Monday 14 March 2011

Goodbye!

Dear Moderator,

I hope that you enjoy looking through my blog posts, prezi presentations and the final cut of my thriller opening sequence and evaluation tasks. I certainly enjoyed putting the whole project together!

Goodbye :)

Yasmin Amey

Final Cut of our thriller opening sequence - Premonition

Sunday 13 March 2011

Evaluation 7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?



See post on my Preliminary Exercise with screengrabs and evaluation here:

Here are the links to my previous relevant posts to illustrate how I planned better for my thriller film opening compared to my preliminary exercise.

Evaluation 6: What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?



Evaluation 5: How did you attract/address your audience:

For evaluation five both myself and Khushel decided that we would do something creative for this particular evaluation task and show off our skills by filming our peers and teachers answering a variety of questions based upon our thriller opening sequence ‘Premonition.’ We believed that by creating this video we would be provided with a much better, in depth profile of what our peers thought of our film and what improvements could be made in order to make it a successful thriller. What is more, is that by filming and editing the footage we were able to take scenes out from our own thriller opening sequence and by ‘wire framing’ the footage we could incorporate segments of it and fit it into the evaluation video where people began to  comment on specific examples from our film. By doing this, our audience would be provided with a clearer, understandable view of areas which shone out to our viewers and those which captured their hearts.

When it came to choosing a selection of people who would appear in our evaluation video, we decided that we would choose people who reflected our target audience, this being citizens aged 15+. We included a variety of college students and two teachers, one who is in their late 20s and one who is in their 40s into our evaluation task so that we would be provided with information and opinions from people who come from different ethnicity backgrounds and are different ages. Moreover, considering the fact that we did not create a film poster to promote and advertise our film to our target audience we decided to use other strategies to attract our audience, these being that we could send our DVD release of our thriller film to a variety of television companies for them to preview on their film review shows such as the BBC’s ‘Film 2011’ hosted by Claudia Winkleman, London Tonight and This Morning where film critics could review the film and explain to the audience’s their thoughts and opinions upon the film and whether it is a successful thriller. By allowing film critics to review the film on live TV, viewers will become interested in the film and will then decide to either research into the film by visiting official websites to read plot synopsis and watching trailers of the film before ordering and buying the film when it’s released in UK stores.



When filming our fellow peers and teachers for our evaluation video the majority of them answered the questions correctly providing us with positive, optimistic answers that we had originally wanted to hear from our target audience.

We asked our target audience, ‘Whether they believed our film was successful as an opening sequence.’ The older teacher out of the two answered saying “Absolutely, it sets out the whole tone of what you can expect, whether it’s a trailer or a clip you saw before hand.” This was a very encouraging comment for us to hear for the reason that it enabled us to realise that not only had our opening sequence interested and drawn in our younger audiences but it also branched out to our older audiences as they found it entertaining and dark.

Another question we asked was, ‘What are the successful features of conveying the genre of a thriller film?’ One of our fellow peers answered saying “It was when you were in the bed and you were moving around that was successful because it presents psychiatric behaviour.” On one hand, the youngest teacher out of the two claimed that “The music definitely and I thought that the set decoration was quite apt as well. It looked sleek and the colours were quite dark, you could tell it was meant to be a psychological thriller.” On the other hand, the older teacher out of the two explained that “The clipping back from the actual real, the character waking up, talking to a potential boyfriend and then the vision in her head that she’s already dreaming.” The evidence that we gained from our audience’s answers was that both the student and the youngest teacher spoke more about the scenes in the film and the successful features which enabled the film to become a successful psychological thriller. Whilst, the older teacher did sometimes speak about a couple of scenes from the film but mainly focused on the dreaming side of the narrative rather than the impact it had on allowing it to become a successful thriller film. Perhaps this is to do with audience’s age difference or whether they prefer to watch and observe different aspects of the film compared to one another.

As a group, we wanted to find out whether, ‘The soundtrack fit the storyline and genre of the film’ so we asked our target audience what their thoughts and ideas were upon this subject. We asked only the students for their opinion on this question and they provided us with both positive and negative feedback explaining that:

  • Yes it made it creepy.
  • Yes the suspense throughout the movie lead up to that moment so it really did.
  • Personally I don’t think it did, it didn’t have enough tension. I think it was good but it could have changed later on. I think that it could have started one way and as the tension built up, the music could have become tenser as it went along.
  • It was intense but dreamy which went with the whole dreaming idea.

