Preliminary Evaluation

For our Preliminary task we were asked to create a short thriller scene. We had to include a shot of someone opening a door, walking across a room or corridor and two characters interacting.

I feel that the scene that we created was a successful piece because we included everything that was asked and we used a good range of camera shots. I also thing that we edited it fairly well. The only problem with it was that there was one cut where the man gets shot at, turns and runs, but there is a cut between the turn so it makes him look jumpy. We did the best that we could to improve it by adding a transition but it still looks a bit strange.

We got very good feedback from the class and they all agreed with what I think. Another thing that they suggested was that the lighting could have been improved in the last scene. If we were to redo our preliminary then we wouldn't make the room as dark and have a better lamp above the mans head.

In the future, when we do our thriller opening, we will consider adding more creative camera shots and we will try to prevent a jump cut when one is not needed.

Overall, I think it was a very successful first attempt at a thriller sequence because of the camera shots and editing. Hopefully, we can improve in our next assignment to make an even better piece. 

Preliminary Feedback

 This is feedback given about our preliminary production.

This is what we will do for our thriller opening to make it better.

Timeline of Se7en opening titles

This is a timeline of the opening titles of Se7en.

Throughout the opening titles you see a lot of black backgrounds when the text appears. You also see lots of books and the pages being highlighted or written on. Furthermore, you see a persons hand holding a razor blade and they are scrapping off dead skin. 


The typography in the opening sequence looks like it has been scratched on some wood using finger nails or a razor blade which is shown the sequence. The typography shows the distress in the film. It fits the sequence very well because the sequence shows finger nails and distort text . The background is black which shows the darkness of the film. 


The titles fit into the thriller conventions because they show an investigation into an unknown. The sequence shows books, photographs and a scrap book which are used in most crime thrillers. It also shows someone scraping skin off of their finger tips with a razor blade. This might be because they are trying to remove their finger prints so that they can commit a crime without being traceable. 

Se7en Opening Titles

Vox Pop

Vox Populi - "Voice of the people"

How to get an audiences opinion?
-Verbal Feedback
-Interviews
-Ratings
-Forums
-Questionnaires
-Reviews
-Social Media

Interview
-It starts with a question.
-It then show the person with their name, age and occupation.
-They answer the question.
-It then goes to another person and does the same again.
-Then after more people the edit will go back to a previous person without their name.

-In an interview the person is on the right hand side and at eye level to the camera.
-It is usually filmed on a busy street to make it look like they picked a random person.
-The interviewer does not say much.
-The person speaks at the interviewer, not the camera.
-They only show 10 second clips at a time.

Vox Pop Interview

Vox Pop Interview

From my Vox Pop I have learnt that people enjoy crime and action thrillers. People enjoy crime thrillers because they are intriguing and intense. People who like action thrillers stated that they liked the action and they find them exciting to watch. This tells me that crime and action thrillers are the most liked and I can use this to decide what type of thriller I will produce.

I also learnt that people like thrillers because of the excitement, suspense, mystery and because it gets them on the edge of their seat. This tells me that when I make a thriller opening I need to make it intense and exciting and I need to add some mystery to it.



Thriller target audience

• The people who enjoy thrillers are mostly men because of the action, but women also enjoy them. 
• The ages of people who view thrillers usually ranges from the ages of 12 to 50.
• They are aimed at people of any ethnicity and race.
• The socio-economic class that views thrillers are mainly class E and D. They could also be C2.

• People who watch thrillers might be interested in detective work so they would mostly watch crime thrillers. People of different interests and hobbies might enjoy thrillers because there are lots of variations which might appeal to different people.

Sound in our preliminary

Song 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjP6i_px1qg&list=PL540068A2EF5162A1&index=4

This music is taken form 'The Bourne Identity' when Jason Bourne is at the bank going through his safety deposit box.

This type of music is commonly used in thrillers to create tension and suspense. It also alerts the audience that something is happening when the music builds up speed and volume.

We will use this music from the start and up to the point when the man meets the second Mexican in the lift. We will use it because it is slow at the start which will help build tension and it also speeds up which will fit in when the man is running away.

