Evaluation: question seven

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

I feel the aspect I have learnt most about since my preliminary task is the editing process. Before creating this product, I had hardly any experience with editing and so I had to learn the whole new process and how to use the software. I learnt how to cut unwanted footage, re arrange footage into order, add soundtrack and titles, add transitions between shots and much more.

Since our preliminary task was shot in school, I had to learn how to shoot on location for our thriller film. It was more difficult than shooting in school as we had to check whether we needed certain permissions to shoot in the derelict house that we chose. Also, once we got there, it was much more difficult to get the tripod at a straight, steady angle due to the uneven surface of the floor.

As I was in charge of cinematography, I acted as director when on the shoot, whereas in our preliminary task I was an actor. This meant I had to learn how to take control of the shoot, and how to explain to the actors what it was that I needed them to do. I also had to make decisions about which camera angles to use. In our preliminary task, we were asked to use as many different shots as possible. This changed within our thriller film, as we had to put much more thought into the camera angles we used, and which specific shots would gain specific effects – for example, close up shots used for a claustrophobic mise-en-scene.

I learnt how to construct an effective storyboard, and also the implications of not planning a storyboard well enough. My storyboard was slightly weak, and so it made the shoot a lot more difficult as I had to make decisions about shots whilst on the shoot. Also, some of the shots I had chosen within my storyboard were not effective in the actual shoot, and so I had to adapt the shots to ensure they added to the tension and suspense, rather than compromising it.

Overall, I have learnt that making a film is not at all straight forward; there are many things that can not go as expected. To begin with, I thought that it would not be difficult at all, but I soon came to see all the new things I had to learn, and the organisation that was involved. I feel I have a new appreciation for filmmakers, as it was extremely time consuming and stressful making just two minutes of film, let alone a whole movie.

Evaluation: question six

Evaluation: question five

How did you attract/address your audience?

We chose to set our film in contemporary Britain, as our audience would be able to identify with the characters and the setting in a deeper way. We used contemporary fashion for our characters to reflect this, placing them into their era.

The strong female central character would attract a young female audience, as they will easily be able to identify with this character, and live vicariously through her. The short, stark shots of the male character, however, appeal to a young male audience as they create suspense and tension, causing heightened adrenaline levels.

The soundtrack also adds to this by reinforcing the visual image and becoming gradually louder as the scene becomes more fast paced. The specific soundtrack we chose would appeal to a predominantly younger audience, due to the 'urban' style sounds; the noise resembles that of underground tube trains and cars.

The choice of a derelict house as the location for the scene also appeals to our target demographic, as the 'urban exploration' movement is becoming increasingly more popular. This stems from the childhood instinct to wish to explore our surroundings; at the age of 16-25, this instinct has become more developed and sophisticated, yet we still have a desire to venture out of our usual setting and discover new things. This makes the audience consider what they themselves would do if faced with a similar scenario.

The cross cutting shots at the most tense moment of the scene reflect a similar technique used in Shane Meadows' “Dead Man's Shoes”, a film aimed at the same target audience that we focused on. These gave a foreboding feel to the mise-en-scene, appealing to the audience as it gives them a sense of dramatic irony.

The audience feedback from Year 12 students indicated that overall the scene was effective and portrayed the build in tension that we aimed to create. Particular mention was made of the soundtrack, the location choice and the uncomfortable, claustrophobic close up shots. One of the weaknesses that was commented upon was the acting roles, which were both carried out by amateurs and so were less easy to identify with as they were less convincing. It was suggested that the soundtrack could have been made slightly louder during the key moment of the scene, as this would have made it more uncomfortable and shocking.

Evaluation: question four

Q4

Evaluation: question three

Evaluation: question two

Evaluation: question one

Thriller Evaluation Question 1 on Prezi

Production: "Photoshoot" final cut

DRAFT Evaluation: Question 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Our group's thriller was inspired heavily by the seedy nature of Shane Meadows' thriller film, 'Dead Man's Shoes’. The locations used within this films create this feeling while also creating a sense of isolation, for example the abandoned barn or the open fields. We utilised both of these conventional locations in our thriller opening, using an abandoned farm house as our main location, and a road leading to it to emphasise the open fields surrounding it. The road we used mirrored a particular shot from 'Dead Man's Shoes', where Richard and Sonny are walking alone through fields. This specific shot really emphasised their isolation from the rest of society. Unglamorous, claustrophobic settings are a generic convention of thriller films, as shown clearly in David Michod’s ‘Animal Kingdom’ and so, by shooting inside the abandoned house, we used this convention as the rooms in the house were quite small and cluttered with rubble. This created juxtaposition with the open, isolated feel of the shots from the road outside.

