In my group there are three members which include Heather Everingham, Freddie Conway and myself. The purpose of the preliminary task was to create a one minute clip using the cameras for the first time, we got to see how they work and we also got to use the tripods, how to set them up and how they work. The clip had to include dialogue between two people, only briefly and it had to demonstrate the 180-degree rule.
My task involved finding a place to film a brief bit of dialogue between two people. We had to set up the camera and tripod to how we wanted then begin to film. The purpose of doing this was to enhance our understanding of how to use the technologies we would be using when creating our thriller sequence. When doing the preliminary task, we looked at different used of cinematography and also, began to look at how to use the editing software we would be using. My group and I looked into the various camera angles when filming the preliminary task, for instance, when Freddie walks into the the music block we use a long shot of only his feet. By doing this we learnt how to successfully do this and would be useful if we were to include this angle within our thriller as we knew how to do it. We also used high angled shots and close ups within our clip.
Another part of the preliminary task that we had to do was edit our clip after we had finished filming. We put our memory card into the computer, chose our clip and began editing. Whilst editing we were able to see how the software worked and what would have to be done to create a successful opening. As we had a whole lesson to complete the preliminary task, we were aloud a good insight to the software, allowing us to see the aspects of Final Cut Pro and to navigate around the programme.
During this task, I learned how to successfully use the camera, how to zoom in and out and how to place the camera onto the tripod, which is a skill that will i take with me when we film our thriller sequence. My group and I all also learned about how the tripod works, we managed to place the tripod in the places that we needed and how the camera clips on to the tripod. This was important during the task as when it comes to filming our sequence, it would become a quick process as we would all know what to do with the camera and tripod. Our group also learned how to edit on the computers, although, we didn't get very long to edit, we all now know the basics of how to edit a clip.
Some struggles that we faced were when we were trying to film. When we had filmed what we needed and we had to click the button to stop recording, the camera went jerky and therefore looked messy. However, to overcome this, when editing we edited it off to make the clip more fluent and professional. We also had problems when trying to edit, as we had never edited before, we had to learn quickly how to edit simply to make our clip as good as it could be. However, we soon overcame this issue as we quickly caught on to the concept of how to edit.
The prelimnary task will help and assist our group when making our opening to a thriller. As we now know how to menouver the camera and tripod and correctly place them into the positions that we need, we will be able to successfully use different camera angles when filiming to create fear and build suspense and tension. We also now know how to edit clips into the correct length in which we need, meaning that we can use both quick and slow editing within our clip.
Thursday, 24 October 2013
Tuesday, 22 October 2013
Group narrative- Miss Georgiou
In order to create an opening scene of a thriller film, we must have some understanding of what we want to include in our sequence to make it as effective as we can. The purpose of the group narrative is to see what ideas our group members have and to eventually put our ideas together and create the narrative in which we will be using.
When we got into our groups, we were able to see what each others ideas were. When discussing our individual ideas with one and other, we shared our ideas by talking about them and showing each other our notes in which we have written about our narratives. One member of my group illustrated what he wanted to do and were able to clearly what he included in his individual idea. Another member of my group showed us her blog in which she wrote about her narrative.
Heather Everingham's, a member of my group, idea for her individual narrative includes a schizophrenic women who hears noises and name calling in her head. She is lead to go through torturing tasks in order to save her sister and her mother. The person who is leading these tasks is hidden behind a mask and therefore his identity is hidden. At the end of the scene the mask is taken off revealing who the person is. This idea presents advantages and disadvantages to us. The advantages of this narrative is that it has many character and therefore will create tension and suspense. The idea is unique and it will engage the audience and it also includes a lot of gore creating an uncomfortable for the audience. However, the disadvantages are that its complicated and not everyone will understand what is going on. It will also take a long time to put together and it is highly unrealistic meaning that it may not be as scary as we would want.
Another member of my group, Freddie Conway, presented his idea to us through illustrations. His idea includes a young female victim cooking in her kitchen. There is a murderer within her house but she cannot see him as she is too oblivious to what is going on around her. The killer then turns round the corner and stabs the girl to death. The advantages of this narrative is the use of the handheld camera shots that we would use to create a sense of chaos and urgency. It is also set within the house making it more realistic and believable for the audience which is an advantage. There are also disadvantages, these include, that its only two characters used so it would be rather short in length as we cannot include more characters to build up time. Also, it is a very cliche, simple idea that is typical of the thriller genre. This is what people would expect to see within the thriller genre and therefore will not find it scary as they know what is to come next.
My narrative is about a young girl walking her dog in a forest during the late evening. When she is walking her dog she hears rustling in the leaves as if someone is following her. However, she ignores it and thinks that it is only the trees. We are shown shorts clips of the killer following and stalking the girl from a distance. He pulls out a picture from his pocket and it is the female character. The killer hunts her down and kills her and the dog. At the end of the scene, we are given zooming out on the Dog's collar and the girls hat. The advantages of my narrative is that it is very suspense building. It also has a good plot that will engage the audience. There could also be good use of cinematography that would create tension and fear. For instance, a high angled shot would make the girl look small and vulnerable. The disadvantages is that this idea is also very cliche for the thriller genre and it is very predictable. There is also danger when filming this as it is late at night and a unsafe place to film.
