Storyboard

My group and I finished the storyboard to give us an idea on how our Thriller opening will look. There were many thing that needed to be thought about such as, transitions, timings, positioning of characters etc. This is going to help us when it comes to creating the animatic of our presentation. Not only this but creating a storyboard will help us when it comes to filming so it gives us an idea of what it is that is needed to be done.

This is our first storyboard the group made and it was quite exciting to see the visual side of our opening. Although we did find that some of our shots  needed some work with either timing or transitions, and we also moved some around to make it as life like as possible




One we had moved and changed things we then had to think about the camera angle and which shot would look best where. We kept going back to change things once more as we felt it still wasn't right. I'm sure what ever we do it still won't be perfect so it is working progress

 

Overall, from creating the storyboard it will allow us to see our Thriller opening in a visual way instead of on paper in words and will give us an idea on how our final product will look. From doing this we are prepared for filming and editing as we can use the storyboard as a guide to aid us throughout. Our next job to do will be the animatic presentation our storyboard will help us in this also.

Evaluation of Continuity Task

How has the continuity task aided your understanding of the film process?

By doing the continuity task it has really helped my understanding of the film process, and my understanding of it has greatly improved. It has been very good practise for when creating our own opening of a Thriller. We faced some problems throughout the continuity task which I’m sure we can improve on when planning, filming and editing our opening title sequence.

What problems did we come across during the continuity task and how did we overcome them?

When doing the continuity task we came across some problems like I’m sure the other groups did too but most of them we did overcome.  Not many of us have used the software we need to do our editing but from doing the re creating editing task and from asking Mr Miche and Mr Ford we slowly but surely managed to get the hang of it. Another problem we faced was timing because we didn’t check to see if our location was free to use we had to rush the filming the next day as we had to complete the task for our deadline.  When editing the final extract we all agreed that the ending wasn’t done to the best of our ability as it didn’t flow with the other shots, this is probably due to the timing issue. However we decided to leave it in the end as we wanted to focus on our actual coursework piece and we will take it on board and when it comes to filming for real that all the shots flow and are continuous and if not be sure to film again until they do.

What did you do well on in your continuity task?

I think we succeeded in editing as we learnt so much from our previous lesson and we put that into practise, although we are still learning when we are doing which will help when editing our actual Thriller opening. We managed to include a variety of camera angles and stuck to the 180 degree rule. Although the ending wasn’t as good as we hoped it’s good because we can learn from our mistakes and make our final piece as good as it can be.

The storyboarding process and shot list

I don’t think our group realised how important these elements are when creating the continuity task and the opening as we relied on it quite a lot. The shot list changed a lot as we wanted to get it perfect and we used it a lot. We realised that we needed to be more organised and our timing with things needs to be improved. This links back in with the storyboarding and shot list as it needs to be accurate in order to help us with our final piece, we didn’t spend much time researching what kind of music so when we had to add it in it took time researching and finding what fitted in best. However we did give roles during this task Melissa and I filmed and directed, whilst Finley and Jacob were acting within our continuity task but when it came to editing we did it as a group because we all needed the practise and needed to learn.

Overall, from doing the continuity task it has really improved not only my understanding but the groups understanding of the skills in planning, filming and editing. We will make sure we improve in the final piece. Not only this but we now know what to expect and make sure we are organised and our timing is in check.

Continuity Task

Practising Shots

Before going out to film our continuity task Finley, Melissa, Jacob and I thought it would be a good idea to practise some of our shots. This was decided when drawing our storyboard as we didn't know how to draw them, hoping we would then get a feel for how to draw them.

This is our Low Angle shot looking down on Jacob from Finley's perspective making him seem inferior.

This is our attempt at high angled shot looking up at Finley from Jacobs perspective making him seem superior






Whilst taking picture we decided to take picture for our location

This is our second inside Chikara

This is out first location outside Chikara

Storyboard talk

On Tuesday we had guest speaker, Sophie to come in and help us with our storyboarding. I found this incredibly helpful as showed us that you don't necessarily have to be an incredible artist in order to create a storyboard. Not only this but Sophie showed us example of her own work and work that has been used in order to create an actual Disney film. Mr Miche then asked her what her top three most important things were when it comes to storyboarding and these were her answers;

• Plan before you start storyboarding, maybe bullet point your plot in descriptive sentences.
• Don't necesarrily have to draw it order, get a scrap piece of paper to get your little idea down first. Don't feel limited with one piece of paper.
• Think of the rule of thirds and where the things are placed. If its closer to the middle of the screen it tends to be more important.

Continuity Editing Task

Preliminary Task

In this section of the Continuity Editing Task we were asked to provide ourselves with a shot list and storyboard in order to complete a 60-90 seconds clip, however there are some technical requirements we need to consider when creating it;

• You must not break the 180 degrees rule
• You must include a shot reverse shot 
• You must include a variety of appropriate camera angles
• You must edit so that continuity is apparent and meaning is clear
• You must include more than one location
• You must include some interaction between characters
• You must include some non-diegetic sound

This is our groups shot list;

• Over the shoulder of person A entering Chikara
• Opens door (close up)
• Close up of person A looking around the building for person B
• Walks up and opens second door
• Cut to Drama Studios
• Establishing shot of person B doing an essay
• Close up of person B's face 
• Person A walks up to Person B
• Shot reverse shot of person A asking "Where is my pencil case" and person B replying "Please Finley, I really need it"
• Shot of Person A going to hit Person B (screen goes black)
• Person A exits through the same door 

Location= Chikara and Drama Studios

Characters= Jacob and Finley

Here is our story board; 

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Editing Re creation task

In media on Monday we were put into pairs and given the task to re create a short extract from raw files using Adobe Premier Pro. This task allowed us to develop our skills on the program and understand how to use it, as I have no background with media this was very helpful and taught me how to edit video material which will have a huge help when it comes to our group editing our own title sequences. We got given an hour and 40 minutes to do this task and make it exactly like the original. I found this task really interesting and it taught me not to give up as in the end me and my partner, Harry to did create a piece very simliar to the original which i'm sure we are both very proud of.

