THE WEBSITE
WHAT A '15' FILM IS ALLOWED TO CONTAIN
i think it would be a good a idea to categorise our thriller as a 15, the link above contains the boundaries within this rating.
Tuesday 25 November 2008
practise continuity task
For the practise continuity task, as a group we had to film a conversation between two people, the actors for this particular piece was Helen and Ryan, Charlotte and i filmed. For our thriller opening we will definetly use actors (drama students) to make the 2 minute piece much more effective and professional. Overall, i think the task went extremely well, the filming was easy to get the hang of but editing is still something i find quite difficult. I will try and improve this. To improve in the future, we could introduce more entertaining dialogue and use better camera angles to represent what we want to. Furthermore, mise en scene could be greatly improve as for the final piece it plays a huge role in representation of character, setting etc..
Tuesday 18 November 2008
continuity task evaluation
For our final continuity task we had to film a sequence which includes a conversation between two people. The desicion of what content the film held was left to us as a group. We decided to include an argument within a couple- which is typical of the drama genre in particular.
In my opinion, the continuity task went well. My group got a level 3 which i was pleased with. However, the sequence could have speeded up in places (editing), POV shots could of been used in places to connect the audience further with the piece, the location could definetly of been improved- verisimilitude, audio improved (linked to location), microphone distortion corrected- actors where being too loud and too quiet and better lighting could have been used in the opening shot, to establish setting.
My personal progress has slightly improved, particularly within camera work. However my editing skills could still be vastly improved in order to reach the standards expected.
Our continuity task:
In my opinion, the continuity task went well. My group got a level 3 which i was pleased with. However, the sequence could have speeded up in places (editing), POV shots could of been used in places to connect the audience further with the piece, the location could definetly of been improved- verisimilitude, audio improved (linked to location), microphone distortion corrected- actors where being too loud and too quiet and better lighting could have been used in the opening shot, to establish setting.
My personal progress has slightly improved, particularly within camera work. However my editing skills could still be vastly improved in order to reach the standards expected.
Our continuity task:
Tuesday 4 November 2008
Conclusion- what to expect within the opening of a thriller
The opening of a thriller esrablishes tone and narrative within the first 2 minutes.
The colour scheme is usually black, red and white- good and evil.
Camera angles usually focus on the characters within close ups- make a connection with the audience.
Music is usually slow and sinister, to create a sense of tension.
Text used, ususally simplistic- not to distract the audience from what is happening on-screen.
Overall a mature effect- target audience.
The colour scheme is usually black, red and white- good and evil.
Camera angles usually focus on the characters within close ups- make a connection with the audience.
Music is usually slow and sinister, to create a sense of tension.
Text used, ususally simplistic- not to distract the audience from what is happening on-screen.
Overall a mature effect- target audience.
Fifth Analysis- Seven
Film Title: Seven
Director: David Fincher
Technique
Effect (analysis)
Camera – distance, angle, movement…
A variety of close-ups
Audience get to see things in detail.
Editing – speed, style…
Fast paced, straight cuts.
Sense of high realism, creates tension, harder to figure out what is going on, sense of narrative.
Sound – effects, musical score…
Like a heartbeat at beginning, slow paced and sinister.
More tension created, ominous tone.
Mise-en-scene – props, costume, setting, lighting, colour…
A lot of black, white and red used. A book that the protagonist is making almost like a ‘bible’, coloring over peoples eyes in black. Low-key lighting. Newspaper cuttings, needles, skinning own finger with razor blade, photographs, black ink pen crossing out words such as ‘transsexual’, sewing pages together. Never get to see protagonists face, seems to be shadowy.
Black: evil, dark.
White: purity. God-like (narrative)
Red: evil, blood, love, passion (protagonist believes in what he is doing)
Coloring over people’s eyes shows he is taking away their identity, easier to murder them. Maybe taking away what he feels he has lost.
Crossing out words like ‘transsexual’ shows that he is strongly against it. Doesn’t think it should exist.
Never getting to see face creates fear of what he could look like.
Making his ‘bible’ suggests religion, what he believes in, what the world should be like.
Razor blade on finger- makes audience shocked and uncomfortable, taking away his own identity?Also not seeing face makes the audience want to see it- curiosity.
Special Effects – CGI, animation…
None, apart frpm text.
