08/02/2011
04/02/2011
EVALUATION
In What Ways Does Your Media Product Use, Develop Or Challenge Forms And Conventions Of Real Media Products?
How Does Your Media Product Represent Particular Social Groups?
The pluses of streaming my film are that it doesn’t cost to watch and doesn’t necessarily require download which is ideal for people who want to watch a quick film. Being able to stream a video allows people to send the links to other people which will get more viewing. This is an advantage for small film companies to get up and running. The disadvantages are that people may not know of the film and therefore won’t watch it, reducing views and popularity.
Who Would Be The Audience For Your Media Production?
15. On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the lighting?How Did You Attract/Address Your Audience?
I decided to have a male villain, a female victim, a plot twist, dark lighting and music played by a piano in the background. The reason for these elements being applied in my thriller was because after undertaking audience research I collected results portraying what the potential audience wanted to see in my thriller and these aspects were highlighted to be the favourite. I gathered the audience research results and tallied them, then put them into graphs to reflect on which answer was more popular for each question.
The completed production is appropriate for my target audience as it was aimed at people ages 15-30, the majority being male. I know that it was appropriate as i took ideas and made adjustments after reviewing the first pre-filming questionnaire which was undertook to see exactly what the potential audience wanted. The second post-filming questionnaire showed me what the audience did and didn't like about the film and the majority of the respondents gave mainly good reactions to it. This indicates that it was in fact a good opening sequence.
When my target audience were watching the film i wanted them to get the message that you don't always know someone as much as you think you do. This is portrayed when Lilly, Jack's wife, finds out about his true profession, his 'double life.' As they were watching it i wanted them to feel sympathy towards the victim even though we don't know who she is. The reason that i didn't go into any detail about the victim in the thriller is because i wanted her to appear anonymous and for it to appear to be a random killing. Here i was aiming to get the sympathy towards her. I wanted the audience to then develop an instant dislike towards Jack as he appears to be the villain. That's when the plot twist comes in and we realise his motive and that he is too in fact a victim as his boss won't let him quit this life style without their being a consequence.
Overall, the majority of my target audience thought that my opening sequence was successful and appeared to enjoy it. However, in the questionnaire after watching the thriller they pointed out aspects that didn't work too well. The main area to improve was the lighting, this was the main negative. They thought it was too dark and that it could have been better. It affected the atmosphere of the film and made it difficult to read the emotions of the characters. I realised this myself during the editing stages and tried to amend it, however, i couldn't appear to solve the problem and lighten it. I will take this into account next time and perhaps use a better camera and film when it isn't dull outside so the light isn't affected as much. On a positive, they thought that the shots were effective and made the storyline clearer.
What Have You Learnt About Technologies From The Process Of Constructing This Product?
Undertaking the task of making a thriller movie has taught me how to handle using various pieces of equipment such as the camera and how effective a tripod is. During the editing stages of the film i realised that i had to make the film longer which meant going out and filming more footage. During the filming stages i struggled with filming alone as it was difficult arranging everything, such as, the meeting dates, locations and actors. I also found issues with the tape as it crossed two pieces of footage when playing back, in the end i'd filmed six times. The lighting was an issue due to poor weather and the filming deadline. During the filming stage outdoors, people kept passing by and ruining shots which meant more shots were having to be taken, making editing more difficult. Finding actors in the first place was an issue as not a lot of people were up to it. Another problem was the ambient sound so i had to mute the sound during editing.
To increase the length of the film i had to add in another scene, this is the one of Jack killing in the alley way. I had the technical difficulty of the displayed settings on the screen which wouldn't go off and couldn't be dealt with. Particular shots i had issues with were the long ones as i didn't have a tripod which meant there was some camera shake but because the long shots were from Jack's perspective it doesn't look too bad.
I can't really compare my skills in this project to the ones gained from the 'walk through the door' task as i was in a group then and wasn't for this one. However, my individual knowledge of how to work on Premiere when editing has developed and i am definitely developing my ability to work alone. Working alone was by far the biggest problem during the production but i got on with it, doing a section at a time. I am disappointed with the quality of the film as it has bad lighting, sound, display and actors but i made the most of it and the editing made a good recovery for it. Overall, given the situation, i think it was quite good and met the terms of the brief dispite my disappointment.
I wouldn't compare my film to a professional film as mine is far from profession as i only had myself to work with, a one man crew, making me the director, camera man, producer, editor, etc. And if i were to change anything about my production i would change the storyline, actors and ask to be in a better group so i didn't have all of the responsibility and pressure of doing it by myself. I would take more shots so i had a range to choose from which would be at a reasonable standard or i'd just get better actors. I would film when it is lighter and in a better location so passerbys weren't interrupting the shots.
My product compares to other thrillers I have analysed as we don’t really get to know the protagonist or the antagonist in the opening sequence which differentiates it from other thrillers. However, it is similar in the sense that it has a plot twist which is only evident towards the end. We chose to make the thriller we did because we wanted the main character to appear to be the villain, then the plot twist would be that he is in fact a victim. I chose to have the thriller like this because I wanted the main character to appear to be the antagonist and then there be a plot twist where it turns out that he is in fact a victim. This was a simple idea but it made it easier to produce. I decided what to put in my thriller by watching other previous thrillers and seeing what worked. I produced a questionnaire to see what the audience wanted, giving it a better chance of achieving a good review.
My thriller followed the codes of conventions of the thriller genre. Some of these were the dark lighting and the night time scenes, tense music which is slow and played on the piano in minor chords and having a male killer in the film. To make the thriller different to other thrillers I introduced a death in the first sequence, which makes the audience think that Jack is the antagonist when he isn’t. This is the plot twist.
