Production roles - Miss Miller

Within my opening scene there are several production roles. These are important in the film making, as it makes sure people are focused on their task. It helps allocate people individual parts which helps make the task in hand much swifter and less time consuming. Therefore we have included a production role to insure that we are organised.

The main roles in a production are:

• Producer - Film producers prepare and then supervise the making of a film before presenting the product to a financing entity or a film distributor.

• Directors - a person who is in charge of an activity, department, or organisation.

• Actors - a person whose profession is acting on the stage, in films, or on television.

• Director of photography - A cinematographer is the chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, and responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image. The study and practice of this field is referred to as cinematography.

• Sound technician - They prepare, operate and maintain technical equipment to amplify, enhance, mix or reproduce sound. They work on audio recordings, films, radio and television programmes and live performances.

• Screen play writers - A screenwriter or scriptwriter or scenarist is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media such as films, television programs, comics or video games are based.

• MES co-ordinators - Someone who is in control of all props, costumes and make up. They can work on films, tv and stage.

• Editors -Film editors work in the post-production process of filmmaking. They take all the shots from filming, and edit them until the finished product matches the director's vision of the film.

When discussing about the roles of production within my group, we made sure that Jodie and Noah were originally written down as the main two actors. Therefore on our opening scene after the productions name, they will be the first two names that the audience see. This is as we believe that they are supposed to be our main characters and therefore the most important.  However there is still one more character who will be added in towards the end as it is a role is not as important as the other two actors.
Next we discussed who would be the producer, this would have to be someone who could be at every step of the film to over see the making of the film and also make sure that everyone keeps on schedule. Therefore, we chose Noah to be the producer, as he is sensible and can take control of a situation. 
We then chose who would be the director, we thought that whoever took control of this part should also be in control of the camera, therefore we chose Alex, as he wanted to be the director of photography as well. With Alex being the director of photography, he has to make sure he understands the different types of camera angles, that is why we have chosen him, as he seems the most confident out of everyone in the group. 
When choosing who should be the sound technician, we decided to include Heather Everingham as she has experience in music and making sound tracks. She takes advise well, therefore we thought that she would be a great contribution to the group.
Next, we had to decide who would be the screen play writer, as I had already written over half of the script, we thought it would be a sensible to put me down as the screen writer. 
Finally we had a long discussion who would be the editor or editors,  we chose that we would all play a part in editing our opening scene. This way we could all put our contribution into the scene. It will also hopefully stop any arguments, as we can all decide what should be inputted into our film. 

Narrative theory - Miss Georgiou

To find out what the difference between a narrative and a story is I decided to look at several different theories, these included the thoughts of Aristotle. However to determine what a narrative and a story are, I found definitions.

A narrative is some kind of retelling, often in words (though it is possible to mime a story), of something that happened (a story). The narrative is not the story itself but rather the telling of the story -- which is why it is so often used in phrases such as "written narrative," "oral narrative," etc. While a story just is a sequence of events, a narrative recounts those events, perhaps leaving some occurrences out because they are from some perspective insignificant, and perhaps emphasising others. In a series of events, a car crash takes a split second. A narrative account, however, might be almost entirely about the crash itself and the few seconds leading up to it. Narratives thus shape history (the series of events, the story of what happened).

 While a story is defined as normal a tale that is made up and is not real. These come in many different forms such as folk tales, child books and adult books.

Theory 1

Vladimir Propp

The ideas from Propp is that he believed that a good story has to have these characters to be successful.
The hero, this is someone that has been sent on a mission and has something to gain.
The villain, this is doing something against the hero or has taken something from the hero, this person is normally disliked by the audience.
The donor this is someone that has given the hero something that makes them special or extra.
The dispatcher,
The False hero, this is someone who pretends that they are good and helping others but they are just taking the credit of the hero.
The Helper, this is someone who help the hero though out the mission
The Princesses this is someone that the hero is fighting for because they cant defend them self
Her father this is someone who has send the hero on the mission and gives them a reward



Theory 2

Tzveten Todorov's

The ideas from Todorov's is that he thinking that characters are to complicated so a clear story with structure is the best way for a story to be interesting and successful. He narrative is seen as a circular one. The narrative is driven by attempts to restore the equilibrium but it is shown at the start and is not the same as the one at the end.

Theory 3

Aristotle

Aristotle believed the characters and it's narrative were not important but it's themes which were successful.
Headings that are used by some producers and screenwriters include:
Inciting Incident
Dramatic Question
Character Goal
Antagonist/Protagonist
Stakes
Resolution
Sympathy/Empathy

Filming schedule - Miss Georgiou

 

The main reason for a filming schedule is for keeping the whole group in time. It keeps everyone on time, also it helps the directors plan out where and what should be happening. There is also another plus to having a filming schedule, as if you are ahead on filming, you'll be able to shorten your schedule — thus, saving time and money.

When it came to filming our thriller opening scene, we found it hard to get everyone in the same location at the same time. Therefore we had to change some of the dates on the schedule. Although, it did help the group, when we had to film the next part. Instead of wasting time planning what we were filming next, we can look at the schedule.

