Thursday, 24 April 2014
Tuesday, 22 April 2014
Monday, 21 April 2014
Evaluation - Question 7
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
What was the purpose of the preliminary task?
Prior to filming our opening sequence, the members of the group including myself, had very little knowledge and ability in regards to the camera and editing software. This was due to the lack of experience we had. Therefore the ‘preliminary task’ was essential to carry out in order for us to increase our knowledge and ability. In turn, the final outcome of our opening sequence would be of a higher standard due to previous experience and therefore, the purpose of the task was to give us experience that could be related to our final product. The preliminary task consisted of using a camera and tripod which we would also use in the filming of our opening sequence. Such equipment was used to film an actor walking an amount of time, approaching another ‘friend’ and conversing. The requirements in the brief noted that we had to include the actor walking through a door and the shot reverse shot to challenge our knowledge and camera experience. After filming, we then had to edit the footage to ensure continuity using Final Cut Express. This involved getting rid of any unnecessary footage and ensuring remaining footage was continuous and made sense, so that the audience would believe it. This was a skill that was required when making our opening sequence and therefore this experience and practice helped us create continuity in the final product too.What did you learn from the preliminary task?
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| Tracking shot of Harriet walking to the stairs, when the tripod was used |
The preliminary task also taught me the meaning and importance of continuity editing. It is logical that using one static shot to film an entire narrative would be disengaging for an audience and therefore, many shots had to be filmed. However, the shots must be edited in the correct order as well as making sense in terms of perspective, in that they complement their previous and following shot also. Therefore when using Final Cut Express to edit the footage, I learn that continuity editing was vital in explaining the narrative clearly. For example, when the actor is just about to walk through the door, there is a close up of her hand to emphasise her walking through the door. The following shot is from the other side of the door with her walking through it. Overall it is clear that the actor has walked through a door which is vital in making the audience believe and understand the narrative; the effect that continuity editing has. This knowledge was applied to the post production stages of the opening sequence during the part where the victim also walks through a door. The previous experience assisted me in knowing how to execute the editing of this particular section of the opening and therefore increased its appeal as it was more believable.
What skills did you learn from the preliminary task that helped you with your thriller film?
Once again, before I carried out the preliminary task I had no previous experience in using a camera and tripod. Therefore ultimately, the experience assisted me in gaining skills that could be directly transferred and used when making the opening sequence. These skills included the understanding of the basic functions of the camera and tripod. For example, the camera has several buttons that have different functions which obviously were meant to be learnt in order to fully use the camera to its best capability. The zoom button, for instance, was heavily used in my thriller opening and therefore the practice the understanding and practice I had using it in the preliminary task assisted the final outcome of my thriller opening. Without this practice I would not have fully understood the pace in which the button must be pressed in order to create a smooth glide rather than a jumpy ‘in-out’ movement. Furthermore, the button almost appeared as a switch and therefore I had to practice which way made the camera zoom in and zoom out; if I hadn’t I may have done it the wrong way which would have prolonged filmed as I would have had to re-film and do it correctly. This is an example of the skills I gained in cinematography while carrying out the preliminary task which directly assisted my thriller opening. At the end of the sequence a ‘zoom in’ is used on the victim which is an example of how my skills gained in the preliminary task directly assisted the final outcome of my thriller opening. Furthermore, practice with the tripod during the preliminary task also assisted me in the filming stages of my thriller opening. As discussed previously, I learnt the importance of the tripod in creating a smooth tracking shot which appeared believable and professional to the audience. However, another skill I gained in using the tripod was the functioning of it. Tripods can be manipulated into the position, height and angle desired, but in order to do so; an understanding of the tripod is required. The ‘legs’ of the tripod can extended or made smaller according to the level in which you want the camera to be. An example of when this is evident in the preliminary task is when Harriet is walking up the stairs as the tripod was extended in order to include her whole body in the shot. This is also evident in the thriller opening when the victim is panicking in the bathroom. The tripod’s legs are extended to create a high angled shot, thus connoting her vulnerability as the audience are looking down on her, making her appear smaller. Therefore the skill in which one must manipulate the tripod’s height; position etc was gained in the preliminary task and directly assisted the effect that the thriller opening had on the audience.
Finally, the last skill I gained when carrying out the preliminary task is one that is required when being a cinematographer; the ability to look at the footage as the final outcome and evaluating whether it will be successful or not. When filming the task, I had to make sure that the shots I was filming would look coherent when edited together so that the audience easily believe the narrative. By doing this, I was able to ensure that the footage would not have to be re-filmed and therefore wasting post production time. For example, when filming Harriet coming up the stairs, we used a high angled shot when she was walking up the stairs, and then a tracking shot when at the top of the stairs and walking round a corner so that it almost appeared that the audience were following her, making it believable. It would not make sense to have a high shot of her walking up the stairs, followed by a low shot from the bottom of the stairs of Harriet being at the top. This does not flow, the perspective of the audience fluctuates too much and it not fairly static for them to comprehend what is going on in the narrative. Also because of this, it becomes unclear and therefore disengaging. The evaluation of these shots together stopped us from including them and therefore we did not need to re-film anything. This skill was evident in the final outcome of the thriller opening, as it did not need re-filming due to the coherence in the shots.
