FILM ONE: VERTIGO
1. Who is being represented in the opening scene? Is this positive or negative?
In the opening scene all we can see is the features of a woman's face, I think that it is a negative thing because she has a very worried and scared look on her face then her eye and face goes red which shows danger/ blood and also she opens her eyes wide as if something or someone is about to attack her, this makes her seem vulnerable and also it gives the audience a taster of what will be happening in the movie.
2. Does the title represent the thriller genre?
First of all at the beginning of the sequence it shows the 'Paramount pictures' logo in black and white. Then it goes on to another black and white image of 'Vista Vision'. Then the actor’s names start zoom into the screen over the extreme close up of the woman's face. As it zooms into her right eye the director’s name comes up in big white bold letters. After that the image goes red and her eye gets bigger and that is when the name of the title shoots out of the eye in fast dangerous way. After that the rest of the cast start appearing group by group but this time they appear as a list on the right side of the screen in bold white writing with lots of spirals and vortex' changing colours in the back contrasting with the black background, this represents thriller genre because it signifies mystery and unknown.
3. Analyse the camera, sound, editing, and mise-en-scene. How do these technical areas make you aware that this is the thriller genre?
It starts off with an extreme close up of a woman's lips which then slowly moves up to her eye and gets close, it also shows her looking around which could mean that she is in danger and looking around for hope. Then the screen goes red which indicates danger and panic and also her eye opens up wider as if something is about to happen to her, also with the non-diegetic music in the background which is quite high pitch almost resembles her screams. The way that she starts looking side to side searching for hope and help makes it obvious that it is a thriller film and she is in deep trouble. Another way these technical areas make you aware that this is a thriller genre is the vortex and spirals, from the moment the first once comes out of the eye it shows mystery and a sense of something lurking around the corner waiting to happen.
4. Does the narrative in the opening correspond to the conventions of a thriller film? How?
In the opening of 'Vertigo' you can tell that there is someone is danger and usually a convention of a thriller film is that in the opening scene the good person is always put into danger and also it is a hopeless venerable female. Also there is said to be blood, even though we don't physically see any blood the colour red could represent blood and dangerous.
5. Which production company was the film made by? How might this affect the film content?
The producers of Vertigo were 'Paramount Pictures'. This might affect the film content because it is a very well known company that also produced lots of high ranked films with famous actors, this means that it will attract more audience and build success.
6. What do you think might happen in the rest of the film? Give a brief suggestion of the narrative.
In the rest of the film I think that the woman in the opening of the film will become a main part of the movie or the main subject and she will die but the a few more deaths start happening and it all becomes suspicious so police start investigations and realise that all the deaths linked up and the same person is behind all of them.
FILM TWO: JAWS
1. Who is being represented in the opening scene? Is this positive or negative?
In the opening scene the first set of people being represented are a bunch of teenagers hanging out and having fun together on the beach at night around a bonfire, then the main 2 people are represented as careless and stupid as they go for a swim at night by themselves while drunk, this is a negative thing because it portraits teenagers to be irresponsible. Also when the girl goes in first and the boy is left behind trying to undress himself from that point on the girl was by herself in the open water with no one to help her so once again the girl is made to look weak and venerable.
2. Does the title represent the thriller genre?
The title is very basic and big bold white lettering, almost like the film. The film is very straight to the point and in the opening scene it shows us exactly what the film is about and the sort of things that will happen in it. The title also represents the film and what is involved in it (jaws) it gives us hint of what's to come.
3. Analyse the camera, sound, editing, and mise-en-scene. How do these technical areas make you aware that this is the thriller genre?
Its starts off with a point of view shot, as if we were the shark and it goes through all the sea plants. Then it pans across the teenagers around the bonfire smoking and drinking which then leads on to the boy running after the girl along the beach using a track shot, this is almost like the lead up to the danger, running to her death. While the shark attacks her there is close ups of her face to show the emotion and fear in her face but it also keeps flicking back to the boy to show that he can’t help because he is too drunk and can’t even get himself undressed so he passes out on the beach. Also the music makes us aware it is a thriller because it gets faster and louder when it gets more dangerous and when it’s building up tension it's lower and slow.
4. Does the narrative in the opening correspond to the conventions of a thriller film? How?
Yes the opening corresponds to the conventions of a thriller film because in the opening someone venerable and weak is put in danger, she is harmless but also a hopeless, weak, venerable girl and this is one of the main thriller film conventions. Also the music is a thriller film convention because it is very loud and builds up tension and get louder to keep us at the edge of our seats to see what happens next.
5. Which production company was the film made by? How might this affect the film content?
The production company for this film is 'Universal pictures'. This might affect the film content because it is a very well known production company which has done many successful films. Also the audience knowns that with this company you will see famous actors in the movie and there will be more than one of those films.
6. What do you think might happen in the rest of the film? Give a brief suggestion of the narrative.
In the rest of the film I think that the following morning the boy will wake up and see the dead body on sore and he will get help straight away and inform the rest of the group, Then they might to a beach investigation and close the beach but to add more of a thrill they should keep the beach open because they think it was a one off and the shark has gone away but then there is a very busy day at the beach and the shark comes back and attacks someone else and the same things keeps happening but in different areas.
FILM THREE: CHILDREN OF MEN
1. Who is being represented in the opening scene? Is this positive or negative?
In the opening scene there are 2 people being represented. One of them in 'The youngest person on earth' Diego and he is protraited in a negative way because he is a celebrity which couldn't handle fame and spat on a fan when asking for an autograph. He is made to make younger people seem careless where as the older man is protraited in a positive way because he comes in to the cafe and gets a coffee, in his smart suit and long jacket but he is also listening to the news which means that he is aware of whats going on around him. Also as soon as he leaves the Cafe a minute later the Cafe blows up, this shows us that he also has good luck and escapes death a few times. He is made to seem responsible and well behaved.
