Within the planning process of my opening thriller sequence me and my group each made a individual storyboard which recorded how we will shoot each scene. As a group we compared our individual storyboards to create a group storyboard. This group storyboard stated camera shot, location, iconography, lighting, actors, sound, editing and narrative description as well as a rough picture. Each of these elements gives us a clear idea of exactly how we are going to create each scene. We used elements from each individual storyboard to create a completed final group storyboard.
Tuesday, 19 November 2013
Monday, 18 November 2013
Planning Characters - Miss Miller
Characters are the main focal point within any film and play a key role in engrossing the audience. Characters keep the audience engaged as they form a relationship with specific characters. This means they are more interested in the narrative as they are concerned about what will happen to this character. Characters also play a crucial role within the narrative as stereotypical thrillers will follow a protagonist being terrorised by either ghosts or the antagonists therefore the narrative will closely follow this journey usually focussing on the victims, such as the Purge, or in rare occasions the narrative follows the antagonist like in Human Centipede 2.
My opening thriller sequence will only consist of two main focal characters. We plan to use a blonde female victim and a masked male villain. These two types are stereotypically used within the thriller genre as the blonde female victim is often appears vulnerable which adds to the fear factor within the audience as they are aware of the antagonists superior stature over the victim. Her 'normal' appearance also allows the audience to easily relate to this character and therefore can empathise with there emotion.
The antagonist is also stereotypical to a thriller film as he will be masked and quite tall, this will make him appear powerful and intimidating due to his superior stature. The mask will hide his identity making appear mysterious and create suspense as well as making him appear scary. This type of killer is very common within the thriller genre used in many films such as Scream and The Strangers this is because a simple contrast between the sizes of the two characters easily makes the victim appear mor vulnerable and in more danger. Masks are usually worn by villains as it hides the identity and see fore creates suspense as it could be anybody within the film and therefore the audience don't know how or why he is acting in such a brutal manner.
Our victim will be played by Ellie Holt, she will be blonde female who's about 17 years old this is a stereotypical victim to the thriller genre which means the audience will immediately recognise her as vulnerable. This character will reflect a large number of our audience therefore characters of similar age and gender will be able to relate to her and instantly form a relationship. This bond they form and the 'vulnerable' stereotype means that the audience will be extremely interested in the film as they don't want her to be in any danger yet they know she most probably will be.
The other focal character will be a tall 25 year old man who will be significantly wearing a mask. He will be wearing a mask throughout the opening sequence which is stereotypical to a thriller as it is often used to create suspense due to the unknown identity of the antagonist. The villain is the main method used within thrillers to create fear within the audience as they have formed a bond with the protagonist and therefore his position of power is emphasised by the vulnerable victim.
To conclude character play a vital role within the narrative as they are stereotypically the focal point within thriller story lines, they also help intice the audience as the audience will for, bonds with the characters they can relate to therefore they are conscious of that characters journey and its outcome. The characters I plan to use are stereotypical to the genre as the young blonde victim is relateble to my target audience and the tall intimidating villain immediately evokes fear within the audience.
My opening thriller sequence will only consist of two main focal characters. We plan to use a blonde female victim and a masked male villain. These two types are stereotypically used within the thriller genre as the blonde female victim is often appears vulnerable which adds to the fear factor within the audience as they are aware of the antagonists superior stature over the victim. Her 'normal' appearance also allows the audience to easily relate to this character and therefore can empathise with there emotion.
The antagonist is also stereotypical to a thriller film as he will be masked and quite tall, this will make him appear powerful and intimidating due to his superior stature. The mask will hide his identity making appear mysterious and create suspense as well as making him appear scary. This type of killer is very common within the thriller genre used in many films such as Scream and The Strangers this is because a simple contrast between the sizes of the two characters easily makes the victim appear mor vulnerable and in more danger. Masks are usually worn by villains as it hides the identity and see fore creates suspense as it could be anybody within the film and therefore the audience don't know how or why he is acting in such a brutal manner.
