Preliminary Task Evalutaion

I was very pleased with our preliminary task as I feel the final product was very good considering we didn’t have much time to plan or shoot it.

Steady camera work really made the video, it was consistent throughout and the majority was shot with a stable tripod but some were tracking shots that were also very effective and shot by hand. All tough they were shot by hand they are very smooth and almost look like we used professional equipment, these shots help build tension dramatically.

Our planning was very good which allowed us to use the time we had to shoot very effectively. We knew exactly what we wanted to shoot and what we wanted in each shot. The framing was how we planned, and example of this would be where the security guards are following the suspect. Although slightly off to the right this shot is still very effective and gives the viewer an insight to what may be about to happen. The actor in the foreground immediately takes our attention but then we realise he is being followed. This shot was very successful for us so I would definitely try to incorporate it into our thriller.

We also used a wide variety of different shot types in our preliminary task, we have used long shots, close ups and mid-shots. This variety was used to keep the viewer interested and made it seem very professional; hopefully we can carry this professional feel on into out thriller task.

We have used mainly straight cuts to stick with a fast paced thriller, typical to thrillers conventions. Straight cuts are not only easy to use but from watching other movies they help race both the pace and tension of the scene. We also used a few fades in our preliminary task; we used them when cutting from scene 1 to scene 2 to make it seem smoother. Colour correction also helped us gain an almost darker shot which helped the transition. Using this fade also helped us determine that he had moved from one place to another. Another time we have used a fade to black is at the end of the video when going to credits; this worked very well and again gave the video a very professional feel.

Something that surprised me whilst editing was how much of a difference a simple soundtrack can make. Being new to media this year I didn’t quite understand that an effect soundtrack can really help build tension and create different feelings and emotions. In our preliminary task we used a simple soundtrack with thuds in it when tension was at its highest point. This helps enhance the experience for the viewer and give a professional feel. In our thriller it is vital that we get the soundtrack correct as it can really make the difference, we may even consider making our own soundtrack to create tension. As time was limited when editing, we didn’t have much time to find a soundtrack so we used a basic track that still gave us the feel that we wanted. We will have more time when editing our thriller and is something we will discuss as a group in depth whilst planning.

At the start of our video we have used the 180° rule to make sure that the viewer does not get confused with placement of the characters. The use of dialogue in the first scene also helps set the scene and creates building blocks for the next scene.  

Another clever shot we have used is a shot reverse shots, when security guard 4 shouts ‘oi’ the camera cuts from an over the shoulder shot of the target straight to the side of the security guard chasing him, we have done this to overall create tension and speed the scene up.

The editing technique’s we have used also make a massive impact on our video, colour correction helped to filter out unwanted light and make them darker to give an overall more scary / eerie feel.

I also feel that our preliminary covered all the objectives that we was set in the assignment, we have used a range of different shots and used dialogue effectively. Our use of mise-en-scene has also worked well in the ill lighted corridors, the attire of the actors was appropriate to the storyline as they wore suits, this shows power and importance. The use of props (briefcase and radio) has also helped build the tension and give the overall video a professional feel about it.

In conclusion I feel that it went very well, we had many different shots, used the 180° rule, steady camera work and a simple yet effective storyline. If I was to do this task again I would make sure that the lighting was better as some shots were very dark causing us a problem. We definitely need to consider ways of incorporating our titles into the thriller as if done correctly they can look extremely effective.

Preliminary Task feedback

Above is some feedback that we recieved from Beth Ryman http://bethrymanfoundationproduction.blogspot.co.uk/  and Libby Gelsthorpe  http://libbygelsthorpefoundationproduction.blogspot.co.uk/

Preliminary Task

Shot List for Preliminary Task

Scene 1

• Mid-shot of security guards
• Over the shoulder tracking shot of security guards
• Back to mid-shot of security guards
• Back to over shoulder tracking shot of security guards

Scene 2

• Tracking shot behind victim

(Security walks behind the victim)

• High angle shot from the security camera’s perspective
• Back to tracking shot from behind

