Title Sequence Analysis- TV Series

Title Sequence Analysis- Se7en

One key element which helps to give this title sequence a very eary atmosphere is the use of the dark lighting. Not only does the dark lighting create feelings of fear and danger, but it also leads to us not knowing the location in which the opening sequence is situated in, therefore the darkness also helps to build plenty of suspense and tension.

The sound used within the title sequence is relatively slow paced but also includes various sound effects which are similar to that of a machine making something, this use of parallel sound helps to link in with what we are seeing on screen which is someone making or putting together an information file about various people. The soundtrack on its own is also extremely eary and gives the audience a sense that the person creating the file is perhaps using it for an illegal cause.

We also see that the editing used is in the form of a montage, with a compilation of short clips put together in no particular order, which is a typical feature of thriller title sequences.

All of the camera shots used are close ups which also help to give the audience clear idea that somebody is putting together an information file about someone and show us some of the potential key objects within the film. The close ups are also effective as they help to leave the audience asking even more questions as they don't know whereabouts this person making the file is (due to the close ups not allowing us to see) and have no idea who or why they are making it.

Deception First Draft

Use of Sound Within Our Thriller Film

These are the some of the key sound effects/ soundtracks that we will be using within our film along with the reasons why:

Heartbeat- We decided to use the sound of a heartbeat during the scene in which Adam has been kidnapped and wakes up being drip fed poison in the boot of a car as we felt the pounding sound of a heart was extremely effective at emphasising to the audience that Adams life is on the line and therefore increasing the suspense created within the film.
Non diegetic dialogue- We also decided to implement a reading of the letter that Adam finds on the floor just before he is kidnapped, which will be read over the film from when he wakes up until the climax of the chase scene within the warehouse. This is going to be an effective piece of dialogue as it will give the audience most of the backbone of the plot whilst ensuring there is enough ambiguity to leave them asking questions of both the antagonists and protagonists past events. We also wanted to make the sound of the reading gradually become more aggressive and sinister just so the tension rapidly increases and so the antagonists anger and brutality can be portrayed to the audience with more ease.
We have also decided to keep in a lot of background noise that was picked up within the factory during the chase scene as the sound of footsteps on the floor and factory machines going on in the background won't interfere with the plot as whilst they are not only very quiet there is minimal direct dialogue in this scene anyway so the background noise will not detrimentally effect the sound quality of our film.
Chase scene soundtrack- For the chase scene soundtrack we have managed to secure a copyright free piece of suspense building music with a slightly dark and sinister tone which will work as parallel sound to combine with the dark and ruthless character who is hunting Adam in the warehouse known as Vincent.
Sonically exaggerated sounds- We are also using some sonically enhanced sound effects, most notably to show the aggression of Vincent when the factory door nearly shuts him out and to make the gun shot at the end of the film feel even more realistic for the audience and emphasise the power that the single gun shot has.

Script for Letter Found in Scene 1

This is the script for the letter that Adam will find on the floor just before he gets kidnapped, written by Tyler and Vincent. The main reason I wanted to include this within our film was so that whilst the audience would be given enough information which would explain why James and Adam are being hunted by their ex gang members, but it would still leave them intrigued and asking questions (as is typical of a Thriller film) such as what happened to them two years ago, therefore ensuring that the audience remain intrigued even when the film is finished as some answers will not be revealed at all. I also needed to take into account the maximum length of the film when writing this, as we wanted it to run from when the kidnapping happens to the end of the chase scene, therefore we needed to make it short enough so it would fit in but also with enough key information for the audience to be able to get a grasp of the plot, whilst also making sure there is plenty of ambiguity and hatred portrayed within the letter to add to the tension.