Storyboarding

Why is it important?

• Separates the different shots/scenes
• Gives an idea of what it will look like
• Gives us something to follow when creating the opening
• Pitching an idea
• Links planning and filming together 
• Visualising images/ ideas
• Links between shots
• Timing, continuity and pace
• Technical awareness and understanding
• Revise narrative sequencing 
• Chance to make decision/revision

Arrows

• Drawing the shot types
• Writing the script through pictures
• Cost effective

Based on what you learnt, in what way is a storyboard important to the director?

• Allows them to overcome any problems that may occur whilst filming
• Allows them to visualise what it will look like
• Cost effective

What do you need to include in your storyboards?

• Mise En Scene 
• Shot lengths and transitions
• Gender weakness/strength
• Sound
• Camera angle/framing/movement

Further Planning

Plot

• The name of our production will appear and over the top will be diegetic sound of the interviewer asking the Prime Minister why he is deciding to visit the Chalfonts Community College, that picture will then fade out.
• Mid shot of the Prime Minister so from waist upwards, a seconds pause then begins to speak with blood dripping down his face although not reacting to anything 
• Jump cut to a extreme close up of teacher with a sly/eerie smile, although in the background the Prime Minister is still talking 
• Jump cut back to news frame, there is no trace of blood on him which comes to the end of the interview 
• Zooms out to teachers room which will be messy, dusk, dark, dull and then cut away to the title sequence
• Montage sequence will be made to go behind or included in the title sequence

Characters and Costume

• Prime Minister- Sharp suite and haircut, white shirt and blue tie (professional and smart)
• Interviewer- Smart/ Casual suite nice hair
• Teacher- bedraggled/wasted look, suite, messy hair, round glasses which sit on the edge of his nose, maybe the colour green
• Voice in background- wont need a costume as it just a voice we wont be seeing the person.

I'm going to ask my friend Molly to do some make up effects for us to make it bit more realistic.

Props

• Alcohol bottles
• Orange tinted pill bottles?
• Newspaper cuttings about relevant events 
• Pictures
• Pinboard
• Map
• Small tv
• Picture Frame
• Desk 
• Lamp

As you can see once again our group has had a discussion and changed some things and added things as we realised that weren't creating a story as such but just the opening so we have decided to focus on more the title sequence and give it that political feel to it. With all the realvant articles and linking it to the Prime Minister.

First Idea

• Long shot of a middle aged man's silhoutte staring at The Houses Of Parliment
• Cut to a mans glasses, close up with the reflection of big ben in the glasses lense
• Cut to a black screen, title of film
• The non diegetic score playing over the top of title in the whirring of a video recorder
• Cut to vcr recording of the man speaking directly to camera (fuzzy quality)
• Cut to shaky camera sot of man entering bathroom (bright lighting ) juxtaposes with his gloomy expression holding a bottle of vodka swigging down a dangerous amount of perscription always starring intensely
• Estashblishing shot of school cut to the staff room (sound playing over the top)
• In the background hearing a news reporter talking about the Prime Minister cut to teacher assembly
• Long shot of him walking down corridor, his hand always on the gun (applause can be heard in distance) all of this will be done with an over the shoulder shot.
• Enters room camera glances up at the back of The Prime Minister
• Background goes black

This is our original Idea however after talking about it together as a group, we decided we would be giving to much away as we are only doing the opening extract. So after talking about it we decided to cut it down and build on our ideas, to create a more intense but proper opening making sure we keep the clues to a little.This is so we don't give to much away and will keep the audience at the edge of their seats. We have decided that doing a polictical thriller is a very original idea and we don't think that anyone else has attempted to do one. Ofcourse we will carry on building on our ideas and will each have roles within the group to create the best opening possible.

Discuss the way social status is represented in this extract from Merlin. Make specific reference to the following technical areas:

Discuss the way social status is represented in this extract from Merlin. Make specific reference to the following technical areas:

·                     Camera

·                     Editing

·                     Sound

·                     Mise-en-scene

Immediately status is introduced to us when we are presented with an establishing shot of a grand castle home presumably owned by royalty, this is where we first meet our male protagonist. However Merlin is completely juxtaposed with the massive royal home as he is wearing brown, raggy clothes which we would normally associate with poor servant people although we know he is the protagonist as he is the first character we see and also he is presented to us in the centre of our screens. We first see the protagonist entering a room and placing something down this is presented to us with a close up, The focus of the camera on the protagonist could suggest that he shouldn’t be in the room this is reinforced by the tense non diegetic score connoting his low status. A long shot showing a lady antagonist walking along the grand corridor highlights the different status between herself and Merlin as she is shot from afar not only this but her clothing symbolises royalty because of the purple colouring, connoting her importance. The echoing sound of her walking with her heels reinforces her role of being important as it connotes that she powerful and controlling. As she enters the room where our protagonist stands the non-diegetic score abruptly ends suggesting that Merlin was in there without her consent. Although they are both at the same level arguing that they are of the same status. A number of shot reverse shot sequences have been used to show the woman arguing with Merlin, the antagonist voice is sharp and very assertive, while on the other hand Merlin seems quite lost for words. The difference in the way both the antagonist and the protagonist talk highlights the difference in status. This is reinforced by her having the most camera time when talking showing her facial expressions when talking. 

After leaving the room, the setting has changed and we see more lower classed people wearing the same sort of clothes as Merlin and there is lots of background noise. Arthur an antagonist is presented to us through a medium shot as he speaks down to Merlin, whereas Merlin was allowed to walk towards the camera suggesting he is of higher status. In contrast to this the way they are both dressed could suggest that they are not equal as Arthur is dressed in armour connoting higher importance, armour is associated with war and violence. However they both mimic each other suggesting that they are both of the same status although Arthur has followers standing behind him agreeing with the antagonist and laughing when he makes jokes connoting that he is important   and should be respected when being spoken too. Arthur then throws a weapon at Merlin and when he fumbles and drops the weapon, it could be seen as though Arthur has the upper hand when it comes to the fight as he has more experience connoting higher importance. Although Merlin doesn’t see Arthur as being higher in status this portrayed through his use of dialogue “my Lord” the protagonist says this in a mocking tone reinforcing this suggestion.