Tuesday, 15 April 2014
Evaluation - Question 2
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Explain the main characters in you film. Describe the representations of the characters and explain why you included them in your thriller film
The term representation can be defined as; the description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way or as being of a certain nature. The representation of who the characters are is a vital element of the narrative itself, as the character must have a purpose to efficiently act the narrative. This representation is created through characterisation; a method in which the audience understand the character more through specific details about them being told including name, age, background, gender and purpose to the narrative. In our own narrative, only one character is shown to the audience, which is Grace, the victim. The name Grace is representative of elegance and refinement. This therefore suggests to the audience that Grace is highly innocent and will consequently build a relationship between them so that the audience can sympathize with her and become involved within the film. The name creates a representation that conforms to the way in which victim are conventionally represented in the thriller genre; innocent. This therefore gives the audience an understanding of the character as well as relating to them as a result. As the victim is 17 years old, her age is representative of her vulnerability as she is of an age of growing up however is still young. The audience can relate to as our target audience is 15-24 and therefore can easily imagine themselves in a similar situation. For example, if our main protagonist is aged 50 and the target audience are 15-24, this may impact the ability to relate to the protagonist and therefore the audience become disengaged from the narrative. Therefore her age creates a representation of being a young, typical teenager which once again the audience can relate to, to engage them in the narrative. Conventionally, the victims in the thriller genre are often blonde females. Gender plays a vital role in the way on which a character is represented. Typically, the audience associated the passive and weaker role with a female and an active, strong role with a male. As the victim is a blonde female, this represents to the audience her inferior position against the male antagonist in which she is under threat. This therefore portrays her innocence furthermore to the audience to make them sympathize with the victim more so which in turn, will involve them in the narrative. The victim's parents have recently divorced and this is shown in the opening when she says 'My Mum is out on a date'. This is representative of her life involving imperfections, which effectively will allow the audience to relate to her and therefore sympathize with the emotions she displays. This detail also increases the realism of the narrative as this is a sufficient reason for her mother to be out which therefore lead to her being home alone, thus increasingly vulnerable to the antagonist. This is also a detail that some of the audience can relate to, and therefore does not cause confusion within the audience as it is deemed ‘normal’. It is important that characters have a purpose to the narrative so that the audience understand why they are there, thus making the narrative easier to understand. The opening establishes that Grace’s purpose is that she is a target or victim. However, it is not clear why she is a target yet which creates an enigma to keep the audience guessing. As mentioned previous, the victim's parents are recently divorced and as a result Grace now lives with her Mother. Consequently, her Father is left hurt and infuriated and therefore takes this out by stalking their shared daughter and possibly acting as a potential threat of violence.
Overall, the decisions made according to Grace’s representation are heavily reliant on the effect that each decision had on the audience. From the research conducted, the most successful thrillers conformed to the thriller convention in terms of representation i.e. innocent female victim, but also constructed them as real, in order for the audience to relate to them. For example, Donna, the victim in the thriller Prom Night, conforms to the thriller convention in that she is a blonde female who appears innocent. However it is the details about her that make her a typical teen for the audience to relate to; she is going to prom, she has a boyfriend, she has a group of close girl friends etc. Each of these details appears normal to the audience and therefore they can empathise and become involved in the narrative when the victim appears weak and threatened. Similarly, the representation of Grace constructed aimed to appear real, but also conventional.
Is gender represented in a stereotypical way?
Grace is a conventional character often found in the thriller genre, particularly because of her gender. Females are often portrayed as the victims in thrillers, who are victimised by male antagonists. Conventionally, the male antagonist is portrayed as threatening and powerful whereas the female victim is represented as weak and vulnerable, thus heightening the conflict between the two characters. Against the powerful and dominating male antagonist, the female victim is often represented as hopeless with no chance of escape, thus keeping he audience on edge and engaged. This convention is evident in my own thriller opening sequence. When the victim is on the bedroom, all of her electricity cuts off, including the phone call she was taking. Not only this, but she also hears a sound coming from another room, despite being home alone. This scene in the opening conveys her lack of knowledge according to the reason of this happening or rather who was causing this to happen. By having the phone and laptop cut off, in terms of communication the victim has no method of contacting someone for help, which represents her was weaker, vulnerable and hopeless, as stated before. However, because the electricity was cut off this creates low key lighting which in turn implies the presence of the antagonist. The darkness of the room reflects his personality which also suggests he is the reason for the electricity cutting off; representing him as more powerful and threatening, which conforms to the generic conventions. An example of the reinforcement of these conventional representations is evident in the film Scream, where ‘Casey’, a female blonde who is victimised is brutally stalked and murdered by a male antagonist. As stated before, victim who are also represented as conventional to the genre are also represented as conventional people in society. Casey lived with her family, went to school, had friends etc and therefore the audience are able to relate to her. Another example of this is evident in the thriller Se7en, in which a young woman is once again murdered by a mentally unstable male. The young woman was also blonde which conforms to generic convention but also had details about her that constructed her representation as ‘normal’; she was pregnant, had a husband and a job. Furthermore, the antagonist in my production is a man, further reinforcing the conventional gender roles of the genre. However, the way in which victims and antagonists are represented not only differ according to gender, but also the personal details about themselves. As stated before victims often appear normal from the perspective of the audience in order to encourage empathy; however male antagonists are often represented as abnormal or distorted so that they appear threatening to the audience, making them uncomfortable. For example the antagonist in the thriller Se7en appears to be abnormal as his house is covered in pictures of people being tortured which not only is considered to be abnormal, but conveys his pleasure in harming others.
Explain how the characters would appeal to your audience
Background knowledge of the character allows the audience to have a deeper understanding of her, which in turn should increase her appeal as they become more attached to her. The victim is a similar age to the audience and therefore it will be easier for them to relate to her as she is representative of this particular social group. Therefore they will be able to imagine themselves in a similar situation which engages them in the narrative, as well as increasing their own vulnerability as a result. The age of the victim will appeal to them for this reason. Furthermore, her gender will reinforce her vulnerability as female victims are conventional to the thriller genre due to the implied inferiority in contrast to the male antagonist. By conforming to this convention, the audience will feel an increased attachment to the protagonist as her vulnerability as a victim is reinforced through her gender. The audience will assume she is weaker and less powerful than the male antagonist and therefore her appeal will be shown through her weaknesses. Furthermore, Grace has a background that most of the audience will be able to relate to; her parents are divorced. Divorced parents imply imperfections in her life, which increases the realism of the characters and therefore the audience can relate to this, as she appears believable. Her appeal as a victim is portrayed through her conventional characteristic such as her gender and age, however is also portrayed through her realistic qualities such as divorced parents which therefore increases her appeal, allowing the audience to relate and empathize with her.
