Wednesday 2 December 2009

Shot List for the devils playground

1. Worms Eye (Low Angle) - Paige running down the road
2.Point Of view - Paige running down the road
3.(Flashback) - Medium Shot of a door being knocked on
4.(Flashback) - Medium Shot, the door is now open, nobody is there
5.(Flashback) - Medium Shot, see part of door now closed (See Paige, she looks confused)
6.(Flashback) - Close Up of Paige, she hears a noise and looks round past the camera
7.(Flashback) - Medium Shot - Paige walking down the corridor towards the back door
8.(Flashback) - Point Of View of the backdoor. It is wide open.
9.(Flashback) - Point Of View from Neil - of the back of Paige's head. Moves towards her quickly. She turns around
10.Long shot of church and Paige. She is looking at the church showing relief
11.Long Shot of Paige running down a cobbled alleyway towards the church
12.Medium Canted Shot - Paige runs into the church and cowers in a corner, watching the door she just came into.
13. Two-Shot - See a silhouette from the behind of Neil, with a weapon in his hand. He has come in a different door and is behind Paige - She cannot see him because she is looking at the front door.
14. Black screen with white lettering on it - "The Devils Playground"

By Nikki Freer

Storyboard for the devils playground

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By Nikki Freer

Character information

As the opening to our thriller is very very vague, none of the characters yet have names. It could be said that this lack of naming and character background makes our opening scene all the more tense and thrilling, because it makes it impossible for the viewer to predict what the character will do next.

The Girl (Paige Lee-Edmunds) :
'The Girl' is quietly relaxing on her sofa at home when suddenly she hears a voilent bang at the door, however when she answers the door no one is there. Almost a split second after she closes the door another loud bang in the kitchen is heard and she cautiously investagates.

The reluctant manner in which she investagates these loud noises signifies that she isnt normally caught up in any trouble and lives a normal life, often when you watch a thriller you can tell the spy from a civilian by the way they react to strenuious situations. This is excatly what weve done here, which puzzles the viewers even more as to why shes being stalked.

The Man (Ben Pyner) :
'The Man' has very limited character information this makes the film alot more tense as his identity is not revealed in our opening. No one know why he is stalking 'The Girl' or what he intends to do when he finally catches her.

By James Davies

Target audience

The target audience for our 'Religous Thriller' will be adults over the age of 15, I have made this decision becuase the film contains a very tense atomsphere throughout and persons under the age of 15 could find it somewhat distressing.

Our thriller is very hard to place in a target audience becuase of the niche genre our film falls into.

By James Davies

Filming- Saturday 28th November 2009

We planned to start filming when it was light at roughly about 3 o'clock but unfortunately we didn't get to film until half past 4 due to traveling difficulties that occurred when James and Nikki were traveling to the shooting location. This was extremely frustrating as this meant that it was already dark so we had poor lighting for he running sequence which was to be filmed outside. This meant that we only had the one small camera light (of which only one of the camera lights were working ) to light this whole sequence. This therefore meant that on the camera you could only see just less than a meter away and barely that. Yet as we had already filmed inside of the house with it being pitch black outside of the window we could therefore lose all of that footage and shoot the next day or just film in the dark and keep it a bit simpler.

After a brief conversation we came to the conclusion that since it was difficult for some members of our group to get to the shooting location and we were already there that we would continue the shoot and see how it looked and if it didn't work then come back and film at a later date. After i played back the footage to myself on the camera i think it looked but reasonably but im worried about watching it back on a screen as it could look alot darker.

Another thing that i am worried about is that because James and Nikki had to leave early (they were being picked up at six) and working the tripod is not my strongest point, that some of the shots may be wonky. Nikki has since suggested that perhaps this could edge towards a canted look which could work in our favor.


Thursday 19 November 2009

Location Info

The starting location is in the alley opposite the station leading up to the church. The alley is between the two fields and is a narrow pathway. We have chosen this location, as it is a very secluded area with fields on either side. Also there are some really old houses, which in the evening add to the affect of the thriller convention, as they look mysterious and creepy.

