Preliminary Task - Miss Miller

Preliminary Task

The members in my group include Alfie, Danny and myself. 

We completed a preliminary task in order to get used to the equipment in which we will be using for the filming of our opening sequence. Also, to experiment with the different shots we could use, which we found most effective and especially getting used to not breaking the 180 degree rule. The different ways in which the tripod could be positioned is also another reason, as this could enhance our shots, making them create more of an impact and also creating variation. We had to film a conversation between two people in a room  - where someone is already present and someone else walks in. The conversation could be on any topic just able to be spoke about for roughly 30 seconds to a minute, in order to include different types of cinematography. When finished, we edited the clips together in order to create a short sequence that made sense and was flowing in conversation. Before this however, we had to watch back our clips to ensure that no clips were missing that could determine whether the sequence when put together will make sense. When this was confirmed successful, we proceeded with the editing. 

We used a range of different camera shots that made sure to create variation throughout our short sequence. We used panning a few times in our sequence which allows the audience to witness more of the setting, as well as being able to follow the character's movements. We did this by positioning the camera onto the tripod and using the handle to gradually move the camera sideways in a smooth and flowing motion. Another shot we used was an over the shoulder shot, which allows for the character in-front of the shoulder to be shown talking from a more personal perspective as being behind the shoulder is as if the audience are actually in the scene. To do this, the camera was positioned behind the character's shoulder that we were using and had to make adjustments to the tripod in order to create the ideal over-the-shoulder shot that we wanted. A long shot was also used to show both characters in conversation, allowing for both characters' reactions and gestures to be seen at once. This was where the camera was positioned on the tripod and kept stationary to maintain focus on the scene. A further shot used was a close up shot, allowing for the visibility to see who was calling one of the character's phone. For this shot the camera was positioned slightly at a high angle and we used zooming to ensure that the close up filled the whole screen - in this case, the phone ringing. Finally, we also used a shot-reverse-shot as this made the conversation flow and allows the audience to see the expressions of the character's from both sides. We made sure to keep the 180 degree rule in mind when doing our shot-reverse-shots to make sure that the shots when juxtaposed together, flow and make sense. We ensured this by keeping the allocated sides/angles/perspectives of shots were in the correct position. 

When filming, I think what went well for our group was the fact that the conversation flowed and there was a way for a character to enter and also a character to exit - as what was set. The shots went together quite well and this was through the use of editing carefully, ensuring that the cutting of shots was smooth and consistent. Another element that particularly went well was the way the phone ring-tone was played across two shots but we managed to make sure that the ring-tone combined correctly with each shot. This was also achieved by careful editing and cropping of clips at just the precise and appropriate time. 

However, there were also a few struggles. One was keeping the camera in focus, most of our sequence appears to be fairly blurry. This was a struggle because it was difficult to keep the consistency of the focus within each shot especially when movement occurred in the shot. We could have kept ensuring that the camera was in focus after each shot if we would have done it differently. Therefore, next time we will not make this mistake as we will make sure that the camera is in focus by placing a white piece of paper in front of the lense. It will affect the professionalism of our sequence and make it appear more amateur is the mistake is not resolved. As well as this, positioning the camera in a particular place to ensure that the shot is just right proved to be quite a struggle from the lack of space behind each character. This wasn't to be helped because of the setting however, next time we will be aware of the different ways the tripod can be positioned and stood so that it can basically fit in anywhere you try. We could have removed items that were out of shot and irrelevant to the scene in order to get the camera in the best position possible but from knowing that now, we will use in the final sequence in order to capture the best shots as possible. The experimenting of different shots and uses of the camera will definitely help in producing our opening sequence. Being more knowledgeable with the equipment we will be using, gives us a head start and familiarity. Also, the editing of the sequence - knowing how to work Final Cut Pro and the ways of cropping clips precisely in order of not cropping too much but also not cropping too little. This technique will definitely help us and will be kept in mind when producing our opening sequence. From watching the footage back, it has helped us understand what mistakes we made that we were not aware of when we were filming. For example, the way most shots were out of focus and also a few shots that could have been added in to make the conversation slightly less random at times. 

In conclusion, from the involvement in the preliminary task it will ensure that these problems, mistakes and errors are ironed out for the filming of our final opening sequence. It has helped outline these particular errors but also give an explanation as to how we would resolve these mistakes for next time. We have learnt that it is vital to make sure that shots that are put together also work together in order for the whole sequence itself to make sense. Furthermore, that the whole sequence is in focus gives the sequence a more professional feel and should be evident throughout our sequence - something we have learned from this task. The shots in our short sequence will be used in our final sequence as these proved to be effective showing points of view from different character's including the audience. Overall, we will just be emphasising the parts that went well and not including or improving the parts that didn't go so well. 

Group Narrative - Miss Georgiou

Group Narrative

The people in my group are Alfie and Danny, making three of us in total. 

Group Member 1: Amy-Michaela Sowerby

A narrative for a new thriller could be about a girl who has a sister who was murdered a few years back. Ever since this incident the killer has not been discovered, yet the brother had also disappeared since it occurred. It turns out that what they believed that the sister is dead, but in fact the brother is killed by the sister and she is seeking to come back and kill the girl, to take revenge on the result of their childhood. I think this idea of a narrative is quite unique as the majority of killers tend to be male so this puts a slight twist on it. Additionally, not many thrillers have a conflict between siblings to the extent of murder so this also adds some originality. 

