Thriller Opening Storyboard

Pitch Reactions

Idea 1

Idea 1 was received relatively well but is too obvious and clichéd. It would be simple to film but wouldn’t appeal too much to the audience.

Problems

·         Filming in a forest would result in limited lighting and we would find it difficult to get it correct.

·         Using a dog means that it will be difficult making sure that the dog behaves in the desired way without acting up.  

We were advised to watch Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project as they are similar films and filmed in similar ways. 

Idea 2

Idea 2 was received very well but many difficulties would be faced. It would be difficult to film but there would be a lot of appeal to it.

Problems

·         Filming in and around a football stadium at game time would be extremely difficult due to the noise and business of the stadium.

·         It would also be difficult to film without people getting in the way and interrupting the filming.

·         Filming someone getting stabbed with hundreds of people and many policemen around would be practically impossible.

We watched Football Factory and Green Street to give us inspiration.  

Idea 3

Idea 3 was received to be the best idea. Whilst it isn’t the most entertaining idea it had enough to excite the audience and it would be suitable enough to film.

Problems

·        Finding a deserted house we can use to film in is going to be rather difficult.

·        Making the deserted house believable and not so obviously fake would also be quite difficult.

We were advised to watch the first episode of Supernatural as it has a similar plot to our idea.

Audience Research Response

Our audience research will affect our production because we will use the information to suit what they want. For example, we made the opening a 12 as that is what the people wanted. It allows a wider range of people to watch it and enjoy it. This means that the thriller will have no graphic violence and limited swearing. We will also make the thriller opening quite tense and mysterious. This makes the audience ask questions and they want to finish watching the movie to see what happens.  

Thriller Opening Plot

The plot of our thriller opening is about a man returning to his abandoned house. He is returning, scared, because he is in trouble for committing the murder of his friends daughters over a poker debt. He searches through the house and finds a passport and a couple of old pictures of young girls, the girls he murdered. He takes them and tries to exit the house. The door is locked and he looks frightened. He slowly walks upstairs and notices that the light is on, when it was previously off. When he is up the stairs the lights turn off and he his ambushed by his former friend. A scream is heard and the beginning credits begin.

Media Questionnaire

Questionnaire

 

Age: 0-9    10-17    18-25    26-35    36-45    46-60    61+

Gender: Male                        Female

Where do you prefer to watch? Cinema         Home

What is your favourite thriller movie?

 

What kind of thriller do you like?

 

What do you expect to see in the opening of a movie?

 

What age rated films do you like watching?

U    PG     12      15     18

 

Media Pitch

Twentieth Century Fox

Twentieth Century Fox

Twentieth Century Fox was founded in 1935 as part of a merger between Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century Pictures.

Their most famous stars include: Shirley Temple, Betty Grable, Gene Tierney, Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield.

Originally, they made provocative adult-based films, like ‘The Razors Edge’ and book adaptations like Leave Her to Heaven’.

Nowadays, they produce films and television shows of all genres.

Some of their most famous films include: Star Wars, Die Hard and Predator.

 

 

The Studio System

The Studio System – its decline and the institutes today

 

Silent Era – No studios or institutes, just directors and filmmakers. When they realised the amount of money that can be made, they bought directors, sets and stars. Studios even owned their own cinemas and wouldn’t show films made by rival firms. Actors could only appear in films distributed by the studio who owned them.

Golden Age – Big 5: MGM, Paramount, Fox, RKO, Warner Bros. Little 3: Columbia, United Artists, Universal.

United Artists – Owned by the actors who worked there.

Many scholars date the Golden Age of Hollywood from 1924-1957. TV’s were invented and contributed towards the death of the Golden Age.

For a time films became the property of new independent filmmakers.

There are now versions of old studios and new ones like Tristar, Miramax and Film4.

 

Preliminary Task Evaluation

Media Studies Preliminary Task Evaluation

I feel that we did well getting steady shots in the in the shoot. I also feel that we used continuity editing very well and the shooting material was appropriate was appropriate to the task set. I think that the editing was done successfully as the meaning of the task is easily apparent to the viewer. Also, we used match on action shots and shot reverse shots very effectively.

We managed to get very steady shots by using a tripod. We used the tripod for the majority of the shots and it keeps the camera very steady. We kept the continuity by assuring that only certain props were used and were in the shots when appropriate. We also assured that the actors costumes didn’t change throughout the shots. The shooting material was appropriate as we assured that all of the props used were relevant to the shoot and it made sense that they were in the shot. The editing makes the meaning of the task apparent to the viewer because it is simple and is very easy to follow. The match on action shots and shot reverse shots were planned in advance and we knew when we going to put them in. We did several cuts for the match on action shots so we could match the shots together as perfectly as possible.

