Our group had suggested several ideas such as:
1) A homeless man witnesses a murder and he makes a noise which reveals where he is providing a cliffhanger.
2) A man is dreaming - based on memories of him and his girlfriend - and it suddenly changes to a nightmare and when he wakes up, his girlfriend is sitting at the end of the bed.
We then put it to a class vote and idea 1 was seen as more of a thriller and therefore gained the most votes.
We will begin with the homeless man walking around in places that suggest he comes from a poorer background. We will put them in wrecked and tatty clothes which then suggest the homeless aspect of his life and although this may appear stereotypical, it will best visually tell a story about the character for the audience to understand. Tracking shots will be used to show how the character never has a settled place and we will create a time lapse, alternating between him sitting down on bench with people walking past and him walking which will represent his day. This will be shot during the day so artificial lighting will not be used and we will experiment with dark filters when editing to suggest a depressing and dull atmosphere. Ellipsis would then be used and we will shoot when it is getting dark where the homeless man is settling for the night and will be hidden in the shadows of the artificial lighting. This will make it appear more atmospheric and mysterious. Our group is yet to decide how he notices a murder but we will develop this idea further into the planning. An idea we have suggested is that he falls asleep and is woken up by the sound of the scream and then witnesses a murder. The homeless man will then make a noise and reveal that he has witnessed the whole thing and it will end with a cliffhanger leaving the audience to wonder if he will escape or not.
Sunday 24 November 2013
Wednesday 13 November 2013
Evaluation of Preliminary - Developed
For our Preliminary Task we used a range of camera angles to add different perspectives. For example we used Shot Reverse Shot during the conversation which provided different angles so the audience could easily understand who is speaking and familiarise themselves with the characters.
An Over The Shoulder Shot was also used during the conversation so as to imply that there are two people involved in the scene and that they are talking to one another. Our group also felt that an Extreme Close Up Shot was essential throughout the clip as it told the audience a story visually. It was effectively used at the end of our video so it clearly expressed frustration in our character without the use of dialogue by using an extreme close up of the face.
The locations we chose were also key in our video as it was meant to show how our character (the cheater) was frantically looking for the reviser. Our video begins with the Cheater waiting outside the Arc for the Reviser who never shows up. This use of an open space means the audience can see more than the main character as they have a different perspective which then hints that nobody is actually coming. The Canteen was then used in the next scene in which too is an open space. This meant that the Cheater could run through whilst we use a Tracking Shot so we are following her movements for the audience to see. Because the Canteen is full of people sitting down, it then emphasises how stressed the cheater is because they are running in contrast to others in the shot which then makes it visually interesting as nobody is moving but the character, who is running.
Our group always considered continuity but there was an accidental error in which certain details were noticeably changed - such as shoes. To avoid confusion with the audience we had to re-shoot some of the footage as it was key to our plot. For example at the end we noticed that the shoes had changed - yet it was the main focus of the shot so we had to film it again so that it did not break the continuity rule. However in some circumstances we simply didn't use the footage with noticeable changes as it wasn't essential to the plot and therefore didn't ruin it.
An Over The Shoulder Shot was also used during the conversation so as to imply that there are two people involved in the scene and that they are talking to one another. Our group also felt that an Extreme Close Up Shot was essential throughout the clip as it told the audience a story visually. It was effectively used at the end of our video so it clearly expressed frustration in our character without the use of dialogue by using an extreme close up of the face.
The locations we chose were also key in our video as it was meant to show how our character (the cheater) was frantically looking for the reviser. Our video begins with the Cheater waiting outside the Arc for the Reviser who never shows up. This use of an open space means the audience can see more than the main character as they have a different perspective which then hints that nobody is actually coming. The Canteen was then used in the next scene in which too is an open space. This meant that the Cheater could run through whilst we use a Tracking Shot so we are following her movements for the audience to see. Because the Canteen is full of people sitting down, it then emphasises how stressed the cheater is because they are running in contrast to others in the shot which then makes it visually interesting as nobody is moving but the character, who is running.
