Focus Group

The Questions we asked our 4 panelists: 1. Which of the following ideas do you prefer? (we then told them the 3 ideas) 2. Which one do you think will create the most tension? 3. Would you prefer it to be in Black and White or in colour? 4. Do you think it will be more effective if the scene had a powerful soundtrack or silence? 5. Do you think it will be more effective using Diegetic or Non-diegetic sounds? The answers that were given to these questions are in the following clip.

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Preliminary Task

Analysis Of Past Students Thriller- Finders Keepers

This is a thriller by Danny Fox, Arif Hossain, Edward Searle & Sheik Dickreeah.





This is a good thriller as it doesn't give away what the film is going to be about, keeps the audience on edge and wondering "why are they chasing him?"

The trailer also gives an indication to crime and creates a mystery about crime. This is a type of sub genre which is one of the thriller conventions and therefore is something which must be included. It does this by the way they are costumed. They are wearing suits and sunglasses which is the typical type of criminal outfit, fulfilling a stereotypical role of a 'drug dealer' or some sort.

Also the mood in which is set during the trailer. This is a mood which is not only confusing but as you can see the character (Arif) becomes paranoid about what is happening around him. he is curious about what he has found and is therefore after this being menaced to get it taken back of him. The characters in which are after him seem like they are on a mission to get this box back and therefore is desperate need after the chase the audience may be thinking that murder may be an option. Also another thriller convention.

The music in this trailer also gives a feeling of suspense, the chase all the way down the stairs and jumping over buildings and walls. This creates tension "are they going to catch him?" "are they behind him?"

There is also a macguffin. This is the box, it is the object which is the point of the whole film, which is driving the plot of the criminals pursuit and the victims escape however it is not important, what is important is the chase, the ending, what happens next.

Overall this was a good thriller. However it didn't give us much depth about what the characters were about, characterization. Are these characters troubled? Are they morally complex? Maybe an indication of what the film was going to be about in a little bit more depth would of made it more exciting and intriguing for the audience to want to watch.

Suspense & Shock

Suspense is a feeling of excitement and being anxious, uncertainty on what is about to happen or what is going to happen in the future.

An example of suspense is the film sabotage below. As the boy is delivering what he thinks is a package to the cinema, its really a bomb. The audience know that the bomb will be going of at exactly 1:45 and as time is quickly passing we are unsure if the boy is going to deliver the "package" and get away before the bomb goes off or is he going to get blown up? The tick tocking of clocks also creates huge suspense.

Shock is a feeing of sudden upsetting, a suprising event or experience.

An example of shock is in the film a history of violence where the audience can see him cleaning up after two dead bodies when a little girl appears. Af first he seems to be sympathetic towards the upset little girl until he pulls out a gun and shoots her in the forehead. It was shocking as he misled the audience into thinking he cared and then ending her life in a split second.

The Conventions Of The Thriller

Central to the plot: Justice Vs Injustice. Blurred line of good and bad, Enigmas, Red-Herrings, Plot twists, Cliff hangers.

Sub-Genres: Mystery, Crime, Physiological, Political.

Moods: Murder, Menace, Mystery, Paranoia.

Characters on a dangerous mission, escape seems possible.

Edge-Of-Your-Seat, Tension, Climax, Suspense, Chases, Pursuits, Deadlines.

Complex Characters: Troubles, Multi-Faceted, Morally Complex.

Society: Seen as dark and corrupt.

Vertigo; Analysis Of The Opening Scene

Vertigo
Vertigo is another one of Hitchcock's famous thrillers.

It uses symbols which are features of the face to show that there is fear in the characters eyes and facial expression. The lips represent a woman which has a straight face, almost traumatized, blank faced, confused to introduce the audience into a thriller which they will not know what's coming, which they are unaware of therefore there face should also be blank. Also the use of the eyes, the eyes pupils are moving from left to right, showing that the character is paranoid and analyzing her surroundings. She also looks very scared with tears in her eyes, this shows that she is petrified. This makes the audience wonder why she is scared? what are her surroundings which are making her look and feel this way?

Also the music compliments the thriller genre. This is because it is typical thriller music which gets increasingly louder and louder creating more tension and building up to a climax which is going to horrify the audience.

Lastly the graphic match which hitchcock use's. He uses the pupil of the eye to stimulate an image which is a twirling image as you can see. This gives an image and suggestion of disillusionment showing confusion and an on going cycle of terror which the audience soon will recognize.

Drive; Analysis Of The Opening Scene

Drive;
The introduction ad the opening scene to drive is particularly interesting as it shows symbols which indicate terror. This is the scorpion as you can see below, this indicates that there is a 'sting' in this persons tail and they are representing danger. This gives the audience a thrill into the movie and asking question in there head.