Our victim will be played by Ellie Holt, she will be blonde female who's about 17 years old this is a stereotypical victim to the thriller genre which means the audience will immediately recognise her as vulnerable. This character will reflect a large number of our audience therefore characters of similar age and gender will be able to relate to her and instantly form a relationship. This bond they form and the 'vulnerable' stereotype means that the audience will be extremely interested in the film as they don't want her to be in any danger yet they know she most probably will be.
The other focal character will be a tall 25 year old man who will be significantly wearing a mask. He will be wearing a mask throughout the opening sequence which is stereotypical to a thriller as it is often used to create suspense due to the unknown identity of the antagonist. The villain is the main method used within thrillers to create fear within the audience as they have formed a bond with the protagonist and therefore his position of power is emphasised by the vulnerable victim.
To conclude character play a vital role within the narrative as they are stereotypically the focal point within thriller story lines, they also help intice the audience as the audience will for, bonds with the characters they can relate to therefore they are conscious of that characters journey and its outcome. The characters I plan to use are stereotypical to the genre as the young blonde victim is relateble to my target audience and the tall intimidating villain immediately evokes fear within the audience.
Sunday, 17 November 2013
Planning Cinematography - Miss Miller
Cinematography is defined as the art of movie photography, this includes both the shooting and development of film but is usually used to refer to the use of camera angles and shots within a scene. Cinematography plays a crucial role within thriller films as it uses specific camera shots to evoke certain emotions within the audience and help form a bond between the characters and audience. After releasing this significance me and my group decided to plan what cinematography we plan to use and what effect it will have. Following this planning we concluded that we will use cinematography to specifically emphasise the suspense scene at the beginning of the scene and the fast-paced, exciting chase scene.
The first use of cinematography within our clip will be a establishing/panning shot. This shot is often used within thriller films to set the scene and also give the audience a slight understanding of what might take place within the film as they can possibly recognise the setting and relate to it. Our establishing/panning shot will follow a car (driven by the antagonist) down a dark scary road with a grand mysterious tower in the background. As well as setting the scene we hope this camera shot creates suspense as it is showing a mysterious setting and successfully capturing the eery elements such as the tower and nights sky.
We will follow this shot with another significant shot to the narrative. This shot will be a long shot as well as a shallow focus shot and partially a POV shot. This shot will film the car mirror and in the reflection of the mirror will be standing in the distance in a mask. This shot has a huge impact on the narrative because it is the first appearance of the antagonist and will therefore create suspense as the audience are scared due to his hidden identity and use of iconography. A shot similar to this is often used within thtiller films as the antagonist is usually spotted in the distance but partially hidden.
Within my opening scene i also plan to successfully use a point-of-view shot to create excitement within the audience and empathise with the characters. I will use a POV shot during my chase scene and will be the view of the victim who's running for her life, this is a stereotypical use of a POV shot as it helps the audience empathise with the emotions felt by the characters and therefore excites them as the character is in danger.
This POV shot is similar to a hand-held shot which we will also use is quick succession with this POV shot, this shot creates a scene of panic and chaos within the audience as the camera is usually violently shaking. This makes the audience scared as they had previously made a relationship with this character and now this shot portrays them in a chaotic situation. Both shots (POV and handheld) feature within the majority of thriller films during the exciting fast paced scene's to also create excitement. A handheld shot is used to document the vast majority of the scenes within the famous thriller series Paranormal Activity, within these films they document the scary occurances through a camera used by one of the focal characters. This helps create a relationship between the characters and audience as they can relate to their use of a camera.
To conclude cinematography plays a key role in evoking specific emotions and within our thriller we plan to use numerous conventional camera shots to create a certain affect and atmosphere and evoke emotions which will entice the audience and enhance the narrative.
The first use of cinematography within our clip will be a establishing/panning shot. This shot is often used within thriller films to set the scene and also give the audience a slight understanding of what might take place within the film as they can possibly recognise the setting and relate to it. Our establishing/panning shot will follow a car (driven by the antagonist) down a dark scary road with a grand mysterious tower in the background. As well as setting the scene we hope this camera shot creates suspense as it is showing a mysterious setting and successfully capturing the eery elements such as the tower and nights sky.