Mature audience.
Titles – font, color, placement, over black / over clip…
Over clip, creepy text (horror), white in color, the text seems to be moving (shadowy), clip seems to move like in older films (projector)
Moving text creates a ‘shaky’ atmosphere, the ‘projector’ theme makes the audience feel uneasy, adds to tension. Creepy font links with narrative. The fact that the text is over the clip links the two together, makes it harder for the audience to actually focus what is on screen- adds tension again.
Director: David Fincher
Technique
Effect (analysis)
Camera – distance, angle, movement…
A variety of close-ups
Audience get to see things in detail.
Editing – speed, style…
Fast paced, straight cuts.
Sense of high realism, creates tension, harder to figure out what is going on, sense of narrative.
Sound – effects, musical score…
Like a heartbeat at beginning, slow paced and sinister.
More tension created, ominous tone.
Mise-en-scene – props, costume, setting, lighting, colour…
A lot of black, white and red used. A book that the protagonist is making almost like a ‘bible’, coloring over peoples eyes in black. Low-key lighting. Newspaper cuttings, needles, skinning own finger with razor blade, photographs, black ink pen crossing out words such as ‘transsexual’, sewing pages together. Never get to see protagonists face, seems to be shadowy.
Black: evil, dark.
White: purity. God-like (narrative)
Red: evil, blood, love, passion (protagonist believes in what he is doing)
Coloring over people’s eyes shows he is taking away their identity, easier to murder them. Maybe taking away what he feels he has lost.
Crossing out words like ‘transsexual’ shows that he is strongly against it. Doesn’t think it should exist.
Never getting to see face creates fear of what he could look like.
Making his ‘bible’ suggests religion, what he believes in, what the world should be like.
Razor blade on finger- makes audience shocked and uncomfortable, taking away his own identity?Also not seeing face makes the audience want to see it- curiosity.
Special Effects – CGI, animation…
None, apart frpm text.
Mature audience.
Titles – font, color, placement, over black / over clip…
Over clip, creepy text (horror), white in color, the text seems to be moving (shadowy), clip seems to move like in older films (projector)
Moving text creates a ‘shaky’ atmosphere, the ‘projector’ theme makes the audience feel uneasy, adds to tension. Creepy font links with narrative. The fact that the text is over the clip links the two together, makes it harder for the audience to actually focus what is on screen- adds tension again.
Fourth Analysis- Psycho
Film Title: Psycho
Director: Hitchcock
Technique
Effect (analysis)
Camera – distance, angle, movement…
Ends with a long shot view of a city, black and white.
Sets location.
Editing – speed, style…
Fast paced.
Tension (builds)
Sound – effects, musical score…
Fast paced music.
Tension (builds).
Special Effects – CGI, animation…
Grey lines across background, screen starts with a grey background, then turns black.
What starts off as innocent (dull) turns dark quickly (narrative).
Titles – font, color, placement, over black / over clip…
Black background, white font, text goes across screen and up-down.
White and black: purity and evil
Text movement: shaky
Director: Hitchcock
Technique
Effect (analysis)
Camera – distance, angle, movement…
Ends with a long shot view of a city, black and white.
Sets location.
Editing – speed, style…
Fast paced.
Tension (builds)
Sound – effects, musical score…
Fast paced music.
Tension (builds).
Special Effects – CGI, animation…
Grey lines across background, screen starts with a grey background, then turns black.
What starts off as innocent (dull) turns dark quickly (narrative).
Titles – font, color, placement, over black / over clip…
Black background, white font, text goes across screen and up-down.
White and black: purity and evil
Text movement: shaky
Third Analysis- Daredevil
DAREDEVIL OPENING
(Only analyzed the titles)
Film Title: Daredevil
Director: Mark Steven Johnson
Title Designer: Imaginary forces
Technique
Effect (analysis)
Camera – distance, angle, movement…
Pans over a cartoon-like city, birds eye view over the city extreme high angle, swift gliding movements, tilting
Background to film: comic book, gliding movements describes how the ‘daredevil’ moves
Editing – speed, style…
Fairly slow, fade out.
Creates a sort of ‘in-human’ theme to it, graceful
Sound – effects, musical score…
Non diagetic, slow paced, fits with scene.
Background music is calm, but builds tension.
