My evaluation (Thriller Sequence)

For media, we had to write and produce a Treatment, a script, Character outlines and profiles, Recce and location plans, production material and then film our thriller movie opening sequence, during this time we had to keep tabs on our progress by typing up the planning material on our blogs.
1. in what ways does your thriller opening use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real thriller openings?
In Our thriller, we were influenced by the idea of a cop working on a serial killings case like the one in seven, we also was influenced to call the killer ‘the ripper’ from such films as ‘silence of the lambs’ and the true story of ‘jack the ripper’, we also was influenced to make a board with newspaper clippings and pictures of the dead victims like ‘silence of the lambs’ did because it gave a reality boost to the set we were filming on.
However we incorporated some of our own ideas such as the killer being the detective suffering from multiple personality disorder, we also made up the detective’s family from scratch and thinking up names, we also made the detective’s office seem real by placing photo’s in frames like a picture of two children playing, and a picture of a birthday cake about to be cut, this gave the detective a family man persona or stereotype, because of the way he had personalised his office.
Our thriller sequence uses different conventions as a thriller film would for its opening sequence, we used,
-Enigma codes; to make the viewer ask questions as to what’s going to happen and to make them want to watch the film to find out.
-Close up/ Extreme close ups; to make people wonder what the object is, which also makes them want to carry on watching the film to find out, so basically, the close ups create more Enigma codes.
-We made our thriller sequence 2 minutes long, which is the normal time for the opening of any thriller opening sequence.
-There were parts of our film that were dark, because they were the parts with the killer, so we made those frames darker so that it created a eerie and creepy atmosphere, which fitted with the killer.
-We made the thriller sequence a linear sequence but it swapped back and too between the killer and the detective and what they did, the detective being in his office and with his wife, and the killer claiming victims and cleaning the blood off his hands.
-We used an eerie music track in our sequence to add to the tension and to make it creepier.
But we also went against some conventions,
-In most thriller films, the film is set at night, to create an eerie atmosphere and to give a feeling that the victim or whoever is being chased or secretly hunted by the killer is alone and no one can help them.
-We also didn’t use POV shots to show the killers view, we decided against it because we thought others would have been using the same technique and we wanted our film to have some originality around it.
2. How does your thriller sequence represent particular social groups?
Our Thriller sequence tends to show that men can be overpowering to women and can sometimes go over the top with the power they control, and it also represents women as being very easy to be manipulated, captured and tortured by men, because they are afraid to speak up or fight back.
Though this is not true for all women, it still counts for most, but there are men that are controlled by women who are violent, but the majority is men abusing women, so we used this statistic.
Also, our thriller sequence shows that women are also just ‘damsels in distress’, but with no hero to save them, and our thriller sequence also shows that men are evil, manipulative and enjoy the pain of other’s unimportant to them.
3. What kind of media institution might distribute your thriller and why?
The kind of media institution that would distribute our thriller media product would be one that produces different films for those of ages 16, 18 and over, thrillers, horrors, comedies and romance films, that wouldn’t really be suitable for any one under the age of 16, because of the content, possibly Film Four may distribute the thriller sequence because they distribute films late at night, so it would be suitable for it to be watched, because mainly people of 18- 26 may be up late, also so it would be a suitable time to place the film on television, we think that the film should be wide spread because it wouldn’t be just British humour or backgrounds, our thriller sequence would include many ethnicities which will help our thriller sequence to be more multi-cultural, so a larger audience will want to watch the film because they feel involved as their nationality is included in the film.

4. Who would be the audience for your thriller?
The audience for our film would be those over 18, because it would be unsuitable content for those under 18, also would also be watch by those who like thriller movies, we think the age range would be from 18 – 35, because mostly anyone over the age of 35 would probably not find the content suitable or just not like thriller all together because of the gore.
We also think that men would watch it more than women, because of the gore content, plus the different things that women are put through during the film may make women feel uneasy or frightened to watch the film therefore not as many women would watch as men, probably only those who are not bothered by gore content and feel very secure with their surroundings, but the ratings that women give the film would be lower than what the men would probably give the film, because the men are in power and women are suffering during the film, also, most social classes and ethnic backgrounds will watch the thriller sequence since there are no direct racist or stereotypical retorts in the film, therefore making the film suitable for all ethnic types.
Our sequence fits with the 18 BBFC class because of its content, which was blood filled content with women being murdered, strangled, stabbed, there is also swearing, violence and scenes of nudity of dead victims.
It is because of this explicit nature that we believe that it would be unsuitable for anyone under the age of 18, therefore making the film an 18 classification.