Our location actually changed once we arrived at the location as it didn't make sense that she would run past the old fashioned houses and not stop and scream for help. Instead we used the muddy track which was next to The Vicarage where we shot the Flashbacks as the family are close family friends and they have a front and back door in that weren't see through glass, like mine, and were in close range of the main shooting location which was the church.

By Paige Lee-Edmunds

Props List

Props List

· Weapon - Knife

· Mobile phone

· Cross on necklace

· Costumes ie. Big parker jacket

· Bells

· Magazine


Workload for the devils playground

Shot List - Nikki

Storyboard - Nikki

Character Info - James

Props List - Paige

Target Audience - James

Production Schedule - Paige

Thursday 5 November 2009

Actors

Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician known for his portrayals of offbeat, eccentric characters such as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, Raoul Duke in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Sam in Benny & Joon.

Depp rose to prominence in a lead role on the television series 21 Jump Street and quickly became regarded as a teen idol. Uncomfortable with that characterization, he turned his focus to film roles that he felt were right. He initially came to film prominence as the titular character of Edward Scissorhands, and later found box office success in roles such as Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow, Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series and his role as the quirky Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

He has collaborated with director and close friend Tim Burton in seven films, the most recent of which include Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) and the upcoming Alice in Wonderland. Depp has garnered acclaim for his portrayals of real life figures such as Edward Wood, Jr., in Ed Wood, Joseph D. Pistone in Donnie Brasco and George Jung in Blow (2001). More recently, he portrayed legendary bank robber John Dillinger in Michael Mann's 2009 film Public Enemies.

Films featuring Depp have grossed over $2.3 billion at the United States box office and over $4.8 billion worldwide. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor three times, Screen Actors Guild Awards four times and Golden Globe Awards eight times, Depp won the Best Actor Awards from the Golden Globes for his role in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and from the Screen Actors Guild for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress. She became famous in the 1990s for her role as Rachel Green in the US sitcom Friends, a role for which she won an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
She has starred in many Hollywood films. While most of her film roles have been in comedies such as Bruce Almighty, Office Space, Rumor Has It, and the romantic comedies Along Came Polly and The Break-Up, she has also appeared in films from other genres, such as the comedy-horror Leprechaun and the crime thriller Derailed.

Directors

Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980), auteur, showman and famed director, had a career spanning five decades and over 50 films.
Hitchcock once dryly noted that, "Even my failures make money and become classics a year after I make them." Movies by Alfred Hitchcock range from the irrefutable masterpieces to minor classics to astonishing experiments in the language of film. Hitchcock's oeuvre encompasses cinematic invention, innovation and landmarks in the field.

Movies by Alfred Hitchcock

The Lodger (1926 - Silent)Starring: Ivor Novello and Marie AultTaut thriller of a lodger accused of murder by a jealous detective.

The Ring (1927 - Silent)Starring: Carl Brisson and Ian HunterJealous lovers and an angry prizefighter combine in this suspenseful film.

Easy Virtue (1927 - Silent)Starring: Isabel Jeans and Ian HunterDrama of a woman torn between her alcoholic husband and suicidal lover.

Champagne (1928 - Silent)Starring: Betty Balfour and Gordon HarkerGorgeous cinematography and classic story of a rich father trying to teach his daughter an important lesson make this a must-see for many Hitchcock fans.

The Farmer's Wife (1928 - Silent)Starring: Jameson Thomas and Lillian Hall-DaviesA farmer, his wife, and the housekeeper in a classic romantic triangle.

Manxman (1929)Starring: Carl Brisson and Anny OndraTimeless story of love and betrayal on the Isle of Man.

Blackmail (1929)Starring: Anny Ondra and John LongdenFirst British sound picture features tale of a blackmailed Scotland Yard inspector.

Juno and the Paycock (1930)Starring: Sara Allgood and Edward ChapmanAdaptation of Sean O'Casey's seriocomic play of life in Dublin slums.

Murder! (1930)Starring: Herbert Marshall and Nora BaringWhen a lone juror believes the defendant in a murder trial is innocent, he's determined to find the real killer himself.