It was decided that we should include a scene of Jack killing an innocent passer after letting people in my class view the film and give their opinion on it. The reason more was added was to add to the storyline and reduce confusion. I watched previous thrillers and distributed a questionnaire to get the public’s opinion and to see what worked and what didn’t.
The conventions I decided to follow were the dark lighting and tense music to emphasis the vulnerability of the victims. To move away from the typical idea of thrillers I put a murder scene at the beginning; this was in aim to get the viewers hooked and want to find out more. A plot twist would later be revealed, so the audience would originally think that Jack was the villain when it is later shown that he isn’t.
My thriller is non linear as it contains flash backs for Jack’s past when he killed someone, this is portrayed as an unspoken answer when Lilly questions him about the money. I planned to use dim lighting, a pretend weapon, and a male villain who wears dark clothes and for part of the footage to be done at night time. The reason for this being because it gives a mysterious and scary atmosphere. The lighting gradually got darker throughout the film as it was a build up to the killing in the last scene. I chose a male villain as it not only comes across stereotypically scarier, it was what the participants of my questionnaire wanted. The different camera shot angles were used to portray the vulnerability and power of particular characters. For Jack I used worm’s eye view to make him look in control and powerful, where as Lilly has bird’s eye view shots making her look innocent. When Jack is following the victim down the alley, long shots are used to reflect on how close he is to her. Panning shots of the victim as she walks are done to make it look like it’s from Jack’s point of view, as if he is watching her. This builds tension.
I don’t think it was a very successful opening due to all of the immature mistakes made and the simple storyline. The mistakes are things such as camera shake and poor lighting. However, this could be explained by saying it creates tension and gives a mysterious feel to the film. Overall, i think it is an acceptable example of an opening sequence. The reason i wouldn’t rate it as a solid ‘good’ is because i feel that i could have done better, especially if i was in a group with people who helped. I think that with enough preparation I would have been able to come up with a better storyline, maybe i could have watched a wider range of thrillers to do this. It abides by a majority of the typical thriller codes and conventions which is a plus to the opening sequence. However, the lighting, even though it was dark, it wasn’t by choice in the house scene so this ruined the visual aspect. To find a full analysis and justification of my thriller go to ‘SECTION 5: TREATMENT.’
How Does Your Media Product Represent Particular Social Groups?
View more presentations from kellaayjayne.
What Kind Of Media Institution Might Distribute Your Media Product And Why?
I think that the type of media institution that might distribute my media product would most likely be on the internet in the form of steaming or perhaps download. The reason for this being that the audience I am aiming my thriller film at are the bigger part of the population who use the internet. Another form the film may be shown in could be television, however, this would cost a lot more to get aired. On the other hand, I do not think that my film would be distributed into cinemas as it isn’t a well-known movie and it doesn’t have famous actors in it which would instantly make it less popular. People may not even wish to pay to watch the film, making it more favourable to be streamed online. Moreover, advertising the thriller would cost a lot, along with the costs to distribute it in cinemas.
The pluses of streaming my film are that it doesn’t cost to watch and doesn’t necessarily require download which is ideal for people who want to watch a quick film. Being able to stream a video allows people to send the links to other people which will get more viewing. This is an advantage for small film companies to get up and running. The disadvantages are that people may not know of the film and therefore won’t watch it, reducing views and popularity.My work compares to other professional films in both similarities and contrasts. The similarities being that it beings the film and then adds the credits, which then allows a change of scene after the credits where the movie kicks in. I would like my film to be a Paramount Pictures film company production as they tend to do popular films and have a well-known uplift to the product. Paramount Pictures helps introduce the latest and upcoming films so would be ideal for my film.
It differs in the sense that my film was done initially by me, without any help, therefore making it not very professional. The actors used were not trained and I didn’t take many shots due to the bad weather and time of day which affected the lighting, giving an amateur impression. The equipment used wasn’t very efficient as the tapes were faulty, meaning it took six attempts of filming. There was some camera shake as I didn’t use a track for the camera. As the tapes were faulty, I had to film on different days using different cameras so the quality changes and on one camera the screen display settings were visible. The audio during my film had to be muted due to the loud ambient sound interfering with the speaking scenes.
Who Would Be The Audience For Your Media Production?
The target audience for our thriller is for people over the age of 15 to around the age of 30. I think that the majority of the audience will be male as stereotypically it is what they prefer. However, according to our questionnaire, females also like this genre of film. The reason it is ages 15 and above is because it has scenes of violence and crude language. The scenes of violence are when Jack Collins, the Hit man, is murdering people and when he is getting threats from his Boss. Also, in one of the final scenes where Lilly Collins kills the Boss. Violent language is used throughout. I think that target audience will be in this age group because the couple in my film are in their 20s so the audience will be able relate to characters more, which will make them more likely to watch the film as they will be more connected and emphasis with the characters, making them want to find out what happens in the end. The second set of questionnaires that I distributed shown that it was a near enough balance of both male and female people who would be interested in watching the thriller all the way through so both genders are in the 15 to 30 age barrier.
I think that the film may appeal to people outside of the target audience because not everyone is the same so some women and older people may be interested in the storyline. However, i don’t think that many people under the age of 15 would enjoy it as it contains a plot twist which would make it more confusing.
I undertook an interview which one of the viewers of the opening sequence of my film.
1. Would you watch the rest of the thriller?
Yeah, I would like to see what happens to the man and I want to see how his wife reacts when she finds out what he has done.
2. Was tension created throughout?
When the music started it began and then when the male appeared it continued from there.
3. On a scale of 1 to 10 how entertaining was it?
I’d say a 7 or an 8.
4. On a scale of 1 to 10 how appropriate was the background music?
9 because it could have created more tension than it did, however, it suited.
