HORROR THRILLER / SUPERNATURAL THRILLER - COURSEWORK

After several discussions, we've come to the conclusion that we would like to produce and opening clip based on the theme horror/supernatural thriller rather than psychological thriller. To do this we had to explore each sub-genre first before recording any initial ideas. 

Conversations in thrillers

ANALYSING A THRILLER - TRAINING DA

To begin with, this clip reveals each character’s personality. As an audience we learn that Alonzo is a dominant character who is careless and appears very unfriendly at first when Jake addresses him. This can be seen through a mid shot where Jake tries to start a conversation but Alonzo replies telling him to “shut up”, ignoring Jake’s presence completely and focusing on his newspaper instead. Whereas, Jake appears the opposite, Jake is portrayed as a friendly character. This is shown through a close up shot where we see Jake enthusiastically telling Alonzo about his story even after Alonzo tells him to shut up. This shows that Jake is character who does not easily back out and is forgiving.

A contrast in power is also presented through shot reverse shot where we are able see both character’s body posture. We learn that Jake is a weak and powerless character as he sits with his hands together and looks very unrelaxed. Whereas, Alonzo appears powerful and domineering as he leans forward with his hands on the table, showing he has control of the situation and is unafraid of anyone. Alonzo’s power is also exaggerated through a low angle mid shot where his hands are placed relaxedly on the corners of the couch. His body posture emphasises his strength and masculinity. This shot makes him appear scary and intimidating and causes the audience to develop an extent of fear for him.

In addition, we also learn a few things about their personality through how the characters present themselves. Alonzo appears like a funny and rebellious character from the clothes and accessories he wears. For example, He wears a black shirt with long sleeves, with his clothes fully buttoned up. This makes him appear like a respectable figure, almost like a priest. Therefore the fact that he accessories this with gold chains and a diamond earring makes him appear disrespectful and the impression of a “respectable figure” diminishes completely. Whereas, with Jake we learn that he is presented as a character who seems lost and does not know what to do with his life. This is shown through his scrappy looking clothes. A hoodie holds connotations of youth and therefore shows Jake’s innocent manner which emphasises this idea that he is “lost” as he is already an adult.

An establishing shot is used in this clip to show the dirty and uncared for environmental setting. This is shown through a pan shot when the two characters leave the restaurant. Here we see the city’s busy manner through the number of cars as well as the old sketchy buildings which have multiple signs on them. The setting used creates this idea of unsafety and makes the audience feel uncomfortable and unsafe for Jake. In addition, the idea of crime and unsafety is exaggerated when we hear police sirens while the characters are sitting in the restaurant. Police sirens hold connotations of crime, this therefore creates tension to the atmosphere.

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

a suspenseful movie or book emphasising the psychology of its characters rather than the plot. In a psychological thriller, the characters are exposed to danger on a mental level rather than a physical one.

• BLACK SWAN
• ZODIAC
• ORPHAN

MY IDEAS FOR THE VIDEO

• voices - montage
• glitching
• close up shot of alcohol
• fade transition - with creepy music
• Black and white

IDEAS FROM ORPHAN

• Idea of wrecking things/ harming others
• change in emotion
• screaming
• character is usually silent - still face
• voice overs - whispers
• glitch
• speed drawings
• glass - reflection

PLAN - PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER/ CRIME THRILLER



SETTING/LOCATION

This setting allows us to easily film from a high angle - (so birds eye view) as there are stairs and we are also able to get the "glass" or the "reflection" effect as we can shoot from the outside.

THRILLER : SUB GENRES 

1) Action Thriller

This is a sub-genre with the visual appeal of explosions and violence.
For example = Heat, The dark knight, Inception

2) Psychological Thriller

In this sub-genre a lot of the conflict is mental, rather than physical. The protagonist has become involved in a dangerous situation which literally threatens their sanity. They must use mental prowess to overcome their opponent, whether the battle is inside their own head or it a battle of wits.
For example = Black Swan, Shutter island, Gone girl

3) Supernatural Thriller 

In this sub-genre other world elements are introduced, usually as an antagonistic force, but just as in the romantic thriller, the plot line and feel or distinctly that of thrillers. Some characters may have psychic abilities and other supernatural novel elements may be present.
For example = Conjuring, Paranormal activity, The others. 