Planning Editing - Miss Georgiou

In this post I will be looking the different editing styles my group has used to create our thriller film.

Editing styles are important as they allow you to create how take control of the audience's feelings. To create a sense of panic within the audience then the editing should be fast and jumpy. However if you wanted to show a scene which was calm you would possibly use continuity editing.

The first editing style, which is used in our group opening scene is the fast fade which leads into a blackout which we use at the end of the scene. We decided to use this technique as it creates a cliff hanger which keeps the audience guessing. This also adds to the overall suspense that the audience are feeling. If your thriller gets people talking after it has ended, its means people are thinking about it and you want that long lasting effect that a cliff hanger created by fade gives you. Films like saw tend to do this often.

The next technique that is used is a shallow focus, this is when the camera focuses from one single point in a frame to another.  For the audience, this allows them to only focus on one object or character without actually being able to see what is going on in the background. This can provoke fear within the audience as they could anticipate something is going to happen. This is used in many thriller films.

Another technique is shot reverse shot. This is when the camera switches from one person to another. This shows the audience that people could be talking to each other but are in different places. In our film, this will be the switching back and forth between me and Lucy. This technique is used to somewhat immerse the audience with the characters. Making them have feelings for the characters leading to a greater shock when something bad happens. A good film this was used in was house on haunted hill. All the characters were in different places however you became to be aware of where each one is thanks to shot reverse shot.

The final technique i would like to talk about is a jump cut. This is where the camera immediately cuts to another frame. This could be used to show panic or importance of the situation that is occurring. This can add a lot of suspense to the audience as constant jump cuts can create panic and tension.  This type of editing can leave people on the edge of their seats. A film this is used a lot in is insidious.
These four editing techniques and more have been incorporated together to make our thriller film. I feel with these now in places we can really lead the audience into thinking they are somewhat part of the whole scene to really give them a fright.

Risk assessments - Miss Georgiou

Considering risks before filming is important as anything can happen from many things can go wrong throughout for example fire alarms will have to be renewed as they could be faulty and could go of randomly. Another example will be props/iconography make sure that the props are suitable to our thriller that they are not dangerous and will not put the crew in danger. We need to consider what risks will be inside the house we are using to film, even small objects around the house that are not needed can be a risk.

A risk assessment will assist us with our filming as it guides us through what could go wrong what risks we could come across whist filming. Our risk assessment will help us prevent these risks and will allow us as a group to work around similar risks. As a group the risk assessment will put our thriller opening in a safer environment.

The risk assessment will also help the film become more of a success as the filming wont be affected by any hazards and we know how to work around those hazards.

Risks	How to avoid
Wires on the ground could be tripped over.	Be aware of wires on the ground make sure you move them away from working area, put a mat down over the wires which will prevent people working from tripping over.
Slippery surfaces again you can trip over and hurt yourself.	To avoid this we will first of all make sure there is nothing on the surfaces that can make it slippery and wearing the appropriate foot wear.
Items that are not needed whilst filming in the house could get damaged or put the filming task at risk.	Remove all unneeded items away from the filming set before we start filming.
Camera falling over when on top of the tripod could damage the camera.	Make sure we are handling the camera at all times so that it will not type and when we are not controlling the camera take it of the tripod and put it somewhere safe.

Planning opening credits - Miss Georgiou

The main-title sequence or the opening credits of a movie can be considered the most important piece in a film. Other than trailers and marketing elements, they are the first images the audience sees when the lights go down in a cinema. These quick clips, which in total last about two minutes, outline the filmmaker's intentions and set up the expectations of those watching. 

 All of the actions within the sequence (book pages turning, making tea, drawings), are in a dull colour tonality. This is a plot giveaway to the audience; that the film is dark, and makes it seem more chilling, as the images used are quite provoking. Especially as he crosses out the eyes on the photograph of a little boy. The actions within the sequence become increasingly sinister looking, as only a pair of dirty hands are shown performing them. These hands imply to the audience that they belong to an odd, and most likely central character to the film; so the audience already feels like they understand this character, without being shown his face, or knowing his name. The actions are not shown in chronological order, and often 'double vision', and flicker across each other; however, the actions seem to focus around making something.

As well as having a dull tonality, there are flashing lights at odd, erratic moments, often coinciding with the screen titles changing. This is an indication that the film is jumpy, and is likely to spook them. The screen titles are also written in the style of a young child's handwriting, which from our other research, we have found that many ghost films include a young child, as they seem to make films seem much creepier. This is probably because most people associate children with innocence and naivety, and reversing that stereotype can evoke some powerful emotions. 

The music follows the action on screen, as it starts off quite slow, then when the hands seem to be creating a plan or an interest in pain, the music picks up pace. It uses slow held on notes, and an uncommon drumbeat, to produce a catchy and listenable, but mismatched soundtrack. 