We didn’t get a variety of shot transitions and no effects were used. We could have edited them in but we feel that we couldn’t find any appropriate times to use them.  We found shot distancing slightly difficult at times. The setting we used for filming was very small so it was very difficult to get a variety of shot distances. Next time we could use a larger space for the setting so it is easier to get a variety of shot distances. Also, we didn’t get use titles for the task as we felt that they wouldn’t be appropriate for the task.

I learned that we should allow for different shot transitions and effects in the shoot. It would allow for more variety in the film and would make the film a lot more interesting and would show our editing skills more. I also learned that we should use bigger setting when appropriate so we can use a wider variety of shot distances. I learned that titles are necessary to give the viewer an idea of what the film is about.

Next time we film a task we will use a larger setting so we can get different shot distances, like long shots and close ups, to improve the variety of the film. Also, I will use titles and more transitions and effects in the film. It would add more of a variety to the film and would make it more interesting. The titles would give the viewer and idea of what the film is about and who was involved in the film.

Analysis of the opening of No Country For Old Men

Analysis of the opening of No Country For Old Men

The opening shots of No Country For Old Men are long shots of the landscape. This sets the scene of the film and gives the viewer an idea of where the film is set and could suggest what genre the film is.  The long shots at the beginning of the film are of a barren desert. It is very empty and there isn’t much going on.  The long shots are narrated. The character giving the commentary is not known so the voice is very mysterious and it doesn’t explain who the narrator is in the opening.

In the next shots, there is a two shot. It is a very wide and open shot and shows a lot of the landscape in the background. The wide, open landscape shows clearly that there is nowhere to escape and nowhere to run to. This adds to the thriller element of the film. The two characters in the shots are silhouetted. It is not clear who they are and none of their features are shown clearly in the shot. This is very mysterious and makes the audience wonder who these people are and why they are walking towards a police car.

  One of the characters puts a mysterious item into the front of the car. The item isn’t explained and the audience has no idea what it is. It is a close up shot on the item and it emphasizes the importance of the object. Also, the character still isn’t shown clearly in the shot and nothing has been revealed yet.

There is another two shot of the two characters. In the two shot, one of the characters is sat in the back of the vehicle, still silhouetted, and the other character is stepping into the car. Even though the character is being viewed from the front he is still shrouded in mystery and his face isn’t shown clearly in the shot. It adds to the mystery even more and also suggests that the character is quite sinister. He is sat very still and very quiet and his silhouetted face suggests that he may be some sort of criminal.

The commentary finishes with a long shot of the landscape. In the long shot, a car is driving down the road. The car isn’t identified but the audience assume it is the same car that the two characters were in. The long shot shows the setting again and how open and barren it is. It also emphasizes the idea of vastness and the lack of places to run to and how it would be impossible to disappear in the area. The camera also pans upwards in this shot.

The first piece of dialogue shows a character, a policeman, on the phone. It is a close up shot on the character and he is shown very clearly. In the background of the close up shot another character is shown walking towards the policeman. The character is out of focus and his face is unseen. The character is still very mysterious but the out of focus character is shown clearly enough to be identified as the character sat in the back of the car.

The next shots are taken from floor level and show a struggle between the two characters. The shots add tension to the opening of the film and add to the thriller element of the film. It also shows that the mysterious character is sinister and he is evil after all. The shots are very chaotic and add a sense of confusion to the scene. It isn’t explained why the character is attacking the policeman and it still doesn’t explain who he is.

The next couple of shots are ‘bird’s eye view’ shots and close up shots. The ‘bird’s eye view’ shot shows the two characters involved in the struggle and the expressions on their faces. The police man’s face is full of panic where as the attackers face seems relatively calm and suggests that he isn’t concentrating too much on what is going on.  The close up shot very clearly shows the expression of relief on the attacker and there appears to be a lack of remorse on the characters expression. The unexplained murder is also a massive suggestion that this film is a thriller.

There is a close up shot on a character watching his hands. The character is clearly the attacker. The way the character has removed the handcuffs suggests that he has done it before. This helps to explain the characters background and more of the character is being revealed. Also, the character doesn’t seem to be fazed by the crime he has committed and quickly cleans up his mess rather than dwelling on what he has just done. This character is clearly evil.  

