In this scene, Wilder has also used the typical character traits of the time to create tension and represent the characters in different ways. For example, the woman is shown as the common Feme Fatal of the Film Noir era. The Feme Fatal is known for causing trouble in the movie and causing the main protagonist to end up in some kind of trouble. This creates suspense within the scene as it suggests to the audience that she is likely to cause trouble during the course of the scene. This shows the audience that either character can cause trouble and may do so later on in the scene.

 

The lighting used throughout the scene also helps to convey the mood of the characters and their relationships with one another. There is a very low amount of lighting used in this scene. A low amount of light helps to show the dark ways of the characters involved in this scene. The male character has less light than he woman for most of the scene. When the man stands behind the woman’s chair, his face is half covered by the darkened area of the room. This exaggerates the lack of identity hanging over the character and helps to convey his dark ways. The lack of light shows the man to be the villainous character of the scene as he is shown as hidden and mysterious. On the other hand, the woman is shown by a much larger amount of light throughout the scene. This shows the audience who the character is and what she looks like. There are no hidden features of the woman and there is no mystery to her figure. This suggests a sense of purity and innocence towards the character. This makes the audience believe that she is not hostile or harmful in any way. The woman’s costume also shows the innocence of the character. The dress she is wearing is white all over. The colour white helps to emphasise the characters innocence as it is the colour of peace and care. The lighting at the end of the scene once again shows the attitude of the characters. After the male has been shot and is closer to the woman, the room is split into two different effects of lighting. The woman’s side of the room is lighten up from the light of the window, but the man’s side of the room is still dark. This shows the opposition between the man and woman that continues to the end of the scene.

Preliminary task analysis

Preliminary task analysis

For our preliminary task we needed to create a 1 minute video of some kind of meeting. This need to include the conventions of a thriller and needed to build some kind of tension for the audience.

Camera work:

In our production, we used a wide range of camera shots to make the attitude of the piece more effective. We wanted to show each of the characters as a different status of power. For example, we used over the shoulder shots when looking at the two detectives. This made the detectives appear to be more important in the scene and made them seem more dominating. This use of camera work also helped to show the mysterious view of the villainous character. This helped us to build tension within the scene as it created an unsettling view towards the character.

We also used close ups to show the expressions of a character in more detail and to show an object important to the scene. The most obvious close up was the shot of the villain’s eyes whilst the detectives are talking to him. This close up showed the uneasy attitude of the character shows that the character is unaffected by what is going on. This may suggest that the character is likely to do something irrational during the course of the scene. This was our way of building tension. Another close up we used was the shot of the door handle. This shot helps to make it clear to the audience that the scene is set in an isolated location. This suggests to the audience that the plot is too dangerous to be in a public setting. This was another effective way of building tension.

Lighting:

The lighting we used in our production was important in creating a tense atmosphere. Throughout the scene we tried to use dark lighting within the room. We wanted the room to be dark when it was just the villain sitting alone, but the lights to come up when the two detectives enter. This shows a clear contrast of good and evil between each of the characters. By doing this, the audience know who the villain is and who the ‘hero’s’ in the scene are. Throughout the scene, the outside edges of the room were always darker than the characters area. We wanted to make it seem like not only are they in an isolated area, they are also alone when inside the room.

Costume:

The use of costume was also important in creating an effective preliminary video. Each of the characters in the video had different costumes to show their significance in the scene and helps to show the clear contrast between good and bad. The villain in the scene (Vincent Murphy) is wearing what is meant to be some sort of straight jacket. To create this effect we just used a normal black jacket that was worn backwards by the actor. This made it seem like some kind of restraint and made it more obvious that this particular character was a criminal of some kind. The straight jacket made the atmosphere of the scene more thrilling as it shows the danger of the villain. This may also suggest that the character may cause trouble later in the scene. This keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.

The other two characters involved in the video were the two detectives (James Girard and Joe Dickinson). These characters were wearing the classic attire of a detective. They are both wearing smart trousers with a shirt and tie. This use of costumes showed the audience that these two characters are the sophisticated and well to do heroes of the video. The costumes used throughout the video are used to show the contrast between good and evil. This makes he thrilling nature of the scene more affective towards its audience.

Overall we think that we were successful in our preliminary task. We showed the video to the other members of our class and collected feedback to find out what was good and bad about it. We found out from the feedback that our use of camera shots was the most effective. We found that we had a large range of camera shots that helped to make the video more effective within the thriller genre.

If we were to remake our video we would improve on the location. We felt that with more time we could find a more isolated and effective location to film our scene. This would help to make our video better.

Thriller conventions

Thriller conventions

 

 

Camera work:

 

- Mid shots adn close ups show expressions and what the characters are doing. Close ups show involvement and makes the audience feel more claustrophobic. Framing may exclude ertain things to keep the audience guessing and to create tension. Lots of low angle shots to show power and authority. They show the dominant character.

 

Editing:

 

- Often use dissolves to link the key events of the movie. Fast cuts are used to build the tension of the scene and it builds the pace of what is happening. Thrillers can be un chronological. This can show what is going to happen to a character and will build tension throughout the movie.

 

Thriller opening conventions:

 

- Opening shows the names of the actors and the people who contributed towards the movie. Often there is an ident to show who funded and published the film. The first 2 minutes introduce the characters of importance. Sometimes builds tension at the beginning of the film. The opening should show something to do with the plot of the movie. Sets the rest of the story up.

 

Sound:

 

- The music is used to create the atmosphere of the scene. e.g. fast paced music helps to build the tension in the scene.

 

- Can be used to enhance the plot of the film.

 

- Ambient music an be used to create an unsettling atmosphere.

 

- Voice overs can be effective.

 

Mise-en-scene:

 

- The props used hint to the audience what may happen. e.g. a gun will hint that someone will be killed or harmed.

 

- The setting should look believeable to the audience. It must be realistic. An isolated setting may show the pressure of the thriller and keep the audience close to the action.

 

- Males have authority/power. Usually the killer or the hero.

 

- Women play the role of damsel in distress-typical stereotypes

 

- The use of light and dark can be used to show the atmosphere. Low light can show the dark attitude of a place or character.

 

Narrative:

 

- Story line usually consists of revenge/crime/justice.

 

- The time sequence is often changed. Dual narrative. Sometimes things don't follow in a logical sequence.

 

Sub-genres:

 

- Techno

- Sipernatural

- Reigious

- Crime

- Action

- Psychological

- Film noir

- Sci-fi

- Conspiracy

- Disaster

- Eco

- Medical

- Political

- Romance

- Spy