A contribution to the idea of a terrifying scorpion with a deadly sting would be the backing music which is powerful. Its a beat which is consistent and calm however still keeps the audience on edge. The music speeds up as the movie becomes more tense and as the characters come close to being caught however in the end find a way out. This keeps the audience wondering what is going to happen next... ARE THEY GOING TO GET CAUGHT?

The color and mood in this film fits exactly in with the genre of the film. The low key lighting throughout the opening scene allows the criminals to camouflage in with the dusk of the night and avoid being caught by the police. It also sets a mood of mystery, a typical night time criminal offense adding to the excitement of a thriller.

Camera Shots

There are different camera shots in which we used when we filmed this.
The Long Shot-
The Tracking Shot
The Tilt Shot
The Zoomed in Shot
The From Above Shot 
The Looking Down & Approaching Shot

Film Language

Film Language

Camera Framing

Camera framing is what we can see within the frame of the camera screen. 

We concentrate on how far the camera is from the subject and from what angle the shot is taken.There are different types of shots these are; Long shot, Close-up, Point-of-view shot and Mid shot. Different types of shots are used in combination to give you information about where and when something is  happening.

Camera Movement

Camera movement is used in the same way that framing is used to enhance out involvement in the film action, as the way the camera is moved can be used to direct our attention to a particular viewpoint.

Camera movement includes:

A panning shot - this is where the camera moves slowly across from side to side from a fixed axis

A tilt shot - this is where the camera moves up and down from a fixed axis

A crane shot - this is where the camera is mounted on a crane moves around at a distance above ground level

A tracking shot - is where the camera follows the action

A rolling shot - is where the camera moves diagonally, which makes the image askew

Mise En Scene

Is a French term meaning 'Everything in the Frame' A simple shot of a tree can be made to look threatening by stripping of its leaves, adding a creature or some lightening and shooting it in darkness.Giving the Mise En Scene a deathly, haunted atmosphere.The same tree can be given a different look if it is surrounded by children and shot in a sunny light.Giving the MiseEn Sence a happy, normal atmosphere. Settings

The settings used in film are very rarely just backgrounds to the characters' dialogue and we will often see shots of places without any action taking place. Settings can also be used to manipulate an audience by building certain expectations and then the action turns out different.

Props 

Props is the name we give to objects in the setting 

which play a part in the action, rather than just being part of the background.It can also be used to complete someones costume eg, a man in a suit carrying a breifcase. CostumeCostume plays a large part in the mise en scene (everything in the frame) because it can be an instant indicator to us of a characters personality, social status and their job etc. It also tells us whether the film is set in the past, present or future, and what society or culture it will be about. It could also provide a clue to part the part the character will play in the action, througout the film.Make-Up

In the early days of the cinema and film, makeup was used to highlight the actors facial features as black and white film stock could not register detail very well and detail would be lost, especially in their faces. Some certain genres traditionally use make-up more than others. 

And make-up can also be used to create different atmospheres and mis en scene, and could be used to create a more surreal look eg, zombies, dead people etc. 

The Birds

The Birds is a film in which was made by Alfred Hitchcock.
Starring: Rod Taylor, Tippi Hendren and Susan Pleshette.

The birds is a film in which s based in San Francisco and is about a woman who follows up a man due to suspicion and then ends up falling in love. Unfortunatley they end up getting attackted by birds, the whole town comes under attack and as the number of birds increases the amount of hurt and deaths increase. This shocks the audience as not only are men killed but so are women and children, it is vicious.

The film has elements typical to a thriller film, such as fast, frequent action, suspense, a MacGuffin etc.

An example of the fast paced, frequent action are the bird attacks, which happen numerous times throughout the film.

MacGuffin

The term Macguffin was created and often used by Sir Alfred Hitchcock. It is used in a film to drive the plot along, it is an object which the plot envolves, but what the object is, is unimportant to the film and audience.

Coursework Breif

Course Outline AS
Media Studies AS

 -Assessed by coursework

-50% of AS level

-Two pieces of coursework

-Preliminary Exercise - short filmed sequence demonstrating basic understanding of film language.

-The titles and opening of a new fiction film in the thriller genre.

North By Northwest (1959)

Alfred Hitchcock: North By Northwest 1959

North By Northwest is a film based on an innocent New York advertising executive ( Roger Thornhill) being mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies. he is pursued across the country while he looks for ways to survive and escape being hunted down. He is mistaken for a man called "George Kaplan" and he is kidnapped, taken to a house belonging to Lester Townsend on long island. In desperate measures to find out why they want him and what they are going to do with him he sets out on a mission to find "George Kaplan" and ask him himself! But on the way he finds himself a woman who he starts to like, she covers his tracks a few times but then he finds out she is working for the spies in which are trying to catch him... actually it gets even more confusing because she is actually on his side she is just working with the opposition to find out information. As well as trying to survive, trying to track down Kaplan he also makes it his mission to save the woman he has fallen in love with, this results in him rescuing her from the spies. Can it get more complicated? YES. The result turns out that George Kaplan isn't even a real person, it was all part of the secret services plan to get these villains away from the real secret agent that they are after, Thornhill and his woman run away together. 

