Conventions of your chosen genre

Thrillers

• quick cuts
• music that creates tension
• use of shadows (stairs and mirrors)
• mainly ransoms, captivities, heists, revenge and kidnappings
• cover-up of important information
• fight/chase scenes

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Psychological thrillers

• mind games
• stalking
• death-traps
• obsession
• psychological themes

Psychological thrillers often links in with the mystery and drama genre. Techniques often used include stream of consciousness, first person narrative and a back story. Common themes are seen throughout thrillers including reality, perception, the mind, existence/purpose, identity and death.

Analysis of Memento 2

This opening sequence is effective as it uses all the typical connotations of a thriller and sets the tone of the rest of the film. The slow quiet soundtrack makes the audience focus on the film and become involved and to prepare themselves for the rest of the film. Although the music is calming the cinematography makes the viewer feel uneasy as it does not match the music and something does not feel right. The opening sequence introduces the main character and shows that he has just killed a man. Even though the audience knows that he has killed a man it is shown in such a way to not make us hate the man for doing it. The close up of the mans face allows the audience to familiarise themselves with him. It is also successful in revealing the location as it does not show it straight away and it is shown though the picture the man had taken. It is also effective as it creates questions and hooks the audience into wanting to find out more about the situation and events that is taken place.

Location research 2

These are 4 different shots of areas in Nonsuch Park which is a potential location to where the film will be set. These are ideal locations as they look deserted and also give of a nervous feeling that something could happen here without anyone knowing. It is a good location as the colours of green and brown work well as it gives a washed out and mysterious look which is good for a dream scene of our product as it will add to the effect and help the audience understand it is a dream. The lighting of the area is also good as the tree branches add cover so the sunlight does not make it too bright and adds shadows to the set. As we are filming in the winter there are no leaves on the trees which adds a chilling and creepy feel and almost makes it feel like the branches are reaching out and grabbing the character. Photos taken by James Sullivan.

Location research 1

These are my 8 shots that are potential ideas for a thriller opening sequence. The first shot could be a point of view shot of someone looking at something/someone. The leaves in the foreground are not in focus which also enforces the feeling that someone is focusing on something else behind the tree. The second picture is good as it is not entirely in focus which suggests that something is not right. It also looks as if someone is looking at it quickly or there vision blurred which could create questions. This picture could think that the person looking at it is maybe running or being carried. The 3rd, 4th and 5th image showing bars and a lock could represent someone being imprisoned. The 6th and 7th images of the tree branches looks almost sinister as if they are reaching out trying to catch the viewer. They also look evil and the lighting in the top 6th one is effective due to the contrast of light and dark which also makes it look twisted and deformed. The 8th image could link in with the bars and imprisonment but it also looks fancy showing it could be expensive. The over grown plant in the background, dirt on the fence and the fact the paint is peeling shows that it is not looked after or cared about. The last image shows a crack in a fence which is not meant to be there. The frame is not tilted which adds to the effect that something is wrong.

The Sixth Sense

The title is revealed in the same font as the rest of the credits. The title appears after the main actor Bruce Willis is announced. The credits fade into the frame slowly as they zoom in and become more stretched out. The size of the credits is quite small and the they are a very pale blue colour. The title 'The Sixth Sense' suggest that the film is about something out of the ordinary or supernatural events. Straight away the title makes the audience think about what the film is about and that not everything is normal and something is going to happen.

The setting of the film is revealed slowly as the light becomes brighter. It shows a close up of the light turning on however you are unsure of what it is at first. Once the light has become brighter you can see the room but it is still dark so you can not see everything which makes the viewer want to know what is in the room. It is revealed that it is a cellar that has shelves of wine in. The actress walks down the stairs which are shown to be old as the creaky sound they make when she walks on them is exaggeration.

The costumes and props in this sequence are fairly normal to what an average person wears or uses. The main characters in the opening are dressed up and she is getting a bottle of wine which suggest that they are going to celebrate an occasion that makes the audience feel on edge and uneasy as they can sense that something bad is going to happen when they are meant to be happy. The selves are old and have cob webs on them which creates an eerie atmosphere in the scene.