The opening sequence would include point of view shots of the sister who is shown to be stalking the girl (her sister). This would give the audience the perspective of the sister but they would not know that.  The audience would also not find out her identity at the end of the opening sequence as I would want to create that suspense and make them experience the feeling of wanting to see more. Furthermore, the setting would be isolated and there would be low-key lighting. These elements create enigma and tension and are also key conventions of a successful thriller. The setting being isolated will create more of an eerie atmosphere and complemented with low-key lighting will ensure that the audience feel worried for the victim. Low-key lighting will mean that not everything will be distinctively visible including intricate detail, so this will leave suspense and the audience pondering as to what is lurking in the darkness. The girl will be represented as innocent and just like a normal everyday person so the audience can feel more relatable towards the character. In contrast, the sister will be represented as the opposite however, not so much in the opening sequence as her identity would be hidden. There would be a tense, eery, non-diegetic soundtrack with uses of diegetic on and off screen sound such as car engine and mobile for example. Use of silence will also be present to create prolonged shots to create a build up on tension in order to create an effective climax. In addition, the target audience would be a 15+ and anyone who enjoys watching thriller films with a certified age of 15 as the criteria would be a appropriate for this particular age certificate. It would include some violence and discriminatory behaviour and language but not exceeding the criteria and the limits that would push it to an 18. Most thrillers are targeted at 15+ year olds and so mine would be very much influenced by these thrillers. 

Advantages: Unique narrative that is unexpected and different to any that exist already. Furthermore, it challenges the conventions of the thriller genre by changing the antagonist's expected gender to be male - in this narrative, they are female. 

Dsiadvantages: The narrative is confusing and slightly difficult to understand. Moreover, it would be difficult to show an effective opening sequence for the film as nothing in the beginning would be able to grip and engage the audience into carrying on watching. 

Group Member 2: Alfie Harris

A narrative for a new thriller would be about a young couple arriving at a summer house on holiday. Upon arriving at the house, they realise they are in a isolated area and the summer house has very little electricity  They go to sleep on their first night and begin to hear strange noises and shadows roaming around the bedroom. The man wakes up in the middle of the night and walks into the kitchen to get a glass of water, where he finds the television still on. He walks over to the tele and turns it off to find bloody handprints over the remote control and a table. He attempts to ring the police but he can't get a signal. Whilst he attempts to find out were the bloody handprints have come from, a shadowy figure appears on the wall by the stairs and the sound of footsteps creek on the floorboards. He then grabs a torch out of the cupboard and follows the bloody footsteps up towards his bedroom. Non-digetic music is playing in the background to add suspense and it matches the sound of his heartbeat. Suddenly, screams from his girlfriend come from the bedroom. He rushes into the bedroom to find her dead body lying across the bed. The camera closes in on his shocked face as he frantically tries to save himself, rushing down towards the front door. Panicking and panting, he can't find the key and the sound of the radio plays in the background. The killer is standing their, gazing at his next victim.

Advantages: The narrative is flowing and easy to follow/understand. As well as this, suspense is built throughout, which ensures that the film would be conventional to the thriller genre. The narrative is also quite realistic as similar stories are heard of in the real world where couples go away for a break in an isolated area and find themselves in some sort of trouble.

Disadvantages: It would be difficult for us to get access to this specific setting as well as getting actors old enough to act such parts. 

Group Member 3: Danny Wheeler

For my story the narrative will be based in an isolated area, possibly a forest, about a crazed stalker who has been following the protagonist for years, one day he finally snaps, and decides to take action, she is running in the forest, and suddenly she feels a blunt object hit her over the head, instantly knocking her out, the screen goes black, he kidnaps her and takes her to his house, when she wakes up she is drowsy and disorientated, and doesn't realise what is happening, she gets up, trying to exit but finds the door is locked, she screams for help, but is trapped, she decides to look around the room and there are pictures of her scattered all over the walls, pictures that look like they have been taken from a distance, she was clearly unaware of the picture being taken, she is starting to become anxious, she frantically looks around the room, searching for an exit or a weapon to smash the door down with, as she is looking around the room the lights start to flicker, she hears the door creaking open, so she tries to find a hiding place in this small room, she gets into the wardrobe, attempting to evade the unknown man, she cannot close it fully, so she ends up peeking out, she sees the man walking around calling out her name (she doesn't recognise him and whimpers as he comes closer) he disappears out of her sight, she stays silent until she hears footsteps going up the stairs, then suddenly he appears in front of her, peeking round the door, she screams and jumps back into the wardrobe, he casually opens the wardrobe door and greets her, she kicks and punches him screaming at him asking who he is, he ignores her and closes the door, a sound of a key rattling in a lock can be heard, then a click, indicating it has been locked, she screams at him to let her out, he calmly replies, "i'll be back for you at six for dinner, make sure you're ready". A few hours later and she hears the creak of the door and then footsteps, he knocks her out with chloroform and she wakes up at the dinner table, the camera uses a panoramic shot across the table and we see the antagonist, he explains how the dinner will be ready soon and not to worry, she looks around the room for an escape (POV shot) (handheld camera), she jumps out her chair (speed of shots fast), running for an exit, the antagonist, annoyed, gets out his seat, "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this" it cuts back to her sprinting around the house she runs towards the door, its locked, she runs frantically towards the front door but as she runs down the corridor he jumps out of no where and stabs her (high pitch noise), gently lowering  her onto the floor, the camera slowly zooms out as the lighting gets darker, a background noise of a heart beat slowing down can be heard in the background.

Advantages: There are conventional mise-en-scene elements such as the isolated setting and violent iconography and a detailed description of what would be included in the opening sequence specifically. 

Disadvantages: Difficult to shoot from the lack of facilities we may be able to access and it may be difficult to narrow down enough engaging content for a opening sequence. 

Final Group Narrative:

Our final narrative consists of influence from all 3 individual narratives, as we have found that combining all of our ideas is most likely the best and most efficient way in creating a thriller to be as successful as possible. 