Skin Game (1931)Starring: Edmund Gwenn and Jill EsmondTwo families-- one wealthy, one poor-- battle over land in this saga.

Rich and Strange (1932)Starring: Henry Kendall and Joan BarryA leisurely trip around the world for a wealthy couple is interrupted by a shipwreck.

Number 17 (1932)Starring: Leon M. Lion and Anne GreyThis comic thriller follows the escapades of a luckless hobo who happens on a thief's hidden fortune.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)Starring: Leslie Banks and Edna BestPolitical adventure-thriller of an American couple caught in an assassination plot later remade by Hitchcock himself.

The 39 Steps (1935)Starring: Madeleine Carroll and Robert DonatSpies, murder and mistaken identity combine in this espionage thriller.

Secret Agent (1936)Starring: Madeleine Carroll and John GielgudTension-filled thriller explores spies in the English countryside.

Sabotage (1936)Starring: Sylvia Sidney and Oscar HomolkaThis comic thriller features a theater cashier who suspects her husband is a terrorist.

Young and Innocent (1937)Starring: Derrick DeMarney and Nova PilbeamA man accused of an actress' murder is aided by a young woman in clearing his name.

The Lady Vanishes (1938)Starring: Margaret Lockwood and Michael RedgraveA woman is drawn into a web of intrigue when her companion on a train disappears.

Jamaica Inn (1939)Starring: Charles Laughton and Maureen O'HaraSuspenseful melodrama focuses on daring orphan who uncovers smugglers' ring.

Rebecca (1940)Starring: Laurence Olivier and Joan FontaineAdaptation of Daphne Du Maurier's famous novel of a couple tormented by the presence of the husband's dead wife.

Foreign Correspondent (1940)Starring: Joel McCrea and Laraine DayAn unsuspecting crime reporter gets swept up in an international espionage conspiracy in this fast-paced adventure.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941)Starring: Carole Lombard and Robert MontgomeryHilarious screwball comedy about the merry mishaps that befall a couple after they discover they weren't legally married.

Suspician(1941)Starring: Cary Grant and Joan FontaineSubtle suspense and fine-drawn tension in this mystery of a wealthy woman who suspects her playboy husband wants to murder her.
Saboteur (1942)Starring: Priscilla Lane and Robert CummingsFalse accusations of murder and sabotage leads to some surprising consequences in this chilling film.

Shadow of a doubt(1943)Starring: Joseph Cotten and Teresa WrightWoman suspects her loving uncle of murder. Hitchcock's own personal favorite.

Bon Voyage & Aventure Malgache (1944)Starring: John BlytheDirected by Hitchcock for the war effort in Britain during WWII, this pair of short films details a British pilot behind enemy lines.

Lifeboat (1944)Starring: Tallulah Bankhead and William BendixPsychological thriller about survivors trapped on a lifeboat with limited supplies. Features nail biting suspense and fine performances.

Spellbound (1945)Starring: Ingrid Bergman and Gregory PeckAn amnesiac impersonating a famous psychologist. The doctor who wants to save him-- even if he is guilty of murder.

Notorius(1946)Starring: Cary Grant and Ingrid BergmanA classic tale of love and betrayal-- an FBI agent must send the woman heloves to seduce a Nazi conspirator.

The Paradine Case (1947)Starring: Gregory Peck and Alida ValliCourtroom melodrama about a lawyer who falls for his client.

Rope (1948)Starring: James Stewart and Farley GrangerCompelling tale of murder between friends, famed for its basis on Leopold & Loeb case and experimental cinematography.

Under Capricorn (1949)Starring: Ingrid Bergman and Joseph CottenPeriod drama details saga of an English lady who falls in love with her cousin.

Stage fright(1950)Starring: Jane Wyman and Marlene DietrichDrama student accused of murder must battle to prove her own innocence.

Strangers on a train(1951)Starring: Farley Granger and Ruth RomanA must-see classic, this tale of strangers who take on each other's murders builds to a nail-biting climax.