This opening sequence sets the tone for the rest of the film because the eerie atmosphere is carried on throughout the film. The sense that the women is not down in the cellar on her own creates the feeling that someone is in the house that is not meant to be and that something bad is going to happen in the house. The darkness at the beginning also shows us that the film is going to be dark and not positive.

The opening suggest it is a thriller through a number of different ways. For instance the music is very low and has a slow tempo which creates tension. The overall feel to the beginning is that you know that it is inevitable that something bad will happen to the women even though you still try to think of a way that she can avoid this. The situation is very calm which is a typical connotation of a thriller.

An interesting shot used in the opening is a long shot of the women while she is in the cellar. She is holding a bottle of wine close to her chest which suggests she is scared of something. The choice of lighting on the women creates a shadow of her on the wall next to her which creates a sinister feel and dark tone. The shadow also suggests that she is not the only presence in the room.

The opening sequence introduces one of the characters as a women in a purple dress who seems normal at first. The sounds and her expressions suggests that she senses something is in the house. The close-ups on the women's face allows the audience to familiarise themselves with her and feel like something is going to happen to her. The long shots when she is in the cellar so her to be vulnerable as she is alone in a dark place.

An interesting use of camera work is the extreme close up of the light bulb at the beginning. It comes out of the darkness and slowly turns on. The audience may be unsure what it is at first but at the same time they are realising what it is they are also realising what the setting is. The light bulb turning on also sets up the theme of the film suggesting that there is something good in all the bad (light in the dark).

Analysis of Memento 1

The title of this film is Memento which means a reminder or physical object which is kept as a reminder of a place or event. The word Memento first appears in the sequence just before the clips of footage are shown. The opening sequence first shows the main actors and cast, then the title, then returns to showing the cast like the director Christopher Nolan. The opening credits (including the title) fade into the middle of the frame in the colour blue then they fade out again. The credits fade in and out at a slow pace which creates an uneasy atmosphere as the audience wants the film to begin.

The beginning of the film is set in an abandoned building which is a typical setting of a thriller as it makes the audience feel as if they are not meant to be there. The first clip

fades into a man holding a polaroid and then it shows the events backwards as the man takes the picture of the man he shot followed by him shooting him. The location has a dark green and black feel to it. You also get to establish the setting through the polaroid as it shows a picture of the surrounding location. The opening sequence is successful in showing the setting as it creates questions as to why the men are there.

The key props in the opening sequence provide more detail about the event and creates questions to what has happened. The main prop in this sequence is the polariod (which is the first shot) and a polariod camera. Both of these props are shown thro

ugh close ups. Other main props used are the man's glasses and a bullet which are also shown through close ups. The polariod picture links with the title as it is the man's memento of the murder he just committed which relates to the title of the film and straight away allows the audience to think what the plot of the film will involve.

The camera work and editing in the film helps create a tense atmosphere through jump cuts, fades and a very slow pace. The camera is always steady and the shots are mainly close ups/ extreme close up with the exception of one shot that is a mid-shot. The close ups tell the audience that each shot is very important to the main plot and makes them remember each one clearly. The main character is shown to have more power through a low-angle shot which shows him looking down at is victim who is shown at a eye-line match to him through a high-angle shot. One shot of moving blood is shown in a tilted frame which creates an interesting effect of something that is not normal and make the audience feel weird. Many of the close ups create questions which makes the viewer want to carry on watching to find out these questions. For example there is a close up of his face which has 2 cuts on it which makes the viewer want to know how he got them, other include why he has a tattoo on his hand, why is

he married to (close-up on wedding ring) and why is he taking a picture of the man he shot. Although the opening sequence is very steady the audience almost feels like it is building up to something bigger which is shown in the last couple of shots of him shooting the man. This happen at a very fast paced and may make the viewer jump and the suddenness of the change in events. The build up of tension is helped with the non-deigetic sound as it increases in volume and pitch slowly until it reaches him taking the picture which is accompanied by a quieter and lower pitch soundtrack until it is almost silent. The other sounds -taking of the picture and 'catching' of the gun- is amplified which scares the viewer as it also creates tension. The last couple of very quick shots which show him killing the man is shown with a even louder bang of the gun which makes the audience jump and sets the tone of the rest of the film. The main editing is that the opening sequence has been filmed and then edit

ed so that the footage is shown backwards. This allows

the audience to know the end and want to know the lead up to this event. The opening sequence also give us a brief overview of how the whole film is set out and allows the audiences mind to understand that the events they are going to see are shown back to front which will make them feel insecure and vulnerable as they are not used to this.