As the antagonist and protagonist being to fight, a non-diegetic score is playing and the use of long shots emphasises the action and danger. The protagonist is quickly knocked down highlighting that he is less experienced when it comes to fighting and he shot from above him making us look down on him connoting he is of lower status than our antagonist. The use of the fast paced shots and tense music emphasises the aggression and conflict between the two characters.  However things turn around for Merlin when a close up of his eye is presented to us and the sound effect backing up the idea that magic is about to happen. Now we see that the roles have been reversed, Merlin appears to have more screen time and Arthur has been put in his place. This idea is being reinforced by the use of camera angle when the antagonist has been knocked over and we are looking down on him signifying that he is weak and of lower status. However this is juxtaposed when Merlin realises his teacher has been watching by using a shot reverse shot we can see the guilt Merlin is experiencing this might be because he knows his magic shouldn’t be used in this way. The antagonist seizes this minute opportunity of weakness and hits him with a broom, the use of folly sound emphasises the power and is symbolic of the upper class winning the conflict.  On the other hand the antagonist realises that the protagonist may not be as weak as he thinks this is backed up by the use of eye line match showing that they are of equal status and piece of diegetic dialogue “I can’t quite put my finger on you,” this could be seen as respect between them both.

In the final scene it appears that it runs parallel to the scene before because there is that element of conflict. However the tone in Merlin and his teacher’s voice connotes that it is serious and they are arguing about a serious matter. Again eye line match has been used which does suggest that they are of equal status and by using close ups and over the shoulder shots we get an insight into how the protagonist and antagonist are feeling as we get to see they’re facial expressions. On the other hand though the use of diegetic dialogue “I’m just a nobody” This connotes that Merlin is of lower status however using magic is moving him up the social ladder to where he feels he should be. This scene has been shot in a dark room although Merlin’s teacher is stood by a window letting the light shine on him, this could be seen as iconic because he is trying to help Merlin. On the other hand Merlin, the protagonist is stood in a more shaded area which could connote that he is still learning the ways but just needs the help to send him the right direction highlighting the social status of them both.

Intial Ideas

As a group we want to do something really original and different,basedon this decision we sat down and researched all the possibilities and have come up with the idea of Terroism Thriller with maybe a hint of Western in there. From here we are going to put up our Terroism research and the conventions as theses are very important when coming to creating our opening, not only this we are going to do some western research to help us build apon our idea. To help us Melissa suggested looking a topical subjects to have happened in the world to do with terroism. Hopefully by branching out a little bit it will make us stand out from the crowd and we each have roles within the group to help us achieve this.


Melissa - Research topical subjects
Hannah(me) - Research Terroism Thriller
Finley- Research Western Thriller

Our groups discussion

Our group decided to record our discussion we talked about the genre of our opening not only this but Melissa has added a picture of our brainstorm of what our idea should include. Unfortunately we have made a 100% decision because they are so many roads to go down and we established that we aren't going to do anything cliche. So think up an original and well thought out opening is going to take time, however we have been researching different genre's in class such as Western Thriller as it isnt very well known and we might be able to build on that.

Essay Writing

From today's lesson I have learnt how connect all the things I have learnt previously together to form a detailed and well structured essay.

Essay Notes

This weeks essay was on a clip from Merlin, the question was;

Discuss the way social status is represented in this extract from Merlin. Make specific reference to the following technical areas:

• Camera
• Editing
• Sound
• Mise-en-scene

Based on this when note making in class I split my notes on the page into four sections, which were Camera, Editing, Sound and Mise En Scene.

This will help me alot when writing the essay.

Introduction to our planning

Research and planning

• Everything we research will continue to go on our blogs
• Summarise learning for all sections this will help build our understanding of media as a whole
• The research will never stop, you will need to go backwards to go forwards
• By the end we will have to answer some evaluation questions these will be group/individual focus

Planning
we have now started to plan our thriller openings during this time we will need to think about setting, characters, props, music, costumes, genre and plot.

• The key is to reflects and evaluate our peers work
• We have to link our research to our planning and if bits are missing we will need to go back and do that
• Decision making will be a key aspect of this section of the course
• If we have any changes we will need to justify and evaluate them

The starting point to the planning is genre everything will then build on from that, then we will need to think about the codes and conventions of the genre we as a group will have decided to do. Then go and look at the social and historical contexts of them.
Melissa,Finley, Jacob and I have recorded our discussion which will be on the blog shortly.

Evaluation Of Research So Far

What have I learnt?
As I am new to media everything I have been taught has been a great help to me for example understanding how different types of sound and music can be added to a piece of media; non diegetic sound can be added through editing and diegetic sound which is a sound within the scene. Not only this I have learnt the different codes and conventions to create the great thriller genre these are some of things I found;

• Mirrors are used to portray the reflection of one's soul and inner self it could also foreshadow the darkness within certain characters.

• Shadows add darkness within inner beings and can create tension and eeriness, this connotes the idea of unknown circumstances and unknown answers.

• Obtrusive editing are used frequently in thrillers to create the feeling of suspense and tension, they are often used in a particular 'thrilling scene' sometimes creating a disorientation of space and time.

• Flashbacks often display what has happened in the past to give the audience and insight into the protagonists lives.

• Black and white is often used to accentuate the use of shadows and often makes the thriller eerie and dark.