Adam, 

It was on this day two years ago that you and James thought you left us for dead, how wrong you were. You both seemed to think it would be a good idea to start a new life free of gang crime in the country, well it wasn't. After all the successful heists and robberies that we did, you and James turned your backs on us, thinking that we'd just be left to rot whilst you go about your daily business like we never existed, well now its time we got some much needed vengeance on you assholes. James has now been missing for one year exactly, I couldn't possibly wonder what happened to him, could you Adam? Now you're probably wondering at this stage what will happen to you, I could tell you, but I guarantee you wouldn't want to know, 

Yours truly

Analysis of Sound in Inception

One of the first sound effects that we come across is the use of sonically enhanced sounds, most notably used during the collapse of the dream world and when one of the protagonists gets shot in the foot. Sonically exaggerated sounds help to create a more believable experience from the audiences perspective, but also help to emphasise that the characters are in genuine danger as the dream world begins to collapse.
We also see non diegetic sound at the start of the clip whilst the protagonist is stealing information from the safe. this sound is used to not only build tension within the audience but also foreshadow the immediate danger that follows and in that sense the threatening music works well with the threatening situation that follows for the protagonist. The pace of the non diegetic music is also fast and gives a sense of how little time is left for them to escape before the dream world collapses, the soundtrack which is heard most notably in the dream world is also a sound bridge as it manages to link lots of quick shots together.
The level of sound also fluctuates as the clip switches from the dream world back to the real world. Whilst in the real world, the soundtrack is reasonably quiet and calm with little or no movement, however in comparison the sound within the dream world is very discordant with lots of crescendos and dramatics, this helps to emphasise to the audience that whilst the characters may appear safe to an extent in the real world, their livelihood in the dream world is being threatened and the crescendos in the dramatic soundtrack only help to emphasise this.
We also hear the use of direct sound during the first exchange of dialouge which was recorded at the time filming took place, we can tell this as we hear a slight echo in their voices and this helps to create a subtle serious tone to the conversation that they are having and gives more of an atmosphere than post synchronised sound would in this situation.

The Use of Sound in Media - Charlie

The Use of Sound in Media

Sound is the second most important element in any form of media, next to video of course. The sound used in a piece for media does more than enable the audience to understand what has happened a bit easier. It creates whole atmospheres, moods, emotions and can even tell a story. For example, using slow, deep non diegetic music in a film can make us feel sad, lonely, depressed etc. without even having to show us anything. As soon as a bright, fast, happy song starts playing as the opening sequence of a film begins, we know that the beginning will start off happy and jolly. 

Sound also creates an atmosphere, even the simple use of light wind or quiet crickets can make a clip go from very flat and boring, to textured and interesting. If you had a clip with dialogue recorded post-filming, then the scene would sound very unnatural as there is no background sound. Adding some wind in the background can make the scene feel alive. 

Continuity editing does not only apply to video, the use of continuity editing with sound is very effective as it makes the scenes flow smoother with no obvious jumps in the sound. Visual continuity errors, while still easy to point out, are less obvious as audio continuity errors. A sudden jolt in the visual editing can easily go unnoticed but a jolt in the audio editing is very obvious as it stands out. Upon editing you find that although you have filmed all shots in a scene on the same day at the same time, the background noises etc will be completely different in each shot. This could be due to the position of the camera. These changes in sound are obvious when jump cutting between shots during a film, which makes it very unbelievable and fake. It is a good idea to film one long continuous shot of each scene you do just to make sure you have a long clip of background noises which you can put behind each shot to create better continuity

Key Use of Sound In Jaws

  

One key element of sound used within the scene above is the use of parallel sound, as soon as the shark starts to approach the swimmers legs the intense, dramatic and threatening music begins to play in sync, therefore the frightening image of the shark attack is complemented by the frightening soundtrack. There is also lots of diegetic sound such as all of the dialogue and the screaming. Some of the screaming whilst still diegetic is also classed as off screen sound as at one point we here it whilst the person screaming isn't in shot. An example of non-diegetic sound within the clip would be the dramatic soundtrack when Jaws appears as the characters within the film cannot hear it, the sudden onset of the sound also helps to emphasise how Jaws can appear out of nowhere at any time within the film. We also see sound that contrasts the image that we see on screen, known as contrapuntal sound. At the end of the clip we see a washed up surfboard which has been torn with clear stains of blood being washed up in the waves, but the sound is nothing but that of the waves calmly washing up on shore, perhaps trying to portray the crueller side of nature, this creates an almost eary atmosphere and is a sound that works well as the calm sound of the waves and silent beach opposes the emotion that is running through those who have just realised what has happened on shore and helps to signify the events importance and that the beach has now become deserted.

