Prem Task

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5roAGVk8Sg

This is our group prem task where we decided to go on how two students ( katie and brittany ) decide to have a cigarette in the toilet before a lesson but a teacher ( tayler ) comes up and catches them in the act. This was basically a test of the directors ( will ) camera work and a group test on the editing side of things. The prem task was a test before we went into doing our opening scene, as a group we felt we learnt a lot from our prem task and feel our opening scene is now better off then it would of been without this practice.

The strengths of our Prem task is how the teacher (Tayler) is coming up to catch the girls is the sort of suspense that we could use in our thriller opening sentence letting the audience get into the movie and wanted to tell the girls to run and get out of there.

The weaknesses of this prem task was that it dosent help to much with our thriller it seems to be more of a comedy than a serious thriller which is a shame but i still felt we learnt a lot with the different camera shots etc.

Evaluation

•  What is the purpose of a target audience?

The purpose of a target audience is so that you know who your aiming your movie at. A target audience, is a specific group of people within the target market at which a product or the marketing message of a product is aimed at. For example when your creating your movie you need to know who your aiming it at because you need to put an age certificate on the film and you don't want to put the wrong age certificate on your film.

•     what types of research did you carry out and why?

We carried out primary research because we went and got all the data ourselves we went round school and asked different ages of people our questions and they answered. 

•         How many people did you survey and why?

      I surveyed 40 people i asked them questions from my questionnaire and they gave me their answers. I choose the number to be 40 because i wanted a wide range off answers from different age groups and audience

Were the vox pops successful and how will you with planning your thriller film?

      The vox pops were successful because we have got evidence of the answers from the questionnaire on camera. We got members of the publics point of view and what they thought this is also a good use of vox pops.

•          Pick 3 different questions and discuss the results that you received. Explain how your results will assist you and your group with planning your thriller film

          What is your preferred age certificate? 

7 people said PG    7 people said 12/12A    20 people said 15   6 people said 18

         What are your expectations of a thriller film?

3 people said Flashbacks   10 people said Night Scene  15 people said weapons   12 people said Protagonist / Antagonist

        What type of sound would you say works best within a thriller film?

    10 people said Tension building  10 people said Suspense sound  10 people said Horror sounds  10 people said Other

•        Were there any answers that you had to reconsider and why? 

   There were no answers that i had to reconsider.

My research will assist me in planning our thriller because as a group we have conducted all the necessary questions that will help us in creating it. We have got all the data from the public that we interviewed and we are going to listen to what they have said and will consider their views when creating it. Hopefully by listening to their views and doing what they have said we will make our thriller appeal to all members of the public.

Group Narrative

Out of our group we have each made an individual narrative but with all of them there will be advantages and disadvantages, by the end we will choose one of them and stick by it for our opening scene to our thriller film.

Brittany Terrelonge

For Brittany's narrative it is 4 friends sleeping over starting off as a normal sleepover watching films as discussing secrets when one of them decides to put across the idea of doing an Ouija board and they all end up agreeing to it. But when they do it one of them gets spooked and drops the glass, this is bad and as soon as it happens spooky things start happening around the house and they all become scared and what follows is unknown.

Advantages of this is that is has a good basis for a film and can easily include special effects that could show the house to be haunted and what things happen could be presented well. It is also is good as it relates to the age group as it is something that would happen at a sleepover but includes what could go wrong.

The disadvantages that come from this are that it may be hard to include all special effects as we only have the basics, it will also be hard to create a scene and make the house seem spooky and haunted. It will also be hard to be all serious about what is happening and will have to include some good acting which may be hard to do.

Katie O'Shaughnessy

Katie's individual narrative is that there are 4 people living in a house and one of them becomes possessed, this is because she is the youngest and most vulnerable, the other 4 get spooked out and decide to do an Ouija board and it spells out the girls name, and says other various spooky things, in the end the get in an exorcist to sort her out.

Advantages of this theory is that it is a good set for a thriller film, you could include various jumpy scenes, eery sounds and edits to make it seem as if the girl is truly possessed.

Disadvantages of Katie's narrative is that it would be very hard to edit it to a good standard to make the story believable and also have to include various props and things that may be hard to obtain, another down side is that it seems the narrative for the opening scene has all of the story embedded in it and what happens later on will just be little extras and no real surprise.