Our group always considered continuity but there was an accidental error in which certain details were noticeably changed - such as shoes. To avoid confusion with the audience we had to re-shoot some of the footage as it was key to our plot. For example at the end we noticed that the shoes had changed - yet it was the main focus of the shot so we had to film it again so that it did not break the continuity rule. However in some circumstances we simply didn't use the footage with noticeable changes as it wasn't essential to the plot and therefore didn't ruin it.
Sunday 10 November 2013
Thriller Research - The Hunger Games!
The Hunger Games - Adventure/Sci-Fi Thriller
Director - Gary Ross
Release Date - 23rd March 2012 (UK)
Starring - Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutchinson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson.
Awards Won:
Synopsis - The Hunger Games takes place annually in which two children - a boy and a girl - are selected randomly from each district - there are twelve in total - to compete in a brutal competition in which you have to literally fight for survival. When Prim Everdeen, Katniss Everdeen's sister, is chosen, Katniss volunteers to take her place and eventually wins the Hunger Games for her, much to the dismay of the President of the Capitol who hosts the competition. This is because only one person is supposed to win, but Katniss and her district partner - Peeta - rebel against the rules, threatening to kill themselves to result in no winner. The whole competition is televised, showing the barbaric side of society.
The aspect of the film that I find so enjoyable is the originality of it and the use of mise-en-scene. For example the use of futuristic props and clothing tell the audience the genre of the film and is suggestive of the time in which it is set. It demonstrates the poor and richer people who, like us, have to live in a society of judgement and this contrast is clearly evident through the use of colour choice. For example in the scene provided, you notice the drab and colourless clothing of the people in the audience which are purely functional. Then in contrast, the lady on the stage who represents the Capitol, wears excessively bright and colourful clothing which signifies that she comes from a much wealthier part of society.
This can be shown through this screen shot of the scene being referred to in the review. Prim is taking up a third of the shot so that we can see her reaction, and the reaction of others.
Director - Gary Ross
Release Date - 23rd March 2012 (UK)
Starring - Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutchinson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson.
Awards Won:
- BAFTA Children's Award - Best Feature Film
- Saturn Award - Best Actress (Jennifer Lawrence)
- ASCAP Award - Top Box Office Films
- Critics Choice Award - Best Actress in an Action Movie (Jennifer Lawrence)
- Empire Award - Best Actress (Jennifer Lawrence)
- People's Choice Award - Favorite Action Movie
Synopsis - The Hunger Games takes place annually in which two children - a boy and a girl - are selected randomly from each district - there are twelve in total - to compete in a brutal competition in which you have to literally fight for survival. When Prim Everdeen, Katniss Everdeen's sister, is chosen, Katniss volunteers to take her place and eventually wins the Hunger Games for her, much to the dismay of the President of the Capitol who hosts the competition. This is because only one person is supposed to win, but Katniss and her district partner - Peeta - rebel against the rules, threatening to kill themselves to result in no winner. The whole competition is televised, showing the barbaric side of society.
The aspect of the film that I find so enjoyable is the originality of it and the use of mise-en-scene. For example the use of futuristic props and clothing tell the audience the genre of the film and is suggestive of the time in which it is set. It demonstrates the poor and richer people who, like us, have to live in a society of judgement and this contrast is clearly evident through the use of colour choice. For example in the scene provided, you notice the drab and colourless clothing of the people in the audience which are purely functional. Then in contrast, the lady on the stage who represents the Capitol, wears excessively bright and colourful clothing which signifies that she comes from a much wealthier part of society.
The generic conventions of this film include innocent victims (those who are chosen to fight in the competition unwillingly), psychotic individuals (as there are some who volunteer to fight others because they consider it a challenge), and the theme is linked to politics as the games result in a war between the Capitol and Katniss who each represent and symbolise a class/status. The use of locations are key in this film as it begins with an unglamourous setting of Katniss' home which represents how poor she is. Flashbacks are then used - which are common in thrillers - and the use of nature is used to represent emotion for us as an audience to understand. For example rain. This was used to represent how weak Katniss was and how that time was a depressing, bleak and dull time. The flashback also informs the audience about the time before the events that happen which help familiarise the audience with the characters.
