Task 4 - Location Shots - Main Task

This is a shot of the driveway in which the victim will exit his car and walk up to the house. I am using this shot to establish a setting and environment for the opening to the thriller.

This is a shot of the main hallway where the victim will enter his house and seem as though everything is normal. This environment is used to establish a relationship between the victim and the audience so they gain an understanding as to the victim's lifestyle.









This is the door through which the victim enters the house to give the audience a sense of reality about the environment.












This is the staircase that the victim anxiously creeps up when he hears an unexpected noise coming from upstairs. This environment is used to build tension as the victim edges closer to his awful fate.











This is the kitchen the setting for the opening sequence. In this location the victim enters and notices that there is something very strange about the house.

This is the landing that we see the victim walk across when he is following the noise he heard from upstairs. This was used due to its size so that I could elongate the shot in order to build tension with the viewer.











This is the master bedroom where we see the murder take place and is a very scary scene in the opening to the thriller. This location was used to create a fear factor as I wanted to create the murder in a place which generally people find the safest in their house (the bedroom).

This is the bathroom where the victim hears the noise coming from. It was used as a distraction to reveal the murderer to the viewer in order to create a fear factor and create suspense and tension with the audience.

Task 3 - Props - Main Task

Props include:

• Car - This is used to create a greater sense of naturalism and also give the audience information about the character. The fact he can drive shows that he is over 17 years old.
• Phone - This is another naturalistic detail as well as allowing the character to have a conversation with a character who is not seen on screen.
• Kitchen utensils, home ornaments and food cans - These were very important props as they were used to show the audience the strangeness/OCD of the killer and therefore to put the audience into a state of uncertainty and suspense as to what will happen next.
• Wooden chair - During the research phase I noticed that there were multiple examples of thrillers including this type of prop. Its main use was to let the audience use their imagination as to what they believed happened in this scene. The fact we see tape wrapped around the legs of the chair indicates maybe some form of torture.
• Knife - The knife was used to implement fear into the audience as a knife is seen as a dangerous weapon. Therefore when the audience see it they know something catastrophic could happen in the near future.

Task 2 - The narrative

The idea for my thriller's narrative is that the opening sequence will introduce the audience to the killer, who would be one of the main protagonists in the film. We witness his first murder scene in the opening few minutes as we follow his journey as the antagonist. We watch on as we see his reasoning, decisions and how his OCD problem allows him to execute the trade mark murders he commits throughout the film. We slowly understand as the film unfolds why he commits the crimes he does. The narrative will also follow the role of the detectives who are hunting the killer and how they track his movements, gather evidence and profile his behaviour in order to bring him to justice. As a viewer, you witness both sides of the battle, feeling the tension of the detectives and the fear factor of the killer as he tries to come to grips with himself, as he acts as a vicious psychopath with his main aim being to commit the perfect murder. This can be seen through his OCD nature and how in the end it comes to be his biggest downfall. We also learn about the personal relationships of one of the detectives and how he is caught between his family and his job. This allows the audience to empathise with the character in a more 'human' way. We also look at the past experiences the killer went through as a child and the suffering he went through, growing up as part of a broken family. This part explains but does not excuse his behaviour. Overall the narrative aims to engage and grip the audience with extremely tense scenes as well as very emotional scenes. Overall, however, the key objective is to scare the audience.

Task 1 - Main Task - Ideas Into Plot

Today we started planning ideas for our main task. We came up with ideas about a storyline/narrative and what kind of dialogue will be developed in the scene. We then went into further detail as to how credits could be added to the scene, how different types of editing effects could be applied to improve the quality of the clip and what different camera angles could be used for the purpose of effect. Finally we discussed the roles of different people within my group and the production and whether we needed to get additional students from outside the Media Studies group to help fill the roles of actors.

Task E - Questionaire - Main Task

I completed this survey on a variety of differently aged people from around my local area. These people ranged from under 16 to 55 years of age. The age range allowed me to understand the general views towards different kinds of Thriller from a wide range of different people. I used this questionnaire to develop my own ideas about what people enjoy and want to watch. I also used this questionnaire to help make decisions on the aspect and ingredients my opening sequence should include. Additionally, I gained ideas of the kind of thriller title which grabs the attention of potential viewers. From the questionnaire I found out what type of thriller each particular age group is interested in. Also, which aspect of a thriller each viewer is interested in. This helped me decide which type of thriller I should show in the opening sequence. I have come to the conclusion that the key is to create suspense and develop a terrifying opening in my opening scene.