2. Does the title represent the thriller genre?
The title does represent the thriller genre because it is put at the end of the opening scene just after the Cafe blows up and you have people screaming and then the title just appears in big block white letters on a black background but it pops up out of nowhere, almost as if it was meant to scare the audience. Also the music and screaming stops as soon as the title comes up.
3. Analyse the camera, sound, editing, and mise-en-scene. How do these technical areas make you aware that this is the thriller genre?
Camera: It starts off by having a blacked out screen with a voice over of the news then there is a high angle of all the people in the cafe loooking up at the TV watching the news. Then the camera follows the man out of the Cafe and then as soon as the Cafe blows up there is a hand held camera shot of someone running towards the Cafe.
Sound: Throughout the whole opening scene it is just a voice over of the news and it gives us a clue of what will happen in the film and also the non-diegetic music is very slow, low and smooth, it's quite sad music to go with the bad news on the news. Then there is the big explosion and everyone starts screaming, this starts to make us worried and aware that there will be danger in the movie and as the title is up the fire alarm sound turns into a continuous high pitch sound.
Editing: There is quite a lot of effect such as the fading between shots, the city cars and people are inhanced and also the exposion is edited too.
4. Does the narrative in the opening correspond to the conventions of a thriller film? How?
I think that the opening does correspond a bit to the conventions of a thriller film because someone is put at danger in the opening scene but it isnt a helpless woman and also there isnt a great deal of dramatic music in the background, it more soft and calm. Another way that it doesnt correspond to the conventions of a thriller film is that there is no sense of fear of danger coming.
5. Which production company was the film made by? How might this affect the film content?
The film was made by Universal pictures, this affects the film content because it is a well known company and they based the movie of a real event (london bombing), this will make people attracked to it because that was a very popular and well known event that affected many people and families.
6. What do you think might happen in the rest of the film? Give a brief suggestion of the narrative.
By the opening scene i think that in the rest of the film something dramatic will happen, as they show that women are not fertile anymore and the youngest person has just does, maybe someone else will become pergnant and people will go after the woman and the baby because they say that it could start a new generation.
FILM FOUR: SE7EN
1. Who is being represented in the opening scene? Is this positive or negative?
In the opening scene a man is being represented in a negative way because of the things they show him doing, even though we dont see his face we can still tell that it is a man because of his manly fingers. its clears that its done to represent him in a negative way because of all the things that appear on the screen throughout the opening credits.
2. Does the title represent the thriller genre?
The title does represent thriller genre because of the way they all appear on the screen, they have a scary and fussy effect to it which goes well with the thriller film conventions. This gives the audience a clear direction of what kind of genre film it is and what sort of things that will be involved in the film.
3. Analyse the camera, sound, editing, and mise-en-scene. How do these technical areas make you aware that this is the thriller genre?
These technical areas made me very aware that it is a thriller film because it has very dark lighting but then the bright areas highlight the scary things within the shot and also there is a lot use of use of sharp objects and this gives us a sense of crime/ death and also the music fits into the thriller genre conventions very well and it is really creepy specially when it is put with they image.
4. Does the narrative in the opening correspond to the conventions of a thriller film? How?
The narrative in the opening does correspond to the conventions of a thriller film because there is blood, and sharp objects, this makes us wonder what will happen throughout the movie and who is put in danger and the man in the opening scene is making notes and testing out things which also makes us wonder what he is doing and what he is planning to do.
1. Who is being represented in the opening scene? Is this positive or negative?
In the opening scene all we can see is the features of a woman's face, I think that it is a negative thing because she has a very worried and scared look on her face then her eye and face goes red which shows danger/ blood and also she opens her eyes wide as if something or someone is about to attack her, this makes her seem vulnerable and also it gives the audience a taster of what will be happening in the movie.
2. Does the title represent the thriller genre?
First of all at the beginning of the sequence it shows the 'Paramount pictures' logo in black and white. Then it goes on to another black and white image of 'Vista Vision'. Then the actor’s names start zoom into the screen over the extreme close up of the woman's face. As it zooms into her right eye the director’s name comes up in big white bold letters. After that the image goes red and her eye gets bigger and that is when the name of the title shoots out of the eye in fast dangerous way. After that the rest of the cast start appearing group by group but this time they appear as a list on the right side of the screen in bold white writing with lots of spirals and vortex' changing colours in the back contrasting with the black background, this represents thriller genre because it signifies mystery and unknown.
3. Analyse the camera, sound, editing, and mise-en-scene. How do these technical areas make you aware that this is the thriller genre?
It starts off with an extreme close up of a woman's lips which then slowly moves up to her eye and gets close, it also shows her looking around which could mean that she is in danger and looking around for hope. Then the screen goes red which indicates danger and panic and also her eye opens up wider as if something is about to happen to her, also with the non-diegetic music in the background which is quite high pitch almost resembles her screams. The way that she starts looking side to side searching for hope and help makes it obvious that it is a thriller film and she is in deep trouble. Another way these technical areas make you aware that this is a thriller genre is the vortex and spirals, from the moment the first once comes out of the eye it shows mystery and a sense of something lurking around the corner waiting to happen.
