Our Chosen Actors

We have chosen 3 main actors to cast in our thriller title sequence:

Jack Hull:We have chose Jack as the Antagonist in our thriller this is because he represents a stereotypical man in the 1950's with blond hair, blue eyes. Jack is additionally white British reflective of out target audience.

                                              

Shauna Gormley: We have chosen Shauna to feature as the protagonist in our crime thriller, this is because Shauna has a elegant unique look which represents stereotypically white British women in the 1950's. Shauna has features that stand out such as, Blue bold eyes, pale skin and a sweet and innocent look. Shauna suits our target audience of any gender ages 15 years and above.

                                             

Simran Kalsi: We have chosen Simran as the role of the tempter to the antagonist. This is because Simran has sharp features such as her eyes, we also thought she would be good at this role because she has great acting skills and seen in our continuity task. We also wanted to show varied ethnicity's in our thriller title sequence.

Dutch Tilt By Emily Hardy

These are my attempts at a dutch tilt:

This is just a normal straight shot of a candle:

This is the same object using the dutch tilt:

 Other objects I practised the dutch tilt on:

The dutch tilts create a subtle sense of unease which is a good thing for a thriller film. They are a common technique used in Film Noir so it is important we have a good understanding of what it is and how to do it before we go and start filming. 

Emily's attempt on practising Dutch tilt has a massive advantage and is very helpful for our production.The Dutch Tilt is commonly used in film Noir films,therefore it will be taken in consideration using this particular shot in our production, this will be very beneficial for us when filming.

Storyboarding

Storyboarding- Graphic visualizing process

Storyboard are graphic organizers in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture,animation, motion graphic,or interactive media sequence.

Why is storyboarding important?

-Links planning to filming process
-Visualize image and ideas
-Visualize links between shots and action/graphic matches
-Timing, continuity and pace
-Technical awareness and understanding
-Revise narrative sequencing
-Chance to make decisions and revisions

How to storyboard:
- Have it planned out (script)
- Write the numbers in order next to the scene
- Write a few shots
- Write little annotations
- Camera positions

In thriller films directors don't use much cutting and uses the camera to tell the story than cutting and editing it, this is because it grabs the audiences attention instead of the camera always changing it  to different scenes, cutting is used a lot in t.v programmes such as MTV and Soaps.

Practising camera shots and angles

In class me and Emily went and practiced different camera angles and shots. We thought that we needed more practice on this as when doing the continuity task we struggled on the different angles and shots. Camera angles are used to position the viewer so that they can understand the relationship between the characters. Camera shots are used to demonstrate different aspects of a films setting.

Extreme Close-up (shot)

An extreme close-up contains on part of a characters face. This technique is quite common in horror films. This shot creates an intense mood and provides interaction between the audience and viewer.

Low Angle

A low angle is a camera that looks up at the character. This is the opposite of a high angle and makes a character look more powerful and significant. This can make the audience feel vulnerable and small by looking up at the character. This can help the responder feel empathy if they are viewing he frame from another character's point of view.

High Angle

A high angle is a camera angle that looks down at a character. A character shot with a high angle will look vulnerable or small. These angles are often used to demonstrate to the audience a perspective of a particular character.

Long shot

A long shot contains landscape but gives the viewer a more specific idea of the setting, As we can see the shot was taken place in the cafe, this shot is used a lot in horror films as it  shows where the action will be taken place.

This task has given me a more of a understanding of camera shots and angles, I can use these angles and shots when i'm filming to create different meanings to the film. It has taught me that it can create suspense, different moods, make the character vulnerable, how to make the character more powerful and significant and providing interaction between the character and audience.

Evalution Questions

The following must be answered:

• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

• How does your media product represent particular social groups?

• What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

• Who would be the audience for your media product?

• How did you attract/address your audience?

• What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

• Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

These evaluation questions are very important, as a group we are practicing using the cameras and the filming techniques, as a group we can gain a detailed idea of the criteria to abide by. Also I can do a small evaluation when it comes to the real evaluation and expand it when everything is completed.

Film Noir (continued)

Film Noir consists of for main factors these are:

1. Character roles

2. Narrative themes

3. Iconography + Mise En Scene

4. Technical conventions

(1) Character roles:

Film Noir consists of different characters:

-Cynical Protagonist

Hard heated, cynical, selfless, lonely, physically tough. Usually meets a beautiful femme fatale who draws him into dangerous situations. Is physically or mentally damaged usually due to a past trauma or experience.

-Femme Fatale

An attractive and seductive women, especially one who will ultimately cause distress to a man who becomes involved with her. Often uses her sexuality to manipulate the protagonist into becoming the fall guy

-Corrupt authority figures

A character within a position of authority and trust. This status is often abused for their own personal gain. This role reflects the mistrust and paranoia narrative theme.

