Finished: Marked

This is our finished product, our thriller opening.

Evaluation

Lewis underwood’s as media evaluation

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This is my evaluation of my groups thriller opening and progress throughout the year.
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Feedback and Half Term shoot

We mocked up our shots we had gathered from our recent shooting and got feedback from our teachers and sat back and evaluated it ourselves. Some of the mistakes i made was that I put in some edits (fade cuts) into the project without much thought. I hadnt thought about the desired effect it would give or really took into account that it didnt look right. This was obviously clear as both teachers said it didnt work - to account for this, the next chance i have at editing I will hopefully put more time and thought into what im trying to do and how i will do it.
We were given some feedback on the project so far so we went back out to reshoot some scenes over half term. We were told that an establishing shot was needed to set the initial location and furthermore the shot types got repeptitive and boring. With this in mind we attempted to encorparate both of these criticisms. We shot an opening shot POV walking up to the house which easily transitions into the actress entering the frame. We also had to reshoot a certain shot due to lighting issues - but we struggled to get our actress on location due to personal commitments. So we decided to shoot half of the shot POV style again and then edit it into the shot we had before up untill the lighting issue passes. The effect we intended to create was a slightly disorientated feel as the camera POV was unsteady which matches the actress's direction we gave her whilst filming.

Change

Our coursework has deviated vastly from our initial idea and our animatics. This is due to a variety of different reasons. Firstly when on set we started to come up with new ideas, this lead to a slight shift in the openings perspective in the sense that we where trying to put to much into it. We then changed our idea to be a little more interesting and less obvious. Secondly our teachers gave feedback and told us that we were using too many locations; personally I agreed with them as i thought what we had was a montage of shots and locations that didnt link very well. We decided to create a dual narrative, and establish two locations.

We got a new actress pretty late in the day at this stage as we had restructered our opening. It took one day to shoot the new scenes we needed.
We then had an ILP day dedicated to sorting out our media coursework, as a group we spent the majority of the day editing. As well as this we began to brainstorm further to enhance what we want our core finished product to look and sound like as well as voicing what we think we have come up with.

Second Shoot

The second shoot went really well, this time we stuck directly to our storyboard and in result the filming experience went really well. I had found a suitable location in Denham for the scene, the police scouting for the lost child. We managed to arrive at the location in good time - our actor George Grant, playing the policeman searching; was great as he was enthusiastic and willing to incorporate my dog in the scene.
Haydn Morgans brought the props and I set the scene up with props whilst Daniel Parslow directed the actors and how the scene would play out. As a group I think we worked really succesfully as we managed to take up individual roles to help it play out smoothly. I also set up the camera angles and shot distance, whilst Haydn suggested a slight tilt which we decided gave the shot a very powerful and realistic feeling to it.
On location our first shooting was to test the light and how the shot would look. The first shooting at roughly 4:45 turned out to be too bright and the sunlight reflected in the lense resulting in a overly bright shot. I had to wait and continously test the shots to get the perfect light blend between light enough to see clearly and dark enough to reflect our gloomy scene. We ended up with a time frame of roughly 10 minutes to film during 5:15-5:25.
Overall I believe this film shoot was a lot more succesfull than the first and the quality of shot was really effective. One good point from this is too make sure the lighting is perfect and at the right time as we struggle to create artificial quality lighting.

First Shoots

We did our first attempt at filming for our rough cut yesterday, the experience was different to how I expected it to be. We managed to get together at our first location and found that the camera wasnt properly charged, this meant we had to spend valuable time charging the battery. Nevertheless we mapped out what we do and how we would film each scene. Unfortunately it got a bit too dark to film effectively but we managed to shoot the first two scenes. In short, yesterday was a good learning curve for the group and for me to also understand that filming requires alot of time management and organisation to do effectively.
On location I feel that new ideas and thoughts tend to occur, so during the filming process we tended to change and shoot differently to how we had planned. However this resulted in some confusion in continuity and how things would look. The footage we shot really did not cut it enough, due to the light being so low/dark we were unable to use it because the image was too grainy. For future filming we need to make sure we have the best time period so that the light will give HD quality and reflect what we want.
Our tripod was quite effective in maintaining a steady shot however I found it hard at first to maintain a steady pan/tilt. The sensitivity of the holdings were to loose which resulted in a slight juddering effect. On location I found that by taking various opinions and ideas from the group we can bring together a good variety of shots and filming styles. This meant we had some interesting ideas such as the POV shot of the abductor following the child. I believe this could make the sequence a lot more interesting.