(The victim and security all walk through the first door)

• Long shot of victim walking towards the second door
• Match on action shot of the door handle
• Tracking shot in front of victim
• Back to long shot of security walking through second door
• Back to tracking shot of the victim and security
• Long shot of the victim walking through the third door
• Close up shot of victim’s feet
• Long shot of victim
• Close up of security’s feet
• Long shot of security splitting up
• Back to long shot of victim and one security guard shouting to get the victim’s attention
• Long shot from behind of victim looking back
• Close up shot of victim dropping briefcase
• Tracking shot from behind of victim running
• Jump shot to victim being caught and thrown against the wall
• Close up of security guard’s face

Preliminary Task, Script

Scene 1

Security Guard 1 - Kingston Capes - 'Kieran It's him again'

Security Guard 2 - Kieran Hill - 'Naa, hes a gonner'

Security Guard 1 - Kingston Capes - 'Naa, you need to check this'

Securtiy Guard 2 - Kieran Hill 'Allright dont worry, ill call in the boys'
Security Guard 2 on radio - Kieran Hill - 'Yeh, its definately him'

Security Guard 3 on radio - Max Hutchinson -'Are you sure?'

Securtiy Guard 2 on raido - Kieran Hill 'Dont muck it up this time'

Security Guard 3 on radio - Max Hutchinson -'Will try not too'

Scene 2

Security Guard 4 - Domanic Saint - 'Oi'

Security Guard 3 - Max Hutchinson - 'You're screwed'

Preliminary Task Storyboard

These are the story boards that we originally created to give ourselves something to aim for, our overall video ended up being very similar which also shows good planning.

 

 

 

 

Leon Analysis

 

Leon is a thriller that is based on an a professional assassin (played by Jean Leno), who saves Matilda, (played by Natalie Portman), who's parents were killed in a police raid. It was directed by Luc Besson in 1994 and is based around crime and drugs.

The opening scene immediately shows us the location of the movie, this being very conventional to a thriller as it is part of everyday life in a built up city, this is shown by a tracking shot and a point of view shot helps us become a part of the movie and immediately interact with the scene.

The next scene is a very dark scene which uses many extreme close ups, this being unconventional of a thriller. The characters identity is hidden in the darkness and by the fact that he is wearing glasses, this also suggests that he may have little or no emotion.  The whole scene creates mystery and almost tells us that this is going to be a conventional thriller as it is indicated that he is going to kill somebody, however you are not told why which keeps the audience at a third person perspective on the plot.

In the next scene Leon takes one of the guards hostage and uses him as a means of communication to the targeted man. As an informer goes on to radio with the targeted man (fat man) to warn him of what is about to happen, Leon shows up whilst the man is on the radio and has a pleasant surprise when Leon puts a gun to his mouth. Leon approaches with no sound and kills cold heartedly showing he has no emotion, and most concerned about getting the job done. Due to his lack of emotion it informs the viewer that he may have done this before and this is not the first person he has killed. A large amount of blood is splattered when Leon kills him but yet he remains unfazed. We then cut to a shot of the fat man, after hearing the gun shot on the end of the phone, looking extremely worried and anxious. They have used this straight cut to create emotion and show the contrast between that and the calmness of Leon's killing.  As the viewer we then see a sense of urgency from the fat man, attempting to multi task.

They have used a  close shot of the elevator which helps build tension as he reaches each floor, the cuts in the shots are becoming more frequent, much like in a conventional thriller. Leon then tricks the body guards with a witty and almost humorous gesture. He sends the body up in the lift as he knows people will be waiting for him at the top, this is very quick thinking and shows he has experience in this line of work.