Task E - Audience Research - Main Task

The genre I have chosen for my film is a crime thriller. This genre of film often contains frequent action and mild, scary, action scenes, as well as violence. As a result and from carrying out research, I believe the main target audience for crime thriller films is fifteen, including  the horror genre. A large majority of horror films include a group of teenagers who have got themselves into trouble, hence the target audience being teenagers’ e.g. ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ ‘Jeepers Creepers’ and ‘Halloween’. Due to the central topics of a crime thriller, such as murders and robberies, I think the target audience is more an adults audience as the scenes featured in most crime thrillers are unsuitable for any person below the age of 18. Across time, the most commonly known crime thrillers include: The Departed, L.A Confidential, Seven, Reservoir Dogs and The Silence of the Lambs, all of which are classified as 18s. I do not think that crime thrillers are necessarily aimed at a particular gender, although I think males enjoy the more 'gory' parts of a film along with the violent action scenes more so than females.

Sources:

http://www.slideshare.net/CharlotteEmmaVicki/target-audience-of-thrillers

http://www.slideshare.net/DanaSummerfield/target-audience-for-a-crime-thriller?next_slideshow=1

http://www.killadj.com/blog/2013/06/26/genre-thriller/

Preliminary Task - Editing

This week we began editing our scene and it was great to see how the whole film came together in the way we had intended. Through the use of editing software we added lots of effects, including templates on top of the image and altering one of the images to black and white to give it as a professional look. We also used different editing techniques to represent different characters within my production. For example, the wide variety of camera shots gives the viewer an indication of the home of the character and the area in which they live. In my production, these camera shots give the character the representation of an average person going among their 'normal' daily life, which is what I (as a producer) want the viewer feel. Overall I feel that the editing went very well and we will see the effects when viewing the final result.

The Package - Media Preliminary Task

The link above takes you to the completed version of our preliminary task. On viewing it, I am pleased with the content and how effectively we worked together as a team to achieve the final outcome.

I feel that many aspects of the production went well. For example I felt that time management was very efficient within my team and we stuck to the schedule we had previously decided on. This was important as it allowed me and my team the opportunity to put more detail in when editing. We could use the extra time to think how effective each individual shot would be when the viewer saw it. Another aspect I felt was very effective was the level of acting and the impact that this had on the final picture. This gave the film a more professional look and made my audience focus on the narrative rather than the acting.

However, on the other hand some areas could be even better if they were done. For example, the 'boss' shoots his worker with an unrealistic toy gun. This prop seems unprofessional and would be hard for the audience to believe the reality of the situation. When i move onto the main task, i will be sure to take added care with what props I will be using and how effective they will be in the final picture. Another factor was the setting and location of my film. As this was my first attempt the location was in my colladge. This however was unrealistic to the storyline of my picture and reduced its proffesional feel. When i produce the main task, I will be sure to make the location as close to what we are trying to achieve as possible.

Preliminary Task - Filming

Last week we filmed our scenes for our preliminary task. Overall, the filming went well and we managed to record all the scenes the way we wanted to from our original ideas. When we come to start editing in the near future we believe we can really put together a quality opening to our film. 

Some of the positives of the process were that we worked efficiently as a team, allocating roles quickly and appropriately, and we were able to manage our time well. We also managed to achieve a wide range of camera angles and movements with our filming. After editing this will make the final film look both professional and realistic. As a group we also believed that the location worked well in terms of the office environment we were trying to achieve and although in some respects the room may have originally been too big to film in, through some clever use of camera angles we have managed to make the room appear an appropriate size and location.

There were some things, however, that we found more challenging. For example when we filmed a corridor scene there were people in the room next to it and you could hear some of them talking in the background, which was not part of the effect we wanted to achieve. However having said that, we managed to find a solution by turning off the audio in the clip (there is no dialogue) and adding dramatic music to build tension and uncertainty.

Brain-Storming ideas for the Preliminary task

My group was asked to brainstorm ideas on what we could do for our preliminary task. We came up with ideas about a storyline/narrative and what kind of dialogue would be developed in the scene. We then went into further detail as to how credits could be added to the scene, how different types of editing effects could be applied to improve the quality of the clip and what different camera angles could be used for the purpose of effect. Finally we discussed the roles of different people within my group and the production. I have been allocated multiple roles within the film's production; I will also be one of the characters in the film as well as camera-man for any parts in which I do not feature.

Preliminary Task - My Costume Idea

With filming tomorrow, I looked tonight at what I would be wearing as my costume. I wanted to make it as naturalistic as possible and as close to that of the character we had created. As I will be playing the role of a body guard, working as security for my boss (who is a wealthy man), I thought that such a person would be expected to look very professional and formal as they would be representing their employer, who would want to be seen to have a good image, especially in his work-place. As a result, I selected a suit jacket, plain black shirt and formal trousers. I believe thisachieves the desired effect.

