Tuesday, 20 April 2010
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
Thriller Film Planning
Location: Woodhall Farm Woodland Area
- Close up of feet, tracking backwards on personal equipment
- Long shot of boy walking through woods from in bushes
- Point Of View shot of the boy watching his dog lets go of lead
- Long shot of boy chasing dog
- Medium long shot behind the boy chasing dog, dog stops boy crouches down
- Close up of body's face, zoom to the eyes.
- Zoom out from eyes to show boy in bath (Rises from the water)
- Medium shot boy choking over side of bath
- Mid shot of boy drying his skin
- Close up of hand turning on tap
- Over shoulder shot of boy looking at himself in mirror
Location: Bedroom
- Mid shot of boy walking from bathroom to bedroom
- Long shot of boy walking across bedroom and laying down on bed
- Close up of boys face laying on bed
Costumes
Boy's Costume: Smart black trousers, formal footwear, grey hooded jumper supplied by actor.
In the bedroom scene, the shorts which are supplied by the actor himself.
Props
Location one: Dog & Lead, and white sheet to conceal dead body
Location two: General bathroom items
Character profiles
Name: Michael Ellis
Age: 50
Occupation: Industry workerStereotype: Abused child
Description: At a young age Michael’s mum passed away which left his father as an only parent. Michael’s dad always blamed his wife’s death on his only son Michael. His dad was always aggressive towards him but his anger grew as life without his wife grew tough. Michael didn’t have any friends at school which meant he didn’t have any social abilities either, the only person he could speak to was his pet dog and his best friend, Harvey. Michael was often picked on at school due to not having a mum and being quiet.As time passed by Michael left school with minimal qualifications and his social abilities hadn’t progressed. His uncle (brother of his late mum) was an industry worker, running his own business. When Michael was able to work, his uncle offered him part time employment which kept him busy.
Name: Harvey
Age: 7
Occupation: Dog
Stereotype: Abused Dog
Description: Harvey is a seven year old black and tanned shih tsu. He was first bought by the Ellis family when he was just 13 weeks old. Harvey was never shown affection by his owners and was always treated badly. But Michael used to give him his full attention, letting him sleep on his bed at night and playing with him during the day.
Script
[Michael is strolling through a wooded area with his dog Harvey, as Harvey begins to run off into light shrubbery]
[Harvey stands over his investigation and begins to bark]
[Michael kneels down next to the dog and mortifyingly stares at what his dog has found]
-------------------------------------------------------------------
[Michael lays still in the bath - under the water - as he hears his dog barking from outside his bathroom door][He jumps up out of his bath, leans over the side of his bath and begins to choke himself to his senses]
[He dries himself and fills the sink with water, rinses his face and then leaves the bathroom. He then lays on his bed]
Plot
Main plot
Michael Ellis, was tormented and abused as a youth, this has led to psychological repercussions later on in life. At the bitter age of 50 with his wife, the mother of his one delinquent child, dead. An estate full of cold hearted arrogant thugs, pushed Michael past breaking point, he takes it upon himself to distribute fitting justice well beyond the grey areas of the penal code. As a kid he was systematically abused and was traumatised by finding a dead body of someone his own age. Later on in life seeing his own wife’s dead body finally pushes him over the edge.
Short Scene Plot
In this scene Michael is shown at a young age walking his dog through a wooded area, when his dog uncovers a dead body. Cautiously he approaches the body for a closer look and is mortified at what he has found. Michael wakes up in the bath to find he has blacked out when he had a flashback; he wakes up choking and shocked at this revelation.
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Audience research
Below are the questions that we used to conduct our primary research.
(These are the answers to our qualitative questions)
What kind of setting is most effective in a thriller film?
- The majority of people from the questionnaire all preferred the use of a dark woodland, but filming at night will conceal the action therefore we will be filming our thriller during the day time.
What themes best portray the psychological undertone of a thriller movie?
- A high number of the people answering the questionnaire checked the box marked ‘psychological problems’. Because of this we have decided to include a character with psychological problems
What makes a good thriller title?
- A higher percentage of people believe that using words with more than one meaning can be more effective than an ordinary title.