Clearly, from the student’s answers the majority of them believed that the soundtrack was appropriate and fit into the psychological thriller exceptionally well as the melody delivered a dark, eerie, tense, atmospheric sound. However, one of the students believed that whilst the soundtrack was good and interesting, he thought that it could have started one way and perhaps the tempo or frequency of the melody could change to a different format so that it allowed more tension and anxiousness to build up throughout the opening sequence.

The final question we asked our target audience was that, ‘Did they understand the film.’ We questioned the youngest teacher out of the two and one of the students so that we could identify their answers and see whether there was any differences in their response. The teacher explained that “Yes, I basically think that it was a girl who was dreaming and she had a premonition that she was going to be killed by her partner.” Whilst the student claimed that “Yes, the title of the film helped it and helped you understand the film a lot more.” From both of these responses, it became noticeable that they both understood the narrative of our thriller opening sequence. Additionally, the fact that our title had such a bold meaning to it, our audience knew instantly when watching our opening sequence what the remainder of the film would consist of.

All in all, we took on board both the positive and the negative feedback we gained from our audience research and if we were ever able to re-shoot or make changes to our thriller opening sequence we would have definitely made sure that we met the needs of our target audience.

Evaluation 4: Who would be the audience for your media product?




Both Khushel and I decided to record a video of ourselves discussing who would be the audience for our media product, whether the film is open to any gender as well as discussing features that we incorporated from other films such as ‘Cape Fear, Premonition, What Lies Beneath and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,’ into our own thriller opening sequence. We decided that rather than typing our answers onto our thriller blogs, we thought that we’d act creatively and illustrate our excellent skills by using digital technology as part of our evaluation task.


This is Sabeen Husain and Priyanka Ganatra, one is sixteen years old whilst the other is seventeen. Sabeen lives in Harrow, whiles Priyanka lives in Hayes and they both attend college together. These girls like to dress casually if they are attending college. However, as soon as they are out of the school premises they enjoy dressing up a little smarter if it means that they are going to be attending a party or an event in the evening. They both enjoy going shopping whenever they have free time on their hands, and they especially take pleasure in shopping at New Look, River Island, H&M and Topshop. Sabeen and Priyanka love to watch thriller films such as ‘The Orphan, the Strangers, Drag Me to Hell, and they definitely luxuriate in watching these films as soon as they hit the box office in their local cinema.  Both of these girls enjoy watching television programs, for instance  90210, Gossip Girl, Friends, Eastenders, Hollyoaks and
Waterloo Road
, either by themselves or with their friends for a night in. The channels that they would watch these programs on would be Channel 4, BBC 1, E4, MTV and  ITV2. Each of these girls are definitely tuned in to the latest music varying from RnB, Hip Hop, Grime and Rock. Moreover, they enjoy listening to the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce, Avril Lavine, Enrique Iglesias, Trey Songz, Chris Brown and many more.



This is Manan Vekaria, Roberto Caccaviello and Shyam Chandarana they are all seventeen years old, living in harrow and they each attend college. These boys like to dress casually whilst they are attending school but as soon as they are offsite, they enjoy dressing up a little smarter if it means that they are attending a party or an event in the evening. These boys enjoy watching television, playing football or tennis together, listening to music, going shopping, playing x-box and Shyam often enjoys spending his time undertaking flower picking! Manan, Roberto and Shyam especially love to watch thriller films such as ‘Dark Knight, Inception, Se7en, Terminator, Chucky, Paranormal Activity and the Omen which they definitely indulge in watching as soon as these films hit the box office in their local cinema. Each of these boys enjoy watching television programs, for example Friends, My Wife and Kids, Prison Break, Eastenders, Family Guy and Alan Carr - Chatty Man, either by themselves or with their friends. The channels that they would often watch these programs on would be Channel 4, BBC 1, BBC3, E4 and Sky 1. Clearly, the boys are undoubtedly tuned in to the latest releases in the music industry as they enjoy listening to the likes of Calvin Harris, Dizzee Rascal, 50 Cent, Ryan Leslie, Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell.

One might say, that our thriller opening sequence ‘Premonition,’ would definitely appeal to our target audience for the reason that the girls we interviewed as part of our audience research share the same stereotypical qualities as the female character in our own thriller opening sequence. They are both exceedingly girly and take pleasure in undergoing lots of girly events and activities. Additionally, the boys we interviewed as part of our audience research also share the same stereotypical qualities, similar to the male character in our own thriller opening sequence, as they each enjoy watching dark, eerie films that build up drama, suspense and trepidation within minutes of the opening sequence. As a result of this, if our thriller opening sequence was to be showcased at the teenagers local cinema, this may appeal to them and grab their attention immediately, encouraging them to go and watch the film instantly as our opening sequence is incredibly alike to the thriller films that they already enjoy. Moreover, I think that our opening sequence would appeal to this particular target audience for the reason that they may become drawn to the story and begin to empathise with the female character. They may also begin to question why it is that the boyfriend feels the need to murder his girlfriend. Additionally, many girls may look up to the female character and think of her as a role model due to her courage and confidence as she attempts to escape from a perilous situation which sadly only ends in debacle.