When analysing a film I decided to look at Insidious, as its opening scene is conventional to a thriller, being dark and mysterious. The Bright red blood like title appears first with a screeching sound over the top. The first scene that the audience see is a house, however the whole scene is dull and colourless, which allows the names in blood red underneath to stand out. This effect carries on into the next frame. This could make the audience think that it is set in a different time, such as the 1920's. The words also split into two, half of it staying red but also the other half fading out like smoke. Also in one of the scenes, there is a dark figure, we cannot work out if it is a ghost or a person as the whole scene is in black and white. 

Another thing that stands out in the opening scene is the editing used, it fades in and out creating suspense and tension.  In the opening scene, they also use high angles and low angles, it reveals the setting to the audience, almost giving away part of the story, but in turn pulling them into the story more.

After looking at several different thriller openings, as a group we decided what to include in our own one. For example we liked the basic colours which we found in Se7en and insidious, 
In our thriller, the order of the title sequence will be:

Production company: LAN production
Actors: Noah Lown and Lucy Mumford
Camera: Alex Flanagan
Music: Heather Everingham
Editor: Noah Lown, Lucy Mumford and Alex Flanagan
Producer: Noah Lown
Writer: Lucy Mumford
Director: Alex Flanagan
The film title: The woods

The style of the writing will be a dull font which looks rushed. The colours will be dark and red. The colour red can connote blood and will entice the audience. The whole credit sequence will be dark slow and obscure.

Inspirations - Miss Miller

To make a convincing thriller, which pulls in the audience with its suspense and tension, its a good idea to look at the films which do this, our inspirations. Looking at other thriller films, it allows us to look at what sounds and camera angles work and make that scene stand out. Over the years, thriller films have created several conventions, which the audience want to see but also helps to create tension. These could be anything from, female victims to the screams and blood. 

My personal inspiration for a thriller was the devil inside, as I was part it the audience it kept me guessing and made me physically sit on the edge of my seat. I think this is key to a thriller as it is what makes a good film, and is also what I wish for my thriller to do to the audience. They used lots of screams and blood which make the film gruesome and makes the hair on your arms stand up.

The devil inside had many conventions of a thriller including blood, victim and a murder. However the writers of the film chose to use exorcism. I found this interesting especially as they filmed the narrative in a different country and that they actually filmed parts of the film inside the Vatican.  

Overall I think the best inspirations are the films that capture the audience and grab them in with tons of suspense, shock and surprise. With out these key elements it wouldn't be a inspiring thriller. After talking to my group I decided to pick out the very conventional parts of a thriller to include into our own. 

Planning sound - Miss Miller

Within many films, whether its rom - coms or horrors, they all include sound which helps set the scene. Such as in thrillers, the main job of sound is to create suspense, shock and surprise. However in all films there are many different types of sound, these ranges from:

• diegetic sound
• non-diegetic sound
• off screen sound
• on screen sound
• parallell sound
• contraversal sound

In our group narrative, we have tried our best to include as many of the above as possible. We have mainly focused on using off screen sound and non - diegetic, as we hope that these will be more effective if the sound will be more noticeable. We are also including a lot of on screen sound as well as we believe it will make everything alot more realistic. For example we are using diegetic sound when the young girl is listening to music in the kitchen, this will show the audience where the sound is coming from making it seem more realistic giving them something to relate too. Non-digetic sound will be used when you can hear deep breathing from the killer at this point a camera angle called point of view will be used to you can only see the feet of the killer. This makes the non-diegetic sound a lot more tension building as you cant see where the sound is coming from, making the suspense rise and the hidden identity of the killer remain a secret.

We will be using sound techniques such as parallel when Lucy is left in the cabin on her own, we wanted to portray her as vulnerable and innocent, that she is is actually oblivious to the consequences and the situations that are about to happen. They will be able to build a relationship with the characters as they will feel many emotions towards them.

They are conventional to thriller film as they will create suspense tension and shock for the audience and make them feel that they are in the movie themselves, hopefully that is what i achieve in my opening scene.

When searching for sound these are the ones that I felt suited my narrative the most.

http://www.freesound.org/people/samule44/sounds/96023/  (Heavy Breathing)

http://www.freesound.org/people/Ephemeral_Rift/sounds/156114/ 

I felt that the second link, which is nearly 20 minutes long, suited our narrative the most. I had an eerie feel which helped set the mood.

Planning cinematography - Miss Miller

Cinematography is important within thriller films as it creates an atmosphere for the audience. The many different camera angles can show different scenes within the film, which then help build a relationship between the audience and the film. Camera angles also help build tension and suspense through out the film which is key for a thriller. As well as helping pace and change the atmosphere of several scenes. It is key to plan what different camera angles will be used within our opening scene, so it reduces any chance of arguments and chances of the camera getting broken. Planning will also keep us on time of our schedule.

As a group we decided to look at many different camera angles and chose the ones that would create shock, suspense and surprise. As well as this we wanted camera angles that would pace the scene well as pull in the audience. The main ones that stood out were, close up's, High angle, low angle, handheld and long shot. 

Planning Characters - Miss Georgiou

Representation is how someone is presented to an audience judging someone by looking at their ound, ude and much more. Within our opening sequence the audience are introduced to two characters, Noah and Lucy, with one mystery killer...

