The Storyline

My story board has changed over the past couple of weeks. This is due to problems with filming and our cast member not being able to make the days organised between all of us. This meant that we had to do 3 separate days of filming. This meant that by the time we were onto the 3rd filming slot we had other ideas on what story to take.

We finally decided that this will be the story we are going to run:

We will start with the young version of the character (Aiden). He will be in bed and it will be late at night. We will get some still shots of him and then he will become restless in his sleep. The camera will then pan into his face so we can edit the shot to go into darkness then come back out into the title sequence.

The story will then cut to his girlfriend at the time. This will be a flash back which he is seeing in his dream. The female character (Katie) will be sitting on her laptop and relaxing in her room. She is going through a break up with (Aiden) and it brings her to tears when she is in her room. Suddenly the door bell rings and she goes to answer the door. She gets half way down the stairs and the doorbell rings again.This is to build tension. However the slow build up changes pace when she answers the door and the kid napper who remains unknown pulls her out the door by her neck. This keeps the audience on the edge of their seat because the tempo has changed so quickly. She will then be carried round the corner and that scene will end.

We will then start with the filming of the older, grown up version of the main character (Aiden). He will be lying in bed just how the younger version of him was at the start of the opening. He will then appear to wake from this flashback and come back into reality. The opening will stop when he wakes up and looks at the camera dead on.


The rest of the film would consist of the older version of (Aiden) finally realizing that what happened to his X girlfriend was not an accident and he will track down the men and women who did it to be with her at all costs. It will fit into the thriller genre through violence mentally and physically. It will hit the audience physiologically and will keep them on the edge of their seats.

Role Allocation

What roles are each of the group members going to take on?

We are deciding what roles to take on we are researching into different roles such as the director, editor etc. we have searched for the jobs and researched what they are:

·         Film director is the person who is in charge of the making of the film.

·         Film producer is the person who overlooks the whole project from different conceptions to the conclusion of the film

·         The film editor is the person who will chop and change the different shots of the film so that it looks its possible best it can, they will be approached by the film director to see if it looks good and correct.

·         The camera guy is the person that films the different shots

·         The sound person will be the person that will put the different sound effects together in order for the audience to catch the emotion and intensity of the film.

·         The actor is the person that is directed by the director and is told what he is needed for and what he has got to do in the film.

We will change roles throughout the filming and making of the film. This is so we can we can get a feel for how each role is different and get a first person view on what each role requires from yourself and others on set.

Feedback - Miss Spencer

Some excellent and detailed research into representation, even touching on reception. I will be doing some more work in lesson on reception theories which will take this blog into a level 4 if you add it at a later date.
I would, however, like to see a little more targeted research based on your genre.

What are the stereotypical representations in thriller?

Representation In Thriller Including Characters In My Film

Representation 

Media representations are the ways in which the media portrays particular groups, communities, experiences, ideas, or topics from a particular ideological or value perspective. Rather than examining media representations as simply reflecting or mirroring “reality,” it is how media representations serve to “re-present” or to actually create a new reality. 

Representation happens in all types of media. For example, beer ads portray drinking beer as something needed to have a party. SUV ads create the impression that driving an SUV as an exciting, outdoor adventure. And, perfume/aftershave ads imply that using perfume/aftershave makes anyone that wears it sexually appealing. These ads all create ideology associated with the uses of these products.

Representation can be used in films as well as being a key thing in television ads. For example The Disney Corporation, one of the major producers of film and television, represents stories and fairy tales in films for children primarily in terms of White, Western, middle-class values.

Stereotypes is something that the media has helped to create. Media like films use stereotypes because the audience will instantly understand them. Think of stereotypes as a sort of visual shortcut. Archetypes are the ultimate stereo types. For example the stereotype of brainless blonde bimbos. A counter type is a representation that challenges tradition stereotypical associations of groups, people or places.


Representations can change over time. It is very rare for a representation of something to stay the same for a long period of time. For example Burberry used to be represented as sophisticated, classy and expensive. Now it is represented differently by the media.


When you are describing the representation of characters in a film, it is important to make specific and detailed reference to how production elements. This can include camera techniques, acting, mise en scene, editing, lighting and sound. These all contribute to character representation.