I Confess(1953)Starring: Montgomery Clift and Anne BaxterThoughtful character study of a priest who hears a murderer's confession-- only to fall under suspicion himself.

Dial M for Murder(1954)Starring: Ray Milland and Grace KellyAn heiress and her husband's oh-so-perfect plot to kill her make up this taut thriller.

Rear window(1954)Starring: James Stewart and Grace KellyOne of the Master's finest-- a photographer laid up with a broken leg finds himself caught up in his neighbors' lives-- and one of their murders.

To Catch a Thief (1955)Starring: Grace Kelly and Cary GrantRomance and intrigue combine in a seaside resort when a reformed jewel thief is suspected of a rash of burglaries.

The Trouble with Harry (1955)Starring: Edmund Gwenn and John ForsytheIn this black comedy, a small town has a big problem-- a body that won't stay put.

The wrong man(1956)Starring: Henry Fonda and Vera MilesIt's noir à la Hitchcock in this stark, gritty tale of a wrongly-accused jazz musician.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)Starring: James Stewart and Doris DayHitchcock's edge-of-your-seat remake of his own 1934 movie involves Americans caught up in an assassination plot.

Vertigo by alfred Hitchcock (1958)Starring: James Stewart and Kim NovakConsidered Hitchcock's masterpiece-- caught in a never-ending spiral of deception and obsession, a private detective must discover the truth behind the death of the woman he loved.

North by Northwest (1959)Starring: Cary Grant and Eva Marie SaintHeart-stopping suspense abound in this tale of an innocent man mistaken for a notorious spy.

Phsyco by Alfred Hitchcock(1960)Starring: Anthony Perkins and Janet LeighThe seminal horror film of a young man tormented by his past-- and his mother.

The Birds (1963)Starring: Rod Taylor and Tippi HedrenTerror strikes out of nowhere when birds begin mysteriously attacking anyone and anything in their way.

Marnie (1964)Starring: Sean Connery and Tippi HedrenA beautiful kleptomaniac and the man who loves her clash in this psychological thriller.

Torn Curtain (1966)Starring: Paul Newman and Julie AndrewsBewildering his wife, friends, and colleagues, an American physicist defects-- or does he?

Topaz (1969)Starring: John Forsythe and Frederick StaffordDanger and intrigue abound in this complex espionage thriller.

Frenzy (1972)Starring: Jon Finch and Barry FosterThe Master at his most shocking in this black comedy about a series of strangulations.

Family Plot (1976)Starring: Karen Black and Bruce DernA phony psychic faces off with a jewel thief in this thriller/comedy.
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino (born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s he was an independent filmmaker whose films used nonlinear storylines and aestheticization of violence. His films include My Best Friend's Birthday (1987), Reservoir Dogs (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994), Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill (Vol. 1, 2003; Vol. 2, 2004), Death Proof (2007) and Inglourious Basterds (2009). His films have earned him Academy, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Palme d'Or Awards and he has been nominated for Emmy and Grammy Awards. In 2007, Total Film named him the 12th greatest director of all-time.

The 180 degree rule


One simple principle when shooting subjects is considering ‘the line’, known as the 180-degree rule. For some filmmakers and/ or videographers this may come naturally, but this is one major principle, no matter your degree of experience or knowledge, that every camera operator needs to always consider; otherwise his or her work will appear amateurish.
The 180-degree rule is an imaginary line or the axis of action drawn across the frame or screen. It is the location where not only action or the direction a subject is moving, but it is also the sightlines, or the character’s direction of vision. Once shooting has begun, the camera operator needs to stay on one side of the line in which they initially started shooting that particular action.

To break the 180 degree rule you move the camera, while shooting, across the line. For example, a Steadicam operator tracking around the subject(s) while shooting, thus creating a continuous flow of action--does not break the 180-degree rule. The operator may stop anywhere, but once stopped, there’s always a line.
The main thing you must consider, whether planning your shots while storyboarding or while blocking the set, is to consider the 180-degree rule. It’s simple to follow! Once the line is followed, you automatically create a continuous flow of action and a logical sense of direction within your video.