Below is some feedback that we received by our target audience after they had watched our thriller opening sequence. We received some brilliant feedback by the public as they explained to us the thriller conventions that appealed to them the most when watching our sequence. Additionally, the audience revealed to us how the violence and suspense kept them gripped to it the entire time as the movie built up anticipation and fear, allowing them to question would events might occur in the subsequent scenes of the film.

By making sure that we chose the correct classification rating for our thriller opening sequence, we visited the BBFC guidelines website so that we were able to identify what certificate our film deserved and to show our understanding of media industries and institutions. We already created a post on the group blog illustrating the reasons behind choosing a 15 certificate rating so here is the link to the relevant post.

http://mediathrillergroup.blogspot.com/2010/12/certification-of-film.html

Evaluation 3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?



If we were given the opportunity to create movie trailers for our film, we would have definitely chosen to do this for the reason that movie trailers are the first chance to promote a movie to its target audience. We would be able to start it up a year in advance before the major release of the film would be sold onto DVD or Blu-Ray. The idea is to give ‘moviegoers’ a taste of the special effects and plot twists of the studios upcoming release.

Another thing that could be added to promote the film is that the movie studio could unveil an official website for the film so that it allows visitors to view trailers, watch behind the scenes, interviews with the cast, plot synopsis, play games and even pre-order tickets for events following and promoting the film. The websites are only the start of a much larger marketing campaign.

Another strategy that we could use is highly visible product tie-ins so that in the weeks heading up to the release of our film we could have images of the main characters in the film appear on either cans of coke/sprite or on biscuit packets and even beer boxes.

Saturday 12 March 2011

Evaluation 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?



Here are the trailers for two of the films that we got our inspiration from when it came to filming our own thriller opening sequence, What Lies Beneath and The Unborn.



Thursday 3 March 2011

Evaluation 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

In what way does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
Below is a 9 frame sequence of the most valid clips which we believe to show conventions of thriller films which has been taken from our own thriller opening sequence.

  • Frame 1: Story and How the opening sets it up
  • Frame 2: Camera Work and Editing
  • Frame 3: The title of the film
  • Frame 4: How the characters are introduced
  • Frame 5: Lighting
  • Frame 6: Setting and Location
  • Frame 7: Genre and how the opening suggests it
  • Frame 8: Special Effects
  • Frame 9: How the suspense is created
Frame 1 - Story and How the opening sets it up:
We wanted to create suspense in the beginning of our thriller opening sequence so that we could grasp the audience's attentions within minutes of the opening scene, so they would be more inclined to watch the film. As a group, we decided to use a high angle shot for the reason that we wanted the main character to be portrayed as being vulnerable and powerless. Additionally, to add to the suspense of our thriller opening sequence, we decided that by using this particular shot in the film it would make the moment more dramatic and eventful. The first shot taken for our film was an establishing shot which involved the director using a slow pan to film the inside of the main characters bedroom, capturing the girl and her use of body language. By using this particular shot, it would give the audience the opportunity to understand the location and the surroundings that the character was in. The main character is showcased falling into a deep sleep, whilst the setting illustrates this in more detail as we decided to use low key lighting and we drew the curtains to create a dark, eerie atmosphere. Additionally, the fact that there is a bed located in the centre of the room helps to acknowledge the fact that it is late at night. Considering the fact that we used low key lighting and a variety of slow panning shots, we were able to create a successful thriller opening sequence as the scenes built up anticipation and fear, as well as encouraging the audience to believe that something unexpected could occur in the subsequent shot.

Frame 2 - Camera Work and Editing:
The second frame in the storyboard provides the audience with valid information concerning the main characters in the film. It becomes noticeable that the female character had clearly been out a couple of hours earlier with a potential boyfriend. The shot depicts this is in a rather informal manner as the information is displayed in a text message which has been sent to the main character. We decided that it would be best if we used an extreme long shot so that the writing displayed in the text would be clear enough for the audience to read. What is more, is that by using low key lighting in this particular shot, all the audiences attention would be focused on the content of the text message, rather than them having to focus their attention on numerous amounts of things happening at one specific time.