5. Was the font appropriate for the thriller?
Yeah, it doesn’t appear to be a very gory film and the idea of it being mysterious made the formal font suit it.
6. Did the order of the shots make sense?
Yes.
7. Was our thriller similar to any other thrillers you have seen?
The idea of the main character being a hit man was similar to other films but the storyline on the whole wasn’t.
8. Was it a typical thriller in terms of the plot, characters and props?
Yes, the villain being a man was stereotypical but I liked it.
9. On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the editing?
The editing was good, but the sound could have been better. I’d give it a 7 out of 10.
10. Did you like the plot and storyline?
Yes, I like how mysterious the man was.
11. How did the music effect your emotions?
It made me a bit edgy and I started to anticipate that something was going to happen next.
12. Could you connect to the characters?
To the victims, yes. I felt sympathy towards them.
13. Was it a successful opening?
Mostly yes but it could be improved by making who the characters are clearer.
14. Was there a clear narrative?
Overall, yes. But at first I didn’t really understand who the man was.
It was fine at the beginning but gradually got darker which wasn’t too good. I’d give it around a 5 out of ten because it kept changing.
I decided to have a male villain, a female victim, a plot twist, dark lighting and music played by a piano in the background. The reason for these elements being applied in my thriller was because after undertaking audience research I collected results portraying what the potential audience wanted to see in my thriller and these aspects were highlighted to be the favourite. I gathered the audience research results and tallied them, then put them into graphs to reflect on which answer was more popular for each question.
The completed production is appropriate for my target audience as it was aimed at people ages 15-30, the majority being male. I know that it was appropriate as i took ideas and made adjustments after reviewing the first pre-filming questionnaire which was undertook to see exactly what the potential audience wanted. The second post-filming questionnaire showed me what the audience did and didn't like about the film and the majority of the respondents gave mainly good reactions to it. This indicates that it was in fact a good opening sequence.
When my target audience were watching the film i wanted them to get the message that you don't always know someone as much as you think you do. This is portrayed when Lilly, Jack's wife, finds out about his true profession, his 'double life.' As they were watching it i wanted them to feel sympathy towards the victim even though we don't know who she is. The reason that i didn't go into any detail about the victim in the thriller is because i wanted her to appear anonymous and for it to appear to be a random killing. Here i was aiming to get the sympathy towards her. I wanted the audience to then develop an instant dislike towards Jack as he appears to be the villain. That's when the plot twist comes in and we realise his motive and that he is too in fact a victim as his boss won't let him quit this life style without their being a consequence.
Overall, the majority of my target audience thought that my opening sequence was successful and appeared to enjoy it. However, in the questionnaire after watching the thriller they pointed out aspects that didn't work too well. The main area to improve was the lighting, this was the main negative. They thought it was too dark and that it could have been better. It affected the atmosphere of the film and made it difficult to read the emotions of the characters. I realised this myself during the editing stages and tried to amend it, however, i couldn't appear to solve the problem and lighten it. I will take this into account next time and perhaps use a better camera and film when it isn't dull outside so the light isn't affected as much. On a positive, they thought that the shots were effective and made the storyline clearer.
What Have You Learnt About Technologies From The Process Of Constructing This Product?
Undertaking the task of making a thriller movie has taught me how to handle using various pieces of equipment such as the camera and how effective a tripod is. During the editing stages of the film i realised that i had to make the film longer which meant going out and filming more footage. During the filming stages i struggled with filming alone as it was difficult arranging everything, such as, the meeting dates, locations and actors. I also found issues with the tape as it crossed two pieces of footage when playing back, in the end i'd filmed six times. The lighting was an issue due to poor weather and the filming deadline. During the filming stage outdoors, people kept passing by and ruining shots which meant more shots were having to be taken, making editing more difficult. Finding actors in the first place was an issue as not a lot of people were up to it. Another problem was the ambient sound so i had to mute the sound during editing.
Muted Sound
Long Shot
When editing i added titles, giving the productions studio name, credits and the thriller title. The font was formal and white so it stood out on the dark background. Sound was added to create tension; the frequency of the piano chords increased as shots changes, and then went slower again. Using Premiere was fairly easy but not efficient as it took too long to do the basics. I didn't use any special effects, however, I could have used one when showing Jack's flash backs but I didn't because i couldn't find an appropriate one. To give a small effect I changed the shot transaction so it faded white and then back into the next shot.
Title
Fade Out and Back In
Looking Back At Your Prliminary Task, What Do You Feel You Have Learnt In The Progression From It To The Full Product?
I can't really compare my skills in this project to the ones gained from the 'walk through the door' task as i was in a group then and wasn't for this one. However, my individual knowledge of how to work on Premiere when editing has developed and i am definitely developing my ability to work alone. Working alone was by far the biggest problem during the production but i got on with it, doing a section at a time. I am disappointed with the quality of the film as it has bad lighting, sound, display and actors but i made the most of it and the editing made a good recovery for it. Overall, given the situation, i think it was quite good and met the terms of the brief dispite my disappointment.
I wouldn't compare my film to a professional film as mine is far from profession as i only had myself to work with, a one man crew, making me the director, camera man, producer, editor, etc. And if i were to change anything about my production i would change the storyline, actors and ask to be in a better group so i didn't have all of the responsibility and pressure of doing it by myself. I would take more shots so i had a range to choose from which would be at a reasonable standard or i'd just get better actors. I would film when it is lighter and in a better location so passerbys weren't interrupting the shots.
20/12/2010
SECTION 1: THE THRILLER GENRE
Thriller Theories and Concepts
The term 'thriller' according to the dictionary is 'a loose genre term referring to any film that generates suspense and excitement as a major aspect of its narrative.'