Explain the main characters in you film. Describe the representations of the characters and explain why you included them in your thriller film
The term representation can be defined as; the description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way or as being of a certain nature. The representation of who the characters are is a vital element of the narrative itself, as the character must have a purpose to efficiently act the narrative. This representation is created through characterisation; a method in which the audience understand the character more through specific details about them being told including name, age, background, gender and purpose to the narrative. In our own narrative, only one character is shown to the audience, which is Grace, the victim. The name Grace is representative of elegance and refinement. This therefore suggests to the audience that Grace is highly innocent and will consequently build a relationship between them so that the audience can sympathize with her and become involved within the film. The name creates a representation that conforms to the way in which victim are conventionally represented in the thriller genre; innocent. This therefore gives the audience an understanding of the character as well as relating to them as a result. As the victim is 17 years old, her age is representative of her vulnerability as she is of an age of growing up however is still young. The audience can relate to as our target audience is 15-24 and therefore can easily imagine themselves in a similar situation. For example, if our main protagonist is aged 50 and the target audience are 15-24, this may impact the ability to relate to the protagonist and therefore the audience become disengaged from the narrative. Therefore her age creates a representation of being a young, typical teenager which once again the audience can relate to, to engage them in the narrative. Conventionally, the victims in the thriller genre are often blonde females. Gender plays a vital role in the way on which a character is represented. Typically, the audience associated the passive and weaker role with a female and an active, strong role with a male. As the victim is a blonde female, this represents to the audience her inferior position against the male antagonist in which she is under threat. This therefore portrays her innocence furthermore to the audience to make them sympathize with the victim more so which in turn, will involve them in the narrative. The victim's parents have recently divorced and this is shown in the opening when she says 'My Mum is out on a date'. This is representative of her life involving imperfections, which effectively will allow the audience to relate to her and therefore sympathize with the emotions she displays. This detail also increases the realism of the narrative as this is a sufficient reason for her mother to be out which therefore lead to her being home alone, thus increasingly vulnerable to the antagonist. This is also a detail that some of the audience can relate to, and therefore does not cause confusion within the audience as it is deemed ‘normal’. It is important that characters have a purpose to the narrative so that the audience understand why they are there, thus making the narrative easier to understand. The opening establishes that Grace’s purpose is that she is a target or victim. However, it is not clear why she is a target yet which creates an enigma to keep the audience guessing. As mentioned previous, the victim's parents are recently divorced and as a result Grace now lives with her Mother. Consequently, her Father is left hurt and infuriated and therefore takes this out by stalking their shared daughter and possibly acting as a potential threat of violence.
Overall, the decisions made according to Grace’s representation are heavily reliant on the effect that each decision had on the audience. From the research conducted, the most successful thrillers conformed to the thriller convention in terms of representation i.e. innocent female victim, but also constructed them as real, in order for the audience to relate to them. For example, Donna, the victim in the thriller Prom Night, conforms to the thriller convention in that she is a blonde female who appears innocent. However it is the details about her that make her a typical teen for the audience to relate to; she is going to prom, she has a boyfriend, she has a group of close girl friends etc. Each of these details appears normal to the audience and therefore they can empathise and become involved in the narrative when the victim appears weak and threatened. Similarly, the representation of Grace constructed aimed to appear real, but also conventional.
Is gender represented in a stereotypical way?
Grace is a conventional character often found in the thriller genre, particularly because of her gender. Females are often portrayed as the victims in thrillers, who are victimised by male antagonists. Conventionally, the male antagonist is portrayed as threatening and powerful whereas the female victim is represented as weak and vulnerable, thus heightening the conflict between the two characters. Against the powerful and dominating male antagonist, the female victim is often represented as hopeless with no chance of escape, thus keeping he audience on edge and engaged. This convention is evident in my own thriller opening sequence. When the victim is on the bedroom, all of her electricity cuts off, including the phone call she was taking. Not only this, but she also hears a sound coming from another room, despite being home alone. This scene in the opening conveys her lack of knowledge according to the reason of this happening or rather who was causing this to happen. By having the phone and laptop cut off, in terms of communication the victim has no method of contacting someone for help, which represents her was weaker, vulnerable and hopeless, as stated before. However, because the electricity was cut off this creates low key lighting which in turn implies the presence of the antagonist. The darkness of the room reflects his personality which also suggests he is the reason for the electricity cutting off; representing him as more powerful and threatening, which conforms to the generic conventions. An example of the reinforcement of these conventional representations is evident in the film Scream, where ‘Casey’, a female blonde who is victimised is brutally stalked and murdered by a male antagonist. As stated before, victim who are also represented as conventional to the genre are also represented as conventional people in society. Casey lived with her family, went to school, had friends etc and therefore the audience are able to relate to her. Another example of this is evident in the thriller Se7en, in which a young woman is once again murdered by a mentally unstable male. The young woman was also blonde which conforms to generic convention but also had details about her that constructed her representation as ‘normal’; she was pregnant, had a husband and a job. Furthermore, the antagonist in my production is a man, further reinforcing the conventional gender roles of the genre. However, the way in which victims and antagonists are represented not only differ according to gender, but also the personal details about themselves. As stated before victims often appear normal from the perspective of the audience in order to encourage empathy; however male antagonists are often represented as abnormal or distorted so that they appear threatening to the audience, making them uncomfortable. For example the antagonist in the thriller Se7en appears to be abnormal as his house is covered in pictures of people being tortured which not only is considered to be abnormal, but conveys his pleasure in harming others.
