Tuesday 31 January 2012

Mise en scene

  • Weapon - knife
  • chair
  • rope
  • Protagonist clothes - hoodie - everyday clothes
  • Subconscious - dark clothing
  • Victim - wet hair, t-shirt (not bright, old) no shoes
  • Dark setting, atmosphere
  • Window

Soundtrack ideas

  • Contra punctual music e.g, classical
  • Rusty violin
  • Eerie atmospheric sounds
  • Faint, subtle music
  • Ambient sounds

Location Research


This one has the right light but is quite short.




These two are too bright and does not fit in with the thriller conventions.


This one has contrasts with light and dark areas



This one is also too bright

 This corridor is long and could be practical when filming our thriller


The light contrasts with the dark in this photo and is quite eerie

Friday 27 January 2012

What makes a Thriller?

Inception

- Complex plot and storyline
- Antagonist exploiting the protagonist's weakness (Unconventional - antagonist is from the subconscience)
- Committing a crime ('not technically legal')
- Gives more questions than answers in the opening
- Obscurity and ambiguity
- Enigmas

Sherlock Holmes

- Intelligible characters
- Complex case
- Antagonist exploiting the protagonist's weakness
- Bruding atmosphere/dark scenery
- Obscurity
- Enigmas

L.A Confidential

- Murders (but its not shown)
-

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Thriller Initial ideas - Brainstorm

Character Ideas

The opening reveals the protagonist/main character committing his first crime, but he doesn't feel up to it.  The Subconscious is the one who drives him to do this when doubt or second thoughts is presented.

'Achilles Heel' of protagonist/main character is his own self-doubt e.g antagonist is the conscience who has taken a human form and plays with his mind. Thinks it is a different character.

Subconscious deludes the protagonist from what is right and what is wrong. Persuades him that killing is saving people from everyday suffering.

Subconscious Ideas

- Subconscious is the enigma. It also has a large intellect which is owned by the protagonist, it can lead him to incorrect conclusions as well as bringing himself down and holding himself back when he chooses decisions not made by the Conscience.

- Subconscious is the devil side of the 'Angel and Devil' scenario and triggered by self-doubt. Created from accumulated malice (anger, stress etc) which could lead on to commit horrible acts.

- Can tap into protagonist's mind and recalls morbid desires that can drive the protagonist to insanity.

- Can appear in dreams as well as reality.

- Hurting the Subconscious can hurt yourself, hence being the same person.

Title ideas

- 'Think Again'
- 'Conscience'
- 'Enemy of Mine'
- 'Saviour'

Case 342 Sound Analysis

The cinematography and the editing contradict the voiceover, or the narrator, which in this case is unreliable. This is known as dramatic irony, as the audience know that the one being interviewed is lying whereas the interviewer does not know this. This makes the audience engaged with the film and it makes them think overtime. The voiceover can be considered both diegetic and non-diegetic. The interviewer can hear this as well as the audience who can hear this throughout the enigma.

The non-diegetic soundtrack plays an eerie and ambient sound, which creates tension and anxiety, as well as creating a more dramatic effect when the door opens at the end of the sequence as the music stops suddenly.

The audience know that this is an interview by the diegetic sound of the recording device that records the interview. This makes the situation more realistic and believable.

Monday 23 January 2012

Thriller review of previous work

U2-55 - Last Words

Unsteady took away tension and realism, as more hand held shots were used instead of steady shots using a tripod. Framing was rarely used but not in appropriate situation to match the story line. most camera shots were mainly mid distance and only one long distance (these gave the audience too much information and therefore obvious and bland). No close ups were used which meant that no enigmas could be created.

When they search for the house, it makes it seem appropriate for a crime/detective thriller to use information that a conventional police force would use. In costume, they did use smart wear to make characters look official but trainers were worn, this also ruined the realism of the image.