• Twist is a common factor of a thriller by adding the element of surprise the audience can recognise the film as thriller this connotes fear playing on uncommon fears for example 'being afraid of the unknown'

Through my research I have learnt how important title sequences are for a film and how to analyse them properly to help when creating our own thriller opening, I have been analysing the opening of films by putting them into groups such as, camera angles, sound, mise en scene and editing and these are all things I have learnt throughout my time in media so far.Furthermore to this blogging is all new to me too as it is to many of the others in our class, so I have found it hard to blog everything I have learnt but I am slowly getting used to it and the way it all works. Being in a group with Finley, Melissa and Jacob I have learnt to take responsibilities and time keeping skills as each section of coursework has a deadline of when it needs to be done, this is something I really need to work on as I may fall behind if I don't keep up with the different aspects of coursework. Not only do I need to work on evaluating my own work but my groups too.

How Have I Learnt This?
Like I said being new to this course and not having the basics as some people have by taking it for GCSE I have had to really concentrate in class when my teachers are talking and writing down notes to help with my understanding of everything, Mr Miche has been showing us how to prepare for the exams by watching extracts such as Doctor Who and Primevil and showing us how to analyse them step by step and then asking us to write essays to help us practise for the exams. They have also told us to look at other years blog to help us with the way to structure and what to include in them. Not only this but by doing research of my own I have developed an understanding and put it in to way for me to understand better. By creating a glossary I have the key words in one place to help me when analysing openings of films and my peers work too.

My Strengths
I believe I am quite organised with my work, which helps when writing up my notes to my blog and finding them to help me with my analyse of films and my peers work. I believe this is good quality to have within my group as it is good to be organised and know who's doing what. However each member of the group has different qualities so by putting them all together I am sure we can achieve something good in the end.

My Weaknesses
I think I have many weaknesses at the moment but I am slowly getting to grips with them, one of them would be the ability to evaluate my groups research as I'm struggling with what to include within it however I do believe that I am getting better. Furthermore in my blog I need to include other ways of blogging such as video and sound clips, at the moment I have done a lot of writing and pictures, I just need to expand on that.

Targets
To help my improve my weaknesses I have created some targets in order to help keep on improving;

• To continue to add to my glossary to help with my understanding of the technical side of the course.
• To do some video and sound clips to make my blog more varied
• Work with my group more to create a great thriller opening at the end of the course.

Overall Progress

I have progressed so much since the start of media from knowing nothing to knowing most things about Mise en scene, camera angles, sound and editing ofcourse there is always room from improvement and I will insure that I do my very best to keep concentrating in class and keeping up to date with my blog. Not only have I learnt the lesson side of the course but the coursework side to with Mr Ford for example being able to work well within my group and understand their needs as well as mine. 

Evaluation of MI2 (Melissa Kerrison work)

What is the film about?
Agent Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise) has been sent on a mission to retrieve and destroy the supply of a genetically created disease called 'Chimera'. His mission is made impossible due to the fact that he is not the only person after samples of the disease. He must also contest with a gang of international terrorists headed by a turned bad former IMF agent who has already managed to steal the cure called 'Bellerophon' and now need 'Chimera' to complete their grand plan of infecting the whole world. In order to infiltrate and locate the terrorist group he relies on the help of an international thief Nyah of whom he quickly develops a love interest. Time is not only running out for Agent Hunt to find and destroy 'Chimera' before the terrorists get their hands on it, but he must also find 'Bellerophon' so as to save his love interest who has already become infected by the disease from a terrible and rapid death.


Mise En Scene
The setting when the extracts opens is a close up of the protagonist Ethan Hunt highlighting his importance within the film, in the background you can see a vast desert this could connote isolation and loneliness this is rienforces due to the fact that he is the only character we can see. Ethan then throws the message into the air and it immediately explodes we are the led onto the film titles itself which are written in the bright bold colours of orange,red and blue connoting the idea of fire and danger, this could be foreshadowing the events to come.

Sound
The diegetic soundtrack within the opening of Mission Impossible 2 is a very iconic and popular soundtrack as audiences will automatically recognise it. At the beginning of the opening we hear a voice coming from this glasses explaining what Ethan's next mission is, this is an example of non diegetic sound. As the title sequences start to roll you start to gain that sense of mystery, this creates suspension for the audience.

Editing
Ethan Hunt as the protagonist gets the most screen time, this is also because he is the only character presented to us in the opening. When Tom Cruise is in the frame the shots are slow paced but this is quickly juxtaposed when the titles are shown creating pace and a sense of urgency. The titles within the title sequences are held in the centre of the screens for around 3 seconds this is just about enough time for the audience watching to take in the actors, directors and producers.

Melissa's interpretation of Mission Impossible 2 is very detailed and crossed off the four sections we need to think about when creating our own; camera angles, mise en scene, sound, editing. I believe she has grasped the concept extremely well. From Melissa's work I have learn't that the pace of the diegetic soundtrack adds to the intesity and excitement of the film.

The Opening Of The Bourne Ultimatum

This is not my film I am using it for educational purposes
The Bourne films, are a popular series of  the genre thriller. Straight away we get the sense of tension because of the diegetic soundtrack gives the audience anticipation of whats to come foreshadowing the mystery, the music in the background almost sounds like a ticking clock this could be representative of the film as whole. The black background is very dark and reinforces that sense of mystery, when the title's start rolling they appear white and are placed in bottom right hand corner and are held for around 3 seconds this is long enough for the audience to read and take it in. We then see a document and with bold, red letters are the words 'TOP SECRET' by giving these little clues it gives the audience a little insight on what they are about the watch, keeping them interested. The use of close up shots on the document itself highlights the crime/mystery of the extract and what it will entail, the document symbolizes crime which is representative of police and agents. Then the background suddenly turns black again, the editing here is quite choppy, this could be significant of the film, when the camera is back on the document some of the writing is blurred out this could be so the audience focuses on these key clues in order to follow the film. The use of the map, signifies that they are looking for someone and with the tense music in the background gives it that sense of urgency. The title sequences are giving a series a clues just like if you were a policeman/woman yourself putting together the clues to catch the Villian giving the audience a sense of involvement. The title of the film is placed dead center highlighting the importance of it. When the title has dissapeared we are presented with a close of shot of a person walking in the snow, the noise from his shoes creates that tense atmosphere and it looks as though he trying to get away from someone, keeping the audience at the edge of their seats.
From this I have learnt that within a title sequence you can include clues and insights about what your film will entail, and by doing that you are creating the involvement between your film and the audience. The audience is very important when it comes down to creating a film as they will want those original expectations of the 'thriller genre'.