 

As the audience we are recognising that Leon is barely seen in all of the scenes, this is unconventional of a thriller but we know he is out there somewhere but may struggle to relate to him. Another good thing about this scene is that we are made to jump each time Leon kills somebody. The diegetic sound is of a heartbeat, getting louder and faster to build tension as Leon gets closer, then the music completely stops then Leon is behind the drug dealer, even when Leon comes into shot he is still very hidden, can only see what you have already seen. The props used are mainly guns and drugs, the fact they aren’t little guns makes you feel like it is a very serious matter and they want to get rid of him as soon as possible. This is reinforced when the main drug dealer goes back for more guns, the shots are straight curs to keep the tension high and make us feel uneasy, the deep breathes of the drug dealer helps us show how unfit or scared he is.

Leon’s movement suggests he is a very edgy character; he moves very slowly and slightly glides to places, as If he is a ghostly character. His character is unconventional as he is very open about his life, he goes on public transport and then you see him buying milk. This would not be exciting enough for some thrillers but it almost fits this one to show the personality of Leon.

Mise-en-scene in Leon

Guns	As he takes off his jacket you see all the guns attached around his waist, this hints that he is a very wanted man because he feels he is always in need of guns for protection. Also can represent how he might have messed with the wrong people and got himself into trouble.
Plant	The plant is a large contrast to his normal nature, the use of the plant symbolizes life, how he treats it with such care and affection, however, his job is to take life. His plant his placed in centre of the hallway, this is so when he walks in it is the first thing he sees and when he walks out it is the last thing he sees.
Picture of God	He lays his gun down on the table right next to a picture of God, the picture of God could indicate he is a religious man, however I feel it is set to confuse the audience, how he can be a religious man, yet still kill people.
Clock	Sounds like it ticks to a different beat than real time; might show how he is always one step ahead and in his own time zone when he is on his own.
Sister	Mathilda’s sister is first seen to be working out, which shows she cares about what she looks like compared to her mother.
Mothers Clothing	Mathilda’s mother is introduced as a very under dressed lady, this could indicate what she does for a living, also shows how poor the family are as she needs to sell her body for money.
Glasses	He seems to be wearing sunglasses everywhere unless he is in his house, this could be to hide his identity.
Lighting	Throughout these scenes it is very natural lighting, giving you the sense of realism and time of day.
Milk	He seems to only drink milk, this could show that he might miss his childhood, which then brings out a sense of insecurity. As milk is white and white symbolizes purity, it could be trying to tell you he is pure inside.

Seven Analysis

Seven Is a psychological thriller starring Brad Pitt as Detective Mills and Morgan Freeman as Detective Lutenant William Somerset. As the movie opens he is wearing very formal clothing which makes us automatically realise that he is of high authority and has high standards. He then goes on to pick up the objects in his order, showing he likes things done his way and in order. This could make us feel that he is going to be difficult and pottentioally stubborn. He is shown at the very start of the movie to help us interact with him and understand that he is going to be the main character and has a quest to be undertaken; this is very conventional of a thriller.

Very earlier in the movie we realise what the movie is going to be about, after 54 seconds we see a clip of a dead person, bringing mystery but also piecing together what Morgan Freeman’s character does for a living. In my opinion this is unconventional for a thriller as we do not see the deaths, no fast straight cuts or music to build tension, it is almost like the movie has started and Morgan Freemans character has to catch up, catching the murderer. We are immediately focused on the body due to the cameras angle being high angled; it is also a mid-shot with the correct lighting to draw our attention to the body. This shot also works well as we have just gone from Morgan Freemans nice clean, pristine, everything in order to this house with a murdered body in.

As Brad Pitt’s character Detective David Mills is brought onto the scene we realise how different he and Morgan Freeman’s characters are going to be, and that it has the potential to be a unconventional thriller in the sense that the two characters are going to clash. You can tell via appearance that they are very different people, Mills is very scruffy and almost not experienced as William Somerset. It is both unconventional for the reasons discussed but then I feel that it is conventional as whether they like it or not, fall out or get on, they are going to be solving a mystery together.

As the day closes and William Somerset is in bed we get an extreme close up of his metronome, this could represent many different things, depends how you want to interpret it, I feel that it shows time ticking away maybe on his life or his job.

Title Sequences

We have started considering different ways to incorporate title sequences into our thriller, here is some research I have done.