The titles of the opening sequence fade in from a black and are placed in the middle of the frame. It uses a very simple font which makes the audience not concentrate too much on them but instead the footage in the background, however they are still noticeable as it in the middle. When the credits fade it it goes from a light blue to dark blue. Throughout the film the main colour scheme was blue and lots of props and costumes used were blue which links the credits with the rest of the film. The simplistic feel to the credits allow the audience to settle down before the main film begins but also contrast with the event that is unfolding.

The opening sequence relates to the rest of the film as it sets the tone and atmosphere of the film and allows the audience to have a brief overview of what to expect in the film. This sequence is also very important because in a way it is the end of the storyline and the beginning of the event that have taken place. The close ups of the props introduces them to the audience so they can understand what each one is so they do no have to concentrate on what they are when the plot evolves. The opening sequence also creates a lot of questions very quickly which hooks the viewer but also creates the sense that you know the ending is inevitable because you already know the outcome.

Analyses of two thrillers

The opening sequences to Panic Room and Face Off both show typical connotations of thriller films. Panic room shows a number of different shots of city buildings with the credits following the same angle. The credits are big and meant to be noticed which shows that the actors are a big part of the film and are well known. It consists of montage editing with jump cuts between each shot. The clips are long and slow paced with gives a sense of calmness that is not often seen in cities which makes the audience feel like something isn't right. The cinematography in the opening sequence of Panic Room show all the shots to be extreme long shots all resulting in being establishing shots of the city and creates an urban atmosphere. The shots are images that most people see in typical everyday life which is a convention of thriller as everything seems fine and like any other day. The sense that it feels normal and calm allows the audience to become tense as it shows that the storyline could happen to any person even when you think everything is OK. The music is non-deigetic and consists of many loud sting instruments. Strings are typically used in thriller to create edginess and unease the audience.

Face Off is different to Panic Room as it starts the plot of the film and acts as a back story. It uses continuity editing which allows the audience to straight away become engrossed with the film and want to watch on. Although the editing is continuous it does use ellipses in time which allows the audience to observe the situation that is unfolding and allow them to guess what will happen. The sequences uses transitions that make the clips fade into each other which creates a negative atmosphere. The music also links in with this as it has a slow tempo. Face Off also uses strings to create an uncertain atmosphere but as they are slower it makes the audience feel distressed. The setting is a carousel which creates a bigger impact when they characters are shot as the change between the positive setting and negative situation is sudden and unexpected. The actors (John Travolta and Nicolas Cage) are very well known therefore when there names appear on the credits they are very noticeable. The clips are very slow paced and some are even editing into slow motion to allow the audience to see what is happening. It also makes the audience feel helpless as they know what is about to unravel but cannot do anything to prevent it.

Scott Pilgram vs. The World

Analysis of Scott Pilgram vs. The World

Cinematography:

The cinematography in this sequence follows a typical comic book style. The camera shots and angles are similar to the drawings the drawings in the 'Scott Pilgram' books that the film is based on. As the camera is always straight and steady it reflects what it is like in the comic book this is also shown through the unusual angles and close ups. The sound is shown through cinematography as words and lightning bolts come out of the things that are making the noises for example the word 'yeah'. The scene uses fast zooms which create exaggeration on certain parts.

Sound:

All the sound in this sequence is diegetic. Sounds within the film, for example the door opening and closing, is hyperbolic, this makes the scene seem exaggerated. This coincides with the comic book theme where sounds are exaggerated through visual aids.

The music when the credits are being shown is being played by their band which is very upbeat and goes with the storyline. The genre of the music would typically appeal to a teenage demographic which is the target audience of the film.

Editing:

All the on screen words and lightning bolts that can bee seen have been editing during the post production as well as this the some of the background noises like the door and hitting of the drum stick have been exaggerated during the editing resulting in a comic book feel. The first half uses continuity editing which uses jump cuts. Half way through the scene changes and it shows the credits on different coloured backgrounds which move in time with the sound track.