Understanding Mise-En-Scene - Max

Mise-En-Scene is a media term for what a camera shot consists of. For example; shot type (long shot & close up), lighting, props, make up, character positioning, costume, setting and framing. These are all used in a particular fashion to create a certain idea or message for the audience to understand more about the characters, situation and overall story. 

The article expresses the importance of Mise-en-scene concepts such as colours and props. For example the 1960's version of the Batman series is made to look in a particular way and address a certain target audience. It is clear that this series of Batman is that it's a light hearted comic series aimed at appealing towards children. This is clear to see from the brightly used colours and ridiculous costuming as it holds no sense of realism and it coveys joyful emotions from the colours. The props had also been made to look extravagant by the size and the positioning of them. They had all been arranged so they were close to each other, again this does not show realism which would appeal to a older target audience. The setting was 2-D and the lighting was used to show positive or negative feelings towards certain characters in a theatrical way. This shows the 1960's series as cheap and amateur. Christopher Nolan's Batman however showed the opposite to the above. The colours related to the situation and so did the costuming. The image shows that Batman is wearing prison attire which is torn and the colours are grim; this adds a sense of realism which appeals to an older target audience. 

From this my group can learn that the use of Mise-en-scene such as lighting and props needs to be thought out carefully with a full understanding of how we would like our target audience to feel. Realism is the real aim of our work as it appeals to our target audience of teens and young adults so lighting has to be used in a professional level to make sure it doesn't come across as theatrical and childish whilst remaining effective at showing off character atmosphere. For example darkness for antagonist and light for protagonist. Our use of costuming also has to be thought of carefully as we would want the audience to infer personalities from costuming only and develop on them thoughts. We could even use a red herring to throw the audience off and keep the film interesting.

Mise-en-Scene Mood Board - Charlie

Understanding Mise-en-Scene - Charlie

Understanding Mise-en-Scene

From the text I can see that using bright, over the top colours and props means that it won't be taken as seriously as something more dark and subtle. Using bright colours suggests the shot is supposed to be more happy and a bit of a joke whereas using dark, mysterious colours makes a shot more serious. Also, it is easy to tell when something is shot in a small TV studio as appose to a large film set as everything is cramped together and the actors don't have much room to move. The clothing used is very important as it creates a line between cheap, comedy costumes and high quality, serious clothing. You can easily tell the difference between the two and makes it easy to determine what kind of film and production it is. I've learnt that using large, real locations suggests that the text aspires to be more realistic than if it were filmed in a studio. 

The use of props in a shot can say a lot about the scene/character. For example, using toys and teddy bears in a shot clearly show that it is a child's room. Whereas, showing computers and paper documents shows that it is an adults room. As well as using the conventional props for a child or adult, placing other objects in the shot can tell a lot about a character. For example, placing large books in a room filled with children's toys tells the audience that the child is very intelligent for their age and is not just a normal child. Also, placing a toy in an adults room tells us that although the adult is mature and supposed to be grown up, they still hold on to their childhood and are still a child at heart. The neatness of a shot also tells us a lot about how old and mature the character is. Again, costume is used to give the audience a sense of who the character is and when the film is set. Showing a character smartly dressed throughout the film shows wealth and intelligence.

Pirates of the Caribbean Trailer - Charlie

This is my first edit using Final Cut Pro. I think it went quite well since it was my first attempt. I could have improved some of the editing as some parts didn't flow as well as others. Also, I should have made the beginning part better with more of an intro but I have only realised this now.

Preliminary Task

Preliminary Task

For our preliminary task we were given some props such as a Freddie Krueger glove, a stapler and a plastic axe. It was a challenge having to use these props in this task, especially the glove, as we didn't have many ideas involving these three items. Eventually, we came up with an idea which meant we could involve these props however, the parts with the glove may cause confusion as we didn't explain it very well. 