Our final group narrative is set in the forest and about a girl who is being stalked by an unknown identity. The girl hears many unclear voices and sounds that give her the feeling of being watched. When she tries to make an escape from the forest a masked man blocks her path so she turns and runs for her life. She finds herself lost as to where she is at this point and also realises that the man hasn't been chasing after her. Frantically, she looks around for a way of escape just as there is a camera shot to behind her where the man's presence is visible to the audience but not to the girl - she carries on walking. Once again the man appears directly in-front of her and she freezes in panic and as he goes to grab her, she runs in the opposite direction. He catches her arm with the blade of the knife causing it to bleed quite heavily causing her to faint because of the sight. When awoken she is unaware of her surroundings and is feeling drowsy. She glances at her arm, which has strangely been cleaned up and bandaged. The masked man is visible once again, however, he hasn't realised that she has woken up so she tries to make an escape. Gingerly and slowly she makes her way to the door but finds it locked, the noise of the attempt to open the door alerts the man who turns around. The girl attacks him and he fights back, stabbing her and leaving her to suffer. The lighting gradually fades as the sound effect of a heartbeat (representing her own) is heard, getting slower and slower. 

Narrative Theory:

Our group narrative is going to be following Aristole's theory. This is because the themes in which his theory consists of matches our narrative perfectly. For example, having an inciting incident - the girl getting stabbed. This also creates the elements of shock, suspense and surprise through the build up to and when the event is occurring. The dramatic question is 'who is the killer?' which leaves the audience on a cliff hanger as even by the end of the opening sequence, they are unaware of who this 'masked man' is. All the rest of Aristotle's themes for his theory are included too, character goal, antagonist/protagonist, stakes, sympathy/empathy - apart from resolution. A resolution is not included in our opening sequence as this would give too much away so early on in the film and therefore not a satisfactory build of suspense will be created. 

Our group narrative doesn't follow Propp's theory as this theory does not apply to every narrative anyway nor every type of film. His theory is that a set, listed amount of characters make the difference to the narrative. We are only creating an opening sequence so, having too many characters in the first few minutes is likely to spoil the rest of the film, not giving it the elements in which a thriller should have - suspense, surprise and shock. Only 2 characters are being shown in our opening and so this theory is quite the opposite to our narrative. Our narrative also does not follow the theory of Todorov. His theory consists of ideas of equilibrium and disequilibrium and the way the narrative has to undergo the interweaving of these 'briums' with a new equilibrium at the end of the narrative. This is not similar to our narrative and so makes it difficult to follow with a theory so different to it. Aristotle pretty much allows our narrative to be able to follow it easily and so this is why we are following this theory. 

Our group narrative is conventional to the thriller genre as it has a build up of tension and suspense which eventually results in a climax. The audience are made to feel relieved in a way when the girl faints as someone may be able to help her but when the antagonist is seen once again, the audience loose hope for her. The way this relationship forms between the character and the audience makes the thriller a lot more relatable from the audiences point of view. Also, the fact that the audience are able to witness some things that the character cannot such as the man behind her, creates a sympathetic feel for the character and also a sense of foreboding as they know that something bad is going to happen. Furthermore, the victim will be female, making them seem more weak, vulnerable and also conventional because the victim needs to be weak in order for something bad to happen to them. Moreover, the antagonist/killer's identity will be hidden which was proved to be popular from what was expected in a thriller from the questionnaire results we retrieved. 

Another reason is the fact that there will be an eerie soundtrack, along with conventional sound effects such as a heartbeat and also silence. All three of these will build suspense and complement the actions present in the scene. This will appeal to our target audience of teens to young adults (15 - 25 years old) and thriller fans, as the characters will be around the same age and so will make the characters more relatable. Thriller fans will also enjoy the build up of tension that will occur and create a emphasised climax. Target audiences will enjoy this as it is also realistic and knowing it is possible to happen to them in a similar way will keep them feeling on the edge of their seat. 

Opening Sequence Analysis - Miss Georgiou

Opening Sequence Analysis

An opening sequence is needed for every film that is made. It's purpose is to set the scene and introduce the narrative - fundamentally give it somewhere to start from. Without an opening sequence a film would not be able to be gone through with as it simply wouldn't make sense and would be difficult to follow. Opening sequences can be expected to contain all of the conventions of that particular genre - in this case, thriller. 

From analysing 'Halloween''s opening sequence, it was clear that many thriller conventions were evident throughout:

Cinematography
There was a shallow focus in the opening sequence when the iconography of the knife is out of the drawer. From the use of shallow focus here it emphasises the knife's presence and the value of it in this scene. Having the knife in such focus creates a sense of foreboding, as it is likely then that it is going to be handled with. It also creates tension as the audience are weary of the capabilities of a knife and in which ways it can be used. Furthermore, the audience are made to feel suspicious as it makes them question the antagonist's reasons or purpose for getting the knife out of the draw. The shot leads the knife being quite central so it portrays the knife's domination and relevance to this part of the sequence. This shot is a convention of the thriller genre as, in thrillers a high use of violent iconography is used throughout. By using a shallow focus shot, it creates emphasis on these uses of iconography  which are significant objects in thrillers and need to be illustrated to stand out. With the use of this shot, the film is able to accentuate these vital uses of iconography. 

Furthermore, a high angle shot is used showing the house. The use of the high angle gives the illusion that the house looks smaller than what it actually is. This is complemented with the situation that is occurring in the house at that current time and so makes the audience seem like they are looking down slightly on the house. Audiences are made to feel like they are better off than the house and its surroundings at that time as they are away from the danger and not shown to be on the same level. From knowing this, it creates tension as the audience feel sorry for the people in the house knowing that something bad is going to happen from what they are able to see but the characters cannot. This is conventional to the thriller genre because often different characters have different statuses and some sort of hierarchy and this needs to be shown. The use of high angle causes something to appear smaller and therefore shows a lack of dominance on their side. This is the same with low angle but the other way round so the audience are made to feel small and the character or whatever is shown is shown to have a high level of dominance. 