A split shot was used, but it didn't seem necessary as parallel editing was used anyway. This gave away too much information about one characters location and therefore the ending didn't shock the audience. Also, this caused confusion of who the main characters were. the continuity and general pace of the editing didn't match the characters actions fluently. One example is when the two characters open the door to the house, but the match-on-action effect wasn't achieved as the pace went from walking to running as soon as they opened the door.

Appropriate cuts were used and a blur disguised what we were about to see and created more of a shock, but in this case, it was not necessary as the character coming through the door didn't have any condition that would have given him a blurry vision (a blurry point-of-view shot). In the diegetic speech, the vocabulary was fairly casual during the whole opening, including the two "main" characters and also the unconvincing voice of the character in "distress". Bad cuts in the speech, ruined the continuity as some speech was cut off. The sound track stayed the same throughout, and was highly inappropriate to the narrative.

The non-diegetic soundtrack used wasn't entirely appropriate for this, as it gave a more upbeat and uplifting mood than it did to give suspense or a bruding atmosphere. It somewhat, however, did reflect on the characters movement, maybe to show their hurry, as it was moderately fast-paced.

Credits were used but not appropriately. At the beginning, a voiceover of a emergency call was used to add to the narrative and continues this until the credits have ended. But the credit titles were rushed it seems, as the font of the words were plain and inappropriate titles such as, 'Dead Guy' also ruined the effect and it gave away vital information to create the shock at the end of the sequence.

One of the genre conventions of a thriller may be a dark scenery, but they shot this is daylight and due to this, the atmosphere could not have been created. Another genre convention that they used was the enigma over someone's death. They have done this successfully as they didn't give the audience any answers to the cause early in the opening sequence, which keeps the suspense building. This can also create a complex plot even though they kept the arrival at the enigma simple, which is another thriller genre convention.

Thriller opening - The Exhibit




The opening sequence of the thriller film 'The Exhibit' contains flash images which create an enigma. They do this through mise-en-scene by displaying words such as 'murder' and showing a photo of a girl being crossed through which successfully makes the audience question what is happening on screen and helps them obtain an interest in the film. The flash images are also backed up with a mysterious character who also helps increase our interest in the film as the audience is intrigued to find out who the character might be.

However, one criticism which can be made of this opening sequence is that the nail varnish was bright pink which slightly ruins the intended impact of creating a dark setting. The reason it ruins this impact is because the bright pink colour would be considered more of a happy and bright colour than a dark and mischievous one.

On the whole though the sequence was kept mostly dark which gave is in tone with the conventions of a thriller as it was delivered as a thrilling and frighting film. Some may argue however that this could present the film to the audience as a horror rather than a thriller.

The speed of the opening sequence changes getting faster and faster giving the audience an ever increasing preview into what is to come in the film which in turn increase the anticipation felt by the audience.

Sunday 22 January 2012

Thriller Opening Sequence - Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Cinematography


Many shots were used as close-ups and extreme close-ups on different parts of a man's body. The shots also include Sherlock damaging these parts of the body. This shows that they are of significance and are important to the narrative. Another shot used was of Sherlock and Watson standing on a balcony over where the crime was taking place. The shot was a low angle combined with a canted angle, to emphasise the disturbance and the the confidence that both Sherlock and Watson had as they both shook hands in a humorous manner.

Sound


The non-diegetic soundtrack used was of a fast paced drum beat that could resemble the sound of time running out. This makes the chase also fast paced and full of tension and anxiety.
During the multiple shots of different parts of a man's body, a diegetic voiceover was used to represent Sherlock's mind as it gave intelligent analysis and information, showing his intellect which could also lead to who he is; his personality.

Editing


Each shot of a man's body was slowed down and fast forwarded at certain times, maybe to create an unexpected use of a conventional action fight, slowing down the shots during the attack and speeding it up at the point of impact. Also, many shots that were used in the fighting scene were very short, maybe to make it fast paced, and to make it so that 'quality than quantity'.