Mise-en-scene – props, costume, setting, lighting, colour…
Starts with ‘comic book’ and marvel logo, religion is present with first bit of film, character introduced- setting church
Shows the importance of religion to main character, even if he lives without it, he tries to do the right thing.
Special Effects – CGI, animation…
Text is animated, seems to be made out of lights, city zooms out when text appears, text seems to move/blur.
Main character is blind, introduction of how he sees things.
Titles – font, color, placement, over black / over clip…
Screen goes black with text over it in white, text moves side to side, ‘daredevil’ is in red, with a red and white background to it.
Black: evil, darkness.
Red: devil, love, passion.
White: purity, heavenly.
All come together.
(Only analyzed the titles)
Film Title: Daredevil
Director: Mark Steven Johnson
Title Designer: Imaginary forces
Technique
Effect (analysis)
Camera – distance, angle, movement…
Pans over a cartoon-like city, birds eye view over the city extreme high angle, swift gliding movements, tilting
Background to film: comic book, gliding movements describes how the ‘daredevil’ moves
Editing – speed, style…
Fairly slow, fade out.
Creates a sort of ‘in-human’ theme to it, graceful
Sound – effects, musical score…
Non diagetic, slow paced, fits with scene.
Background music is calm, but builds tension.
Mise-en-scene – props, costume, setting, lighting, colour…
Starts with ‘comic book’ and marvel logo, religion is present with first bit of film, character introduced- setting church
Shows the importance of religion to main character, even if he lives without it, he tries to do the right thing.
Special Effects – CGI, animation…
Text is animated, seems to be made out of lights, city zooms out when text appears, text seems to move/blur.
Main character is blind, introduction of how he sees things.
Titles – font, color, placement, over black / over clip…
Screen goes black with text over it in white, text moves side to side, ‘daredevil’ is in red, with a red and white background to it.
Black: evil, darkness.
Red: devil, love, passion.
White: purity, heavenly.
All come together.
Second analysis- Sin City
Film Title: Sin City
Director: Frank Miller
Title Designer:
Technique
Effect (analysis)
Camera – distance, angle, movement…
Close ups, slow zooming, tilts, long shots birds eye view, zooms out and around setting- NY?
Help audience to connect with characters, birds eye view of dramatic scene- audience take it all in.
Editing – speed, style…
Slow editing, straight cuts
Show emotion, more connection within characters- what is going on.
Sound – effects, musical score…
Overhead voice, diagetic sound of wind
Informing the audience of what is going on, how the characters are feeling (emotions)
Mise-en-scene – props, costume, setting, lighting, colour…
Color is only black, white and red. Costume smart, elegant. Dark lighting, rain.
Black- sinister, evil, dark.
Red- love, passion, romance.
(connotes)
rain- links with how the characters are feeling.
Special Effects – CGI, animation…
Pausing of scene- cartoons used in place of actors., editing is very long in these places.
‘comic book’ theme links to how the film came about, long editing- connection.
Titles – font, color, placement, over black / over clip…
No titles within opening sequence, focus is only on characters
Rare within a thriller, only characters shown.
Director: Frank Miller
Title Designer:
Technique
Effect (analysis)
Camera – distance, angle, movement…
Close ups, slow zooming, tilts, long shots birds eye view, zooms out and around setting- NY?
Help audience to connect with characters, birds eye view of dramatic scene- audience take it all in.
Editing – speed, style…
Slow editing, straight cuts
Show emotion, more connection within characters- what is going on.
Sound – effects, musical score…
Overhead voice, diagetic sound of wind
Informing the audience of what is going on, how the characters are feeling (emotions)
Mise-en-scene – props, costume, setting, lighting, colour…
Color is only black, white and red. Costume smart, elegant. Dark lighting, rain.
Black- sinister, evil, dark.
Red- love, passion, romance.
(connotes)
rain- links with how the characters are feeling.
Special Effects – CGI, animation…
Pausing of scene- cartoons used in place of actors., editing is very long in these places.
‘comic book’ theme links to how the film came about, long editing- connection.
Titles – font, color, placement, over black / over clip…
No titles within opening sequence, focus is only on characters
Rare within a thriller, only characters shown.