Shotlist, Locations and Actors

Shotlist:
-Doorway/letterbox scene: 16-17th Jan - Iver
-Walking Home/Abduction: 16-17th Jan - Iver
-Interrogation: 18-20th Jan - Chalfont
-Police Search: 23-24th Jan - Denham
-Broken Family/dinnertable: 23-24th Jan - Denham
-falling ipod: 18-20th Jan - Iver

Continuity Task

The continuity task is something I had to create to show that I can film and edit video in a continuous way. Basically the footage needs to be compiled and edited so that it flows smoothly and is easy to watch and follow.

My first attempt at a continuity task was really bad, I hadnt storyboarded and the camera I was using didnt have a tripod - so the footage was jumpy and unsteady. I had picked a poor location as there was unwanted background noise and the lighting was dark.

The second attempt of the task I approached a little more organisation. By creating a quick storyboard of how I want the process to look like onscreen and what will happen I then picked a well lighted location (my house) so that the footage was easily viewed. I used my family to act and filmed a typical scene in my house. I used various different angles to give the footage diversity; I think I achieved adequite continuity throughout. I liked the way that although I had filmed someone walking into a room from the outside then shooting them entering from the inside - editing the clips together makes it seem like a fluid motion. I enjoyed the feeling as I edited the clips that they slotted together quite nicely. Editing on adobe premiere had made this process easier, I imported the clips from the camera to the computer and then directly into Premiere. Then I could select individual clips I had filmed, take them into an editing slot and crop the start and ending to the exact point I needed.

However I had made some errors whilst filming were that I had my mum shut her magazine twice thus breaking continuity of it already being closed, so in the editing process I managed to cut the clip to the point where the book is already closed so it doesnt seem odd. The sound in the task is clear to hear and doesnt jump from different levels of background noise as my first try at continuity.


Final Continuity Task

Animatic

After we had finished the storyboarding process we then began to create our animatic. The animatic is simply the storyboard picture frames put into a video clip and edited on adobe premiere. We added the sound that we wanted, diegetic sound such as footsteps and characters dialog, we also put the non diegetic music in.
All of this was created on adobe premiere - as a group we each took turns at editing the clips together along with keeping the sound parrallel.

Version 1
Our first edit was reviewed by our teacher and we then went on to improve it with the points he gave us:
-Excellent sketches, great Lighting
-Good use of angles/diagetic/distance/good editing but more variety needed. More development, particually during the flashback.
-Effective choice of music.
-Some use of diagetic sound, add alot more.
-Sort out final locations/actors/shooting schedule.

Final Version

Initial Ideas and Final Idea

As a group we started brainstorming ideas toget a general feel for the genre and film opening we want to make. Initially we did find it quite hard to get a good idea that we were all happy about, we didnt want to fall into the typical cliche student type film. We found that our physchological thriller ideas were very predictable. Our first major idea was an action thriller called on "abduction"
the plot was that two teenage girls start walking home from a party and night starts to fall. Through a serious of panning and tracking shots the two are introduced into a dark wooded area, suspense and tension starts to build (key convention to the thriller genre) as the editing pace would increase. Shady characters areseen to be floating through the trees in and out of shot; the two start to panic and begin to run home which then leads to a anti climax where they collide into an ordinary couple as they turn a corner. I think this idea is good as it has thriller conventions of suspense, tension and an anti climax however we didnt all agree that this type of opening is not as creative and original as we want ours to be.