Explain how the characters would appeal to your audience
Background knowledge of the character allows the audience to have a deeper understanding of her, which in turn should increase her appeal as they become more attached to her. The victim is a similar age to the audience and therefore it will be easier for them to relate to her as she is representative of this particular social group. Therefore they will be able to imagine themselves in a similar situation which engages them in the narrative, as well as increasing their own vulnerability as a result. The age of the victim will appeal to them for this reason. Furthermore, her gender will reinforce her vulnerability as female victims are conventional to the thriller genre due to the implied inferiority in contrast to the male antagonist. By conforming to this convention, the audience will feel an increased attachment to the protagonist as her vulnerability as a victim is reinforced through her gender. The audience will assume she is weaker and less powerful than the male antagonist and therefore her appeal will be shown through her weaknesses. Furthermore, Grace has a background that most of the audience will be able to relate to; her parents are divorced. Divorced parents imply imperfections in her life, which increases the realism of the characters and therefore the audience can relate to this, as she appears believable. Her appeal as a victim is portrayed through her conventional characteristic such as her gender and age, however is also portrayed through her realistic qualities such as divorced parents which therefore increases her appeal, allowing the audience to relate and empathize with her.
Evaluation - Question 1
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
The term convention can be defined as ‘typical elements/aspects of a genre that are associated with it and therefore commonly evident.’ From the research I have conducted, I have been able to identify typical conventions associated with the thriller genre by analysing successful thrillers that already exist. It is vital to establish the generic conventions as these are the elements that the audience are familiar with and therefore find appealing. By understanding the conventions, I was also able to identify the effect they had on the audience in order to create a similar effect in my own production. In turn, the audience would be able to identify the opening as belonging to the thriller genre to avoid confusion and becoming uninterested as a result. Below I have depicted the usual conventions identified in the thriller genre, the effect the have on the audience and where such conventions are evident in existing successful thrillers.
Killer dressed in dark colours and victim dressed in light colours
Antagonists are conventionally dressed in dark colours so that their costume reflects their personality; dark and evil, so that the audience can recognise their character. Also, by being dark both inside and out, this creates a more eerie character which the audience and protagonist is vulnerable to. For example in the film Scream, the killer is dressed in only black to reflect to the audience his dark personality and evilness as a character. This makes the audience feel more on edge when he is present as his costume suggests evil. Furthermore, the protagonist is usually dressed in light clothes such as white to connote innocence and purity. This creates a visual contrast between the two characters which visually highlights their differences and conflict. For example in the opening of Scream, the victim is seen in white clothing to represent her innocence to the audience which therefore encourage the audience to empathise with the victim, engaging them in the narrative.
Low key lighting
Low key lighting is often used in thriller films to create an eerie atmosphere. Typically, this makes the protagonist and the audience more vulnerable to any sudden content as they are unable to see it prior to it happening. Therefore, low key lighting is efficient in building suspense as it suggests something bad is going to happen, but does not reveal what it will be. Furthermore, low key lighting is also used to create shadows, which are often used for the antagonist, to either hide their identity or reflect their dark personality. For example in the opening of the film Saw, low key lighting is used to create an enigma as the audience can hear the characters talking but due to the lighting being low cannot tell where they are or what they are doing. Therefore the identity of the antagonist is hidden thus building suspense as the audience are vulnerable due to lack of knowledge through the use of low key lighting.
Close ups
In the thriller Prom Night, once the antagonist reveals himself, a close up is used to show the reaction of the victim. A close up shot consists of the frame being very tight so that the subject takes up most of it. Conventionally, close up shots are used in the thriller genre to intensify a moment, which this shot in 'Prom Night' effectively does. By using a close up, the audience are encouraged to focus in the reaction of the victim, who appears emotional in her response. They become aware that she is very scared and shocked to see the antagonist, implying his threat towards her. Therefore the audience become much discomforted as they are easily able to see the vulnerability of the victim which also creates suspense, as it implies an upcoming threatening conflict between the two characters. Ultimately, her emotional response encourages the audience to build a relationship with the victim which in turn, makes them vulnerable to the antagonist also, making them on edge.
Non Diegetic Sound
Non diegetic sound is used in the scene; often used to enhance the visual so that the audience’s emotions are manipulated to feel anxious. The visual content at this point consists of both ‘Ali’ in the house, juxtaposed with Beyonce going back to the house, unaware that someone is already there. When focused on Ali (the antagonist) the music fluctuates in pitch, going from very low, to increasingly high which connotes a similar sound to screaming. This foreshadows the upcoming events of violence as both women experience pain and screams as a result. This foreshadowing builds suspense as the audience are aware that a conflict will occur as this is implied through the combination of fluctuating sound and juxtaposed shots; however they are unaware of what exactly will happen, thus building suspense.
Diegetic Sound
Later in the scene when Beyonce is looking for Ali within her house, she opens the door. This is an example of diegetic sound as the door squeaking is a naturally occurring sound, rather than added in post-production. Diegetic sound is used in thrillers to make the scene more realistic, as the audience are familiar with these sounds and therefore are able to connect with them. The squeaking of the door creates an eerie atmosphere and suggests that the door/house is old, making it discomforting for the audience as it suggests isolation. Atmospheric sounds are conventional in the thriller genre as it affects the audience into feeling on edge as mentioned before. Also, high pitched sounds such as squeaks are also conventional to the thriller genre as the audience's attention is engaged into the unease caused by such sounds. Similar diegetic sound is also used in the thriller, Shutter Island. In the scene in which the protagonists are entering the complex on Shutter Island, diegetic sound is used when the doors of the mental hospital open. The high pitched squeaking creates an eerie atmosphere as it suggests to the audience that is isolated and desolate. In turn, the location appears more peculiar as it suggests that there has been a lack of human interaction within it, thus making the characters isolated as well. With identical sound effects used in both thrillers, this reinforces this element of sound as conventional to the genre due to its ability to make the audience on edge.