Lucy, who is 17 is on a school geography trip to Scotland. She is Female and is white British. She lives at home with her mother, Carol and her father, Glen. Their marriage is unhealthy and they are talking about getting a divorce. Lucy is concerned that everything in her life is going wrong, therefore on the school trip, she goes off for a walk into the woods with her best friend Noah. Due to the family issues at home she felt like she couldn't talk to anyone apart from Noah. As Lucy is an only child at home, Noah is like her elder brother.

Noah who is 17 as well and who is on the school geograpgy trip with Lucy, has always felt like he has to be the brave one who looks after everyone. After his father left him and his two brothers with their mother, Noah has felt like he has to be the man of the house, that he had to look after is mother and brothers. Since Lucy is having problems at home Noah also feels like he have to take her under his wing and care for her.

Planning Mise - En - scene - Miss Georgiou

Mise-en-scene is a French term meaning 'what is put into a scene or frame' and can also be defined as the arrangement of the scenery and properties to represent the setting. Mise-en-scene can be broken into several different categories, these are: setting and iconography, costume, hair and make-up  facial expressions and body language, lighting and colour as well as the positioning of characters. These aspects work together to create the right atmosphere for the scene and create suspense and tension in the context of a thriller film. The elements of Mise-en-scene are pointers of what the genre would be and what the audience would expect to see in the film.

First of all, we are setting our opening scene in an forest and an old abandoned building. We are using these as out main two as this kind of setting is conventional to the thriller genre as its an unknown place, which can make the setting an easy target.

Next we focused on the characters, we knew it would be hard to get a big group of actors together and we also researched and found that within an opening scene usually there is only two or three characters. We decided to have the main two characters as a girl and one a boy. A female victim is conventional to a thriller as they come across weak and feeble. However we didn't want to make it out that just woman can be vulnerable, therefore, Noah is first to be killed off. As well as the two main characters,  there is a mystery unknown character, we do not see their face or any colour on them.  

As we are filming our opening scene in a forest we felt that there was not a lot that we could do with our lighting. However if we were to go to the forest as it is about to get dark hopefully we will be able to have a dull dark low light. I think this is key to our thriller as it creates suspense and a sense of the unknown towards the audience.  

Individual Storyboard - Miss Miller

A story board is a graphic organiser, which consists of two parts, images and descriptions. The purpose of a story board is to organise, time, camera angles and much more. Is also allows people within the group to see how the final product will turn out to look like. A story board can include, graphic revealing of the main action within the scene, Camera techniques and audio ( narration, dialogue, voice over, sound effects and music) Below is a version of my story board.

(STORY BOARD)

By including our own individual story boards before we make a group one will allow us to see, if the scene would turn out better, or how different angles could work. As a group we can look at each others and take the best parts of peoples story board and adapt it into one whole group one. I am hoping that, I have included quite a few conventions which are needed in a narrative and that my group will like my idea's. I am also hoping that Alex's and Noah's story boards will include as many conventions and camera angles that they can.

Within my story board the first scene is focusing on Noah and Lucy walking into the wood's, they are silent and are both looking down. The camera angle is a pan from in front of them to behind. Then with slight dialogue, they walk slightly further on into the woods and come across a building. Next they are inside investigating when they hear strange sounds from outside. Noah goes out to see what it is leaving a scared Lucy left alone inside. After a while of Lucy being left alone, she seeks out Noah. With no luck of finding him she walks around, then feels something dropping on her head. Its Noah's blood. She tries to call for help but then from behind she heard a terrifying sound, and a stranger is behind her.

I used dark and dull lighting through out the whole storyboard to create suspense. As the openning sequence was set in the woods, I thought although the lighting would be quite dull, you do get glimmers of light shine through the branches and leaves of the tree. I thought this could be a good use of light for the killler to stand into build an effect at the end. I have also used a reaction shot for when Lucy does not hear a reply from Noah. I wanted to build to tension and show the shock and fear of the characters face. It will also grab the audience as they want to know what is going to happen next and know why Noah hasn't replied. As well as these, i have used a Low camera angle to show how big and realistic the building is. I wanted to make that moment when both the characters and audience see the building for the first time a dramatic moment.

Target Audience Results - Miss Miller

Within this post I will be talking about the results, me and my group produced from our Target Audience Questionnaire. Our Questionnaire consisted of both open and closed questions, we did this as we felt it give the person answering a chance to give their point of view. 

What's your favourite age certificate? 

This pie chart was very interesting to look at as surprisingly, there isn't a percentage for U age certificates. The majority of the people asked preferred an age certificate of 15, shortly followed by an 18 certificate.  

 What interests you in watching a thriller?

 Even though we left an extra box for people to add in their own idea's, it seems as if the top 3 were already within the questionnaire. Tension which had 37.5% seemed to be the thing which interested the audience the most. I believe this is as people enjoy the feeling they get as tension is building and their adrenaline is rising. 

What do you expect to see in thrillers?

Within thriller films there are several different things that make the film scary and full of suspense. These include, Killers, victims, blood and many more. From the questionnaire we found out that the most popular thriller expectation was Scary music. This relates to the pie chart above as it links into Tension. Music within a film helps build tension, without the music the audience wouldn't have the same experience. The next thriller expectation behind scary music was other. However this had an enormous gap of 10% between the two. 