Frame 3 - The title of the film:
The third frame in the storyboard illustrates the title of the film 'Premonition,' which appears glistening against the bleak backdrop in a faint white typography. As each scene follows on to the next, the letters fade away from the frame leading into the subsequent shot. One of the main reasons for using a dark background, was because we believed that the simpler the backdrop is the more successful it would be creating a dark, eerie atmosphere which is a must when filming thriller films. By using capital letters throughout the title of the film, it adds boldness to it whilst capturing the audience’s attention, which was our main intention. By including a flickering animation to our text it clearly creates uncertainty and fear, as the audience are unaware as to what events might occur in the following scenes. Additionally, the text was depicted as looking slightly blurry which might be a connotation for the blurriness of the premonition itself. Evidently, this fits the connotation of a successful film opening as most credits are essential as they provide the audience with the names of the distribution companies, actors, producers, set designers, directors and so on. Often, the title of the film will provide the audience with a taster of the narrative in the film without revealing too much of the plot.

Frame 4 - How the characters are introduced:
To introduce the characters to our target audience, we decided that the first shot we would use to depict this would be a reflection shot which illustrates who the main characters are in the film and it helps to establish the relationship between the couple, due to the fact that the audience are provided with a brilliant camera shot that allows them to see how the characters feed off of each others energy, as well as understanding their actions which are portrayed through their body language. This particular frame highlights that there is clearly a loving relationship between the characters, as the male is seen standing behind the female whilst looking straight into her eyes and admiring her beauty, as she is getting ready to head out to a party. Evidently, the formal clothing worn by both characters, the black cocktail dress and suit and shirt show that they were about to go out together for the evening. This frame recognises the conventions of a thriller film as this is the point in the film where the storyline begins to unfold.

Frame 5 - Lighting:
In the fifth frame in the storyboard lighting is a major feature which is used in this particular camera shot. Not only did we use an extreme long shot, we also used high key lighting to illustrate the intimacy between the characters, as this helps the audience to identify that there is strong chemistry between the couple. By using high key lighting in this frame it aims to reduce the lighting ratio presented in the scene. Additionally, it is an overall lighting design which uses both the fill light and backlight to create low contrasts between the brighter and darker areas in the scene. As well as having the high key lighting, it was important to show that there was a darker side to the story, hence the shadow cast across the centre of the couple's hand. By showing this we wanted the audience to realise that not everything is as it seems.

Frame 6 - Setting and Location:
In this frame the scene focuses on the couple's body language, especially the male as his mood slowly begins to change to an intense attitude. Whilst he is standing behind the female holding her tightly in his arms, as well as resting his head upon her neck, he begins to look up and glare into the mirror looking straight at his girlfriend as though he detests/loathes her. Additionally, the reason why we chose to film this particular scene in the bathroom was because it seemed like the most realistic setting where someone would begin to get ready and do their make up before heading out for the evening. Moreover, the audience might assume that something horrible and disturbing might occur in the next few minutes; as the eerie soundtrack, use of high and low key lighting and the realistic setting demonstrates that an unexpected event could occur between the characters at any moment in time. Perhaps the characters being located in the bathroom might be the perfect situation to carry out an alarming act of violence.

Frame 7 - Genre and how the opening suggests it:
The seventh frame in the storyboard clearly demonstrates that the genre of the film is a thriller for the reason that within minutes of the opening sequence, the male character grabs hold of the female, slamming her body against the bathroom door as he attempts to suffocate and kill her in her premonition which she has whilst she is asleep. This frame clearly conveys a successful film opening as the scenes create a series of questions which begin to run through the audience's mind, for instance what event might occur next? Why does the male want to murder his own girlfriend? Is the premonition about to become a reality? By allowing the audience to question what situations might occur in the subsequent shots this achieves the films goal as it begins to build up suspense and drama through the storyline in the film.

Frame 8 - Special Effects:
This frame illustrates the use of special effects that we tried to create in our thriller opening sequence. This particular scene in the film illustrates the moment when the female character began to stir and gently open and closes her eyes. By using final cut express, we were given the opportunity to use a variety of effects such as cross cutting, which is where we used an extreme long shot of the female’s eye and slowly moved the camera closer towards the female’s pupil. Afterwards, we used a transition known as fade in fade out which focused on a point of view shot of the female glancing up towards the ceiling in her bedroom blinking every now and again. We decided to make the ceiling images blurry due to the fact that it made the sequence look far more realistic. Additionally, by making the ceiling images blurry it allowed the audience to realise that the blurriness came from the female attempting to open her eyes as she began to come round from a deep sleep. The transition was exceedingly successful as we wanted it to be portrayed somewhat realistic, rather than it looking too cliché.