Below are the bar graphs for our quantitative questions.
Below is an example of our questionnaire filled out by someone
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Production Log
March 25th: Luke Salmons - I have designed a logo for our original production company and inserted it into the video.
March 28th: Luke Salmons - I have uploaded a couple of pictures to the Thriller Film Planning post showing locations of filming, costumes and innovative ideas.
March 29th: Luke Salmons - I have finally uploaded evidence of me editing my preliminary video to my own individual post.
March 29th: Luke Salmons - I have organised certain posts accordingly to perfect the overall presentation of the blog.
Monday, 23 November 2009
Luke Salmons - Continuity Task Planning
Small scene – To be filmed (brief)
Norman pushes open a set of double doors and storms through the police station corridor. As he turns the corner, his partner Shaun shouts from his office. Norman identifies the call and turns to face Shaun. The two continue to talk until Shaun shows Norman the evidence for their case.
The camera cuts as Norman makes his way to the interrogation room where he begins to talk to the two suspects separately.
Small scene - To be filmed (detailed)
(Fade in from previous scene)
The scene opens with Norman pushing open a set of double doors and walking through the police station corridor (medium-long shot – to focus on his actions such as, pushing the doors open and walking through the corridor).
As Norman turns the corner, his partner Shaun shouts from his office. (camera zooms into Normans face as he turns round to face Shaun).
Norman walk towards Shaun (as he does, it becomes an over the shoulder shot as Norman is standing in front of the camera. The camera is now a close up on Shaun). Shaun begins telling Norman that he thinks he has solved the case.
The camera cuts and films Shaun handing over ‘Exhibit A’ to Norman as he reaches for it (close up of hands and exhibit a).
The camera cuts again and sees Norman walking into an interrogation room with his suspect sitting in a chair. Norman then walks off screen to the left to take his seat opposite his suspect (low angle long shot facing at the door which Norman enters).
The camera cuts and Norman is standing opposte his suspect (low angle medium shot/point of view shot).
Cut – It now focuses on Curtis (high angle medium shot)
Cut - It then cuts back to Norman (low angle medium shot).
Cut - then exhibit a is thrown onto the table (high angle medium shot) - (camera slowly zooms into Neville’s face to show emotion).
(Fade out)
Whole film plot summary
The main focus of the film is a young girl (Katie Marshall) and her death. She was a sixteen year old school girl who always has the boys as her second shadow.
The film begins with Katie and her friends at their secondary school in North London when Katie is called into the headmasters office (Neville Palmer) so he can give her a detention note for wearing a short skirt - which is against the school rules.
Later that day she is sat in detention with her headmaster where he approaches her in her chair from behind, places his hands around her mouth and whispers something disturbingly erotic in her ear. Katie luckily escapes and goes to the police about the incident. Neville Palmer loses his job as a head teacher and is imprisoned for 6 weeks.
Katie’s family decide to move from the area to another school in North London. Time passes by, in this time she had made new friends and even made a new boyfriend. A boy named Curtis Murphy, a convicted criminal for vandal, burglary and GBH.
Katie still managed to attract young boys, even whilst having a boyfriend which irritated Curtis as he was very protective over his girlfriend, so protective that he used to put her in her place by beating her. But one day Katie went to the police and Curtis was charged with GBH and since that day, neither Curtis or Katie shared a single word.
Six months into her new school life her head mistress was forced to quit her job due to a terminal illness, so the school decides to search for a new head.
Two weeks later a man named, “Mr. Neville Palmer” is addressed as the new head master of her school.
One day on the way home from school, Katie is mysteriously shot dead minutes from her home.
Chief Detective Inspector, Norman Jenkins and his partner Shaun Smith begin to research the case and decide to question two men. One being, Curtis Murphy and the other Neville Palmer.
After weeks of research, Forensics find a gun close to where Katie was shot. Shaun is given the gun and shows Norman who later speaks to both suspects. He releases charges made on Curtis Murphy but charges Neville Palmer for the murder of Katie Marshall.
