Thriller planning

In our group we have thought about making a satanic thriller, since it hasn't been done a lot and we want to be different. I have done some research about satanic thrillers and to see if they would work for us. After some research, I have found 'The Shrine' directed by John Knautz. 
Storyline: 
After a young American backpacker goes missing in Europe, a group of journalists link his disappearance to a remote village in Poland. They travel there hoping to get the story, but as they unravel the secrets behind this mysterious village, they are suddenly pursued by hostile locals. Unable to escape, they soon become the next victims of ritualistic human sacrifice. Forced into the gruesome reality of true survival horror, the journalists soon discover that this village hides a much darker secret than they could ever imagine.

The film had been nominated for a Grammy Award for its incredible soundtrack. So I think in order to achieve well with our thriller, we need to concentrate on sound as well as the actual filming. 

Prelim Video (without sound)

Our task was to create Preliminary video which had to include; 180degree shots, over the shoulder shots, a small bit of dialogue and some match cuts.
Our video ended being a crime thriller and was about a man meeting a detective about the case of his missing son. The father ended up shooting the detective dead.
Even though we didn't get to add a title sequence or sound to our prelim video, I think compared to our previous attempt at filming a scene, this one was definitely 10 times better. Our grasp on continuing had improved and our match cuts were almost perfect.
As a result, I think our video came out successfully, of course if a title sequence and sound was added onto it, it would have been much better.

Idea for intertextuality

The List (students work)


We looked at past student's work and decided that we were going to ideas from this thriller in our film. We are going to use themes from this thriller as intertextuality in our thriller. It resembles the kind of thriller we want to make and we feel it would help our thriller to be better.

Prelim Video Without Sound Analysis - unfinished.

Given a short filming task, we decided to try include a dramatic scene which could maybe be seen in a thriller. We had to create a short clip which included a scene with the characters walking into a room. Our Prelim video was based on a father meeting up with a detective to discuss his sons death, but the detective soon finds out that he was the one who killed his son, resulting to his own death.

I think that our Prelim video was a overall success so far as we managed film the whole clip, which we didn't manage to do in our 'thriller remake task'. I also believe that our continuality has massively improved.We managed to included many different camera angles and took advantage of the resources provided (coffee pot, empty room)  ...continue

Genre/sub genre that inspires me most.

The genre that inspires me most is thriller, this is because in order to make a thriller not only do you have to have an effective captivating plot as well as a climaxed ending you also need good camerawork effects and visual. Thrillers have many sub genres including Crime- Thriller.... Action-Adventure thriller to name a few. Some of the best thriller directors include David Fincher, christopher Nolan. Some of the best thriller films are Pulp Fiction, The dark knight and psycho my favorite one is memento.. My favorite sub genre would have to be crime thriller, with my favorite crime thriller film being L.A Confidential.

Prelim Video without sound

Title Practise

Zombieland: Anna's Thriller Analysis

Zombie land is one of my favourite thriller movies. Zombieland was produced in 2009 and is a zombie thriller comedy with stars such as: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin who have to survive through a zombie apocalypse. They also give you a step by step guide book of how to survive an zombie apocalypse which i found quite humorous. I thought the movie was successful due to how the whole movie was produced. for example i think the jump cuts used are very effective on implying what happened without literally showing it. This will be useful in our thriller as we wouldn't be able to rein act half of our ideas including death. Close up on props are a good way to apply that idea also, for example when in the shopping mall, there is a close up of large pillars with dripping blood then it cuts to a dead zombie. A lot of slow motion is also embedded in the movie, (especially in the trailer) to show the humorous features like the facial expressions. It also emphasises how easy and fast the methods of killing is. The speed and fast music also adds to the thrill and engages the audience. However overall i think the editing and misc en scene used makes this movie a success. 

Intertextuality & Planning

Intertextuality is a term used when a media text uses other media references to engage the audience. Intertextuality is successful because the audience knows how to relate to the text and therefore is more interested in what the clip is about.

I thought the student film 'Succubus' related to the the film 'Psycho' the most. for example the whole idea of a death scene in a bathroom and the way they kill the victim are the same. We also get close ups of the shower head spraying out water to establish what is happening. Also the camera angle of the victim are identical. In both thrillers, misc en scene are used similarly characters ty for example a kitchen knife is used as the weapon, a shower protectant is used to separate the and short cuts are used in the killing.