4. Does the narrative in the opening correspond to the conventions of a thriller film? How?
In the opening of 'Vertigo' you can tell that there is someone is danger and usually a convention of a thriller film is that in the opening scene the good person is always put into danger and also it is a hopeless venerable female. Also there is said to be blood, even though we don't physically see any blood the colour red could represent blood and dangerous.
5. Which production company was the film made by? How might this affect the film content?
The producers of Vertigo were 'Paramount Pictures'. This might affect the film content because it is a very well known company that also produced lots of high ranked films with famous actors, this means that it will attract more audience and build success.
6. What do you think might happen in the rest of the film? Give a brief suggestion of the narrative.
In the rest of the film I think that the woman in the opening of the film will become a main part of the movie or the main subject and she will die but the a few more deaths start happening and it all becomes suspicious so police start investigations and realise that all the deaths linked up and the same person is behind all of them.
FILM TWO: JAWS
1. Who is being represented in the opening scene? Is this positive or negative?
In the opening scene the first set of people being represented are a bunch of teenagers hanging out and having fun together on the beach at night around a bonfire, then the main 2 people are represented as careless and stupid as they go for a swim at night by themselves while drunk, this is a negative thing because it portraits teenagers to be irresponsible. Also when the girl goes in first and the boy is left behind trying to undress himself from that point on the girl was by herself in the open water with no one to help her so once again the girl is made to look weak and venerable.
2. Does the title represent the thriller genre?
The title is very basic and big bold white lettering, almost like the film. The film is very straight to the point and in the opening scene it shows us exactly what the film is about and the sort of things that will happen in it. The title also represents the film and what is involved in it (jaws) it gives us hint of what's to come.
3. Analyse the camera, sound, editing, and mise-en-scene. How do these technical areas make you aware that this is the thriller genre?
Its starts off with a point of view shot, as if we were the shark and it goes through all the sea plants. Then it pans across the teenagers around the bonfire smoking and drinking which then leads on to the boy running after the girl along the beach using a track shot, this is almost like the lead up to the danger, running to her death. While the shark attacks her there is close ups of her face to show the emotion and fear in her face but it also keeps flicking back to the boy to show that he can’t help because he is too drunk and can’t even get himself undressed so he passes out on the beach. Also the music makes us aware it is a thriller because it gets faster and louder when it gets more dangerous and when it’s building up tension it's lower and slow.
4. Does the narrative in the opening correspond to the conventions of a thriller film? How?
Yes the opening corresponds to the conventions of a thriller film because in the opening someone venerable and weak is put in danger, she is harmless but also a hopeless, weak, venerable girl and this is one of the main thriller film conventions. Also the music is a thriller film convention because it is very loud and builds up tension and get louder to keep us at the edge of our seats to see what happens next.
5. Which production company was the film made by? How might this affect the film content?
The production company for this film is 'Universal pictures'. This might affect the film content because it is a very well known production company which has done many successful films. Also the audience knowns that with this company you will see famous actors in the movie and there will be more than one of those films.
6. What do you think might happen in the rest of the film? Give a brief suggestion of the narrative.
In the rest of the film I think that the following morning the boy will wake up and see the dead body on sore and he will get help straight away and inform the rest of the group, Then they might to a beach investigation and close the beach but to add more of a thrill they should keep the beach open because they think it was a one off and the shark has gone away but then there is a very busy day at the beach and the shark comes back and attacks someone else and the same things keeps happening but in different areas.
FILM THREE: CHILDREN OF MEN
1. Who is being represented in the opening scene? Is this positive or negative?
In the opening scene there are 2 people being represented. One of them in 'The youngest person on earth' Diego and he is protraited in a negative way because he is a celebrity which couldn't handle fame and spat on a fan when asking for an autograph. He is made to make younger people seem careless where as the older man is protraited in a positive way because he comes in to the cafe and gets a coffee, in his smart suit and long jacket but he is also listening to the news which means that he is aware of whats going on around him. Also as soon as he leaves the Cafe a minute later the Cafe blows up, this shows us that he also has good luck and escapes death a few times. He is made to seem responsible and well behaved.
2. Does the title represent the thriller genre?
The title does represent the thriller genre because it is put at the end of the opening scene just after the Cafe blows up and you have people screaming and then the title just appears in big block white letters on a black background but it pops up out of nowhere, almost as if it was meant to scare the audience. Also the music and screaming stops as soon as the title comes up.
3. Analyse the camera, sound, editing, and mise-en-scene. How do these technical areas make you aware that this is the thriller genre?
Camera: It starts off by having a blacked out screen with a voice over of the news then there is a high angle of all the people in the cafe loooking up at the TV watching the news. Then the camera follows the man out of the Cafe and then as soon as the Cafe blows up there is a hand held camera shot of someone running towards the Cafe.
Sound: Throughout the whole opening scene it is just a voice over of the news and it gives us a clue of what will happen in the film and also the non-diegetic music is very slow, low and smooth, it's quite sad music to go with the bad news on the news. Then there is the big explosion and everyone starts screaming, this starts to make us worried and aware that there will be danger in the movie and as the title is up the fire alarm sound turns into a continuous high pitch sound.
Editing: There is quite a lot of effect such as the fading between shots, the city cars and people are inhanced and also the exposion is edited too.
4. Does the narrative in the opening correspond to the conventions of a thriller film? How?
I think that the opening does correspond a bit to the conventions of a thriller film because someone is put at danger in the opening scene but it isnt a helpless woman and also there isnt a great deal of dramatic music in the background, it more soft and calm. Another way that it doesnt correspond to the conventions of a thriller film is that there is no sense of fear of danger coming.