Character profiles
Name: Norman Jenkins
Age: 43
Occupation: Chief Detective Inspector
Description: Norman is a Detective Inspector originated from Ghana. He has dark hair and dark eyes. He is an intelligent married man who carries a temper. His life is mainly work orientated but he is also a family man with two children and a wife.
Name: Shaun Smith
Age: 34
Occupation: Detective Inspector
Description: Shaun is Normans partner. He is British with light hair and blue eyes. He lacks common sense and is a bit of a push over.
Name: Neville Palmer
Age: 46
Occupation: Headmaster
Description: Neville is a divorced man (British). He was a head master of a secondary school in London. He lost his job due to accusations of sexual harassment by Katie. He is a sly/intelligent man with a sex addiction.
Name: Curtis Murphy
Age: 21
Occupation: Unemployed
Description: Curtis is Katie Marshall’s ex-boyfriend (British). He is well built, and always wears a gold medallion around his neck. Curtis is considered the ‘thug’ of his neighbourhood. He is a gang member and has been arrested several times, for several different incidents - once for GBH on Katie Marshall. He also has a scar on his left cheek.
Name: Katie Marshall
Age: 16
Occupation: Student
Description: Katie is a popular, pretty girl at her school. She has plenty of friends and is rarely alone. She got her head master sacked for sexual harassment. She has dark hair and dark eyes with a slim figure.
Setting description and props
Setting One: The first setting is a police station corridor. The entrance to the hallway is via a set of double doors which Norman walks through. The hallway isn’t very wide, with offices either side. As Norman is walking through and whilst he’s talking to Shaun, phones ring from in the offices. There are bulletins and sheets of paper stapled onto the walls The props used are ‘exhibit a’ which is a plastic bag containing a pistol.
Setting Two: The second setting is a police interrogation room The room is plane with a table located in the centre of the room In the room is a large mirror which is behind the table on the wall. The props used in will be a glass of water on the table, exhibit a and a brief case.
Script
[Norman pushes open a set of double doors and storms through the corridor when he is stopped by a shout from Chris - medium shot from behind Norman]
Shaun: (Excitedly) Hey, Norm!
[Duncan turns round to face Shaun - Low angle, medium close up]
Duncan: (Sighs) What is it, Shaun?
[Over the shoulder shot - medium close up of Chris]
Shaun: (Excitedly) I think we’ve smashed the case!
[Camera cuts to a close up of Chris handing over exhibit a to Norman]
Shaun: We found this, two blocks from where Katie was murdered, forensics have analysed it and we found out who it belongs to…
__________________________________________________________
[Camera cuts to Norman walking into the interrogation room with Neville sitting on one side of the table to the left of the room - Norman walks off screen to the left and stands on the opposite of the table - Camera switches to a low angle medium shot of Norman]
Norman: I’m going to get this over quickly… you’re free to go
[Camera moves to a high angle medium close up of Curtis sitting in his chair, as he stands up from his chair the camera tilts down to Curtis‘ level - Camera now cuts to Norman - low angle medium shot]
Norman: But the bad news is, we found this two blocks from where Katie was killed… It has your finger prints all over it Neville.
[Camera changes - high angle point of view shot of Neville and exhibit a being thrown onto the table - the camera then zooms into Neville’s face]
Storyboards
Shooting Schedule
Location one - Police station corridor
Camera angle one - Medium long shot of Norman pushing open a set of double doors
Camera angle two - Medium close up of Norman turning round to face Shaun
Camera angle three - Over the shoulder of Norman - Medium close up of Shaun
Camera angle four - Close up of Shaun handing over 'exhibit a' to Norman
Location two - Interrogation room
Camera angle five - Long shot of Norman walking through the door
Camera angle six - Low angle medium shot of Norman
Camera angle seven - High angle medium shot of Curtis
Camera angle eight - Low angle medium shot of Norman
Camera angle nine - Close up of 'exhibit a' being thrown onto table - Camera tilts to reveal Neville
Reflection on filming process
- What went well?
I was really pleased with both locations as they were exactly what i had in mind before i started filming, i also think each camera angle worked just the way i planned.
- What did not go so well?
I didnt have very long to record mine so i didnt get to have as many takes of each shot as i would of liked.