The Terminator and Sixth Sense Comparison

The Sixth Sense

The scene is set when there is a car accident and mother and son are caught up in the traffic behind. This is stereotypically a thriller setting as it is something that could happen every day, but what isn't normal are the things Cole, played by Haley Joel Osment is seeing. Cole decided to tell his mother played by Toni Collette, that he is 'ready to communicate now'. This is an extremely unusual thing for a child to be saying, making us think that he is about to say  something emotional and serious. He goes on to make very emotional comments to his mother regarding his grandmother and things that are happening to him.  This is extremely abnormal and upsetting for his mother

In  my opinion I feel that the camera work is very typical of a thriller, this is done to show setting slightly, detailed emotion and an emotional connection with what is going on. In this scene you can see from the expression on Cole's face that something more serious than his mum missing the play is on his mind. The first camera shot is a mid shot from outside the car, giving us sense of location and situation. Another of the shots that are used in this scene are almost point of view shots, focussing on each character, what Cole is saying and how his mum is reacting. These are very simple shots and they have not over complicated it because in this particular scene it is not about complicated shots. It is about simplicity so the viewers attention is on what Cole is saying and how his mother is reacting. The camera is almost always at eye level, again bringing us into the conversation and making it seem more realistic, very conventional of a thriller. Another shot that takes place is allmost the womens point of view shot, this shows Cole and the lady that died up ahead in the accident, by his window. This shows us as the audience that what he is saying is true.

 The sound is diegetic of them speaking but it is non-diegetic of the car and city sounds in the background, this is done to make the scene much more realistic and make sure that we as the viewer believe what is happening and the setting to be realistic, this is key, especially for a thriller as they are conventionally set in a realistic city environment 

The editing of this scene is very simple. This is unconventional editing for a thriller, as it is normally fast paced, but in this scene it is about what is being said, that is what they want the viewer to be concentrating on as it is a highly emotional conversation. This also helps create tension, but very slowly you can feel that after this scene something is going to happen.

Terminator

In this scene the terminator is searching for Sarah Connor, he proceeds to walk into the bar, walking in straight robot like lines, not moving for anybody which could later cause him trouble. He is searching for her in the bar, looking around until he spots her sat alone at a table, in which one of Sarah Connors friends sees from the look in Terminators eyes what is about to happen. Her friend then pulls out a shotgun and attempts to kill terminator.

The camera shots in this scene are not conventional of a normal thriller, when terminator is entering the bat the camera is set behind a cage, making us immediately feel that something is going to happen, it almost gives us a protective barrier that we become to feel me might need. The camera then tracks in front of the character, showing he is the main, dominant character. The camera is kept eye level like in a lot of scenes in a lot of thrillers, this is done to make you feel a part of the scene and action, especially as the camera is going away from terminator it makes the viewer feel like we are walking away from hi, giving us the feel of being intimidated by him. We as the viewer seem to think that  the characters are helpless, this could be reinforced by the fact that no point of view shots are included. We also feel like Sarah Connor is helpless when the camera is looking down on her from a high angle, making her seem helpless, inferior and unprotected. The sound that is used in the scene in mostly non-diegetic, the music that is played throughout the scene is non-diegetic, this is proven as when it goes into slow motion the music is still normal paced, this could be done to keep tempo high. Another thing that will have been added is the sound of the shotgun and the sound of knuckles cracking. The setting being in a club is also conventional for a thriller as it is in a realistic venue.

The club is dark, this is conventional for a thriller, giving it a eerie and mysterious kind of feel. The dark and a slight amount of smoke also helps hides somebody's identity.

In comparison

In comparison I think that although both these movies are classed as thrillers, they are not completely conventional, they both have their own twists and emotions. One thing that is similar in these two scenes and used a lot in thrillers is that the camera is kept at eye level helping us interact and the use of mid shots and close up to show emotion and reaction have been used in both scenes. They both use non-diegetic and diegetic sounds, the sixth sense is mostly diegetic but the sounds of traffic and the city may have been put over the top, whereas in terminator the music is mostly non-diegetic, so are the gun shots etc.