Prelim. Planning - Shot Demonstrations

Match On Action
The match on action shot will be demonstrated when the first character opens the door. It will show the character reaching for the door handle from one angle, a mid shot, and then it will cut away to a shot from a different, closer angle, a close up, on the characters hand on the door handle.

Shot/Reverse/Shot
A shot/reverse/shot will be demonstrated during the characters conversation. Over the Shoulder Shots will be used during to show the shot/reverse/shot. We will make sure to stick to the 180 degree rule so the viewer will not be confused by the changing shots and character position.

180 Degree Rule
We will demonstrate the 180 degree rule at the same time as the shot/reverse/shot, during the conversation scene. This is a good time to demonstrate it as the shots are constantly changing between two characters, therefore it is important to stick to the 180 degree rule so it does not become confusing. 

Prelim. Planning - Mise-en-scene plans

Sound
In our preliminary task, there will not be any use of non-diegetic sound. we feel that it won't be appropriate for the short film and it would not fit into the film.

Diegetic sounds in the film will include the sound of the door closing and the placement of a glass on a table will also be included.

Props
Props in the film will include:- Books - on the table to add something to the setting and will take away the feeling of emptiness from the setting. A close up will be focusing on one of the books and it will be used as the main conversation point of the film.
                                                - A glass - will be drank by one of the characters and a close up on it will be featured. It will add something to the film and will provide a pause in the conversation, allowing a change of topic for the conversation or it will add tension to the scene.
                                                - Chair - one of the characters will move the chair towards the table whilst sitting on it. This will clearly show the character sitting on the chair and will feature just before the conversation starts.

Editing
Most of the editing between shots will be straight cuts. It is a very simple edit but it is very effective.

Cinematography
The film will feature several 'Over the Shoulder' shots. Mainly,they will occur during the conversation part of the film. they are useful because it shows where the character is placed and also shows what the character is looking at. an 'Over the Shoulder' shot will also be used as the first shot to show what the character is looking at and will show the setting inside the room.

A 'POV' shot will be used in the second shot to show the view from the other characters perspective. It will also show the rest of the setting.

A 'Wide Angle/Low Angle' shot will be used to show the two characters in the same shot and will also show one of the characters walking across the room.

A 'Birds Eye View' shot will be used to show a book on the table. This will be a main topic for the conversation so it is an important shot to feature in the scene.

'Noddy Shots' will be used to show the characters reactions to various parts of the conversation. They are important because they show how the character feels and would show what parts of the conversation are very important.   

How does Welles create an air of mystery in the opening to Citizen Kane?

How does Welles create an air of mystery in the opening to Citizen Kane? 

Welles uses a lot of metal fencing in the opening scene. This adds a sense of mystery to the building. The ‘No Trespassing’ sign clearly shows that the house is very secure and visitors aren’t wanted. This would make the audience question what is in the house and why the owners don’t want anyone entering the house. Match fades were used three times on the fences to emphasize the importance of the fences. It also shows how important the house is and gives a sense of imprisonment inside the fences.

There is a good use of non-diegetic music in the opening of Citizen Kane. It is very dramatic and adds a sense of danger to the opening. Without the music the opening would be very bland and a lot of the drama would be lost. It also adds a sense of excitement to the scene, the music grabs the viewer’s attention and without the music the scene wouldn’t be as gripping. The music is also very prominent and is one of the main focuses from the scene.     

In the scene, the weather is very foggy and rather misty. This gives a sense of drama to the scene and gives the viewer the idea that something is going to happen. It also rather creepy. Citizen Kane is a thriller so the creepiness element is very important and the fog and mist in the opening gives the viewer a good idea of what the film is going to be like. The weather is very stereotypical of thriller films. The mistiness and fogginess adds an air of mystery as it suggests the fog is shrouding something.

 There is an extreme close up on the man’s mouth which adds an air of mystery. It doesn’t show who the man is and just focuses on his mouth. He says, “Rosebud” and then the emphasis changes to something else. Throughout the whole scene it is never shown who the man is so it grips the viewer’s attention and makes the audience want to watch on and find out who the mysterious man is. The word “Rosebud” also adds mystery. It appears to be quite a random word to use and it isn’t explained at all in the opening of the film.