Task D - Research into other students' work

I analysed a previous students work in order to see how effective certain techniques can be. This thriller was called "Torn", and received an A grade from the examination board. The clip begins with the camera panning from right to left outside a house in the morning, and immediately the credits begin to appear on the screen in a white, bold font. This is a common theme with films and allow the audience to gain an understanding as to the surroundings of where the film is being set. The credits last for an appropriate length of time, and are written in a bold font that looks realistic for film credits and is clear to understand by the viewer. The main character appears from the front door, and then picks up the newspaper and heads toward the back garden shown from a variety of well-filmed shots. I feel this is another effective method of establishing a relationship with the character and the audience. The footage is well edited and flows smoothly from shot to shot throughout the narrative, and between some of the shots black and white images of dolls occassionally are super-imposed over the top to create a tense effect. This could be a method of teasing the audience by foreshadowing what might happen next. Non-diegetic music is present throughout the whole clip to add to the creepy, tense mood of the narrative, and as the character enters, the music intensifies and adds more beats and pitches to heighten the suspense. All the elements featured throughout the clip are well shot, of a high quality and work well with each other to complete an overall professional  standard. The constructive feedback I would give would only be that the character's dialogue could have been made clearer as the male character's voice is not always clear and does not match the overall mood of the scene.

Task C - Detailed Textual Analysis Of Titling Techniques

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/the-duke-of-burgundy/

To be able to match the conventions of a thriller movie, I need to include titles of the name of the film, the main actors, the directors, the editors etc. The video in the link above I feel is an effective way of presenting the key details that need to be shown as titles during the opening to my thriller. Therefore when it comes to the editing stage during the opening 2 minutes of my thriller, I will aim to match this style.

Task B & C - Thriller Research - "se7en"

Se7en Summary

‘Se7en’ is an intense, scary and dramatic thriller in which an old school detective, Detective Somerset (Morgan Freeman) cannot rest and move on into retirement until he has finished his work and solved the dreadful crimes of a serial killer, John Doe (Kevin Spacey). His partner, David Mills (Brad Pitt), who was in line to replace Somerset could be described as his exact opposite. Young and enthusiastic, he is best described as a more ‘hands on’ officer. He has recently moved to the area with his wife and is still coming to terms with his environment and his role as a detective. The serial killer they pursue is in the process of recreating the acts of the 7 deadly sins, namely greed, gluttony, lust, envy, sloth, wrath and pride. With a series of dramatic twists and turns and with lives at risk it puts any viewer on the edge of their seat.

David Mills(left) and Detective Somerset (right)

Why is 'se7en' classed as a Thriller?

'Se7en' would be classed as a thriller as the plot follows all the rules of a classic thriller. Often thrillers can be categorised into one specific sub-genre. se7en, however, does not fit neatly into one sub-genre and this may be one of the reasons the film has been such a success and why it is so popular. It contains elements of crime thriller, action thriller, psychological thriller, religious thriller and film noir. It is crime because it explores the actions of a serial killer; action because there are shoot outs and chase scenes; psychological because the serial killer plays ‘mind games’ with the detectives; and film noir due to the low key black and white visual style of the film.

Websites used for my research:

• http://www.thrillerpress.com/whatmakesathriller.html
• http://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/thriller#

Task B & C - Thriller Research - James Bond 'Quantum Of Solace'

James Bond (Daniel Craig) descends into mystery in 'Quantum of Solace' as he tries to stop a mysterious organisation from eliminating a country's most valuable resource. All the while, he still tries to seek revenge over the death of his lover.


Analysis Of Opening Scene

The scene opens with tense dramatic music being played whilst the audience can see an establishing shot of where the scene opens. This creates tension as the establishing shot shows calm waves crashing into what appears to be a peaceful island. However the tense and quick paced music makes the audience feel like something unexpected is going to happen as the sound and picture seem to show very different stories. Next we see the screen alternate between a dark screen and that of a car. We only see specific close up shots of part of the car. The audience can hear the sound of the wind pushing against the car which makes it seem like the car is travelling at high speeds. This again creates tension as there is always a greater risk of a crash when travelling at a faster speed. We then go back to the original establishing shot, however this time the camera seems to be moving across the water towards the land. This could be a way of showing to the audience that the closer they get to land the closer they will get to the truth of the scene and what is happening. Next, the audience sees that what may be the car seen at the start has ammunition on board. This shows that violence will be a key part of the film; however it may also make the audience feel scared as they are unaware of what or who the target is.

We then get the first image of a person, who looks to be the driver. He seems to be anxious with sweat round his eyes and we then hear the noise of a gun being loaded to create tension. The audience can tell that the scene is at a climax and then the music stops to show this. Suddenly we hear the sound of the car’s engine and the noise of the car going up a gear. The noise continues to get louder, showing that the car is going faster and faster. This creates tension as there is a greater risk of a crash. We then finally get a clear idea of what is happening in the scene and we find out that there are two cars involved in a chase with one shooting at the other. This gains the whole of the audience's focus and puts them in an exhilarating position as they feel they are sitting in the back of one of the cars.