We then spent a lunchtime fleshing out our individual ideas and began to form our 

final idea; we used the concept of being "abducted" an formed a more complex plot with a strong narrative which hopefully will allow the audience to connect and relate to a further degree. The opening would not be fully understood because more of the plot would-be revealed later during the film; I feel that having this deeper story gives more depth to the opening.

The first plot point revolves around the family being "marked" by a pyschopath type figure; with an unhealthly obsession with the family, marked being the possible film title. Our opening starts with the son being abducted/kidnapped by this stealthy, dark figure and then swiftly moves onto a montage of footage showing how this begins to affect the family and their relationships. As a group we had started to put these ideas down into a storyboard where we found our concepts and visualisation of this plot was slightly different individually however this proved a positive as we decided to create the ideas we all agree on and when it comes to our animatic and later production we can evaluate some of the scenes and whether they fit in the opening and present meaning towards the audience. We used some flashbacks in our sequence to demonstrate what has happened and present time shots to portray what is happening currently to the family.
The openings continuity will have to be clear enough for the audience to follow, as the flashbacks may disrupt this.

The sound we decided upon was a musical score soundbridge across all clips introduced first by the sons ipod song, with the music contrasting the onscreen action - we thought that this will create an eerie effect as the music is slightly upbeat but mournful when paired with whats onscreen. Something similar to "Watchmen"'s opening in which upbeat local music is played over a graphic fight scene. As the opening sequence ends the ipod is seen slowly falling to the floor where then the music stops as rain starts to hit the screen, and the light starts to dim. The connotations of this shot is that hope for the son to return home is slowly fading and the music finishes which represents this also.

To evaluate our group I would say that we all played specific roles in this idea creation progress with each member adding constructively. I am happy that we developed our first idea into something we are all more happy about. The idea we have decided on is in my opinion quite original however may be very difficult to get the way we want it.

Camera

We experimented using camera's we attempted to film a variety of different shots. These included longs shots, close ups, low angles and high angles. I found that panning with the camera's was harder than it looked and it took a steady hand and a few tries to get a steady pan. The tripod stands we used helped this process alot as you can adjust the holdings to let you keep a steady angle, pan or height.

Primary Research

For my primary research I will ask people to fill out my questionnaire which I created on Survey Monkey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RXK25ZT
SurveyMonkey is a good site as it allows me to create a questionnaire easily and also lets me to create graphs with the results.

The BBFC

The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) is what regulates films in britain, the BBFC rates each film's content under its relevance to plot and how appropriate it is for what age group/audience.
The BBFC rates films into the following catorgories: U PG 12 12A 15 18 R18.

15:
15 rated certificate tend to allow moderate violence, gore and sexual activity. However not in explicit circumstances and it must be of relevance. Drug taking is not banned however it cannot be promoted to be seen in a positive way.

18:
18 rated certificates permit a wide range of gore, violence, sexual activity and drug taking (not to be promoted.) The difference between the two certificates lies not in context of themes; mainly in explicity.

Resources:
http://www.bbfc.co.uk/downloads/pub/Guidelines/BBFC%20Classification%20Guidelines%202009.pdf

Adobe Premiere Pro

We began to look at the editing programe, Adobe Premiere Pro. Due to previous experience on the mac computers at digital art GCSE level I had some knowledge of how they work. The interface and the feel of the program is very similar to Adobe After Affects, another program I became familiar with. During the lesson I did began to understand the process of piecing together and editing video clips. Firstly we imported the clips of a previous A-level coursework for the task; we began to order them chronologically and rename them for their relevance. Premiere Pro has a nice editing screen where the clips can be dragged and dropped into for quick and easy "cutting and cropping." Sound can also be implemented ontop of the clips.

The program also offers the features such as how to create titles for the sequence, these titles are then superimposed onto the film clip. We then learnt how to position and intergrate this with other features and transitions such as fades and dissolves. One of the great aspects about this program is the ability to edit the frames per second thus providing precise and accurate editing.

note: *record video of using premiere pro- upload.