Frame 9 - How the suspense is created:
The final frame in the storyboard depicts a close up of the female character suddenly opening her eyes, staring straight into the camera as she wakes up from her premonition. This particular shot demonstrates how terrified the female is due to the scenario she has just witnessed. This frame is an excellent representation of how the final shot in a film opening should be conveyed as it definitely creates a cliff-hanger, allowing the audience to question what events could occur throughout the remainder of the film. This way it draws the audience's attention to the film and encourages them to continue watching it in order to see the outcome. The camera shot is remarkably peculiar and sinister as the female stares straight into the centre of the camera which undoubtedly builds up trepidation and fear before suddenly transitioning into a black out. In the final shot of the opening sequence, the scene creates a vast amount of suspense and apprehension which is a must when creating successful thriller films. Hopefully, we conveyed this in our own opening sequence in the correct way.

Here are 9 key frames taken from other thriller films which we have used as inspiration for our own
'Thriller opening sequence.'

Frame 1: The Title of the film
Frame 2: How the characters are introduced
Frame 3: Location and Setting
Frame 4: Camera Work

Frame 5: Understanding the characters
Frame 6: Special Effects
Frame 7: Genre and how the opening suggests it
Frame 8: Lighting
Frame 9: How the suspense is created

Frame 1 - The title of the film:
The first frame in the storyboard depicts the title of the film, Premonition. This is an essential feature to appear in the first few minutes of a movie as it introduces the name of the film and provides the audience with a taster of the narrative in the film without revealing too much of the plot. By using a bleak backdrop, the more successful the film becomes as you are using a simpler design and it begins to build up intensity, creating a dark, eerie atmosphere which is a must when filming thriller films. Considering that they used bold, capital letters throughout the title of the film, it clearly adds boldness to it making the lettering stand out to the audience, capturing their attention. I believe that by displaying the title of the film on a darkened background, this has definitely made it a successful title sequence as the audience can focus all their attention on the heading rather than being distracted by the scenes which could have been projected behind the text. 

Frame 2 - How the characters are introduced:
The second frame in the storyboard is both a close up and a reflection shot of the main characters in the film. By using these particular shots, it helps us to notify who the characters are in the film and it helps the audience to establish the relationship between the couple, due to the fact that the audience are provided with exceptionally good camera shots that allow them to understand the characters actions which are portrayed through their body language. The characters are clearly happy and affectionate with one another as the male is seen standing behind his wife whilst looking straight into her eyes as well as resting his head in the crook of her neck. Their facial expressions both depict happiness as they stare straight into each others eyes in a tender loving mood. This frame recognises the conventions of a thriller film as this is the point in the film where the story line begins to unfold.

Frame 3 - Location and Setting:
This frame is an establishing shot of the location of where the scenes were filmed in. Evidently, the location of the film was filmed in a beautiful, idyllic part of the suburbs. The camera shot illustrates an exceedingly large house which is located in a very friendly, warm neighbourhood. The setting looks exceptionally peaceful and a great place for children to live and be raised in, considering the enormous front garden where children could run around playing football with one another. Additionally, the reason why the set designers chose to film this particular scene in the suburbs was because it seemed like the most realistic setting where a couple could settle down and start a family together. Moreover, this shot provides the audience with a rough picture of what the location is like so that the audiences feel more connected to the film. 


Frame 4 - Camera Work:
This frame is a very important over the shoulder shot as it illustrates that a very significant event has occurred. Most likely something upsetting and distressing as the female character looks scared and devastated as she holds her hand up against her chest. Due to the camera focusing primarily on the female, the shot begins to create a series of questions which begin to run through the audiences mind, for example what has happened. Why is the female looking devastated and hurt? Has she received devastating news? By allowing the audience to question what situations might occur in the following scenes this achieves the films goal as it begins to build up intensity and drama through the story line in the film. 


Frame 5 - Understanding the characters:
The fifth frame in the storyboard provides the audience with sufficient information so that they begin to understand the characters personality and their family background. In this particular frame, it is noticeable that the main character is extending her arm forward towards the two lunch boxes. By using an extreme close up, the scene gives emphasis to the props used in the film as they highlight that the main character must be a mother of two young children and her life simply resolves around her kids as she is seen being very considerate and thoughtful as she reminds her children to take their lunch boxes to school before escorting them in that direction.  