We will follow this shot with another significant shot to the narrative. This shot will be a long shot as well as a shallow focus shot and partially a POV shot. This shot will film the car mirror and in the reflection of the mirror will be standing in the distance in a mask. This shot has a huge impact on the narrative because it is the first appearance of the antagonist and will therefore create suspense as the audience are scared due to his hidden identity and use of iconography. A shot similar to this is often used within thtiller films as the antagonist is usually spotted in the distance but partially hidden.
Within my opening scene i also plan to successfully use a point-of-view shot to create excitement within the audience and empathise with the characters. I will use a POV shot during my chase scene and will be the view of the victim who's running for her life, this is a stereotypical use of a POV shot as it helps the audience empathise with the emotions felt by the characters and therefore excites them as the character is in danger.
This POV shot is similar to a hand-held shot which we will also use is quick succession with this POV shot, this shot creates a scene of panic and chaos within the audience as the camera is usually violently shaking. This makes the audience scared as they had previously made a relationship with this character and now this shot portrays them in a chaotic situation. Both shots (POV and handheld) feature within the majority of thriller films during the exciting fast paced scene's to also create excitement. A handheld shot is used to document the vast majority of the scenes within the famous thriller series Paranormal Activity, within these films they document the scary occurances through a camera used by one of the focal characters. This helps create a relationship between the characters and audience as they can relate to their use of a camera.
To conclude cinematography plays a key role in evoking specific emotions and within our thriller we plan to use numerous conventional camera shots to create a certain affect and atmosphere and evoke emotions which will entice the audience and enhance the narrative.
Planning Editing Styles - Miss Georgiou
Why is editing important in a thriller film?
What editing styles will you include within your sequence, why and what effect would this create?
How are your editing styles conventional to a thriller?
How will the editing appeal to the audience?
Why is editing important in a thriller film?
Editing plays a crucial role within any thriller film as this is what joins each individual shot to create a continual scene. Editing also plays a pivotal role in evoking emotions and adding to the atmosphere being created. For example if the editing is fast it creates excitement within the audience and if the editing is slow it creates a sense of enigma.
What editing styles will you include within your sequence, why and what effect would this create?
Within my thriller opening sequence I plan to use a variety of different editing effects. In the start of my clip i plan to use slow editing, this is where clips are juxtaposed together at a slower pace this creates suspense and is suitable of the slow start to my scene. For the chase scene within my opening thriller clip i aim to use a variety of fast paced editing effects such as the montage effect and straight cuts. All these effects add to the excitement as it is a adrenaline rush for the audience.
How are your editing styles conventional to a thriller?
The editing techniques i plan to use are typically used within majority of thriller films as they consistantly create the three main emotions felt by the audience during a thriller; suspense, shock and suprise. The method im using to create the suspense element is often used within thrillers. To create suspense i am to use slow editing with minimal shot changes and cuts, this adds a sense of realism to the scene and helps thee audience empaphise with the sitiuation. To shock/suprise the audience following the slow editing used to create the suspense i am to use a fast cut to catch the audience by suprise. Editing will be most significant in adding to the excitment felt by the audience during the fast chase scene. To create this excitement during the chase scene i will use numerous fast cuts and the montage effect, this gets the audience excited as
How will the editing appeal to the audience?
I hope to make my editing appealing to my audience by evoking emotions which reflect the one felt by the characters on screen. I believe the most appealing use of editing within my opening sequence will be the use of fast editing and the montage effect. These techniques will reflect the fast paced action on screen and will excite the audience as it gets their heart racing.
What editing styles will you include within your sequence, why and what effect would this create?
How are your editing styles conventional to a thriller?
How will the editing appeal to the audience?
Why is editing important in a thriller film?
Editing plays a crucial role within any thriller film as this is what joins each individual shot to create a continual scene. Editing also plays a pivotal role in evoking emotions and adding to the atmosphere being created. For example if the editing is fast it creates excitement within the audience and if the editing is slow it creates a sense of enigma.
What editing styles will you include within your sequence, why and what effect would this create?
Within my thriller opening sequence I plan to use a variety of different editing effects. In the start of my clip i plan to use slow editing, this is where clips are juxtaposed together at a slower pace this creates suspense and is suitable of the slow start to my scene. For the chase scene within my opening thriller clip i aim to use a variety of fast paced editing effects such as the montage effect and straight cuts. All these effects add to the excitement as it is a adrenaline rush for the audience.
