Costumes

For costumes we have decided to choose relativiely dark clothes with a rather casual feel. This way we can show the audience that the film is a thriller yet it is happening to an ordinary person. I hope that by doing this we will achieve a succesful synopsis that makes sense. If the character was wearing suitable cargo clothes that would be good for running around in it would loose the whole mystery of the thriller.

assessment - Planning SJA 18/12/11

Shooting Schedule

We are planing on doing most of the filming during the Christmas Holiday and during some of the media lessons. We hope the whole team can turn up to each session which shouldn't be too bad as we all live relatively close to each other. 

Family Pictures

This image will be in the frame in our opening sequence when the camera pans round the empty apartment giving the audience clues. The image of the wife and husband would be important because even though the audience don't really see them in the opening sequence, by having this image in the background of a certain shot it can give the audience a sense of what their life was like and gives the audience a positive image about the family.

We also think we should use this picture because the daughter gives the audience an idea of what they are like and how happy they were as a family unit. This could give proof to the audience that they are a very naturalistic and happy family however the costumes in this picture could give away that they aren't 40 year olds or older so maybe a change of clothing into a nice shirt or an old dress could make it more realistic.

Panning Practice for thriller opening sequence

we took a short video of us practicing the panning that we are attempting to do in our opening sequence so that when it comes to filming it properly we can make it look realistic and give lots of clues to the audience. We could improve this by maybe using a tripod to steady the camera or have a steady hand using handheld camera.

Example of similar thriller opening sequence

The video above is a close example of what our own opening sequence would look like. The extreme close ups and panning which are used in this particular opening sequence show certain clues and types of shot ideas and questions which the audience would want to be asking during this sequence. This makes the audience want to watch more and even though university students covered this project i believe that we can make it just as good using our own initial ideas fitting in with our plot.

Teacher Assessment for Research

Peer Assessment for Planning

Working on Storyboards

Costume, Props and Location

Making a gif


Making a gif

Costume, Props and Location Ideas was drawn, coloured and written by Eleanor Pullen in our group.

Casting

When decided on the cast of our film we took into consideration the typeof characters but also we thought about how accessible different people would be when filming was needed to be done.

The first character we decided on was the main character, Mark Wilson. He needs to be someone who looks quite tough and strong. Also he needs to be fearless and knowledgeable.

We have chosen to cast George Blewitt (a member of our group) as Mark as he is well built and suits this role quite well. Another reason for this decision is , as he is in our group he will be easier to get hold of when we need him for filming. Also, he can put his own twist on his character and put ideas to us as a team. He will also be dedicated to the group and we know we can rely on him.











We then cast Megan Thornton, the daughter. She is 17 years old, average teenager therefore she was easy to cast. Also, you only see megans hair in the opening so we didnt have to put much thought into the casting.
Taking all this into consideration we cast Rosie Winton (another member of the group) as Megan Thornton.





Casting the mother/wife, Wendy Thornton, was again very easy to cast as she is not in the opening sequence. Therfore, we cast Emma Chapman (a member of our group) as Wendy Thornton.

The last character we casted was Robert Thornton who is the husband of Wendy and Father of Megan. He is also Mark's best friend and plays an important part in the opening sequence of our thriller.

Font ideas for our Thriller Opening Sequence

This title font caught my eye because of eerie handwriting style. The writing could somewhat represent a murderer trying to write a ransom note or something along those lines following the idea of being framed. 

This font signifies an Eastern European setting for our thriller. The font is bold and stands out. This type of font relates to the environment our opening sequence is set in and is also simple to read.

The title immediately signifies a large city like area because of  the skyline imagery used at the bottom of the font.  Also the font seems to have like a dirt effect that could convey the idea of grit or blood to the audience, possibly highlighting the violence of the film. 

We have decided to choose this font for our thriller film title. It stands out bright and bold, there isn't too much going on. The dirt like effect on the font will signify a gritty urban setting, or it will imply blood and violence. This will attract audience members who are fond of action and violence. The title 'danger sign' like font will also highlight the idea of violence and danger. The title in this font will suggest the main themes of the film thus making it a perfect for our film.

George Blewitt in our group searched and found all of these fonts for our main title for our thriller opening sequence.

Storyboard shots

Making a gif

Thriller Opening Sequence Storyboard Animation

Script

How do you make gifs


How do you make gifs

Character Profiles

Children Of Men Thriller Genre Analysis

Peer Assessment for Research

Initial Shot Ideas

Online gif creator

Thriller Sounds for our Opening Sequence

In our discusions in our groups we have brought together some initial ideas for the type of music (non-diegetic)in which we have consiered using in our own thriller opening seqeunce. To do this we used copywright free websites and even thought about creating our very own music to relate to the genre and this is important because the sound sets the atmosphere at the very beginning of an opening sequence.