Do you like sequels? 

The results were 50/50 for this question, which made it hard to figure out if making a sequel would be successful of not. I think that this question has to be a personal one, as within the questionnaire, 20 people answered yes and the other 20 said no.

What type of sound would you like to hear in a thriller?

The people answering my questionnaire chose screams as their favourite sound to be heard in a thriller, I believe that this as it makes the film more realistic.


 

                                                     What type of setting would you like to see?

The majority of people said they would prefer a different setting to the three typical setting which we chose. I think, this is as these settings have been used so fequently that the eerie feeling has been lost. Therefore I think as a group we need to either combine two or three settings or make an orginal one, to make sure the audience are still interested.

Would you enjoy other sub - genres to be used?

Looking at my results, I have noticed that including open questions has allowed the people answering a chance to include their own thoughts. Also I have noticed that looking at the pie charts, the ones which including options saying other, do not allow us to know what these other opinions were.

However my group are going to take into consideration the answers we have gathered, and hope that these will allow us to make a opening scene which suits the majority of peoples tastes.

Research into Mise - en - scene - Miss Georgiou

Mise-en-scene:

Mise-en-scene is a french word with the meaning of, what is in the scene. 
For example. Setting, Costume, Actors(characters), Lighting and Props.(iconography)

I am analysing mise-en-scene in the film Taken. Taken is a thriller film written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen. Directed by Pierre Morel and staring Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen.

Taken (Kidnapping Scene)

Firstly in the scene the audience are aware that the film is set in an unfamiliar house. This kind of setting is conventional to the thriller genre as its an unknown place, which can make the setting an easy target. Also because it is unknown can mean that anything can happen and whenever. This setting that is unfamiliar to the character is perfect for a thriller as it creates a great tension which will make the audience want to keep on watching and anything that happens in this setting will or could be a surprise, which is a convention in the thriller genre.

Secondly, the costumes of the characters in the scene are very stereotypical of who they are. First of all you see the girl on the phone, she is wearing bright colourful  and fashionable clothing. this is a stereo type of a typical teenager as they are normally; happy, fun people and usually up to date with fashion. Using this type of costume for the teenage girl will show the audience that she is vulnerable and an easy target for the villains. When the kidnappers come into the scene they are wearing dark, black colours, this is a stereotype for a villain as dark and black as a colour usually indicate danger. These types of clothing are conventional to the thriller film as it indicates who is who and gives the audience an idea of what is going to happen, this will make the audience want to watch more and also put them on the edge of there seat. (create a high tension).

This can also make the audience aware of the situation.

Actors in the scene are very conventional to the thriller genre. In the scene there were, villains a hero and two victims. At the beginning of the scene the audience get to see the victim and the hero talking over the phone. This is so that the audience get to see/notice the relationship between them. Further on the audience parts of the villain. Only seeing part of the villain is conventional to the thriller genre so it keeps the mystery in the film. Doing this will create a high tension for the audience as they will be wanting to know what is going to happen with them and who they are throughout the film. The victim in this scene look very scared and surprised with what is going on. Kim (Maggie Grace) listens to her dad over the phone which shows when in danger she will do what she is told. When she is told she is going to be taken she will freeze in surprise and cry, this is conventional to thriller because it shows the audience that she is scared and worried and will make the audience feel sorry for her and want her to be safe, which again will create a high tension in the scene. As the victims in the scene are two young female adults will make them most vulnerable to the crime that is in the film. This is conventional to the thriller film because they are shown as easy targets. The victims look like they are wanting to go on this holiday to have a good time together, this is set so that what happens in the scene is a surprise to the audience. The purpose of them in the scene being kidnapped is to set the story of them trying to be saved throughout the film. This may not be a thriller convention but with the mystery of what is happening throughout the film sets the thriller conventions. 

The hero of the scene will be Kim's farther Bryan Mills, who is one of the victims in the film. This is a great thriller convention in the scene because it shows they victim and the hero have a strong bond and will show the audience that he will not give up on his child. This will create a high suspense as the audience will want to see what he can do to save his child.

Low key lighting was mainly used in the kidnapping scene of the film, when she was taken from under the bed and when her farther is on the other side of the phone. This is conventional to a thriller film as it shows a dark area of which makes it easier for more surprising acts to happen.The audience would expect to see this sort of lighting in this thriller film as the dark hides and prevents the mystery from showing, this will create a great tension for the audience as in the dark you are more aware of your surroundings but in this case as it is a small enclosed area it is hard to escape so it is easier for the surprises to happen.

High key lighting in the kidnapping scene was shown at the beginning when the female character was on the phone to her farther in the bathroom. The high key lighting was in this scene as she was by a window in daylight, this can also be a conventional type of key lighting in the thriller genre as it shows a more natural feel. This was also used to show that the female character can see what is going on in the house and can describe clearly what is going on to the audience and her farther on the phone. Using this sort of lighting in a thriller film will give the audience an idea of what is going to happen. For example if the lighting is high key you can see more which opens your mind out to greater possibilities. This will create a high tension in the scene because the audience will be bringing there own ideas into the film, therefore they will be wanting there ideas to happen which will put the audience on the edge of there seat.