Close ups are also used regularly in both sequences to show what the characters are doing and how unaware they are to the situation as the background and surrounding is not shown, which also creates tension for the audience as we do not know what will happen.

 There is a separation created between the victim and the killer by using a mid close up. This helps establish what could happen for the audience.

Extreme close ups are also used at the end of the scenes to show the outcome of the scene. overall Intertextuality is successfully used in Succubus from Psycho as it helped create more tension for the audience by using the different type of camera angles and props/ideas.

Intertextuality

In today's lesson we learnt about Intertextuality. Intertextuality is when one media texte takes   reference to any other media text. Intertextuality is used to ingage the audience more, so that they will recognise a particular scene from another media text. 

For example, the film The Stepfather it borrows many aspects from the film Psycho.

The closing of the bathroom door appears in Psycho

Body dying in the bathtub appears in Psycho

Shots of the shower curtains falling or breaking also appears in Psycho

All these borrowed aspects help to give this film the ultimate chill factor to make it a good thriller. It has successfully taken scenes/shots from the original Psycho thriller film, which is renowned for establishing specific conventions that we now expect from a good thriller film. it is a truly influential thriller film.

Intertextuality

                                            Intertextuality- Psycho and The Stepfather  

Intertextuality is the references made between different forms of media to each e.g Films, music videos etc.

how the referencing is done can vary from camera angles to depict a certain shot to the mise-en-scene to connote different mood/themes. 'motifs' in films can also referenced e.g the idea of being set in a bathroom in a thriller instantly signifies danger most of the time due to the film psycho, some films where this is referenced are The Stepfather, What lies beneath.

 In The Stepfather sequence a man is seen to be chasing a women into the bathroom as he goes to stab her she retaliates quickly in defence and cuts him in the neck with a shard of glass, he then falls to his death in the bathtub ripping the shower curtain down with him. In psycho a similar thing occurs which i will show in the next post. 

Intertextuality

Intertextuality is a word to describe the visual referencing between films. This may be useful because the audience may recognise certain camera angles, mise en scene, sound or editing that have been already used in other films they might have seen.

There are a lot of borrowed aspects from Psycho to make The film 'The Stepfather'  a good thriller. It has successfully taken scenes and shots from the original Psycho where it is known worldwide for inventing conventions that in modern day seem to be normal into creating an original thriller.

                                Intertextuality Example: Psycho and The Stepfather

This is the scene when the man gets killed in the shower  and he slowly rips the shower curtains showing tha he is dying.

This same scene appeared in Psycho when the women was stabbed to death and also to show that he is dying he rips the shower curtains.

Genre that inspires me: Comedy & Fantasy

Out of all the genres provided, i think comedy is my favourite. Comedy appeals to such a large audience varieing from different ages. It is also such a broad genre as we can do so much with it. Comedy can be presented and interpreated in many different ways and thats why i believe its such an successful genre. However for a thriller movie, i think it would be hard to produce a comedy thriller due the fact that they are such opposites. Personally two of the most successful comedy thrillers I've watched is 'Hot Fuzz' and 'Zombieland'.

Having both being zombie films i think it would be a bit hard to produce so i thought either a fantasy thriller or psychological thriller movie would be more suitable and more controllable. For example one of my favourite thriller movies is 'Pans Labyrinth"I thought it was beautifully produced and it has shown me that you don't need a lot of dialog and 'blood' to produce a good thriller.  

The Genre that inspires me the most is comedy

The Genre that inspires me the most is comedy.This is because it involves lots of different techniques correct to create a successful film or scene. Some of these techniques may involve the use of sounds, and the use of lighting. I feel it is important that horror inspires me, because the thriller opening that my group will make, may involve the use of comedy. The trailer of 'The Dictator' shows how good use of sound and lighting help the storyline. I believe comedy can involve a lot of different things, which is why it inspires me.