Mise-en-scène:

The setting is a small apartment which has a sofa and musical instruments which are used to play the music. The costumes the actors are wearing portray what typical teenagers wear and they are plan so they do not stand out much. There is not many bright colours in this scene and the main colour scheme are browns and dark greens. Dull colours may have been used to reflect the black and white colours in the comic.

Love Actually

Opening scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3GWzLpkVdg




The opening scene and trailer to Love Actually are very different. The trailer follows typical conventions by being fast paced and using montage editing which grabs the viewers attention. The trailer also announces the big, well known actors that are staring in it by showing a mid-shot of them and having credits underneath as well as saying their name in the voice over. A voice over is another convention of a film trailer which gives the viewers details and an overview of the plot throughout without giving away any major plots.


The opening sequence is very different to the trailer. Unlike the trailer the opening is very slow paced and the slow, quite music creates an atmosphere and sets the tone. The setting is established as well as the main theme of the film and makes the viewer feel curious. Although it is very different than the trailer it includes some of the features however the effect they create is very different. For example a voice over is used in both however the opening scenes one is different as it is the main actors voice (Hugh Grant) who has a distinctive voice so the viewer knows he is going to be one of the main characters. The opening sequence does not reveal the main story line but introduces the theme of the film to the viewer and also shows the credits.

Se7en

The opening sequence and trailer to 'Se7en' reveal different things to the viewer as they have different purposes. The trailer uses montage editing to show different exciting parts of the film. The trailer also shows close ups of the different actors starring in the film as well as an overview of the plot. It does all this to hook the viewer and make them go and watch the whole film.

The opening sequence to 'Se7en' is very different to the trailer because it sets the scene and tone while introducing the characters. Close ups of certain characters tell the audience that these are going to be pivotal characters in the film.

What titles?

Understanding the variety of roles in a film production

There are many people that work on a film and they are not always credited. Most of the cast and crew are shown in the end credits however the main actors and production companies are shown at the beginning of the film. If the actors or actresses are well known the film will show their names in the opening sequence in a clear bold font to hook the viewer and make them want to watch it. The main production companies logos are included as well. If the film has a well known director, their name is usually noticeable at the beginning as well.

An example of this is the film Fargo. The film begins by showing the iconic sequence of the lion from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayor (MGM) which many people recognise. It is then followed by the logo sequence for one of the main distributors PolyGram Filmed Entertainment. After these are shown the opening sequence to the film begins showing a pale blue background. The credits are shown in a spaced out black font which is eye-catching and rememberable to the audience. Once again PolyGram is shown which shows that they must have had a big part it disturbing the film. Although 3 companies are shown to have distributed Fargo only two of them are show. After this the people starring in the film are shown to the audience. Although the film is written and directed my the Cohen brothers who are well known in the film industry there names are not shown at the beginning which is unusual.

Credits to include: Name of film, main stars, supporting actors, cinematographer, production supervisor, art director, set director, film editor, sound, casting, make-up, music, screen play, producer and director.

(The producer and director are usually in a bigger font)

What does a title sequence look like?

The title sequence is very different to the rest of the film as it usually uses different shot types and a different pace to the rest of the film. This is the first thing the viewer sees so it has to hook them so they continue to watch the rest of the film. It sometimes has a slower pace to lead the viewer into the world of the film while introducing the characters and allowing the viewer to become familiar with the setting and tone of the film. Other films begin with a fast pace sequence which puts the viewer right in the action to put them on the edge of their seats and capture them in the unusual event that is taking place.

Many films use close ups to shows the audience the main things that are needed to understand the film and sometimes gives them clues to what will happen at the end. Some films like romantic comedies start with a montage of things that happen to the main characters over a period of time which sets the atmosphere of the film. The opening sequences of films often consist of many beautifully composed shots which grab the viewer.

For example The Brothers Grimm (above) consists of many well composed shot in the first 3 minutes. This will hook the audience and interest them into watching the rest of the film. The beginning of this film uses a mixture of long shots and close ups which introduce the setting and locations of the film. The second to last image shows the two main characters on horses with there face covered up. This will make the audience want to carry on watching the film to see the

the actors as they are well known ( Matt Damon and Heath Ledger).

Title sequence VS trailer.