Isolated Location
From the long shot used, the audience are able to establish that the location of the narrative takes place on an isolated island. Isolated locations are often used in thriller films as it intensifies the characters that are there, as there is a lack of human interaction which appears irregular and disturbing as it appears that everything external or civilised is cut off. Isolated locations are also key in limiting chances of escape and therefore entrap the victim, thus making them more vulnerable. This encouraged the audience to build a relationship with the victim and therefore the audience are prone to feeling vulnerable themselves when the victim threatened. An isolated location is also used in the thriller ‘No Country for Old Men’. The opening scene begins with an establishing shot of the setting, showing the location of the scene to be deserted and far from civilisation. This therefore, adds the victims’ vulnerability as there are helpless when under threat of the antagonist as there is nowhere to hide or no one to help. This is conventional within the thriller genre as this makes both the victim and audience feel vulnerable as they are unable to identify a method of escape; similar to the location used in Shutter Island.
Slow Paced Editing
In the thriller Psycho, before the victim is murdered in the shower, slow paced editing is used to suggest a climatic event. When in the shower, the audience are able to see the antagonist in the background as well as the oblivious victim. In this shot, the use of slow paced editing prolongs the frame which creates suspense as the audience are waiting for the murder that eventually happens. Slow paced editing is used in the thriller genre to create suspense conventionally, which this thriller conforms to. The suspense created makes the audience feel on edge as there is no immediate gratification, but rather the audience must be made to feel on edge before getting such gratification i.e. murder.
Hidden identity
It is conventional of the thriller genre for the identity of the antagonist to remain hidden as this creates an enigma, also conventional of the genre. As the audience are unaware of whom the antagonist is, this builds suspense through their increased vulnerability. For example in the film of Scream, the killer is seen by the audience as wearing a mask throughout the film, hiding his identity and creating an enigma as to who it is. Typically, the identity of the antagonist is hidden by a mask, low key lighting, or the narrative does not include a visual sighting of them to create an enigma that will engage the audience.
Discuss how you followed the generic conventions. You must refer to your film in detail. Use special examples and elements.
Low key lighting
Low key lighting is used in the opening of Saw to create mystery, as well as an eerie atmosphere; this is conventional to the genre as it makes the audience feel on edge and therefore I also used this technique in my own production. The scene starts with the victim in her bedroom on the phone to her friend. Moments later, the power cuts off (including light, phone and laptop) suggesting to the audience that there is someone present, as the darkness of the room connotes the darkness of the villain's personality. It also furthers her vulnerability as she has lost contact with people therefore lowers her chances of escape and builds tension. This encourages the audience to build a relationship due to her vulnerability, which further encourages them to empathise with the character thus becoming more engaged. She holds the phone to her face; the light reflecting on her face symbolising the innocence of her character as the whiteness of it connotes such innocent and pure qualities the victim possesses. Once again, this will encourage the audience to empathise. Overall I have followed convention in terms of lighting as I have created a similar effect on the audience as the existing thriller Saw.
Close ups
In comparison to the thriller Prom Night, my own thriller opening also conforms to the generic convention of using close ups. When the victim has been touched on the shoulder by the antagonist, she turns around and screams; in which a close up shot is used. The significance of a close up shot is vital in encouraging the audience to build a relationship with the victim. When realising that the antagonist is behind her, her facial expressions convey clear fright and shock and by using a close up to frame this, her emotions are intensified to the audience, thus making them focus on the victim's emotions. By having to do so, the audience are made to feel on edge, as they begin to empathise with the victim and therefore feel uncomfortable when she is threatened. Similarly to Prom Night I have effectively used a close up to intensify a specific moment in the opening, as well as creating the conventional effect such shot has on the audience as they are made to feel disturbed. By conforming to such convention, my opening sequence is successful in terms of the cinematography used as it is similar to existing, successful thriller openings.
Non Diegetic Sound
In comparison to Obsessed, the sound used in my own production is very similar in terms of style and convention. Conventionally, sound used in thriller film fluctuates so that it becomes irregular and unpredictable to keep the audience on edge, as well as fluctuating at specific points in the narrative to stress a moment. In my own production, I used a storm soundtrack throughout the entire length of the opening to create an eerie atmosphere. The storm highlights the vulnerability of the victim as it is unsafe in both the house and outside, cutting her off from any comfort or escape. The storm fluctuates at specific points in the narrative such as when the victim opens the door that is predicted to have the antagonist behind it. By having the sound increase in volume and pitch, this moment is stressed which makes the narrative jumpy, thus making the audience feel on edge. Although I have used different sound in my thriller opening, the style in which the sound is executed is conventional to the genre and evident in Obsessed. The fluctuations in the sound make it irregular which makes the audience on edge and therefore the sound in my thriller opening may be deemed successful as a result.
Isolated Location
Isolated locations are commonly used in the thriller genre as they cut off the victims from civilisation, thus making them uncomfortable and vulnerable. It also limits the chances of escaping or receiving help and therefore this makes the audience feel on edge. Isolated locations are evident in Shutter Island and No Country for Old Men, in which both thrillers achieve this effect successfully. I also conformed to this convention, however slightly developed it. The location itself was not isolated in terms of its surrounding, but I used a conventional house in which the victim was isolated within. Therefore not only was the victim still made to feel vulnerable and uncomfortable, (thus making the audience on edge) these emotions of feeling on edge were reinforced, as the location could be related to by the target audience. This allowed the audience to empathise with the victim increasingly as it was easy to relate the situation back on them, causing a disturbance amongst them.