Roger Ebert:
'One thing I missed, however, was more self-awareness on the part of the tributes. As their names are being drawn from a fish bowl (!) at the Reaping, the reactions of the chosen seem rather subdued, considering the odds are 23-to-1 that they'll end up dead. Katniss volunteers to take place of her 12-year-old kid sister, Prim (Willow Shields), but no one explicitly discusses the fairness of deadly combat between girl children and 18-year-old men. Apparently the jaded TV audiences of Panem have developed an appetite for barbarity. Nor do Katniss and Peeta reveal much thoughtfulness about their own peculiar position.'
I disagree with the comment as I find the reactions exact. It is representative of the vulnerability of these people who have no power because they are owned by the Capitol and are not free. The Hunger Games have been going on for 74 years and therefore you can't expect people to react any other way. They understand what is compulsory - though they may despise it - but they are powerless and therefore cannot change what is Law. This is why people are more surprised when Katniss rebels against the Capitol at the end, because it is unseen and unheard of. The extreme close-ups of faces are not meant to show disgust and hatred, it is meant to show empathy for the competitors because it is horrific, but nothing can be done to change that.
Thriller Research - Person of Interest!
Person of Interest:Action/Drama Thriller
Creator - Jonathan Nolan
Starring - Jim Caviezel, Michael Emerson, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Chapman
Awards Won:
This show used generic conventions of a thriller which made it so gripping such as flashbacks. This then arouses suspicion from the audience so as to make them feel that we don't know something that is of importance. This then only makes you want to watch it even further because we know it is relevant and could change the plot but little bits of information are only revealed at certain times throughout the series so as to keep us hooked. This aspect of the show is why I enjoy it so much because I feel as if I have to keep watching it because the show makes me ask questions that would be revealed, but later in the series.
Creator - Jonathan Nolan
Starring - Jim Caviezel, Michael Emerson, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Chapman
Awards Won:
- ASCAP Award - Top Television Series
- People's Choice Award - Favorite New TV Drama
This show used generic conventions of a thriller which made it so gripping such as flashbacks. This then arouses suspicion from the audience so as to make them feel that we don't know something that is of importance. This then only makes you want to watch it even further because we know it is relevant and could change the plot but little bits of information are only revealed at certain times throughout the series so as to keep us hooked. This aspect of the show is why I enjoy it so much because I feel as if I have to keep watching it because the show makes me ask questions that would be revealed, but later in the series.
This was the first episode of the third series which briefly gives an overview of what the plot is currently so that the audience remember. They also add extra information - with the use of flashbacks - such as the first day in which the machine was built which then adds to the information we already know. The use of long shots implies that the information that we are finding out is meant to be a secret and is therefore of importance suggesting that it could change the plot drastically. The use of dark and dull colours sets the mood so that we can understand visually the plot which is suggestive of danger and risk.
IMDb User Review:
'Person of Interest is a smart, taught, action thriller with substance that is brimming with excitement and dangerous, tense intrigue, and nail-biting suspense'
I agree with this comment as I always find myself absorbed in the unpredictable storyline. The unpredictably of it is then what makes it so tense and gripping and the plot is original and clever making it enjoyable to watch.
Friday 8 November 2013
Thriller Research - Fast and Furious!
Fast and Furious - Action/Crime Thriller
Director - Rob Cohen
Release Date - 14th September 2001 (UK)
Starring - Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster
Awards Won:
Synopsis - A police officer - Brian O'Connor - is chosen to find and arrest Dominic Toretto and his crew who are illegal street racers and have committed various theft crimes involving valuable cars. He has been sent undercover and falls in love with Toretto's Sister and finds himself involved with the racing, wanting to help the crew as oppose to bringing them down, thereby testing his loyalties.