First Analysis- Panic Room
Film Title: Panic Room
Director: David Fincher
Title Designer: ‘The Picture Mill’
Technique
Effect (Analysis)
Camera – distance, angle, movement…
Establishing shot of New York long shot, Birds eye, long shots are used over NY, panning around and over text (titles), also seems to tilt over (up and down text) Low angles used to contrast with birds-eye views, near the end of the opening sequence more low angles used.
Establishes setting of thriller, birds eye shots could suggest that to the ‘villains’ within the thriller normal people are nothing, the tilting over the text gives a shaky effect, low angles looking up contrast heavily with the birds eye views, adding to the ‘shaky’ effect on the audience, further giving hints on what to expect within the text.
Editing – speed, style…
Straight cuts, cuts are quick, however the camera seems to pause on each scene.
This gives a tension building effect to the audience, the pause on each scene shows significance, quick cuts- fast paced, builds on ‘shaky’ effect.
Sound – effects, musical score…
Non diegetic slow music at beginning of opening sequence, speeds up near the end, diegetic sounds of NY, sounds such as ambulances stand out- set a tone for narrative and setting.
The ambient sounds of NY add to the realism (narrative and setting) the crescendo near the end of the opening sequence re-enforces the idea that near the end of the film something extremely dramatic will happen within the thriller.
Mise-en-scene – props, costume, setting, lighting, colour...
‘Face your fears’ flashes across one of the screens (billboards) (1:06). Setting is New York City, Low key lighting, colors are quite dull/ plain.
Billboards show images such as a happy couple (suggesting narrative) setting is typical of NY, yellow cabs etc.
The use of the phrase ‘face your fears’ hints at someone within the text suffering something they fear the most but overcoming it. The low-key lighting is sinister. Dull colors make the text stand out, the audience focuses on that rather than the setting, Billboard images contrast with content of film- happy couples. Yellow cabs are typical of NYC.
Special Effects – CGI, animation…
None, apart from text (actors, director etc.)
Makes the opening sequence, overall more mature- target audience. Text stands out- is the only and main focus. Text seems almost ‘see through’ opaque. Perhaps suggesting the intentions of characters within the text.
Titles – font, color, placement, over black / over clip…
Font color: almost see through (white) placed over clip (images of New York), font is simplistic, easy to read, similar to ‘times new roman’
Easy to read, mature font, placed over images of NY, connecting the two.
Color suggests characters intentions (see through), purity.
Directors of thrillers (examples)
Alfred Hitchcock:
Examples of thrillers created by Hitchcock:
Lyne:Example of a thriller created by Lyne:
Steven Spielberg
Examples of thriler created by Speilberg:
Research into thrillers
Thrillers, what to expect:
A set of key characteristics
Intense excitement
Anxiety
Tension
Anticipation
Suspense
Thrillers are often hybrids:
Suspense thrillers
Action thrillers/ adventure thrillers
Sci-fi thrillers
Crime-caper thrillers
Western thrillers
Film-noir thrillers
Romantic comedy thrillers
Horror thrillers
Characters include:
Convicts, criminals, stalkers, assassins, down-on-their-luck losers, innocent victims (often on the run), prison inmates, menaced women, characters with dark pasts, psychotic individuals, terrorists, cops and escaped cons, fugitives, private eyes, drifters, duplicitous individuals, people involved in twisted relationships, world-weary men and women, psycho-fiends, and more. The themes of thrillers frequently include terrorism, political conspiracy, pursuit, or romantic triangles leading to murder.
http://learning.chalfonts.bucks.sch.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=6912
A set of key characteristics
Intense excitement
Anxiety
Tension
Anticipation
Suspense
Thrillers are often hybrids:
Suspense thrillers
Action thrillers/ adventure thrillers
Sci-fi thrillers
Crime-caper thrillers
Western thrillers
Film-noir thrillers
Romantic comedy thrillers
Horror thrillers
Characters include:
Convicts, criminals, stalkers, assassins, down-on-their-luck losers, innocent victims (often on the run), prison inmates, menaced women, characters with dark pasts, psychotic individuals, terrorists, cops and escaped cons, fugitives, private eyes, drifters, duplicitous individuals, people involved in twisted relationships, world-weary men and women, psycho-fiends, and more. The themes of thrillers frequently include terrorism, political conspiracy, pursuit, or romantic triangles leading to murder.
http://learning.chalfonts.bucks.sch.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=6912
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