Criticisms Of The Final Piece

- Continuity of the editing could be improved, from shot to shot, the transitions could be smoother creating a more natural effect.

- Hayley's death looked unrealistic and unnatural.

- Variation of sound a bit too much, taking away from the effects natural sound can have.

- Titles over exaggerated especially with the sound of thunder, could be displayed in the actual film.

- Soundtrack cuts in and out, maybe a continuous soundtrack throughout the sequence would be more effective.

Final Piece

Above is our final video.

Thriller Movie Research

We watched several different thriller openings, such a Momento, Se7en, Taken, Bourne Identity, Donnie Darko, Law Abiding Citizen etc. These all started differently and helped us to create an idea.

We also watched past students work and this helped us to piece together our final clip of the protagonist in his office.

After piecing all of our ideas together and changing a few bits we did not think fitted, we finally completed our piece and moved onto the editing stage.

Rough Cut

Learning Points

• We learnt how to make our credits much more interesting and this helped us create more tension and atmosphere in our opening sequence.
• We also learnt various editing techniques that we used to shorten some scenes to make them more effective and pulse-raising.
• The most important thing we learnt was to use the thriller conventions and put them into our sequence.

Criticism

We believe that when other members of the group watch our sequence we think that the main problem they will have is with the music at the beginning and at the end. We felt as though the sound effects used at the end during the opening titles were not effective because they did not totally represent our sub-genre and was used on a loop because there was nothing else that was similar but longer.

Final Deadline

For the final deadline we will definitely be changing the soundtrack at the beginning and at the end, and we will also be changing the opening titles as they were not effective and we used a white background but this is not a major thriller convention.

Colours

There are three main colours that are related to the thriller genre. These tend to be the main focus and are Red, Black and White. 


RED is used as a contrasting colour in thrillers compared to many other movies when this colour can relate to love and happiness however in movies with a genre such as ours, this relates to hatred, blood, death and danger. 

BLACK is a common colour in many movies however it is emphasised greatly in thrillers. The audience will automatically anticipate something dark, mysterious and negative when this colour is used.


WHITE is another colour with several relations. Being a simple colour, this can be used in many different ways and for different reasons. It also contrasts with black, being the complete opposite, so when this colour is shown this may create a feeling of security within the audience as opposed to black. 

Sound Review

After devising our initial soundtrack and importing it onto final cut express we realised not only that the timings of the sound with the action did not fit properly but that different effects could be added to enhance our opening sequence. This included adding a variety of non-diagetic sounds to the opening credits for specific affect. Finding these sounds proved difficult but using both garage band and a combination of cd's containing various sounds provided for us we have established the sounds we want in our entire sequence. Now we have the challenge of matching the sound with the action to create an effective soundtrack for our sequence.

Music and Sound

At the beginning of the sequence we have our music alongside the production logo, this meets thriller conventions creating a mysterious atmosphere for the upcoming film. This also sets the genre.

Our music starts off calm but eerie, with a string instrument playing. This then starts to create tension when footsteps are heard over this until the music has died out and footsteps have taken over. The stairs then creak creating more tension and the running bath water also contrasts. Once the protagonist approaches the antagonist a heart beat is heard during the scene where the antagonist is killed. As they are being killed and it goes through slow motion there is a clicking sound, also slowed down, as the scene flicks from light to dark. This helps to add to the tension being created by the slow motion and lighting.

At the end of the opening sequence, when the protagonist has completed his killing, he is then filmed in his office and plays music from the jukebox in this room (Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits). The way this has been filmed was to make sure it was made aware to the audience this was diegetic sound because the protagonist is listening.

Another key part of our soundtrack is the production sound, the natural sound that comes with the environment and movements of our characters, this is key as it suggests and entirely normal and usual situation. Then combining this with the unusual action that happens in the normal scenario is key to the opening sequence and the emotive response we intend from our viewers of suspense and tension.

Editing

After capturing our footage it was important that we moved straight on to the editing process in order to create the impressions and feelings that we wanted from our footage. For example, piecing certain shots and bits of footage together to create a fast past and suspenseful opening was a crucial aim of ours.

Firstly, we moved all of our footage from the camera onto final cut express, after this we chose fro,m the various pieces of footage we had which was over 70 separate pieces and cut it down to 23. In this process it was key that we chose the best and most applicable clips. for example we had various clips of Hayley turning on the tap early in the sequence and had to narrow it down to the one we felt created the most suspenseful atmosphere based on the lighting and character movements in each clip.

We added effects and transitions between clips to create the smooth flow of the piece and make sure there were no major jumps or mishaps. Once we had watched this through after inserting these we noticed parts were footage still jumped or overlapped, we then changed this and added the necessary transitions.

Credits Practice

This was some practice that I did to get used to making credits interesting and move about a little bit. I also added some music to see whether I could find anything on GarageBand that would sound appropriate to the sequence that we are doing. I am now confident in my ability to make the credits more interesting than they were in my children's film project.

Surveillance Photos

Production Logo

We have decided to use this as our production logo because we think it is quite creepy and sums up our thriller. Also the eye is a key convention used in thriller films so it is relevant to use in our logo.