G. K. Chesterton: The Transformed City
He was an early 20th century writer of thriller stories
He said that thrillers take urban settings and transform them into exciting locations for drama settings
An example of this would be Jaws, a small urban town which all changes when these shark attacks occur
Northrop Frye: Heroic Romance
He said that thrillers take ordinary people and put them in extraordinary situations
An example of this would be American Psycho as the man appears to be perfectly normal until he is behind closed doors where his true self is revealed
John Cawelti: The Exotic
He said that thrillers take the elements of an ordinary life and added an exotic element
An example of this is Shutter Island where Teddy is doing his job and a series of mysteries reveal themselves throughout the film, and he discovers something about himself
W.H. Matthews: Mazes and Labyrinths
He wrote about how humans are fascinated by puzzles and said that thrillers often use the idea of a mysterious quest in a confined location, feeling like a labyrinth
Although it is still uncertain what the genre of Inception is, i think that this would be an example of this thiller theory as it is based upon mind games and a quest set in a dream world. The idea of it being all in a dream gives the impression that there are no limits, when in fact there are when you're on a mission
Pascal Bonitzer: Partial Vision
He said that the audience is given a partial view of things and important details are obscured
Shutter Island also follows this thriller concept theory as the audience are often found to be confused until the very end
Noel Carroll: Question and Answer
He said that thrillers are based on creating questions that the audience is led to want to answer
Seven is an example of this thriller theory as it makes the audience suspect and assume certain things and then at the end you get your answer
Roland Barthes: Enigma Codes
He analysed all narratives in terms of codes that operate moment by moment. Enigma codes are moments in a narrative where the audience is led to ask a question, these tell the story and make it suspended and tense, the viewr is then to answer their own questions from an action, placing their own answer to it
This means that the audience will have their own interpritation of the film
I would say that my thriller abides by the concept of question and answers as in the opening sequence you are led to believe one thing and then a plot twist takes place and roles seem to switch and answers are revealed.
The term 'thriller' according to the dictionary is 'a loose genre term referring to any film that generates suspense and excitement as a major aspect of its narrative.'
G. K. Chesterton: The Transformed City
He was an early 20th century writer of thriller stories
He said that thrillers take urban settings and transform them into exciting locations for drama settings
An example of this would be Jaws, a small urban town which all changes when these shark attacks occur
Northrop Frye: Heroic Romance
He said that thrillers take ordinary people and put them in extraordinary situations
An example of this would be American Psycho as the man appears to be perfectly normal until he is behind closed doors where his true self is revealed
John Cawelti: The Exotic
He said that thrillers take the elements of an ordinary life and added an exotic element
An example of this is Shutter Island where Teddy is doing his job and a series of mysteries reveal themselves throughout the film, and he discovers something about himself
W.H. Matthews: Mazes and Labyrinths
He wrote about how humans are fascinated by puzzles and said that thrillers often use the idea of a mysterious quest in a confined location, feeling like a labyrinth
Although it is still uncertain what the genre of Inception is, i think that this would be an example of this thiller theory as it is based upon mind games and a quest set in a dream world. The idea of it being all in a dream gives the impression that there are no limits, when in fact there are when you're on a mission
Pascal Bonitzer: Partial Vision
He said that the audience is given a partial view of things and important details are obscured
Shutter Island also follows this thriller concept theory as the audience are often found to be confused until the very end
Noel Carroll: Question and Answer
He said that thrillers are based on creating questions that the audience is led to want to answer
Seven is an example of this thriller theory as it makes the audience suspect and assume certain things and then at the end you get your answer
Roland Barthes: Enigma Codes
He analysed all narratives in terms of codes that operate moment by moment. Enigma codes are moments in a narrative where the audience is led to ask a question, these tell the story and make it suspended and tense, the viewr is then to answer their own questions from an action, placing their own answer to it
This means that the audience will have their own interpritation of the film
I would say that my thriller abides by the concept of question and answers as in the opening sequence you are led to believe one thing and then a plot twist takes place and roles seem to switch and answers are revealed.
07/12/2010
SECTION 2: RESEARCH INTO EXAMPLES OF COMPARABLE MEDIA PRODUCTS
Everything in the first few minutes of a thriller movie tends to give clues and an understanding of the characters' backgrounds so we can interpret certain aspects in our own way on the basis of what we have already been told about the character and the situation. This gets the audience involved more as they see it as a mystery-like film. Having this mystery is what often gets the audience hooked and willing to watch it further to see what happens and to see if they were correct. A plot twist is a common code and convention of a thriller movie and this is what gives the film an unexpected ending.
Mise-En-Scene
- Costume, make up and hair:
Lisa has a black/grey suit, brown hair and plain make up
The blonde girl has a white dress, blonde hair and 'pretty' make up
- The setting is in a hotel, a room being decorated and in a cab for the first ten minutes
- Props include keys and 'JR' wallet
- Movement and expressions all seem rushed and fast passed
- Lighting and colour
Bright inside and dark outside; outside is the vulnerable area
Character Profile
- The main girl used to be a sports player, a graduate and currently works in a hotel
- She has a dad and a recently passed away grandmother so she is out of town
Cinematography
- In the opening of the movie there is a close up of the wallet and keys
- The camera pans across pictures of graduation and sport; her past
- Over the shoulder shots are taken during speech
Sound
- The opening credits have a quick beat
- The opening scene consists of fast paced action with a matching rhythm
- Ambient sound is constant throughout
Narrative Structure
- The main character; Patrick's point of view
- He has mental health issues
- Thoughts from inside his head as spoken as if narrating the movie
Thriller Codes And Conventions
- Dark lighting
- Weapons such as guns
- Violent language
- A motive for being psychotic
- Blood and death
- Rushing people
- Alleyways
- A victim
Camera Work
- A long shot of the white apartment room as the camera enters, as if it's from someone's point of view
- An extreme close up of Patrick when he's peeling off a facemask (this could symbolise him changing from his psychotic self to a calm version)
- Panning is used to scan the rooms and follow people as they walk
- A shot from behind (this could suggest someone is watching them, or merely just show the area around them, how lonely it is - making us think something is going to happen next)
- Side shots are used.