You can be trying to represent a teenager in a film.This would mean you changing for example the dialogue. A teenager speaks in their own way and have a different language to everyone else. This means in a film you change the style of dialogue so therefore the audience know the character is a teenager. 

In our film we will have a young child who is lay in bed. The character needs to be represented as the innocent child. To do this we need to represent him the right way. He will not have dialogue to show he is not confident. Another character is a Mother that gets kidnapped. This character will be very weak, sacred and small. This will fit the typical woman in distress character in Thriller films. The house the mother lives in is quite large which represents she may have a good job or her husband has a good income. This tells us more about the character without them even speaking. This is a form of representation.






This is a picture of Amy Winehouse that featured in almost every news article in Britain  This is not a film text, however it is the same principal and easier to explain. This picture makes Amy Winehouse stand out as being a drugged up and genrally loosing track of her life.However this is where media representations comes into it. This picture was used everywhere so the audience thinks she is always like she is in the image. 








However there are loads more images of her when she is fine and enjoying life. The media pick this photo because it is an interesting photo to write a story about. It gets the audience more involved and asking questions. If the media picked other, better photos then we would have a completely different view on Amy Winehouse.





This how the media can manipulate the audience in believing in stereotypes. Our film will have all the aspects of representation we need to tell the audience what type of characters are in the film. We will try to stick to the conventions of the Thriller Genre as close as we can so that the audience can tell it is the right genre of film. 

Task 3 Target Audience Research

Target Audience Research - Thriller Genre

Many thrillers have age restrictions to stop an under age audience, which the film company think are to young, watching the film in the cinema. This can be for a number of different reasons. Thrillers often include lots of physical violence which can be disturbing and cause problems for a younger, less grown up audience. Psychological issues are also apparent in many Thriller genre films which can be disturbing for many younger viewers. When the film is released onto DVD or Blu-Ray there will be a warning on the back of the cover which states why it is rated as a PG, 12, 15 or 18 film. This could be because it contains extreme violence or sexual scenes.

A key appeal for the target audience of Thrillers is character which they can relate to and build a connection with as the film continues. Scream is a really good Thriller example of this. Scream aimed to target a mostly young adult target audience. Through using a mainly teenage cast, each with their own individual story the audience was able to relate to the character therefore they become more interested in the film and what happens to the characters

Most thrillers these days like to have the use of modern day technology in their films. This is so they attract a more modern audience. A thriller convention is for scenes and the plot in the film to be influenced by events that have or could happen in real life. This is why directors always try and add in the latest technology into their Thriller films to look at reaching out the widest range of audience that they can.

A key element within Thrillers is the theme of disguise which creates mystery within the film. The disguise is conventionally used on the antagonist characters so that the audience are unaware of what the character is like. This can be found in Thrillers such as Scream, Purge and The Black Swan which all use disguise to create suspense within the film.

People that have been asked what the conventions are for a Thriller have said that the conventions can be used in our film to. These can include suspense, tension, constant twists, dramatic atmosphere. It should be scary. The audience should be on the edge of their seat for the whole film. The plot should also give constant shocks.

The target audience for my Thriller film opening is males and females aged predominately 15-19 with Hopefully 80% of the people that watch the film opening will be within this age group. However because of the many sub genres within the Thriller genre some of the audience can branch out of this age range. The target audience for the conventional Thriller is that it will appeal to both male and female audiences and a variety of social classes conventionally through the use of relatable characters and themes throughout the film. Overall Thrillers appeal to a wide-audience and the large variety of sub genres means that the Thriller genre can easily relate to a range of audiences.

Feedback - Miss Spencer

Great research Stuart. You have thought about the conventions of the genre and touched on the history of it as well as discussing sub genres.

I would like to see a little more discussion of the history of the genre as well as taking a look at Auteur theory (in relation to Alfred Hitchcock)

Level 3

Task 2.2 Thriller Genre Research

Research Of the Thriller Genre

Overall a thriller film is programmed to create tension, anticipation and suspense. It is like this because it is meant to leave the audience uncertain on what is going to happen. Thriller films are designed to give the audience an adrenaline rush and they are often very fast paced. 