Iconography items in the scene was use very effectively. The iconography was mainly use by the hero and the victim. The mobile phones in the scene is the main iconography. The phones are used in the scene to show a relationship between the victim and the hero also to create a start of point to save the victim.

The hero is shown with a briefcase, this represents business, elite and a understanding. This iconography item is a key convention to this type of thriller as it show that the hero knows what he needs to do and that he could of done it before so it shows experience. This also shows he is confident in what he is doing and that he will stand out. The phone in the scene is a key convention to a thriller film because it is normally a start of point to any type of crime. In the scene the phone is used like a pathway for the hero to meet the villain and save the victim. The villain was no using any weapon which is not a thriller convention but in another view it can be for example the villain showed of his strength in the scene by taking not only one woman but another by dragging her out from under the bed. This is conventional because it could give the hero a challenge which will create tension for the audience because they don't want the hero or victim in danger.

Preliminary Task - Miss Georgiou

For my Thriller, I am in a group with Noah Lown and Alexander Flanngan. Together we work well, but there could be room for improvement as sometimes we do not agree, finding ourselves in an argument. Especially, the Preliminary task tested how we work as a group and how our styles of editing are similar or different. 

The main purpose of our task, was to create a short clip, showing how well we can use the camera and its accessories. After we shot various camera angles, we uploaded them and as a group edited them.  Within our short clip, it features both me and  Noah while Alex filmed us. Alex took a leaders role and decided what angles to use, as well as what ones suited the scene being shot. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTOZ9KUbN0g&feature=c4-overview&list=UUCl1ByhPoGfSuUS8iZnBxoA

By doing this task, we learnt how to use the camera to our advantage. We used the tripod to be able to keep the camera steady and at eye level. 

(DISCUSS CLIP)

The Preliminary task has helped me and my group, be aware about the camera angles and our surrounding, when it comes to filming our Thriller. It made us as a group look at our weakness's and our strengths, and hopefully has made us stronger as a group. 

Group Narrative - Miss Georgiou

Group Narrative

The point of a narrative is to know 

In Media Studies, it is important to tell the difference between narrative and story. A story is a sequence of events, known correctly as the plot. While a narrative is the way those events are put together to be presented to an audience.Therefore, when analysing a narrative we analyse the construction of the story eg. the way it has been put together, not the story itself. You also need to consider what the story is about in its most basic terms, eg. the theme, for our group the theme is Thrillers.

Alex's Idea

Their are a group of people who are dared to spend the night in and old abandoned house, however there is actually a maniac who lives in the house who lock the group in and slowly hunts them down one by one. Using all the techniques that I have mentioned, about the group of people who are trapped in an abandoned building in the middle of nowhere at night. This all creates the conventions typical in a thriller genre, in my film I would also like to attempt to break the 180 rule which has been done in "Psycho" which I would like to replicate, this would give a 360 view of the setting which will draw the audience in and help them empathise with the characters.

The advantages are that it is conventional to the thriller genre, as well as being simple but effective. Also He has related his own idea's to other movies which has helped him find a well planned narrative. However there are a few negatives, such as, the abandoned location and how we would find such a location to film on. Plus parts of the plot are repeative and might not leave the audience wanting to see more, as well as needing a big group of people  to play the parts and people filming.

Noah's Idea

I have created a small plot. A couple go to a closed hotel. They didn't know this and they start to argue. The woman leaves the man stranded there over the winter and begins to lose his mind in the cold attic of the hotel. He then murders new guests in the summer with blunt objects while wearing a phantom of the opera mask that he had found. I got the location from the shining, the suspense of him killing from pet semetary, the mysteriousness from v for vendetta, the isolation plot from misery and the iconography from Texas chainsaw. Hopefully these ideas create an element of shock, suspense and surprise amongst the audience.

With Noah's idea, it would be very easy to acquire iconography which are part of the scene. Also, the amount of people needed to be able to make the opening sequence come alive and realistic is minimal. Another positive would be that the story line is long therefore, we wouldn't be showing the whole film in just the opening sequence. However, on the other hand, it will be hard to find a location once again to film such a piece, as well as timing of the weather will be hard, unless we were to create artificial weather, which might become unrealistic.  Also the narrative includes too much to fit into an opening scene and might ruin the rest of the film leaving the film with nowhere to go. 

My Idea

A group of girls go camping on Halloween night. They start to hear strange sounds from outside, coming out of their tent the sounds start getting louder. The girls are scared and have no idea what to do. A group of boys jump out on them. Once the boys go home, the girls plan to go to bed, however the sounds start again, they think its the boys, although this time it isn't...

As a group we decided that, the location I have chosen is easy to located with no permission needed, as well as no specific time zone being needed, so it could be filmed at anytime of day or night. The narrative it very simple but effective. Although to be able to film the properly we would need a big enough group, also it might have too much dialogue which could ruin the eerie feeling. 