How are your editing styles conventional to a thriller?
The editing techniques i plan to use are typically used within majority of thriller films as they consistantly create the three main emotions felt by the audience during a thriller; suspense, shock and suprise. The method im using to create the suspense element is often used within thrillers. To create suspense i am to use slow editing with minimal shot changes and cuts, this adds a sense of realism to the scene and helps thee audience empaphise with the sitiuation. To shock/suprise the audience following the slow editing used to create the suspense i am to use a fast cut to catch the audience by suprise. Editing will be most significant in adding to the excitment felt by the audience during the fast chase scene. To create this excitement during the chase scene i will use numerous fast cuts and the montage effect, this gets the audience excited as
How will the editing appeal to the audience?
Thursday, 7 November 2013
Planning Mise-En-Scene - Miss Georgiou
Why is mise-en-scene important?
Mise-en-scene plays a huge part within all films, in specific thriller films. Mise-en-scene is definied as everything the audience can see within the frame and it consists of 5 main elements; setting & iconography, costume hair and make-up, facial expressions & body language, positioning and lighting. Each of these individual elements plays a unique role in creating the intended atmosphere desired by the film makers. Mise-en-scene is important because it sets the scene and dictates what effect is created within this scene.
What is the mise-en-scene of our thriller clip include images and elements?
For our opening thriller sequence we aim to use various settings such as a car park and a forest. The iconography we plan to feature is a knife, car and a mask. The characters in our clothing will both be wearing casual, every-day clothes apart from the mask worn by the antagonist. The facial expressions of the villain will not be seen due to the mask but his body language will be very relaxed and calm. This contrast the body language of the victim who will be very panicked and rushed, this will also be reflected by her facial expressions. The lighting will be contrasting and basic, for the forest scene we will only be using the natural dark light and for the car park scene the light will be bright with dark corners.
How is the mise-en-scene conventional to a thriller film?
Within thriller films mise-en-scene plays a pivatol role in creating the threee main emotions of; suspense, shock and suprise. Mise-en-scene is typically used within thriller films as each of the 5 mise-en-scene elements commonly feature within a thriller film, for example the setting usually pplays a huge role in creating a intended atmosphere. Iconography mainly features within crime thrillers as the weapons use are a focal point. Costumes and make-up are not particularly significant for the protagonists as they typically wear normal everyday clothes with common make-up. This differs from the significance of the costume and make-up worn as these play a big role for the antagonist as they can possibly make them appear much more scary with the use of things like masks. Facial expressions and body language play a huge role in evoking emotions within the audience as they often empaphise with the emotions portrayed by the characters. Positioning plays a more pivatol role within thriller films than typically in other films as the villains are often cleverly positioned in particular positions which give them empowerment other the protagonists making the victims look vulnerable. The lighting is often very similar within all thriller films as low-key lighting is very heavly used within thrillers to make the villoains appear mysterious and hides them from the protagonist, this also makes the victim appear more vulnerable.
How can your thriller build a relationship with your target audience?
I plan to use the majority of the 5 mise-en-scene elements to help create a relationship between the characters and audience, within my opening thriller sequence. I believe the setting i'm using will appeal to my target audience of 16-25 year olds as it set in a common urban location which is reltable for my audience as they will have been in the location on many occasions and therefore can partially realte to the characters situation. Costumes similarly plays a huge role in creating a relationships between the audience characters because if the audience are wearing clothes which the audience would typically wear than they can again relate to the characters as they can picture themselves in that situation. Body language and facial expressions have the most significant role in causing the audience to empaphise with the characters so within my thrilller clip i am to exaggerate the emotions to evoke reflecting emotions within the audience. Lighting and positioning have a less important role in creating relationships as they are more focussed towards creating a sense of enigma within thriller films.
Mise-en-scene plays a huge part within all films, in specific thriller films. Mise-en-scene is definied as everything the audience can see within the frame and it consists of 5 main elements; setting & iconography, costume hair and make-up, facial expressions & body language, positioning and lighting. Each of these individual elements plays a unique role in creating the intended atmosphere desired by the film makers. Mise-en-scene is important because it sets the scene and dictates what effect is created within this scene.