Mise en Scene


The costumes that Sherlock and Watson wear are of high-class garments that would have been worn during the 1900's, which the original 'Sherlock Holmes' story was set. Also, the enemies that work with the dark arts, wear dark cloaks that hide their faces to show a menacing personality, and maybe also to show who the opposing side is to Sherlock.

Tuesday 17 January 2012

Thriller Opening Sequence - Vertigo

Cinematography


At the start of the film there is an extreme close-up of a woman's face. It is focused mainly on the eye which widens as a red filter is used on the camera lens. The colour red gives reference to violence, blood and evil and gives a menacing sense as well as a disturbing atmosphere to the start of the film. At the chase scene, the main character who has 'vertigo' is seen hanging off a building by its gutter, and upon looking down, a vertigo shot/long shot was used to emphasise the distance of the drop and the character's fear of heights. The vertigo shot can also be used to make the audience feel the same way the character does, as this shot emphasises the trick of the mind.

Sound


During the chasing scene, a fast paced non - diegetic soundtrack is used to emphasise the pace of the chase. It also creates tension and anxiety. Also, as the main character, whose 'Achilles Heel' is his vertigo, looks down, the music gives a mesmerising sense, giving an exaggeration on the height of the drop that is reinforced by the 'Vertigo Shot' in cinematography.

Editing

As the camera zooms into the woman's eye, colours of spirals were used to engage the viewer with the film. It almost makes them experience a dizziness that the main character later experiences in the opening sequence. This way, we can feel the same way the main character does, knowing what his weakness is after having experienced it.

Mise en Scene

During the chase scene, a police officer and a detective are both chasing a criminal. The police officer wears the traditional uniform that is of a dark, navy colour with a police cap. With this, we can know his rank and his status. The detective wears a casual, expensive suit with a detective cap which shows that he is the detective.

Thriller Opening Sequence - Hidden

Cinematography

In the beginning of the film there is a long shot of the house, and it retains that shot for a long duration of time. Whilst this is happening, this makes the audience anxious for something to occur, and the extras walking in the shot to make it seem more realistic as it feels like the passing of everyday life.
But it is then revealed that the long shot was in fact a video recording, as the shot cuts from the long shot to a mid-shot of a husband and wife watching this recording. This shot can be considered an interval for when it cuts back to the long shot recording.

Sound


During the long shot recording, diegetic sounds that can be heard in open areas such as birds, airplanes etc, adds to the effect of realism and makes the audience feel as if they were there. Voiceovers were also used during the recording to show narrative. This is also used when the recording fast-forwards, using a noise of fast-forwarding the tape.

Editing


Parallel editing was used throughout the duration of the recording in continuity editing. One example of this is when it cross-cuts from the recording to the people watching it. But this also makes it seem as if the shots were played in montage editing, using a recording as a shot to show the past events and cutting it to the viewers of the recording to show the present.

Mise en scene


The extras walking in the shot were wearing normal everyday clothes which again, adds to the realism of  the film. The people watching the recording were wearing casual lounge clothing to show the time of day, which in this case is the afternoon. When the son comes into the shot he is wearing outside clothing and a school bag to show that he just came back from school.


Hanna Thriller Analysis

Information Contained in the Opening

Set in a forest of snow, we see a young girl hunting a reindeer. Because she is the only character in the first few minutes, we automatically assume that she is a main character. There is a fight scene between the girl and a man, this gives us an idea of their relationship.
The audience begins to ask questions such as; why are they in this particular setting away from society? What is the relationship between the two characters? And why is she training?

Use of Sound

There was no music during the opening, pushes us to focus more on the characters and also highlights the bleakness of the snow and setting.

Use of Cinematography
At the beginning lots of blocking is used to show how well hidden the girl is, maybe showing that she also is part of her environment. During the fight scene, there are many low angle shots on the man showing he has authority. After this scene, the camera zooms out on an aerial shot of the girl lying on the ground with the dead reindeer showing how similar they are.

Use of Editing

There isn't any parallel editing which singles the girl by herself. Editting creates illusions of the girl dissapearing, this exaggerates her stelthiness.