To gain the same seedy feel of this film, we had to challenge a convention of thriller films by shooting in bright daylight. We were concerned that this would affect the tense mise-en-scene of our thriller, but in fact it added to it by placing the scene into everyday life. This also gave a contrasting effect, as the scenery was bright but the act being committed was very dark. This has also been used in thrillers such as ‘Thelma and Louise’, as the mise-en-scene is bright, yet the women are actually quite corrupt. This is likewise used in ‘Heavenly Creatures’ during the murder scene, creating an eerie beauty.

Also in the murder scene of ‘Heavenly Creatures’, slow motion is used, adding to the tension and dreamlike qualities of the scene. Realistic yet dreamlike scenes are a convention of thriller films; Tarantino in particular utilises this convention regularly. We applied this convention by using slow motion and cross dissolving at the most tense moment, creating the feeling that the character cannot quite believe what she is seeing.

In the shot where the girl enters the house, the doorway creates a vanishing point. This is another generic convention of thriller films. The way we created this is very similar to the vanishing point in Peter Weir’s ‘Witness’, as Samuel enters the toilets in the station. This connotes the entering into an unknown, different world, and the loss of innocence in doing so.

NOTE: I am going to get screenshots from each film I have mentioned and mirror them with screenshots from my own. I am planning to use prezi to display this answer.

Thriller Planning: mood boards

Mood Board for the Opening to My Thriller

Thriller Planning: costume design

Young Girl Costume
The main character of our thriller will wear clothes that fit with contemporary fashion, to reflect the time period it is set in. This also makes the character easy for the target audience to identify with as this will show how she is roughly the same age as them.

Stalking Man
The man that is following the young girl needs to look intimidating, so he will wear clothes that show this. He needs to be concealed so the audience will not be able to tell whether or not he is carrying a weapon, as this will create tension.

Thriller Planning: Raw Footage - what to improve

We went to the abandoned house to do some practice filming, and found that a lot of the raw footage needed to be improved.
The first shot was too long, and was not close up enough. It meant that it did not create tension and suspense for the audience.
I thought the second shot was quite effective, however it could be improved by being more of an extreme close up. This would have obscured more of the surroundings which would create more tension.
The third shot was also much too long and did not quite work how I expected, but with more practice I feel it could be quite effective. The way it is slightly tilted gives an impression of vulnerability and confusion, and the panning works well, but the shot is too long and the character moves too far away for it to work well.
I liked the fourth shot but, again, it was not close up enough, which did not create enough tension to make it effective.
I thought the fifth shot worked really well. The exaggerated tilt emphasises the vulnerability and fear of the character. It could be a little bit closer to make it more effective, but overall I think this shot was good, and so could be used again in the real filming.
The point of view shots did not work at all in this shoot, however I feel they could be better with more practice.
The revealing of the body was made too obvious in this sequence. It needs to be made more subtle, for example only seeing the feet or the arms.

How is a low budget independent thriller easier to identify with than a higher budget Hollywood thriller?

'Animal Kingdom' (2010) is an independent, low budget film from Australia, directed by David Michôd. However, 'Law Abiding Citizen' (2009) is a Hollywood film, directed by F. Gary Gray. Both of these films are of the crime thriller genre, yet they are extremely different in many ways, mainly due to their different budgets.

Firstly, 'Law Abiding Citizen' had the budget to add in effects such as explosions, and also had access to more equipment for actions such as car chases. This made the film much less easy to identify with, as these things are not every day events - it is unlikely that these things would happen in reality. The effects also dominate the film, taking the focus away from the storyline and characters. In contrast to this, as 'Animal Kingdom' has a much lower budget, there are very few effects, if not none at all. This makes the action in the film much more relative to every day life, meaning that the audience can picture these events happening close to home. Also, 'Animal Kingdom' has to work harder in order to build tension and atmosphere to make up for the lack of effects, allowing the audience to get to know the characters on a more personal level, and truly identifying with what is going on in the film.

In addition to this, 'Animal Kingdom' has only one known actor - Guy Pearce. The rest of the actors are unknown, which makes the characters seem much more real and easier for an audience to identify with. They also are trying to make a name for themselves, which means they will put in as much effort as possible in order to get recognised. In 'Law Abiding Citizen', as more of the actors are well known, the audience is much more aware that they are merely actors playing a part, which distances the audience from the events.

As less money has been spent on writing the script, the dialogue in 'Animal Kingdom' is more natural and realistic. It could be argued that this detracts from the tension and suspense created within dialogue, but I feel it gives the film an extra edge by bringing it into the reality that the audience knows. In 'Law Abiding Citizen', the script is clearly well thought out and it definitely adds to the tension within the film, but I feel again it distances the audience from the events as the audience could not see themselves having conversations like the ones within the film, whereas they could much easier with 'Animal Kingdom'.

