DVD EXTRAS

Make-up

This is as far as my mise-en-scene expanded to. I only used two pens and my own fake blood to create these injuries (watercolour paint mised with fairy liquid). When viewed afar or in the dark they can be fairly convincing, however, because the my thriller was visually exciting and there was alot of movement I felt it was not important to have extreme degrees of detail. However, on the night that we finished our first filming session, as I was making my way home, a man did ask if I was hit by a bear- brilliant!

Dystopia

Media Evaluation

Media evaluation

When producing my thriller I took into account many conventions from other films from the same genre; the conventions would help me better distinguish my opening as a thriller, rather than not accidentally fall into the horror genre. I have used such features as very little or no obvious horror or “scary” features; such features that would lead to suggest that the thriller is about something that is obviously meant be scary such as ghosts and ghouls. Rather, I concentrated on using a limited select few of techniques; camera angles, camera movement, and simple mise-en-scene.

Throughout the planning process of this thriller it was my intention to use very simplistic mise-en-scene, which would be our trees and leaves; however, we understood that it was not what we filmed but how we filmed it. Although it was set in a very open environment, we attempted to film it in such a way that it would still feel very confined- it would be this feeling that would be our central device to create an atmospheric thrill. Insert screen grab of “close up of wing running” scene. We accomplished the impression of confinement by using many close ups and coupled this with fast paced movement. This is a convention that can be seen used in other thrillers; the feeling of confinement is indeed a very thrilling feature- to feel trapped, cornered and vulnerable is something I found when watching The Shining when the female protagonist is trapped in the bathroom with her insane husband forcing his way in. a second convention that I used when producing my opening was a feature that I picked up on when watching Collateral, which was to slow down the frames when something key or essential was happening; in Collateral, the frames were slowed down when the central character played by Tom Cruise entered the opening scene. I developed this and slowed the frames down during the very opening of my thriller, however, instead of slowing down the entire scene of my chaser walking only some of his actions are slowed. I did this because it accomplished two things; firstly it shows a focused style, rather than just having a blatant fully slowed down motion, by only partially slowing down some parts of the scene it will show more control as it is only slowed down during specific key points. Secondly by only partially slowing down the movements it works into the momentum of the thriller. The thriller itself is rather quick, having a fully slowed down motion would make the quick sudden burst of speed seem rather odd and would not favour in the eyes of the audience.

I believe that my thriller would appeal to young people aged 15 and older, biased to either genders. I believe this because as my thriller is widely comparable to The Blair Witch Project that I found had no specific gender target. I suppose that my target audience is only those who are attracted to non-fiction stories- which was the idea of my thriller, to seem authentic and of truth- also I aimed the thriller at working class people. I had aimed it at them because the prologue that describes the story that this thriller is based on tells that citizens of the Islington area are being targeted or threatened, also by the appearance of I, myself, in the thriller, judging by the attire it is presumable that it is a person of the working class- thus making it easier for the audience to relate to. And effectively creating a more thrilling watch. I imagined that if I were to describe a person who would go and watch my thriller the moment it was released, I would be describing a student, either from college or university, interested in general history especially that of tragedies such as wars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D51QgOHrCj0

Because my thriller is about Mr. Reynolds and his slaughter throughout Islington I would like to think that it would be best to keep this distributed within the UK as a small independent release. It propose this idea because as this thriller would incorporate, significantly, British history with Islington as its focused area. And because of this, if I compare it to 28 days later it would seem very unlikely that it would become successful in any other country; as it would not have any special effects, it would not incorporate ghosts and ghouls and would be very similar to 28 days later in the sense that it would rely heavily on other suspense creating techniques that isn’t demons and monsters but rather camera shots and camera movement- atmospheric suspense.

I believe that this thriller resembles a film that would benefit from being shown in an “Art house” cinema, keeping it original and emphasising that it is not a blockbuster hit- I would like this because I found that commonly blockbuster movies can easily lose the heart of a film, I would not like this as I felt I had a very personal style enveloped in my film.