The filming side of things went pretty smoothly, as we were able to film it very quickly with no troubles. However, we did have to film in two different lessons, meaning our main character changed clothes half way through.

We feel that editing went fairly well and the whole extract ran smoothly. Moreover certain parts worked very well for instance the changes of shots during the conversation worked well with the overlapping dialogue. The sound at the beginning of the extract (the teachers lecture) was difficult to implement in our work as it would have been difficult to have made the lecture ourselves and it would of taken time. At times the lecture didn't work well with the shots, for instance when others are speaking yet the people in the shot are not, which doesn't correspond with the high angle shot showing only 3 people in the class. The fading of the lecture to show the start of the dream was also difficult to get a correct fade out. 

Shot List for Scene 1( Montage Scene/ Opening Credits)

1. Extreme close up of the drip of poison

2. High angled shot looking down at the warehouse w/ dark lighting

3.Extreme close up of scrunched up note

4. Extreme close up of identity photos and gun

Shot List for Scene 2 (Flashback Scene)

1. Over the shoulder shot of Adam walking

2. Long shot of Adam kicking the scrunched up note

3. Extreme close up of the note

Shot List for Scene 3 (Outside Warehouse)

1. POV shot from Adams view when he wakes up in the car boot
 

2. Extreme close up on the drip of poison
 

3. Extreme close up of the tube in Adams hand
 

4. Close up shot of Adam taking the drip out
 

5. Mid shot of Adam escaping from the car boot
 

6. Over the shoulder shot combined with a low angled shot showing Adam seeing James held at gunpoint by Vincent on the rooftop
 

7. High angled, almost crane shot looking down at Adam from the rooftop
 

8. Front on mid shot showing Adam glancing behind him with Tyler lurking in the background
 

9. Panning shot showing Adam and Tyler running into the warehouse

 

Shot List for Scene 4 (Inside Warehouse)

1. Over the shoulder shot showing Tyler chasing Adam into the warehouse

 

2. Close up side view shot showing Adam bursting through a stack of cardboard boxes

 

3. High angled shot showing Adam climbing up platform in warehouse

 

4.Panning shot showing Adam and Tyler running along the platform

 

5. High angled shot of them running up the stairs

 

6. Side on two shot of Tyler and Adam fighting on the stairs

 

7. Extreme close up of Adam stealing Tylers gun from his pocket

 

8. Mid shot of Adam knocking Tyler out

 by punching him

 

9. Framed shot of Adam infront of the door to the factory rooftop

Shot List for Scene 5 (Rooftop Scene)

1. Over the Shoulder shot of Adam closing the door with Vincent and James in background

2. Mid shot of Vincent holding James at gunpoint

3. Mid Long shot with Adam in the centre

4. Long side on shot showing Vincent holding James whilst opposing Adam

5. Extreme close up of Vincent

 

6. Extreme close up of Adam

7. Low angled mid over the shoulder shot of all 3 characters

8. Close up looking at James down the barrel of the gun

9. Extreme close up side on shot of the gun

10. Cuts to black

 

 

 

 

poison prop

In our film our protagonist is going to be drip fed poison. Because we haven't got a  proper drip we have used a sandwich bag instead.

Seven title sequence

Opening title sequence (seven)

This title sequence from seven has given use some good ideas for our opening title sequence. Lots of different pictures frames; these frames will include things such as props, locations and each frame will last about 2-3 seconds long.

Student Examples- Mistaken Identity

Strengths- Effective use of camera shots such as the over the shoulder shot when he was driving the car which help to intergrate the credits smoothly. Also the clever close ups on the hand in the snow and the feet dangling down work very well as they give the audience enough of an insight to realise that there has been a potential murder(s) or suicide but still leaves many questions unanswered such as how did the bodies get there and what is the identity of the bodies. Editing also remains smooth and relatively consistent throughout, although it isnt necessarilly at the typical speed you would excpect to see in a Thriller but the slow speed works well in the opening. Another strength is the dialouge, the ongoing commentary from the main protagonist gives us an insight as to what his role is within the film without giving too much away. The montage scene for the opening credit also works well as it gives the audience a preview at potential key objects/ locations within the film.