4) Crime Thriller 

This sub-genre focuses on crime, and is usually from the criminal’s point of view. Physical action and eluding the police take the place of gathering evidence and trying to discover the criminal.
For example = The usual suspects, Seven, The departed.

5) Spy Thriller

In this sub-genre focuses on the high adventures of field agents. It is usually set against the backdrop of some war.
For example = The Bourne identity, Casino royale, Spectre.

6) Film Noir 

Movies of this genre were characteristically shot in black and white, and featured storied involving femmes fatales, doomed heroes or anti-heroes, and tough, cynical detectives.
For example = The third man, Double indemnity, Touch of evil.

7) Romantic Thriller

The plot line follows a typical thriller’s tension, suspense, and excitement, but a main element is the growing relationship between two characters.
For example = unfaithful, Safe haven, vertigo

8) Disaster Thriller 

In this sub-genre a (usually) natural disaster is taking place, and the antagonist is either trying to stop the disaster, the extent of the disaster, or just save themselves before time runs out and the disaster has run its course.
For example = Armageddon, The day after tomorrow, Independence day. 

9) Political Thriller

In this sub-genre political relations or the whole government is at stake, and the protagonist is employed by the government to stop the decline. The protagonist may have been low-level before having attracted attention.
For example = Enemy of the state, Three days of condor, The interpreter. 

10) Mystery Thriller 

This is a sub-genre of both mysteries and thrillers. It differs from a regular mystery by being much more fast-paced, with the protagonist on the run and the threat of another crime serving as the “ticking clock.”
For example = Zodiac, The silence of the lambs, The prestige. 

ANALYSING A CHARACTER: DOWNTOWN ABBEY

How is a character portrayed using the micro elements? 

In this clip the newspaper boy represents the lower class. This can be seen through a long shot where he is on the left side of the screen besides the massive castle which is shown through a wide shot. In this shot the newspaper boy appears almost as a shadow and is barely visible as his dark, dull saggy clothes camouflages with the surrounding bushes. This creates the idea of "unimportance" as this shot does not focus on him. In addition, the size of the castle compared to the boy shows a contrast in power, because the castle's massiveness makes the newspaper boy appear weak and powerless. 

Moreover, lack of power can be seen in a mid shot where he rides his bicycle quickly. In this shot the sound of the bicycle traveling on the gravel is turned up ( so louder than the other sound effects used) this is to emphasise that he is hurrying and shows the importance of his job and gives the audience an idea of how much he relies on his job. Also, the fact that we never get a close up shot of the newspaper boy shows his unimportance in the film.

       

Film opening conventions

The audience expects to see: 

• Credits  

• Name of film

• Introduction to the main character

• Location/setting

• Soundtrack - that helps set the mood/ tone

• An idea of the narrative

• Equilibrium / sometimes there is a disruption

• Production company cinematic

• Period - Time/Year/flashback etc.  

CHILDREN OF THE MEN

From watching a 2 minute opening scene from the movie "Children of the Men" we are able to identify several characteristics that make up the film. For example the location and the period the movie is set. (London, 16th November 2027) The fact that the film is set in the future creates a certain extent of excitement for the audience as they are curious of what the future may hold. However, when the opening reveals how chaotic the streets are, this makes the audience feel worried and unsafe, especially for the characters in the film. In the streets we see a range of different transports for example the "tuktuk" which is originally from thailand. The fact that there is a tuktuk in london helps emphasise this idea of a chaotic environment. 

From this clip we also get an idea of the narrative as the clip starts with a news report about a child's death. We learn that his death is very important as it seems to affect all the supporting actors in the film as their facial expressions show signs of sadness and worry. 

From this opening scene we are able to identify the main character as he stands out from the other characters in the film. For example in the scene where he enters the cafe, everyone surrounding him pays close attention to the tragic news report. However, unlike everyone else the main character does not seem very fused about the situation, instead he appears more worried about his coffee than the tragic news. In addition, what separates him from the other characters is that when he walks in he looks down. Whereas, the other characters are staring up to the tv screen. 

What do we learn about the main character? 