How did you attract/ address your audience?
We made the film appeal to the audiences interests and lifestyles, because the characters are given a real background and have a feeling of a real life, which makes people relate to the film more, also it has a difference in lifestyle because the killer is on the loose, making it seem like a reality in a fiction.
The interests are also roughly the same because the detective is a family man and his interests mainly involve caring for his children and making a loving home for his wife and children, earning a living so that they can live happily, and to bring killers and criminals to justice to make the world a better place for his family and for the good of humanity.
Whereas the killer’s interests consist of killing and other horrible and twisted activities like torturing, and mortally wounding women, then leaving them to die but keeping tabs to make sure they couldn’t be saved or escape, then finally killing them and dumping the body somewhere it wouldn’t be found easily and waiting for the police force to find so he could sit back and enjoy his creations and the misery that he caused.
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I have learnt a lot about the camera’s and editing during the past year at Priestley, from putting the battery into the camera to logging scenes on the computer and editing them in many different ways; such as,
-freezing scenes to make a certain shot last longer.
-slicing shots to make two, so one can remain normal whereas the other can be edited to be darkened so it changes suddenly to the other shot to surprise people, and to make them watch more.
I also learnt how easy logging the clips could be, because of the software we used.
I’ve enjoyed filming and editing from the variety that you could work with, there wasn’t just one thing you could do to edit the scene or shot.
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Looking back at my preliminary task, I’ve learnt a lot more during that task and making the sequence with both editing techniques and camera skills; also, since being in media, I have felt that I would like to work with cameras in some sort of job like a photographer or in work in film.
I think I picked up most of the techniques of filming and editing easily, because in the teams I’ve worked in over the course, I’ve been the one that could get a shot right, but I do prefer working in teams, because it’s easier and probably less stressful, and everyone has their own speciality in filming or editing that they are best suited in the team for.

opening scenes

Reflection will begin of with a detective Summerset typing at his computer/laptop, showing the two personalities:
-the killings for the deranged killer
-the detective's happy family,
The opening scene finishes with the detective going into the bathroom to wash his face, he looks into the mirror and sees the reflection of the killer in the mirror.

Treatment For Reflection

Reflection will be an unusual adult thriller following the murders of young girls and women

Synopsis/concept

Reflection is a film Following the Serial killings of a unstable minded man being persued by a detective, but the plot suddenly turns as we discover heis a sufferer of multiple personality disorder.

Plot Outline
Beginning

It starts with the dectective at his computer, following the murdering spree of a deranged man as he continues kipnapping, torturing and murdering girls, he stops to look at his news clippings board with photos on, he acts normally, continuing on with his busy day

Middle

the detective has uncovered new evidence towards finding the killers identity, but the killings don't stop or reduce in number, and the detective is baffled by this

End

The killer is uncovered as the detective's other personality, (as a sufferer of multiple personality disorder, he doesn't know whst happens when he's in the other personality), the two personalities fight in the detective's mind, the evil personality manages to defeat the good personality and kills him, but kills himself in the process since they are the same person, other detectives have a case on their hands, was it murder, or suicide???

Questionnaire

1. Do you watch many thriller films?
#Yes #No

2. What is your favourite thriller film?, why?
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3. What things do you like to see in a thriller film?
#Violence #Blood #Shock moments
#Chases #Suspense

4. On a scale of 1 to 5, how gory do you like thriller films to be?
1 2 3 4 5
not very average very

5. Which film certificate do you feel makes the best thriller film?
#15 #18

6.Do you prefer to be kept asking questions throughout the film and find out in the end, or know the answers early? why
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7.Do you prefer a male of female "hero"? Explain your answer
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8.would seeing disturbing graphic images in the film make you not want to watch it?
#Yes #No

9.Do you prefer the opening credits to be a collection of images or one continuos scene? why?
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10.which title do you think would best suit a thriller film?
#53 #lock down #2 in 1
#reflection