North By Northwest is a thriller... HOW? 

"Thrillers are characterised by fast pacing frequent action" 

In North By Northwest this is shown in many ways, the first way would be the drunk car scene. 

As you can see in the picture above he does not look sober, or in a normal state to be driving a car. In this scene Thornhill was taken to long island to Mr. Townsend's house, he was forced drink down his throat, alcaholic drink which made him incapable of even walking let alone driving. The spies didnt want "kaplan" alive so to make it look like suicide they put a drunk Mr.Thornhill in the car and pushed the car on its way rolling towards the end of a cliff. This type of action from getting him drunk to dragging him and putting him in a car keeps the audience interested and constantly watching the film. 

Another example in North By North west would be not long after when Thornhill is trying to prevent being captured by the spies that he creates a scene in the bidding room. 

As you can see above he is being arrested. In this scene he is surrounded by the spies and he knows if he tries to walk out of the room he will be captured and they will most definitely try to kill him again. Therefore he creates a scene making inappropriate jokes and bids on items so that the hosts will have to call the police and he will be arrested. Therefore this is what he does, there is a fast pace as he keeps doing bad things so you don't know what he is going to do next, you do not know if the spies are going to get him before the police do and there is a lot of action! 

"Resourceful heroes who must thwart the plans of the more powerful and better equipped villains" 
The bidding scene again is also a prime example of this however it is not the only one. Thornhill also has another way of displaying this is the film "North By Northwest".

This is when he is in Mr Kaplan's hotel room.

When he is in Kaplan's hotel room, he outwits the villain by playing along with there foolish games and pretending to be Kaplan therefore outwitting them.


UNFINISHED

Analysis on Citizen Kane Opening Scene

Challenge: Analyse a short extract from a film

Charles Kane - Citizen Kane- Opening Scene 
What is the film about?
The film is based on an inspector investigating the death of Charles Kane, it shows various flashbacks of his life and was a world wide story. It concentrates on his death and the research behind his last words.

Why did you choose this film?
I chose this film because it is so interesting to watch, there is a mystery behind it and its almost like a thriller which makes you feel like you cannot take your eyes of the film! Also because it shows different shots which are good to analyse and talk about.

What is so good about this scene?
This scene displays so many different shots which allow you to create different stories in your head as to why these are being shown. Also the movement between scenes is fantastic, there is an effect which allows you to see all aspects creating a very spooky atmosphere. It also shows the moral of the story which is about the death of Charles Kane, this is the stimulus and its effective as it says one word throughout the whole scene setting a mood and almost a motive to concentrate and pick up on throughout the film.

Analysis of this scene:

The sound in this opening scene is almost typical haunting, horror movie sound which gives the idea that it is going to be either a horror or a thriller, the sound also compliments what is going on in the scene which means that it is diegetic sound. The sound gives the impression that there is more to this place than meets the eye! 

The colour in this scene is very dark, its a very old film therefore it is in black and white but that doesn't mean that there isn't different contrasts. There are different shades of grey which makes it more interesting for the viewer, it also shows the imagery more clearly which makes it more of an atmosphere and even more spooky than before. 

The cinematography of this scene is amazing!
There are many different shots that include:

This shot is a close up shot of the gate, its a CU shot of the gate which is emphasisng the "K" standing for Kane, the main character. Its also a shot which is on a Canted angle which means slightly diagonal in the positioning. This highlights how dark and dull the backround is creating a tense atmosphere. The misty background shows that this is a big place and something which should be explored. You can also see the change (fading out) which is going into the next shot! 

This shot is also a close up shot which you could almost say is like a fixed pan shot. It looks like a BCU shot which means really close. It creates tension and is almost like a warning not only in the film but to the people viewing the film putting you on edge and questioning in your head why it is there. Also it is very abstract and the colours seem old which makes it more scary to watch. 

What Makes A Good Thriller?

A Good thriller must have you on the EDGE of your seat!
It should make you feel like there is always something coming up next that will get you even more excited than you already are!