Thriller genre movies rely heavily on the background music and the editing behind the scenes. Black and white in Thrillers is a convention. It brings a more dark and gloomy feel to the movie. Peoples shadows are often emphasized a lot in Thrillers adding to the uncertainty effect. Props like mirrors are also used a lot to give the audience confusion. This also gives a more physiological approach.

For a Thriller film to be successful it has to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. They should not be able to take there eyes of the film and it should create a rush and excitement with the audience.

The difference between a Thriller and other film genres is that Thrillers are always engaging the audience and making them think through the whole film. The music builds up the tension and is very important in a Thriller because it always there. Lighting is used in a way that it creates mystery and keeps the audience guessing. 

Sub Genres in Thriller Films 

Conspiracy Thriller: Where the hero confronts a large group of enemies where only they know there bad qualities 

Crime Thriller: The sub genre is a mixture of crime of both crime films and Thriller. They offer a gripping version of either failed or successful crimes. These films have a convention where they focus on the criminal more than the good character e.g policeman.

Political Thriller: This sub genre is where the hero must guarantee the strength of the management that pays them.

Psychological Thriller: This is where the war and conflict between the main characters is both emotional and mental. This means there emotions cross and the audience can see them clearly. There is no physical conflict in a psychological thriller.Characters always seem to be in a dangerous situation and have to rely on mental strength to get out of it.

Spy Thriller: The central character is normally a government agent who must take violent action against an enemy government or terrorists. Many of Spy Thrillers are British and use to British Secret Service as the foreground. It usual fuses a bit of action and science fiction together along with Thriller.

Supernatural Thriller: This sub genre of a Thriller is all about something different. This type of Thriller brings a strange element. It brings supernatural disturbances with tension. Sometimes the main character has some sort of super power or unnatural physical ability.

Techno Thriller: This is a suspense film where the use of refined technology plays a significant part.There is also a bit of action and science fiction involved.

A convention of a Thriller is the use of mirrors. They are used for a more psychological effect within the film. They are used to show a reflection of the inner self of one of the characters. It can also signify darkness in some characters. Shadows are another convention of a thriller. They are often used to hide the characters identity and let them remain anonymous for part of the film. Another convention of a Thriller film is the use of flashbacks. Theses can create a sense of time, space and confusion to complicate the audience. It is a convention in thrillers because it can give you an insight into there past life. This can tell the audience more about the character. Codes in Thrillers are often fast paced camera angle changes as this creates tension and suspense among the viewers.

Sir Alfred Hitchcock

Sir Alfred Hitchcock was and English film producer and director. He produced many suspense and psychological thriller genre films. He used innovative film editing and framed his shots to create more terror or empathy. Many of his films had a twist ending which caught the audience of guard. Most of his stories frequently featured fugitives  running from the law with a blonde female character. His films featured crime, violence and murder. He directed more than fifty feature films over a career lasting sixty years. He is often acknowledged as the greatest British film maker of all time. 

Codes and Conventions used in the film "Psycho"

The use of lighting in this scene makes it look much more effective. There is a bright light in the top left hand corner which means we cannot see the characters face. This is very well thought out because without the use of a mask they have hidden the identity of the killer. Many thrillers stick to this convention. This makes it scarier for the audience because we all have a fear of the unknown. It also adds suspense because we cannot see there face. The camera angle is face on showing us that the audience want to know who it is but cant because of the lighting.

Titling

Most of the Thriller films I have watched the openings for have had a black screen in the background with some non-diegetic music playing in the background. It is also common for Thriller films to start with a small scene or flashback before the main title sequence comes up. For example Terminator 2 (T2) shows you a clip before the film starts to show you what the film might be about.

Camera Movement

Tracking and pan shots are commonly used at the start of Thriller films. It is normally a shot of a large group of people that we should be interested in as the audience. A really good example of this is at the start of The Dark Night. In the scene there is large camera track of a group of people at different points. 

Framing of Shot

The most commonly used shot in Thriller genre films is the close up. It is used in the film Seven to create and build suspense in the beginning. Long shots are also quite common in Thriller films. They are used to set the scene and show the audience where  most of the Thriller will take place. There will be lots of extreme close ups of the protagonist character. This is often to show their emotions or to focus on props in the story.