Overall both these scenes are thrillers but with their own personal adjustments from the directors.

 

Psycho Shower Scene Response

There are many conventions of a traditional thriller in the movie Psycho, as I shall go on to speak about. In this shower scene the female character is writing figures on paper on her desk, she then goes on to rip the paper up, searching for a bin that she couldn't find she flushes it down the toilet. She then goes on to undress and get into the shower, washing her, purifying when she is brutally murdered, being stabbed over 5 times. She then has to watch the killer walk out the room, knowing there is nothing she could, although she tries to haul herself out of the bath to get help, she is utterly drained and dies leant over the bath.

Mise-en-scene plays a big part in this scene as it is all the props, setting and costume that confuse us and make the scene as magnificent as it is.

In my opinion I feel that the setting being in a hotel is very traditional of a thriller. It is set in what we believe to be Los Angeles due to the newspaper when the camera moves out of the bathroom. The hotel is in the middle of nowhere, not where a normal hotel would sit, in the middle of a busy area, this automatically gives us the idea that something is bound to happen. The killing takes place in a very confined room, one way into the bathroom and considering she doesn't seem to put up much of a fight, this could be due to shock but there is very little chance of escape. Making us feel it is inevitable that she will die in the bathroom. She does however scream as loud as possible, but due to the location of the hotel no help comes and the killer simply walks out and escapes.  At the start of the scene when the victim is on the way to bathroom, she goes across the room and into the bathroom, making us think that she is going from being safe in the hotel room, to danger in the bathroom, this could be classed as a signifier but we only realise this after the scene.

The props used in this scene are also very significant; they are significant of their representation in other movies of this genre. The most significant in this scene and most used in this genre is the knife; the knife represents death in horror movies and does in this scene, following the conventions of a thriller.  As soon as the knife is held up and shown, we know what is going to happen. The authority of the knife is reinforced by its positioning in most shots, it is in the centre of the shot automatically making us realise its authority.  I also feel that the way they have used blood and water is mixed together is a fantastic effect. Considering water is related with cleanliness and purity, which is why she is taking a shower in the first place, when she gets stabbed the water and blood is mixed together and slowly drains down the plughole so does her life. This could represent a dramatic change in the movie, as her life is slowly draining away and is soon to be dead. The plughole also relates to the women’s life because of the transition between that and the eye dilating, this also shows her life coming to an end. When the camera cuts to storm outside it represents violence, the storm is violent as in weather and the killing is a violent act in life.

The female victim is getting in the shower so is only originally wearing a gown which is removed to get in the shower. The killer is dressed as a female, we think this because of the long blonde hair, this could be a wig but in this scene we cannot tell. The unknown character also has his or her sleeves rolled up, this could show they do not want to get blood on their clothing, stereotypically it is normally women that care more about their appearance and clothing, this could be another reason to suggest the attacker is female.

In this scene there have been a lot of cuts, around 15 different camera shots from different angles. In these shots we see three different perspectives; we see the perspectives of the killer, the victim and a third person view. There are mainly mid shots, close ups and extreme close ups used in this scene to show the reactions and emotions of the victim through this horrific scene. They also show the surroundings of the character, for example there are cameras in the shower with her, this gives us a sense of claustrophobia and during the murder how she is confined.  The shot types also gives us a sense of tension and when the editing speeds up  we get a sense of pace as it become more and more obvious that she is going to die. In this scene there are many different cuts, they are mostly straight cuts to keep the tempo of the scene. There are also a few jump cuts.

Most of the shots that we see are mostly eye level, ensuring that the audience are engaged and ready for what is about to happen. The extreme close ups in the scene are used to show one specific feature such as the knife, the pupil dilating and the plug hole. The framing of the shots are also very tight, creating tension.