Choosing a theory...

As a group we looked at several different theory's. The first being Vladimir Propp, who's theory is mostly seen in children's fairy tales, such as Shrek. Propp believed that above all, characters were the most important when it came to planning out a narrative. His ideal characters consisted of a hero, seeking something he has been sent to find, a villain to get in the way of the hero's task. As well as these two characters, Propp found it important to include a donor, dispatcher, a false hero, a helper, a princess and the princess' father.

When looking at this theory, we decided that it didn't really fit into a thriller narrative, although parts of the theory, such as a villain could be given a different name as a killer. We also said that Propp's theory relates more to children's folk or fairy tale films and not horror or thriller films. 

Final Idea...

It took our group quite a while to choose an idea. We came up with several upon our own induvidual narratives, which either didn't seem possible or were very unrealistic. Finally after several ideas, we thought of one which wasn't only possible but would be effective and simple. 

The scene is set in the woods, late in the day. Two young teenagers sneak into an abandoned building to do ... While the teens are in the building, they start to hear strange sounds from outside. One of the teens acting all 'Big' goes out to see what the sound was, leaving the other in the building. After about 5 minutes of silence, the other teen goes out to see where their friend has been. As they open the door to walk into the woods, they see their friend hanging from a tree dead. The camera swings round, to show the teen screaming and also showing a tall figure behind the character, could it be the killer?

Opening scene analysis - Miss Georgiou

The purpose of an opening sequence is for it to establish the mood and visual character of a film so it engages the audience. It is also used to introduce the audience to all or some of the following elements, which are; Characters, locations, Narrative, Plot, Themes and Visual style. I analysed the film 'Halloween' (1973), I decided to look at the editing styles, camera angles, sound, conventions and the representation of characters within the scene.

Halloween didn't have many editing styles, as most of the scene was film on a had handheld camera which creates continuity . The main point of using an handheld is to create jerky and unsteady images to produce a sense of urgency or chaos. However in this scene its the unknown murderer who has the handheld, this creates a mystery for the audience. This immediately draws the viewer in as they have no idea what is happening. At the end of the opening scene they use of a jump cut, when the parents rip of the mask. This shocks the audience as they realise that the murderer was a child.

As well as editing styles, Halloween's opening scene also included's camera angles. There is a point of view angle, when the killer picks up the knife, this allows the audience to know that they are seeing the scene through the killers eyes. It also makes the audience believe something bad might happen, therefore the camera angle is creating an enigma. Additionally, at the beginning of the scene, before the viewers are introduced to the characters, the camera zooms into the pumpkin, putting an emphasis on the title 'Halloween'.

Of course, a thriller wouldn't have the effect on an audience as it does without the use of music and sound. In Halloween, the scene starts of with dialogue which begins off screen but gradually becomes on screen. This introduces the audience to two of the characters. Also the scene has a continuous non - diegetic sound, made by a electronic keyboard which uses high pitched sounds, this starts to build suspense in the scene.  Further along in the scene, a proper piano is introduced when the killer enters the house. The piano almost resembles his movements, it starts and stops with the killer, the electronic keyboard is contentious throughout. Just over two minutes into the scene, a clock starts to chime, it represents the victims time running out as the killer climbs the stairs. Meanwhile, behind the sound of the clocks and electronic piano, the audience can hear a childlike voice singing which is off screen. This shows the vulnerability of the victim. As the killer enters the victims room and goes to kill her, the non - diegetic sound becomes louder, showing the panic of the victim when she realises her fate. The electronic sound continues all the way through this scene. 

Convections of a thriller include, low key lighting, eerie sound or music and much more. In 'Halloween', the director and writer have made sure that the film covers all aspects of a thriller genre. As the camera is from the killers point of view the audience never see who they are, therefore leaving an hidden identity and a mystery. Also the victim is a woman, this is conventional to a thrillers as woman are seen like the most vulnerable sex. Shock, Suspense and surprise are usually added to a thriller to make the audience enjoy the film. The shock, comes when the killer pulls open the draw and picks up the large knife. Suspense is introduced when the music and sound begins, and finally the surprise comes at the end, when the killer is revealed as a child.

Research into sound - Miss Miller

Sound is used in thriller films to notify the audience of the different situations that the characters are going through and it is also used to help the audience understand the narrative of the thriller film.

One of the sounds used in the Strangers trailer are diegetic sound. It is an off screen sound because the audiences do not know where it is coming from. The evidence for this sound is when the couple are hugging and they hear a ‘bang’ sound. This sound obviously frightens the couple because they both pause in the moment and look around at the door. The sound shows that someone or something has been around and something bad is probably going to happen. The audience would expect this to be found in a thriller because it makes the movie more interesting for the audience. Because the sound is diegetic and off screen, the sudden 'bang' shocks the audience and the sound relates to the film because it builds suspense in the film as it is makes the audience on edge and jumpy, which draws the audience in.