http://www.freesound.org/people/suonho/sounds/58962/

The sound above i found on freesound.org. I chose this particular piece because it can link well with our synopsis and the way the character may be feeling. We would probably use this type when something mysterious is about to happen to make the audience feel immediately in the mood in which we want them to feel. (above)

http://www.freesound.org/people/suonho/sounds/58960/


My second sound which i found i think can relate to thrillers because the high pitched screech which is heard somewhat scares the audience and relates to a womans scream, also the pace is fast and upbeat which could be used in our piece when he is walking rather quickly to get to his friends house, it keeps the mood constantly but also speeds up the rythm so the audince get a feeling of excitement.(above)

http://www.freesound.org/people/imaginaryband/sounds/79421/

My third sound which i have chosen creates a sad, sympathetic mood when it begins to connote sadness or distress but then quickens up to represent that someone is on a mission or their emotions are overwhelming. This could be used in our opening sequence when the man finds his dead friens (the slow sad part of the music) and then when he gets the daugher (upbeat part). (above)

http://www.freesound.org/people/fonogeno/sounds/19425/

Lastly i found an eary telephone ring which creates a ghosly feel and fits in well when one of our shots incudes just the telephone and the constant sound of it ringing in the background to connote the feeling of silence, lonliness or even panic that no one has answered it.(above)

Audience Research 2

Audience Research Analysis on Prezi

Synopsis of our Thriller

A man goes to visit his friend at his house. He rings his friend as he walks there to make use everything is still good. There is no answer. The man assumes everything is okay and carries on his journey to his friends house. When he arrives the door is open, he still knocks but there is no answer. He opens the door to see if everything and shouts out his mates name. Still no answer, so he goes inside only to find his mate and his wife dead. He immediately goes into shock and panics desperately trying to bring his mate back to life without realising that he is contaminating the crime scene with his fingerprints. He eventually notices that their daughter is not there and then starts to look for her. He finds her upstairs under the bed, alive.

The man and the daughter then take part in a journey to avoid the people trying to kill her family and the police who believe that he was the one who killed the family and kidnapped their daughter.

Initial Ideas

Initial Ideas for our Thriller Opening Sequence on Prezi

Thriller Genre Questionnaire

Location Ideas for Thriller Genre

I chose to take this image of this particular location (field opposite St Helier Hospital) because i feel that it would relate well to a thriller genre by the features in the frame. The darkness represents a scary, creepy and somewhat ghostly feel to an image which can immediately leave an effect on the audience. The trees are in clear focus with the faded out into black behind which i feel is thriller-like because the trees look dead and you cant see anything behind them. The 'dead' look can connote death in any way relating to thriller and can give a spooky feel to a setting.

This location is down a wide alley way with gates either side, based just next to Sutton High Street. This relates to a thriller genre because looking at the white walls they are dirty and connote an abandoned or deserted feeling by the way its been treated or could also look as if it has rotted away through passing of time. Again, i took this picture in the dark because i feel darkness makes a location have more emphasis and meaning behind it to make it feel more spooky and realistic.

My final image relating to thriller i took in a deserted playground by Sutton Arena. The playground i believe, represents a feeling of coldness and can create a ghostly feel when for example, an empty swing is shown swinging by itself. The darkness makes it look deserted and creepy with the way the colours of the climbing frame stands out and the rest of it blends in with the blackness, i feel this would be a good location for a thriller because of the connotations of the mood this would set the audience in.

Conventions of a thriller opening sequence

Seven Thriller Opening Analysis

Job roles in an opening sequence

examples:

What are the conventions of a title sequence?

Bridget Jones Diary Analysis

Similarities and differences between 'Bridget Jones Diary' opening sequence and a thriller opening sequence.

In 'Bridget Jones Diary' and a traditional thriller opening sequence, many differences are used to resemble the different genres. For example, they both have different shot types and angles to represent a certain character feautured in the film. This may also include not as many close ups which give us less clues in the rom-com and the characters would be completely different to target their certain genre audiences. Also the duration of the clips and changs to the pace of editing can in certain thriller opening sequences build tension whereas in 'BJD' the clips are shorter and possibly more humourous.

There are only a few similarities between 'Bridget Jones Diary' and a thriller opening because the target audiences and genres contrast. The music in both is used to create the mood when the film first begins and helps the audience understand what genre it is. Also both of them establish the setting in a single shot which gives more clues away to the audience.

Spiderwick Chronicles Analysis

Spiderwick Chronicles Analysis on Prezi

Similarities and Differences between 'The Spiderwick Chronicles' and 'Bridget Jones Diary'

The differences between the two opening sequences of 'The Spiderwick Chronicles' and 'Bridget Jones Diary' focusing on Mise en Scene, Editing, Sound and Cinematography are that the editing in 'Spiderwick' was more quicker paced when changing from shot to shot and didnt have long durations on a certain character or item unlike in the opening sequence of 'Bridget Jones' the editing was quite slow paced so the audience could see more of what her life is like and represents her as the main character. The music was different because in 'Spiderwick' it was orchestral music but with an upbeat to it whereas in 'BJD' the music were songs which represented her and her life. Another final difference were that 'BJD' was more lighthearted when it came to genre and it was more of a romantic comedy whereas 'Spiderwick' had dark connotations to it and was seen more of an Action Adventure film.