For our narrative, we will be including a bit of all of our ideas combined together to make an opening that is as scary and horrific as we can. We will be mainly focusing our narrative on Freddie's and my narrative. There will be a girl cooking within her kitchen, she then tries to look for her boyfriend who she find to be dead. She then goes into a sense of panic running and screaming around the house, however, she does not know that the killer is in the house plotting to kill her too. The killer then finds the girl, however, he doesn't kill her, we just see the killer lurking in the background, behind her. There will then be a black screen with the movie title to pop up to leave the audience in suspense and creating enigma.
When looking at our group narrative, we researched into the narrative theories. There are three in which we have looked at. The first in which we looked at was a theory by Vladmir Propp, according to Propp, all characters have a narrative function, they provide a structure for the text. He believed that all characters had a function to play. The main characters are, the hero, the villain, the donor, the dispatcher, the false hero, the helper, the princess and her father. Another theory in that we looked at was Todorov's theory. Tzvetan Todorov simplified the idea of narrative theory whilst also allowing a more complex interpretation of film texts with his theory of equilibrium and disequilibrium. He states that the fictional environment begins with a state of equilibrium and then suffers disruption, disequilibrium. The new equilibrium is produced at the end of the narrative. The last theory that we researched was the theory of Aristotle. He believes in literary criticism, that a scene should include main points. Incident, dramatic question, character goal, atagonist/ protagonist, stakes, resolution and sympathy/ empathy.
The theory in which links into our narrative is the theory of Vladmir Propp, as we have included vital characters within the scene such as the victim, boyfriend and the killer, all playing a vital role and all having a function to play. Our narrative also links with Aristotle's, this is because it includes a dramatic question, who is the killer? why did the boyfriend get murdered? Also, the audience may feel sympathy and empathy towards the characters.
When looking at our group narrative, we researched into the narrative theories. There are three in which we have looked at. The first in which we looked at was a theory by Vladmir Propp, according to Propp, all characters have a narrative function, they provide a structure for the text. He believed that all characters had a function to play. The main characters are, the hero, the villain, the donor, the dispatcher, the false hero, the helper, the princess and her father. Another theory in that we looked at was Todorov's theory. Tzvetan Todorov simplified the idea of narrative theory whilst also allowing a more complex interpretation of film texts with his theory of equilibrium and disequilibrium. He states that the fictional environment begins with a state of equilibrium and then suffers disruption, disequilibrium. The new equilibrium is produced at the end of the narrative. The last theory that we researched was the theory of Aristotle. He believes in literary criticism, that a scene should include main points. Incident, dramatic question, character goal, atagonist/ protagonist, stakes, resolution and sympathy/ empathy.
The theory in which links into our narrative is the theory of Vladmir Propp, as we have included vital characters within the scene such as the victim, boyfriend and the killer, all playing a vital role and all having a function to play. Our narrative also links with Aristotle's, this is because it includes a dramatic question, who is the killer? why did the boyfriend get murdered? Also, the audience may feel sympathy and empathy towards the characters.
Friday, 18 October 2013
Opening scene analysis- Miss Georgiou
Within this post I will be analysing the opening scene of Halloween released in 1978. The purpose of an opening sequence in the thriller genre is to set the scene to the audience, because of this we are able to engage with the film and ultimately, this gives an indication of what is to come within the film. Also, the opening sequence gives the audience the time frame of the film and therefore sets up enigmas. In this post I will be analysing what is noticed within the opening scene of Halloween.
When looking at the opening sequence, I noticed that there was use of cinematography to present to us the vital things in which is occurring within the clip. For instance, when the film begins there is use of zooming in to the house. This makes the audience primarily focus on the house and leads us to believe that the house will be the main setting within the film and also the zooming in to the house makes us think that something bad will happen within the house, portraying the house as vulnerable. This belief is proved correct in when the girl gets murdered in her bedroom. The zooming in makes the audience scared for the potential people that may be within the house, therefore making us sit on edge. This is is suitable for the intended audience as it creates the fear and suspense in which the film is intended to do. Another cinematography element in which I noticed when analysing this clip is the use of point of view throughout the whole opening. We are given the point of view from the killer, allowing us to believe that that something bad will happen and that potentially he is looking for someone as we are shown around the whole house. Also, because of the use of point of view, we are given an emphasis in the knife when the killer picks it up. This leads the audience to believe that someone is going to get hurt and therefore makes the intended audience to feel scared and uncomfortable to what may occur. Overall, cinematography is used within thriller films to enhance the fear that is presented to the audience. It creates emphasis on certain things and therefore makes the audience fully engage to the film.
Another element in which is used within the opening sequence to engage the audience is the use of sound. We can hear the clock strike which is a diagetic sound. The clock is symbolised to be the girls life coming to an end, each strike of the clock presents the girls life coming closer to and end. This brings fear to the audience and makes them feel scared for the girl, allowing us to build a relationship with her. The audience are also made to feel worried and therefore feeling rather uncomfortable to the outcome. This diagetic sound is suitable for the intended audience as it builds up the tension and also allows the fear to build up within the opening. Another sound in which is heard is a parallel sound, which is the piano that matches the killers footsteps. Because of this, we are able to know clearly what is going on. It is made to seem more realistic and therefore builds up the fear and tension within the scene. The audience are ultimately made to feel scared and on edge due to the footsteps. Off screen sound is also used in the opening sequence, when the children are chanting to what seems to be a rhyme but can be mistaken for as the same rhythm as a spell. This gives the audience the idea that the film could include characters such as children who could either be a victim. Also, because we cannot see where the noise is coming from, it makes the audience feel vulnerable to what may happen. Overall, sound is conventional to the thriller genre as we are given a wide insite of what is occuring within the scene, it also creates fear and suspense to the audience, ultimately making the film scary.