Frame 6 - Special Effects:
This particular camera shot uses a brilliant amount of special effects which has been used purposely to demonstrate that the scene in the film is a flashback to when the couple were getting married in a previous stage in their life. The brightness and colour scale has been altered with to create an uplifting, joyful moment which the character is sadly going through a terrible tragedy with her family. By using special effects in this segment of the film, it has made the scene exceptionally successful as the audience are aware of the fact that they are being supplied with information regarding a memory from the females past, that is, a flashback. The clothing that both characters are dressed in help the audience to understand that this is a major focal point in the couple's timeline together, that is, their wedding day. As the female is dressed in an elegant white wedding dress and veil whilst the male is dressed smartly in a tuxedo. 

Frame 7 - Genre and how the opening suggests it:
The seventh frame in the storyboard demonstrates that the genre of the film is a thriller for the reason that halfway through the film, the male character suddenly appears standing behind his wife before grabbing hold of her and covering her mouth with a plastic bag, attempting to suffocate and kill her. Moments later he is seen throwing his wife across their bedroom, slamming her body against the bedroom walls, cupboards and upon broken glass. This is another scene in the film that conveys a successful thriller opening as the scene creates a series of questions which begin to run through the audiences mind, for instance why does the husband want to murder his wife? What has she done wrong? What event might occur next? By allowing the audience to question what events could occur in the following scenes it begins to build up suspense and trepidation through the narrative in the film. 

Frame 8 - Lighting:
In the eighth frame of the storyboard, lighting is a major feature that is used in this particular shot. Not only did the directors use an extreme close up, they also decided to use low key lighting to convey suspense and trepidation, which is clearly presented throughout the majority of the frame. The camera focuses primarily on the characters eye as he begins to stare upwards towards the ceiling. However, the more you concentrate on the frame, it becomes noticeable that the character is clearly uncomfortable in the situation he has been placed in, as he looks as though he would much rather look at something more pleasing compared to the scenario that he is actually having to stare at. Low key lighting accentuates the outline of an object by covering areas of it into shade while a fill light or reflector begins to shed light on the shadow areas to create a contrast. Low key lighting is usually used to intensify the sense of alienation  which may often be felt by the viewer, hence why it is often used in both horror and thriller films. By using low-key lighting in this frame, we wanted the audience to realize that not everything is as it seems. 

Frame 9 - How the suspense is created:
The final frame in the storyboard illustrates a close up of the female character opening her eyes as she stares down looking towards the floor, as she though she may have just awoken from having her premonition. This particular shot demonstrates how upset and troubled she is due to the event she has just witnessed. This frame is an excellent representation of how scenes which build up suspense create cliff-hangers, as well as a series of questions, allowing the audience to question what events could occur throughout the remainder of the film. This way it draws the audience's attention to the film and encourages them to continue watching it in order to see the outcome. The camera shot is definitely distressing and perturbing as the female begins to comfort herself by clutching her pillow close to her body as she continues to look away from the camera glancing towards the floor.

Monday 14 February 2011

Evaluating another persons thriller opening - Evasion:



As Group 3's thriller opening scene begins, it immediately engages the audience with their logos and animations representing the distribution and production companies. They are clear, idyllic and strong images. Additionally, the film begins with a dark background. However, moments later the title sequences appear alongside the faded backdrop. In my opinion, I think that it was really good that the group started the film with a dark backdrop, as it begins to create intensity and fear. Furthermore, the audience are kept in the dark about what events might occur in the subsequent shot. I particularly like the whole 'man on the run' thriller and the group have worked exceptionally hard to convey this. They have established the roles of each character really well and it is clear to the audience who is meant to be playing who.
In the first few shots of the opening sequence, the group uses a vast and different amount of camera shots and angles ranging from "close ups, mid shots, long shots and high angles." I think that group three put their editing ability to good use as they used 'cross-cutting' and 'jump cuts' in the opening scenes of the sequence where Matthew and Josh are on the phone to one another having a conversation. The audience are given the opportunity to see the actors whereabouts in the different locations.

One of the things which I think the group could improve on, is that when the phone conversation is taking place between Josh and Matthew, one of them will say something then they'll be a five second pause and then the other character will respond to the actor. Unfortunately, this lacks continuity as if you look closely in films produced today there is never a gap in a conversation. The actors will immediately give a response to what the other has said. Additionally, what group three could have done to improve their thriller opening sequence is that they could have used some of the audio from previous the scenes and then link it to the subsequent shot, so it begins to look more realistic and appealing.

Additionally, another improvement which could be made to the thriller opening sequence is the soundtrack. Whilst the soundtrack is gripping and electric, it often overpowers the dialogue in certain areas of the film and it is hard to hear what the characters are actually saying to one another. So the group, definiately need to tone down the sound levels.