Weaknesses- One of the main weaknesses I feel that there is within this opening is the soundtrack. Whilst the song in the opening was no doubt an attempt at a counter convention for a Thriller film, it does seem to lack any real power or meaning to the lyrics or tune that would make it effective, overall, whilst its purpose is to probably mislead the audience, I would consider it too harmonious and subtle for a thriller film, misleading or not. There is no doubt this is an element that we will try to avoid.

Elements that we may take into our film- We are going to use an opening montage scene with a similar structure to the one used in Mistaken Identity, except we will obviously be showing objects which play a key role within the plot of our film.

Christopher Nolan - Charlie

Characters & Group Roles

Max curdy 

Main Protagonist (Adam) - Servais 

Main Antagonist (Vincent/Vince) - Max 

Thug/ henchman (Tyler) - Freddie 

Captive/ hero's friend (James) - Charlie

we have appointed these roles specifically to everyone because we thought it would be more effective. For example, Servais and Charlie both have blonde hair which is a light colour, we would want to associate these bright colours with goodness so the audience have a better idea of who is good and who is bad. Though Myself and Freddie have dark hair, it won't be visible due to the wearing of masks. However, our size is slightly taller than the protagonists which will give off an impression of power over them. The wearing of the balaclava's will also make it clear that the characters are not good as its odd to find a hero wearing a mask that's associated with crime and potentially violence.

All protagonists wear casual clothing that is fairly coloured, this is to represent the character in a good way. Light colours are often associated with good traits. The clothing is casual as we want to show that the protagonists are still normal people like the people in the audience. This will enable the audience to relate to the characters and root for them, hence making the film a more enjoyable experience. The antagonist however will be wearing 'Chav-like' clothing which is dark. This is to represent the fact that they are in a gang and out of the norm. Dark clothing is also associated with evil so the audience will know that they are the characters that are bad.

Our aim with costuming is to make sure that the audience know more about the character without the use of speech and to know whether or not they are good or bad. As our target audience is 15- 30's, we feel like the costuming is appropriate and enables the target audience to relate to them. Our characters are young and are experiencing gang life, the target audience are of the same generation and have probably heard of gang events that have happened in real life, this adds a sense of realism in our film.  We also want to challenge these colour concepts as the traitor is the friend who wears clothing like the protagonist, this will make our film unique to other thriller films and add a surprise which will make the film exciting and therefore more enjoyable for the audience.

Audience Research

We have decided from doing this section of the audience research that our main target audience in terms of age range will be the next generation/ young hopefuls and as they make up around 1/5 of the population it still fits in with our ethos of trying to make sure our film has mass audience appeal. We also hope to have a wider range appeal towards the mainstreamers, as this category makes up around 40% of the population and if we can attract these two markets there is no doubt our goal of mass audience appeal will have been achieved.

 

What makes a Thriller a Thriller?                              

Max Curdy

A thriller film is a film that aims to keep the audience anticipating what's going to happen next, to keep the audience on the edge of their seat. The concept of the genre revolves around the use of suspense, tension and excitement. In short, the point of  a thriller is to be thrilled, hence the name! Thriller films also make out 1 objective that must be completed (example - stop the jokers plan - Batman). 

Characters of a Thriller film are quite basic when you strip the conventions down. There is; a protagonist (hero) that comes to save the day. Often a male which ends up seducing the his female friend after the day is saved. There is an antagonist (villain) that comes to stir up trouble for the hero to deal with. Again, often a male that is always beaten at the end of the story. There is a damsel in distress in which is mostly a female role. This character is often taken hostage or put in danger which the protagonist has to save her, she is also the prize at the end of the story. 

Now you can't have a film with only 3 characters in it, there are also others such as 'the helper' which is normally a friend of the protagonist that helps save the day. There are the henchmen, multiple characters that follow and help the antagonist with his deeds, though they are easily beat by the hero. Having said that, one of the henchmen often becomes a small challenge for the hero. Despite these other character types, the most important ones are the protagonist, antagonist and the damsel in distress. 