Song 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OksV3SuJejY

The music is taken from the film ‘The Good The Bad and The Ugly’ where the 3 men are standing around in a graveyard as they have a face off and draw their weapons.

This type of music is most commonly used in western and showdowns and help to create tension through it use of non- diegetic sound because the instruments used create a range of high and low pitch with different speed.

We will use this music during an intense stand-off between the man and the second Mexican, who he appears from the lift and then hits the man. We chose to use this because it fits the scene very well and it is dramatic.

Song 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVf4AqjNU9M

This music was taken from the game 'Alpha Protocol' where a man is being interrogated.

This type of music is sometimes used in interrogation scenes because it is very calm which is as it does not fit the mood.

We will use this music during the interrogation scene at the end because it is designed for that but also because it won't be too loud so it doesn't overpower the original audio.

Storyboard for our preliminary

Preliminary Production

Our preliminary production task - The Chase

 

Analysis Of The Bourne Identity Soundtrack

The first song that we hear in the film is a very calm song. There are string instruments playing which makes it high pitch. In the background you also hear some thunder (Ambient sound) which creates the effect of danger and distress. The thunder is probably non-diegetic sound that they added in to add effect.

The next song that we hear is also very calm to start of with but it speeds up. This creates tension and it tells the audience that something is happening. The song has low pitch string instruments throughout but also has high pitch strings when it builds up pace.

The next song is very fast most of the way through and has lots of drums in it and electric guitars. This makes it more intense and implies that there is a chase. The drums add loud bangs which is accompanied by diegetic gun shots and doors being kicked open so it fits the scene very well. Towards the end it slows down which suggests that the chase has or will soon come to an end.

The fourth song is very quiet and slow which is used to split up the fast paced music scenes and it also allows for conversations and information to be exchanged. It is incidental music as the slowness of it fits the slow moving car in the scene.

This song is very fast paced throughout. It features a lot of guitars and drums. There are some lyrics in it but they are only two or three words at a time. This music accompanies the scene very well as it is a fast paced car chase. The loudness of the song also fits with the loud car engines.

The next song is very fast pace which suggests that it is a fight rather than a chase. It is made up of lots of drums which creates loud noises like in a fight. The song has an angry and strong feel to it which immerses the audience into the fight more.

The final song starts off very calm and quiet but it builds up speed and volume. It creates tension towards the start as it is quiet and you don't know what is going to happen. When it starts to build up speed it indicates that something is about to happen and it prepares the audience rather than throwing them straight into it. Finally, when it becomes really fast it is synchronous as it fits what is happening. This song is made of string instruments which creates that high pitch noise which is unsettling.

 

 

 

The sound in the Bourne Identity sound track consists of slow and fast paced music. Slow paced music is used when tension is being created and fast paced music is used to make the scene intense. Lots of thrillers use these types of music because it prepares the audience and makes the scene exciting. Lots of string instruments are used which are common instruments used in thriller music because it creates a high pitch noise which is unsettling. Drums are also used in thriller film when there are loud bangs because it accompanies them well.

 

Psycho Murder Scene Analysis

The first shot that we see is the woman turning on the shower. The camera is a close up and at head height. The shots before and after it at edited together slowly so that it give the audience time to think what is going to happen and it also helps to create tension. When she turns on the shower it is very loud, this is done to make the audience feel like they are her, as the shower would be loud for her. This is done so that you know that she can’t hear the murderer when they enter.

This next shot is a low angle shot and it shows the shower head which shows the audience her point of view. This immerses the audience into the scene and makes them feel like they are in the shower. The music at this point is very slow, which fits the speed of the cuts but it also creates tension and makes the audience think what is going to happen next.

This shot starts off as a close up of the woman and it very slowly pans over to the shower curtain and slowly starts to zoom in. This is done to build tension. When the shot zooms in you see a black shadow behind it which signifies someone else being in the bathroom. This scares the audience and they know that she won’t hear them because of how loud the shower is.

The curtain is then suddenly pulled back very quickly and loudly which scares the audience. It also changes the pace of the cuts after it, they become very fast cuts. The curtain being pulled back reveals the murderer and they are holding a big kitchen knife. This shows power and strength.