The representation of characters is seen in the opening sequence. Being introduced to the main characters of the film makes the audience aware of why the characters are important to the opening and that particular moment. In the opening sequence we see a young, in love couple who are oblivious to the fact that someone is watching them from outside the window and then inside the house. It shows a typical feature of a thriller because ultimately the victim is unaware of what is going to soon happen and therefore represents the characters at this point as vulnerable and unknowing, therefore creating a sense of enigma. Leading the audience to feel scared and on edge for the characters. At the end of the opening sequence, the masked killer gains his identity when he takes off his mask. When his mask is taken off, we are able to see that it is a young boy. This creates shock for the audience as we wouldn't expect a young boy to be holding a knife and kill somebody. This makes the audience feel nervous and uncomfortable to what happened within the opening as the represntation of the character is seen to be too innocent and vulnerable to do such thing. Both representation of characters are seen to be effective as they are suitable for the intended audience. Because the victim is teenager, the intended audience are led to feel that this could happen to them and makes the sequence more realistic. Also, the young boy is not what we expect to see therefore builds up the enigma.
The narrative used within this opening sequence is something in which is typically used within the thriller genre. For example, we can see it is set within a house in a suburban area giving the impression something bad is going to occur within the house and that it is a main feature of the film. This makes the audience feel vulnerable as it is making them believe it could happen at any time to them and therefore make them nervous to what may happen next. Also, the fact that there is a murder within the opening sequence, makes the audience more aware to what may occur within the rest of the film as a murder is a strong convention of the thriller genre. This then builds up the mystery as to what may happen next.
Throughout the opening sequence there are conventions used. For example, there is low key lighting used up until the murder takes place and then it changes into high key lighting, the change to high key lighting is used to highlight what is going on within the scene and makes the audience focus on the murder. This also builds the relationship between the audience and the characters as we are led to feel sorry for her and also feel vulnerable on her behalf. A blonde, female victim is also another convention is used within the opening. This is typical of the thriller genre as she is portrayed as innocent and oblivious to her surroudings making it seem something bad will eventually happen to her. This leads us to wonder who the killer is, is he going to kill her? This builds up the enigma within the scene and allows the audience to build a strong relationship with the girl as we feel vulnerable for her and sympathise with her. Another convention used within the opening scene is the use of shock, suspense, surprise. The use of these three elements make the audience sit on edge and feel more involved within the scene. We are able to build relationships with the main characters within the scene. The suspense makes the audience feel uncomfortable to what may happen eventually. The shock is created when the killer is revealed and it turns out to be a young, innocent looking boy in which we wouldn't expect.
Overall, when looking at the opening of Halloween I have realized that many conventions are used to build fear and tension. I now know that I can use many conventions within my opening scene to create as much fear and horror as I can.
When looking at the opening sequence, I noticed that there was use of cinematography to present to us the vital things in which is occurring within the clip. For instance, when the film begins there is use of zooming in to the house. This makes the audience primarily focus on the house and leads us to believe that the house will be the main setting within the film and also the zooming in to the house makes us think that something bad will happen within the house, portraying the house as vulnerable. This belief is proved correct in when the girl gets murdered in her bedroom. The zooming in makes the audience scared for the potential people that may be within the house, therefore making us sit on edge. This is is suitable for the intended audience as it creates the fear and suspense in which the film is intended to do. Another cinematography element in which I noticed when analysing this clip is the use of point of view throughout the whole opening. We are given the point of view from the killer, allowing us to believe that that something bad will happen and that potentially he is looking for someone as we are shown around the whole house. Also, because of the use of point of view, we are given an emphasis in the knife when the killer picks it up. This leads the audience to believe that someone is going to get hurt and therefore makes the intended audience to feel scared and uncomfortable to what may occur. Overall, cinematography is used within thriller films to enhance the fear that is presented to the audience. It creates emphasis on certain things and therefore makes the audience fully engage to the film.
Another element in which is used within the opening sequence to engage the audience is the use of sound. We can hear the clock strike which is a diagetic sound. The clock is symbolised to be the girls life coming to an end, each strike of the clock presents the girls life coming closer to and end. This brings fear to the audience and makes them feel scared for the girl, allowing us to build a relationship with her. The audience are also made to feel worried and therefore feeling rather uncomfortable to the outcome. This diagetic sound is suitable for the intended audience as it builds up the tension and also allows the fear to build up within the opening. Another sound in which is heard is a parallel sound, which is the piano that matches the killers footsteps. Because of this, we are able to know clearly what is going on. It is made to seem more realistic and therefore builds up the fear and tension within the scene. The audience are ultimately made to feel scared and on edge due to the footsteps. Off screen sound is also used in the opening sequence, when the children are chanting to what seems to be a rhyme but can be mistaken for as the same rhythm as a spell. This gives the audience the idea that the film could include characters such as children who could either be a victim. Also, because we cannot see where the noise is coming from, it makes the audience feel vulnerable to what may happen. Overall, sound is conventional to the thriller genre as we are given a wide insite of what is occuring within the scene, it also creates fear and suspense to the audience, ultimately making the film scary.