Thrillers Overview

The thriller film genre revolves around creating suspense for the audience. The different sub genres begin to follow mixed codes and conventions however a thriller usually tries convey a deeper meaning to the plot.

The director of a thriller may try to interpret a combination of extreme long shots and longs shots to establish the location; or another convention is the use of alot of close ups. The use of this is to convey a sense of importance to the audience.
Furthermore from some of the thrillers ive analysed the directors use of mise en scene can be critical in establishing the genre or sub-genre for the audience. To do this the director may use iconic signifiers to create meaning; one example would be a black and white suit perhaps aligned with the James Bond figure. A director may choose to reinforce these signifiers with other props such as pistols, used to further link into the "james bond" icon.
Other aspects of mise en scene that are often explored in thrillers is the use of low key lighting, I have found that a some of these; specifically crime and pyschological thrillers use this to create a mysterious setting. Furthermore the uses of the colour red, black and white are predominant in thrillers, this is because they connote danger and mystery.

From what ive analysed, thriller films try to use sound to either establish an ambience for the location set in the film and to give a sense of verisimilatude for the audience. Or to create mood for the audience, the village for example used high pitched string instruments to implement an uncomfortable feeling for the viewers. The non diegetic music is often used to build suspense, so instruments such as drums can be used to raise the suspense in the scene.

Editing effects such as fades and dissolves are a common feature in thriller opening sequences. This is because it keeps the pace slow to build suspense. The titles in thrillers are generally superimposed onscreen and tend not to be "in your face." What I mean is that the titles arent usually exploding up into whole screen much like that of a typical action movie. The purpose of this is so that the attention of the audience is not diverted from whats happening in the film.

The feel I get from thriller films is that everything is kept subtle, nothing is over the top. Another thing is that the location does not change too much, if at all. The directors attempt to mix the various aspects of cinematography to help create suspense, interest or mystery.

Walk On The Wild Side

Walk on the Wild Side directed by Edward Dmytryk, opens with a slow zoom into a black cats face - the cats eyes central in the shot. The importance of this could possibly be connoting mystery; an aspect iconic to the thriller genre. The use of low key lighting creates a lot of shadows in the pipework, with the cat cautiously slinking out of the darkness could be semiotic of a devious crime thriller. Binary Opposition is a common feature during thriller openings, the camerawork often positions the black cat against white backgrounds. This could connote that there is a wild side to places and people. The title of the film itself could reflect this; furthermore as the camera is tracking the cats journey it passes past and through a fence, symbolic of someone in the film not restricted by boundaries.

Throughout the sequence the camera is slowly tracking the cats journey. With the non diegetic drumbeat slowly increasing it helps to creates a slow pace to enhance tension; this aspect has been reinforced with the editing, fades have been used to further slow the pace of the opening down. As the cresendo takes hold, and the two cats fight; the edits quicken and the whole sequence is a rush, the two cats fighting could dennote a territorial motive for the plot later in the film.

Casino Royale

Camera

The sequence opens with the iconic shot down the barrel of the gun with the blood slowly dripping down. The genre is established as an action - thriller hybrid when the protagonist (James Bond) turns and shoots at the camera, an effect of this is would be to engage the audience into the film quickly.

Editing

The editing helps to introduce Bond as a protagonist; the opening started in black and white which then turned into full colour after he shot the villain. This could connote that James Bond is dangerous yet mysterious. The use of CGI enhances the opening experience for the audience whilst still conveying meaning. For example the imagery of Bond beating up men and the graphic match of the playing card 7 into 007 shows he is a secret agent.

Mise En Scene


Throughout the extract this theme of violence is reinforced by the gun fights and combat. The director has also chosen to use iconogrophy to help the audience understand what will come later in the narrative, using hearts as bullets, playing cards and casino wheels. The iconogrophy also defines the genre of the film. Items such as guns and the black and white suit are often related to thrillers. To further reinforce the films genre and theme, dark toned colours and reds and blacks are used to symbolize danger and violence.