- Worm's eye view of Patrick smoking near the dead body, showing superiority
- W.E.V tilting upwards after the murder, in a UV room, when he's discussing power
- A long shot is used when Patrick is walking away from the murder
Mise-En-Scene
- It is set in a restaurant where people are smoking and eating
- The killing is at night time
- People are wearing smart clothes
- Darkness is used to portray danger
- Guns are used in killings
- His room is all white and has technology such as a laptop, nothing really seems insane unless you're comparing his home to an institute where everything is white
- It is dark outside when the man and women are both walking, suggesting something will happen as night time presents a vulnerable atmosphere
- He has a red white stained shirt which he has taken to the cleaners
- The victim is alone in the dark with his dog
- There are references to death and insanity when Patrick speaks to people
- In his apartment there is news paper on the floor, music on loudly, sheets on the furniture and he is wearing a raincoat
- He smokes a cigar
Sound
- Ominous/Dischorded; uncomfortable
- Strings jarring on instruments
- Atmospheric drone
- Melodic and sophisticated
- Loud night club music
- Positive/Happy music when killing the man
- Music sounding peaceful, dreamy when discussing a better world
- Contrapuntal sound; a sad scene with positive music over it
- Child singing creepy music, starts peaceful but gets eary
- Ambient sound when someone exchanged business cards - as if it's the anger in his head burning up
Editing
- There is a parallel auto visual
- There are no slow motion effects
- There are two minutes of killing and twenty-eight minutes of character build up
Graphics
- Made to think its blood drops when it's not which is foreshadowing later events, in the opening credits
- White writing, suggesting its purity and innocence, along with sophisticated aspects
Narrative Structure
- It starts straight into the film
- The order of events is chronological, however it consists of flash backs when showing previous memories from Teddy’s (the main character's) point of view
- It gives the year and destination at certain points when changing scene and time era
Thriller Codes And Conventions
- At some points in the film the music is uneasy/uncomfortable/disturbing
- The location is at a big old mental institution, a place that the main characters are alien to which creates discomfort
- It has flash backs
- The camera work has quick cuts to make the action seem fast paced and dangerous
- Tension is created throughout
- Mystery 'red herring' story line which is used to build up to a plot twist which is only discovered at the end
Camera Work
- There is use of an extreme long shot showing the Island that they're approaching to, this not only shows what they're arriving at and how big it is, but it portrays mystery as the camera slowly shows the movement the ship is making
- Mid shot of the two main characters stood on the ship, allowing us to see their appearance, is used
- A long shot of the main character, Teddy, before we're introduced to him
- An extreme long shot and zoom is used when it is showing the car driving to the institution
- Over the shoulder shot when in serious discussion of their where about, giving the audience their reasoning of being in the institution
- Crabbing when showing a grave stone – as if this is from someone’s point of view looking down on it
- Panning between some characters during dialogue is used
Mise-En-Scene
- A ship with the background dark and rainy outside
- Detective coats and trilby hats are used as costumes
- Barbed wire – ‘electrical perimeter’ - showing danger
- Old cars and uniform – Giving an idea of the decade it is in
- Mental institution – An out of bounds area – Forbidden, this also shows that the location is dangerous
- Tall metal gates, tall brick walls making it seem isolated, dangerous and tells us that there is no escape (which is later questioned when a women escapes, how can she escape with this type of security, all adding to the mystery)
Sound
- Screachy music in the opening
- Birds outside, gates shutting
- Sea being rained on, clanking chains, the ship, his footsteps
- Flash backs – ‘eeee’ music as if something isn’t right – Mysterious
- Tense music when arriving at the island, slow – Piano low chords, this gets louder and frequently repeats quicker, then another dull instrument is added along with a higher pitched one
- Car noises along with the above noise
Editing
- Opening credits fade into the first scene of the sea which then clears as a boat emerges from the fog
- Quick shots
- Slowed down shot of an old women 'shhing' them - Mysterious/Frightening
Graphics
- Opening credits; black background, bold grey writing, capital letters that fade towards the top
Narrative Structure
- There are some flash backs which shows why certain events are occurring in the film
- It starts with the attack and what happened in the build up to it showing the family effected (the protagonists)
- Then it goes to the courts and the detectives
Thriller Codes And Conventions
- Quick cuts
- Protagonists (victims) the family who are attacked
- Antagonists (villains) the two criminals who attack the family at the start
- Gruesome elements
- Weapons
- Night time attack
- Unexpected violence
- A plot twist; the protagonists are the family in the beginning and the antagonists are the two criminals, but this changes as the father in the family seeks revenge and becomes the antagonist in the film and kills other people
Camera Work
- In the opening scene, there is the use of bird's eye view which shows the scene from a child's point of view and then the dad's; reflecting the innocence and how unaware they are of what'll happen next
- There is a quick zoom from the door to the attack so show how unexpected the attack was and how violent it is
- Bird's eye view is used again when showing the court grounds, portraying how big it is
Mise-En-Scene
- The father and daughter bonding in the first scene, showing a good family connection, this adds to the sympathy in the next scene
- The criminal turns out the lights; making it go from a homely atmosphere where the victims are comfortable, to a dangerous place where they aren't in control
- Protagonist; a family consisting of a father, mother and young daughter
- Antagonist; two grown men with a baseball bat as a weapon
- The attack is at night time which is showing the vulnerability and a typical code and convention in a thrill
Sound
- Sly mysterious science music in the opening credits
- Radio played at the opening scene; casual, innocence and homely
- Knock on the door twice; impatience by an unknown character
- Sinister music; drowning out the shouting of the victims but emphasising the sound of the breathing and smashing
- Chilling and technical
- Sharp clanking noise; gruesome scene where the main character gets stabbed
- Slows down when the victims become helpless
Editing
- There is a quick cut from the main character walking to open the door to him being attacked, portraying how quick and unexpected the attack was
- There are sirens hears when the screen is black after the attack, this is used to hid the violence and to change scenes, making the film cut to the current place in time
- The opening title is played after the attack