After the knife is pulled out there are seven quick straight cuts before the woman is stabbed. This is when the cuts become very quick which shows the chaos in the scene. Moreover, there are lots of angled shots in this section as it emphasizes the chaos and rage. Throughout the murder section there is very high pitched piercing music which makes the audience cringe and it is not very pleasant like the murder. It also imitates the fight.

 

This shot is a cut away to a stormy sky which is a common convention to use in thrillers to show chaos and danger. It is just a very quick and sudden cut and they do it twice. This is to emphasize the chaos without distracting the audience from the fight.

This shot shows the woman sliding down the white wall. You see the blood on the wall which shows her loss of purity and innocence. This shot and it's following shots are all edited together slowly again. This is because the fight  is over and there is a lot less chaos and rage. Furthermore, it gives the audience time to reflect on what just happened and think why.

The next shot is a high angle shot showing the woman dead on the floor. This shot shows the big gashes in her back which shows the brutality of the murder and that her innocence has gone. You can also see all of the blood on the wall and in the bath which shows that she lost a lot of blood. It also emphasizes the brutality and viciousness of the murder.

The final shot shows the plug hole and the blood running into it. There is then a graphic match to the eye of the woman on the floor which is an extreme close up. The shot is spinning away from her eye which is like the motion of the blood in the plug hole.

The bathroom in this scene was made white so it shows her innocence and purity but when she dies it is gone because it is covered in blood and no longer white. Furthermore, it emphasizes the blood on the wall and in the bath. The woman is also naked in the scene because it shows her exposure and weakness.

This is a retype of the graphic match shot.

Actors, Costume and Props for our Preliminary

Actors

-Sam Hargrave - Man

-Tom Branch - Mexican no. 1

-Glen Burton - Mexican no. 2

Costume

-Sam Hargrave - Coat/Jacket

-Tom Branch -  Sombrero and poncho

-Glen Burton - Sombrero and poncho

Props

-Revolver pistol

-Briefcase

-Chairs/Stools

-Maracas

-Torch/Lamp

Cameraman

-Sam Thistlewood

Order of Shots in our Preliminary

-Extreme close up – The man reaching for the door handle.

-Mid shot - The man walks through the door and turns left.

-Long shot – The man walking down the corridor towards the camera.

-Close up – A wanted poster of the man.

-Over the shoulder – A Mexican at the bottom of the stairs.

-Close up – The man’s shocked face.

-Close up – The Mexican shoots at the man.

-Mid shot – The man runs back down the corridor away from the camera.

-Extreme close up – The man rapidly pushes the lift button.

-Mid shot - The man looks down the corridor at the Mexican.

-Mid shot – The lift opens with Mexican no. 2 in it.

-Extreme close up – The man's stunned face. 

-Extreme close up - The Mexican no.2 shacking maracas.

-Mid shot – Mexican no.2 hits man with a maraca.

-High angle mid shot - The man falls to the ground.

-Black out – The screen goes black.

-Low angle mid shot – Mexican 1 is standing behind the man as he is interrogated.

-Mid shot - Mexican no.2 trying to open the briefcase.

-Low angle mid shot – Mexican 2 shoots the man with a revolver.

We are going to have a minimum of 19 shots in this sequence. We will most likely have more when we show emotions and the characters looking at each other.

Snatch Opening Sequence

In the opening sequence of Snatch we see the main characters in the film doing something. When we see each character it shows them doing something and then it freezes and zooms in on their face and highlights them with a thin line. A coloured background wipes behind them and then their name appears in a western style typography with a star. This is quite a cartoon style effect. 

  

During the sequence the shot is made to appear as if it was one continuous pan. However, it is not but it is cleverly edited to make it appear so. This makes a really interesting sequence and it also stops the use of boring straight cuts. This effect of one shot is made by using graphic matches. For example, they cut from someone holding a diamond to another person holding a diamond by getting extremely close up and rotating the shot.

This whole opening sequence tells us that the genre of the film is an action thriller. This is because it shows us the characters doing their jobs or hobbies which give us an idea of what type of people they are. We can tell that the film is an action thriller because the characters are fighting in scenes and they are putting people into car boots.