Understanding the difference between an opening sequence and a trailer.

Movie trailer

• an overview of the plot
• grab our attention
• action- the 'good bits'
• who is staring in it
• voice over
• details
• no giveaways
• montage editing
• fast pace
• loads of shots
• persuade viewer to watch

Movie opening sequence

• got to hook you
• familiarize view
• setting/ establish setting
• slow paced
• lead into narrative
• introduce characters
• shots of characters and titles
• establish mood or tone
• creates an atmosphere
• soundtrack (theme)
• music helps set tone
• viewers need to feel curious/ engage and have questions they want answers to.

The Brief

'To create the titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes.'

Peer evaluation

What Went Well:

Good use of match on action (bin sequence)
180 degree rule and eye-line match was effective
Shot reverse shot
Continuity was good at the beginning when Katie walked into the room.


Even Better If:
The background sound had bad continuity as Kayleigh was typing loudly in one shot and in the next you could not hear it
There was no master shot and needed a greater range of camera angles
The shots are too similar.


I will use this feedback in future tasks to improve my work by working on my weaknesses and using my strengths. For example I will use a greater range of camera angles and shots and focus more on the continuity of the sounds not just the clips.

Preliminary Task

The Preliminary Task

For this task we were in groups of 3 and we had to display our knowledge on the 180 degree rule and continuity during dialogue between 2 people. We had to film someone (Katie Lee) opening a door, walking into a room and then talking to someone else (Kayleigh Hobbs). Before we starting filming we created a storyboard which ensured we did not break the 180 degree rule and to allow us to know what we were doing. To make sure the continuity editing was good we took a lot of takes of the same clips so when we edited the footage we had a lot to choose from.

The 180 degree rule is a guideline which states that while filming two characters in the same scene they should always be on the same side of the frame in relation to each other. This makes the conversation look realistic and breaking this rule may confuse your audience and will not look effective.

As one of the main focus points of this task was continuity we had make sure we used match on action while editing the clips on iMovie. To do this we filmed Kayleigh throwing a piece of paper into a bin. We film it from a number of different angles and we edited the clips inserting them next to each other and cutting them in such a way to make each clip flow into the next which makes it looks like a fluent, continuous clip.

While editing our footage we encountered a number of problems. One of these included Katie walking through the door which we took from a couple of angles. When we put the clips together on iMovie the match on action was not right therefore it did not look right. to over come this problem we inserted extra clips of Kayleigh to allow the angle of Katie to slightly change without breaking match on action. Another problem was importing the footage on to iMovie. As the class only had import leads we had to wait til the end of the lesson to import therefore we had to spend a lot of our own time editing the footage.

WWW- I think the task went well as we had fun making it and we did not break the 180 degree rule which looks effective. Also the match on action of Kayleigh throwing the paper in the bin is effective as the match on action is very good as they flow into each other at the right points.

EBI- I think we could have improved this task by taking more care with a storyboard and thinking more in depth of all the different camera angles and shot types we could have used to make it more effective and realistic.

Induction Tasks- EBI

A task that I thought could have been improved was the 'Jobsite advertisement'. I think it could have been improved if we had more time to work on the task, planned the task for longer and improved the locations we used. Although I think our advertisement went well and was effective I think it could have been improved as it didn't look like or have the same feel as the original advert we were trying to recreate.

Induction Tasks- WWW

One of the tasks that I thought went well was the 'Push the little button' task. I thought it went well as I was able to improve the skills I already knew as well as learn new ones. I improved my camera skill by using different angles and applying the rule of thirds to the clips we filmed. I learnt how to import footage onto iMovie and edit the volume of the clips. I also think this task went well as I enjoyed it and recieved positive comments from the rest of our class.

How I Personalised My Blog

Once on my blog, I clicked on the 'Design' tab and chose a template from the 'Template Designer'. I chose what colour scheme I wanted and then went on the advanced settings and changed the colours of the main font, links and background. I also changed the layout of my blog and then clicked 'apply to blog'.

My First Blog Practice

How I uploaded this image.
1. Clicked 'Add Image' button on the taskbar
2. Clicked 'Browse' and chose the image I wanted
3. I then chose the postioning of the image and edited the size
4. Publish post.