Slow Paced Editing
By having slow paced editing, suspense is built throughout the opening while the victim is looking for the antagonist. It suggests to the audience that a climatic event will occur as a result of the suspense built which will make the audience feel on edge. To elaborate, when the victim hears a noise from another room she goes to check what the cause of it may be in the bathroom. When walking through the corridor and going to open the bathroom door, slow paced editing is used to build suspense as it prolongs the revealing of the antagonist. This makes the audience feel on edge as they are unsure as to what will happen next. This editing style is also evident in the shower scene in Psycho. Prior to the victim being murdered slow paced editing is used to build suspense and imply a pivotal event will occur i.e. the murder. By doing so, I have also created the desired effect on the audience that is often associated with the thriller genre; feeling on edge. Therefore, my opening sequence may be deemed successful in terms of editing styles as slow paced editing is used in other successful thrillers such as Psycho.
Hidden identity
In the thriller film, Scream, the identity of the antagonist is hidden using a mask. Conventionally, the identity of the antagonist is either hidden or distorted to keep the audience on edge as they are unfamiliar with the character. This proved to be an effective method of creating an enigma and therefore keeping the audience engaged due to their lack of knowledge, which influenced my own production as a result. Throughout the entire opening sequence, the antagonist is not visually seen but only hinted through off screen sound and low key lighting. I decided to not reveal the antagonist at all because as it was the opening, by not including the antagonist, it encourages the audience to watch further to find out. Also, by only hinting at the presence of the antagonist, both victim and audience have lack of clarity and understanding as to what is going on, thus making them on edge. By making the victim and audience simultaneously emotional, it encourages the audience to empathise with the victim, reinforcing their engagement and involvement in the narrative.
Explain how your opening sequence defines the thriller genre. Consider the codes and conventions of the thriller film, specifically micro elements
Explain what the generic conventions are for the thriller genre are, relate to other successful thrillers and examples
Killer dressed in dark colours and victim dressed in light colours
Antagonists are conventionally dressed in dark colours so that their costume reflects their personality; dark and evil, so that the audience can recognise their character. Also, by being dark both inside and out, this creates a more eerie character which the audience and protagonist is vulnerable to. For example in the film Scream, the killer is dressed in only black to reflect to the audience his dark personality and evilness as a character. This makes the audience feel more on edge when he is present as his costume suggests evil. Furthermore, the protagonist is usually dressed in light clothes such as white to connote innocence and purity. This creates a visual contrast between the two characters which visually highlights their differences and conflict. For example in the opening of Scream, the victim is seen in white clothing to represent her innocence to the audience which therefore encourage the audience to empathise with the victim, engaging them in the narrative.
Low key lighting
Low key lighting is often used in thriller films to create an eerie atmosphere. Typically, this makes the protagonist and the audience more vulnerable to any sudden content as they are unable to see it prior to it happening. Therefore, low key lighting is efficient in building suspense as it suggests something bad is going to happen, but does not reveal what it will be. Furthermore, low key lighting is also used to create shadows, which are often used for the antagonist, to either hide their identity or reflect their dark personality. For example in the opening of the film Saw, low key lighting is used to create an enigma as the audience can hear the characters talking but due to the lighting being low cannot tell where they are or what they are doing. Therefore the identity of the antagonist is hidden thus building suspense as the audience are vulnerable due to lack of knowledge through the use of low key lighting.
Close ups
In the thriller Prom Night, once the antagonist reveals himself, a close up is used to show the reaction of the victim. A close up shot consists of the frame being very tight so that the subject takes up most of it. Conventionally, close up shots are used in the thriller genre to intensify a moment, which this shot in 'Prom Night' effectively does. By using a close up, the audience are encouraged to focus in the reaction of the victim, who appears emotional in her response. They become aware that she is very scared and shocked to see the antagonist, implying his threat towards her. Therefore the audience become much discomforted as they are easily able to see the vulnerability of the victim which also creates suspense, as it implies an upcoming threatening conflict between the two characters. Ultimately, her emotional response encourages the audience to build a relationship with the victim which in turn, makes them vulnerable to the antagonist also, making them on edge.
Non Diegetic Sound
Non diegetic sound is used in the scene; often used to enhance the visual so that the audience’s emotions are manipulated to feel anxious. The visual content at this point consists of both ‘Ali’ in the house, juxtaposed with Beyonce going back to the house, unaware that someone is already there. When focused on Ali (the antagonist) the music fluctuates in pitch, going from very low, to increasingly high which connotes a similar sound to screaming. This foreshadows the upcoming events of violence as both women experience pain and screams as a result. This foreshadowing builds suspense as the audience are aware that a conflict will occur as this is implied through the combination of fluctuating sound and juxtaposed shots; however they are unaware of what exactly will happen, thus building suspense.
Diegetic Sound
Later in the scene when Beyonce is looking for Ali within her house, she opens the door. This is an example of diegetic sound as the door squeaking is a naturally occurring sound, rather than added in post-production. Diegetic sound is used in thrillers to make the scene more realistic, as the audience are familiar with these sounds and therefore are able to connect with them. The squeaking of the door creates an eerie atmosphere and suggests that the door/house is old, making it discomforting for the audience as it suggests isolation. Atmospheric sounds are conventional in the thriller genre as it affects the audience into feeling on edge as mentioned before. Also, high pitched sounds such as squeaks are also conventional to the thriller genre as the audience's attention is engaged into the unease caused by such sounds. Similar diegetic sound is also used in the thriller, Shutter Island. In the scene in which the protagonists are entering the complex on Shutter Island, diegetic sound is used when the doors of the mental hospital open. The high pitched squeaking creates an eerie atmosphere as it suggests to the audience that is isolated and desolate. In turn, the location appears more peculiar as it suggests that there has been a lack of human interaction within it, thus making the characters isolated as well. With identical sound effects used in both thrillers, this reinforces this element of sound as conventional to the genre due to its ability to make the audience on edge.