Obviously if every thriller film were to simply repeat these character types the audience would grow tired of them and the film wouldn't be very thrilling. So every movie tries to put a twist to the characters or plot making the film unique and resulting in unexpected events. Also, many films try and break stereotypes and challenge these character types, for example the protagonist or antagonist may be a woman or  the protagonist may not be as good as you think. 

Another type of Thriller film is psychological thrillers, this is where they focus on making the audience think! With these types of Thriller films, the character types mentioned above don't always apply. 

Thrillers mostly take place in public places such as in towns or cities. This makes the action seem a lot more real and makes the audience able to relate. The whole point of a Thriller is to make the audience feel ''wowed'' but that won't happen if the plot is not believable, like there is no chance of the events taking place in real life. Public places are also used a lot as the antagonist often threatens to harm the people living in these densely populated places. The fact that its such a threat makes the action seem more exciting which keeps the audience on the edge of their seat wondering how or if the hero will save them. Exotic places are used sometimes to show off what the character is like, for instance, if the character is dangerous or a terrorist they might be shown in a cave with guns (iron man) or if the character is simply working in a normality scene before the event takes place (day after tomorrow).

The Basic Narrative Structure

Exposition >>> Rising Action >>> Climax >>> Falling Action >>> Denouement 

Exposition - Meeting characters, establishing the setting, setting the tone, establishing the normal of the world.

Rising Action - The central conflict is introduced and the tension between the protagonist and the antagonist begins to mount. 

Climax - The turning point, which marks a change for the better or the worse, in the protagonist's future. Usually high speed action and marks the ending of a film. 

Falling Action - The major action has happened. This is the after math. Sorting out the major conflict's resolution.

Denouement/Resolution - The creation of the new normal. The conflict is resolved. 

Props/Costumes

We have chosen to use a gun as its not only a typical weapon used within thriller films, but also fits in with the fast paced action packed theme of our film a lot better than a weapon such as a knife, and its also a common weapon used in gang crime and given thats a strong link within our films plot we thought it would be a missed oppurtunity to leave a gun out.

We also decided to add ski masks to both of the villains costumes so it would make their role in the film not only easier to identify but would also make it clear to the audience that they are used to combat and crime as the ski masks have a common association with crime and it will show the antagonists pose a serious threat to the protagonist. We are also deliberating as to whether or not James will have one on when he is tied to the chair, we will update when we have come to a decision. The masks also allow us to add more, minor characters in the factory to fight or run passed without the audience knowing we have used the same actors.

Were also using a stack of cardboard boxes (more than displayed in the photo) for a stunt scene within the warehouse. The main thinking behind using them is that they are a cheap and effective prop but also commonly seen within a warehouse and therefore they will not look out of place.

WHOLE FILM ANALYSIS- KILL BILL VOLUME 2

Typical Thriller conventions

One of the main thriller film conventions that we see within the film is a plot twist, we are given this twist at the end of the film when Beatrix goes to kill Bill only to find out that he has actually been helping to raise his daughter who she presumed had died in the shooting from the first film. Plot twists are a common convention seen within thrillers as whilst they not only add complexity to the story they also keep the audience guessing as they can't predict whats going to happen in what is normally an engrossing and unpredictable plot due to the ongoing twists and turns within the film.
We also see a typical thriller setting in the film which is set largely in the middle of nowhere (bucks house) in a run down caravan situated in endless desert terrain, its common for thrillers to be set in these types of settings as they often have connotations of crime and decivilisation, and also the large spacious deserted area is very suitable for combat as their is nobody around to get involved and disrupt it.
One other typical convention that we see is the use of lighting, during the buried alive scene, the lighting within the coffin is extremely dark, apart from the one circle of light coming from Beartrixes torch which is extremely bright and creates a definite contrast of lighting within the coffin, the mass of darkness represents the evil and mystery and adds suspense and anticipation to the scene as we begin to feel claustrophobic just by seeing all the darkness she is surrounded by, which also adds to the anticipation and suspense and creates entrapment for the protagonist, therefore the scene in itself is typical of the thriller genre as the protagonist has the odds stacked against her in terms of survival.