Graphics
- There is a black background on the opening credits
- The credits and in white writing which stand out against the black background, it looks simple and professional
- The title is underlined in a professional/formal font but with cracks in it to show flaws in law perhaps
Narrative Structure
- It is in chronological order of when the events occur
- The narrative is in linear sequence
- The atmosphere is in associated locations
- The narrative is driven through the events of these two main characters
- A hippy scene on the beach is shown before the first attack; taking off clothes on the beach which symbolises vulnerability
- It is at night time which gives a sense of danger
Thriller Codes And Conventions
- Diversity is given which builds up to an event where the tension is scarier than the actual thing, this leads you to thinking something is going to happen when it doesn't. This happens in the opening credits when you think the shark is going to kill someone even though we don't physically see the shark during the opening; this is impartial vision
- It has dark, low key lighting creating shadows; the imagery here supports the sound
- A victim (the protagonist)
- Fear of the unknown - what is in the water in the opening credits
- Tense music which is also the theme tune, we associate this sound with danger so whenever we hear it we expect something bad to happen
- 'Transform city' scene in a normal city but turns extraordinary as bad things start to happen due to the shark
Camera Work
- The camera angle is from a fishes point of view in the opening credits; this could be Jaws
- There is a use of an Extreme Long Shot of the seal shows how far out she is and how big the water is portraying that she has nothing to save her
- There is a Close Up of the women on the attacking scene
- 180 degree rule on the beach scene where everyone is socialising, this is used so we don't get confused about the positioning of the characters
- Short reverse shot - looking at the guy then the girl and then back to him, this hints that they like each other
- Long Shot of everyone; showing the main characters who like each other
- Worm's eye view is used when we are looking up at her swimming from under the water; this could be the shark looking up at her
- There is the use of an Extreme Long Shot of the water after she's been dragged under; as if nothing happened and no one will know what did happen
Mise-En-scene
- Beach/sea scene
- Taking off clothes; symbolises her being strip from protection, she is vulnerable and it represents a damsel in distress
- Wooden railings could symbolise the shark's teeth or vertebrae - foreshadowing
- She shows playful nature by going under the water which could also portray the shark image and foreshadow a later event
- Rings a bell; surrender danger signal and depuration
Sound
- The theme tune played in the opening credits and in 'action' scene to create suspense
- Wind is blowing before the film actually starts; it sounds like a submarine (in the opening credits)
- Non-diegetic sound which plays with the audiences mind
- Minor chords to create tension and they get faster and louder
- Tense music changed to non-diegetic to diegetic; calm and layback which contrast
- We are trained to notice the theme tune as the signal for danger
Editing
- The theme tune is played on a dangerous, scary scene to alert the audience that they should expect something to happen. However, sometimes it is just the use of diversity as the build up works up to nothing
- We hear screams on her shot, silence/waves on his; this shows that she is far out, alone, in danger and helpless and when this stops, it shows she's dead
Graphics
- The opening credits have white writing on a black background which stands out and a bold title
Narrative Structure
- The focaliser is mainly from the detectives' point of view as they are the main characters, unless it's in direct speech and other characters are speaking
- It is in chronological order of present tense events
- Linear; the events occur in the order of days they happen, as if a diary is being re-lived
Thriller Codes And Conventions
- Darks scenes
- Mysterious music creating tension
- Mystery characters creating a fear of the unknown
- Dark settings; brown/black/grey
- Quick cuts on camera angles
- Sympathy for the victim/protagonist
Camera Work
- Close camera work for direct speech
- Long side shots to show the scene and suspense
- Quick cuts
- Worm's eye when getting into cars before action
- Long shots when cars are moving out
- Bird's eye when showing cars pulling up outside the building where the next - section of action continues
Mise-En-Scene
- White clothing and bedding when showing Detective Mills' home life
- Bars on shop windows to set the atmosphere for the type of area they're in
- Sirens, shouting and dogs barking
Sound
- Scary screeching music on opening credits making the audience feel uncomfortable as it comes across quite gruesome
- Tense and mysterious
- Dogs barking, shouting, screaming (opening credits) and sirens
- Metronome trying to drown out the above noises
- Music starts quiet creating the build up and the increases the volume when the action starts
Editing
- Quick cuts
- Sharp transitions
Graphics
- Scratchy, wobbly writing flashing for a scary, unnerving effect in the opening credits
- White writing on a black background
- Images foreshadowing later events in the film
Red Eye
Mise-En-Scene
- Costume, make up and hair:
Lisa has a black/grey suit, brown hair and plain make up
The blonde girl has a white dress, blonde hair and 'pretty' make up
- The setting is in a hotel, a room being decorated and in a cab for the first ten minutes
- Props include keys and 'JR' wallet
- Movement and expressions all seem rushed and fast passed
- Lighting and colour
Bright inside and dark outside; outside is the vulnerable area
Character Profile
- The main girl used to be a sports player, a graduate and currently works in a hotel
- She has a dad and a recently passed away grandmother so she is out of town
Cinematography
- In the opening of the movie there is a close up of the wallet and keys
- The camera pans across pictures of graduation and sport; her past
- Over the shoulder shots are taken during speech
Sound
- The opening credits have a quick beat
- The opening scene consists of fast paced action with a matching rhythm
- Ambient sound is constant throughout
American Psycho
Narrative Structure
- The main character; Patrick's point of view
- He has mental health issues
- Thoughts from inside his head as spoken as if narrating the movie
Thriller Codes And Conventions
- Dark lighting
- Weapons such as guns
- Violent language
- A motive for being psychotic
- Blood and death
- Rushing people
- Alleyways
- A victim
Camera Work
- A long shot of the white apartment room as the camera enters, as if it's from someone's point of view
- An extreme close up of Patrick when he's peeling off a facemask (this could symbolise him changing from his psychotic self to a calm version)
- Panning is used to scan the rooms and follow people as they walk
- A shot from behind (this could suggest someone is watching them, or merely just show the area around them, how lonely it is - making us think something is going to happen next)
- Side shots are used.
