Film Synopsis

For our coursework production we have decided to make a psychological thriller film opening, we are currently working on a name for our film but we have got our story line.

Levi is the protagonist in the film, and is being portrayed as a mentally-ill patient who has been sectioned off into a mental institute for murder instead of going to prison. During his time in the mental institution, Levi has made a kill list containing 3 women- one he has already killed and another he kills in the opening sequence. The third woman will be Levi's target for the rest of the film. In the sequences following our opening sequence, the likability of Bonnie's character will be established in order to create tension and anxiety amongst the audience for the remainder of the film. A cat and mouse pursuit of Levi and Bonnie will dominate most of the film, ending with a plot twist in which Levi learns that he is the father of Bonnie's child but he is shot by the police. The final sequence will be an ariel shot of Bonnie lying over Levi's body whilst uncontrollably crying.


Levi Hodge

Age Classification

As part of our production we have to classify the minimum age limit to either watch our film in the cinema or to purchase it. In order to do this we had to do some research on it to gain more marks. One key website that we found useful was the British Board of film classification  (BBFC) because it give us detailed information about each age classification and the what should and should not be included.

 

The age classification we have agreed on is '15' because on BBFC it states that a this classification could include:

• strong violence
• frequent strong language (eg 'f***').
• portrayals of sexual activity
• strong verbal references to sex
• sexual nudity
• brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence
• discriminatory language or behaviour
• drug taking

 

But the only the element from this we are using is strong violence because of the fact that there is going to be a murder and we feel this is too serious to classify as a '12' and it would not be an '18' because we are not dwelling on the infliction of pain and injury.

Levi Hodge

Key elements of our Thriller Opening
In our Thriller movie the key elements we are going to be using some codes and conventions to help build up suspense before the film begins.

• Fast paced quick cuts - We know that this is an element that the audience will be used to and is effective for building tension and suspense in a film.
• Mirrors - Mirrors are another commonly used convention in a thriller. The connotations of mirrors are reflection, double meanings and tricks on the audience. We are going to use mirrors in our opening to show the fractured personality of our character and to build mystery about his identity.
• Black and white CCTV footage - This will allow us to create a dark and eerie atmosphere at the same time CCTV footage has connotations of reality making the film feel more real and creepy.
• Non diegetic music - We are going to use non diegetic music to allow the audience to identify that is something not right, so that we can build suspense for them and make them aware that something bad is about to happen.

We have chosen a target audience of Age 15
A film opening is supposed to draw in the audiences attention and give them a clue about the type of film it is and what is going to happen. The opening will also introduce the characters to the audience.

Bonnie Hartrey

Preliminary exercise: Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.






Chloe, Alexandra, Bonnie, Somer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Codes and Conventions of the Thriller Genre.

For our foundation portfolio we had to research key codes and conventions of the thriller genre. To show some of the codes and conventions we discovered, we decided as a group to create a production piece in the style of a TV interview. We have included the codes and conventions that we feel are relevant for our own coursework production and have included them in this clip.

From watching the parlour scene from the well known film Psycho, directed by the master of suspense, Sir Alfred Hitchock, I  have noticed:

• Low Key lighting has been used to show shadows and create suspense to show something bad is about to happen.
• The parlour is filled with stuffed fierce looking birds; this signifies that the owner is a predator, but is this true?
• The male in this scene is not the stereotypical male because men are usually expected to be seen as big, strong and dominant, but the man does not really follow this stereotype because he is talking with a depressed tone of voice and has nervous body language, but this changes towards the end of the scene because the mans tone of voice changes to angry and we can tell the women feels intimidated by him because we can tell from her facial expressions and awkward body language that she feels uncomfortable and worried.

Location Shoot

We got in contact with Dawn Martin, The head of alternative education at our school and she is also of this house which is used as a learning annex and is situated on the school grounds. She is fine for us to use this house as our location for making our production.

 

This is a shot of the high gate and fence that is surrounding the house we are going to use as a mental institute.

 

 

This is a shot of a CCTV camera that is situated on the outside of the house; which is good because makes the house feel more like a 'mental home' or institute.

 

This is a shot of the house we are going to use as the mental institute. We think this is a good location because it is surrounded by a big field a high fencing with a gate that can be locked. It is also a good location to use because the house has various CCTV cameras in and around the house that can make it feel more like a mental institute.

 

This a shot showing part of the field and the high fence that surrounds it. It also shows a CCTV camera on a high post. This could show that its an area that needs to be closely watched.

 

This a shot of the field surrounding the house.

 

This is a shot of the house showing part of the field and fencing.

 

This is a shot of an office that can be re arranged and used as the mental institute officer's office.

Levi Hodge

 

Key narratives of The Hunger Games

 

Todorov suggests that there are 5 stages of narrative

1. First stage is the equilibrium. I am using the film The Hunger Games as my example. At the beginning of The Hunger Games it begins with Katniss and Gail living their normal daily life. They are hunting, like they would usually do. There is no conflict.

 

The second stage is the disequillibrim. This is when the conflict/distruption begins. In the Hunger Games the disruption begins on the event of the reaping. The conflict begins when Katniss sister Prim is chosen in the reaping to go into The Hunger Games and Katniss volunteers in her place.