Throughout the whole of the sequence there is a point of view shot used and this is from the perspective of the antagonist. This allows the audience to feel empathetic towards the antagonist as they are able to witness the surroundings through their eyes. The perspective of the antagonist is then reflected onto the audience and this creates suspicion as the antagonist's identity is not revealed until the end. Therefore, this builds up tension throughout as suspense is felt by the audience as they are left wondering who this character is. This is a conventional shot of the thriller genre as it is a great way to create suspense and shock which are two key elements of a successful thriller. As well as this, it gives the audience the perspective of a particular character and as in various thrillers there are some characters that may be slightly mental or deluded and difficult to understand their feelings, this shot gives them an insight as to what it is like to be this character. It also involves the audience in the scene so that they feel apart of the scene itself and can relate to the character.

Editing
A wipe is used at the beginning of the sequence to introduce the house and it's surroundings as well as the general setting. The use of a wipe creates a clear and definite marking to the beginning of the sequence. A wipe is quite a harsh movement as it's very sudden and quick which can be a reflective of the stabbing of the girl shown in the sequence. HAving this mirroring movement creates a sense of foreboding and a worried feel for the characters from the audience. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is often used when starting, ending or changing a scene. It creates a definite start for what's about to happen and in many thrillers there is lots going on that the audience need to keep an eye on. The insert of a wipe ensures that the audience know of the new scene that is about to begin (or end in some cases). Also, there is a lot of quick movement in thrillers so this reflects this movement and compliments the other movements perfectly. 

Also in the sequence, there is the use of slow editing. This is evident when the antagonist is looking through the windows from outside of the house. This creates suspense as it is as though it is prolonging the shot in order for a shocking or surprising moment to follow. Additionally, it allows the audience to 'take in' more of the surroundings noticing intricate details such as the couple inside and what they are doing and listening to. Therefore, they are able to feel more apart of the scene as they are aware and have some knowledge of what is exactly in the setting. Slow editing is conventional tot the thriller genre as it is an easy way to build suspense. As it prolongs a movement or action taking place in the scene, the audience know that something is going to 'jump' out or create a sense of shock. This causes them to look away as they don't want to feel this 'jump' only to look back and find that because the shot was so prolonged they have to end up seeing what 'jumps' out at the climax of the shot. This is often used in thrillers as it engages the audience more and keeps them wanting to watch the film. 

Soundtrack
There is a use of many non-diegetic sounds but one example is at the beginning when there is an eery sounding, quick, off-key piano playing. The fact that is is off-key makes it uncomfortable for the audience to listen to and so creates a sense of uneasiness and discomfort. This is then reflected onto the scene as the girl character is in discomfort after the presence of the antagonist. This eery sound creates a sense of foreboding as enigma is created making the scene a lot more effective. The off-key piano suggests that something isn't right and in order and so the audience can infer that something about the setting or the time is not normal. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it creates suspense and builds tension. These are two vital factors that need to be included in a thriller in order for it to be successful. Without this sort of non-diegetic sound, there is a lack of tension and build up within the scene and so certain actions and movements are not able to be emphasised as much as they could be. 

Moreover, diegetic sounds are also used throughout the sequence, for example, when the children are heard singing/trick or treating. This emphasises the time of year it is and the fact that this particular night is the night of Halloween. As this is a significant night that has many 'scary' tales made from it, it has more of a fearful impact on the audience. This is because this is seen as a scary and an arguably unlucky night so creates more of a build up of fear and tension. This is conventional to the thriller genre as having diegetic sounds such as this one keeps the normality flowing throughout. Therefore, this makes the film seem more realistic and relateable.

Codes and Conventions of a Thriller
One convention of a thriller shown in the sequence was the fact that the setting was isolated. Although it seemed to be in a fairly big, welcoming, family home, the different uses of cinematography portrayed the lack of surrounding of people. This means that if there is no one else around, it is unlikely that the victim will be heard (apart from by the family). This akes the audience feel scared for the victim and other characters as they feel that they wish they could help them from the knowing that the characters are alone. This is a convention of a thriller because audiences watching a thriller are aimed to feel sympathetic and worried for the characters that are existent in the film. With the use of an isolated setting, this creates this fear for the characters as to what will happen, how they will manage to cope with the situation and the way they are going to get help. Audiences then can relate to the characters as they start thinking about and questioning what they would do if they were in the situation that the characters are in. 


Representation of Characters
The antagonist shown in this sequence is very valid to the whole of the sequence because it's based mainly around them as a character. They are very much the focus point of the sequence as they are the perspective in which the audience are experiencing to feel. From the way the audience are able to see the antagonist pick up a mask and put it on to hide their identity creates more suspicion and says a lot about the character themselves. They are shown to be quite weak if they are unwilling to show their identity and face the consequences they may have to face. However, because of the actions they proceed with (stabbing the girl) they can be shown as quite fearless or maybe lost. Throughout the audience are engaged as they are eager to find out who the killer is. When the killer is finally identified, it is surprising as the little boy is the or one of the least expectations for the killer to be. This is conventional to the thriller genre because the surprise and shock element is created so clearly here leaving the audience wondering what will happen next. This leaves the audience wanting more and so they become fixed and want to carry on watching.

Narrative
The narrative here leaves the audience on a cliff hanger. Throughout the sequence you are lead to believe that some sort of murderer is walking about this family home on a mission to complete a murder. Only to find out that at the end, it's the little boy in the family of which who has stabbed his sister and this is the part where the element of surprise and shock occurs as it is not what the audience expect to find out. Furthermore, the narrative is based around Halloween. This creates elements of enigma from the reputation of this well-known day and leaves the audience feeling on edge as the narrative develops. This is conventional to the thriller genre to base the narrative around a theme such as 'Halloween' because this is a well-known day for it's scary aspects and is recognised and celebrated by many. Another time in the year which would be conventional is a 'Friday 13th' for example, as this is another day associated with fear and unluckiness. 