5. Which production company was the film made by? How might this affect the film content?
The film was made by Universal pictures, this affects the film content because it is a well known company and they based the movie of a real event (london bombing), this will make people attracked to it because that was a very popular and well known event that affected many people and families.
6. What do you think might happen in the rest of the film? Give a brief suggestion of the narrative.
By the opening scene i think that in the rest of the film something dramatic will happen, as they show that women are not fertile anymore and the youngest person has just does, maybe someone else will become pergnant and people will go after the woman and the baby because they say that it could start a new generation.
FILM FOUR: SE7EN
1. Who is being represented in the opening scene? Is this positive or negative?
In the opening scene a man is being represented in a negative way because of the things they show him doing, even though we dont see his face we can still tell that it is a man because of his manly fingers. its clears that its done to represent him in a negative way because of all the things that appear on the screen throughout the opening credits.
2. Does the title represent the thriller genre?
The title does represent thriller genre because of the way they all appear on the screen, they have a scary and fussy effect to it which goes well with the thriller film conventions. This gives the audience a clear direction of what kind of genre film it is and what sort of things that will be involved in the film.
3. Analyse the camera, sound, editing, and mise-en-scene. How do these technical areas make you aware that this is the thriller genre?
These technical areas made me very aware that it is a thriller film because it has very dark lighting but then the bright areas highlight the scary things within the shot and also there is a lot use of use of sharp objects and this gives us a sense of crime/ death and also the music fits into the thriller genre conventions very well and it is really creepy specially when it is put with they image.
4. Does the narrative in the opening correspond to the conventions of a thriller film? How?
The narrative in the opening does correspond to the conventions of a thriller film because there is blood, and sharp objects, this makes us wonder what will happen throughout the movie and who is put in danger and the man in the opening scene is making notes and testing out things which also makes us wonder what he is doing and what he is planning to do.
Analysing Title Sequence
History of a thriller genre
Meaning of thriller: an exciting, suspensefulplay or story, especially
a mystery.
Thriller
is a broad genre of literature, film, and television programming that uses
suspense, tension and excitement as the main elements.Thrillers heavily
stimulate the viewer's moods giving them a high level of anticipation,
ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and/or terror.
Thriller films tend to be adrenaline-rushing, gritty, rousing and fast-paced.
Literary devices such as red herrings, plot twists and cliffhangers are used
extensively. A thriller is villain-driven plot, whereby he or she presents
obstacles that the hero must overcome.
The aim for thrillers is to keep
the audience alert and on the edge of their seats. The protagonist in these
films is set against a problem – an escape, a mission, or a mystery. No matter
what sub-genre a thriller film falls into, it will emphasize the danger that the
protagonist faces. The tension with the main problem is built on throughout the
film and leads to a highly stressful climax. The cover-up of important
information from the viewer, and fight and chase scenes are common methods in
all of the thriller subgenres, although each subgenre has its own unique
characteristics and methods.
Common subgenres are psychological
thrillers, crime thrillers and mystery thrillers. After the assassination of
President Kennedy, the political thriller and the paranoid thriller genre became
very popular. A rather more action-packed subgenre of thriller is the spy genre,
which are espionage films that could be fact-based stories or fanciful-escapist
films. Successful examples of thrillers are the films of Alfred Hitchcock. The
horror and action genres often overlap with the thriller genre.
Iconic Thriller directors
Alfred hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock, Born 13th August 1899 and died 29th
April 1980 at the age of 80. He was
an English film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques
in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in
British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to
Hollywood On 19 April 1955, he became an American citizen while remaining a
British subject.
Over a career spanning more than half a century, Hitchcock fashioned for himself a
distinctive and recognisable directorial style. He pioneered the use of a camera
made to move in a way that mimics a person's gaze, forcing viewers to engage in
a form of voyeurism. He framed shots to maximise anxiety, fear, or empathy, and
used innovative film editing.
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian film director, film producer,
deep-sea explorer, screenwriter, visual artist and editor. His writing and
directing work includes Piranha II: The Spawning (1981), The Terminator (1984),
Aliens (1986), The Abyss (1989), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies
(1994), Titanic (1997), Dark Angel (2000–02), and Avatar (2009). In the time
between making Titanic and Avatar, Cameron spent several years creating many
documentary films (specifically underwater documentaries) and co-developed the
digital 3D Fusion Camera System. Described by a biographer as part-scientist and
part-artist,Cameron has also contributed to underwater filming and remote
vehicle technologies. On March 26, 2012, Cameron reached the bottom of the
Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean, in the Deepsea Challenger
submersible.
James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian film director, film producer,
deep-sea explorer, screenwriter, visual artist and editor. His writing and
directing work includes Piranha II: The Spawning (1981), The Terminator (1984),
Aliens (1986), The Abyss (1989), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies
(1994), Titanic (1997), Dark Angel (2000–02), and Avatar (2009). In the time
between making Titanic and Avatar, Cameron spent several years creating many
documentary films (specifically underwater documentaries) and co-developed the
digital 3D Fusion Camera System. Described by a biographer as part-scientist and
part-artist,Cameron has also contributed to underwater filming and remote
vehicle technologies. On March 26, 2012, Cameron reached the bottom of the
Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean, in the Deepsea Challenger
submersible.
DVD Poster Analysis
Movie One: Drag Me To Hell
The poster clearly shows that the person in it is the victim. The film has
gone with the usual stereotypical convention of having a female victim as they
are seen as weak. Her face expression shows clear emotion of fear and pain,
almost like the hand is torturing her. This attract audience that also watch
movies like 'Paranormal activity' because they both include paranormal stuff.