Evaluation of Jacob Smith's work

 Jacob has analysed the very famous thriller 'Taken' and has gone in to great detail about the film itself. This will be very helpful for people who have not watched it and are curious as to what it is about. Not only this but Jacob has written about the camera, mise en scene, editing and sound this will be very helpful when we are at the stage of planning and making as all of our research about film titles will give us an insight on what to do. If I was too suggest an improvement I would ask if he could put the embed code so we can all watch and maybe suggest some other key facts but other than that I believe Jacob has analysed 'Taken' very well.

Evaluation of Melissa Kerrison's work section 2

Melissa decided to analyse Mission Impossible 2. The way she has given a little summary for people who have not watched the film is very beneficial, not only this but has shown her understanding that the film is 'action thriller'. By splitting her work up into section it shows she has understanding across all of the area's we will need to consider when creating our opening.

This is the clip Melissa has provided us with, and from watching and reading her analysis I now have a better understanding of how and what to include in a title sequence, this isn't just Melissa's work but from a number of title sequences that have been analysed within the group.

Overall I believe Melissa has a great understanding of the title sequences and has covered off all the area's we need to consider. I think her work will really benefit when it comes to the planning and making.

Responses for our survey

Our group gathered up our survey results and surprisingly got quite a few responses which I was not expecting. However some people responses were not very helpful and will not be used when summarizing the answers.

In the first question we asked 'What is your gender'?

 From this we can see that 64% were female and the remaining 38% were male. I'm glad however people took the time to help us out with our research.











The second question was ' How old are you?'

 We had a number of categories for people to choose for their age and surprisingly got a quite a variety not just the norm. 5% being under 16, 49% being between the age of 16-30 this was the highest percentage out of all 5 groups. 31-45 we got 26%, 46-60 was 13% and even 13% in 61+. This was quite a success as we have a number of people different views and opinions of all different ages.






'What things do you enjoy most about thrillers?' This was our third question and it got a number of different opinions ranging from blood and violence to psychological plot twists. Suspense was put in a number of people's answers so our group would be silly not to include that. Someone said car chases and intricate plots, although I think it would be hard for us to film a car chase it was a very good opinion and intricate plot will be very helpful for us.


We got another graph for this next question, ' What is your favourite sub-genre of thriller?'

A number of suggestions were made here;
Conspiracy Thriller = 5%
Political Thriller = 18%
Erotic Thriller = 3%
Supernatural Thriller = 5%
Psychological Thriller = 26%
Crime Thriller = 26%
Action Thriller = 10%
Other = 8%

To make this question better when people stated 'other' we should have asked what their preference was but other than that I believe we got a good range of results.


Our penultimate question was 'Based on your answer for the previous question, what is it about this sub genre that you like so much?' I think this was a really good question to ask and we got all kinds of responses such as; 'I chose crime thriller because you can try and solve the mystery throughout the film and it's not usually what you expect' and 'Sci fi, I like the use of special effects and that it can be anywhere that the film is made and that anything can really happen' Of course we will take the time to read each of your responses and take them all into consideration when deciding what to make our thriller.


Finally the last question we asked was 'What do you expect from the opening of a thriller?' Unfortunately some people wrote some unhelpful things but luckily it was only one or two responses. People suggested things like ' music to be dark and the opening to start the confusion of whats to come' and 'a scene that either develops the main characters or the crime itself - enough information to get me interested' most of the responses were really helpful and our group will certainly look at each of them when considering what to include in our opening


Thankyou for helping us with our research it was really helpful.

Evaluation of Melissa Kerrison section 2

Melissa's research on age classification was really helpful as I didn't actually know the difference from an 18 and 15. Not only that but the BBFC and how it puts films into the right classification.

A film classed as a 15

 It is split into 8 categories:

Discrimination- Work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour.

Drugs- Drug taking may be shown but film as a whole musn't encourage drug misuse. Misuse of easily accessible drugs such as aerosols and solvents is likely to be unlikely to be acceptable.

Horror-  Allowed unless sadistic or sexualised.

Imitable Behaviour- Dangerous behaviour is not permitted eg, suicide and self harming. Easily accesible weapons should not be encouraged.

Language- Frequent use of strong language is allowed. The strongest terms for example 'cunt' is only allowed if in context. Repeating the word or using it aggresively is unlikely to be allowed.

Nudity- Allowed but without strong detail. No constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.

Sex- Again, this is allowed but without strong detail, may be strong verbal references but strongest references are unlikely to be allowed unless justified by context

Violence- Strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong, sadistic or sexualised violenced is unliely to be acceptable, reference to sexual violence must be discreet and have a strong contextual justification.

Melissa split her work up two sections the one above are the rules for a 15 rated film. From the films I have watched you can see that some if not all are included in a 15 film and you wouldn't see it in a lower rating film. 

A film classed as an 18

Adults should be free to choose their own entertainment, although exceptions are most likely in the following areas:

-Where material is in breach of criminal law.

-Where material appears to risk harm to individuals, or to their behaviour to society- for example, violent or dangerous acts which may cause harm to public health or morals. This also may include portrayals of sexualised violence, for example, eroticise or endorce sexual assalt.

-Where there are more explicit  images of sexual activity, which cannot be justified

Again there is a big jump between a 15 and an 18, as in a 18 there aren't really any limits they are free to put whatever context in they like, however there are a few exceptions. The BBFC have to take all this into consideration when rating a film and some are deemed to be violent or overly graphic and that film would not be allowed to be shown in cinema's

Melissa has included some really useful information which our group can really consider when making our own.