In the opening there is a lot of emphasis on a snow globe. There is an extreme close up of the inside of the snow globe which is then zoomed out to reveal that it is a snow globe. The importance of the snow globe isn’t revealed in the opening so it is a very mysterious object that the viewer would expect to be explained in the film. When the snow globe is dropped it smashes. This could be a use of foreshadowing and could symbolize something that happens later on in the film. There is also an unexplained link between the snow globe and the word “Rosebud”. That link also adds mystery.

Throughout the opening of Citizen Kane, there is a light on in the top right hand corner of the shot. It is very mysterious as the viewer does not know where the light is coming from. Eventually, the shot gets closer to the light and it is revealed that the light is coming from a window in the house. This now adds a different air of mystery and the viewer wonders what is in the room. When the light is turned out the music stops very dramatically. This shows that something very important happened inside the room that involved the light being turned off.

When the snow globe is dropped and the man holding it appears to be dead, a nurse arrives on the scene very quickly. This is mysterious as the viewer does not know why the man has a nurse and why she is needed. It is also rather mysterious as to how she arrived so quickly without much of a warning. Also, when she finds the man dead she wraps him up very quickly as though she is expecting the death of the man and she is prepared for it. She doesn’t appear to have a solemn expression on her face and it makes it look like a rather unimportant death as no-one else appears to be made aware of his death.

There appears to only be two people in the house, the man and the nurse. This is rather mysterious as you would expect a house of that size to have more than two people living in it. It also suggests that the man, who appears to be the owner of the house, is very wealthy and can easily afford to live in such a big house. This makes you wonder how he has so much money, why he lives in such a large house with just a nurse and does he have any family. I think that the house is very important to the opening for those reasons and the mystery it creates.

Citizen Kane Opening Notes

How does Welles create an air of mystery in the opening to Citizen Kane?

 

Dramatic music, metal fences/cages, No Trespassing sign- sense of entrapment, foggy/misty, the shots fade between each other, extreme close up on man’s mouth, doesn’t show who he is.

Who is the man that dies?

Why does he say ‘rosebud’? What is ‘rosebud’?

Why does he have a nurse?

Why is the house so secure?

What is wrong with the man?

Why does the light suddenly turn off?

Who turns the light off?

What does the snow globe symbolise?

Why is nobody else in the house?

 

Mise-en-scene

Sound

Diegetic- Snow globe smashing on the ground.

Non-diegetic- Very dramatic, powerful music.

Set and Props 

The large house and the fences are very intimidating and adds a sense of mystery and danger to the house.

The snow globe plays an important role in the opening. It adds to the mystery and it anchors the story together.

Cinematography

Shot type- The camera tilts up the fence.

Shot composition- The light in the top corner is always in the shot, this add importance to the light and adds mystery to it.

Lighting- The lighting is quite dark. The light rises from the window which dramatizes the scene.

Thriller Movie Poster

Thriller Poster Examples

Composition, Framing and Shot Types notes

Composition, Framing and Shot Types

Composition and Framing

Composition – Where objects are placed.

Rule of Thirds – Where lines cross, points of interest occur.

The Golden Mean – Point of interest occur along diagonal line.

Framing – What you choose to include in the shot and what you leave out. What you leave out can be important. A thriller shot might exclude objects to create tension.

Shot Types

Extreme Longshot(ELS) – Subject isn’t clearly visible. Shows subjects surroundings. Establishing shot- where action is taking place.

Longshot – Subject takes up almost all of the frame. Shows character in environment.

Midshot – Some part of the subject is shown in more detail. Like seeing a person in the flesh.

Medium Close Up (MCU) – Halfway between a midshot and a close up. Shows face clearly.

Close Up (CU) – Certain features or part of the subject takes up most of the frame. Useful for showing detail. Emphasizes their emotional state.

Extreme Close Up (ECU) – Shows extreme detail. Need a specific reason to get this close. Important object in detail.

Cut Away (CA) – Usually of something other than the current action. Used as a buffer between shots.

Two Shot – Good for establishing relationships between subjects. Could involve movement or action. Equal prominence in frame.

Over the Shoulder Shot – The shot is framed from behind a person who is looking at the subject. Helps to establish position of each person.

Noddy Shot – Common in interviews. Shows person listening and reacting to the subject.

Point of View – Shows object from someone’s perspective.

Genre notes

Genre

Major Genre – Dominant, important category.

Subgenre – Minor category or subdivision

Hybrid Genre – Combination of major genres

We identify genre by looking at:

·         Generic codes and conventions – signifiers that have been established through time.