- Worm's eye view of Patrick smoking near the dead body, showing superiority
- W.E.V tilting upwards after the murder, in a UV room, when he's discussing power
- A long shot is used when Patrick is walking away from the murder
Mise-En-Scene
- It is set in a restaurant where people are smoking and eating
- The killing is at night time
- People are wearing smart clothes
- Darkness is used to portray danger
- Guns are used in killings
- His room is all white and has technology such as a laptop, nothing really seems insane unless you're comparing his home to an institute where everything is white
- It is dark outside when the man and women are both walking, suggesting something will happen as night time presents a vulnerable atmosphere
- He has a red white stained shirt which he has taken to the cleaners
- The victim is alone in the dark with his dog
- There are references to death and insanity when Patrick speaks to people
- In his apartment there is news paper on the floor, music on loudly, sheets on the furniture and he is wearing a raincoat
- He smokes a cigar
Sound
- Ominous/Dischorded; uncomfortable
- Strings jarring on instruments
- Atmospheric drone
- Melodic and sophisticated
- Loud night club music
- Positive/Happy music when killing the man
- Music sounding peaceful, dreamy when discussing a better world
- Contrapuntal sound; a sad scene with positive music over it
- Child singing creepy music, starts peaceful but gets eary
- Ambient sound when someone exchanged business cards - as if it's the anger in his head burning up
Editing
- There is a parallel auto visual
- There are no slow motion effects
- There are two minutes of killing and twenty-eight minutes of character build up
Graphics
- Made to think its blood drops when it's not which is foreshadowing later events, in the opening credits
- White writing, suggesting its purity and innocence, along with sophisticated aspects
Shutter Island
Narrative Structure
- It starts straight into the film
- The order of events is chronological, however it consists of flash backs when showing previous memories from Teddy’s (the main character's) point of view
- It gives the year and destination at certain points when changing scene and time era
Thriller Codes And Conventions
- At some points in the film the music is uneasy/uncomfortable/disturbing
- The location is at a big old mental institution, a place that the main characters are alien to which creates discomfort
- It has flash backs
- The camera work has quick cuts to make the action seem fast paced and dangerous
- Tension is created throughout
- Mystery 'red herring' story line which is used to build up to a plot twist which is only discovered at the end
Camera Work
- There is use of an extreme long shot showing the Island that they're approaching to, this not only shows what they're arriving at and how big it is, but it portrays mystery as the camera slowly shows the movement the ship is making
- Mid shot of the two main characters stood on the ship, allowing us to see their appearance, is used
- A long shot of the main character, Teddy, before we're introduced to him
- An extreme long shot and zoom is used when it is showing the car driving to the institution
- Over the shoulder shot when in serious discussion of their where about, giving the audience their reasoning of being in the institution
- Crabbing when showing a grave stone – as if this is from someone’s point of view looking down on it
- Panning between some characters during dialogue is used
Mise-En-Scene
- A ship with the background dark and rainy outside
- Detective coats and trilby hats are used as costumes
- Barbed wire – ‘electrical perimeter’ - showing danger
- Old cars and uniform – Giving an idea of the decade it is in
- Mental institution – An out of bounds area – Forbidden, this also shows that the location is dangerous
- Tall metal gates, tall brick walls making it seem isolated, dangerous and tells us that there is no escape (which is later questioned when a women escapes, how can she escape with this type of security, all adding to the mystery)
Sound
- Screachy music in the opening
- Birds outside, gates shutting
- Sea being rained on, clanking chains, the ship, his footsteps
- Flash backs – ‘eeee’ music as if something isn’t right – Mysterious
- Tense music when arriving at the island, slow – Piano low chords, this gets louder and frequently repeats quicker, then another dull instrument is added along with a higher pitched one
- Car noises along with the above noise
Editing
- Opening credits fade into the first scene of the sea which then clears as a boat emerges from the fog
- Quick shots
- Slowed down shot of an old women 'shhing' them - Mysterious/Frightening
Graphics
- Opening credits; black background, bold grey writing, capital letters that fade towards the top
Law Abiding Citizen
Narrative Structure
- There are some flash backs which shows why certain events are occurring in the film
- It starts with the attack and what happened in the build up to it showing the family effected (the protagonists)
- Then it goes to the courts and the detectives
Thriller Codes And Conventions
- Quick cuts
- Protagonists (victims) the family who are attacked
- Antagonists (villains) the two criminals who attack the family at the start
- Gruesome elements
- Weapons
- Night time attack
- Unexpected violence
- A plot twist; the protagonists are the family in the beginning and the antagonists are the two criminals, but this changes as the father in the family seeks revenge and becomes the antagonist in the film and kills other people
Camera Work
- In the opening scene, there is the use of bird's eye view which shows the scene from a child's point of view and then the dad's; reflecting the innocence and how unaware they are of what'll happen next
- There is a quick zoom from the door to the attack so show how unexpected the attack was and how violent it is
- Bird's eye view is used again when showing the court grounds, portraying how big it is
Mise-En-Scene
- The father and daughter bonding in the first scene, showing a good family connection, this adds to the sympathy in the next scene
- The criminal turns out the lights; making it go from a homely atmosphere where the victims are comfortable, to a dangerous place where they aren't in control
- Protagonist; a family consisting of a father, mother and young daughter
- Antagonist; two grown men with a baseball bat as a weapon