During the planning process of this thriller I had understood that perhaps the best way to market it would be by using a method that the producers of The Blair Witch Project had used- to make the audience believe entirely that it is true. Those producers spread rumours themselves and turned a story into a believable urban myth. I’d wish to try and copy that; it would be very effective to use the internet to better my marketing scheme, by spreading rumours on chat rooms and other websites it should be simple to turn this story into a believable urban tale. The internet would be an essential tool in this as the internet has become the dominant route of communication in this modern age, also my target audience would generally be young people

Throughout this project I have come to understand many important elements that go into constructing a thriller. For instance, when using the camera it in order to better involve the audience you should avoid the use of static shots- its simplicity does not involve the audience but would be useful when trying to make the audience focus on a specific thing. Using handheld cameras when filming will involve the audience especially in scenes such as running (which essentially is my entire thriller opening!) I have used this rule throughout my thriller as when the chaser is first introduced they are all static shots which focus the audience on specific parts of his body i.e. his foot as he walks, and I used handheld camera movement when the escapee was running (only on his close ups, at times I would use static shots to pan across as I track him across the setting.)

I have also become competent with Final Cut Pro as I had done almost all the editing, having spent so much time with the program I have come to understand the amount of attention that is needed in order to create a professional piece of film; each frame counts! Especially when it comes to match-cuts. You must make sure that each movement has just the right amount of frames before it leads into a second shot of the same movement in order to make certain that it looks natural.

In terms of uses of technology I had also used a blog to document my progression through this process; each entry would talk about ideas and the times I had spent working on this project. By doing so it is easy to understand the creation of my thriller.

Finally I have also learned a great deal of the film industry in other areas as well. I learnt about story-boarding and screen writing.

I relied heavily on this storyboard as my opening had no script or any strong narrative progression- my story board depicted the angles of my chase scene and I would come to build the rest of my thriller around this as I made eventual alterations etc.

2nd March

In our lesson we were given the chance to observe each other thriller within our class-room. By doing so we are given the benefit of constructing productive criticism for our evaluation. After observing our thriller my class more or less all believed that our thriller was a huge success; one point in particular that was shared amongst them was how our credits were presented.

Our credits were written in a very rough manner on bits of paper which I stuck on a tree; then by creating a match cut of a person walking by, i made it seem that as he passed a tree the credit paper appeared magically on the tree behind- a common feature amongst many thrillers.

Secondly, they also enjoyed how our mise-en-scene was simple, yet very effective and due to the editing and camera work it was overall very exciting.

All the feedback we gained from this session contributed to my evaluation.

27th february

today we finished our thriller; after hours of filming and editing. In order to mkae sure that all was perfect we spent hours adjusting the match cuts making each one frame-perfect. During this same time we also completed the sound effects and sound track.

The sound track was created through the manipulation of normal everyday sounds, most of which were taken directly from the video itself- simply adjusted.

To our dreadful fright, we almost even lost the sound track but thankfully recovered it after scouring the earth for it!

After the final fine adjustments we were finally satisfied with the final product.

29th january

In this double session we re-planned our thriller as the majority agreed it was not a feasible idea. During the couple of days prior to this date i came to the conclusion that it would be far better to just have a simple idea but portray it in an interesting way. With this in mind we eventually came to the decision that we would in fact have a simple idea; this was that a man seemingly injured is running through a forest  and that is all. However, we would portray this in a very interesting way by filming in interesting and various angles. 

26th january

Filming our first thriller

this session we began filming our thriller, although we did not have time to do as much as we wanted we decided to film flashbacks. However, as we reviewed our footage i found it utterly unsatisfying and we then eventually decided that we could not use it during the following days.

the shots were unrealistic, the stalker was far to close to the victim to not be realised. And the shot angles were primitive and far too simple.

5th february

Cut and log and editing

in this session we began initially by cutting and logging our footage, this was a long and tedious 

job but it was obviously a necessity. As we cut our footage we came to realise we had more than enough and we thought this a good thing as it would mean we would have a lot of footage to play with.

eventually when we came to edit our pieces together i had organised the clips in folders, categorising them between the angles they were at and special events etc. By doing so it made creating match cuts easier- however, we came to realise that because our opening was very simple we had to make certain that there was a sense of progressive continuation. For example, during one clip it portrays me running towards a camera but for the sake of building suspense we had interrupted this every so often with other clips of me running but at different angles, we had to make certain that where we had interrupted this clip, it would smoothely follow where it had left off.