Key Factors of a Thriller:

• Fast Pacing - This is when the action is quick it happens without you thinking about it, when its all happening at once and you haven't got time to think about whats happening all you want to do is watch it and not take your eyes off it. It keeps the reader intrigued and interested. 
• Resourceful heroes - There is always a hero! So the hero must always have equipment, powers of some kind or a way to get out of any situation put in front of them. Also being smart and finding away out of situations, not only having a power or a tool but being smart! 
• Equipped Villains - Also having an equipped villain to always put a challenge in front of the hero and always try and find a way to be destructive. 
• Powerful - A thriller has to be powerful, so that it scares/ excites the audience. The characters have to be powerful the plot has to be powerful so that the audience is always on there toes and you as a producer can produce a film that will get the people's attention. 
• Constant Action - There has always got to be something going on in a thriller, you cannot have the audience being bored or waiting for something to happen, its got to be there in there face so that they cannot take their eyes of the screen. Always having something exciting coming up keeps not only the film exciting and good but keeps the audience going. 
• Resolutions - Resolutions has a similar idea to being resourceful as it means that the characters must be outwitting and try and get away from people, villains, but also have a way of doing this! 

Key Devices a thriller should have:

• Suspense - There must always be some suspense in a thriller, this could mean from a pause in the film so the audience and confused and waiting... leaving the atmosphere very tense or it could mean giving the audience a clue as to whats going to happen next and creating a build up to your big idea.
• Cliffhangers - A cliffhanger it at the end of s scene or more often a film when you leave the audience wondering and completely on edge but do not let them see whats going to happen next, its painful! 
• Red herrings - A red herring is when you lead the audience into thinking one character is to blame or lead them into thinking one thing has/ will happen when in actual fact in the end that is not the case.. misleading the audience to create more of a twist at the end.  

What is a thriller usually driven by? 

A thriller is usually a villain driven plot whereby they have a master destruction plan and present obstacles in which the "hero" must overcome. 

Psycho

Psycho is a classic thriller which was created in the 1960, wrote by a man called Alfred Hitchcock.

Characters Played:
Marion Crane - Janet Leigh
Norman Bates/ Mother - Anthony Perkins
Sister Lila - Vera Miles
Investigator - Martin Baslam

Basic Summary: 
The film is based around a woman called Marion Crane who cannot help herself when in comes to handling $40,000 of her boss's money and goes on the run with the cash in her hands. However being very paranoid about this she has to be smart and instead of flee'ing to her lover she decides that she need to drive out of the town and go a a more secluded and isolated town where she will not be taken acknowledge off. So she decided to drive to a motel. The motel was owned by a man called Norman Bates who seems to be a very genuine young man who lives with his "mother". However the young man isn't genuine at all and turns out to not only be a murderer but a mentally unstable murderer who has a split personality. Having an attraction to Miss Crane Norman Bate's split personality takes over and his role as his mother takes over brutally murdering Miss Crane in the shower. He seems in the end to have covered his "mothers" tracks however it is not good enough for Miss Crane's sister, lover and private investigator as they discover in the end what really happened. The end of the thriller is when the police get involved and Norman Bates/Mother is imprisoned, resulting in the "Mother" taking the more dominant role and taking over the young man completely.

Why is this film such a good thriller?
When we watch a thriller we love to always be on the edge of our toes. Alfred Hitchcock produced a film which definitely did this for us! There was a fast pace throughout the film, for example the police officer which was constantly stalking Marion while she was trying to get away kept us viewers on the edge of our seat wondering if she was going to get caught or not! Marion trying to get away was at such a fast pace that we couldn't take our eyes of where marion was incase we missed anything.
He also had constant action, so when he quickly changed the action from Marion being on the run to her being murdered to Norman Bates covering up the murder to the private investigator sussing him out... it constantly had action going on and kept us engaged!
Alfred was also a very good producer by having constant resolutions, having the character of Marion being outwitting but also changing it up when adding the twist so Norman was also a main character who was very outwitting. This is shown in psycho when Marion changes her car from the car she first used when she stole the money to a hired car and just as the police officer approached her she drove off getting away as soon as possible. Also shown by the private investigator when he is interrogating Norman on the murder of miss Crane. Albert Hitchcock uses devices such as suspense in the film psycho when Marion's sister Lila is running away from Norman Bates and runs into the house tying to hide, she walks down into the cellar where we think the "Mother" is being held. This makes us want to shout at the screen "don't go down there!" so its holding us at suspense as to what is going to happen which is a key recipe to a good thriller.

The famous shower scene: 

The shower scene is most famous for all the angles and close ups that it lets us see. However we don't actually see much but Hitchcock tricks us into thinking that we see everything. It makes us feel so on edge because we are seeing the woman living and screaming for her last breaths. The running of the water makes the scene more intense as it creates a sound which contrasts with her screams and the inserting of the knife so our brain is all confused on where to look and what to listen to which makes it such a busy and intense scene. The different angles mean that we can see the killer's shadow at one point which makes us gasp and then BAM he stabs her and she cannot see so she cannot fight back, this makes us want to help her it makes us want to do something "fight back! Push him away" it gives us an urge of security which gets us more engaged in the film really showing that it is a good thriller.

Welcome

Hi my name is Jade and this is my media blog.