Will Stacey 

Wills individual narrative is that as a group we create a voodoo doll of Tayler so that when we do anything to the voodoo doll it happens to Taylor for example if we broke the leg on the voodoo doll Taylor's leg would break as well. The story behind the thriller is that brittany is obsessed with tayler and because she is mad and completely loopy she creates the voodoo doll of tayler so if he ever hurts her she has a way to get him back which is very twisted.

 

Advantages of this thriller is that there is a good background for suspense and thriller related conventions, the audience will also be kept on their feet and may also become frightened and start to feel feelings towards tayler in that they want to save him etc

 

Disadvantages of this however is that it would be hard to make what happens to the voodoo doll look real upon tayler and may look very fake causing the scary, thriller side of this story to lose its effect.

 

Tayler CoeMy idea for my thriller film is that there is a man that has been kidnapped and is left in a room all alone, where if he is not found within 6 hours new form of spider will be released upon him where it will eat and kill him. The character that is stuck in the room will be a black man that has been in a gang which has been robbing and killing people and is now karma is coming back on him. The enigma behind it is the man that is captured, carter ( the gang member ) is one of the people that was a victim to the gang but has survived and is now getting his own back on carter.Advantages of my story is that it will be good in creating horror and suspense as it will be showing the man in the room and then the others outside of that room trying to help and find him before its to late giving a race against time suspense effect.Disadvantages of this however is that there is no way we can get a giant spider or even cgi one that will look slightly real, it will also be hard to find the type of room i describe in my narrative to film in just around the are we live in.  The narrative that as a group we have decided to use is Brittany Terrelonges teh way we can make Brittanys narrative into a special effect, suspense filled thriller is overwhelming and we have therefore decided to choose Brittanys. 
 

Questionnaire

Questionnaire

1. Are you male or female?

Tick the selected box below

Male          Female

2. How old are you?

Tick the selected box below

15-18         19-21           22-25           26+

3. Within a thriller film, what would you see is your preferred age certificate?

Tick the selected box below

   12         15         18

4. What advertisement would you say attracts you into a thriller the most?

Tick the selected box below

TV         Posters Recomm- Other

                         endation     

5. What are you expectations of a thriller film?

Circle your choice below

Flashbacks, main characters as hero, protagonist/ antagonist (goodie/baddie), night scenes, car involvement, weapons, blood or other

6. What type of sound would you say works best within a thriller film?

Circle your choice below

Tension building, suspense sound, various sound effects, horror sounds or other

7. What characters do you intend to watch within a thriller film?

Circle your choice below

One main character, 2 characters (male/female), group of main characters, young characters, old characters

8. What well-known actors are expected to be seen in a thriller movie? Make a lost of the selected actors below

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

9. What setting within a thriller film would you say is most effective?

Circle your choice

A creepy house, graveyard, outdoors, haunted room, street, alley way or other

10. What other genres do you think works well when combined with a thriller film?

Tick the selected box below

Comedy  Action/    Crime  Other

              Adventure

11. Would you prefer a thriller film to start with a story line and work its way through to the main plot or start with a scary opening and use flashbacks throughout the rest of the film?

Complete your answer on the dotted lines below

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Questionnaires are important to our study as we can find out what people want in a thriller film and we can then appeal to the publics general needs. We shared this questionnaire with 40 people so we could get a large sample so we can therefore find out our needs to input our thriller film, we shared this between our group by handing out 10 sheets each and then coming together and putting all our answers together.

Pie chart

 

We used Pie charts to show the results and the evidence of our data and to present them in a clear way for other people to see. It also allowed us too see what people want in their thriller films if they were watching one. I will use these results to help us plan our thriller film, it will also tell us what age group and which gender of characters the audience want to see. This research has helped us in choosing which age range to use for our thriller and who we are going to aim it at and to understand what type of film the general public want to see.

Interviews

For our interviews we went around the school in our group, our group consists of Tayler Coe, Will Stacey, Brittany Terrelonge and Katie O'Shaugnessy. We walked around West Hatch High School with camera recorder and interviewed 5 people. We asked various questions about thriller films, what they like about them and what conventions they felt appropriate when watching a thriller film. The clips will last around 1 minute each and once completed we will upload them to the computers and edit them and post them to our blogs.

Narrative Theory

There are 3 main narratives theory;

Vladimar Propp a Russian critic, Propp believes that narratives are not important for the story line, he feels characters are ore of an importance.

Tzvetan Todorov states that a story is not all about characters its about the narrative and the equilibriums and disequilibrium. Every narrative should have a beginning, middle and end narrative.

Aristotle claims that shorelines should be completely about themes and that characters and narratives are not important.