After criticising and redrafting what i had edited over and over, we eventually came to  a point where we were satisfied with what we had, however, there is always room for improvement.

9th february

music editing and credits

in this session because we had scarcely finished our editing, though we would like to review this again, niquita and riahna began creating and developing upon a sound track suitable for our thriller. They achieved a more than competent sound track as they did not use actual instruments for the soundtrack but rather scratching sounds. This gave a very surreal and thrilling effect and layered upon our thriller it produced a very noticeable good effect.

As they were doing this i finished, rendered and placed the credits, though i did not put the credits in an actual place i had just wanted to see how long our thriller opening would be if they were in it. For the credits we understood that it did not matter what they said who did what so we simply just wanted names under directed by etc, for example although i had starred in, directed and also had significant input in the camera work i did not put my name under all these titles. My other group members also played these roles however small or otherwise.

At the end of the lesson i came to realise that perhaps the font of the credits were not suitable as they moved in a floating like way and in too slow a pace, which spans away from the fast beat involving pace of our thriller- i would need to change this at a later time.

12/1/09

Today i was unwell so i could not participate in the lesson, unfortunately this would mean i would be behind on the thriller project, however, i believed i could rely on my other group members for the time being, thus i would be able to catch up on what they had done.

I had thought about what my thriller should go like if i had it my way; i wanted to begin with a small establishing shot from the top floor of a building. This shot will track a man as he makes his way to the front door. As he does so a thrillingly dressed girl watches him as she is alone in a grim dark room. For this idea i had also produced a storyboard; i had also desired to put the nursery rhyme ring a ring a roses in the background- so far this was my idea.

Presenting the thriller pitch

Because 3/4 members of my group was abscent in the lesson before, we was unable to build a plan to our thriller. Thus, within our double lesson we spent the first half brain storming ideas.

we had discussed what our audience should be; i proposed that because all successful thrillers are films in which their audiences can accurately and efficeintly relate to in our to be able to be drawn into their worlds, if you will, and consequently i proposed the initial idea that we should depict our thriller about someone watching a film. This of course would be a basic narrative. We took this idea of having a very relatable plot and put it with the thriller plot we decided upon.

the plot is that a girl wakes up, obviously startled. the first shot will be a POV and then she will explore the mysterious room that she is being kept in.

As the opening unfolds there are glimpses or flashbacks portraying her life prior to this event- in each shot there is a figure in the background that most importantly stays unrevealed and does not draw attention.

eventually the girl investigates a shrine of sorts in the room and begins interrogatingly observing the photos in which makes it evident that she had been followed.

As she finds the door, she puts her head against the door to listen if anyone was on the outside. Unbeknownst to her, her stalker stands bizarrely on the other side



this was our developed storyline from our initial idea.

our initial idea was scarcely the same plot however, it was far too extended.

instead of being within only one room, she was in a complex, the opening would feature three rooms, one of which is in a flash back. And instead of the stalker being revealed at the very end..he is a recurring character throughout. watching her from windows for example.


Our main camera angle will be OSS because this connotes the same feeling and message we wish to be in our thiller- the feeling of being watched.

I believe we should have at least one unusually unique shot angle however the overall shot angle variety shall stay mundane or rather, conventional as an unusual angles may effectively split the audiences focus.

I have also decided that our credits could be portrayed on the photos rather than being done on the editting session.

match cut week w/b 5/1/09

the first lesson on monday we were given a math cut exercise. We were taught how to use screen shot writing- an alternative to storyboarding. We were given a simple scenario- a man is chain smoking as he sits at a desk copying plans to a cd- and we had to describe exactly how we would personally film this scene. We had to include the shot lengths and the shot angles and choose specifically the ones that would most effectively provide an exciting portait of this scene.

Finally at the end of the lesson we were given another simple scenario- a man walks into a room, sits down, talks to a second person, gets up and leaves. We had to create a screen shot writing for this upon a storyboard that depicts what we had written.

In the next lesson, from what we had planned we were tasked with filming our practivce thriller. Our thriller proved to be more than standard, including unusual camera angles- the camera was at the lowest angle filming directly upwards as the subject walked pass and over the camera through the door. From this experience i had evaluated my own work and understood what i could've done to improve my work.

when an over the shoulder shot consist of two people, the person in the forewground takes one third of the screen.

whenever filming anything, review over what you have filmed constantly

when you are filming continous actions, repeat the actions whilst you film in different angles.

a door on the right of the screen should stay on the right of the screen.