- The attack is at night time which is showing the vulnerability and a typical code and convention in a thrill
Sound
- Sly mysterious science music in the opening credits
- Radio played at the opening scene; casual, innocence and homely
- Knock on the door twice; impatience by an unknown character
- Sinister music; drowning out the shouting of the victims but emphasising the sound of the breathing and smashing
- Chilling and technical
- Sharp clanking noise; gruesome scene where the main character gets stabbed
- Slows down when the victims become helpless
Editing
- There is a quick cut from the main character walking to open the door to him being attacked, portraying how quick and unexpected the attack was
- There are sirens hears when the screen is black after the attack, this is used to hid the violence and to change scenes, making the film cut to the current place in time
- The opening title is played after the attack
Graphics
- There is a black background on the opening credits
- The credits and in white writing which stand out against the black background, it looks simple and professional
- The title is underlined in a professional/formal font but with cracks in it to show flaws in law perhaps
Jaws
Narrative Structure
- It is in chronological order of when the events occur
- The narrative is in linear sequence
- The atmosphere is in associated locations
- The narrative is driven through the events of these two main characters
- A hippy scene on the beach is shown before the first attack; taking off clothes on the beach which symbolises vulnerability
- It is at night time which gives a sense of danger
Thriller Codes And Conventions
- Diversity is given which builds up to an event where the tension is scarier than the actual thing, this leads you to thinking something is going to happen when it doesn't. This happens in the opening credits when you think the shark is going to kill someone even though we don't physically see the shark during the opening; this is impartial vision
- It has dark, low key lighting creating shadows; the imagery here supports the sound
- A victim (the protagonist)
- Fear of the unknown - what is in the water in the opening credits
- Tense music which is also the theme tune, we associate this sound with danger so whenever we hear it we expect something bad to happen
- 'Transform city' scene in a normal city but turns extraordinary as bad things start to happen due to the shark
Camera Work
- The camera angle is from a fishes point of view in the opening credits; this could be Jaws
- There is a use of an Extreme Long Shot of the seal shows how far out she is and how big the water is portraying that she has nothing to save her
- There is a Close Up of the women on the attacking scene
- 180 degree rule on the beach scene where everyone is socialising, this is used so we don't get confused about the positioning of the characters
- Short reverse shot - looking at the guy then the girl and then back to him, this hints that they like each other
- Long Shot of everyone; showing the main characters who like each other
- Worm's eye view is used when we are looking up at her swimming from under the water; this could be the shark looking up at her
- There is the use of an Extreme Long Shot of the water after she's been dragged under; as if nothing happened and no one will know what did happen
Mise-En-scene
- Beach/sea scene
- Taking off clothes; symbolises her being strip from protection, she is vulnerable and it represents a damsel in distress
- Wooden railings could symbolise the shark's teeth or vertebrae - foreshadowing
- She shows playful nature by going under the water which could also portray the shark image and foreshadow a later event
- Rings a bell; surrender danger signal and depuration
Sound
- The theme tune played in the opening credits and in 'action' scene to create suspense
- Wind is blowing before the film actually starts; it sounds like a submarine (in the opening credits)
- Non-diegetic sound which plays with the audiences mind
- Minor chords to create tension and they get faster and louder
- Tense music changed to non-diegetic to diegetic; calm and layback which contrast
- We are trained to notice the theme tune as the signal for danger
Editing
- The theme tune is played on a dangerous, scary scene to alert the audience that they should expect something to happen. However, sometimes it is just the use of diversity as the build up works up to nothing
- We hear screams on her shot, silence/waves on his; this shows that she is far out, alone, in danger and helpless and when this stops, it shows she's dead
Graphics
- The opening credits have white writing on a black background which stands out and a bold title
Seven
Narrative Structure
- The focaliser is mainly from the detectives' point of view as they are the main characters, unless it's in direct speech and other characters are speaking
- It is in chronological order of present tense events
- Linear; the events occur in the order of days they happen, as if a diary is being re-lived
Thriller Codes And Conventions
- Darks scenes
- Mysterious music creating tension
- Mystery characters creating a fear of the unknown
- Dark settings; brown/black/grey
- Quick cuts on camera angles
- Sympathy for the victim/protagonist
Camera Work
- Close camera work for direct speech
- Long side shots to show the scene and suspense
- Quick cuts
- Worm's eye when getting into cars before action
- Long shots when cars are moving out
- Bird's eye when showing cars pulling up outside the building where the next - section of action continues
Mise-En-Scene
- White clothing and bedding when showing Detective Mills' home life
- Bars on shop windows to set the atmosphere for the type of area they're in
- Sirens, shouting and dogs barking
Sound
- Scary screeching music on opening credits making the audience feel uncomfortable as it comes across quite gruesome
- Tense and mysterious
- Dogs barking, shouting, screaming (opening credits) and sirens
- Metronome trying to drown out the above noises
- Music starts quiet creating the build up and the increases the volume when the action starts
Editing
- Quick cuts
- Sharp transitions
Graphics
- Scratchy, wobbly writing flashing for a scary, unnerving effect in the opening credits
- White writing on a black background
- Images foreshadowing later events in the film
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