Our groups narrative theory links in closest with Todorov and how its not all about the characters but focuses more on equilibriums and disequilibrium with the story having a beginning middle and end. Our plan for our opening scene is a sleepover with 4 friends when they decide to do an Ouija board but it turns wrong and things start to happen. The lights start to flicker on and off and people start to hear things. The opening scene will end there but we have planned the future of the film in that one of the friends continues to become haunted and in the ends commits suicide due to them not being able to take anymore.

Our group will be using various techniques including cinematography, sounds, mise-en-scene and edits to create a detailed opening scene. The scene is meant to scare the audience and spook them out and intrigue them to want to watch more to find out what will happen to the 4 teenagers.

Individual Narrative

Target Audience - 15

Location - Eery bathroom (to be decided on where etc) 

 

My idea for my thriller film is that there is a man that has been kidnapped and is left in a room all alone, where if he is not found within 6 hours new form of spider will be released upon him where it will eat and kill him. The character that is stuck in the room will be a black man that has been in a gang which has been robbing and killing people and is now karma is coming back on him. The enigma behind it is the man that is captured, carter ( the gang member ) is one of the people that was a victim to the gang but has survived and is now getting his own back on carter.

My inspirations for this film would definitely be saw and hostel. The twisted material in them both appeals to me and my thriller as i feel these are the best ways to entwine fear and suspense into films. Using the enigma method in Saw as to who these people are in the bathroom will be used in my thriller, and the ways in hostel that the people are tied up and cannot move will also be used although in my narrative it is not people killing people it is infact the spider that will be released. Another factor that implemented me on my structure of the film is that i personally have a dislike on spiders and they also resemble things like fear and horror.

My narrative is conventional to other thriller films as it hold many conventions of a thriller film such as dark lighting, it hold an enigma to who is he and why is he in there, the jump cuts that will link back to the spider will also be relevant as it will get the audience pumped and worried as to what will happen.

Age Certificates

Age Certificates

The British board of film classification is important to the film industry as it protects the viewers so that they don't get offended or scared. The certificates on the film are what the BBFC believe to be the appropriate to what ages, the classification for this are U, PG, 12, 12A, 15, 18, R18.

The first of these is U, this is usually were there is minimal violence no use of drugs, all scar sequences that relate to horror should be mild and unlikely to scare children and the outcome should be reassuring. There should be no dangerous behavior which could influence children to copy or any relation to realistic or easily accessible weapons. The language within the film is usually infrequent use only of very mild basic bad language. There should only be natural nudity that only comes occasionally and there should be no sexual context. There should only be mild sexual behavior e.g kissing. The themes included may seem problematic but the appliance must be sensitive and appropriate for the classification.

The next in line is PG, the discrimination language or behaviour is unlikely to be acceptable unless it is clearly disapproved of or unless it is used in an educational or historical context. Discrimination by a character which children can relate to or identify is unlikely to be acceptable. use of drugs or reference to illegal drugs must be innocuous and must carry an anti-drug message. The horror involved should not be prolonged or intense, there must be no detail of potentially dangerous behavior which young children are likely to copy. The language used should be mild language only all nudity involved should be natural whit no sexual context. All sexual activity my be implied, but must be discreet and infrequent only mild sex references and innuendo's only. The theme should not implement or condone any unacceptable behavior. Any violence put into the film should be moderate without detail may be allowed if in context.
Next is 12/12A, 12A only exists in the cinema, meaning no one under the age of 12 can attend unless accompanied by an adult and allow the children to attend on their judgement that the film will be suitable for the children. 12 category comes in when the film comes out on DVD and no one younger than 12 may rent or buy the dvd. Discriminatory language or behavior must be endorsed by the work as a whole. Any aggressive language or behavior is unlikely to be acceptable unless clearly condemned. Any drug use or misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should not be glamorized. Any horror involved such as disturbing sequences must be infrequent however moderate physical and psychological threat may be permitted. Any dangerous behaviour should not be in detail or implement anyone to try it at home or in any other environment, easily accessible weapons should also not be made glamorous. Moderate language is allowed throughout the film however strong language must be brief and infrequent. Nudity is allowed but in any sexual relation it must be brief and discreet. Mature themes are acceptable but their treatment must be suitable for young teenagers relevant to the certificate. Any moderate violence is allowed but should not be emphasised in detail any sexual violence must be brief also.