- What happened that you did not expect?
Whilst recording the scene in the corridor, the school bell went and students were walking in and out of the cantine via the corridor i was filming in which made it difficult to film the scene.
- As a result of this exercise, what will you be sure to do when you film your thriller?
I will be sure to plan thoroughly so i have a better understanding of my final piece.
I will start recording at an earlier time giving me more time to alter the scenes and manipulate camera positions.
I listened to other peers opinions to improve the outcome of my filming which helped, so i will be sure to take advice next time too.
I will make sure I have enough people to occupy each role that is needed, i.e sound, lighting, acting ect. So as not to rush and compromise the quality of the video.
Evidence of editing my video
Below is a screen shot, giving evidence of me editing my video.
Peer assessments
Below are four of my peer assessments on my preliminary video.
Sunday, 22 November 2009
Genre Textual Analysis
Opening Title Sequence
Reservoir Dogs
Actors name cover the actor’s chest, so we can clearly distinguish which character is played by which actor.
The title of the movie, “Reservoir dogs” comes from the bottom and stops at the top of the screen, above the group of actors, clearly implying that it is labelling them “Reservoir Dogs”.
Completely black screen shows and a short list of less important actor’s names roll from bottom to top.
Casting is the next thing to be listed.
The screen then cuts to a very bloody and gory scene to hook the viewers instantly.
Halloween
The first thing that is seen is the production companies name, in dark orange, and gets lighter the longer it’s on the screen.
A pumpkin of similar colour comes on the screen and it too gets lighter the longer it’s on the screen. With flickering light inside, to help create tension and fear.
Main actors name, and then followed by the director’s name, “Donald Pleasance in John Carpenter’s, Halloween”.
Producer’s name, followed by supporting roles, actor’s name, the supporting actor is listed as, “NANCY LOOMIS, as Annie”.
Less important actor’s names listed after the main actor’s.
Screenplay writer’s names listed, also music and less important more technical jobs.
The setting is displayed on the screen, in a different colour and font; this makes it stand out from the actor’s names and technical jobs.
Top 5 most successful thriller films
This work was set for homework, where we both searched the internet for reviews on films that were considered most successful, based on personal opinions and total revenue.
The sixth sense - $672,806,292 (world wide)
The sixth sense was made in 1999, and was written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The film tells the story of Cole Sear, a troubled, isolated boy who is able to see and talk to the dead, and an equally troubled child psychologist-played by Bruce Willis who tries to help him-It isn’t until the final few minutes of the film that we find out that he is dead himself. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture.
“An excellent premiere for new director M. Night Shyamalan as he packs a punch with a great story, excellent directing, a great cast, great performances, and a surprise ending that will leave you breathless for days on end.”
Jaws - $470,653,000 (world wide)
Jaws is a 1975 American horror/thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is based on the novel written by Peter Benchley. Jaws is set on the fictional summer resort town of Amity Island. The police chief of Amity Island is trying to close the beach, to protect beach goers from a giant great white shark. Only he is overruled by the town council, which wants the beach to remain open to draw a profit from tourists during the summer season. This leads to a number of severe shark attacks.Jaws won three Oscars, nine other awards and was nominated for thirteen other awards.
“When it comes to this kind of thriller, no movie has been able to top Jaws, although many have tried. And, as the years go by, it seems increasingly unlikely that anything will come close”
Silence of the lambs - $272,742,922 (world wide)
Silence of the lambs is a 1991 psychological crime/horror thriller. It was directed by Jonathon Demme. It is based on the novel by Thomas Harris. The film is about a young FBI trainee trying to catch a serial killer known as ‘Buffalo Bill’. Silence of the lambs won five Oscars, and the top five academy awards including Best picture and best screen play.
“Terrifying and inescapable. A perfect meditation on the nature of fear and courage, featuring two of the greatest performances ever put on film.”
The Godfather - $133,698,921 (world wide)
The Godfather was released in 1972 and was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It was based on the 1963 novel by Mario Puzo. The godfather is about a mafia family, led by the father Don Vito Corleone. The plot deals with a gang war fought between the Corleone family and the other four of the five families in New York. The themes of this film are crime, violence, gangs and many more.The Godfather won three Oscars, nineteen other awards and was nominated for another seventeen awards.