Saturday 31 October 2009

Thriller research

The thriller includes numerous, often overlapping sub-genres. Thrillers are characterized by fast pacing, lots of action, and the character of the hero who must thwart the plans of the more-powerful and better-equipped villain character. Suspense and cliffhangers are used often.The thriller genre is a story that is usually a mix of fear and excitement. It has traits from the suspense genre and often from the action, adventure or mystery genres, but the level of terror makes it borderline horror fiction at times as well. It generally has a dark or serious theme, which also makes it similar to a drama.

The opening of a Thriller film usually contains something that draws us in a viewers such as something that we want explained so will continue to watch the film to discover what is happening and why.

Sub genres are identifiable sub-classes of the larger category of Main film genres , with their own distinctive subject matter, style and formulas. Some are them are prominent sub-genres, such as: biopics, 'chick' flicks, detective/mystery films, disaster films, fantasy films, film noir, 'guy' films, melodramas (or 'weepers'), road films, romances, sports films, supernatural films, and thriller/suspense films.

The location of a thriller is usually somewhere that is interesting, as to catch the audiences attention,for example, "The Davinchi code" is set in a famous french art gallery, and you are instantly drawn in to the films location as it is somewhere that you know of and are intrigued as to why the film would be set there.
Set design,costume and props are all also important as they provide part of the story, if a man is in a suit the audience wants to know why. If a man is wearing rags, the audience will again want to know why and how it ties into the film and what they mean. They really set the scene as there colors can have certain connotations and show people and locations in a certain light. For example, if you were to watch a film with a black location you can tell the film is going to be dark and usually serious.

Wednesday 14 October 2009

30th September-Second Prelim task



For our second prelim task i worked with Percelle Ascott and Laura Walton.We had to do a short film on a meeting of two people.As a group we discussed what we would like to do and came up with a short and silly meeting to exchange chocolate.We went out with the cameras and found the ideal location , in the music rooms, as they were quiet and had a corridor outside for Laura to walk down to be filmed.It also has its own little rooms that can be used as an office for the character percy played which was a gangster character.The room also had a table in it for the exchange to take place which was really useful but unfortunatly the room also had a piano in it as it is a music room and if we had had the time and had been allowed to i would have loved to have moved the piano out of the room as the room is small enough as it is and having the piano in it made it difficult to film as there was little space.

Also, we unfortunatly were missing a piece from our tripod which meant we could not use the tripod so we used all handheld instead which made the shots quite wobbely in places.To have resolved this problem i would have gone up to the camera room and borrowed another one.At the time though we had spent so much time finding a location and choosing what to do for the prelim task that we didnt have enough time and just had to get straight on with filming.I really enjoyed this task though as i learnt from it.One thing i learnt is that you actually NEED to use a tripod as when editing and putting the final peice together we realised just how wobbely it was! Luckily we had a few taes which werent as bad so we used them instead.

1st Prelim Task-23rd September

I am in a group with Laura Walton and Joseph Cocklin. We were given the cameras and shown how to use them and given the task of filming a short journey. As a group we discussed what we would like to do for our own journey. Joe decided that he would like to do a journey to the bathroom.We as a group unanimously agreed.I suggested that we start our journey outside as we could make some great shots.So we went outside and chose a space on the field. We then thought that it would be a great idea to start with an opening shot being a pan of the field as a it establishes a location for the audience.
Laura and Joe were going to be doing the acting so i did a pan of the field and slowly swiveled round to the two of them sitting talking as a wide shot and then i zoomed in a bit so we get a clear shot of them. This shows who the short film will be concentrating and mainly focuses on.We then shift to an over the shoulder shot of Joe talking and then switch so that its an over the shoulder shot of Laura talking to Joe.We then moved to a long shot of Joe walking towards the camera. I really liked this shot as it established character and location which are both things that the audience would want to know.We then show this really good worms eye of Joe's feet as he jumps the bottom step.This was an amazing shot and i was determined to get it into our prelim task as i love worms eye as it is so interesting.My altogether favourite shot in the entire short film has to be either the over the shoulder shot of Joe walking into the toilets as you get to see basically what Joe is seeing which is always interesting as nothing is in the way as when your are filming your character they are most of the time standing in the way of what they are seeing. And the other shot is a Point of view shot by another character that we never actually meet who interacts with Joe. This makes the short film interesting as the audience must feel as if they personally are interacting with the main character Joe and you also kind of want t know who's point of view you are seeing which draws you in as you Wait and see intently to find out who it is but you never actually find out so it just keeps the audience on the edge of their seat and watching intently until the end of the short film.
I learnt all the new shots that i never knew and how to do them during this task so overall it was a great way to practice and warm up your camera skills.