Next shown on screen is a mid-shot of James Bond who is easily recognised from previous films. We then see a truck lose control and bump into Bond's car.  This creates a sense of shock as the audience feel a crash could be about to happen. As his car starts to spin the picture goes into slow motion however the sound effects get quicker. Still in slow motion we see Bond regain control back over the car and there is a sense of relief with the audience. This also shows that Bond has got respect from the audience as they are impressed with the level of skill he possesses.

As they appear out of a tunnel the tense music begins again to show that the chase is still at a dramatic stage and maintains the audience's focus. Next we hear the first piece of dialogue in the film, the foreign police calling for back up. Some viewers who can guess the accent or language gain an insight into where the film is meant to be set before they announce is to the rest of the audience. Through the use of multiple still shots of the cars travelling past the camera it gives a sense that the cars are travelling at a fast pace. Then there is another point of view shot, this is the police's angle - they have also joined the chase. We see the back window of the car in front smash and a gun appears which seems to be aimed at the audience. This puts the audience in a frightening position as they feel they cannot control the situation. The music then reaches another climax culminating with Bond shooting the driver of the other car and it plummeting to the bottom of a cliff. This finally gives the audience time to relax and feel relieved. As Bond slowly enters a town the camera rises and we see an establishing shot of the town. The caption 'Siena Italy' is also displayed. This gives the audience additional information as to the setting of the scene. The scene ends with the traditional Bond music and the screen cuts to the tiles and some cast members.

Ideas To Use In My Thriller

• I like that there is a contrast in beliefs at the start of the scene so that the picture being shown does not match the sound played. I believe that this is unique and gains the focus of the viewer.
• I also agree that the opening should contain action so that the viewer is 'hooked' and wants to carry on watching.
• I also like the way music was used in the scene to create tension. The fact it reached a climax and then suddenly stopped worked really well and I will definitely include this in my main task.

Task B & C - Thriller Research - 'Psycho'

Summary

'Psycho' is a physiological thriller directed by the world famous director Albert Hitchcock. It is about a young woman working at a restaurant who is tired of a life of secrets such as spending her lunch break with her new lover at hotels. She is given the chance to deposit $40,000 at the bank for her employer but instead decides instead to start a new life with her sudden gain in wealth. After a long day of travelling she spends the night at a hotel

Effects Used In The Opening Scene

Instantly we hear fast dramatic music being played whilst the titles of the production team are being presented. This creates tension and suspense with the audience and gains their focus. We then see Alfred Hitchcock's name displayed in the centre of the picture written in white in a big font. For some viewers this gets them engaged as he is one of the most famous directors of his time in the world. Next the title of the film is shown written in a 'slanted' italic font that is unique to the viewers. This is included to make the audience feel scared and the film seems strange to them. The theme in the title sequence is grey bars shooting across the screen. This gives the viewer the feeling that they are locked up. This is the technique of foreshadowing that violence may be a main part of the film. Also used in the title sequence is a black background with a thick white font. This makes the viewer focus solely on the key information displayed on the screen.

The scene opens with a high angle slow pan establishing shot of the environment where the scene is set, high rise buildings in Phoenix, Arizona. This gives the audience an understanding of location. The location, time and date are displayed. This makes the viewer focus on this and creates curiosity as to whether this information is important. Next the camera uses its zoom effect and slowly narrows in on one building. This shot then fades onto a closer shot of the building, where we can see the window open in one of the rooms. Through camera movement it feels like the viewer is actually there, journeying through the window, and is spying on the characters inside. As the camera enters the building the main focus is on the woman lying on the bed. However, we then find that the man shown has a higher status than the woman as he is standing over and as we cannot see his face it creates curiosity as to his identity. The camera then pans around the couple who are now lying on the bed and the dialogue confirms that they are not married and are currently keeping their relationship a secret. This creates an awkward feeling for the audience as having a sexual relationship before marriage was seen as wrong in the 1960's. Adding to this feeling we see a 'two shot' of the woman getting dressed and the man lying on the bed behind her. This again makes the audience feel they are spying on the characters and they have no privacy. However the mood changes as the dialogue changes from sexual to a more romantic feel. This is symbolised by the fact that they are now both wearing clothes and there is calmer and peaceful music being played in the background. However this does not last very long and the man's growing frustration means the music stops and his voice is raised...

Ideas To Take From The Opening

• I really liked the idea of using black and white for the background and titles as it draws the viewer's attention to the key important information.
• I also liked the transitions used in the title sequence and I would like to use this in my thriller as a way of foreshadowing what is to come later in the film.
• I also like the idea of opening the scene with an establishing shot as it is a great way to show the viewers the setting.
• I would also like to take the idea of displaying the date and time to create curiosity and tension with the audience. Is this information significant the viewer wonders? It also grabs their attention.