The character's costume is a casual look and this shows the audience that
she is an average person. This also makes the film more scary and makes the
audience wonder what it would be like to be in her shoes.
The hand tells the target audience that the film involves supernatural and
evil. The hand also goes with the title 'Drag me to hell'. The orange and red
colours at the bottom of the poster contrasts with the dark sky in the
background and this is done on purpose so the main focus of the stands out as
well as the text on the poster. The house in the background is a normal everyday
family house which again puts the audience in her shoes.
The text is also in white and orange to
contrast from the background and make it stand out and easy to read.
The poster clearly shows that the person in it is the victim. The film has
gone with the usual stereotypical convention of having a female victim as they
are seen as weak. Her face expression shows clear emotion of fear and pain,
almost like the hand is torturing her. This attract audience that also watch
movies like 'Paranormal activity' because they both include paranormal stuff.
The character's costume is a casual look and this shows the audience that
she is an average person. This also makes the film more scary and makes the
audience wonder what it would be like to be in her shoes.
The hand tells the target audience that the film involves supernatural and
evil. The hand also goes with the title 'Drag me to hell'. The orange and red
colours at the bottom of the poster contrasts with the dark sky in the
background and this is done on purpose so the main focus of the stands out as
well as the text on the poster. The house in the background is a normal everyday
family house which again puts the audience in her shoes.
The text is also in white and orange to
contrast from the background and make it stand out and easy to read.
FILM TWO: PROM NIGHT
There are 4 main colours in this poster, black, white, grey and red. This
makes the title stand out as it is the main thing in red and it doesn't draw too
much attention away from the poster as a whole. The red in the title means
blood, passion and evil which gives a straight forward idea of what the movie is
about.
The Tiara is another main focus of the image.
It is portrayed in a way which contrast what proms are meant to be like, people
see proms as being all about the glamour but in the poster it is completely
different. The way that her head is positioned and her hair is all messy and the
main focus being her mouth screaming shows that there is a sense of fear.
The poster has a worn and damaged look to it
and this reflects the struggle throughout the movie. The text "a night to die
for" suggest that there will actually be death in the movie. This text is placed
under the title so it will be the third thing that they look at and it goes with
the colour of the image and as its in the darker end of the image with white
text it makes it stand out.
The release date at the bottom of the page
doesn't state the actual date, this keeps the audience attracted to it.
Underneath that is the official website for the film and this is the smallest
text on the poster, people who are interested can go visit the page and watch
the teasers for the film. There is obviously no big celebrities in the film as
it does not state on the poster any celebrities.
The film also goes with the usual
stereotypical conventions of a weak girl who dies.
There are 4 main colours in this poster, black, white, grey and red. This
makes the title stand out as it is the main thing in red and it doesn't draw too
much attention away from the poster as a whole. The red in the title means
blood, passion and evil which gives a straight forward idea of what the movie is
about.
The Tiara is another main focus of the image.
It is portrayed in a way which contrast what proms are meant to be like, people
see proms as being all about the glamour but in the poster it is completely
different. The way that her head is positioned and her hair is all messy and the
main focus being her mouth screaming shows that there is a sense of fear.
The poster has a worn and damaged look to it
and this reflects the struggle throughout the movie. The text "a night to die
for" suggest that there will actually be death in the movie. This text is placed
under the title so it will be the third thing that they look at and it goes with
the colour of the image and as its in the darker end of the image with white
text it makes it stand out.
The release date at the bottom of the page
doesn't state the actual date, this keeps the audience attracted to it.
Underneath that is the official website for the film and this is the smallest
text on the poster, people who are interested can go visit the page and watch
the teasers for the film. There is obviously no big celebrities in the film as
it does not state on the poster any celebrities.
The film also goes with the usual
stereotypical conventions of a weak girl who dies.
Thriller Font Analysis
Thriller fonts are usuall eiter bold or very thin. The font is one of the most important conventions of a thriller film. The text is never straight and perfect, they are usually distorted, stylised with blood aroudn it and they are usualy in black, white or red. These thigs all fit into the thriller conventions.
In this movie poster if 'The Unborn' the font style doenst fit so much into the
thriller conventions because it is very straight and uses serif where as usually
thriller films use sans serif. Also the color of the text blends in witht the
background but it has some sort of glow on the text which draws the vieweres
eyes more toward the title. Then you also notice that there is a word inside the
'O' and this is also different to the typical thriller convention. After that
you notice the text on the left side of the mirror saying 'Evil will do anything
to live' and this is done in the same font as the title but in smalled text. The
way the title overlaps the woman's legs makes the title stand out
thriller conventions because it is very straight and uses serif where as usually
thriller films use sans serif. Also the color of the text blends in witht the
background but it has some sort of glow on the text which draws the vieweres
eyes more toward the title. Then you also notice that there is a word inside the
'O' and this is also different to the typical thriller convention. After that
you notice the text on the left side of the mirror saying 'Evil will do anything
to live' and this is done in the same font as the title but in smalled text. The
way the title overlaps the woman's legs makes the title stand out
In this Poster the font goes well with the typical thriller convention. The
first thing you see in the text on top because it is very blocky and close
together, Also it is white so it contrasts against the background. Then your
eyes are drawn to the red text that says 'Can you keep a secret?' and this is
put in red because it is the quotation of the poster, it gets the viewers
involved, breaks the fourth wall. After that your eyes are draws to the film
title. This is an effective title because it looks like it has been carved into
the something, almost like a child has done it. This type of font fit well into
the thriller convention.
first thing you see in the text on top because it is very blocky and close
together, Also it is white so it contrasts against the background. Then your
eyes are drawn to the red text that says 'Can you keep a secret?' and this is
put in red because it is the quotation of the poster, it gets the viewers
involved, breaks the fourth wall. After that your eyes are draws to the film
title. This is an effective title because it looks like it has been carved into
the something, almost like a child has done it. This type of font fit well into
the thriller convention.