Overall, the sequence informs the audience of the conventions of a thriller from the way it illustrates everything in which they expect to see in a thriller. Because of the way the audience feel after watching the sequence, they are able to recognise what aspects and elements made them feel that way. These elements are most likely the conventions and so they are weary of the conventions from this. 

In Summary, this analysis will assist me in planning my own thriller because it has outlined the many different conventions that can be shown in such a short space of time. Just for the opening various different thriller conventions were clearly demonstrated and so this will influence my own thriller and what I will include in my opening sequence. In addition, I noticed that not too much is revealed in the opening sequence - the audience were still left feeling suspicious at the end of the sequence. This will influence my own as I believe that it is an effective way into making the audience want to see more. Therefore, in my own opening sequence I will include enough to grip the audience but not too much that will spoil and give away the rest of the narrative. 

Research into Target Audience - Miss Miller

Research into Target Audience

Research was carried out to find out the most productive and effective way of creating a successful thriller sequence. From the research, we are able to discover what the most popular and idealistic conventions are that should be included in a thriller. My group and I decided to create a questionnaire to carry out research in order to see what codes and conventions were the most popular in thriller films and why. The results will then be able to influence the ideas for our thriller opening sequence. We asked 40 people to answer our questionnaire so that we could receive feedback from a large sample. This would mean that the results we get will be more valid and accurate as the view and opinion of many is counted and to more of a mass audience more so than a niche. From the results we have acquired, we will use it to create our sequence noticing what the audience like best, what they expect to see and how successful a thriller can be created with the specific conventions found within.



This was the questionnaire we carried out, consisting of 3 open questions and 7 closed questions:

These were the results in which we retrieved from the questionnaire:
  

From this pie chart it is clear that 19 - 25 year olds was the highest percentage age category therefore, most people between these ages took the questionnaire. Whereas, there were less 12 - 18 year olds that took part in the questionnaire. This could show that this is the age group that are the most popular with thrillers, however this could just be due to the particular people in which was questioned. This would support the age certificate of a thriller to be 18 though, I believe most thrillers are aimed at 15+. However, because of this research, age will definitely be taken into account when making our thriller sequence. From the high number of 19 - 25 year olds, this is what information we will consider. 

This pie chart shows that the majority of the people that took the questionnaire were men. This could suggest that thriller films are more popular with the male gender. This could be because stereotypically they are seen as the gender that are 'least scared' in general and so as thriller films can have an aspect of horror and fear to them, this may be the reason the results have appeared in this way. Furthermore, it may just be the fact that females are not as engaged within thriller films or may enjoy another type of film genre a lot more, leaving the thriller genre with less female 'fans'. Moreover, a lot of the females are shown in thrillers as the victims, so this could mean that females relate a lot more to them but also feeling their fear throughout the film - this could also be a reason as to why females don't watch thrillers as much. From this research, it can be taken into consideration that not a significantly large percentage breaks the other, however, male being the more popular, this will be considered. The thriller sequence we create will have influences such as the idea of a female victim and perhaps a male killer included. 

This pie chart recognises the different films in which the participants liked best. It is evident that most people at 25%'s favourite thriller was something other than listed. We are unable to know what this is as it is not visible, however, from the ones which are the most popular was 'Scream' at 22%. Scream is a fairly old film, so more may have seen it however so is 'Silence of the Lambs'. The fact that 'Scream''s killer has a hidden identity proves to be popular, furthermore, the fact that they had a mask and black cloak covering the entire body makes it a lot more suspenseful because none of their flesh at all is visible. This could be one of the reasons why this is the most popular thriller film as chosen from the participants. 'The Strangers' at 15% of the participants choosing it as their favourite thriller could be for a number of reasons. This films has a lot of 'jump scares' which some people may hate, however some may like. 'Jump scares' create more of an impact and the events that cause the jump can be thought of by the viewer shortly after, making them feel scared at times when they shouldn't. 'The Strangers' is also quite realistic in the way that a couple has gone away together, although, it's predictable because they are in an isolated setting, communication with others seems to go wrong and some sort of killer seems to be after the. This predictability and expected nature could prevent people from watching as they know what will happen, so may not see the point. From the results, they will be able to influence the ideas in which we have for our thriller sequence as we will analyse what the participants said to the 'why?' part of the question. This will give us a better idea of inparticular why they favourite a certain thriller over the others. 

Results from this question show that the most popular sub-genre in which people like to be paired with thriller is horror. This is not surprising as most thrillers do have a horror element to them in the way that suspense is built and there is usually a killer. With the horror sub-genre this adds slightly more gore to the film and so this may be what viewers want to see. This creates more of an enigma as the audience are able to witness the way in which a victim is killed in intricate detail for example. More fear is created and the kill is made more personal as the audience get to know more of the gory details. The least favourite sub-genre in which the participants as a whole decided was comedy. This is understandable because there isn't many comedy thrillers that exist. With the input of humour, it lessens the impact of the killing or traumatising event that may occur. Consequently, this is why it may be the least favourite as it isn't as intense and so doesn't build up as much suspense and tension because it's not taken as seriously. For out thriller sequence, this research will be taken into consideration and so it will also influence the way in which we create our thriller. Aspects of a sub-genre will be determined by these results from a clear lead of horror. Therefore, our sequence is most likely to include elements of horror such as evidence of killing like blood, for example, due to the popularity of the sub-genre. 