Evaluation of Melissa Kerrison's work

 As I have never seen this film before, Melissa overall summary about it was very helpful and she showed great understanding of what it was about. Not only has she reviewed the film itself but has gone into to detail about camera use, mise en scene, editing and sound.
The camera use in this film is very important within the thriller, in this film se7en it is seen that they have use a wide range of camera angles, however no long shots were used like Melissa said this was done to add to the mystery and that the audience will need to watch more to get a better understanding.
The Mise En Scene gives us an insight on what the film will entail. The use of 'dark' recurs a lot when when watching Thrillers, which links into my research.
Reading Melissa's work has helped me understand 'crime thrillers' a bit better as I have not watched many. This will certainly help us when considering what thriller for us to do.

Discuss the way in which the extract constructs the representation of gender using the following ways; • Camera shots, angles, movements and composition • Editing • Sound • Mise En Scene

In the opening of the extract there are contrasting representations of gender, we see an establishing shot of a JCB, as the camera gradually moves towards the machinery we see that it is a woman who is in control of such an angular, bulky piece of equipment this immediately would be seen as atypical representation of gender. We would normally associate a JCB with a builder or a man. While the female protagonist is controlling the machinery the male is on the floor, this could connote that at this point in the extract the woman is seen to be stronger and in control. In the background there is a tense diegetic soundtrack, this could be foreshadowing what’s to come or to create suspense. We see a man in in a pink top and scarf putting down a piece of meat. Him wearing pink could connote that he is a bit feminine this is because we automatically associate pink with women and his actions reinforce that assumption. The fact that the male on the ground is the first one to speak could convey that he is an important asset to the extract and what is follow.

As the roar of the sabre tooth is heard the male portrays a scared, tense look and decides to jump in the hole for protection, when doing this the camera is looking down on him, this connotes that he is feeling weak and vulnerable. When the sabre tooth comes running towards him trying to attack him from above the hole the camera is looking up at this vicious animal presenting a dominate character also we get it from the tigers point of view making the man look small and defenceless . The use of a shot reverse shot highlights the opposition between the male protagonist and the sabre tooth.  At this point the woman is still in the JCB and when she senses that her colleague is in danger decides to distract the tiger away from him. This conveys that they do not live up to their stereotypes as the man is shown as the weaker character and that woman is seen to be stronger. The diegetic dialogue has changed since the tiger made an appearance into the scene highlighting how tense the protagonist is when trying to fend the tiger away. However the roles are reversed and the male shows his masculinity by distracting the sabre tooth once more, this is contradicted though when he is seen running away and climbing up higher to get away from the tiger. When on the ground we get a bird’s eye view of his reaction when seeing the ladder. Two jump cuts accentuate Cutter’s preparation to slide down the zip wire; this could be seen as speedy and decisive. The shot reverse shot when the man is travelling down the zip wire shows his facial expressions as he is keeping a vigilante eye open for the tiger’s whereabouts and his next move.  As he is travelling the camera is following him down, this is called panning.  In spite of this when he lands he doesn’t land in a manly way; he almost falls to the ground and curls up in a ball. Once again the woman is portrayed through a long shot running into save her colleague. Not only this but the woman is always shown through long shots which connotes that she is aloof and distant, whereas the man is always shown through close ups. This allows the audience to connect to the man but they cannot connect as well as they can with the man. This reinforces the idea of the male protagonist not being a typical man as following from section one. Not only are men and woman portrayed through gender but the use of a cat is atypical because cats are associated with femininity, however this cat is shown to be the strongest, most overpowering character is this section.

As we move on further through the extract it seems as though the female protagonist is not as important as she was earlier on, as the extract continues with more traditional ideas of gender. The female is marginalized because it appears to have a male dominance; this is reinforced when she is positioned on the edge of our screens, whereas the men are positioned in the centre.  Another important factor in this scene is that the men get a lot more screen time which connotes that they have higher importance, this contradicts with previous parts of the extract, unlike Abby, the female protagonist who appears to get next to nothing. Abby dresses very masculine with her short, cropped hair and wears a leather jacket this is connoting that for a woman to appear strong they need to lose their femininity.

In the last section, the female promotes a more traditional stereotype.  Although at the start the woman and the man appear to be equal as they are at the same eye level, this is portrayed through an over the shoulder shot. However this is juxtaposed when the male gets out a gun and points it towards the female leaving her stunned and helpless. The diegetic dialogue appears to have sped up quite a bit this highlights the woman’s vulnerability and conveys that he is dominant at this point. This is reinforced when he grabs her and pulls her to the ground leaving her looking up at him; the slow motion is used to show the detail of the motions going on around in the scene and create tension.  The use of shot reverse shot when our protagonists appear into the scene highlights how close the woman was to being in serious danger. Abby is again appearing masculine by having a gun and pointing it towards the antagonist, although the man behind her in the pink picks up a shovel, this connotes femininity. In the final shot, Abby saves the day; however the last shot is on Cutter signifying that the audience notices the male perception of the situation, not the female’s point of view.

Anaysis of Casino Royale

This is not my own work, it is being used for educational purposes.
Casino Royale, James Bond one of the most critically acclaimed Bond films. It starts with a very famous opening sequence which is seen throughout the whole Bond series this is very iconic as we would associate this James Bond. The use of the camera zooming out of perhaps someones eye shows that it is from their point of view showing the graphical detail of James Bond saving the day. The blood symbolises death and we would automtically associate it with dangers of working in the MI5 and the lengths James has to go to in order to save people lives. Straightaway shows you thename of the producer in white up against the deep red this is possibly done so you can see the name clearly as he is an important asset to the production of the film.
Hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades are spun round in the background linking it to the casino theme, The use of dark colours helps make the names stand out this is effective for the audience who wants to see the names of the producers and who is involved in the film. The diegetic soundtrack  is very intriguing and gives the sense of mysetery and suspense although it is quite fast paced increases the tension lurring the audience to want to watch on. The background then goes on to being the backs of a pack of cars again linking in with the 'casino' theme. This is very effective as it give the audience a sense of what the film is going to be about and the fact that James Bond is placed in all of the backdrops highlights that he is a very important character  amongst the film. The gun and the use of red  symbolises danger and foreshadow what is to come. The bright colours are vibrant which make it attractive towards the audience and foreshadow the themes of casino.
Overall the title sequence is very important when considering the themes of a film, just like James Bond as it gives the audiecne an insight on what the film will be about and also it is inconic as is it is intriguing and interacts with the audience.This is very important when making a film.