The representation of characters is seen in the opening sequence. Being introduced to the main characters of the film makes the audience aware of why the characters are important to the opening and that particular moment. In the opening sequence we see a young, in love couple who are oblivious to the fact that someone is watching them from outside the window and then inside the house. It shows a typical feature of a thriller because ultimately the victim is unaware of what is going to soon happen and therefore represents the characters at this point as vulnerable and unknowing, therefore creating a sense of enigma. Leading the audience to feel scared and on edge for the characters. At the end of the opening sequence, the masked killer gains his identity when he takes off his mask. When his mask is taken off, we are able to see that it is a young boy. This creates shock for the audience as we wouldn't expect a young boy to be holding a knife and kill somebody. This makes the audience feel nervous and uncomfortable to what happened within the opening as the represntation of the character is seen to be too innocent and vulnerable to do such thing. Both representation of characters are seen to be effective as they are suitable for the intended audience. Because the victim is teenager, the intended audience are led to feel that this could happen to them and makes the sequence more realistic. Also, the young boy is not what we expect to see therefore builds up the enigma.
The narrative used within this opening sequence is something in which is typically used within the thriller genre. For example, we can see it is set within a house in a suburban area giving the impression something bad is going to occur within the house and that it is a main feature of the film. This makes the audience feel vulnerable as it is making them believe it could happen at any time to them and therefore make them nervous to what may happen next. Also, the fact that there is a murder within the opening sequence, makes the audience more aware to what may occur within the rest of the film as a murder is a strong convention of the thriller genre. This then builds up the mystery as to what may happen next.
Throughout the opening sequence there are conventions used. For example, there is low key lighting used up until the murder takes place and then it changes into high key lighting, the change to high key lighting is used to highlight what is going on within the scene and makes the audience focus on the murder. This also builds the relationship between the audience and the characters as we are led to feel sorry for her and also feel vulnerable on her behalf. A blonde, female victim is also another convention is used within the opening. This is typical of the thriller genre as she is portrayed as innocent and oblivious to her surroudings making it seem something bad will eventually happen to her. This leads us to wonder who the killer is, is he going to kill her? This builds up the enigma within the scene and allows the audience to build a strong relationship with the girl as we feel vulnerable for her and sympathise with her. Another convention used within the opening scene is the use of shock, suspense, surprise. The use of these three elements make the audience sit on edge and feel more involved within the scene. We are able to build relationships with the main characters within the scene. The suspense makes the audience feel uncomfortable to what may happen eventually. The shock is created when the killer is revealed and it turns out to be a young, innocent looking boy in which we wouldn't expect.
Overall, when looking at the opening of Halloween I have realized that many conventions are used to build fear and tension. I now know that I can use many conventions within my opening scene to create as much fear and horror as I can.
Wednesday, 16 October 2013
Research into sound- Miss Miller
In this post I will be researching into the sound used within the clip The Human Centipede. I will be looking at the different sound techniques used within the scene and how they build effect on the audience and how sounds are conventional to the thriller genre as they often create a sense of enigma and build tension.
At the beginning of the clip between 0:02-0:015 there is dialogue between the two characters and one of the characters is screaming. This is diagetic sound with a link to on screen sound. The Dialogue between the two girls is very basic they are saying each others names in a sense of panic. Whilst one girl is trying to escape, the other girl laying on the bed screaming and crying. Because they are making these panicked and scared noises, it builds the fear within the film and creates a sense of panic. It also presents the fear in which the girls are feeling and therefore we are able to build a relationship with them. We are led to feel sorry for them and and it creates a sense of enigma and mystery as we don't know if the girl will escape and what will happen to the other girl. These dialogue sounds that we can hear are conventional to the thriller genre because they increase the fear and horror occurring within the film.
Another sound in which we hear is the man's footsteps walking towards the girl who is locked in the room. This is an off screen sound. The footsteps are the only thing in which we hear when this is happening, this presents the girls life to becoming in danger and to an end. Each footstep the man takes towards her represents the girls life getting shorter. Ultimately, this builds up the shock and tension within the film and therefore allowing for the audience to feel scared and sympathize with the girl. As well, the audience are led do sit on edge because we don't know what the outcome may be for the girl, whether she will escape or not. Off screen sound is conventional to the thriller genre because it builds suspense within the film and makes the audience feel as if something bad is to follow.
In the clip, from the beginning until 1:10 we can hear a non diagetic sound in the background of what is occurring. The constant whirling in which we can hear creates an eerie and spooky atmosphere within the clip creating and building the tension. The sound is very thought provoking and allows for the audience to feel tense and uncomfortable with what is happening in the film. The audience are also led to feel suspicious to what may happen as the music gives the impression that potentially something bad will occur. Non Diagetic sound is conventional of the thriller genre as it creates the atmosphere of the film and builds the enigma. Because the sound is constant until the girl shuts the door, this then emphasizes the silence which is to follow.