By seeing the characters in the opening sequence we can tell that they are violent and dangerous. We can also tell that they are criminals as they are playing illegal poker games and they have diamonds and lots of money. It also implies that some of them are less violent than others and that some are maybe into the business sides of whatever they are doing. Furthermore, their clothing suggests that they are different types of people.

The sequence also gives the audience an idea as to what the film is about. Their clothing and actions make them appear as criminals which makes you thing that they are going to do something illegal. When they are in the back of the van with guns and they take off their masks it suggests that they have robbed a bank.­­­­­­

 

 



The Mise-en-scene used in this opening sequence is very typical of the thriller genre. It features weapons, cars, money and disguises. These are used in most crime thrillers because they identify to the audience what the criminals are doing and how.

The camerawork in this opening scene is very typical of the thriller genre because it contains lots of graphic matches which allows the continuity of the sequence. It also has a canted/titled shots when the man is thrown in the boot which creates the effect of rage and stress.
 

Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene - "Having put into scene"

It is used to describe visual effects. This includes:

-Props             

-Costume        

-Makeup         

-Lighting

-Actors

-Setting

-Background

-Camera work

-Visual effects

-Shadows

Why is Mise-en-scene important?

It helps to define the genre.

It sets the atmosphere.

It engages the audience.

You can understand more about the characters.

It allows directors to make their own style - Auteur

Sound in Thrillers

Diegetic - Sound from the original recordings.

Non-diegetic - Sound that is added in during editing.

Asynchronous - Non-diegetic sound which is opposite of the mood.

Synchronous - Diegetic sound which relates to the mood.

Tone

Volume

Crescendo - Volume increase.

Silence - To increase tension.

Sadism - Pleasure from inflicting pain (sadist)

What makes a good thriller sound track?

-Slow pace to fast pace

-Crescendo

-Mixing in pitch

-Build up of tension

-Sadism

-Instrumental

-Minor key

-Heart beat

-No lyrics

-Sense of enigma (mystery)

Film Noir

Film Noir is French for "black film".

Film Noir was first shown in the 1950's.

They were filmed in black and white.

They are dark films.

They have evil/bad themes.

-Film Noir were the first thrillers in mainstream cinema.

-They have very good cinematography.

-They were hugely popular in their day.

-They have an extremely effective use of mise-en-scene and lighting.

-They were highly influential on modern cinema.

Conventions of Film Noir

-There is a hero with a past.

- A fatal woman (femme fatale).

-They were set in big American Cities.

-They were mostly popular immediately after World War 2.

Themes

-Sexual politics

-Deception

-Crime

-The past catching up to you

Hero with a past

-A middle aged man.

-Often brought into a situation he did not create.

-He can't resist the sexual advances of a female.

-He usually dies at the end.

Femme Fatale

-Sexually liberal woman.

-She gets the hero into trouble.

-Double Crossing.

-She is murderous.

-She tends to wear her hair draped over one of her eyes.



Film Noir is designed to indicate a darker side of life, this is done with the low-key lighting or black and white effect. Film Noir focuses around crime thrillers because they can make the criminals or detectives motives seem dark.

Target Audience

Age Ratings
Age ratings are designed to stop children from seeing or hearing unsuitable things in films. The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) give the public information about the film, like the age rating, the genre, how long the film is and what unsuitable actions are in the film that might cause the viewer to become uncomfortable. The BBFC examine films before they are published and gives them a suitable age rating.

The BBFC look at issues that children should not be subjected to, such as discrimination, sex and nudity, drugs, foul language and violence when making decisions. The more frequent these groups are in the film the higher the age rating meaning the film is only suitable for adults.


Demographics

-Age

-Gender

-Race/ethnicity

-Socio-economic class

Psychographics

-Interests

-Hobbies

Socio-economic class

A - CEO's, surgeons

B - Teachers

C1 - Nurses, accountants

C2 - Plumbers, electricians

D - Retail

E - Students, pensioners, unemployed

Sub Genres and Hybrids

A sub genre is a genre within a genre.

Hybrids are made of multiple genres.

Examples of hybrids:

Speed - Action Thriller

Sin City - Action Noir

District 9 - Action Sci-fi

The Departed - Action Crime

Star Persona

This is  when an actor is associated with a genre and personality of character.