·         Signifiers – Physical aspects that we see or hear in a film.

·         Mise-en-scene – what we see in the frame of the film.

Examples

Horror – Human Centipede

Thriller – Shutter Island

Action – Bourne Identity

Comedy – Superbad

Western – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Romance – Dear John

Sci-fi – Star Trek

Period – The King’s Speech

Noir – Night of the Hunter

Silent – The Artist

Musical – Sweeney Todd

Sitcom – The Inbetweener’s Movie

Documentary – March of the Penguins

Romcom – Love Actually

Comic book – Ironman

Christmas – Elf

Biography – The Death of the Sugarman

War – Black Hawk Down

Animated – Up

Adventure – Raiders of the Lost Ark

Fantasy – The Neverending Story

Gangster – American Gangster

Detective – Sherlock Holmes

Mockumentary – Football Factory

Genre – Western

See: Cowboys, horses, guns, cans of beans

Hear: Bullet ricochets, clicking of spurs, smashing bottles, horses trotting

Characters: Cowboys, native Americans, sheriff, deputy

Storyline: ‘This town ain’t big enough for the two of us’

Morals: Kill people, revenge, good vs evil

Examples: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, 3:10 to Yuma

Genre – Gangster

See: Italians, black cars, suits, hats, violin cases, police, cigars, slicked back hair

Hear: Italians, screeching tyres, police sirens

Characters: Head gangster, henchman, policemen, Italians

Storyline: Gang member wants to leave, money owed, police trouble, revenge, Italians

Morals: Gangs mess people up, Italians are involved with the Mafia.

Examples: Scarface, The Godfather, American Gangster

Mise-en-scene and Camera Movement notes

Mise-en-scene and Camera Movement

Mise-en-scene

      Diegetic sound

      Props/costumes

      Non-diegetic sound
     Cinematography

     Editing

Diegesis – the world of the film

Features of Mise-en-scene

Costume/props – What characters are wearing and what objects they use.

Editing – The use of software to manipulate the original film.

Cinematography – How the shot is laid out – positioning, lighting

Diegetic  sound – In context with film, actors/characters can hear.

Non-diegetic sound – Not in context, sound track

Camera Movement

Low Angle Shot – Taken below the subject

High Angle Shot – Shot is taken from above the subject, looking down at it. Gives a sense of helplessness and inferiority.

Pan – The camera moves from right-to-left (or L-to-R)

Tracking Shot – Camera moves on a dolly to follow subject.

Tilt – Camera pans vertically. Gives a sense of size and height.

Canted/Dutch Angle Shot – Camera position is not straight towards the subject.

Zoom In/Out – Camera focuses zooming in or out on a key detail.

Steadicam/Handheld – The camera moves around with the action. Gives a sense of realism.

Crane Shot – Camera takes a high angle shot looking down on the subject.

Aerial Shot – Camera is positioned in a plane or helicopter to get an ELS high angled shot.

Terminator Analysis

When Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character enters the bar, there is a cage blocking his path. James Cameron would have put this in to give a sense of imprisonment. Sarah appears to be trapped in the club and the cage shows that and emphasises her imprisonment.

As the Terminator is walking through the club, the people dancing are wearing contrasting colours. For example, there are people wearing red tops and orange trousers. This adds a sense of warning and adds more tension. It shows that the club is dangerous and something bad will happen soon. 

Notes on Editing

                                         Editing

What is Editing?

Putting clips in order so they make sense.

Transitions

These are the way two shots are joined together. Straight cut is the most common type of transition. Keep continuity.

Dissolve

A gradual transition from one shot to another. Can show a move from one location to another.

Fade to Black/White

One shot fades in or out to or from black or white. Can create a sense of time passing or flashbacks.

Cross-Cutting

Action cuts between two sequences to create links, parallels or contrasts between two storylines. Creates tension.

Analysing Editing – Coldplay-Clocks

When does the shot change?

The shot changes when there is a break in the song or the shot is changing to emphasis to a different member of the band. When the song speeds up the shots change more frequently and at a much quicker pace. This shows that the chorus is more important and the song is at a quicker pace during the chorus when compared to the verses.

What is the effect of the editing?

The editing changes the emphasis from one band member to another. It also shows the change of pace in a song. For example, it speeds up during the chorus.

How fast/slow is the editing?

The pace of the editing is quite slow during the verses but is at a quicker pace during the chorus. The slow pace at the beginning of the song and the gradual incline of pace builds momentum during the song.

Good Day!