Camera Angles

Thrillers can be about mental and emotional. This shown by the different camera angles. For example an aerial shot shows dominance power of the character in shot showing they are more mentally strong. A low angle will show the character that is being overpowered. Most Thrillers will have a main character at the start that will be shown by different camera angles to signify there power.

Props

Most Thrillers use lots of weapons. All these will be props and will be used by more than one character. The most common prop is a gun of some sort. Most characters in a Thriller will carry a side arm. Other props may consist of a fast car, or a harness of some sort for climbing.

Mise en Scene

The general location used in thriller films I have studied depends on the story of the movie themselves. The lighting in Thriller films is used to create atmosphere.

Editing

Jump cuts are very common in Thriller films. This is because in a Thriller multiple things in a scene are happening at the same time and the audience are unaware of them. The jump cuts essentially fill us in. It allows the audience to make assumptions and learn more about the characters in a shorter period of time. When a climax to a scene is near the editing between shots will become faster and more urgent. It will make the audience feel like it is building up to something.

Sound

The sound in Thriller films after looking at a variety of them was mostly non-diegetic. This is used to create an atmosphere and accompany the character. The background music in a Thriller can often tell us a lot about the character.

Positioning & movement of Actors

Actors in Thriller movies tend to be in the middle of the frame most of the time. The movement the character makes heavily depends on the situation that they are in. The way a character moves tells us more about them. If the actor is quick and frantic it tells us they like to get things done quickly. If the actor moves slowly it shows that they calculate more and think about what they do before they do it. The beauty of Thriller genre films is that they include both types of character. There seems to be a convention of having two different groups with two different movement patterns.

Characters

The protagonist is often a brave male who seeks to restore the peace. The antagonist will have a hidden identity that the audience will uncover as the film progresses. Often the antagonist goes out for revenge from a past event. Another convention of Thriller films the protagonist is the only one that can solve the enigma and reveal the truth.

Theme

The main convention for theme in a Thriller is to be designed so that the audience will think it could happen to them. This is what makes them scared and introduces the fear factor. A Thriller convention is to add a supernatural explanation of the puzzle.



Costumes

The antagonist will be in dark clothes if you see them in the film. However on the other hand the protagonist will be wearing the opposite. They will be wearing plain ordinary clothes.

Taken 2

This is a behind the scenes look at the recent Thriller film Taken 2. It looks at how the films are shot and what is used in each of the shots. As you watch through you can see some conventions of normal thriller films. The main character is a strong male character which is a convention of a Thriller film. There is a scene of a teenage girl on the edge of a building. This is safe while shooting, however when it is edited it looks scary and gives the audience an adrenaline rush. It also shows an aerial view shot used by a crane. This is another Thriller convention in that dominance is shown by aerial shots.



These are shots out of the film. The lighting in this shot is coming from sparks maybe from an explosion or some type of combustible material. Explosions are quite common in thriller movies. The lighting in this picture reflects of the protagonists face. This suggests that he is the shining light and the savior when everywhere around him is dark.

The same principal is shown in the advertising poster for the film. Where the font "TAKEN 2" IS written it is pitch black. As you move over the male main character it becomes lighter until you go past the character and it is a completely different colour. It then almost looks like black and white.

This picture is an action shot of the main character in the Thriller. The convention is that character movement tells us about there character personality in a Thriller. In this case this screen shot shows the protagonist likes to get things done quick and does not think about his actions. He is running which means he could be chasing someone. This tells us he has no fear which is what a hero needs in a Thriller

Conclusion

In conclusion Thriller genre is very interesting and has more behind the scenes that is seen by the eye while watching a film. The conventions of a Thriller film are followed quite closely by most Thriller films that i have looked at. In my opinion Thriller genre films are always the most interested to watch because you have to watch every second of the film to get the plot. My favorite type of film is thriller so it has been very interesting looking deeper into this genre.

In film criticism, auteur theory means that a director's film reflects the their personality. It can also man what the director sees is what he wants his audience to see so he adds it into his film. Si Alfred Hitchcock was very famous for doing this and this was his style. Due to this he was a very good director and this is why so many people loved his films.