Friday 29 January 2010

Analysis of Opening Sequences

Heat:
Sound:
There is a combination of different sounds that creates tension throughout the opening sequence. The sound is also heightened at certain periods, e.g. the heart monitors in hospital. In the beginning the sound is soft and slow and sets the scene in LA. The music gets quicker when the main character reaches the hospital and walks through the many corridors.

Camera Shots:
The camera shots are quick and rapid, some seem to follow the way the character moves. This makes the audience feel as if they are the main character and are walking in his footsteps. It also heightens the tension throughout the sequence and makes the whole piece feel more urgent. At the end, there are a lot of close-ups of what the long haired character (Val Kilmer) is carrying in the box.


No Country for Old Men:
Sound:
Throughout the duration of the sequence, the majority of the sound was dominated by a narration/voice-over. There is also subtle hints of environmental sounds underneath the narration. A soundtrack kicks in when there is the fight in the police station and the music is sharp and tense to symbolize the environment in which the scene is taking place.

Camera Shots:
There are long and medium shots that capture the landscape in which the narrator is describing and the duration of the shots are not that long. During the fight scene there are lots of shots of the same episode, but they are taken from lots of different angles to give different perspectives of the scene.


Carlito's Way
Sound:
At the beginning of the sequence the only sound that could be heard was a gunshot that occurred twice. After that, cinematic music started and continued throughout the entire sequence, until the last few shots when the main character narrates until the sequence finishes.

Camera Shots:
There are not a great deal of shots throughout the sequence, just long continuous shots that pan around the main action that is occurring. The camera spins around to disorientate the audience and make them feel like the main character who has just been shot. The final couple of shots were switching between the main characters face and a poster that is the only thing in the sequence that is in colour.

Monday 25 January 2010

Planning For The Thriller - Brainstorm of |Ideas

First idea:
Character 1 wakes up in the room clueless of his surroundings. He touches the back of his head to find blood (which in our case was brown sauce).
Character2 then comes onto the television screen to talk to character1.
Character1 is afraid and has been somehow put in that room by character2.
Character2 then informs Character1 of where he is and threatens him in some ways.

Idea Development:
Character1 could be tied up and fighting to be let loose.


Second Idea:
Psycho woman is cooking up soup to go and give to tied up character.
At the end it rewinds quickly all the way back to the start.
Most of filming time is taken up by shots of her cooking the soup etc.
The sequence should be full of close ups and play around with the viewer's senses.

Idea development:
Filming of the setting could build tension.

Third Idea:
Shows Grand Arcade during the day really busy and then towards the end of the night it's empty with two lonely characters walking around.
This will be a clue to the narrative of the film.

Idea development:
We could film cars and people and speed them up to speed up time. One character could be stalking the other.
Message through face-book of meeting at grand arcade.

Friday 22 January 2010

Logo Movie

At the beginning of our thriller video we were briefed that we had to make a logo title video.

To start, we made a picture on Photoshop CS3 by combining layers of text and a picture of a red ball.
Secondly, we then imported all the layers into Final Cut Express and combined them on a time line and used the "add motion keyframe" tool so that the logo now had movement as can be seen in the movie below.
Finally we made our own soundtrack on GarageBand and added it to the movie clip to create the final Quicktime Movie.
We decided on the name BALL Productions as the word BALL uses all of our initials as the first letter.


Monday 18 January 2010

Evaluation of Student Thriller

"The Beginning - P2-40"

After watching this title sequence we gave this project a grade of 'Level 3 - 40 marks'
We decided on this grade because

  • The Soundtrack creates suspense and is edited well to fit the images
  • Simple text effects are impressive
  • Flashing text and images in time with beat of the music, suggest heartbeat sound.
  • Well framed shots
  • Variety of distance shots - worked with the images to create continuity
  • Climax was good, with the music and the fast rewind effect.
http://40thrillerproject08.blogspot.com/ - Look for 'Final Thriller'

Evaluating other students thriller sequences!

'Processed-P1-50'

After watching this title sequence we decided to grade this at level 3- 37 marks.
We thought that:
  • It was conventional but remained unique.
  • The whole sequence was well edited which made it look professional.
  • It was proficient in the use of mise-en-scene, the objects, lighting and setting was well selected.
  • Titles where used appropriately and made it appear well thought out.
  • All the editing was continuous and this meant that the meaning was apparent to the viewer.