Evaluation Of Finley Harnett's Work Section 2

  From Finley's work on 'Requiem For A Dream' I have learnt that this is quite a dark,bleak depressing thriller because of it's pounding soundtrack and chopping, headache- inducing editing. The film is an example of 18 rated film this is because it has graphic sex scenes, drug use and mental breakdowns, this shows that it should not be seen for any viewers under the age of 18. I have never watched this film before so by reading Finley's work has given me a great insight on what the film is about and by adding the clip is really helpful for people who haven't seen it just like myself. In his analysis of the extract he has told us what codes and conventions have been used, the diegesis of the piece and a good analysis of the characters has shown he has taken in a great deal of interest into it. Like Finley has used the ending of the film for his analysis he believes its the best bit to help us with our understanding of the thriller genre for when we will have to create an opening ourselves. With Finley's great analysis we will be sure of what to include in our coursework to make it as good as other thriller films, programs etc if not better.

Evaluation of Finley Harnett's Research

:http://www.free-tv-video-online.me/player/putlocker.php?id=B4BA81363260C765



What have I learnt?
From Finley's work I have learnt that its not only films that help grasp the importance of the opening sequence but t.v shows too. Finley used the political thriller 'Homeland' to help him understand title sequences a bit more.
By providing a clip of Homeland it not only helped Finley but gave me a better understanding as well. The program is known as a unconventional thriller, we know this just by watching it and that it creates tension making us want to watch on. Homeland seems to be quite realistic with some of its story lines however they have been exaggerated out to make it more exciting and intriguing to watch. The use of fear within the opening contributes to the thriller and creating the 'audience on the edge of their seats'  Linking Finley's research with mine thrillers use similar codes and conventions such as quick, choppy editing which could connote vulnerability or tense scenes.
Overall Finley has done some great research and it has given me a much wider understanding of opening sequences and what to include within them. Also you don't necessarily have to create a conventional Thriller, just like Homeland.

Reflection and Planning

This is what me and my group have completed and still need to complete so far, i believe that we are on track and will hopefully have it all completed by the deadline given (19th October)

Draft Of Our Survey

Finley, Melissa, Jacob and I have created a survey to give us an insight on what we want to include when we have to create an opening of a thriller ourselves.
Obviously we will be making some changes to the questions, making it more reliable for our benefits for example we could create tick boxes for the first two questions. We could add bigger spaces for comments in this would help us find out what everyone else thinks of the opening of thrillers and what we could use to help us with ours. Also if you have any other suggestions as to more questions we could add then please feel free to comment on this post. This would be really beneficial for us so please feel free to comment and add your own input in to it.

Our Survey

If people don't mind would you please take a few moments to answer our survey,
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?pli=1&formkey=dHdsVlBCZEZIaDJuc1VlNng1RjNicWc6MQ#gid=0

Codes And Conventions Of A Thriller

Thriller are types of films that are known to promote intense excitement, great suspense and high levels of anticipation. A genuine Thriller is a film is a film that provides thrills and keeps the audience cliff-hanging at the 'edge of their seats'. The tensions often arise when the protagonists are placed in frightening situations, or an escape or dangerous mission from which seems impossible. Plots of thrillers involve characters which come into conflict with each other or outside forces.

Codes and Conventions

Here are a few things most Thriller films will include to give the extra effect ;mirrors, low key lighting, shadows, obtrusive editing, quick cuts, use of different camera angles, high tensions music, flashbacks, use of photographs, black and white, montage editing, disorientation.

• Mirrors are used to portray the reflection of one's soul and inner self it could also foreshadow the darkness within certain characters.
• Shadows add darkness within inner beings and can create tension and eeriness, this connotes the idea of unknown circumstances and unknown answers.
• Obtrusive editing are used frequently in thrillers to create the feeling of suspense and tension, they are often used in a particular 'thrilling scene' sometimes creating a disorientation of space and time.
• Flashbacks often display what has happened in the past to give the audience and insight into the protagonists lives.
• Black and white is often used to accentuate the use of shadows and often makes the thriller eerie and dark.
• Twist is a common factor of a thriller by adding the element of surprise the audience can recognise the film as thriller this connotes fear playing on uncommon fears for example 'being afraid of the unknown'

Mise-en-scene

Thrillers are normally located in dark and eerie places, mainly in dark alleys and dark, neglected buildings. This is done to create suspense and tensions so the audience does not know what could happen. The props within a thriller play into the scene very well as they can change the mood and story line, depending on what it is and how it is used. A good example of this would be 'Halloween 2' as the killer picks up various items to kill people with. Not only is it props that play a good role in a film but costumes too, they are normally dark this could be because the killer doesn't want to be seen so they hide in the dark shadows. Chases are good for a thriller as it creates tensions a good example of this would be the car chase in Bourne Supremacy.

Hopefully this has given my group and insight on what we should include in our thriller opening and that we will take even the tinniest details into considerations.

Our Presentation

Group 2 2012 AS from Media @ CCC on Vimeo.

What do we research?

• Thriller genre
• Sub genre/hybrids
• Codes
• Analyse atleast 5 opening of thrillers
• Title Sequence
• Target Audience 
• Survey for the audience
• Character/plot/themes

Deadlines

Deadlines

• Research-19th October
• Continuity Task-19th November
• Planning/Animatic-19th December

Glossary

Diegesis: The diegesis includes objects, events, spaces and the characters that surround them, including things, actions, and attitudes not necessarily presented in the film but inferred by the audience. The audience constructs a diegetic world from the material that is presented within a narrative film.