What is the mise-en-scene of our thriller clip include images and elements?
For our opening thriller sequence we aim to use various settings such as a car park and a forest. The iconography we plan to feature is a knife, car and a mask. The characters in our clothing will both be wearing casual, every-day clothes apart from the mask worn by the antagonist. The facial expressions of the villain will not be seen due to the mask but his body language will be very relaxed and calm. This contrast the body language of the victim who will be very panicked and rushed, this will also be reflected by her facial expressions. The lighting will be contrasting and basic, for the forest scene we will only be using the natural dark light and for the car park scene the light will be bright with dark corners.
How is the mise-en-scene conventional to a thriller film?
Within thriller films mise-en-scene plays a pivatol role in creating the threee main emotions of; suspense, shock and suprise. Mise-en-scene is typically used within thriller films as each of the 5 mise-en-scene elements commonly feature within a thriller film, for example the setting usually pplays a huge role in creating a intended atmosphere. Iconography mainly features within crime thrillers as the weapons use are a focal point. Costumes and make-up are not particularly significant for the protagonists as they typically wear normal everyday clothes with common make-up. This differs from the significance of the costume and make-up worn as these play a big role for the antagonist as they can possibly make them appear much more scary with the use of things like masks. Facial expressions and body language play a huge role in evoking emotions within the audience as they often empaphise with the emotions portrayed by the characters. Positioning plays a more pivatol role within thriller films than typically in other films as the villains are often cleverly positioned in particular positions which give them empowerment other the protagonists making the victims look vulnerable. The lighting is often very similar within all thriller films as low-key lighting is very heavly used within thrillers to make the villoains appear mysterious and hides them from the protagonist, this also makes the victim appear more vulnerable.
How can your thriller build a relationship with your target audience?
I plan to use the majority of the 5 mise-en-scene elements to help create a relationship between the characters and audience, within my opening thriller sequence. I believe the setting i'm using will appeal to my target audience of 16-25 year olds as it set in a common urban location which is reltable for my audience as they will have been in the location on many occasions and therefore can partially realte to the characters situation. Costumes similarly plays a huge role in creating a relationships between the audience characters because if the audience are wearing clothes which the audience would typically wear than they can again relate to the characters as they can picture themselves in that situation. Body language and facial expressions have the most significant role in causing the audience to empaphise with the characters so within my thrilller clip i am to exaggerate the emotions to evoke reflecting emotions within the audience. Lighting and positioning have a less important role in creating relationships as they are more focussed towards creating a sense of enigma within thriller films.
Monday, 4 November 2013
Individual Storyboard - Miss Miller
Within the planning process for my thriller opening thriller sequence i created a storyboard. This storyboard consisted of a recording of the camera shot, location, lighting, sound, editing and narrative description. Each of these elements would make up a complete scene, this gives me a clear understand on what i wish to create for each individual scene. Storyboards allow the film makers to understand what shot they will use to film each specific frame this makes the production process much easier as they know exactly what shot to use for each scene. I created my individual storyboard to help contribute and give ideas towards our final group storyboard as well as giving us a clear idea of what shots to use for each frame.
For my first frame i aim to use a tracking shot which follows a car along a dark nights road with low key lighting. I aim to use slow music and enigma sounds to create mystery. The editing for this scene would be a straight cut as it doesn't link with other frames. I plan for the scene to last roughly 10 seconds as the audience need a clear idea of where the film is set.
I will follow this frame with a second scene which will document the protagonist walking away from her car, in a dark neglected car park, and as she does so the car alarm goes off and she has a climps of a masked man with a knife in the reflection of the car mirror. To film this specific frame i aim to use a long shot as it can capture the villain as well as the victim in one shot which makes her look vulnerable. The lighting will be contrastingly bright to the dark outside but with dark parts for the villain to remain hidden and anonymous and create more mystery. The only sound which will feature will be the car alarm, the silence either side of this alarm will emphasise its effect which is to initially shock the audience then to create tension. This scene will require a long duration of 20 seconds as it is the introduction of characters therefore the audience will need time to make relationships with the characters so they can empathise with their emotions and situation.