Opening Credits 

Unlike most thrillers, the opening credits within this film manage to counter act the norm due to the fact Kill Bill is split into two separate films, the credits of volume two start of with a black and white flashback scene in which we see Beatrix informing the audience whats happened within the first and second films so far, and she then informs the audience of her main reason for her mission; to kill Bill, then a plain white lettering of Kill Bill appears on a black background and the film begins to role. This counter acts the typical thriller opening scene as its rather basic colouring, the music is old fashioned, but one element which is typical of a thriller is the flashback scene in the opening (which incidentally we have decided to use within our film) thrillers often start the film with these sorts of scenes to sometimes give the audience a plot hint, to confuse them even further, or to set the tone for the film, in this case the credits have been merged with the flashback scene hence the colour use of black and white in both shots and the audience have been given a plot hint that she manages to kill everybody who she needs to before getting to Bill.

Editing

Throughout the film, particularly in fight scenes, we see frequent use of jump cuts. A good example of this is shown during the scene in which we see Beatrix lurking outside Bucks caravan waiting to kill him, the shot suddenly cuts to Beatrix bursting through the door, we then see a quick jump cut parallel switch to Buck with his gun and, unexpectedly, he manages to shoot Beatrix in the chest. These quick jump cuts are a very clever use of editing as the fact that Beatrix has just been shot in the chest is another huge plot twist as she is potentially on the verge of death and when this is combined with the jump cuts it really does surprise the audience and throws another curveball in to prevent the audience switching off and the film becoming predictable.

Camerawork

Camerawork is used throughout the film effectively within different situations. During the scene at the end of the film where Beatrix and Bill are sat opposite each other at a table exchanging dialogue and they end up fighting and Beatrix causes Bill to effectively have an extremely slow heart attack. The extreme close up shot of Beatrix during this scene shows the sadness and emotion on her face over her regret at killing Bill, and shocks the audience as its a complete contrast to the pleasure she had been getting out of killing all the other members of the assassination squad.

Sound

One of the prominent sound effects that is used within the film are sonically exaggerated sounds. We see these used to emphasise the gun shot that is fired from Buck into Beatrix and we also see it during the scene which Beatrix fights Elle and pulls out her eye. The sonically enhanced sounds are effective as they make the combat feel more dramatic and intense but also allow it to feel more realistic for the audience as they feel like they are involved.

Audience Research- 5 outcomes we want to achieve

1. We want the film to be relatable for the target audience, which will be experimented through test screening.
2. We want it to also have mass audience appeal which we will research via a handout questionarre or on social media.
3. Another outcome we hope to gain from the research is feedback on sound we can use in our film, specifically the opening and ending, we plan to carry this out through test screening and possibly a poll on our blog.
4. Through the use of an interview vwe also hope to find out whether or not we should include a character death at the end of our film.
5. We also want to get feedback on the types of costumes and characteristics our protagonists and villains should have, this will be carried out through a questionarre.

Christopher Nolan analysis

Storyboard Draft

Director from frenchie987

Alfred Hitchcock - Charlie

Quentin Tarantino from freddie310598

david fincher analysis

Possible Film Names

Possible Film Names

Separation

Departure

Close Call

Removal

Captive

Getaway

Abandonment

Destruction

Disorientation

Death at First Sight

Twist

Deception

Clarity

Untold Truth

Betrayal 

Untold Lies

--------------------------------------------------------

We decided upon Deception as we feel it fits to the narrative of our film very well since the twist at the end shows the protagonists friend turn against him.

Shutter Island - Charlie

Shutter Island

1.   On the boat in the opening scene you can see handcuffs and chains hanging from the ceiling which shows that it is not a normal boat for transportation, this makes the audience start to wonder where they are going and where they have come from. It causes a strange atmosphere to make us wonder what is going on. The lighting on the boat is very dark which also creates a dark and dreary atmosphere and keeps the audience questioning what is happening. The dark lighting connotes bad/negative thoughts. The island they arrive at is completely isolated with a large wall surrounding it, this makes us wonder what it is and what they are doing there.