15 follows with no one allowed to view or buy/rent the dvd or video under the age of 15. Overall the film must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour. Any drugs included must not be emphasised or glamorised to promote the use of drugs and the use of any easily accessible drugs is likely to be unacceptable in the film. The horror included may be strong threat and menace unless it is sadistic or sexualised. Dangerous behaviour included in the film should not dweel on the detail which may allow it to be copied and easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised. During the film there may be frequent use of strong language and the strongest terms may be acceptable if justified, aggressive or repeated use of the strongest terms will most likely be classed as unacceptable. Any nudity is permitted however sexual context should not be used or filmed in strong detail. Sexual activity may be shown but not into to much detail, there may also be strong verbal references to the sexual behaviour but unless justified the strongest terms may be unacceptable. No theme is prohibited as long as the film meets the certificates age limitation. Any violence involved may be strong but should not dwell on any injury or pain, the strongest gory images or scenes are most likely to be unacceptable.

18 is next and this is when no one under the age of 18 is allowed to view the film in the cinema or buy/rent it in the shops etc. Also in line with the consistent findings of the BBFC’s public consultations and The Human Rights Act 1998, at 18 the BBFC’s guideline concerns will not normally override the principle that adults should be free to choose their own entertainment. Exceptions are most likely in the following areas: where the material is in breach of the criminal law, or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence. Where material or treatment appears to the BBFC to risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society – for example, any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which may cause harm to public health or morals. This may include portrayals of sexual or sexualised violence which might, for example, eroticise or endorse sexual assault. Where there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by context. In the case of video works (including video games), which may be more accessible to younger viewers, intervention may be more frequent than for cinema films. Where sex material genuinely seeks to inform and educate in matters such as human sexuality, safer sex and health, explicit images of sexual activity may be permitted. Sex works are works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation. Sex works containing only material which may be simulated are generally passed 18. Sex works containing clear images of real sex, strong fetish material, sexually explicit animated images, or other very strong sexual images will be confined to the R18 category. Material which is unacceptable in a sex work at R18 is also unacceptable in a sex work at 18. 

The R18 category is a special and legally restricted classification primarily for explicit works of consenting sex or strong fetish material involving adults. Films may only be shown to adults in specially licensed cinemas, and video works may be supplied to adults only in licensed sex shops. R18 video works may not be supplied by mail order. The following content is not acceptable: any material which is in breach of the criminal law, including material judged to be obscene under the current interpretation of the Obscene Publications Act 1959. Material (including dialogue) likely to encourage an interest in sexually abusive activity which may include adults role-playing as non-adults.The portrayal of any sexual activity which involves lack of consent. Any form of physical restraint which prevents participants from indicating a withdrawal of consent. The infliction of pain or acts which may cause lasting physical harm, whether real or simulated. Some allowance may be made for moderate, non-abusive, consensual activity. Penetration by any object associated with violence or likely to cause physical harm. Any sexual threats, humiliation or abuse which does not form part of a clearly consenting role-playing game. Strong physical or verbal abuse, even if consensual, is unlikely to be acceptable.

 

 

What is a Thriller ?

Codes and Conventions

Thrillers are used to build up suspense and always have dark backgrounds. In a thriller there is always a good and a bad character. Intwined in all thrillers is an enigma which a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand. The representation of most of the victims are usually presented as weak or feeble. The victims are normally dressed in white which shows innocence. Violence is a key in thriller films when there is a fight or murder scene. Occasionaly there will be dramatic irony where the victims know who their killers are, the sounds that are played non-diageticaly are usually jumpy which will go up and down or louder when the killer is approaching or something is about ot happen. Low key lighting is used to create shadows, slow editing will also be present to build suspense, shock and surprise. Always a representation of good and evil. Mirrors are usually used to show a good and evil side or to create suspense and a different camera angle. In thrillers there is always a narrative which is the storyline.

Saw 1 Opening Scene :
Enigma - there is 2 characters, 1 is on the floor tied up which sparks up the question of why is there a dead body in the room and why are 2 people tied up.
Sound - The sounds are creepy and jumpy when the man is in the bath.
Lighting -  It is low key and then lights are turned on and it is very bright.
The location - An abandoned bathroom
Cinematography - There is fake blood and a gun with the man in the middle of the room.
Non-diagetic sound - When the man says 'your not dead, no point in yelling' as you cannot see the man.

The props that are used in Saw is a gun and a tape recorder which signifies that it is a thriller, someone is going to be killed. The enigma is 2 characters are tied up and another man in the middle of the room surrounded by blood holding a tape recorder and a gun next to him. The location is an abandoned bathroom, you can tell this as it is dirty and all the walls have stains down them, the man also says that no one can hear you.