In this poster the titles also fit into the thriller conventions. Your eyes are
drawn into the title straight away because it contrasts with the background
greatly but it also goes with Red Riding Hood's cape. Also this font is blocky
and serif but it is also stylised because it has the blood splatered around it
and this shows that the movie is a thriller and it completely different to the
normal fairy tale. Then your eyes are drawn to the image and then the title on
top. This is because they are in white and contrast against the darker part of
the poster, this is a quotation which gets the viewers involved.
drawn into the title straight away because it contrasts with the background
greatly but it also goes with Red Riding Hood's cape. Also this font is blocky
and serif but it is also stylised because it has the blood splatered around it
and this shows that the movie is a thriller and it completely different to the
normal fairy tale. Then your eyes are drawn to the image and then the title on
top. This is because they are in white and contrast against the darker part of
the poster, this is a quotation which gets the viewers involved.
Conventions of a thriller opening
Conventions within a thriller film:
- There is usually a crime, usually at the beginning of the movie, this keeps
the viewers intrested. - There is a lot of false paths, this keeps the audience questioning what
happening and leave then to work it out for themselves. - The protagonist and Antagonist come together usually in a fight or action
scene, the antagonist is made to look like he will lose by having disadvantages
but most the time comes out the winner. - There is usually extraodinary events that happen in the ordinary situation,
this lets the audience relate to the situation and this makes the effect
stronger. - The title usually mirroe the sort of film it will be, this will give the
audience a change to see what the film might be about.
Collage of iconography
Typical Synopsis
Crime thriller Synopsis
The usual synopsis focuses on a criminal or
policeman. They focus on the crime that’s going to be committed or has already
been committed. Similarly they usually emphasize action over psychological
aspects. The main topics within a crime thriller are; serial killers murderers
or robberies. Some examples of crime thrillers are seven directed by David
Fincher and No country for old men directed by Joel Coen Ethan Coen.
Storyline:
A film about two homicide detectives'
desperate hunt for a serial killer who justifies his crimes as absolution for
the world's ignorance of the Seven Deadly Sins. The movie takes us from the
tortured remains of one victim to the next as the sociopathic "John Doe"
sermonizes to Detectives Sommerset and Mills -- one sin at a time. The sin of
Gluttony comes first and the murderer's terrible capacity is graphically
demonstrated in the dark and subdued tones characteristic of film noir. The
seasoned and cultured Sommerset researches the Seven Deadly Sins in an effort to
understand the killer's modus operandi while green Detective Mills scoffs at his
efforts to get inside the mind of a killer.
The usual synopsis focuses on a criminal or
policeman. They focus on the crime that’s going to be committed or has already
been committed. Similarly they usually emphasize action over psychological
aspects. The main topics within a crime thriller are; serial killers murderers
or robberies. Some examples of crime thrillers are seven directed by David
Fincher and No country for old men directed by Joel Coen Ethan Coen.
Storyline:
A film about two homicide detectives'
desperate hunt for a serial killer who justifies his crimes as absolution for
the world's ignorance of the Seven Deadly Sins. The movie takes us from the
tortured remains of one victim to the next as the sociopathic "John Doe"
sermonizes to Detectives Sommerset and Mills -- one sin at a time. The sin of
Gluttony comes first and the murderer's terrible capacity is graphically
demonstrated in the dark and subdued tones characteristic of film noir. The
seasoned and cultured Sommerset researches the Seven Deadly Sins in an effort to
understand the killer's modus operandi while green Detective Mills scoffs at his
efforts to get inside the mind of a killer.
Psychological thriller Synopsis
The synopsis usually involves the main
character battling with himself in the sense that they are in conflict with an
mental illness or strong emotional feelings. These types of thriller are usually
intense, on edge and gripping. Some examples of psychological thrillers are
Panic by David Fincher.
Storyline:
Recently divorced Meg Altman and her daughter
Sarah have bought a new home in New York. On their tour around the mansion, they
come across the panic room. A room so secure, that no one can get in. When three
burglars break in, Meg makes a move to the panic room. But all her troubles
don't stop there. The criminals know where she is, and what they require the
most in the house is in that very room.
The synopsis usually involves the main
character battling with himself in the sense that they are in conflict with an
mental illness or strong emotional feelings. These types of thriller are usually
intense, on edge and gripping. Some examples of psychological thrillers are
Panic by David Fincher.
Storyline:
Recently divorced Meg Altman and her daughter
Sarah have bought a new home in New York. On their tour around the mansion, they
come across the panic room. A room so secure, that no one can get in. When three
burglars break in, Meg makes a move to the panic room. But all her troubles
don't stop there. The criminals know where she is, and what they require the
most in the house is in that very room.
Conspiracy Thriller Synopsis
Usually involves amateur journalists or
reporters who usually by accident stumble on something. The more they look into
it the deeper they get into conspiracy. They have to look past the lies and
mystery to unravel the truth. An example of a conspiracy thriller is flight plan
directed by Robert Schwentke.