Thursday 1 October 2009

Introduction to shot types

We learnt the different shot types and also had to find examples. Here they are:

Extreme long shot –ELS



You may use this shot to show a very large expanse of an area such as a city. It is used to show a particular location.

  • Long shot-LS:You may use this shot to show another large expanse of an area such as a house and the area it is in to show a location.
  • Medium long shot-MLS:This is used to show a person and the area.
  • Medium shot –MS
  • Medium close up- MCU
  • Close up- CU
  • Big close up – BCU
  • Extreme close up – ECU
  • Low angle
  • High angle
  • Worms eye
  • Birds eye
  • Canted
  • Eye level
  • Two shot
  • Over the shoulder shot
  • Point of view-POV

Pan-In photography panning refers to the horizontal movement or rotation of a still or video camera ,or the scanning of a subject horizontally . Panning a camera results in a motion similar to that of someone shaking their head "no"



Analyzing the opening sequence to "Seven"

Film: Seven (1995)

Lead Actors: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Gwyneth Paltrow

Director: David Fincher


Titles: Very dramatic. Fast paced. Such a huge comparison to the actual opening scene. The sound of a scratching against a blackboard sort of thing was so dramatic and chilling. They also lead you to not know what to expect. It sounds like a scream as well which is psychotic and scary and like a horror genre. The images are also disturbing, but it draws you in. Merged all together. You want to know what the opening shots are of. They seem obsessive. Like someone collecting evidence but you can see that this is definitely not a police station. We are pulled in like to be the police officers we cant se the man that we assume is the criminal but yet we know what he is doing- kind of. This is how the police officer would feel so this leads you to side with the police officer characters in this film as you feel the frustration to know who is doing this, just as they do. You can see the character of the criminal as he slices at his fingers; it is like obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Shots: Starts with a long shot to establish location and then moved onto a shot of characters face. This introduces you to the main character as you start with him and follow his journey for work. Claustrophobic, very close shot. Then close up of his hand picking up objects. Establishes job. As the two characters walk away from a crime scene we get a worms eyeshot to establish the power of the characters. Very long, continuous shots used, possibly to show lack of panic so no need (at the moment) for fast movements.

Movement: All movements are slow and deliberate. This works as, for example, when Morgan Freeman is doing his tie up this shows his character takes pride in the way he looks.

Generic Themes: We can see that Morgan freeman’s character is more dominant as he is more prepared with a hat for the rain and also, whilst Brad Pitts character gets knocked by someone and stumbles and dodges the rain, Morgan Freeman walks solidly and is sheltered by his hat. Also you can see Morgan freeman’s character is compassionate as he ass if the child saw the incident that he is investigating.No-one respects the corpse. The guy does not even care about the family.


Sound: Rain. Very downbeat. Sound of ambulance, is a very ominous tone. No music at all in the opening scene, very hollow. Goes straight into a scene. You can hear people arguing in the flat next to him. Shows how he is never alone. You can hear his footsteps- Sound is lonely, sad.

Mise-en-scene: Always raining. Shows gloom misery, washing away evidence, makes the job harder, like a barrier. Not a typical thriller opening. No tension or build up. Very dark. No pictures. Shows maybe no family. No personality in bed. Dull. They did not use any lighting when creating film. Naturalistic as they used whatever light that they found. You can see this.