There were only a few similarities because of how completeley different they were in terms of editing, sound and genre. However, they both seemed to have cleverly used differences in time to show something changing or representing their own life. Also they both have an element of mystery, even though 'BJD' has a completely different genre there is somewhat a sort of mystery about her life and who she is, this is also shown in 'Spiderwick' when there are certain parts when there are moments of quick silence or panic demonstrating the mystery throughout the film.

Wallander (Firewall, 7/12/08, BBC1) Analysis

The Sixth Sense (Shyamalan, 1999, US)

Brick (Johnson, 2005, US)

When the beginning of the opening sequence appears the company 'focus features' is the first thing that the audience see's when the film begins. In the background the music has a country beat to it which gives off quite a mysterious effect to the audience. The western sound gradually increases its volume so the audience only hear the sound while the company name dissapears and a black screen is shown. Cowbells are mixed in the background with a guitar and a water sound effect, this sad, depressing music makes the audience feel emotion before they even see any of the characters or setting etc. The slow dreary guitar noise could represent the character himself and how links with how he feels, we later learn during the sequence that the water noice relates to the river in the main shot.

At the beginning of the sequence the first shot which is noticed by the audience is an extreme close up on the feet of the character as it crabs down to them.

The audience can see from this shot by the look of the shoes and the position that the character is a male and is positioned as if he is leaning against something. Just like in 'Memento' the audience dont see the main character straight away as if the director doesnt want us to see him fully, an extreme close up is used on his eyes and glasses,

by this point the audience dont recieve many detailed clues about the male but an eyeline match is used then later on in a master shot the audience is shown that he is staring at a young girl who is opposite him, preferably dead. This long shot makes the audience ask questions such as who is he? did he do this? is she dead? are they related? etc. Later on the camera tracks towards the girls feet which is also an eyeline match from an earlier shot, the camera tracks into her shoes and then into his and her face to make the audience see that they have a relationship between them. On the girls arm when the camera tracks onto her wrist the bracelets are in the centre of the frame which gives off to the audience that they are important and should be noticeable later on in other scenes, the director still doesnt want the audience to see his face and know who he is so there is an extreme long shot of him leaning against the wall with his hands covering his face, the audience are unsure of who he is and are still asking questions.

Editing throughout the opening sequence is quite slow paced and doesnt really quicken while the sequence continues. After the titles there is a fade cut to white and a slow dissolve to mix in with the music and fade to the next shot. While he stares at the girl the editing keeps cutting back to his face to show the audience his facial expression, this makes the audience think, how is he feeling? what is he thinking? etc. Memento has simliar editing techniques by using the end of the film in the opening sequence. The title 'brick' appears against a black screen after we learn the genre of the film and the basic idea of the storyline from the first minute of the opening sequence, the title moves away and fades into the blackness which may represent something that is lost or we are losing.

Mise en scene is important in this opening sequence because the smallest of clues on a character or prop or set etc could let the audience think about questions to fill the blank sections in their minds. For example, when the camera tracks onto the girls shoes, you notice the mud on her shoes and when the extreme long shot appears, above her there is grass which could imply that she fell or she was pushed by the male character. The main characters clothing blends in with the background and creates dark imagery however the female is wearing bright coloured clothes so she stands out from the gloomy setting and makes her seem innocent and vulnerable. As well as not being able to see his face, we also cant see her face because she is laying flat down onto the ground, the audience only see her hair which is zoomed into so the audience know she isnt a woman but a young girl or student.

Memento (Nolan, 2000, US) analysis with annotations.

Trailer VS Opening Sequence

I have chosen the Twilight trailer to compare it with the opening sequence to the film. At the beginning of the trailer the non-diegetic sound overhead is soft and calm while showing short images and tension building clips from the film, half way through the trailer the music changes it's beat and becomes very fast which builds tension throughout the rest of the trailer. The diegetic sound and fast pace editing during the trailer makes the audience want to watch it and they become interested in the storyline. In some parts of the dialogue the music suddenly stops and becomes louder and more upbeat. The trailer consists of extreme long shots to show the setting of the trailer and how it blends with the genre, extreme close ups to build tension and emphasis on words and mid shots to show how the characters react and gives the audience a sense of who they are and how they behave just by watching the trailer.

However, in comparison to the opening sequence of the film, it is a lot more subtle and calm with non-diegetic sound of the character speaking over the top of the camera panning an animal running through the woods. Some of this beginning sequence is filmed in slow motion to create tension and make it interesting. This is different to the trailer because the music dramatically changes half way through whereas the opening doesnt.

Brief

We have been given the task to create an opening sequence to a genre of a film including shot types, angles, mise-en-scene, continuity editing etc. To do this we would be in groups of 3 and video a 2 minute opening sequence with added titles and credits which would

appeal to our target audience.

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Preliminary Task

WWW: The continuity editing was used throughout the whole scene and we used different shot types and angles while filming. For example, some of the continuity editing we used shot reverse shot and the 180 degree rule meant that we could use this certain editing to make the scene flow naturally.

EBI: Some of the acting could of improved and if we could go back and do it again i think that we would change the sound of the door so it fitted in with shot and made it seem more naturalistic and not messy.

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