The next sound in which I analized in the clip was the use of silence. It is found when the girl shuts the door and locks it in an attempt to hide from the evil man. Silence creates tension within this clip as the audience can't tell now what is happening within the narrative of the film. The combination of the shot of the girl and the silence, causes self-concious responses from the audience, it builds up our attention to what is happening and therefore makes us worried. Silence within this clip also creates and builds up mystery to the audience, we are unable to know what may happen at anytime. From this, we are able to build a relationship with the girl, we are led to sit on edge and feel uncomfortable about the situation, therefore feeling scared and worried on the girls behalf. Silence is conventional of the thriller genre as it builds a tense atmosphere, it creates fear for the audience and sense of enigma in which the film intends to do.
From learning and researching into sounds used in thriller films, I have learned about how different sound techniques are used for effect on the audience. These techniques can help form a better understanding of what is going on within the narrative or it can be used to create a tense and eerie atmosphere. I have noticed that sound plays a big part in the thriller genre which is why I will be using some techniques in my thriller clip. I will not be using much dialogue as it gives too much away for the audience, therefore, I will be using a great use of diagetic, non diagetic and silence within my clip to create a suspicious atmosphere to the audience. Overall, researching into sound has given me a better understanding of what sounds I will be using in my thriller clip.
At the beginning of the clip between 0:02-0:015 there is dialogue between the two characters and one of the characters is screaming. This is diagetic sound with a link to on screen sound. The Dialogue between the two girls is very basic they are saying each others names in a sense of panic. Whilst one girl is trying to escape, the other girl laying on the bed screaming and crying. Because they are making these panicked and scared noises, it builds the fear within the film and creates a sense of panic. It also presents the fear in which the girls are feeling and therefore we are able to build a relationship with them. We are led to feel sorry for them and and it creates a sense of enigma and mystery as we don't know if the girl will escape and what will happen to the other girl. These dialogue sounds that we can hear are conventional to the thriller genre because they increase the fear and horror occurring within the film.
Another sound in which we hear is the man's footsteps walking towards the girl who is locked in the room. This is an off screen sound. The footsteps are the only thing in which we hear when this is happening, this presents the girls life to becoming in danger and to an end. Each footstep the man takes towards her represents the girls life getting shorter. Ultimately, this builds up the shock and tension within the film and therefore allowing for the audience to feel scared and sympathize with the girl. As well, the audience are led do sit on edge because we don't know what the outcome may be for the girl, whether she will escape or not. Off screen sound is conventional to the thriller genre because it builds suspense within the film and makes the audience feel as if something bad is to follow.
In the clip, from the beginning until 1:10 we can hear a non diagetic sound in the background of what is occurring. The constant whirling in which we can hear creates an eerie and spooky atmosphere within the clip creating and building the tension. The sound is very thought provoking and allows for the audience to feel tense and uncomfortable with what is happening in the film. The audience are also led to feel suspicious to what may happen as the music gives the impression that potentially something bad will occur. Non Diagetic sound is conventional of the thriller genre as it creates the atmosphere of the film and builds the enigma. Because the sound is constant until the girl shuts the door, this then emphasizes the silence which is to follow.
The next sound in which I analized in the clip was the use of silence. It is found when the girl shuts the door and locks it in an attempt to hide from the evil man. Silence creates tension within this clip as the audience can't tell now what is happening within the narrative of the film. The combination of the shot of the girl and the silence, causes self-concious responses from the audience, it builds up our attention to what is happening and therefore makes us worried. Silence within this clip also creates and builds up mystery to the audience, we are unable to know what may happen at anytime. From this, we are able to build a relationship with the girl, we are led to sit on edge and feel uncomfortable about the situation, therefore feeling scared and worried on the girls behalf. Silence is conventional of the thriller genre as it builds a tense atmosphere, it creates fear for the audience and sense of enigma in which the film intends to do.
From learning and researching into sounds used in thriller films, I have learned about how different sound techniques are used for effect on the audience. These techniques can help form a better understanding of what is going on within the narrative or it can be used to create a tense and eerie atmosphere. I have noticed that sound plays a big part in the thriller genre which is why I will be using some techniques in my thriller clip. I will not be using much dialogue as it gives too much away for the audience, therefore, I will be using a great use of diagetic, non diagetic and silence within my clip to create a suspicious atmosphere to the audience. Overall, researching into sound has given me a better understanding of what sounds I will be using in my thriller clip.
Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Research into conventions of the thriller genre- Miss Miller
In this post I will be researching the things you would typically see in a thriller scene, known as conventions. There are many things that are included in a thriller film that we expect to see when when watching a film from this genre, this is what i will be analyzing in this post. The thriller film that I will be looking at is The Strangers.
The first thing I noticed when looking at The Strangers that is conventional to the thriller genre is the use of low key lighting. Straight away, the use of the low key lighting indicates the thriller genre of the film and makes us aware of what may occur later. The low key lighting is used throughout the clip. It expresses the dark atmosphere which makes the scene extremely mysterious. Because of the low key lighting, the audience are led to feel uncomfortable because it gives the clip an eerie feel. The lighting also is used to hide most of the detail in each frame, this allows for the audience to focus fully on the character. From this, our relationship with the character is built as we feel on edge on he behalf wanting her to stay safe. Low key lighting is conventional to the Thriller Genre because it makes the atmosphere of the film more eerie and suspicious and tends to heighten the alienation felt by the viewer.