In conclusion, 'Animal Kingdom' and other independent thriller films are much easier for an audience to identify with as the actions within the film seem much more naturalistic; they do not have the budget for over the top explosions and murder scenes. While 'Law Abiding Citizen' and Hollywood movies create tension well by using well thought out dialogue and special effects, independent films have to rely on the naturalistic aspect of the film and a clever plot in order to build suspense and tension, which makes it all the more frightening as an audience can picture the events in their own every day lives.

Thriller Planning: initial soundtrack ideas

Although '28 Days Later' is a horror and not a thriller, there are some thriller aspects to the film, and I particularly liked the eerie effect that the soundtrack gave to parts of the film. I feel something similar to these two tracks could be effective in my own thriller film.



I prefer the first track, as I feel it creates tension and fits the thriller genre better, but I like the electronic, fast pace of the second track, and the fact that it starts off simple and then 'explodes'. I feel the second track would be better if we decide to edit our opening to be fast paced and jumpy, but the first one would be best for a slow paced, tension building sequence.

Dead Man's Shoes: 'elephant man' scene analysis

'Dead Man's Shoes' is a crime thriller produced in 2004, directed by Shane Meadows. It follows the story of an ex soldier who returns to his hometown to get revenge on the thugs who brutalized his mentally-challenged brother. On IMDB, this film has a user rating of 7.7, however having seen the whole film, I would personally give it a higher rating of 8 or 9, because I feel it had a unique storyline, and yet still managed to utilise common thriller conventions. I am going to analyse the scene where Herbie, one of the thugs, sees the 'elephant man'.

The scene begins as Herbie leaves the flat where he has been taking drugs with two of the other thugs. He exits onto a stairway, which, as it is night time, is dimly lit. This creates an eerie mise-en-scene, and adds to the claustrophobic space. Stairways are a generic thriller convention as they are quite small spaces and a character can easily fall up or down them, slowing down any sort of attempt to escape. Also, passing other people on stairs is associated with bad luck, so this could be used in a thriller to forebode a character being faced with bad luck. Herbie stumbles down the stairs, suggesting he is a vulnerable character.

As Herbie gets to the flat platform on the stairs, in line with the camera, a high pitched noise begins. This almost drowns out the diegetic sound, reflecting symptoms of a drug induced state, drawing the viewer further into the character, putting them in his shoes, and increasing their feelings of vulnerability. This in turn adds to the viewers level of tension and fear as the scene develops.

As he reaches the door, the scene cuts to an over shoulder shot of him approaching. Within this shot, there is a reflection in the glass of a face in a gas mask. The mask creates an enigma as you cannot see the characters face; it is devoid of facial features, which makes the figure feel all the more threatening. The fact that this face is reflected creates a transparent look, also allowing the reflection of Herbie to be seen within it. This pre-empts the fact that Herbie is to be 'engulfed' by this character.

The masked character points at Herbie directly, and beckons him forward. This creates the impression that Herbie is being taunted, that the masked figure is in control and is enjoying mocking his fear. The reflection in this shot creates the sense that the masked figure is not only in front of Herbie, but is also behind him. This suggests that Herbie is being hunted and surrounded, with no route of escape.

This cuts to a close up of the masked character, where the audience can clearly see the human eyes behind the mask. This reinforces the fact that this is a real person, and not just a drug induced hallucination. The character then hits the window at head height, and shakes the door as if trying to get in. This further increases Herbie's state of panic, which is also being felt by the audience as, during this scene, they are living vicariously through Herbie.

When the character hits the glass, the sound of the impact reverberates, sounding similar to an explosion. This mirrors the point at which Herbie's 'fight or flight' instinct kicks in, and he decides to run. This, paired with the continual high pitched sound, increases the audiences feelings of rising panic by drowning out even more of the diegetic sound. Herbie calls out while running up the stairs, clearly showing his fear of the masked man.

Next, the scene cuts to Herbie running back into the flat. The mise-en-scene is chaotic, created by both the continual, now louder, sounds and the handheld unsteady movement of the camera. Herbie's dialogue reflects his panic and shock, as he is breathless and stumbles over his words, trying to explain what he has seen. The other thugs' first reaction to this is to pick up a weapon, which connotes their violent nature.

As soon as the three characters get outside, all the non-diegetic sound fades out. This brings the situation back to reality, and also creates an eerie stillness to the mise-en-scene. As the camera is facing at the three thugs, the audience does not yet know if the masked person is there or not. This builds tension as the characters 'disappear' behind the camera, creating a sort of vanishing point.

This then cuts to the final shot from this scene, where the camera shows beyond the vanishing point, revealing the fact that the masked character is no longer there. This creates more suspense, as the audience saw the character themselves so are anticipating its reappearance. As the masked man is not here, the other thugs believe that it is not real, and simply is the effect of Herbie having taken drugs.