The main scenes of the film which I thought were exceptionally good, were the areas where the characers were chasing the man that was on the run. The group used their imagination and creativity when using different camera angles and shots to film the scenes when the characters were climbing and jumping over the walls. I think that by adding these features to their opening sequence, it has without a doubt made the film more action packed and exciting as it lures the audience in to watching the film.

To conclude, I think that overall their thriller opening sequence is brilliant. However, as long as they take on board the feedback given and make a few ammends to their project, their thriller film will be extremely successful. The continuity flows elegantly between each scene and it definitely keeps you gripped.

Sunday 23 January 2011

Ideas for soundtrack with embedded clips:

Ideas for soundtrack with embedded clips:



‘The Ring’ soundtrack is one of the tracks that I have chosen to analyse for the reason that certain areas of the song has elements in it that we are hoping to use and re-create for our own thriller soundtrack. Additionally, as a group we decided that we wanted to create a soundtrack whereby the tone consists of a high pitched melody and an unsettling electronic sound which would be heard overpowering the film sequence. The soundtrack used in this particular film is clearly eerie and tense as it builds up fear and trepidation to keep the audience questioning about what might occur in the subsequent shot.


‘Dead Silence,’ is the second soundtrack that I have chosen as an idea for our own soundtrack due to the fact that as soon as the melody begins to play it engages the audiences’ attention. What is more, is that the louder the noise becomes you begin to feel your heat beat race and your throat suddenly becomes dry. Fear takes over. In my opinion, if these elements consist in a thriller soundtrack then this is what makes the overall film successful and enthralling. Furthermore, the tone of the melody is subtle and tense rather than being thunderous and edgy as it would not have had the same effect at creating a suspenseful thriller film. By using a lighter, distressing melody it tends to builds up apprehension and nervousness.



‘The Exorcist’ soundtrack delivers a dark, tense, atmospheric sound beginning with a piano and gradually incorporating the sound of tubular bells. This music can also occur during a particularly suspenseful part of a film and equally can stop abruptly to create a sense of dread as to what is about to occur next, delivering a rollercoaster of human emotions. In addition, horror scores can showcase the fears and anxieties of the characters during tense and frightening situations. It is for these reasons that this soundtrack is being considered as an example to the feelings I hope to re-create for our own thriller opening sequence.

Saturday 22 January 2011

Analysis of Film Posters and DVD covers (models of our own work)


'Nightmare on Elm Street,' is one of the film posters that I have selected to analyse for the reason that the narrative expectation in the film consists of a couple of elements which are similar to our own thriller opening sequence. This particular film poster is exceptionally eerie and unsettling since many sinister, murky colours are depicted across the film poster creating a sense of mystery and uncertainty. Additionally, the use of low key lighting has been used to create a disturbing atmosphere. It is clear to the audience that the characters showcased on the poster are the main characters in the film, perhaps the victim and the villain. The characters are introduced to the audience so they have a clear understanding as to who they are and what their purpose in the film is. What is more, is that across the side of the film poster is a couple of childrens drawings which look as though they have been scratched into the wall, these symbols may be clues which foreshadows the events and killings that occur later on in the film. The reason for choosing this poster as a possible model for our own work is due to the fact that we wanted to use a sinister, creepy colour scheme to create an eerie atmosphere and to build up terror and trepidation. Furthermore, we wanted the poster to catch the audiences attention and encourage them to come and watch the film.

'Premonition,' is another poster that I have chosen to analyse for the reason that a few of the narrative expectations in the film features in our own thriller opening sequence. The title of the film is an extremely bold, straight to the point title as "premonition" only has one meaning. Clearly, the audience know that the narrative consists of someone having a 'premonition,' a dream, where they are able to see events that are going to take place in the future. In my own thriller opening sequence, the main character has a premontion where she sees herself getting ready for a party. However, minutes later her boyfriend is depicted slamming her body against the bathroom door suffocating her in the process. The film poster presented above is exceedingly interesting and ambiguous for the reason that the main characters face has been created using parts of nature such as trees and leaves. In my opinion, perhaps the shadowy, blurred face made up of leaves emerging between the trees, demonstrates that "premonitions" are blurred and that there is a thin line between whats real and what's not. Additionally, the repitive use of plants and trees depicted on the film poster might be objects which are linked to the events that take place in the film.  

'The Uninvited' is the third film poster that I have chosen to analyse as it models our own work. The main reason for choosing this particular film poster to examine, is because similar to the first film poster I analysed there is a huge amount of 'low key lighting' and an unsettling, shadowy colour scheme which creates terror and ambiguity. The white typography printed across the bottom third of the poster is somewhat scribbled and depicted slanting downwards, these elements all add to creating the perfect thriller film poster. What appealed to me the most is the shadowy, darkened figure pictured outside of the window. It looks as though the person is trapped and is searching for a way to break free. Additionally, the mist and foggyness presented behind the figure adds to the mystery and uncertainty of the film. The reason why I chose this film poster to analyse, is for the reason that in my opening sequence the main character feels as though she is trapped and she doesn't know what to do or say. I wanted to have a look at possible film posters showcasing someone being trapped so that I'd know what sort of effects and ideas I could use to incorporate into my own thriller film poster.