Isolated Location
From the long shot used, the audience are able to establish that the location of the narrative takes place on an isolated island. Isolated locations are often used in thriller films as it intensifies the characters that are there, as there is a lack of human interaction which appears irregular and disturbing as it appears that everything external or civilised is cut off. Isolated locations are also key in limiting chances of escape and therefore entrap the victim, thus making them more vulnerable. This encouraged the audience to build a relationship with the victim and therefore the audience are prone to feeling vulnerable themselves when the victim threatened. An isolated location is also used in the thriller ‘No Country for Old Men’. The opening scene begins with an establishing shot of the setting, showing the location of the scene to be deserted and far from civilisation. This therefore, adds the victims’ vulnerability as there are helpless when under threat of the antagonist as there is nowhere to hide or no one to help. This is conventional within the thriller genre as this makes both the victim and audience feel vulnerable as they are unable to identify a method of escape; similar to the location used in Shutter Island.
Slow Paced Editing
In the thriller Psycho, before the victim is murdered in the shower, slow paced editing is used to suggest a climatic event. When in the shower, the audience are able to see the antagonist in the background as well as the oblivious victim. In this shot, the use of slow paced editing prolongs the frame which creates suspense as the audience are waiting for the murder that eventually happens. Slow paced editing is used in the thriller genre to create suspense conventionally, which this thriller conforms to. The suspense created makes the audience feel on edge as there is no immediate gratification, but rather the audience must be made to feel on edge before getting such gratification i.e. murder.
Hidden identity
It is conventional of the thriller genre for the identity of the antagonist to remain hidden as this creates an enigma, also conventional of the genre. As the audience are unaware of whom the antagonist is, this builds suspense through their increased vulnerability. For example in the film of Scream, the killer is seen by the audience as wearing a mask throughout the film, hiding his identity and creating an enigma as to who it is. Typically, the identity of the antagonist is hidden by a mask, low key lighting, or the narrative does not include a visual sighting of them to create an enigma that will engage the audience.
Discuss how you followed the generic conventions. You must refer to your film in detail. Use special examples and elements.
Low key lighting
Low key lighting is used in the opening of Saw to create mystery, as well as an eerie atmosphere; this is conventional to the genre as it makes the audience feel on edge and therefore I also used this technique in my own production. The scene starts with the victim in her bedroom on the phone to her friend. Moments later, the power cuts off (including light, phone and laptop) suggesting to the audience that there is someone present, as the darkness of the room connotes the darkness of the villain's personality. It also furthers her vulnerability as she has lost contact with people therefore lowers her chances of escape and builds tension. This encourages the audience to build a relationship due to her vulnerability, which further encourages them to empathise with the character thus becoming more engaged. She holds the phone to her face; the light reflecting on her face symbolising the innocence of her character as the whiteness of it connotes such innocent and pure qualities the victim possesses. Once again, this will encourage the audience to empathise. Overall I have followed convention in terms of lighting as I have created a similar effect on the audience as the existing thriller Saw.
Close ups
In comparison to the thriller Prom Night, my own thriller opening also conforms to the generic convention of using close ups. When the victim has been touched on the shoulder by the antagonist, she turns around and screams; in which a close up shot is used. The significance of a close up shot is vital in encouraging the audience to build a relationship with the victim. When realising that the antagonist is behind her, her facial expressions convey clear fright and shock and by using a close up to frame this, her emotions are intensified to the audience, thus making them focus on the victim's emotions. By having to do so, the audience are made to feel on edge, as they begin to empathise with the victim and therefore feel uncomfortable when she is threatened. Similarly to Prom Night I have effectively used a close up to intensify a specific moment in the opening, as well as creating the conventional effect such shot has on the audience as they are made to feel disturbed. By conforming to such convention, my opening sequence is successful in terms of the cinematography used as it is similar to existing, successful thriller openings.
Non Diegetic Sound
In comparison to Obsessed, the sound used in my own production is very similar in terms of style and convention. Conventionally, sound used in thriller film fluctuates so that it becomes irregular and unpredictable to keep the audience on edge, as well as fluctuating at specific points in the narrative to stress a moment. In my own production, I used a storm soundtrack throughout the entire length of the opening to create an eerie atmosphere. The storm highlights the vulnerability of the victim as it is unsafe in both the house and outside, cutting her off from any comfort or escape. The storm fluctuates at specific points in the narrative such as when the victim opens the door that is predicted to have the antagonist behind it. By having the sound increase in volume and pitch, this moment is stressed which makes the narrative jumpy, thus making the audience feel on edge. Although I have used different sound in my thriller opening, the style in which the sound is executed is conventional to the genre and evident in Obsessed. The fluctuations in the sound make it irregular which makes the audience on edge and therefore the sound in my thriller opening may be deemed successful as a result.
Isolated Location
Isolated locations are commonly used in the thriller genre as they cut off the victims from civilisation, thus making them uncomfortable and vulnerable. It also limits the chances of escaping or receiving help and therefore this makes the audience feel on edge. Isolated locations are evident in Shutter Island and No Country for Old Men, in which both thrillers achieve this effect successfully. I also conformed to this convention, however slightly developed it. The location itself was not isolated in terms of its surrounding, but I used a conventional house in which the victim was isolated within. Therefore not only was the victim still made to feel vulnerable and uncomfortable, (thus making the audience on edge) these emotions of feeling on edge were reinforced, as the location could be related to by the target audience. This allowed the audience to empathise with the victim increasingly as it was easy to relate the situation back on them, causing a disturbance amongst them.