Iconography was also used within this scene which is highly conventional to the thriller genre When the girl stands up she is holding a knife in her hand, the use of this knife gives us an indication that something gory and unpleasant will lead to happen. The knife being used is also and indicator of the thriller genre and what we would expect to see. This builds up the tension within the scene because as the audience we don't know what may happen making us feel on edge. Iconography is an important aspect of a thriller film as we can feel certain emotions towards what is happening. We feel scared for the girl yet on edge as to what is going to happen next and what the outcome will be. We also question ourselves to why she has the knife and then who is the person in whom she is going to hurt. We expect to see certain objects on screen when watching a particular genre and the knife is typical of what we would expect to see in this genre.
Another convention in which I noticed was that the film is set in a house. Setting it in a house immediately builds up the fear and mystery within the film because its in such a realistic setting making it seem as if it could happen to anyone and anytime making it more scary for the audience. This allows for the fear and suspense to build up within the film as it has such a realistic feel. It makes the audience feel scared as it is made to seem that it could happen to anyone. Our relationship with the girl is built, again, we sympathize with her because the way that is portrayed to us, it is a horrible situation in which no one would want to be in. The setting of the house within the thriller genre is very conventional because it presents a realistic feel and makes the audience feel uncomfortable.
Handheld movements are also another convention in which is noticed within this clip from The Strangers. I noticed Handheld movements when she opens the door and begins to run away. Immediately this builds up the pace within the clip and create a sense of chaos and urgency. Because of these quick paced shots the audience are led to feel uncomfortable and highly on edge because we are not sure of what may happen next and are led to believe that something bad is going to happen. Handheld movements are conventional of the Thriller Genre because it builds up a quick pace within the film creating urgency and building up the fear.
Point of view is also another convention in which is used within this clip of The Strangers. I noticed point of view within this clip when the girl is sitting on the floor looking over to the window when she hears a noise coming from outside. Point of View immensely builds up the tension within the clip as we are allowed to build a relationship with the character. We feel as if we are taking part of the scene as we can see what the character is seeing and therefore begin to feel certain emotions such as fear and tension. We also feel very uncomfortable as we don'y know what may happen next, just like the girl in the scene. Point of View shots are conventional of the Thriller genre as we can fully engage of what is going on and it brings fear to the audience.
Another convention is the many close ups of her face when she is sitting down on the floor at the beginning of the clip. Close ups portray the fear in which the character is feeling, because we can see what fear she is feeling we are able to sympathies with her. Because of close ups, the audience are led to feel sorry for the girl and and begin to feel tense as we are unable to tell what may happen to the girl. Close ups within the thriller genre are conventional because they immensely build up the fear and tension within the film.
The first thing I noticed when looking at The Strangers that is conventional to the thriller genre is the use of low key lighting. Straight away, the use of the low key lighting indicates the thriller genre of the film and makes us aware of what may occur later. The low key lighting is used throughout the clip. It expresses the dark atmosphere which makes the scene extremely mysterious. Because of the low key lighting, the audience are led to feel uncomfortable because it gives the clip an eerie feel. The lighting also is used to hide most of the detail in each frame, this allows for the audience to focus fully on the character. From this, our relationship with the character is built as we feel on edge on he behalf wanting her to stay safe. Low key lighting is conventional to the Thriller Genre because it makes the atmosphere of the film more eerie and suspicious and tends to heighten the alienation felt by the viewer.
Iconography was also used within this scene which is highly conventional to the thriller genre When the girl stands up she is holding a knife in her hand, the use of this knife gives us an indication that something gory and unpleasant will lead to happen. The knife being used is also and indicator of the thriller genre and what we would expect to see. This builds up the tension within the scene because as the audience we don't know what may happen making us feel on edge. Iconography is an important aspect of a thriller film as we can feel certain emotions towards what is happening. We feel scared for the girl yet on edge as to what is going to happen next and what the outcome will be. We also question ourselves to why she has the knife and then who is the person in whom she is going to hurt. We expect to see certain objects on screen when watching a particular genre and the knife is typical of what we would expect to see in this genre.Another convention in which I noticed was that the film is set in a house. Setting it in a house immediately builds up the fear and mystery within the film because its in such a realistic setting making it seem as if it could happen to anyone and anytime making it more scary for the audience. This allows for the fear and suspense to build up within the film as it has such a realistic feel. It makes the audience feel scared as it is made to seem that it could happen to anyone. Our relationship with the girl is built, again, we sympathize with her because the way that is portrayed to us, it is a horrible situation in which no one would want to be in. The setting of the house within the thriller genre is very conventional because it presents a realistic feel and makes the audience feel uncomfortable. 
Handheld movements are also another convention in which is noticed within this clip from The Strangers. I noticed Handheld movements when she opens the door and begins to run away. Immediately this builds up the pace within the clip and create a sense of chaos and urgency. Because of these quick paced shots the audience are led to feel uncomfortable and highly on edge because we are not sure of what may happen next and are led to believe that something bad is going to happen. Handheld movements are conventional of the Thriller Genre because it builds up a quick pace within the film creating urgency and building up the fear.
Point of view is also another convention in which is used within this clip of The Strangers. I noticed point of view within this clip when the girl is sitting on the floor looking over to the window when she hears a noise coming from outside. Point of View immensely builds up the tension within the clip as we are allowed to build a relationship with the character. We feel as if we are taking part of the scene as we can see what the character is seeing and therefore begin to feel certain emotions such as fear and tension. We also feel very uncomfortable as we don'y know what may happen next, just like the girl in the scene. Point of View shots are conventional of the Thriller genre as we can fully engage of what is going on and it brings fear to the audience.