This question here is vital in the making of our sequence, as it shows the most expected conventions in a thriller from the participant's (audience's) point of view. Clearly, the use of an eerie soundtrack was the most chosen option at 31% of the people in the survey choosing it. From this knowledge, an eerie soundtrack will be present in our thriller sequence as it seems to be very popular with the participants but also ourselves and in many other thriller works. This is most likely because an eerie soundtrack helps to build suspense, surprise and shock - 3 main elements to a successful thriller. Normally, an eerie soundtrack also complements what is going on in the scene which is what makes it so effective with a large impact. The option that was chosen the least was a female victim. I don't necessarily think this is because this is not a convention but more so that the other options may have illustrated more of what the audience expect to see. Female victims are usually in every thriller with a male antagonist being the killer, supporting dominant ideology. The results from this question will definitely influence the opening sequence of our thriller as it is clear what the most popular conventions are so which ones we can emphasise. Furthermore, we can make sure that they are clearly portrayed in our sequence in order to create a satisfied audience by meeting their expectations. 

Number 6 was a question finding out what setting was the most popular in the eyes of our participants. An abandoned house proved the most popular with 30% of our participants opting for it. I believe this may be because the audience are made to feel worried and scared for the victims as they have no one around that are able to help them get out of the situation they may be in. In a city/town was shown to be the least expected setting, from the results shown. This is likely to be because in a city/town it's quite lively and doesn't contain the silence that can be used to build suspense, surprise and shock. Also, in a city/town a killer may be clearly spotted or identified and from the high density of people in this area, the audience do not feel as worried for the victim. This is because they know that they will be able to seek help from someone as there will be someone around in the area. These results will influence our own thriller sequence as one of the listed settings will be used. The way in which the data has resulted will determine which setting will be best and most effective for our thriller and it's narrative. 

This question is on iconography and demonstrates that the most popular use of iconography that is expected to be seen is a knife. Over a quarter of the people we questioned chose this as their option causing it to be a shared agreement. A knife is a lot more personal than a gun for example, as a killer has to be close to a victim in order to cause a wound or killing. With a gun, a killer can be further away and so maybe this is one of the reasons as to why the use of a gun is the least expected in a thriller. This suggests that viewers prefer to see more intricate, up close murders representing the killers as disturbed and cold-hearted. Using a knife also makes a murder a lot more brutal and graphic from the traces it can leave behind such as blood for instance. Whereas, a gun is just one, single moment of pain that the victim has to go through and therefore one, single moment for the audience to witness. Not much in the way of brutality is seen as the bullet travels so fast that it is not clearly visible to the human eye when being shot. A knife is an object that is able to be seen constantly so when this is used it creates a more fearful effect as it is also an everyday object which anyone can get a hold of. These results will be taken into consideration from the thorough decision making we will proceed in order to use the best weapon in our thriller which will most likely be a knife. This is because the high percentage of people that chose this option therefore, these results will influence our sequence.

From this pie chart, the results show that the majority of the people we questioned expect the killer's identity to be hidden - just under three quarters to be precise. This shows that not knowing who the killer is really makes an impact and is a common opinion that it should be kept unknown. The way that only 28% said 'no' suggests that they like to know who the killer is and have the thriller filmed as if they are the point of view of the killer. This is quite a common scenario and so could be the reason for these participants choosing 'no'. In our thriller sequence we will most likely have our killer's identity kept hidden in order to please our audience. Therefore, the results retrieved will influence our own thriller sequence.

Number 9 is based around what sounds are expected in a thriller - the most popular was an eerie/dark soundtrack. Most likely, this is because this is one of the most effective ways of building suspense, surprise and shock. Half of the amount of people that chose an eerie/dark soundtrack opted for screams. This is also a typical convention of a thriller as it demonstrates the stress of the characters especially the victims, particularly if their murder is brutal and violent. The weapon being used is the least expected sound in a thriller which I don't believe is necessarily true, however, could just not be the most important sound to be included. Having the weapon visible is one thing, but hearing it being used is another as it creates a sense of foreboding from the weariness the audience will have become of that use of violent iconography. This will influence our research as this is the second time that an eerie/dark soundtrack has proved to be popular from the results of this questionnaire. Therefore, using an eerie/dark soundtrack in our thriller should help build suspense and create a successful opening in which the audience will enjoy to watch.

This final question is about the cinematography in thrillers and which is most effective. Point of view shots seem to be the most picked option. This type of shot allows the audience to build a relationship and relate to a character more easily as they are able to watch the scenes through the character's perspective. From seeing the character's perspective, it may change their views and opinions on how they would resolve a situation or cope with whatever is occurring in the scene. What is shown to be the least effective shot is a shot other than what is listed joint with steadicam which 15% of participants chose. Steadicam is quite an average shot that can be used in all genres but in thrillers may not make that much of a difference when referring to effects. Not as much as a close up for example, as a close up allows the audience to witness the intricate detail of something like someone's expression or emotion. The results retrieved from this question will influence our thriller sequence as we can clearly see that point of view shots are tended to be fairly popular and effective. We want to make our thriller as effective and successful as possible so using this research to influence our own thriller sequence will hopefully make our thriller the way we intend it to be. 

These are 3 vox pops in which I also carried out:

From creating and carrying out this questionnaire, it will ensure that our film is much more audience considered. This is because we now have evidence to support the decisions we make and resolutions as to how to make our thriller successful. We are going to be very much influenced by the particular topics of the questions such as the sub-genre, iconography and soundtrack. The results all display answers that are conventional to the thriller genre and so are what we pretty much expected that they would come out as. 

Individual Narrative Ideas - Miss Georgiou

Individual Narrative Ideas

A narrative is important as it creates a main purpose for the film. Without the narrative the film would not be applicable to watch as there would be consequently no reason in there being a film. Nothing would be able to be directed or produced without a narrative, as well as having no idea of target audience and election for actors of characters. 