The film poster presented above is a rough draft of what my own individual film poster could look like when incorporating images related to important scenes from my own thriller opening sequence 'Premonition.' I decided to change the lighting of the pictures so that each photo showed signs of 'low key lighting' to illustrate a shadowy colour scheme which creates tension, nervousness and fear. The same human emotions that our audience may feel when watching our thriller film.

Wednesday 19 January 2011

Previous Schools Opening Film Sequences:

Previous Schools Opening Film Sequences:


This is an opening sequence which was created by students attending 'Long Road' school between 2008-9. The main reason for choosing this particular opening sequence, is for the reason that I did not think that this was a great opening sequence. I thought that the students worked hard in creating the logo for their distribution company as it looked creative, unique and was brightly coloured. Additionally, they used a range of transitions to allow the logo to demonstrate a range of effects as certain words and pictures moved across the screen. What I believe to have been a letdown in the opening sequence, is three things:
1) The title sequences. These were simply a bland red typography which popped up onto the screen in the first few shots simply listing the names of the actors. They did not list the producer, director, costume designer, casting director and so fourth. If you look carefully, in most opening sequences they always list the conventions of film openings.
2) The narrative expectations. Sadly, the plot was boring and did not really grab my attention. Many of the shots looked as though they weren't thought through properly and they were just placed in a random order. Additionally, the plot was ambigous as I had no clue as to who the characters were and why they were suddenly being tortured in a room one minute and then being shoved into a car in the next one. What is more, is that there was a lack of continuity as the scenes did not flow very well alongside one another, it continually jumped between scenes.
3) The effects. Whilst it is good to sometimes use transitions and effects in your opening sequence, these group of students seemed to over use the transitions as they repeatedly used the same effects in the same scene, so the sequence seemed to jump three or four times when this wasn't really necessary.


This was another thriller opening sequence created by a group of students who attended the 'Long Road' school between 2008-9. The reason why I chose this particular film sequence is due to the fact that whilst the narrative is not particular exciting and seems quite confusing as the only thing that is being filmed is a forest panning through the different areas of it. The one area of it which I think is absolutely brilliant, is the title sequences. The students have clearly spent a lot of time editing and creating a creative, different and eye catching title sequence whereby you feel as though you are travelling through time across this map where the different conventions of film openings are presented. Additionally, the students have added small captions of text where it discusses parts of the story engaging the audience. However, a downside of doing this is that the opening sequence might look as though it is a trailer rather than the opening sequence of a thriller film.

Our Second group meeting in the christmas holidays and what still needs to be done:

In the last few days of the christmas holidays my group, group 4 arranged to meet up one last time to film the first scene in our thriller opening film sequence. We met up first thing in the morning and immediately got straight to work setting up the bedroom with blankets to block out the light, lighting, cushions and photographs, which are all significant items introducing the character to the film. Again, we set up the dolly and camcorder allowing it to record a 'behind the scenes' of Nimesh's bedroom and how we organised the props and placed them in the correct areas of the room.

In my opinion, the bedroom scene took the longest to film for the reason that we wanted the location and character to look as though they were being filmed late at night, when in reality it was actually 9:00am. However, by covering the windows efficently and blocking out all of the light, it helped us to use the various lamps to create low key lighting, without over using it. Additionally, the second hardest thing we had to do whilst filming the bedroom scene was to bear in mind that we had to use multiple camera shots and camera angles in order to create a sufficient opening sequence. Luckily, we used close ups, long shots, mid shots, pan shot, areial/birdseye view shot, tracking shot as well as using high angle and low angle shots. It took us a couple of hours to film the bedroom scene as we had to do many re-takes as certain shots looked out of place or the continuity did not flow well between scenes. Thankfully, after a hard's day work we finished filming our entire opening sequence, and now we were just excited to get back to school and start the editing process.

What we still need to do as a group, is that Khushel and myself have decided to edit the opening sequence and add in any transitions or effects that we believe are necessary to our film seqeuence, whilst Nimesh and Viraj are going to be creating the title sequences for our film. We'v decided that as a group were going to create the soundtrack together so that we can all make suggestions and decide what sounds best and what coincides well with the opening scene.