“Not only one of the greatest mob films of all time, The Godfather is also one of the greatest overall pictures ever.”
Psycho - $32,000,000 (world wide)
Psycho was released in 1960, and was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The film is based on the novel by Robert Bloch, which was inspired by the crimes of the Wisconsin serial killer-Ed Gain. Psycho is believed to be one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films. The film follows the encounter between Marion Crane, who is hiding in a motel, and the motel owner Norman Bates. Norman Bates suffers from a multiple personality disorder, which leads to him committing a number of murders. Psycho was nominated for four Oscars, winning five other awards. It was also nominated for three other awards.
"The music, the setting, the shower scene, the mother in the cellar... everything about this iconic film has passed into cinema history.”
Opening Scene Analysis
We watched the opening scene of a number of thriller films. We analysed each opening, writing down the denotations followed by connotations.
All of these opening sequences use string music which is very effective in thrillers as string music is very sharp and represents mourning, it also contridicts itself as it also implies love/romance. We will both try to create our own music to feature in our thriller film as we both agree it is extremely effective.
We are inspired by all techniques used in massive films such as, The sixth sense. We will continue to identify aspects of films that we appreciate and use those techniques in our own work.
William Hutchon - Continuity Task Planning
When a woman loses her job and her family is facing eviction from their home, rather than sharing this with her husband she commits suicide and the father is left to raise two alienated children on his own. Scene summary In this scene, the father breaks the news to his kids the son first, and then the daughter that they won’t be seeing their mother again.
Short Scene Summary
A man has to come home and tell his son and daughter that their mother has taken their own life.
Father: Listen Jimmy, sit down. (Both sit)
Barry: The father, working a 9 to 10 job on minimum wage to feed his children, when he gets home from work he has no time to deal with finances, so his wife deals with that financial side of things. So when money issues arise he oblivious to them until it’s too late.
Jimmy: The son, he is 15 years old. With both parents never at home he takes to the streets and slowly gets sucked into gang culture. This leaves him rather distant and alienated from his parents.
Lucy: The daughter, she is 13. She too has mixed with the wrong social group and has been introduced to drugs and alcohol at a very young age. With her parents never around, they don’t realise that their child is on a slow but sure path to self destruction. When she falls pregnant and the father bails, she keeps this secret from her parents also; her mother dies ignorant to the fact that she was a grandmother.
Prop List For my short scene, the props I will need will include;
Kitchen table
Kitchen table chairs
Newspapers
Table cloth
Drinking glasses and water
I will supply the above props myself Setting List and Description The scene is set in the kitchen of a house in Somerset. The kitchen has an old chequered table cloth draped over the dining table. There are old news papers on the table. The match on action only leads onto a scene shot in the same place, but with a different person so there is no need for a second setting.
Storyboards
Shoot Schedule
Outside House,
o long shot of person walking towards the door.3 Seconds
o Cut to close up of hand opening door. 1-2 Seconds
Dining Room.
o Cut to long shot of character crossing room to establish setting. 3 seconds
o Cut to mid shot of sitting down at the table. 3 seconds
o Cut to close up of characters talking. 30 seconds or so of dialogue
o Cut between characters for dialogue. 30 seconds or so of dialogue.
Reflection on filming process
- What went well?
When recording the video I had to restart my entire project 3 times, however unpeturbed by this the final recording was much easier and flowed better as I knew exactly how to get everyshot I needed.
- What did not go so well?
The first two recordings did not go so well, the reliability of actors was poor. On the second occasion of filming the entire video was scrapped due to a technical fault meaning the sound was not there.
- What happened that you did not expect?
Weather conditions where unpredicatable and heavy rainfall delayed recording by up to 2 hours and meant we where recording at half past 12 at night. One of the actors stormed off half way through the first load of footage which voided the tape.
- As a result of this excercise, what will you be sure to do when you film your thriller?
- I will be sure to check all equipment is working to a usable standard.
