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.