This is a very slow film as well. There are no quick sharp shots.

Sunday 27 September 2009

Analysing opening sequence to "Memento"

Film: Memento (2002)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Lead actor:Guy Pearce

Titles: There is blue writing on a black background for the opening titles which emits a cold feeling and shows the cold emotion. As the titles are black and white you as yourself is he dreaming? and also the black and white represents that the color has gone from his life.

Shots:Over the shoulder lets us see what he is seeing and this with a extreme close up as the opening shot are confusing as you cant see around that shot so you dont know the location of the shot or whose point of view that you are seeing. Also , after the opening shot we see close up shots that look like crime scene pictures. This shows mystery and makes you want to know what has happened. Also , there is a worms eye shot of the main character which makes him look very dominant and powerful.

Movement: The camera stays consistently very steady and we also get the feeling as if we were standing with the main character.

Generic themes:There are no voice overs at first .We then get a voice over later on from quite obviously the main character as he speaks as "me" and it is as we see his vulnerability. And we automatically know whose story that we are following as he is in the second shot and the camera is very focused on him. We also then progress to see him and where he goes so you know within a couple of minutes and shots whose story we are following.

Sound: Always low and classical yet eerie in the background and it is so quiet that we can hear the main character shaking the picture that he is holding. The music peaks as the opening title comes onto the screen as if to show its importance.

Mise-en-scene: Naturalistic as you can hear him shaking the keys and the photo and the traffic. Also he is staying in a grotty hotel room which is old and dirty which shows the main characters anonimity.


Friday 25 September 2009

Introduction to Thriller codes and conventions

Thriller codes and conventions are basically Mise-en-scene.Its how you use objects, colour , costume or setting to establish a mood or tension etc. for example, if you were to decorate a restaurant in red for a romantic film and send a couple into the restaurant, red can resemble love and passion and having this colour in the background will set the mood that you want. This can also work with music. If you were to put a heavy beat into a film it is most likely to resemble action or danger and is set to raise your heartbeat and that is the purpose. Also , if you were to put a certain piece of music on every time the villain of the film were to enter the room then your audience will recognise this and sense the danger and add tension. You are teaching the audience to feel fear every time that they hear that music and creating a mood of tension and fear.

An introduction to Thriller Films

We were introduced to Thriller films by looking at last years media class groups opening sequence to a Thriller film that they made.They only made the first scene and titles. Looking at these gave the class an idea of what was to be expected from us ourselves and also to the idea of music and shots that we could use.

One opening sequence that i would like to comment on in particular was "End of the line". This is the one that i watched the most amount of times so got the chance to evaluate better.They used one amazing shot that stays in my head and that was the shot of the London Eye sped up.This was effective as watching the transition of time in a quick and interesting way made the opening sequence a lot more intriguing as you ask yourself, "Why are we watching the London Eye revolving quicker?" and also gives you the location of where the Thriller is likely to be set or connected to as why would you have a shot of the London eye revolving sped up if your Thriller was based in America and has absolutely nothing to do with London?

An introduction to me


Hey =)

I'm Paige Lee-Edmund's and I'm studying theatre as my strand and media is my only option. I did a Media GCSE at the BRIT school for two years and got a B grade.

I chose to do media as i really want t go into a profession in media. i would really like to study media at a university as i really enjoy it.Something media-related that i am particularly interested in is film work as i enjoy being behind a camera as much as i enjoy being in front of it! I love using so many different shots to create the right effect and my favourite shot is either an over the shoulder shot or a worms eye shot as both can show so many different views and convey so many different meanings and i love getting the camera into the right position as when you get the perfect shot its so satisfying.

My favourite film is "Hot Fuzz" . I really enjoy it as i love the plot and the thrill you get from watching it. I also really love the way it is filmed, in a similar fashion to "Shaun of the dead". They both use short sharp shots with very dramatic music to show the simplest things, i.e the main character getting ready for work. It is a very effective and clear way of getting something across (like the characters job) in a fast way so that no time is used that needn't be.