Storyboard

Peer Evaluation Of Children's Film

Hayley, Ollie and Musty.

Positive feedback:

• Colourful- key convention of children's film.
• Funny - also a convention, amuses children.
• Some good drawings- easy for children to differentiate between characters.

Constructive Criticism:

• Framing was poor, sometimes the camera/ setting was tilted to the side and table and wall were visible beyond setting.
• No idea what was happening as there was no dialogue.
• Film had no title and credits were poor.

Filming Dates

Thursday 10th February: After college at Hayley's.
If needed - Thursday 17th February: After the half day at Hayley's.

Pitch Post

Setting - Ollie
Big map of a certain area on a wall, photos of people in selected areas who we will kill. Markings written with either glow stick liquid or magic ink to create different lighting effects and make it seem more mysterious.

Plot - Sahib
Hayley walks into her bathroom and turns the bath taps on. Camera switches to Joel entering the house from his p.o.v and walking up the stairs. once he gets to the top there will be a high angled shot from the loft showing Joel walking towards the bathroom. camera switches back to Joel looking through the door followed by Hayley lighting candles, turning of the light and stepping into the bath. Joel comes in and puts a knife to Hayley's throat and whispers in her ear. she then falls to the floor as he strangles her and then he covers her with her towel. Joel goes back to his room and then ticks off Hayley's picture from his list.


Sub Genre - Hayley
Psychological thriller.


Title - The List. 


Characters - 
Killer - Joel
Victim - Hayley


Locations - Ollie
Bathroom where the action happens.
Office where the killer keeps his information.


Lighting - Ollie
Normal lighting in the bathroom until candles are turned on then the main light is turned off and the room is only lit by candles. When Joel comes up the stairs  the lighting is dark and you can only see the back of him. Once he enters the room the lighting is dimmed. In the office the markings written with either glow stick liquid or magic ink to create different lighting effects and make it seem more mysterious. 


Costumes - Sahib
Killer (Joel)- all black until in office wearing a old-fashioned suit jacket.
Hayley - Towel with something under.


Music and Sound - Sahib
Non-diagetic sound as Hayley prepares her bath ;) music playing in the bath room and when Joel walks up the stairs the volume level is increased. When Joel enters the bathroom, there is a change in music and then a heartbeat when the knife is put to Hayley's throat. When Joel is in his office there is contrapuntal music playing.

Thriller Ideas

1. Action Thriller:
Some one drowning in a bathtub, fill it up and have them laying there with a wet hand print on the door, someone being strangled - strobe
2. Psychological Thriller:
Big map of a certain area on a wall, photos of people in selected areas who we will kill. Markings written with either glow stick liquid or magic ink to create different lighting effects and make it seem more mysterious.

Hayley walks into her bathroom and turns the bath taps on. Camera switches to Joel entering the house from his p.o.v and walking up the stairs. once he gets to the top there will be a high angled shot from the loft showing Joel walking towards the bathroom. camera switches back to Joel looking through the door followed by Hayley lighting candles, turning of the light and stepping into the bath. Joel's comes in and puts a knife to Hayley's throat and whispers in her ear. she then falls to the floor as he strangles her and then he covers her with her towel. Joel goes back to his room and then ticks off Hayley's picture from his list.

Sound Analysis (The Descent - Theatrical trailer)

Without Sound
The trailer of this film without sound didn't horrify me or make my pulse raise. This is because the start of it shows the girls happy and talkative, this shows me nothing about what they are about to go through. The images in the clip originally made me feel happy but after the initial happy part, the words came up on the screen and there was much more black screen. The words, although they looked quite good, did not have the effect on me that was planned, this was down to the lack of noise as they appeared. This confused me as I did not know where the film was or what was happening. At the end when the girls are underground, my pulse raised a little but I wasn't sure whether they were supposed to be there or not. The images showed they were distressed and this made me slightly distressed as well. I was not able to relate to the characters without sound because I did not know for sure what they were saying, this made me unable to relate to what they were saying, for instance they could have planning on going underground and finding all these disturbing things, I could not relate to his, or they could have been planning on staying overground and having a good time with friends company, and I could relate to this. I felt it was hard to relate to the characters as I couldn't tell what each of them was like, by the way characters in films talk you get an insight into their personality, not being able to hear them means I couldn't have this insight and so I couldn't relate personality wise to the characters in this trailer.

With Sound
The non-diagetic soundtrack that runs through the trailer really helped me understand what genre the film was and made me more worried than what I was before I heard the sound. The soundtrack starts of non-empathetical where the characters are having a good time and laughing but the soundtrack is quite sinister, this gives the impression that something bad is going to happen but the girls and the audience do not know what that is yet. When the images become sinister and the characters get stuck underground the non-diagetic soundtrack increases in volume and then stops whilst the audience can hear the diagetic sound effect of the cave and tunnel crashing down on them, the soundtrack then starts again but louder and with a shock start. This carries on until the end when the soundtrack becomes a little quieter, this is done so the audience want to see more. During the images, words come up on a black screen. For example, "fear" and "claustrophobic", these are joined with sound effects to make the words seem scarier, with the word "fear", they have made it jump around on the screen, sound is used as well at this point by making the sound jump about as well. The soundtrack is constantly increasing in volume and pitch ever so slightly, this builds tension in the viewer. My reaction to this clip is now very different. I am now wanting to see this film but I am also quite scared by it, the soundtrack and effects have made me worried about what happens at the end of the film and they have also backed up my suspicions that it is a thriller with many scary moments. The sound has encouraged me feel panic and tension as I hope that the girls get out alive, it has also made me react uncomfortably as I can hear their distress but do nothing to stop it or help them. The sound has also made my pulse react and has raised it because of the tension that was being built with the slowly increasing volume and pitch but also by the sinister music that jumps about temprementally and with obvious direction.