A narrative for a new thriller could be about a girl who has a sister who was murdered a few years back. Ever since this incident the killer has not been discovered, yet the brother had also disappeared since it occurred. It turns out that what they believed that the sister is dead, but in fact the brother is killed by the sister and she is seeking to come back and kill the girl, to take revenge on the result of their childhood. I think this idea of a narrative is quite unique as the majority of killers tend to be male so this puts a slight twist on it. Additionally, not many thrillers have a conflict between siblings to the extent of murder so this also adds some originality. 

The opening sequence would include point of view shots of the sister who is shown to be stalking the girl (her sister). This would give the audience the perspective of the sister but they would not know that.  The audience would also not find out her identity at the end of the opening sequence as I would want to create that suspense and make them experience the feeling of wanting to see more. Furthermore, the setting would be isolated and there would be low-key lighting. These elements create enigma and tension and are also key conventions of a successful thriller. The setting being isolated will create more of an eery atmosphere and complemented with low-key lighting will ensure that the audience feel worried for the victim. Low-key lighting will mean that not everything will be distinctively visible including intricate detail, so this will leave suspense and the audience pondering as to what is lurking in the darkness. The girl will be represented as innocent and just like a normal everyday person so the audience can feel more relatable towards the character. In contrast, the sister will be represented as the opposite however, not so much in the opening sequence as her identity would be hidden. There would be a tense, eery, non-diegetic soundtrack with uses of diegetic on and off screen sound such as car engine and mobile for example. Use of silence will also be present to create prolonged shots to create a build up on tension in order to create an effective climax. In addition, the target audience would be a 15+ and anyone who enjoys watching thriller films with a certified age of 15 as the criteria would be a appropriate for this particular age certificate. It would include some violence and discriminatory behaviour and language but not exceeding the criteria and the limits that would push it to an 18. Most thrillers are targeted at 15+ year olds and so mine would be very much influenced by these thrillers. 

The way in which I will share this with my group is by discussing how it would be planned to be able to go through with bearing in mind the facilities we would be able to access. Then, the different ways in which the conventions could be clearly portrayed throughout would be discussed and elections of the most effective and vital conventions would be decided and considered how they would be able to be included in the opening sequence. We will then discuss other ideas and develop them until we have a final product for a narrative that we are all satisfied to go through with. 

Research into Editing Styles - Miss Georgiou

Editing

Editing is the way in which a film is changed after it has been shot to make it make sense and come together successfully. There are many various techniques in editing that can create different effects within a film. Without editing, films wouldn't make sense and wouldn't be interesting for viewing as there would be lack in variation. In thriller films particularly, editing is used in many ways to create suspense, surprise and shock - 3 main elements that ensure a thriller's success.

I have chosen a clip from 'Saw 4' in which to analyse as it has a high number of edits within, which creates many different effects.

There is a negative/x ray filter edited into the clip which flashes very sharply, abstracting the clips natural colour. This is present just as the male character stands up in the room. This use of filter creates a feeling of fear, the feeling that someone else is there with the character but not visibly - like someone is in control. The audience is aimed to feel like this because, obviously the characters in the film are pretty much being controlled from the tasks they have to complete. Audiences are made to also feel tense and on edge due to the fact that what happens next is unpredictable and unexpected. The way the filter changes the overall colourings of the scene (in a flash) could reflect the negative change in the characters life due to the situation in which he is in. The colours are also not appreciative to look at and so creates a sense of discomfort and empathetic view of the character making the audience feel worried for the character in the next few moments that follow this scene. It is conventional to the thriller genre to have a filter such as this one in some parts as, it makes the film different, unique and grabs the audience's attention, keeping them fixed to the screen. It also creates a tense and jumpy effect on the audience as it is different to the natural look on the scene and is unexpected. Making the audience feel this way is conventional to the thriller genre as one of the main conventions of a thriller is to ensure that the audience are shocked and surprised and this is what a filter creates.

Another use of editing in this clip is a montage. This is shown when the male character sees 'feel what I feel' written on the door and various close up shots are shown together one after the other in quick pace. This builds suspense as the montage is very quick and so could reflect the panic he must be feeling or the lack of time he has so how quick time is running out. It keeps the audience on edge as they feel sympathetic towards the character for  the situation he is in. From how quick the montage is as-well keeps the audience feeling on edge as it also creates tensions and suspense as if it is leading up to something that may shock or surprise them. As well as this, it emphasises the message written on the door making the audience weary of its existence and that it must mean something important from the way it is clearly portrayed and emphasised. A montage is conventional to the thriller genre as it builds up suspense very quickly and is normally used to create a climax that occurs at the end of the montage. This gives more of an impact on the audience making them either jump or be shocked/ surprised. The use of a montage creates more emphasis on a final action whilst also creating deep emphasis and focus on what is in the content of the montage. It allows the audience to focus on these particular shots and the content specifically so they can recognise how symbolic these particular shots/images are within the scene. This creates suspense as to what significance these images have - a typical convention of the thriller genre. 

Timing of shots is also used in the clip where the male character first glances at the door with the message on. The way the shot is sped up slightly, enhances his reaction and makes that central and the focus of the shot. The audience are able to get a real feel for how he is feeling as his expression is clearly portrayed in this shot which means also that the audience can relate to him as they feel like they are part of the scene. It creates an effect of sympathy for the character but also keeps the audience feeling on edge because they know the situation but not what is going to happen. This is conventional to the thriller genre as to create shock or surprise there needs to be some sort of build up. Making shots slower or faster can create this build up really well especially if you have a prolonged shot and then something quick - it creates a really 'jumpy' finish. Making shots slower or faster gives a different look on the scene and can cause tension to be built. Tension being created is vital in a thriller as it helps build suspense and engage the audience. Therefore, timing of shots is conventional to the thriller genre from the effects it is able to create.