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Individual ideas for a narrative- Miss Georgiou.
When thinking about ideas for the opening of a thriller film, in which I will be doing as part of my coursework, I get my inspiration from the films that I have watched within my lessons and outside. The films that I watched all build tension and suspense which is what I also want to achieve in my clip.
A film that I watched was Insidious. In this film there is great use of low key lighting which gives the film and eerie and spooky feel that makes the audience feel uncomfortable and on edge which I want to achieve in my lip. Low key lighting is extremely conventional of the thriller genre because it gives a sense of spookiness. Insidious is set in house which is extremely realistic, this builds the fear and horror within the film because it makes the audience feel as if it could happen to them at any time. This is also conventional because its extremely realistic, increasing the fear.
I also watched The Shining. Within this film I noticed that there was great use of slow editing, this is shown when "Johnny' is about to axe down the door. Slow editing is used to create mystery and also builds the tension because we never know what may happen to the girl, something could potentionaly happen at any time making the audience feel uncomfortable and sit on edge. Reaction shots are also used in this film, this gives a wide view of what is occurring within the film which presents fear as we can understand fully what is going on. Because of this, the audience can engage fully with the characters and feel the characters pain and fear. Also, the victim in this film is female. This builds the tension and fear because she is seen as an easy target therefore making it seem that something bad will happen which forces the audience to feel uncomfortable and on edge. This is extremely conventional of the thriller genre because females are seen to be most vulnerable.
Sinister is another film in which I have watched. In sinister, the killers identity is never revealed. The hidden identities create mystery and suspense because we never know who it could be which makes the audience start to question who it could be and therefore engaging immensely with the film. Also in sinister, there is use of handheld movements, these movements present chaos and urgency within the film and makes it very fast pace. This forces the audience to feel that something serious and scary will happen at any time. This is conventional in the thriller genre because it increases the fear and horror. There is use of iconography within sinister which builds the fear and makes the audience believe something bad will happen to the victim. This is conventional to thrillers because iconography forces us to believe that something bad will happen even if it doesn't.
The final film I have watched is The Conjouring. Again using low key lighting, realistic locations and iconography. I noticed in this film that there was use of high angles. With the use of low key lighting and a high angled shot looking down on the girl, this makes the audience believe that she is the victim because she is being shown smaller than she is. Also, with use of the realistic location we believe that something bad will happen to her, increasing our belief that she is the victim. High angles are conventional of thriller films because they present the victim clearly and increase fear.
My individual idea:
From taking inspiration from each of these films I have been able to come up with an idea for my narrative. My narrative will include alot of mise-en-scene that are typical to the thriller genre. For instance, I will set my narrative within a sucluded area, a forest or in a house because these enviornments are realistic and enhance the fear within the scene. I will also be using low key lighting in the location to give it an eerie and spooky feel.
I will also use a teenage female victim in my scene this is because females are seen to be most vulnerable and is an indicator of the thriller genre. The victim will also be a young person, around the age of 15/16, linking it with the target audience, therefore increasing the audiences fear and horror. There will be a killer yet, his identity will be hidden to make it more suspicious and scary.
There will be use of iconography such as a knife. I will use iconography because it is a typical thing we expect to see within the thriller genre and it increases the tension and shock factor within the scene.
A film that I watched was Insidious. In this film there is great use of low key lighting which gives the film and eerie and spooky feel that makes the audience feel uncomfortable and on edge which I want to achieve in my lip. Low key lighting is extremely conventional of the thriller genre because it gives a sense of spookiness. Insidious is set in house which is extremely realistic, this builds the fear and horror within the film because it makes the audience feel as if it could happen to them at any time. This is also conventional because its extremely realistic, increasing the fear.
I also watched The Shining. Within this film I noticed that there was great use of slow editing, this is shown when "Johnny' is about to axe down the door. Slow editing is used to create mystery and also builds the tension because we never know what may happen to the girl, something could potentionaly happen at any time making the audience feel uncomfortable and sit on edge. Reaction shots are also used in this film, this gives a wide view of what is occurring within the film which presents fear as we can understand fully what is going on. Because of this, the audience can engage fully with the characters and feel the characters pain and fear. Also, the victim in this film is female. This builds the tension and fear because she is seen as an easy target therefore making it seem that something bad will happen which forces the audience to feel uncomfortable and on edge. This is extremely conventional of the thriller genre because females are seen to be most vulnerable.
Sinister is another film in which I have watched. In sinister, the killers identity is never revealed. The hidden identities create mystery and suspense because we never know who it could be which makes the audience start to question who it could be and therefore engaging immensely with the film. Also in sinister, there is use of handheld movements, these movements present chaos and urgency within the film and makes it very fast pace. This forces the audience to feel that something serious and scary will happen at any time. This is conventional in the thriller genre because it increases the fear and horror. There is use of iconography within sinister which builds the fear and makes the audience believe something bad will happen to the victim. This is conventional to thrillers because iconography forces us to believe that something bad will happen even if it doesn't.