Editing: The joining together of clips of film into a single shot. The cut is a simple edit but there are many other ways to transition one shot to another.

Focus: It refers to the degree to which light rays coming from any part of an object pass through the lens and reconverge at the same point on the frame. This creates sharp outlines and distinct texture that match the original.

Mise En Scene: All the things that are put into a frame; the setting, the decor, the lighting, the costumes, the performance etc. 

Three Point Lighting: The standard lighting scheme for classical narrative cinema. In order to model an actor's face with a sense of depth, light from three directions is used just like in the diagram below.

The back light picks out the subject from its background, a bright key light highlights the object and the fill light from the opposite side helps make sure that the key light only casts faint shadows.

Shot Reverse Shot: Two or more shots edited together that alternate characters, typically in a conversation situation. In continuity editing. Over the shoulder framing are common in shot reverse shot editing.

Discuss the ways in which Cameron has used Binary Opposites to create meaning in Titanic.

In this extract from Titanic, Cameron uses binary opposition to immediately establish the iconic structure and size of the Titanic itself, standing alone on the dockside at Southampton with the masses waiting to either board or wave off loved ones or those who have come along to witness this ‘unsinkable ship.’ It is instantly obvious of the different classes of people which can be seen throughout the crowded area. People less fortunate than others were push aside by gold plated cars and the ships staff carrying the luggage of the wealthy on board the ship everything was being done for them making it a pleasant start to their journey. The less well-off were treated like cattle, having their mouths and hair inspected thoroughly; they were expected to carry their own personal belongings themselves. The upper class board the top half of the boat which is seen to be white, this connotes purity and cleanliness. The enter by having to walk across a bridge with their maids and luggage closely followed behind them; they are then escorted to their living quarters. In complete contrast the poor crossed the bridge to the black section of the boat which signifies as being less cleanly.

When we first encounter Rose she arrives at the port in a chauffeur driven car. We see a white gloved hand, immediately this shows us that her family are wealthy. She pauses and waits for her fiancé to assist her out of the vehicle. As she exits out of the car, Cameron has chosen to use very bright lighting this could be used to show her importance in the story line. Rose was wearing a white and purple outfit, the white could signify purity and the purple wealth, which is also very vibrant and may show signs of her wanting to be more adventurous. She is being escorted on to the ship by her fiancé and mother, her fiancée was wearing an impeccably dressed tailored suit and bowler hat, who instantaneously took control of the travel arrangements it seems already that he is working in opposition to Rose and that they don’t really share a connection. He was followed by Rose’s mother she was wearing a green outfit; this may connote jealousy of her daughters adventurous side and the reasons for her travelling to America. Her mother and Rose’s colour contrast could show the opposition that they don’t necessarily see eye to eye and are completely different.  When boarding the Titanic Cameron has used light to show and brighten Rose, her mother and fiancée while leaving everyone else in subdued tones. Rose refers to boarding the ship as a ‘slave ship’ and then goes on to say “on the outside I am a well behaved girl, but on the inside I’m screaming” The impression from this quote reinforces the idea that she wants to be more adventurous and maybe have more choices of her own. The music she enters too is very elegant and demure supporting her wealthy ways.

 Jack by contrast is first seen in a saloon bar after Cameron pans away from the Titanic maybe to give the impression that his way of living isn’t right for such an extravagant, life changing trip. The window of the saloon with the Titanic waiting on the dockside in the background could present a symbolic barrier between the male and female protagonist and the way the live. When entering the saloon the lighting gets darker and is quite gloomy from cigarette smoke, this suggests that Jack and his Italian friend Fabrizio are among the poorer clientele. All the characters in the bar were wearing grey ill-fitting and untailored clothes with grey flat caps unlike the elegant gowns and suits the upper class wore.  They are playing poker for the opportunity to win two third class tickets for the Titanic. Whilst playing there is a ticking sound from a pocket watch laying on the table amongst other unworthy possessions. This could suggest time is running out and is emphasising their anticipation to board the ship. Jack is heard saying “when you’ve got nothing, you’ve nothing to lose” this shows that they are willing to give up everything they own even though they don’t own any worthy belongings. When Jack finds out he has a full house over Sven’s two pairs they are overcome with joy.  Over hearing this joyous celebration the man behind the bar points to the grandfather clock that they only have 5 minutes until the ship leaves on its maiden voyage for America. Knowing this they grab the winnings and tickets and it was all put in their only cloth bag and run out the door. Cameron chooses Irish folk music which shows chaos and reinforces their eagerness to board the ship and also shows that Jack and Fabrizio are from a different class and are boarding Titanic via steerage. Irish music is normally associated with drinking and we first meet Jack in a bar this could be seen as iconic. When entering they were both questioned whether or not they had been medically inspected and intentionally Jack lied and said “Yes, but it doesn’t matter anyway because we are both Americans” because of the little time they had left. Doubtfully the guard let them on. In contrast to Rose’s arrival Jack’s was very much more hectic but he was boarding with much more enthusiasm and very much looking forward to arriving in America. 

What Is Genre ?

Lesson On Signs

Binary Oppositions can reveal how innocent seeming language might be but working in subtle way. The meaning we give is cuturally constructed not inherited from itself, for example 'hero' and 'coward' rely on eachother to help provide a core meaning for one another.

We watched the opening clip to the films signs and had to group things we saw into; Iconic, Symbolic and Indextical signs.

Ionic Sign, this is where the signifier resembles the signified, for example Mel Gibson was used because it he recognised usually in action films. Also there was a farm house which normally signifies safety.

Indextical Sign, signs where the signifier is caused by the signified. For example the dark eery music may be foreshadowing the danger to come.

Symbolic Sign, are arbitrary signs, where the relation between signifier and signified is purely conventional and culturally specific. For example the dog barking sumbolises danger.