Slow Paced Editing
By having slow paced editing, suspense is built throughout the opening while the victim is looking for the antagonist. It suggests to the audience that a climatic event will occur as a result of the suspense built which will make the audience feel on edge. To elaborate, when the victim hears a noise from another room she goes to check what the cause of it may be in the bathroom. When walking through the corridor and going to open the bathroom door, slow paced editing is used to build suspense as it prolongs the revealing of the antagonist. This makes the audience feel on edge as they are unsure as to what will happen next. This editing style is also evident in the shower scene in Psycho. Prior to the victim being murdered slow paced editing is used to build suspense and imply a pivotal event will occur i.e. the murder. By doing so, I have also created the desired effect on the audience that is often associated with the thriller genre; feeling on edge. Therefore, my opening sequence may be deemed successful in terms of editing styles as slow paced editing is used in other successful thrillers such as Psycho.
Hidden identity
In the thriller film, Scream, the identity of the antagonist is hidden using a mask. Conventionally, the identity of the antagonist is either hidden or distorted to keep the audience on edge as they are unfamiliar with the character. This proved to be an effective method of creating an enigma and therefore keeping the audience engaged due to their lack of knowledge, which influenced my own production as a result. Throughout the entire opening sequence, the antagonist is not visually seen but only hinted through off screen sound and low key lighting. I decided to not reveal the antagonist at all because as it was the opening, by not including the antagonist, it encourages the audience to watch further to find out. Also, by only hinting at the presence of the antagonist, both victim and audience have lack of clarity and understanding as to what is going on, thus making them on edge. By making the victim and audience simultaneously emotional, it encourages the audience to empathise with the victim, reinforcing their engagement and involvement in the narrative.
Explain how your opening sequence defines the thriller genre. Consider the codes and conventions of the thriller film, specifically micro elements
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Overall my final product appears to not only conform to, but define the thriller genre. The codes and conventions that are evident in the thriller genre are also evident in my own production, thus creating similar effects on the audience as an extension of this. I have not only achieved this through the micro elements discussed previously, but also in terms of narrative. My own thriller opening is based on the theme of obsession, a conventional theme typically evident in the thriller genre. Existing thrillers such as Scream and Prom Night are examples of successful thrillers that also focus on the theme of obsession. Obsessive themes are successful in the thriller genre as they imply a distorted antagonist who is mentally unstable and therefore make the audience feel on edge. Also this put the victim in a threatening position that the audience also feel on edge about. Because of the percussions of the theme ‘obsession’, it effectively defines the genre as the audience are made to feel in the desired ways; on edge, uncomfortable and disturbed. Thematically, my own production defines the genre for the same reasons; the antagonist is represented as dark and mentally unstable through the use of low key lighting to reflect his evil personality and unsteady credits to convey the ‘unsteadiness’ of the character himself. Furthermore, the victim’s vulnerability is also highlighted through the use of close up shots to capture and emphasise her emotional state, as discussed previously.
Furthermore, the product defines the thriller genre theoretically. When researching into the thriller genre, I identified 3 main theorists that proposed different theories according to the main aspects/elements that make a film successful and conventional’ Aristole, Todorov and Propp. After identifying each proposal, I was able to apply Aristole’s theory most successfully to my own production, implying that the production itself was supported by such theory in defining the thriller genre. Aristole’s theory consisted of 7 main headings; inciting incident, dramatic question, character goal, antagonist/protagonist, stakes, resolution, sympathy/empathy. Our thriller opening can be most applied to Aristole's theory due to the similar themes that arise in his proposal as well as our thriller opening. Also his theory is based on the more serious genres such as tragedy and serious drama and therefore would make logical sense to be applicable to a thriller. There are many examples from our narrative that can be directly related to Aristole's theory. For example, from the beginning of our opening, the audience are able to identify who the protagonist is as we have conformed to the methodology in which the victim is represented i.e. white clothing to connote innocence. An implication of the antagonist's presence is also created through the low key lighting and point of view shots, and therefore the audience are aware that there is a clear protagonist and antagonist, proposed by Aristole. The opening sequence to our thriller can also be applied to further proposals made by Aristole. At the end of the sequence, through the use of low key lighting and shadows, the audience can see that there is a 'mystery' person in the house that is threat to the victim, as they put their hand on her shoulder. When turning around to see who it was, the victim screams which creates a dramatic question - who was it? A dramatic question as proposed by Aristole can be closely linked with an enigma, a convention of the thriller genre as it builds suspense for the audience as they do not have all the information, leaving them on edge.
Lastly, the opening sequence can be applied to one more of Aristole's proposals; sympathy and empathy. We planned our protagonist's representation so she has qualities that the audience can clearly connect with. For example, her age is a similar age to our target audience and therefore they are able to relate to her. Another example which makes our narrative easier to relate to is the location. All of the target audience are able to relate to a house and therefore it is easy to imagine themselves in the position of the protagonist, making them on edge. In the primary research I have conducted, Millie Cooper claimed that a house location made her feel on edge because this feeling can be taken back to when she gets home herself, highlighting the effect the thriller has had on her. Therefore we had planned certain aspects of the film so that the audience can relate to it easily and therefore stimulate both sympathy and empathy for the protagonist in her situation. The themes discussed are the main proposed by Aristole that appear in the opening in the thriller. However, it is also possible that the other themes may arise in the rest of the film. For example, an inciting incident may occur when the antagonist captures the protagonist, which therefore creates a character goal, in that the protagonist will attempt to escape. By being able to apply the opening sequence to a theorist whose proposal is based on serious drama, and therefore almost identical to the thriller genre, it suggests that the opening itself is successful in defining the genre itself.
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