Sound

The sound in the extract is predominantly the song "You Know My Name" but sounds such as gunshots are used to reinforce the genre and onscreen action. The song itself is quite loud and builds up over the course of the opening, the song reflects the action - thriller genre in the sense that it gets quite explosive however remains meaningful. You know my Name - Bond reintroduced to the public.

The Village

The Village, directed by M. Night Shyamalan opens with the camera tracking aimlessly through tree's branches. The audience is made to feel as if they are wandering through a forest, connotations of a forest could suggest being lost and perhaps the fear of the unknown. Instantly viewers are thrown into the unknown and added with the slightly disorientating effect of the camerawork, this creates the eerie situation iconic to thrillers. The fact that no characters or life is shown in the sequence could connote emptiness or desolation. Low key lighting also adds to this with the feeling of sadness.
Further reinforcing this is the slow fades, the titles superimposed on a black background; the black and white iconic of horror. Also the director could want all the attention to focus on the forest and what they can see when taken back to more tracking of the trees.
Non diegetic high pitched eerie music rises and falls in pitch whilst a low drum beat gradually speeds up. Matching this onscreen the tracking speed increases and so does pace of cuts. This increasing cresendo creates suspense, one important aspect to thrillers.

Sin City

Sin City Introduction:


Sin City, directed by Robert Rodriguez is a conventional thriller film in the sense that it follows a majority of the codes and conventions of the thriller genre. The opening sequence starts with an establishing ELS of a cityscape to set the scene, a city being conventional to the thriller genre. The director has also decided to use city sounds such as car horns to create an ambience for the film, this thus heightens the audience's sense of verisimilitude. Other non-diegetic sounds are used such as thunder to signify a sinister situation; this is reinforced with the rain to bring forth the iconic aspect of stormy weather. Slow paced non-diegetic classical music is used to create a sombre score. Rodriguez has chosen this music because it slows the pace of the film down, a slow pace being iconic to thriller openings as it creates a sense of mystery. To reinforce this Robert Rodriguez has minimalized the amount of cuts used as this further draws out the opening.

The sequence is in black and white with low key lighting to create shadows and mystery; these are conventions of the thriller genre. However the director also uses the colour red to suggest further meaning. The lady's dress and her lipstick is red, this signifies passion and danger because her lips are seen to be seductive but her open backed dress shows her vulnerability thus suggesting danger in the future. The use of refined colour is iconic to thrillers openings because it creates a sense of mystery.

A long shot is used to centralise the female character as she enters the frame in a elegant red dress on the rooftop. This is followed by a mid shot showing her looking out on the city whilst a man approaches her from behind. The fact that the lady is holding her arms whilst leaning on the balcony signifies her to be frail, however it could also denotes she is cold. The man in the black and white suite is typical to the thriller genre much like a "James Bond" type character. Close ups are used to show her accepting a cigarette, another used to show the man lighting it; none the less smoking is typical to the thriller genre as a whole because it connotes a "cool" atmosphere. After the man shoots the lady, the gun can be seen as an iconic aspect of thriller genres and further suggests Sin City to be a crime based thriller.

The Birds

The opening sequence of the birds features binary opposition in the form of black and white silhouettes of crows frantically flying past the screen; the dark birds symbolising fear against the white purity of the background. This aimless flock of birds creates an uncomfortable feeling for the audience. To reinforce this it is matched with the parrallel sound of the squaking. The crows represent fear and death, this is iconic of the thriller genre. The titles are superimposed on top of this, in a cold blue font, the introduction is unwelcoming as the titles are pecked away.

The screen then fades into a city scene, the fade itself iconic of a thriller as this connotes mystery and slows the pace down. The ambience of a bustling city is used to establish a normal working day, a train wipes across the screen for the camera to pan whilst following the female character. The city buildings and high camera angle represent the lady to be insignificant to the scale of her surroundings. The pace is slow as few cuts are used to show her entering the bird store.