- We learn that he is an alcoholic. This is because of the fact that he is mixing alcohol with his coffee and drinking in the morning.

- Since he drinks in the morning this shows that he may perhaps be depressed as alcohol acts as an "escape" from reality.

- We also learn that he is quite careless, for example his ignorant manner towards the child's death shows his carelessness. 

- We learn that he is a middle-high income earner from the clothes that he wears. For example he looks well presented because he wears a tie and a long suit. However, the dark combination of these pieces of clothing help portray his depressed emotions. 

- Another thing we learn is that he is quite rude, for example in the cafe he bumps a women but ignores her without apologising. 

THE OPENING OF A THRILLER

1) How is meaning created in this clip through the use of the micro elements.

SOUND

The repetitive "door banging" sound effect used in the beginning creates this idea of "crime". This straight away sets a tense mood and atmosphere to the opening scene.The fact that it is repetitive ensures that the audience will not ignore it and makes them realise the importance of "breaking in" The fact that a chainsaw sound effect is used later on to open the door exaggerates the importance of "getting" the main character. A comedic mood is also set when we hear the main character tell the story from his point of view. Doing this, we learn about the characters' personality. For example - he is easy going, funny, careless and is not very serious.


CAMERA

This wide angle  long shot gives an expansive view of the set. By doing the audience is reminded of where the character is and the danger that he is in. Also, this long shot shows how small he is compared to the building, The fact that the building appears wide and we are able to see city lights through the reflection of the windows suggest the height of the building. This creates a tense atmosphere as the audience feels worried for the character.

A close up shot makes the audience focus and understand how the main character is feeling. For example here we can clearly see from the character's facial expression that he feels scared and worried. By doing this a relationship is built between the audience and the character. This will help build tension later in the film as the audience feel sympathy for the character.

This wide angle panning shot allows the audience to have a clear idea of what the setting looks like. By doing this a few things are revealed, like the circumstance the character is in. For example, the packed up boxes holds connotations of moving out or leaving. This tells us that the character is running away from something or someone and that he has caused some sort of disruption which is causing him to leave.


MIS-EN-SCENE

This element reveals a few thing about the character. For example the fact that he wears a blazer and is well presented shows that he is is fairly wealthy and knows how to "fit" in society. This conveys that he is smart and knows how to handle different people.The apartment used also emphasises his wealth as it looks very clean and luxurious and also comes with an amazing view. Another thing we learn is that the character is running away. This is conveyed through the empty apartment and the "packed up boxes". The fact that he is running away suggests that the character has caused some kind of disruption and therefore is guilty. 


In addition, the lighting used in the opening scene is symbolic for 'life and death" For example In this wide angle long shot there is a significant contrast between the lighting inside the apartment and the lighting outside. To begin with, bright lighting holds connotations of life and safety. Whereas, dark lighting would hold connotations of death and danger. 

2) What information are we given

- Punching the door sound effect - someone trying to break in. (gives this idea of crime)

- Setting = empty. there are boxes everywhere meaning the place is abandoned (or about to be)

- Dead bodies = murder/crime committed

- Because there are dead bodies it emphasises the importance the main character and getting him.

- Security cameras - signal loss meaning there has been some kind of disruption.

- We learn that the main character is brave as he is about to jump

- We learn that the main character is wealthy because he's wearing nice clothes and lives in a nice apartment/hotel.

- We learn that he is running away from someone so we know that he has done something wrong.

- We learn that he travels a lot from the credit scene - the change in setting. (snapshots of his journey when he runs away)

PRE-VISUALISATION 

STORY BOARDING

- White arrow = Used for camera movement

- Black arrow = Characters movement

For example :

TERM 1 NOTES 

SIGNS

Semiotics is the study of signs. Signs are made of 2 parts. Signifier and signifies. Signifier is the form we see, hear, touch etc. While signifies is the idea that the sign represents

SIGNIFIED

-Denotation   - common sense/obvious meaning

-Connotation - our own association

3 types of signs: 

- Icon

- Index

- Symbol

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CONVENTIONS

Conventions are the generally accepted way of doing things. Convention is what the audiences expect to see. 

CODES

Codes are a system of signs that create meaning. 