11/9/08

afterwatching the bourne identity, a political/ espionage thriller- it became quite evident why it was a thriller to begin with:

it was shot in a location with iconic features, obviously an american city, the spies/ assassins dressed as though they were ordinary people and together, this creates a sense of doubt i suppose upon the mind, the audience can relate to cities they can recognise and people that are ordinary obviosuly, this is why the audience can believe this film, in some reality, may be plausible, that there are spies and assassination attempts, perhaps even on world leaders.

16/12/08

16/12/08

in this lesson we analysed professional big thriller movies and began comparing the common traits that each shared amongst themselves, not only but also the unique features within them individually


the shining was most likely my favourite thriller out of the set, it convey an oxymoronic theme if you will. The scene with the young boy riding his tricycle through the hall ways of a hotel- a location people can relate to*- portrayed an innocent young boy, however it seemed bizarre as us the audience, seemingly considerably older, are as if following this young boy. Also this means that because we turn every corner after him, we are in some ways more vulnerable than a "young boy". The most shocking part by far, evident of the outcries of the classroom, was when the two twin girls appeared in his mind.


Arlington road was also a very effective piece of film footage, the bizarre opening credits baffles the audience though can still be construde as a beautiful artistic opening. after the credits, the camera loosely focusses on a young boy, the audience is left pondering if he is on drugs or so on. However, the shocking revelation leaves the audience gasping in shock- he has had his hand severed.

28 days later follows a lost lonely man as he attempts to investigate the deserted london. Because london is such a massive city- being the capital of england- many audiences can relate to it, how would you feel if everyone did disappear?

also the mise-en-scene amazingly captured the sense of abandonment i.e. hanging phone lines.

collateral immediately portrays tom cruises character as a character to be focussed on, by slowing down the footage that presents his characters entrance, automatically the audience realise "oh he's important", also once again because they did the exchanging of the briefcases in a public area, it leaves the mind to wonder; oh i wonder if someone does this in reality?

finally, a very strong thriller would be "what lies beneathe" a strong film that focusses on the heroine who investigates the bizarre happenings of her home, the lighting is dull, the location is familiar (a home) and she is eventually led to the bathroom that is steamy (not exactly out of the ordinary for many of us)- though she finds this displacing...and so she investigates, the gradual suspenseful build up aided by the non deigtic sounds create a shocking entrance when another character is seen in the reflection upon the water in the bath.


*thrillers are only thrilling when an audience can relate to it, only then can the film "play on their minds".

18/12/08

18/12/08

we spent the lesson analysing examples of other students thriller opening; by observation and contrustructive criticism i believe it made it far more apparent the available technical devices we could use in order to effectively construct a thrilling opening.

we analysed somewhat 8 clips, each having their own strengths and weaknesses, however, it became very evident that acting played no part in the mark scheme, where as technical devices such as mise-en-scene especially camera work was where marks were more emphasised.

weaknesses tend to be students lack of effort that becomes very presented and obvious when we viewed them. It was taught that even parts that may be construde as minor play a very vital role in the making of any film i.e. credit fonts.

when making my own thriller opening, by keeping in mind these simple vital areas and reviewing my own opinions and criticisms on the past openings, i believe i could more confidently construct a successful, bizarre opening.


influences may possibly include;

the shining
arlington road
the bourne identity

thriller practice introduction and filming

in the initial lesson- after we were organized into our groups- we were given an introduction into the proper use of the equipment; cam-corders, tripods, tapes etc. After becoming familiarized with the equipment we began filming our practical thriller.

my group consisted of addil, jamie and ayse and myself, we first skecthed our sequence and prioritise the angle of shots and length of shots and shooting techniques above a substantial plot.

(we believed it was more important to produce a thriller through technique than an obvious story.)

We filmed 12 different shots, majority of which was filmed in the college, the final few shots were shot outside campus.

we included techniques such as handheld camera, extreme close ups to textreme long shots, point of view angle and then also other angles such as aerial angles.

the film consisted of other themes such as tracking (jamies feet as he walked through the corridor) and unfocussed shots to convey mystery.