Thriller Subgenre's

The thriller sub-genre that I like the most is Psychological thrillers. Psychological thrillers are often about the mental and emotional rather than the physical conflict of the main character. Characters are not reliant on physical strength to overcome their brutish enemies, but rather are reliant on their mental resources, whether it be by battling wits with a formidable opponent or by battling for equilibrium in the character's own mind. The suspense created by psychological thrillers often comes from two or more characters preying upon one another's minds, either by playing deceptive games with the other or by merely trying to demolish the other's mental state

It inspires me to consider making my thriller of this sub genre because it forces the audience to think about what they have just seen and it plays with your mind a bit. It's very interesting and to actually think of a concept for the film would be stimulating. For example, the Psychological thriller 'Red Eye' is a good film which makes you think about what is going on and also is very fast paced and interesting at the same time.

Genre, Sub genre and audience

• Genre & Subgenre: Psychological Horror
• Target Audience: Thrill Seekers
• What were the key signifiers? : We can see from Nicole Kidman's face that she is really scared, on the poster it says "sooner or later they will find you" shows that she is hiding also from the font it suggest that it has something to do with ghost 

Tower Heist - Genre, Subgenre and Audience

Tower Heist is an action, comedy and crime movie directed by Brett Ratner. Tower Heist target audience is aimed at middle aged comedic adults who enjoy action films.

Tower Heist is about crime and justice. One of the key signifiers are the characters seen on the poster itself. The small puppy at the bottom also signifies humour. Due to the fact it is so unexpected, it presents the idea that this movie will be random and comedic.
I believe what makes this movie so successful is all the famous actors and actress starring in the movie. For example Ben stiller and Eddie Murphy are two of the most well known comedians. I believe without them starring this movie wouldn't appeal to any audiences as the plot is so unoriginal.


Harry potter...

Genre, Sub genre and audience.

Genre: Science Crime/thriller

Target Audience: Thrill Seeker/ Literary Crowd

What were the key signifiers: The posters is saturate with dull, serious colours except for the word 'game' which could suggest thrill and excitement. Both actors Naomi Watts, Sean Penn are wearing smart formal clothing which could suggest they're jobs roles are important this is signified with the CIA ident across the poster

Genre, Sub genre and audience

• Genre: Science Fiction Thriller
• Target Audience: Sci-fi Fans
• What were the key signifiers:  The audience  can see this from the noen watch on there skin, the buildings in the background show that the movie is not set in a present, you could also see the gun.

Genre, Sub genre and audience

Dream House:

• Genre & Subgenre:

Drama, mystery and thriller. The short two worded title reinforces this.

• Target Audience:

Anyone that is interested in dramas, mysteries or thrillers, that could reach out to a wide range of people from Teenagers to adults. 

• What were the key signifiers?:

Looks like a dark film from the poster. Faces in the doorknob give off a thriller/mystery feel to the film. The subtitle 'the truth cant stay inside forever' tells the audience that there's something to be solved.

Friends With Benefits:

• Genre & Subgenre:

Romcom (romantic comedy)

• Target Audience:

Anyone who likes this sort of genre, mostly young adults. 

• What were the key signifiers?:

The actors in the film are young, happy and attractive. The poster is also very bright with bright colours, this shows how the film is going to be funny and cheerful.

Thriller Analisys 'In Time'

With a cast consisting the likes of Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde and  Matt Bomer In Time is an outstanding Thriller. In Time is a film which shows the future where human beings are bio-engineered to live until age 25, and after that age their time they get an extra year but like money time can be earned through work and stealing or inheritance. Also like money time is spent on merchandises, leisure, or donation.

Will Salas (Justin Timberlake), a factory worker aged 28 who lives a day at a time trying to provide enough hours for himself and his mother (Olivia Wilde) to survive on. One night, Will finds himself in the middle of a situation involving a neighbourhood time-bandit, and a wealthy man from “New Greenwich” with more than a century on his clock. When Will saves Hamilton, the rich man confesses that his will to live has run. As a parting gift, Hamilton passes Will a century to spend as he likes.

Zodiac

The 2007 thriller directed by David Fincher depicts the infamous true story of the 'zodiac' killer set in the late 1960s and early 1970s. With a star studded casts including the likes of Jake gylenhal and Robert Downey Jr high expectations are met as the film delivers hard hitting,gasp inducing moments. The film follows a cartoonist working for the San  Francisco paper, as the Zodiac taunts and hints to both the police and the paper this cartoonist soon becomes a vigilant amateur detective. At times this film can be quite slow and feel quite tiring. But the real thriller aspects are in the misc-en-scene which was carefully depicted by Finche, the misc-en-scene is set to depict the current time and era through out the whole film we see dull colors and lighting which i think accentuates the thrill and excitement occurring behind all the dullness

Killer remake analysis.