Friday 15 January 2010

Vertigo Title Opening


Vertigo Title Opening:

1) What clues does the sequence give you about the film? (micro+macro)
The title sequence starts with a close up of a woman. She looks scared and this carries the stereotype that the woman is vulnerable. By showing a shot of her, it also gives of the attitude that she will be involved in this movie. The colour red usually appears a lot throughout the sequence giving a sense of danger to the film.
There is then a close-up of the eye and this represents fear and confusion by continually twitching from side to side. The text Vertigo then appears out of the eye and at the point the music suddenly becomes loud and reaches its climax.
There are then a series of shapes which start off small and far away which creates the illusion that the viewer is at a high angle (linking in with the theme of the film). The shapes gradually spiral closer towards you. Making the viewer feel as if they are getting a sense of Vertigo and falling into the shape, like falling towards the ground.
Throughout the opening titles, the sound is very tense and dramatic. This is done by using various instruments, namely strings and synth. These create the forbidding atmosphere.

2) How does it conform to conventions of thrillers?
One way it conforms is that it uses the idea of the 'Achilles Heel', which is that the main character has a weakness of some description and this will disadvantage them throughout the film. In this film, it is clear that the main character will be scared of heights of have a case of Vertigo.
Also in the opening of Vertigo, the convention of having the female character objectified is strong. She is shown as being tense and nervous, even scared. This shows that she is most likely going to be the vulnerable victim throughout the duration of the film.



Cape Fear


1) What clues does the sequence give you about the film ( Micro & Macro)?

The mise en scene in the opening sequence gives us various clues about the rest of the film. various faces and other things such as birds suggest that the film may be based around these ideas. The continuous images of water suggest that the setting of the film may be based around this. the faces revealed in the opening sequence suggest that they may be characters that feature in the film, maybe the protagonist and antagonist. I think the opening titles gives away the clues that leave the audience questioning, o they have to watch the rest of the film.


2) How does it conform to conventions of thriller?

The music used in the sequence is a conventional thriller soundtrack and his works to create tension and prepare the audience for the film. The soundtrack contrast which elaborates the musical score. This build suspense and builds an atmosphere.
The lighting in the sequence is very dull, with use of dull tone colours which is conventional as it sets the scene for thriller films. Another conventional technique that the film uses is the mystery. Although the sequence gives several clues away to the views. These are limited so that the viewer continuous to watch the film to see what happens. This builds a mystery for the audience as they become curious about the several ideas that are given away in the opening titles.




Tuesday 12 January 2010

Opening thriller sequence - Briefing/Conventions

Enigma - mystery for audience- convetionally revealed before end of narrative

Narrative - Often complex (twists/unexpected)

Protagonist and antagonist (villain or a force)
-Often has a flaw or weakness, has to overcome( Antagonist uses this against them).
-Similar characters

Sound- contrasts, elaborate musical score
-suspense and tension and silence

Sub genres of Thriller
(specific genres within larger category of thriller)

Supernatural Thriller e.g. Paranormal Activity,Sixth sense

Hybrid(mixture of genres)
Drama Thriller, Action Thriller, Romantic Thriller, Crime Thriller e.g. Se7en, Godfather.

Sci-fi Thriller e.g. Star Trek

Thriller are not to be confused with Horrors. Horrors are more bloody, frightening which is most of the time contrasting to Thrillers.

BBFC 15 and 18 Ratings


The BBFC stands for the British Board of Film Classification.They are an independent and a non-governmental body. It is the organisation legally responsible fro film classification in the United Kingdom. They are responsible for the current certificates like PG,U and 12 etc.




Suitable only for those aged 15 and over.

Nobody younger than 15 can see a 15 film in a cinema. No-one younger than 15 can rent or buy a 15 rated VHS, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, UMD or game.



18 Suitable only for adults.

Nobody younger than 18 may see an 18 film in a cinema.
No-one younger than 18 can rent or buy an 18 rated VHS, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, UMD or game.

Typical reasons for restricting films to the 18 certificate category have included scenes of hard drug use, supernatural horror, explicit sex, sadistic violence and sexual violence




*Information taken from the BBFC website and Wikipedia



Friday 8 January 2010

Prelim Task

The sequence we made for our preliminary task had to include the following shots: Establishing shot, close-up shot, match on action shot, shot reverse shot and long shot. We had to storyboard a short sequence that included all of these shots. Our final was a minute long after the editing process on Final Cut Express. The equipment that we used included a camera, tripod and the computer software. We used linear editing which means the order of events was clear to the viewer.

The hardest thing about the Preliminary Task was continuity editing, we had difficulties making sure our sequence was smooth and flowing throughout. The Preliminary Task has prepared us for the Thriller sequence.