- I will start recording at an earlier time giving me more time to alter the scenes and manipulate camera positions.
- I will not shout at people next time.
- I will take time to arrange a suitable place to record.
- I will make sure I have enough people to occupy each role that is needed, i.e sound, lighting, acting ect. So as not to rush and compromise the quality of the video.
Preliminary Video Editing
Here is a screen shot of me editing my video for the final cut.
*************************************************************************************************
* The purpose of this section is to show the various stages of planning involved in creating our preliminary video.
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Genre Research
Codes and Conventions (For Thriller films)
Psychological twists – to create psychological fear
Tension – created through non-diegetic sound
Violence is never shown it is merely implied, this is what defines a movie as a thriller and not a horror.
Dramatic irony
Stringed music with a “Heart beat”
Isolated setting – usually raining
Put the viewer in the film/story using point of view shots
Women/innocent people as victims
Old derelict/haunted houses and old weapons
Lots of close ups to show fear and emotion, quick cut editing to confuse viewers and show that lots is happening at the same time.
Stereotypical characters are used, like the dominant male (usually the killer) and the defenceless woman (usually the victim).
Mise en scéne
Gothic Furniture
Weapons
Diegetic Sound - creaky floor boards
Non-diegetic sound - builds suspense
Dark clothing
Dark setting
Sound
Clocks
Silence
Footsteps
Heart beat
Creaking of floor boards or doors
Screaming
Volume increase to sudden silence - startles the viewers.
Characters
Typical Characters:
Vulnerable women
Innocent children
Dominant men
Non-Stereotypical characters:
Dominant women
Vulnerable men
Violent children
Themes
Revenge/Envy/Hate
Love/Lust/Romance
Death /Murder
Sex
Psychological problems/Insanity
Institutions
Sony
Warner Brother's Pictures
MGM Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Picture Animation
Story Lines
Twists
Multiple story lines
Psychological twists
Connection between characters
Implied violence
Action
Murder
Victims
Obsession
Structure
Chronological order
Flash back/forward
Iconography
Stereotypical characters
Mise en scéne Definition
It is everything within a scene/image. It is usually a paused frame converted in to a still image. Elements of Mise en scene:
Sound - Diegetic and non-diegetic
Lighting - artificial or natural
Camera Angles
Action
Speech
Props
Smell
Actor/Character
Costume
Setting
Colour
Make-up
Special Effects
Media Text Classification
These are the main classifications set for media texts such as cinema or video games.
U - If a film is classified as a U it means it isi suitable for the younger audiences, i.e 3+.
PG - PG classification means the media text is suitable for the ages of mainly 3 - 11.
12 - This classification means that the media text is recommended for people over the age of 12
12a - This is another classification which has only recently been annonced. 12a classifications only exist in cinema. If a child under the age of 12 is accompanied by an adult, they are able to view the film they desire to watch with the adults permission.
15 - No one under the age of 15 is legally allowed to view or purchase a media text classified as '15'
18 - This is the most strict classification in UK media. This content is only ever suitable for adults. People younger than 18 are not allowed to buy something rated '18'
Camera angles/Transitions
There are five used ways of splicing images (editing) together: Cut One image is immediately followed by another. There’s no transition, which makes it look simple. Quick cuts are also used in thriller films to cause confusion and fear. It shows a lot of things happening at the same time. Fade out Where the scene simply fades to black - this implies the scene has ended. Fade in The scene appears from a black frame - this implies the beginning of a scene. Dissolve The second shot fades in where the first shot which fades out (usually takes less than a second) which suggests time has elapsed to the next character or location.
Wipe The second shot glides in front of the first as if a curtain is being pulled across the frame. This implies the ending of a scene. It suggests the cause-and-effect.
(Upload Lego man sheet / the edit sheet)
Golden Rules for Film Titles
Main actor’s name is introduced either first or second, followed by or preceded by the name of the production company.
Second most important role introduced at the end of all the actors names.
Titles never block important action in a scene.
Directors name last.
Colours are often used to symbolic effect.
Size helps title to blend in (Small text blends easier).
Text appears at transitions (Fade out text – time has passed between then and the next scene).