Storyline:
The husband of aviation engineer Kyle Pratt
has just died in Berlin. Now she is flying back to New York with his coffin and
their six-year-old daughter Julia. Three hours into the flight Kyle awakens to
find that Julia is gone! It's a big double-decker plane, so very concerned
mother has a lot of territory to cover in order to find her daughter. But as
Kyle fights to discern the truth, she takes matters into her own hands.
Usually involves amateur journalists or
reporters who usually by accident stumble on something. The more they look into
it the deeper they get into conspiracy. They have to look past the lies and
mystery to unravel the truth. An example of a conspiracy thriller is flight plan
directed by Robert Schwentke.
Storyline:
The husband of aviation engineer Kyle Pratt
has just died in Berlin. Now she is flying back to New York with his coffin and
their six-year-old daughter Julia. Three hours into the flight Kyle awakens to
find that Julia is gone! It's a big double-decker plane, so very concerned
mother has a lot of territory to cover in order to find her daughter. But as
Kyle fights to discern the truth, she takes matters into her own hands.
Sci- Fi Thriller
Usually involves an extra terrestrial being
coming to earth and facing many obstacles. Then usually theyre looking for a
away back home. This type of thriller usually ends in the beings returning to
their homer planet. An example of a sci-fi thriller is super 8 by J.J Abrams.
Storyline:
In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a
small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie
and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual
disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the
local Deputy tries to uncover the truth - something more terrifying than any of
them could have imagined.
Usually involves an extra terrestrial being
coming to earth and facing many obstacles. Then usually theyre looking for a
away back home. This type of thriller usually ends in the beings returning to
their homer planet. An example of a sci-fi thriller is super 8 by J.J Abrams.
Storyline:
In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a
small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie
and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual
disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the
local Deputy tries to uncover the truth - something more terrifying than any of
them could have imagined.
Iconic Sounds
JAWS
This thriller film is all about
a great white shark that has be menacing a small island and a police chief, and
marine scientist and a fisherman have set out to stop it. This films was
directed Steven Spielberg and has one of the most iconic sounds in thriller film
history. The music that is getting played in the opening of the film by John
Williams is one of the most iconic sounds in film history. The pitch of the
music starts of very low, almost a muffle sound, and the rhythm is the music is
slow before it starts to speed up a bit. This is to create a sense of tension in
the film and leaving the audience in a frame of mind where they are thinking
‘What is going on?’ ‘What is going to happen?’ in there next scene at their fire
camp, there is dialogue and people socialising with each other and the only
music you can hear is the one of the playing the harmonica and we go to the next
scene and see a male and a female going skinny dipping, but on the girl gets in
the water and that when new dramatic music begins to play. Whilst the girl is
swimming the camera shows something coming from underneath her and it camera is
at the shark point of view and that’s how the audience knows something bad is
going to happen. Then we start to hear music as the shark gets closer to the
girl, and as the shark the closer and you can feel the tension in the music,
music stops as she goes down into the water after being attacked by the shark.
Then as she starts to get dragged around and begins to scream, the music comes
back once again and as she gets pulled back into the water the music stops and
you can only hear the sound of the ocean. This shows that if not for the music
the audience wouldn’t have known that she was in
trouble.
One of the most iconic thriller sounds is the big scream from psycho, also
psycho was one of the very first thriller movies so the music and sound effects
started off as the first thriller conventions.
This thriller film is all about
a great white shark that has be menacing a small island and a police chief, and
marine scientist and a fisherman have set out to stop it. This films was
directed Steven Spielberg and has one of the most iconic sounds in thriller film
history. The music that is getting played in the opening of the film by John
Williams is one of the most iconic sounds in film history. The pitch of the
music starts of very low, almost a muffle sound, and the rhythm is the music is
slow before it starts to speed up a bit. This is to create a sense of tension in
the film and leaving the audience in a frame of mind where they are thinking
‘What is going on?’ ‘What is going to happen?’ in there next scene at their fire
camp, there is dialogue and people socialising with each other and the only
music you can hear is the one of the playing the harmonica and we go to the next
scene and see a male and a female going skinny dipping, but on the girl gets in
the water and that when new dramatic music begins to play. Whilst the girl is
swimming the camera shows something coming from underneath her and it camera is
at the shark point of view and that’s how the audience knows something bad is
going to happen. Then we start to hear music as the shark gets closer to the
girl, and as the shark the closer and you can feel the tension in the music,
music stops as she goes down into the water after being attacked by the shark.
Then as she starts to get dragged around and begins to scream, the music comes
back once again and as she gets pulled back into the water the music stops and
you can only hear the sound of the ocean. This shows that if not for the music
the audience wouldn’t have known that she was in
trouble.
One of the most iconic thriller sounds is the big scream from psycho, also
psycho was one of the very first thriller movies so the music and sound effects
started off as the first thriller conventions.
Existing film production company research
Paramount Pictures Corporation is a global producer and distributor of filmed
entertainment, with robust and multi-faceted divisions across all areas
including digital, home entertainment, network and cable television
distribution, studio operations, and consumer products and recreation. A unit of
the leading global entertainment content company, Viacom, Paramount is part of a
family of prominent and respected brands including MTV Networks and BET
Networks.
Paramount consists of several film labels including, the legendary
Paramount Pictures; leading youth brand, MTV Films; the preeminent family
entertainment label, Nickelodeon Movies; and specialty film labels, Paramount
Vantage and Paramount Classics. In addition, the Studio will continue to release
a number of films under the DW label. Paramount also has established
distribution deals with iconic comic book creator, Marvel Entertainment and
renowned animated film producer, DreamWorks Animation.
The Company’s global business operations include Paramount Digital
Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment,
Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio
Group and Worldwide Television Distribution.