From researching the different ways in which you can edit clips and use them to create effects, has helped me in thinking of ideas of types of editing in which I will include in my own thriller opening sequence. I really like the use of montage and filter as it creates a real sense of enigma and so I will most likely use these types of edits in my thriller. Seeing how they are used in different ways gives me a use of inspiration. In my own thriller sequence, I will ensure that the montage and use of filter will be used in complimentary with each other. I believe this would create a greater impact as I could use them both to illustrate a flashback within the scene. Therefore, it will be recognisable that it is a flashback, whilst also creating the suspense and tension I will intend it to create. From including a montage and use of a filter in my final opening thriller sequence, it is clear that this research into editing styles has been beneficial to me. 

Research into Conventions - Miss Miller

Conventions

Conventions are typical elements featured in films that you expect to see. Conventions are different depending what genre the film is categorised as. Thriller conventions are things such as, low-key lighting, an isolated setting and an eery soundtrack. These create the surprise, suspense and shock elements to the thriller, making it more successful for an audiences viewing. 

The clip in which I have chosen to analyse is from 'Halloween'. This particular clip demonstrates many thriller conventions throughout that I thought I could easily talk about.

The first convention in which is clearly visible is low-key lighting. This is portrayed throughout the clip however, darker at some parts to allow for the audience to focus on the main, centred object or being - shown in screenshot for example. This creates a sense of foreboding and enigma from the way you cannot see everything clearly and so something could be lurking in the darkness in which the audience are unaware of. As darkness eventually leads to blackness, it creates a sense of fear as 'black' connotes danger and the unknown. This keeps the audience feeling on edge and gripped to the scene as they want to see what happens and what appears from the darkness. If the scene was high-key lighted, it would create a whole different effect. The killer would be more visible, the scene would seem more positive and the audience wouldn't feel so connected with the victim as the situation wouldn't be seen as bad. The fact it's low-key lighted gives the impression that no one is around to save the victim and that even if they were there is no hope in them getting to her as from the message that darkness gives off. This is a convention of the thriller genre as suspense is created which is a main element in which successful thrillers contain. Low-key lighting creates tense moments and gives the scene a negative and unknowing look. 

A further convention of the thriller genre is handheld camera movements. This creates the effect of enigma as it gives the scene an edgy, tense feel. The audience feel as if they are in the scene and part of it as it is as if they are holding the camera. It also makes the scene seem more realistic and like a general expected viewing of what the scene is really like. The audience are then able to relate to the character more for example with the female victim, as it's as if the audience are traveling with her when trying to escape from contact with the killer. The unsteadiness of the camera movement creates suspense as it reflects the panic created by the killer approaching. This is conventional to the thriller genre as using this movement creates exactly what a thriller should create - suspense. It either shows the view from a character or still an audiences perspective but as if they are there filming it in the scene. This makes them feel more involved and therefore creates a bigger impact on them when something unexpected happens and so this creates the shock or surprise element in which successful thriller create. 

A killer with a hidden identity is also a common convention of a thriller work. The use of the mask to hide the identity of the killer creates a sense of fear. This is because the character could already be existent in the film and so the killer could be in fact a character that is seen to be a positive one. The mask is completely white and covers the whole face with just eye and breathing gaps giving the audience and characters no detail of the face of the killer whatsoever. All that is shown is the hair, however, many people can have very similar if not the same hair and style but a face is much more recognizable. Unknowing who is behind the mask creates suspense as not just the characters in the scene are unaware of who they are but also the audience. It's not as if the audience know and the characters don't, so as the audience also don't know who the killer is they can relate to the characters especially the victim as they feel worried for them, hoping that they will get out alive. Thrillers have this as a convention because normally the killer isn't revealed until the end and so keeping them unidentified is vital in creating the shocking, unexpected ending. With the identity of the killer hidden, it leaves the audience to ponder on who the killer actually is and creates the suspense that is intended.

The sharp object use of iconography in order to kill is also a further convention of the thriller genre. It is shown just as the killer is about to murder the female victim. The most common iconography use is a knife as shown to be used in this clip - portrayed in screenshot. A knife is a everyday object that is used in the home in ways to simply prepare food most commonly. The way this is an everyday object but used in a different way - in order to kill - creates a sense of fear. Everyone owns this object and so it creates fear as the audience are aware of it's capabilities and the way that everyone can get in control of a knife so easily. It is used to kill which is seen as unnatural and so also creates suspense as it means that the killer doesn't think in the same way as a 'normal' person would. The audience feel fearful of the object and the way in which it is used and so are weary of the character in control of it. Audiences then feel obliged to fee worried for characters that come into contact with characters that have such iconography in their control. This is a convention of a thriller film as the majority of thrillers have a killer of some sort that needs a weapon to kill their victims with. Therefore, a sharp object is usually used such as a knife or axe, this creates a more brutal murder too with evidence left such as blood splatters. 

The eery soundtrack is another convention of a thriller film. It is shown from the beginning however, stops when the female victim gets her leg/foot stuck in the lift. Just after the soundtrack silences, the girl screams. The way the soundtrack stops creates the shock of the scream as it emphasises it and makes the audience feel a jump as it is unexpected. The soundtrack is also eery from the distinctive way in which it sounds which creates a sense of enigma and foreboding as its unnatural and suspenseful. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the soundtrack brings the scene together making more of an impact on the audience - especially when it suddenly stops. Likewise in this clip, it can be used to emphasise other sounds or movements and so creates a more successful shock or surprise feeling.

In my thriller opening sequence I will use a few of these conventions such as the low-key lighting and handheld camera movements as I like the effects they create. From exploring these conventions I can see what ones help make a thriller successful and from the research in which I have done, I can also see which ones are more important.