The generic conventions of this film include convicts/criminals with the main characters breaking the law. However this film is based on their perspective as a group thus showing it from their side. This means that we as an audience favour them as oppose to the law - despite knowing that what they are doing is wrong.
Another generic convention is escaped cons which shows the pursuit of freedom particularly in the later films of the Fast and Furious film series. For example in the end of Fast and Furious 4 (Video above). This scene implies that Toretto is going escape through the help of his crew but because it cuts before we know, it then provides a cliffhanger making it a perfect beginning for the next film. The use of diegetic sound with the cars shows us the power of these vehicles and makes the film seem more fast paced and eventful with the help of quick and tense music. The location is also key as it is isolated informing the audience that this place has no boundaries and no one can stop what we assume is about to happen.
This particular screen shot from the clip is an example of the rule of thirds which is significant. The subject and object takes up roughly 2/3 of the shot and is representative of Toretto - the man they are about to help escape. It is significant because the necklace on the first third of the shot has been included throughout the film series and is recognisably Toretto's item and therefore having it included shows the power and influence he has. It represents who is crew are saving and how they will always help him because that is what they do.
Roger Ebert Review :
'"The Fast and the Furious" is not a great movie, but it delivers what it promises to deliver, and knows that a chase scene is supposed to be about something more than special effects. It has some of that grandiose self-pitying dialogue we've treasured in movies like this ever since "Rebel Without a Cause." "I live my life a quarter-mile at a time," Toretto tells Brian. "For those 10 seconds, I'm free." And, hey, even for the next 30 seconds, he's decelerating.'
I do agree with this comment as it isn't a blockbuster film but it does provide us with the nail-biting, edge of your seat kind of entertainment. The use of cliffhangers are so effective as the script isn't pre-written like a book so the whole plot could change making it unpredictable. It promises to deliver in which it most definitely does!
Director - Rob Cohen
Release Date - 14th September 2001 (UK)
Starring - Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster
Awards Won:
- MTV Movie Award - Best On-Screen Team
- Taurus Award - Best Work With a Vehicle
- Hollywood Breakthrough Award - Breakthrough Male Performance (Paul Walker)
Synopsis - A police officer - Brian O'Connor - is chosen to find and arrest Dominic Toretto and his crew who are illegal street racers and have committed various theft crimes involving valuable cars. He has been sent undercover and falls in love with Toretto's Sister and finds himself involved with the racing, wanting to help the crew as oppose to bringing them down, thereby testing his loyalties.
The generic conventions of this film include convicts/criminals with the main characters breaking the law. However this film is based on their perspective as a group thus showing it from their side. This means that we as an audience favour them as oppose to the law - despite knowing that what they are doing is wrong.
Another generic convention is escaped cons which shows the pursuit of freedom particularly in the later films of the Fast and Furious film series. For example in the end of Fast and Furious 4 (Video above). This scene implies that Toretto is going escape through the help of his crew but because it cuts before we know, it then provides a cliffhanger making it a perfect beginning for the next film. The use of diegetic sound with the cars shows us the power of these vehicles and makes the film seem more fast paced and eventful with the help of quick and tense music. The location is also key as it is isolated informing the audience that this place has no boundaries and no one can stop what we assume is about to happen.
Roger Ebert Review :
'"The Fast and the Furious" is not a great movie, but it delivers what it promises to deliver, and knows that a chase scene is supposed to be about something more than special effects. It has some of that grandiose self-pitying dialogue we've treasured in movies like this ever since "Rebel Without a Cause." "I live my life a quarter-mile at a time," Toretto tells Brian. "For those 10 seconds, I'm free." And, hey, even for the next 30 seconds, he's decelerating.'
I do agree with this comment as it isn't a blockbuster film but it does provide us with the nail-biting, edge of your seat kind of entertainment. The use of cliffhangers are so effective as the script isn't pre-written like a book so the whole plot could change making it unpredictable. It promises to deliver in which it most definitely does!
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