Crime Thrillers
A crime thriller is a sun genre of both crime films and thrillers. A crime thriller involves either successful or failed crimes and focuses more on the criminal then the police. They usually focus more on the action than the psychological aspects.

Conventions of a crime thriller

• Crime thrillers usually contain robberies, chases, murders and shoot-outs. Double-crosses are also commonly used in crime thrillers.
• They involve lots of suspense, action and violence.
• There is usually an investigation into the crimes committed.

• The props used in crime thrillers are usually weapons, fast cars, armoured trucks and police equipment. 

• The costumes used in crime thrillers are mostly police uniforms, or smart men in suits because it shows authority and dominance.

• The lighting in crime thrillers is low-key lighting because it creates shadows which adds tension to the scene.
• The colour scheme in crime thrillers is also rather dull which emphasises the sadness and depression in the scene.

The Departed is an excellent example of a crime thriller. It follows the investigation of a South Boston gang. The film features a corrupt cop who works on the inside of the investigation to aid the gang but he kills the gang leader at the end to not appear as the mole. There is also another cop working undercover to bring down the gang and he is told to identify the mole in the investigation.  

The film features lots of action and shoot-outs and it features a lot of the investigation. Suits are worn by both the police/detectives and gang leaders to show their authority in both sides.

Editing

Transitions
Transitions are the ways that two shots are joined together. The most common transition used is the straight cut as it keeps the pace of the film going. Transitions are usually used to convey a tone or mood or to suggest the passage of time.

Dissolve
This is a gradual transition.
It can help with the continuity.
It can show movement from one location to another or it can show the passing of time.

Fade to black/white
This is where one shot fades from or to black and white.
This gives a sense of time passing or flashbacks.

Fade in/out
A shot is faded out to a black screen or from a black screen.
It helps to create a montage effect.
It also shows a progression of time.

Cross-cutting
This is to establish action occurring at the same time in two different locations.
It can also help to create tension.

Wipe
This is where a line moves across the screen showing a transition from one shot to another.
It can be used as a marker of a change in location.

Iris Wipe
This is where a blurry circle sweeps inwards to the middle of the frame, drawing attention to the subject occupying this centre.
This is made by closing the iris on the camera.

Jump cut
This is an abrupt cut between two shots.
It is a transition which appears to jump between the two frames.

L cut
This is where the cut occurs at a different time for audio than for video.
For example, we may hear characters' voices a few seconds before we see them.

Match cut
This transition is designed to completely hide the transition from the audience.
If a character were to walk towards the camera and completely cover it, you would cut to a shot of the same character walking away from the camera.
The cut is disguised by the character blocking the camera.

Diegetic sound 
This is the sound heard from the recorded footage like dialogue.
Diegetic sound can be either on screen or off screen depending on whatever its source is within the frame or outside the frame.          
Another term for diegetic sound is actual sound.

Non-diegetic sound 
This is sound added during editing like sound effects or music.
Another term for non-diegetic sound is commentary sound.


This is an example of some transitions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCEdSGeFCCA&edufilter=KV3_ygAX_HOVYsozxNZYmg&safe=active

Sin City Audience Profile

Overview

Sin City was made in 2005 and it is a Hybrid genre. It is a crime thriller and it’s a neo-noir styled film. The majority of the film is shown in black and white but there are certain colours that are shown (e.g. red and yellow).

Demographics

Age:

It is rated an 18 but it is aimed at people up to 30 years old.

Gender: 

It is mainly aimed at men but it is also aimed at women.

Race/Ethnicity: 

This film is aimed at people of every race.

Socio-economic class:

It is aimed at groups E, D and C2.

I can tell that it is aimed at this audience because younger people enjoy action films and men especially like them. It is aimed at all races because there is no racial sidings or discrimination so no one will find it offensive. I think that it is aimed at those socio-economic classes because students enjoy action films and people who work in retail will enjoy something like this when they get back from work.

Psychographics                                 

Interests:

This film is aimed at people who enjoy action, violence and thrillers. It is also aimed at people who like comic books, as this film follows the style of the original comic books.

Hobbies:

It is aimed at people who like being active.

It can also be appealing to people who like shooting guns.