This is an extreme close up of the knife, the room is lit and the light is shining of the knife, making our attention be automatically drawn to the knife, this is reinforced by the knife being in the centre of the shot.  Using the gold mean we know what the knife is the main subject. In this shot, to the left we can see the hair of the killer, as it long we presume it is a woman.

In this shot the camera slowly pans to the left, to show the victim innocently purifying herself (washing) to the killer through the shower curtain, who is about to end her life.

Another type of shot that is used in this scene are high or low angle shots, they are used to show authority and give us a sense of power, high angle shots are normally used on the victim to make us feel like they are inferior and helpless. Low angle shots are used when viewing the murder, it makes us feel like the killer is powerful and the fate of the victim is in their hands, and in this case the killer goes ahead to brutally murder her.

This is an example of a high angle shot and is used to make us feel like the victim is inferior and the killer has power. It is a third persons view which means we get to see the whole scene.

The lighting in the hotel room is very bright, in the genre of horror this makes us feel like she is safe as the dark is normally the scary killing scenes, but this is unconventional and happens in the light.  The light exposes everything in the room, including the killer’s knife. The light could make her venerable but I feel that it makes her feel safe as there are no dark areas or corners for anybody to hide.

There are also good use of both diegetic and non-diegetic sound in this scene, the diegetic sounds consist of the water in the shower. Another diegetic sound in this scene is the women screaming, these are the two most significant in the movie. The non-diegetic sounds consist of the stabbing between the killer and victim; this has been put in so that we do not have to see the knife physically go into the body but we assume it is due to her screams and the sounds of the stabbing. Another non-diegetic sound that is added in is the sound of the water and blood mixed together going down the plughole, it almost sounds as if we can hear it getting further away as it goes down the plughole, this is relevant as it shows her life slowly slipping away.

The victim fits into the typical conventions of a thriller movie; she is an inferior character that is going to be killed off as part of the killing spree. Another reason that she seems inferior could be that she is female, stereotypically not as strong as males which could be the reason that she seems so defenceless. She is attacked, and dies, a common scene used in thrillers. In many thrillers the killer is male, but the director has typically made her women, well what appears to be women to avoid following the genre down to a tee. To make the movie unique.

I think that this shower scene has many conventions of a thriller. They have been used in a typical but slightly different but unique way. All of the different aspects have been used in ways that complement the typical genre, but have been used so that we do not know what’s going to happen and is unpredictable. The scene being set in the bathroom, in the shower, is all white and clean, the contrast between clean and cleanliness with death and blood is magnificent. In conclusion the scene follows the conventions but with a unique twist from the director.

 

The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect is a psychological thriller starring Aston Kutcher who plays Evan Treborn. Evan is a troubled young boy, his childhood dominated by his blackouts, in which he cannot remember what he has done or been doing. His farther, Rennie, also seems to be suffering from the same thing which is why he is a resident of a high security psychiatric hospital. As Evan grows up he asks more and more about his farther, his mother who is played by Melora Waters decides it is time for Evan to meet his farther. Evan was nearly killed.  His highly sedated father was trying to strangle him to death when Evan came around from his blackout, the guards come in and the only way to stop his father is to kill him. He must have saw something of himself in Evan. 

 

Another of Evans blackouts takes place when he was visiting his childhood friend Kayleigh, where he and Kayleigh both wake, naked in Kayleigh's father’s basement, being the victims to child abuse. Evan is extremely confused about what has just happened. Kayleigh's brother Tommy has watched the whole thing and is almost jealous that his father did give him 'the main role'. This is disgusting and is the beginning of a troubled story.

 

Once Evan has grown up, he comes across his diary, the journal that the doctors told him to write in when he has had a blackout. This was to try and help him to understand what he had been doing in his blackouts, but only go on to take him back to the past every time he reads the journal. Evan doesn't come back round like he went back to the past, for example, he comes back with no legs and arms one time. The camera is on his face and shows his expression when he realises he has no arms or legs, leaving the audience in the dark and puzzled the camera then zooms out to show us how he has came back to normal time.

Here is the trailer to what turns out to be a very mind boggling movie. Enjoy.