The final film I have watched is The Conjouring. Again using low key lighting, realistic locations and iconography. I noticed in this film that there was use of high angles. With the use of low key lighting and a high angled shot looking down on the girl, this makes the audience believe that she is the victim because she is being shown smaller than she is. Also, with use of the realistic location we believe that something bad will happen to her, increasing our belief that she is the victim. High angles are conventional of thriller films because they present the victim clearly and increase fear.
My individual idea:
From taking inspiration from each of these films I have been able to come up with an idea for my narrative. My narrative will include alot of mise-en-scene that are typical to the thriller genre. For instance, I will set my narrative within a sucluded area, a forest or in a house because these enviornments are realistic and enhance the fear within the scene. I will also be using low key lighting in the location to give it an eerie and spooky feel.
I will also use a teenage female victim in my scene this is because females are seen to be most vulnerable and is an indicator of the thriller genre. The victim will also be a young person, around the age of 15/16, linking it with the target audience, therefore increasing the audiences fear and horror. There will be a killer yet, his identity will be hidden to make it more suspicious and scary.
There will be use of iconography such as a knife. I will use iconography because it is a typical thing we expect to see within the thriller genre and it increases the tension and shock factor within the scene.
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
Research into age certificates and the BBFC- Miss Georgiou
In this post I will be researching into age certificates for films and the different classifications that there are. I will also be researching the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and what their job is when it comes to classifying films into certain age certificates.
The BBFC:
The BBFC's job is to watch and examine films before they are released and based on what they have seen, put them into age certificates in order to protect children from unsuitable and even harmful content in films. The BBFC look at issues such as the discrimination of drugs, horror, dangerous and easlily imitable behaviour, language, nudity, sex and violence when they make the decision of what age certificate to put the film under. They also consider context, the tone and likely impact of a work on the potential audience. The possible age certificates that a film can be put under are, U, PG, 12, 12A, 15 and 18.
U- This means universal. A U film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and older. Films and videos that are seen as U's are, for example, In The Night Garden and The Teletubbies. A U film may include a brief scene where a character is seen in danger but will be balanced by reassuring elements such as music. An example of a U film would be The Muppets. There is no violence or any scenes of a sexual nature. The children in whom are watching the film can watch without any disturbances. The film is based on puppet animals which will feature maybe an insight to adventures with nothing that would disturb any child. U films, such as The Muppets, are child friendly. The plot of a U film would be easily understood because of its intended audience. U films are seen to be about friendships and loyalty which will always likely lead to a happy ending, it is great for children to enjoy and have a positive experience out of watching it.
12A and 12- 12A means that anyone aged 12 and over can go and see a film unccompanied. The A stands for 'accompanied' or 'advisory' . Children younger than 12 may see the film if they are accompanied by an adult. There may be strong language used in a 12 or 12A work but it must be infrequent. Violence is allowed but not in detail and there should be no emphasis on blood or injuries. An example of a 12 certificate film is The Hunger Games. The plot is about a game that takes place in order for only one survivor. Although it may seem brutal, the violent actions taking place cannot be seen. The characters within The Hunger Games are aged between ages 13-18 so the language barrier is lifted due to their age and maturity. The language and sexual content is very limited within this film as it isn't acceptable to be showing any nudity within the film. If any disruptive language is used then it is very minimal and nothing that could possibly harm or affect the child in any way. The accompany of adults within 12 films is advised as the violence could possibly influence the child in a certain way or the child may be frightened of the weapons used.
The example of a 12A film is Spider Man, which was the first ever film to be given the certificate of 12A in 2002. At first, the film was given an age rating of 12, meaning that most of the films targetted audience could not view the film in cinemas. Therefore, after many complaintes the film was given a 12A so that children under the age of 12 could go and see the film with adult supervision
15- 15 films are suitable for people over the ages of 15 and not suitable for under. 15 film is much stronger than a 12A or 12 film because they include strong violence, portrayals of sexual activity, strong language and drug taking. The violence can be strong in a 15 film but not dwell on the infliction or injury too much. An example of a 15 film is The Hangover. which is about a planned bachelor party and the events that happen within the lead up to the main characters wedding. There is strong language used within this film and many references to sex, although this is not focused on too much as the film is about a group of men all suffering from a hangover, trying to remember the previous nights events. The film is a comedy and some events taken place keep the audience amused and turnt away from the bad language and drug us. Thus, making it suitable for the 15 rating.
18- 18 films are for adults and no one under 18 is allowed to see them. 18 films contain very strong issues such as strong horror, blood and gore, real sex, strong portrayals on sexual activity and sexual violence. Violence is portrayed with strong detail. Strong, gory, images are usually shown in this category. An example of an 18 film is Saw V. Huge amounts of horror, violence, gore, blood and strong language are used throughout this film. Groups of people are put through a series of gruesome traps in which may lead to freedom, however, these traps lead to many deaths which are shown to the audience very explictly and gruesome. The plot is very scary and horrifying which can lead to any younger viewers, under 18, to become extremely disturbed. The large amount of blood and death leaves adults to become disturbed so any child younger can be seriously disturbed because of the outcomes. The ending in itself is bad, the horryfying tasks the people have to endure leave the audiences on the edge of their seats.
Researching into age certificates enables us to know what age certificate to put our thriller into. We are now aware of what age certificates include specific details in which can only be shown to the age group. This allows us to know what appropriate age group to put our thriller in to. I have decided to put our thriller into the 15 certificate. This is because, the 15 age certificate allows for violence to be used and injury can be used, aso.
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