In our set groups we were set the task of watching a thriller and remaking trying to imitate all shots and angles as accurately as possible. Our group decided to remake 'Killers'. While filming we faced some challenges like setting up the camera so that it is at the right angle and shot type. we decided to film in the canteen as in the film they are set in a similar environment. After we had finished filming we edited the sequence and added music, we then showcased it to the class. As a whole i feel as though we portrayed it with similarities and differences, similarities being in the fact that it was the same story and sequence difference in the fact that we filmed in a different environment with different props etc

Music that could fit great in the backround

Possible Backgorund for thriller

Movie Idea #1

Even thought making a movie like this would be impossible as we havent got the bugdet, equipment, facilities and knowlegde. I am hoping of making a movie about conspiracy theorys concerning 2012 and the olympic games.

How a Music Video fits into a Thriller

Even thought this is just a music video I believe the way ‘Run This Town’ by Jay-Z is produced just like a thriller. For example the lighting is not bright  the props used are like sticks on fire, chains and cars and tires burning and the music is well represent that it is a dark song. I believe that when we are making our thriller we need to think about all those elements.

Ali 'The Killers Remake' Analysis

After watching The original Killers clip and the one our group created I thought it was a good start for people who have little knowledge on how to create a movie. Although it was similar I believe we could have done a lot better as you could see a lot of differences on the naked eye.

Because we only had 20 minutes in our hands to recreate the clip we made a huge mistake by forgetting to think about the micro elements to produce a good standard remake of Killers. For example in the original clip the lighting was bright on the other hand in our clip we chose to film in the college canteen as the scene was in a café but because the sun was already down and the college lights aren’t very bright we weren’t able to do so. We did not have enough people to act as the extras so wee had multiple which could confuse the audience Having made these statements if a chance for another clip occurred we would choose different timing and a different setting add sound and get more people to help us. In contrast I believe we used the camera well  and that we edited well.

Summary of Title Sequence Timeline

Conventions in a title sequence show what is going on in the film. In the thriller 'memento' the title appears on the screen spaced out and faded to represent his amnesia. Fronts like Trojan are common for film titles. Different transitions can also represent what is going on in the film. Titles almost always appear near the start of the film. When Hollywood stars that are well known, their names always come before the film title. It is their names, which will draw the audience to come and watch the film.

Title Sequence Timeline

Our group chose to do a sequence analysis for the film "Sleeping with the Enemy" Here is a photo of what we did in class of the different aspects of the sequence timeline. The font used in the sequence is plain and normal: "Arial" All the text shown fades in then out, this could foreshadow what could happen in the film or what may happen.

This is our timeline for the Sleeping with the enemy:

I would say that our timeline is conventional however some cast names are shown before the title and after the title to show importance.

20th century Fox is one of the biggest production & distribution company. Their logo is presented first thing on the screen, this shows importance and the company's power. 

A couple of famous cast names are then shown after the production:

The title is then finally shown after a couple famous cast names. Only big actors/actresses are shown before the title as they make the film. 

Elizabeth and Kyle are shown after the title because they are not as 

known as Julia and Patrick.

 E

There is a short clip of what is happening before 

the Director of photography etc is listed.

Finally the Directors name is shown last.

 Final

Summary of a title sequence timeline

Majority of the time, the conventions in a title sequence represent what is going on in the film. For example, in the thriller 'memento' the title appears on the screen spaced out and faded to represent his amnesia. Fronts like Arial and Times New roman are the most common for film titles. Different transitions can also represent what is going on in the film; whether fades or cross dissolves. Titles almost always appear near the start of the film.

When a big company sponsors a film, it is most likely that their company name and logo will appear before everything else to show importance. 

When there are big Hollywood stars that are respected, their names always come before the film title. It is their names, which will draw the audience to come and watch the film. This also occurs with respected producers and directors. 

We analysed the opening sequence of Sleeping with the enemy. we studied the conventional order.

00:04 is where the 20th Century Fox show itself  

                                   00:10 production company

                        00:15 shows the star actor before the title sequence

         

                                     00:15 Film Title

                                  00:51 Proceeding Cast
                                     

                                 00:55 Music Credits

                                      1:00  Cast

                                    1:05 Costume Design