The colours are dark and the main light comes from the lights above the 2 characters. A jump cut is also used as the camera shot starts from them and then suddenly focuses on the dead person.

This opening sequence is a great start in relation to thriller films, it has an enigma dark lighting and eery sounds. These sorts of conventions are ones that i would like to include in my opening sequence to my thriller film as it will give it a good effect and will leave the audience wanting to find out more.

Edits

Strangers part 3

The first edit i picked up on whilst watching the Strangers was a reaction shot. The is when the subject looks outside to see if the person that was knocking at the door was still outside. This shows how she has reacted to the previous shot. This shows how the subject is scared and reacting to the dangers surrounding her, it also allows the audience relate to what they would do in such a situation. This relates to thriller films as it makes the audience feel suspense and anticipation that someone is around her house and she could be in possible danger.

The next bit of editing I realised was a jump cut. This is when the subject drops the smoke alarm after the fire starts giving off a lot of smoke and as the alarm hits the floor the door starts to knock again, this is when the camera jumps to the door symbolising a jump cut edit. This could let the audience feel as if they are looking from the subjects point of view as the camera may link in to the subjects sight. This relates to thrillers as if allows the audience to build suspense and feel fear as it would feel as if you are in the film world and felling the horror that the subject is feeling.

The third point that i realized in the clip was slow editing. this is present when the character has just received a knock on the door and as she is walking away she is slowly walking up to the window to see if the person who i knocking on the door is still outside. This edit creates suspense and tension as she is walking to the window because as she separates the curtains it plays on the audiences minds whether the person is there or not and if they were whether they will jump out on you. This is relevant to thriller films as the suspense that is created links to spooking the audience, which is one of the aims of a thriller film.


Watching this and getting to learn how editing works will help me when i come to do my own thriller as i will understand how to build anxiety and suspense throughout my opening scene which links in to thriller films and will enable me to create a effective scene using such effects as slow editing etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrCZ-X66KKQ

Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene of Prom Night


Mise-en-scene is a french term describing the arrangement of scenery and properties to represent the place where a play or movie is enacted. Mise-en-scene is important in the film world as without it you would not have what makes up a scene and it would not look professional or real life. Mise-en-scene also allows the audience to get an understanding of where they are and what they are doing there.

The setting for this film is not one of those that would usually be seen in the genre of thriller films as it is set in a posh hotel, set for a prom night with all the subjects appearing as if they are having a good time and enjoying themselves. This manipulates the audience as you believe it will be a nice night as it is a students prom night but what actually happens is different.

There is a fair amount of iconography throughout the scene. All the students are typically all in gowns and suits. You can also tell that it is party due to there being a lot of alcohol on the scene. Many of them with handbags and tiaras etc. However near the end of the scene  killer appears who uses a fire extinguisher which he smashes through the door with and then pulls out a knife which he intends to use on his victim. There are also guns used by police officers which come in the scene just after they understand the murderer is in the hotel room with Donna. The costume of the killer was dark clothing and his identity is hidden as he is wearing a hat and is in dark light most of the time. This is conventional to a thriller film as the murderer is usually hidden and dark. Although you do see his face at one point where he shows himself behind the victim as she is looking in the mirror. 

There are many facial expressions also throughout this part, the killer himself is very concentrated and serious as he has a task on hand killing the girl. The girl herself is very upset and and crying and her facial expression is very distraught. This may be because she is getting attacked and chased around the bedroom. The positioning throughout this scene is predominately focused on the victim ( Donna ) but at one point we see Donna standing in front of the mirror but as she drops her scarf you see the murderer behind her staring at her with flashing lights in the background signalizing danger.

Throughout the whole of the party there was bright and colorful with lights coming from the ceiling with the back lights being the lamps around the room on the walls and the light from the window being the filter. However in the room with the murderer and victim there was low key lighting, there is no main light but there is only a bedside lamp being the back light and for the filter light you can see a window with police sirens flashing in the background. However outside of the room there is a flashing light that we see when the killer comes out of the shadows when the camera shot is focused on the mirror. 

The target audience of this clip may start to feel for Donna as she is being chased around the room and stalked. They may start to feel distress for her and start to get involved with the film relating to what they would do in the situation. If the Mise-en-scene is applied correctly it will involve the audience and make them feel as if they were there.

This analysis of Mise-en-scene has helped me as when i come to do my own thriller film i will know how to create a scene that will have the effect of a thriller and make it symbolic.