For my third frame the narrative has progressed and the protagonist is evidently scared of the mysterious man and has run out of the car park and in to a nearby forest, the villain calmly follows her in a tormenting manor. The camera shot used will be point-of-view this, as well as the montage editing, will create a sense of panic within the audience. This sense of panic and chaos will also be reflected by sound which will be footsteps and heavy breathing. The dark, low-key lighting and forest setting also create panic because of the mysterious effect it creates. I took inspiration for this forest chase scene from the thriller 'The Strangers' which follows a similar protagonist as she is chased through a forest by a masked villain, although the context of the two chases is different i believe that the chase scene within 'The Strangers' created a lot of excitement within the audience and i wish to re-create this.
For my first frame i aim to use a tracking shot which follows a car along a dark nights road with low key lighting. I aim to use slow music and enigma sounds to create mystery. The editing for this scene would be a straight cut as it doesn't link with other frames. I plan for the scene to last roughly 10 seconds as the audience need a clear idea of where the film is set.
I will follow this frame with a second scene which will document the protagonist walking away from her car, in a dark neglected car park, and as she does so the car alarm goes off and she has a climps of a masked man with a knife in the reflection of the car mirror. To film this specific frame i aim to use a long shot as it can capture the villain as well as the victim in one shot which makes her look vulnerable. The lighting will be contrastingly bright to the dark outside but with dark parts for the villain to remain hidden and anonymous and create more mystery. The only sound which will feature will be the car alarm, the silence either side of this alarm will emphasise its effect which is to initially shock the audience then to create tension. This scene will require a long duration of 20 seconds as it is the introduction of characters therefore the audience will need time to make relationships with the characters so they can empathise with their emotions and situation.
For my third frame the narrative has progressed and the protagonist is evidently scared of the mysterious man and has run out of the car park and in to a nearby forest, the villain calmly follows her in a tormenting manor. The camera shot used will be point-of-view this, as well as the montage editing, will create a sense of panic within the audience. This sense of panic and chaos will also be reflected by sound which will be footsteps and heavy breathing. The dark, low-key lighting and forest setting also create panic because of the mysterious effect it creates. I took inspiration for this forest chase scene from the thriller 'The Strangers' which follows a similar protagonist as she is chased through a forest by a masked villain, although the context of the two chases is different i believe that the chase scene within 'The Strangers' created a lot of excitement within the audience and i wish to re-create this.
Saturday, 2 November 2013
Preliminary Task - Miss Georgiou
This task consisted of me and my group creating a short clip which would feature two characters having a conversation. For this task me and my group filmed a character entering a room and participating in a basic conversation with another character, them leaving the room. To create this scene we had to use a variety of camera angles and successfully edited them together to make a complete scene.
Within our clip we used numerous different camera angles. For example we used a establishing/panning shot to follow the character as she entered the room this gave the audience a idea of the scene. We then used a common over-the-shoulder shot to document the couple of lines of dialogue, this angle is frequently used within thriller films during conversations as it shows the characters expressions as they converse. Then we was required to edited each shot together to create a smooth full scene. This part was difficult as when filming we hadn't taken many precautions to reduce outside noise and influences this resulted in many unsuitable noises and un-wanted characters in the clip. This meant we had to edit more than others to make the clip successful
I believe this task has given the group a clear idea of what it requires to create a good opening thriller clip. It also increased our knowledge of how to use the camera and editing software
Within our clip we used numerous different camera angles. For example we used a establishing/panning shot to follow the character as she entered the room this gave the audience a idea of the scene. We then used a common over-the-shoulder shot to document the couple of lines of dialogue, this angle is frequently used within thriller films during conversations as it shows the characters expressions as they converse. Then we was required to edited each shot together to create a smooth full scene. This part was difficult as when filming we hadn't taken many precautions to reduce outside noise and influences this resulted in many unsuitable noises and un-wanted characters in the clip. This meant we had to edit more than others to make the clip successful
I believe this task has given the group a clear idea of what it requires to create a good opening thriller clip. It also increased our knowledge of how to use the camera and editing software
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