Conclusions
I have concluded that sound is very important in the making of a film, especially one that intends to frighten and scare people. I have concluded that by increasing the tempo, pitch and volume of the sound slowly throughout the clip can make the audience react from the outset and scare them more in a shorter space of time as they can tell what is going to happen to the characters even when they are happy and talkative. I hope to ahieve the same effect that this clip had on me in my opening sequence of a thriller film, I shall incorporate sinister music and very little effects, I shall also have some silence as this scared me in the trailer because of the feeling of the unknown. In colnclusion, I shall have both sound and silence as I feel I was scared when I saw the clip without sound because of the feeling of entering the unknown but I was also scared when I heard the sound because it created tension and so I could anticipate something going wrong but I couldnt pinpoint what it was.

Analysing Protagonist and Antagonist in 'The Bourne Identity'

The protagonist and antagonist is made very clear to the audience from the start of the scene. The protagonist, Matt Damon, has most of the screen time on his face even when both characters are in shot and he does all the talking with the antagonist just sneering and making threatening comments, this puts the antagonist in a bad light. The protagonist hits the antagonist and he starts bleeding quite badly, however when the antagonist hits the protagonist no blood or wounds are shown to make the protagonist look unbeatable. The protagonist also does all the killing in the sequence and has the best weapons and most stylish costume out of all the other characters, for instance at one point he has a modern handgun whereas the bad guy has an old revolver. The protagonist was always framed higher than the antagonist to show dominance and you see the protagonist looking down over the bannister.

S1-21 Thriller Opening Sequence Evaluation

Loose Control:

The opening sequence from the group is very impressive. containing a number of the conventional aspects of a psychological thriller and cleverly manipulating the micro elements to provoke certain emotions towards different characters form the audience. Combining varying shot types with a mysterious soundtrack the opening sequence is successful in matching the conventional aspects of thrillers, particularly psychological thrillers. The use of a distorted radio signal sound immediately creates a sense of disorientation with the main character and therefore the audience. The opening incorporates various shot types, however the particular use of close ups and extreme close ups is crucial to portraying the emotions of the main character which is primarily fear, thus evoking sympathy from the audience. Also this is important in suggesting the Antagonist and Protagonist. Within the opening is a clever use of different shot types and angles to create a sense of disorientation and create the impression that the main woman is being followed or stalked by the man.  The man following the woman is shown in reflection often and in a number of different positions looking directly at the woman, this not only portrays a sense of great fear from her perspective which is suggested to the audience again evoking empathy. Another conventional aspect of psychological thrillers it meets is using the eye as a clear indication of a characters emotion and surroundings, in this case fear and a sense of vulnerability, also portrayed by the high angle shots on the woman from the mans perspective.  The movement of the soundtrack from first a slow p[aced mysterious one to a more upbeat and fats paced one is reflective not only of the chase and action taking place, but is suggestive that the man is almost enjoying his pursuit of the woman. Towards the end of the opening, the manner in which the woman is cornered by the man again adds to the sense of vulnerability and fear from the perspective of the woman. Through combining all of these aspects, the opening provides a clear and immediate indication as to who is the antagonist and protagonist.

Past Student Work - T2:58 - On The Rocks

T2-58 THRILLER - FINAL from SATMEDIA on Vimeo.

On the rocks:


They held the shots steadily however mainly consisted of mid shots with the odd close up and long shot. They could have varied this more. We thought the mise-en-scene was good and the use of props also. He was smoking at the beginning of the scene, and then also at the end you see the cigarette smoke around the light which shows they are linking back to this prop and this could have further relevance. Also when there is a pan of the room a bottle of alcohol is shown, later on the detective is then drinking this before he moves onto the maps. The detective is drinking whiskey, this is normally drunk 'on the rocks' which links into the title. The costume is quite plain however fits the scene as there is no real need for something extravagant.
Once we had finished watching, we were still unaware of the actual meaning to the film however the material made was appropriate to the task. There were a few different transitions and a vast amount of effects used. Throughout the whole opening sequence there was a constant non-diagetic sound alongside the images and they also used sound affects when the guy was being strangled which was over-exaggerated. The titles were quite interesting and time was taken into making this however the bus coming in at the beginning was not appropriate to the task, or to the film itself.
The antagonist and protagonist were both made clear however we did not feel any emotion towards the protagonist whilst being strangled. We think that more close ups are needed for key elements, for example the cigarette and the photograph of the next victim.