There are 2 types:

- Symbolic = acting, props, language.

- Technical = Sound, lighting, camera.

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REPRESENTATION

Represent refers to the construction (more than reflection) in any medium (tv, film etc) of aspects of reality (people, places, idea etc)
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SOUND

- Diegetic = What the characters can hear. 

- Non-Diegetic = What the characters cant hear. 

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MICRO-ELEMENTS

        SOUND                       CAMERA

        

        EDITING                    MIS-EN-SCENE

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GENRE

a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterised by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.

Stephen Neale said that genre is not a system, it is a process that evolves over time. Genres are instances of repetition and differences. 

Hybrid genre - is a mix of genres. 

Hollywoods' generic regime forms 2 interrelated functions. 

1- guarantees meaning and pleasure for the audience.

2 - to offset the considerable economic risks of film by providing cognitive collateral against innovation and differences.

Christian Metz

He explored the development of genre and suggested that genre passes through 4 phases of existence.




- Experimental - when early films helped to formalise convention.
- Classic - phase which establishes the narrative conventions of the genre in its most successful.
- Parody - films that have mimicked the genre in some commercial way.
- Deconstructive  - example:warm bodies took the idea of the zombie films and combined it with love
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NARRATIVE

Narrative is a spoken or written account of connected events; a story. It is the order you place information.

Narrative range

-Unrestrictive narrative
When the audience knows more than the characters.

-Restrictive narrative 
When the audience learns information the same time as the character.

TZVETAN TORORAV

Theory of Narrative -> Russian folk tales

1- A state of equilibrium (balance)

2- Disruption of the equilibrium by some action

3- A recognition that there has been a disruption

4- Dealing with disruption

5- A reinstatement of equilibrium (usually different from the start)

LEVI STRAUS
- Binary opposites - Set of opposite values which reveal the structure of media texts.

IDEOLOGY - Is a collection of beliefs held by an individual group or society. Set of conscious or unconscious ideas which make up expectations and motivation.

HEGEMANY - GRAVIA - A set of beliefs by dominant social group that is accepted bu the rest of society.

FALSE COSCIOUSNESS - A way of thinking that prevents a person from perceiving the true nature of their social economic situation.
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AUDIENCE THEORY 

These include : 

HYPODERMIC NEEDLE - Mass media can influence directly and informally. Injecting with values                                                  and messages

COPY CAT -  Audience will recreate or reenact. 

DESENSITATION - The more an audience experiences a shocking event, the less shocked they                                              become in real life

CULTIVATION - Continued exposure to certain situations will change our views on them, to closer                                match what we have seen in media texts.

USES & GRATIFICATION - People are not helpless victims of all powerful media, but we use media to fulfill their various needs.

                SHAPE THEORY

    Today in class we learnt about how different shapes can hold different connotations.
    For Example:

    -  Dangerous
    -  Sharp
    -  Evil
    -  Violent
    -  Harmful
    -  Anger
    -  Uncaring
    -  Pain
    -  Death

    -  Confident
    -  Strong
    -  Trapped
    -  Strict
    -  Boring
    -  Careless
    -  Repetitive
    -  Mature
    -  Masculine


  - Innocent
   - Friendly
   - Soothing
   - Harmless
   - Fun
   - Gentle
   - Fat
   - Trustable
   - Kind

We then applied this theory to the film opening of "Dexter"

The opening contains different shapes which are used to convey the main characters' violence.

Triangular shape 

Denotation : In this shot we see a mosquito feeding.

Connotation : Gives the idea of someone sneakily hurting others. Perhaps symbolises the main character sucking the life out of people. --> killing them covertly.

Circular Shape 

Denotation : In this shot we see an egg being fried

Connotation : Gives the idea of someone young/fresh/innocent is being Harmed.

Square Shape

Denotation : In this shot we see a man wiping blood with a square shaped cloth.

Connotation : The square has hard edges which gives the idea of strength and shows the main characters' ability to deal with damage/murder/accidents/trauma.

Combination of the shapes

Denotation : In this shot we see a knife slicing an orange.

Connotation : The knife represents the main characters' violent manner while the orange represents the innocent victims that he harms.