 

 This is when Katniss realises what shes got herself into. Katniss knows that it is unlikely she will ever see her family again. The tragic part of this is that she barely has any time to say goodbye and she promises her little sister Primm that she will try to win for her. Primm discovers that Katniss with be entering The Hunger Games

 

 

The recognition of the disequilibrium. Katniss made the decision to volunteer in Primms place, which meant she had to be part of the conflict and the fight to stay alive in the games. Another recognition, of disequilibrium was when Primm died as it caused chaos in the districts.

The attempt to repair the equilibrium includes Katniss trying her hardest to reunite herself with Peeta and work together to survive, so that they can return to the district and see there family again. Katniss saves Peeta and heels his wounds with medicine. She then uses the berries, as a threat to the Capitol so that they allow Katniss and Peeta to both survive.

 

The new equillibrim would be when the conflict is over and Katniss and Peeta are both back home safe at district 12 after winning The Hunger Games. Katniss is reunited with her family.

 

Bonnie Hartrey

Thriller Mood Board

 Thriller Mood Board

Bonnie Hartrey

Propp's theory of narrative
Propp's theory is that no matter the surface different in a story or fairy tale, they all share the same internal structure.

Characters and actions maybe be grouped into

• 8 character roles
• 21 functions

There are eight character types in the Prop theory. These include:

• The villain
• The hero- They seek something, motivated by a ''lack''
• The doner - provides object with magical property
• Helper - who aids hero
• Princess - reward for hero
• Princess's father - rewards hero
• The dispatcher - sends the hero on their way
• False Hero

Levi Straus
Levi Straus is anthropologist who studies 'primitive' societies functioned.
He argued Primitive societies and Advance societies had similar elements.

Binary oppositions

• Pagan
• Savage
• Native Americans
• Inside Society
• Strong
• Wilderness
• Garden
• Weak
• Christian

Equilibrium Theory
The theory that all stories are about the fight to return to normality.
An event happens and everything after the event is an attempt to remain
back to normality.


Bonnie Hartrey

AS Media blogs

Kamini's blog

I would give Kamini's blog an A grade as it is very detailed and specific. He is able to explain why he has a good amount of postings. He has deeply researched for his thriller genre and is able to analyse other film opening's to be able to understand what he needs to include in order to create his own thriller opening.

Snehal's blog
I would give Snehal a C for his blog. He was able to create a good final piece, however he didn't have a lot of research and it wasn't very detailed.

Anujan's blog
I would give Anujan a D for his blog. There was a lack in blog posts, and the quality of the final piece was not very good.

Editing to disrupt

•to disrupt or challenge the viewer’s expectations:

•jump-cut,

•montage editing,

post-production special effects

Research on why Alfred Hitchcock was important to the thriller genre

The codes and conventions of a Thriller:

• Mirrors
• Low key lighting
• Obstructive editing
• Quick cuts
• Changes in camera angle
• Tension music
• Stairs
• Flashbacks
• Use of photographs in black and white
• Disorientation of time and space
• Montage editing

1. The use of shadow is very important in thrillers as it sets the mood of the scene and can build up the tension which is needed quickly and easily.
2. The editing in a thriller movie is important. It crops the film between scenes of high and low tension it can leave the viewer unsettled and convinced that something bad is going to happen in the every day ordinary scene.
3. The music expected from a thriller movie would have an eerie feel to it as it is mainly used as a tension builder. For example, the shark music in jaws.
4. Another thing commonly used in a thriller movie is small and confined spaces that would be likely to make the characters feel or look isolated or claustrophobic for a sense of entrapment.
5. The use of shadows, mirrors and stairs in thriller films is very important as they can be used to hide the 'bad guy' or the evil that is out to get everyone. They are used and played on alongside shadows to create the switching effect of safe and unsafe as the camera angles and cuts of footage switch in sharp and short timing.

Editing for realism

•To construct the illusion of reality through 'invisible’ processes such as:

 

•continuity editing;

 

•the 180-degree rule;

•shot-reverse-shot;

•match on action;

•eye line match.

Editing to show a passage of time

•to show the passage of time through visual effects or transitions:

•dissolve;

•fade in, fade out or to black;

•wipe, slow motion or fast-forward;

•short or long takes;

•flashback

 

Editing to show simultaneous

 

•to represent simultaneous activity:

•insert;

•cutaway,

•cross-cutting,

•parallel editing

Editing for Pace

 

•What’s the pace and rhythm of editing in these sequences?

Try:

•- counting the shots to gauge the variety of shot lengths and variations in pace.

•- mapping the edit points in a diagram to get the ‘shape’ of the sequence.

The terminology: The terminology:

•dissolve, fade in, fade out or to black; wipe, slow motion or fast-forward; short or long takes; flashback.

•jump-cut, montage editing, post-production special effects.

•insert; cutaway, cross-cutting, parallel editing.

•continuity editing; the 180-degree rule; shot-reverse-shot; match on action; eye line match.

   

Media Studies - Arlington Road

We used this clip in lesson to help highlight the codes and conventions which can be used in a thriller and why they are used and what effect they have on the film. Some of the codes and conventions in this video included:  Video begins with blurred vision to create mystery for the audience and allow them to be more drawn into the clip, Quick cuts from different shots to build suspense and tension for the audience and adding a more daunting effect.

The man in this opening is in a white shirt this is used to show the significance and meaning of the blood on his shirt as it makes it more noticeable and recognised for the audience. The red blood on his t shirt connotes danger and gives the audience a clue about the trouble, which is about to occur.