The second sound that was used in the Strangers trailer was a on screen sound, this was when the swing was making a noise like someone had been playing around with it. It could also be seen as a parallel sound because the swing is making a noise, which suggests that there is a unknown presence around the house.  It shows that the audience know that something is there are they are ready for something bad to happen to the couple. This is a conventional sound in the thriller because it would be a jumpy sound that would be used in a thriller. This makes the audience feel tense, scared, jumpy and on edge because they know something is going to happen.

The third and final sound that I will be analysing is the non-diegetic sound, the evidence for this is when they are in the car trying to get away from the strangers and there is creepy music in the background which shows that something unnatural is going to happen (which is normal in a thriller film). It shows that the couple and the characters that are being attacked by the stranger are in some kind of danger because they are going to be trapped in between their car, the strangers car and the house. It relates because it shows the audience that the main characters are in trouble and are very scared with what the strangers are going to do with them. This also then makes the audience scared about what the strangers will do to the victims, so the audience is drawn into the film. This is a typical narrative because it shows that something bad is going to happen and the main characters that are being attacked are in danger, so this would be typically found in a thriller film.

This analysis has taught me where sounds can be introduced in the thriller film and where would use them in different situations. For example I know when a diegetic sound is used, when you want to use a sound that is off screen, this may be used to create suspense in the thriller film.

Research into Conventions of the Thriller Genre - Miss Miller

For a thriller to be successful it should have an exciting and entreeging plot, which makes the audience sit on the edge of their seats due to the amount of suspense, shock and surprise used within the film.

In thriller films the most used conventions are low - key lighting, shadow, eerie music and the three s's, Shock, surprise and suspense. In the clip below, we view just a few of the conventions from above. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orNQoBgr3BM

The scene starts by looking down a dark corridor, suddenly a girl in white passes across and triggers cameras. This then begins the suspense, which is shortly followed by eerie sound creating the mood of the scene. The sound is non - diegetic, which means that the sound has been added in after, it is creating suspense. Once suspense has been created, it then leave the audience to imagine what could possibly happen next, leaving them hanging off their chairs waiting. In the clip the suspense immediately created as the little girl walks up the stairs. The family are watching her, not saying a word. Next, is surprise, as she walks into one of the rooms, the door slaps shut behind her, which leaves the audience in shock not knowing what is happening, the other side of the door.

In most thrillers, there normally is a female victim, these females are normally innocent and made to feel vulnerable and usually end up finding themselves in danger or worst being murdered. Most directors like to make their scenes that have murders within, terrifying and shocking for the audience. Within the Conjuring the first person to encounter danger is a little girl who sleep walks and has an imaginary best friend. From that point the rest of the family one man and four woman become terrified and teased by the supernatural. The family are so realistic the audience can relate to them and feel part of the scene.   

Also a major part of conventions of thrillers is low - key lighting. The low - key lighting creates shadows which builds tension and mystery, leaving the audience unknown of what is happening. It also the darkness of the lighting represents the darkness of the scene. The whole low - key lighting creates suspense which makes the audience wonder what happens in the darkness of the scenes.

Research into the History of Thriller Films - Miss Georgiou

A thriller is a novel, play, or movie with an exciting plot, typically involving crime or espionage. 

(https://www.google.co.uk/search?safe=vss&hl=en&q=what+is+a+thriller&btnG=Search)

In this post i will be explaining the history of thrillers, what has changed and what is still the same. It will include a timeline into the history of thrillers and also about the directors and actors who have found fame through these films.

1940's

The 40's witnessed Hitchcocks oscar winning film 'Rebecca'. Rebecca was filmed in black and white with the use of sound to help create suspense. A shy ladies' companion, staying in Monte Carlo with her stuffy employer, meets the wealthy Maxim de Winter. She and Max fall in love, marry and return to Manderley, his large country estate in Cornwall. Max is still troubled by the death of his first wife, Rebecca, in a boating accident the year before. The second Mrs. de Winter clashes with the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, and discovers that Rebecca still has a strange hold on everyone at Manderley.  (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032976/) 
The film was filmed in black and white with minimal effects. Rebecca was adapted as a radio play.

1970 - 1980's

In the film Friday the 13th, Camp counselors are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to reopen a summer camp that was the site of a child's drowning. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080761/)

1990 - present

The sixth sense is about a boy who communicates with spirits that don't know they're dead seeks the help of a disheartened child psychologist. The film was nominated for 6 oscars and won 32 awards.  (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167404/)
The Sixth Sense is highly effective with a bare minimum of special effects. There is not a shot of the film that couldn't have been done 25 years earlier.

There are several actors and directors who have become famous through staring or directing thriller films. These included Alfred Hitchcock, director of Oscar winning film 'Rebecca' and thriller 'Psycho'. Psycho is Hitchcock's best-known film. It was produced on a budget of $800,00. 

A present time actress, who has recently become well known through staring in 'Black Swan' is Natalie Portman. Since she starred in the film she has been in adverts, films and tv productions.

Looking at different thrillers, their plots and how they have used the conventions of a thriller have made me realise what I do and do not want to use in my own thriller. The main thing that every thriller through out time has used is sound effects and music. Even the most simple sound effects make the film have mountians of suspense. This is what I have taken to put into my own thriller.