(2) Narrative themes

-Mistrust and paranoia

-Bleakness and depression

-Reflection and effects and consequences

(3) Iconography+ Mise En Scene

- Dark sidewalks

-Rain drenched streets

-Flashing neon signs

-Corrupt and hostile urban

-Alcohol/Alcoholics

-Cigarettes

-Guns

(4) Technical Conventions

-Low key lighting 

-Voice over/narration 

-Shadow cast by Venetian blinds

Non linear- First person narrative

Practice shadows/low key lighting by Emily Hardy

These are examples of shadows from films with the film noir genre:

This is my attempt at casting shadows:

When you hold the light down  it makes the shadow bigger making the person seem more intimidating.

When you hold the light up it makes the shadow smaller.

Practicing shadows is important as the are a key feature of film noir. We will have to included shadows to follow the codes and conventions of the genre. It will be quite difficult to create shadows on location I think because it won't be as easy to create complete darkness and then have a light that we can move around to create effective shadows. The shadows create meaning, there is someone there but it is left up to the viewers imaginations to decide who that person is and what they are going to do which creates suspense in the film. 

Emily has practiced how to create shadows and various angles to create different meaning. This will be very beneficial to the group as we can use some of these techniques in our short film. Conventions of a thriller are mirrors, low key lighting, shadows,  flashbacks and etc, this will fit it well with when we film. Shadows are used to represent the inner darkness within beings, and can also add tension and eeriness that is created, it also encourages fear within the audience as they are unaware who the person is and are intrigued by who it is.

Planning-Storyboard

As a group emily and jade went and wrote the script of our short thriller whereas me and prada went and drew the storyboard, as planned videos look the most professional, storyboarding is the process of creating a visual script of the shots and scene changes in a video or film. Storyboarding helps us to think how we want our finished film to look like and what shots convey the story to our audience.
We also included along with the scenes descriptions and notes about the location.

Storyboard:




1. The couple are sitting happily in the theatre.
2. The film stops for an interval, at this point the main protagonist exits the theatre leaving Connie sitting by herself.
3. Roy is then outside the theatre talking to an anonymous women dressed in red, having a brief conversation with Roy. She hands him a wad of cash and quickly departs.
4. Roy then goes to the electric supplies and turns the theatre lights off
5. The audience are confused what is happening
6. We hear a girl scream which is Connie, the girl Roy sat with at the start
7. Roy is then wiping the blood of the knife after killing Connie
8. he slyly walks out of the theatre and comes across a waterfall reminisces memories of him and Connie.

Film Noir- Codes and Conventions

They use certain shots to make the view feel uncomfotable and to create tension:
-high and low angled shots
-extreme close ups
-reflections obscured through objects
-dutch tilts:

  This was used a lot in German films of the 1930s and 1940s.
They use everyday locations to make whats happening seem more real. Normally in dodgy areas to normal locations:
-often rainy on damp streets
-low key lighting
-high contrast (dark blacks and whites)
-urban locations

The sound used reflects the sense of foreboding in the films:
-downbeat jazz music
-heavy breathing
-quiet and silence
-discordant/grating music
-sudden noises
-voice over of protagonist

Editing follows many traditional crime characteristics:
-non linear at the start then tells the story in flashbacks
-generally use continuity editing
-jump cuts


It is important we know all of this as we then know what kind of things we need to included in our film to make sure it follows the typical conventions of a film noir. We will have to include some of these things for it to work effectively.

Planning-Mindmap

This is a mindmap of what two of the members in the group have done where as me and prada went and did the story board.We have discussed a few different film ideas on it, the actors we are going to use and location ideas. We have decided on doing the cinema storyline as we think it will be more appropriate as filming a picnic in black park in febuary wouldn't work very well.

Music and sound in thrillers

In thriller films, the music is to create tension and suspense within the audience and to make them feel scared and frightened. The music helps to build climax when approaching a scary bit of the film. They often include synthesised sounds, this helps to create the mood of the scene in the film. The most commonly used sounds in thrillers are dark, eerie sounds. The music usually starts of in a slow pace at first whilst gradually speeding up the pace helping create the tension and build up climax.


I am now going to analyse Inception title sequence, this will help me as it will give me ideas what to include in the short thriller we are going to film as a group. I will listen carefully to the music and sounds they use in the short opening of Inception

Inception:
Ambient sounds of waves coming in
Slow but loud dramatic music
Sounds of children playing in the background-bringing back the past
Sudden loud music
Dark and eerie sounds
Build up of sounds
Repetition
Fade out of sounds then music gradually getting louder again
Child screaming when the music was peaceful
Sharp sounds
Deep sudden sounds