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryMotion pictures
Founded
1912
HeadquartersHollywood, California, United States
Key people
Brad Grey
(Chairman and CEO)
Rob Moore
(Vice Chairman)
Frederick D.
Huntsberry
Revenue
$1.2 billion
Operating
income
$300 million
Parent
Paramount Motion Pictures Group
Website
http://www.paramount.com
entertainment, with robust and multi-faceted divisions across all areas
including digital, home entertainment, network and cable television
distribution, studio operations, and consumer products and recreation. A unit of
the leading global entertainment content company, Viacom, Paramount is part of a
family of prominent and respected brands including MTV Networks and BET
Networks.
Paramount consists of several film labels including, the legendary
Paramount Pictures; leading youth brand, MTV Films; the preeminent family
entertainment label, Nickelodeon Movies; and specialty film labels, Paramount
Vantage and Paramount Classics. In addition, the Studio will continue to release
a number of films under the DW label. Paramount also has established
distribution deals with iconic comic book creator, Marvel Entertainment and
renowned animated film producer, DreamWorks Animation.
The Company’s global business operations include Paramount Digital
Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment,
Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio
Group and Worldwide Television Distribution.
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryMotion pictures
Founded
1912
HeadquartersHollywood, California, United States
Key people
Brad Grey
(Chairman and CEO)
Rob Moore
(Vice Chairman)
Frederick D.
Huntsberry
Revenue
$1.2 billion
Operating
income
$300 million
Parent
Paramount Motion Pictures Group
Website
http://www.paramount.com
Certificate Ratings
Questionnaire- Audience Expectation from thriller
i found that most people expected the same things from a thriller film.
- each person liked a different type of thriller sub genre but they all expected the same
things to be on the thriller convention, such as they all picked the black coat,
every one of them picked the knife and same atmosphere.
- each person liked a different type of thriller sub genre but they all expected the same
things to be on the thriller convention, such as they all picked the black coat,
every one of them picked the knife and same atmosphere.
Youtube documentaries/programmes which give
insight into thriller
This
is a clip someone has posted up about their Top 20 best thriller films ....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5lOEXmogb8
This
is a clip of audience's responce on the thriller movie 'in my sleep'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP6htj5hG1s
Alfred
Hitchcock explains that when looking for material, he doesn't care about the
content as much as he does about how how to handle the material to evoke an
emotional response. (1970)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfTxHwWYOpM
insight into thriller
This
is a clip someone has posted up about their Top 20 best thriller films ....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5lOEXmogb8
This
is a clip of audience's responce on the thriller movie 'in my sleep'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP6htj5hG1s
Alfred
Hitchcock explains that when looking for material, he doesn't care about the
content as much as he does about how how to handle the material to evoke an
emotional response. (1970)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfTxHwWYOpM
Understanding camera shots/angles/movement in general
My Examples
long shot---- This is the most difficult to categorise precisely, but is generally one which shows the image as approximately "life" size ie corresponding to the real distance between the audience and the screen in a cinema. This category includes the FULL SHOT showing the entire human body, with the head near the top of the frame and the feet near the bottom. While the focus is on characters, plenty of background detail still emerges:
High angle----
Not so extreme as a bird's eye view. The camera is elevated above the action using a crane to give a general overview. High angles make the object photographed seem smaller, and less significant (or scary). The object or character often gets swallowed up by their setting - they become part of a wider picture.
Extreme close up----
As its name suggests, an extreme version of the close up, generally magnifying beyond what the human eye would experience in reality. An extreme close-up of a face, for instance, would show only the mouth or eyes, with no background detail whatsoever. This is a very artificial shot, and can be used for dramatic effect. The tight focus required means that extra care must be taken when setting up and lighting the shot - the slightest camera shake or error in focal length is very noticeable.
Bird's eye----
This shows a scene from directly overhead, a very unnatural and strange angle. Familiar objects viewed from this angle might seem totally unrecognisable at first (umbrellas in a crowd, dancers' legs). This shot does, however, put the audience in a godlike position, looking down on the action. People can be made to look insignificant, ant-like, part of a wider scheme of things. Hitchcock (and his admirers, like Brian de Palma) is fond of this style of shot.
Planning my Thriller Opening
Actors
Denise mooney, Miguel Gameiro & Tony Gameiro
Synopsis
The synopsis for my thriller opening is:
A young boy who has takent he wrong path in life and has started to drug deal but when he tries to be smart during a deal by giving the man fake drugs, he gets himself in trouble. the man then gets someone to capture the boy, so the boy is then involved in a hit and run but instead of leaving him there, the man takes him and then calls the mother with a threat to kill her son if she doesnt pay up.
A young boy who has takent he wrong path in life and has started to drug deal but when he tries to be smart during a deal by giving the man fake drugs, he gets himself in trouble. the man then gets someone to capture the boy, so the boy is then involved in a hit and run but instead of leaving him there, the man takes him and then calls the mother with a threat to kill her son if she doesnt pay up.
Script
Shot List
Still mid shot- standing waiting for car
Long shot - walking to car
close up- handing over the drugs & money
Long shot- car driving away
mid shot - walking into house
continuous shot- walking throught the door into kitchen
low angle shot- walking out the house
long shot- man walking out the house and getting into car
over the shoulder shot- inside the car
Long shot - walking to car
close up- handing over the drugs & money
Long shot- car driving away
mid shot - walking into house
continuous shot- walking throught the door into kitchen
low angle shot- walking out the house
long shot- man walking out the house and getting into car
over the shoulder shot- inside the car