2.     Teddy is presented as a very mysterious character as he doesn’t like water and gets confused about misplacing his cigarettes. This makes the audience wonder what is wrong with him as he can’t seem to remember much except that he has seen the island before. The way he speaks of his wife’s death is also very mysterious as he passes her death off as a house fire. As he speaks about his wife, it shows a flashback to them, and then cuts to the water, then back to her. This links to the rest of the film as we find out that he drowned her, which explains his hatred for water and why he quickly said she died in a fire.

3.     The set up reveals to the audience that the two protagonists have a rather awkward relationship. We can see that Teddy doesn’t seem to trust the other man as he doesn’t reveal much information to him. Also, when his partner struggles to remove his gun Teddy stares in disbelief at him because as a trained detective, he should be able to do that pretty quickly. On the other hand, the other man seems to know Teddy better than somebody should if they’ve never met. He asks him questions but seems to know the answer, this foreshadows the rest of the film where we later find out that this man is in on the operation to try to get Teddy to remember killing his wife.

4.     From the opening sequence of ‘Shutter Island’ you can clearly see that this ‘world’ is no happy place where everyone wants to be, it’s quite the opposite. This is evident because the lighting throughout the extract is very dull and depressing. Also, the characters voice tones are very dull and boring, making the audience feel down and depressed which is how the characters feel in the ‘world’. The fact that everybody is carrying guns, and the prisoners are wearing handcuffs shows that it is a very dangerous place to be.

5.     In the extract, you can see that all the guards are on edge, this confuses us as we don’t know what they have to worry about because we see the protagonists as the good guys. However, we later find out that he actually murdered his wife for killing the kids, so they are on edge with guns ready because he is unpredictable. All the prisoners wave or smile at Teddy as he walks passed, this also confuses us as they act like they know him. Later we understand that he is actually a prisoner in the mental asylum and they are trying to get him to remember what he did.

6.     The opening has many typical thriller conventions, such as the mystery with Teddy. Thriller films are usually very confusing, and the story behind Teddy fits this perfectly as we have no idea what has happened to him previous to the boat.

Thriller Opening Analysis- Inception

Mise en Scene- Location of a beach creates confusion within the audience straight away as we associate beaches with calmness and positivity which is a complete contrast to the typical dark and run down setting that we expect to see in a Thriller film. We also instantly see guns used during the opening scene on the beach which shows the audience that crime will be ever present throughout the film. One other typical miss en scene feature that is shown to us during the opening is the use of dark lighting, the use of dark lighting during the dialogue scene makes the plot a lot more mysterious to the audience as we feel that they are having a very dark and deceptive conversation. The costumes used are also typical of a thriller film as they are dressed as spys which shows that they are used to combat which is a typical theme in a thriller film.
Sound- One example of effective use of sound is the clock ticking during the scene in which we see the main characters dreaming whilst there asleep on the train, this is effective as it emphasises the importance of the clock as they are running out of time.
Editing- The editing in the opening is fast paced during the escape scene where the building is collapsing to not only build suspense and excitement but also so the audience are able to keep up with the film. Slow motion is also used to capture the explosion of a car, it helps to show the scale of the damage caused, whilst also giving the film more drama and a wow factor which is necessary in small doses within thriller films. Slow motion is also used during the scene in which the main protagonist is waking from his dream after falling in the bath. This use of slow motion helps to show a change of state and the transition going from the dream world back to reality, there is also some parallel editing used between the dream world and reality.
Camerawork- We see an over the shoulder shot used during the meeting around the table which makes the audience feel like they are there. We also see an extreme close up shot of the spinner on the clock emphasises its significance and the high angled shot of the extremely tall buildings during the scene where the protagonist climbs down whilst holding a rope help to portray that he is fearless and isn't afraid of heights. 

Steven Spielburg

Steven Spielberg from Chaziedaa