film; silence of the lambs

The Narrative structure is a continuous narrative structure, at the assault course, the girl gets called to her bosses office, he's not there she looks around and notices a board on the wall, and start to read the different newspaper clipping about serial killings, this shows that she is probably going to be the person assingned to the case
The Thriller Codes And Conventions that are used are Enigma codes, why is she sunning? where is she going? is she running from someone potentially dangerous?
The Exotic, she's a woman on a big case, also when she gets in the lift, there's a bunch of well built tall men in red , whilst she's slender shorter and is wearing grey
Mazes and labyrinthes are used in the biginning, when she's running through the forest.
The Camera work, at first you are looking down on her as she climbs up the hill with the rope, maybe this shows her struggle -as a woman- trying to make it, because men would probably not have as much trouble getting up the hill, but she manages to climb it and you are level with her as she starts running, then she's higher than you as she climbs the rope net, perhaps this shows she's raised herself above the most and is proving herself, then she climbs down and carries on running, a man comes running up and tells her to go see her boss, he is taller then her and she has to look up, perhaps to show he is higherranked than her, also when the guy turns around to watch her run off, the camera zooms into his hat on purpose to show he has white block capitals FBI on a black cap, to show you that they are at a training camp for the FBI, tere is also reverse angle editing, shows her face looking towards the board, also, it shows her facail expression, realisation, there is also use of pull focus, from her to her boss, to show that he is more important than her, and that he is the one she was meant to see.
Mise-En-Scene
the weather is bleak, also, the season is autmn- to give a dying feeling, starts with heroine, but you find out there is actually a villain,
costume- she's wearing a white/grey jumper, maybe because she's new to the FBI, so she's still innocent
Lighting- Quite grim to give autmn effect, early morning
Actors- FBI people, either training on the training grounds or tinkering with guns in a room- herself- the guy with the cap and differeny members of staff in the office, also the boss.
Make up- she's not wearing any make up (not glamorous) because she's been training, bu is quite sweaty aswell
Props- training equipment, rope netting that dshe slimbs over etc different offices, thers FBI things, E.g. guns, tables, agents.
Sound
In the beginning when she's running through the forest, she's alone, and you can hear crickets to prove it, there are also birds, and a eagle, your far from civilisation, and here's an eagle to prove it... theres crunching of leaves as she runs through the forest, shows autmn
when she enters the office, there is use of office sounds to show a hetic ran office, that is being kept under control. the music has a running tempo, and it builds up, orchestral music to show the seriousness of the film, it goes silent whilst she's in the office, but then it comes ack quietly when she notices the board.
Editing
the editing used was continuity editing, slow paced editing and reverse angle editing
Graphics
the graphics used are black block capitals with a white outine so that it stands out against the background, the credits are also centered.

Common Conventions

Common Conventions are used in Thriller films to add to the drama or make it more realistic, The Conventions are;
Eerie music, which are used to create tension and suspense, and music can sometimes help to create a sinister atmosphere
Flashing images, are used to grab the viewers attention, and sometimes to startle
Close-ups/Extreme Closeups, are used so the viewers can see something/someone in the distance, but they can also be used so that you can't see the whole of the picture or background
Distingiushed credits, are used so you know who has worked on the film, who's acting and who directed the film
Enigma Codes, are used to keep the viewer wondering whats going to happen, so they'll want to carry on watching, and somtimes use concealed faces to make the viewers wonder who the person is
The film setting is Usually Dark and usually uses dark settings or shadows, so it creates an air of mystery, and anxiety
Some films use Partial Vision to stop seeing exactly whats happening
Films very often use POV Shots of the villain, to put the viewers in the shoes of the villain
they present credits in a certain order- Actors, Crew, Producer, Director
Films may use a non-linear montage- to suggest what the film will be about
The film will give you a puzzle or teaser to figure out and keep you watching
the film often shows the villain in a mysterious way, and use black and white writing for the credits because of the contrast.

Thriller codes

Northrop Frye: Heroic romance
Frye argued that thrillers were stories that took ordinary people and threw them into extraordinary situations
E.G., Lara croft, she is a relic hunter who, at times, has to fight for her life and sometimes others, making her a heroine
John Cawelti: The Exotic
Cawelti argued that thrillers took the elements of ordinary life and added an exotic element
E.G. i am legend, an ordinary country is turned into a waste land and it has exotic animals in the film like lions.
W.H. Matthews: Mazes and Labyrinthes
Matthews writes about how humans having a fascination for physical puzzles- often seen in mazes and labyrinthes.
Thrillers often use the idea of a mysterious quest in a confines location that feels like a labyrinth
E.G. matrix
Pascal Bonitzer: Partial Vision
Bonitzer discusses how in thrillers the audience is given a partial view of things
With important things being obscurred
E.G. Saw, You only see a puppet which is supposed to be the main villian, also, you wonder how the people get there.
Noel Carroll: Question and Answer
Argues that thrillers are structered around a series of questions for which the audience is led to ask themselves or others
E.G. lost, why were thet picked to be on the island? what that island? ETC...
Roland Barthes: Enigma codes
Barthes analysed all narratives in terms of coeds that operate moment by moment.
Enigma codes- moments in narrative where the audience is led to ask a question.
In thrillers, enigma codes are very important for telling stories.
E.G. resident evil- apocalypse, she (alice), speaks at the beginning, leading you to ask a question, and some way through the film, she speaks roughly the same lines into a camera that she hold in front of the directors camera, as a kind of audio blog.