Star Persona:

Furthermore, this film is aimed at people who are Bruce Willis fans and who enjoy the films he is in.

I know this because it contains all of the things that these types of people enjoy and it can help engage them in the film more when they have a better understanding of what is happening.

 

 

Peer assessment of pitch

Presentation skills - 2/3                                                                  
Eye contact - 2/3                                                                            
Excellent visual presentation - 2/3                                                  
Uses good shots from the film - 2/3
Uses excellent examples from advertising campaign - 1/3
Uses psychographics - 3/3
Uses demographics - 2/3
Uses socio-economic status - 2/3
Have you got a clear idea of the typical audience - 2/3

Overall - 18/27

Improvements:
I need to speak clearer and more confidently.
I need to make more eye contact.
I need to use more adverts for the film.

Screenshot Analysis

Game of Thrones Screenshot Analysis

 

This is a long shot. It shows an army of soldiers walking towards the camera. The shot focuses on a small number of soldiers rather than a whole army. This allows more detail to be shown in the individual soldiers which expresses their feelings and helps to make the fight look more vicious.

In the centre of the shot and in the foreground there are two men. The man on the right is the leader which is shown by him being more central and further forward. This makes him look bigger than the soldiers. His armour is also different and better than the other soldiers and he has a house marking on it which shows his importance. It could suggest that he is the king or a prince as they wear their house badge.

The man on the left is his adviser which is shown by him being slightly further back but still being close enough to him to receive orders. Furthermore, neither of the two men have a helmet which makes them stand out and their facial expressions make them look scary.

Behind the two men there are lots of other soldiers. They are further back which makes them seem less powerful. Their blood covered swords however, do retain the fierceness of them. Furthermore, at the bottom of the shot there is a dead body which shows that they are more skilled than the enemies. Moreover, the flags being carried shows power and authority which tells the audience that this is an army owned by people of a high up house.

The surroundings in the shot help to build up the effect of war. This is show by the ground because it is muddy and it has a dead body and fallen tree on it which makes it seem more like a war zone. The snow on the trees makes it seem cold and possibly hard to fight in. The fog also makes the men look “cooler” when they walk out of it which excites the audience.

 

 

 

 

Pulp Fiction Screenshot Analysis

 

This is a long shot and it shows four men in a small apartment room. The shot is focusing on the man in the middle and there are another three men around the sides. This is done to highlight the man and it implies that he is important. The man’s suit suggests that he has money and it also gives him power and importance. The handgun tucked into his trousers also suggests his power over the other men and that he is violent. Furthermore, the fact that it is not in a holster suggests that he is not supposed to be carrying it and he is not from the government. His facial expression furthermore suggests that he is disappointed and not impressed by the other men and it also suggests that there is someone else in the room but out of the shot.

The man furthest to the right by the door has a scared facial expression which suggests that the man in the suit is dangerous. He is backed up into the corner which makes him seem weak and overpowered. He is also holding his two hands together and is fiddling with his fingers which suggests that he is nervous and he is keeping himself busy to try and overcome it. This is done to make the man in the centre appear better than them and it also suggests the outcome of the scene.

The man sat down at the table is sat in a way which suggests that he is stressed by what is happening. He is positioned further into the shot than the other two men which suggests that he is more important than them. There is also cocaine on the table which shows that they have done something illegal which creates a bad image for them. The director did this to make them appear like the bad guys in this situation.

The man on the sofa is lying down which makes him appear smaller than the man in the suit. This makes him appear weak and helpless. He is also eating which makes him seem like he is not interested or bothered by the man, this suggests that he has prepared for what is about to come and he knows that he can’t prevent it. Furthermore, him lying down suggests that he is not very important as he is not very noticeable.

 

 

Composition and Framing

Composition

• This is where objects are placed and arranged in a shot.

Rule of thirds

• When you are composing a shot, you can imagine a grid over the top of it.
• The points of interest occur where the lines cross.

The golden mean

• When you are composing a shot, you can imagine a diagonal line over the top.
• The points of interest occur on this line.

Framing

• Framing is what you choose to include and what not to include on the shot.
• It is just as important to think about what you don't include in a shot as well as what you include. This is so you don't get anything that looks out of place.
• It is important to look at how much space is given around an object.