This scene creates the sort of enigma that is common in thriller films; the sort of situation where you think you see something and then it disappears. This plays on fears that people have of seeing things in peripheral vision that isn't there. Another thriller film that plays on this fear is 'The Strangers'. In this film, the camera pans a room, and there is a masked figure standing in a corner, then the camera jumps back and it is gone. This creates a constant on-edge feeling, as the audience never knows where the threat is going to come from next.

I feel I could use this technique within the opening to my own thriller film, by creating the villainous character as an enigma, possibly using a hat to cover their face, and by having shadows pass by windows. This will give the subtle impression that someone is there, without
just plainly showing the threatening character.

Thriller Planning: storyboard

Thriller Planning: basic shot list

The scene will begin with an over the shoulder shot of a young girl, of the age of about 17, adjusting settings on a camera. This will establish the main character, and immediately shows a character signifier - the camera itself. This also shows the girl's vulnerability; she is focused on her camera work and so is distracted.
This will then cut to an extreme close up of the camera. The shutter button will be pressed and the camera will flash. This suggests confusion, as flashing lights can often disorientate people. this could also be effective in slow motion, as this would add to the disorientation. Disorientation is often used in thriller films as the feeling can be quite frightening, for example in Donnie Darko, a psychological thriller.
Next, it will cut to a close up of a hole in the wall. Through this, a shadow will appear, and then move away. This gives the impression that the girl is being watched. This is a generic convention of thriller films, as it often feels threatening. This is used in thrillers such as The Strangers, to create the effect of the victims being 'hunted'.
Then, a high angle tilt shot of the girl looking anxious will be used. The high angle of this shot will emphasise the vulnerability of the girl, and the tilt will reflect the disorientation and confusion. This tilting effect is a generic convention of thriller films. It is most famously used in 'The Third Man' when Holly Martins is in a city which he doesn't know. This helps to put the audience in his situation; feeling confused and lost.
After this, it will cut to a point of view shot from the girl looking around the room. Point of view shots allow the audience to see from the characters perspective. This puts them even more into the situation, making it seem more threatening as they feel they are living it vicariously through the character. This shot will end by focusing on a hand sticking out of a doorway.
Next, it will cut to an extreme close up of the girl's face. This will display her expression, which will be confused and scared as she moves towards the hand she has seen. This shot will add tension and suspense to the scene.
Then, it will cut to a point of view shot from the girl, looking around the corner and finding a body. A point of view shot is particularly effective for this part of the scene, as it makes the audience feel as if they are in the girl's situation and have just found the body themselves.
To finish, it will cut to an over the shoulder shot as the girl begins to run out of the door, but will show a threatening figure standing in the doorway. This creates a cliffhanger, making the audience want to know what happens next, and how the rest of the film pans out.

'Heavenly Creatures': murder scene analysis

'Heavenly Creatures' is a crime thriller produced in 1994, directed by Peter Jackson. It tells the story of two girls who have an intense fantasy life and so are separated by their parents, for which they then take revenge. On IMDB, it has a user rating of 7.5 and, although I have not watched the whole film, from the clip I have seen, I would agree with this rating. I am going to analyse the murder scene to examine what aspects of the scene establish the film as a thriller.

Clocks are a particular feature in this sequence, due to the fact the girls are battling against time and also very aware of time as they have premeditated the murder. This is a generic convention of thriller films as thriller plots often involve premeditated murders or time limits.

The location is bright and sunny, which is a contrast to the usual conventions of the genre. Peter Jackson has done this intentionally to challenge thriller conventions. This stark contrast also emphasises the darkness of the act they are committing. The soundtrack throughout this scene is called 'Intermezzo' from Puccini's "Madame Butterfly". This is a well known opera song, and, as "Madame Butterfly" is a tragedy, it acts as an inter-textual reference, foreshadowing the tragic events to come.

As the girls lead the mother down the path into the woods, there is a long shot. This is not often used in thriller films, but in this case it adds to the atmosphere as it reinforces the idea that the three of them are isolated, and the small path that they are on looks like even more of a confined space surrounded by the trees.

As they walk down the path, there is an eerie beauty to the cinematography. The fact that it is in slow motion with no diegetic sound creates this beauty. This also adds to the shock when the murder actually occurs. Many close ups such as this are used throughout this scene as it adds to the tension and anticipation.

The eerie beauty continues in this slow motion scene, added to by the light illuminating the characters from behind. This creates silhouetted figures, which forebodes the premeditated violence from the girls.

The character played by Kate Winslet is quite posh, and feels extremely anxious about the murder they have planned. This is displayed through character traits and signifiers, such as her jewel, and rubbing her hands together - an action often associated with nervousness

Thriller Planning: basic plot of our opening

A sixth form photography student goes to an abandoned house to take pictures for her course. While she is there, she gets a sudden sense of being watched. She finds a body in the house, and after getting over her sense of shock, she turns to run, but someone is standing in the way.