3. Camera work
I have used a long shot here
with the protagonist on the
right hand side, to highlight
how vulnerable she is as she is
alone, young and it is night.
The car with the bright head
lights which drives pasts the
antagonist pulls the audience
attention, as they are on the
edge of their seats to see what
happens next. The long shot
was appropriate here as I
wanted to show the new
location as the protagonist had
just left the woods, and is still
surrounded by dark isolating
trees.
I have used a long shot/establishing shot here, to establish the new location which the
protagonist is now going into. From this shot I wanted to highlight how the protagonist
is now left alone in a house, and is seen a vulnerable, as there is not anybody to help
around.
I have used a behind the shoulder shot here, to point
out to the audience the mysterious figure which has
began following the protagonist. I broke conventions
here as I revealed the antagonist to the audience in an
obvious way with bright lighting and putting them clear
in the shot. The over the shoulder shot is appropriate
here as I wanted to hide the antagonists identity so the
audience would carry on watching the film, which this
kind of shot did. It also gives the audience the chance
to see the protagonist in a different prospective and
imitates the antagonists view point.
I have used a close up shot here, to break up the sequence as I had used allot of
long and medium shots. This close up shot shows the protagonist placing the
key in the key hole to gain access to her home. It can also be interpreted as the
entrance to major issues which follows , as if the protagonist was not alone the
mysterious villain would not of gained access to the property. The close up
shot was appropriate here as I wanted to show the detail of the key going into
the hole as if I used a long or medium shot the protagonists body would of
covered the hole.
4. I have used a series of high angle shots in my thriller opening as from watching
other thriller films and their opening sequence I know that a high angle shot
suggests vulnerability, and powerless characters as the angle makes the actor
look smaller than they actually are. I used a high angle shot in the bathroom to
connote a sense of danger to the audience as this is where camera angles begin
to change in the sequence as prior to this only eye level shots had been used. As
the danger is getting closer and closer, and the protagonist is more vulnerable as
she is in a house alone, I want to express this fear to the audience by making her
look smaller. I used a series of six high angle long shots to show the character
moving in bed. The quick shots reflect the idea of time passing and a long shot
was appropriate here as I wanted to show the character changing position in bed
as time moves on. The important shot of the bed at the end hooks the audience
to carry on watching the film as they want to know where the protagonist has
gone. I feel that a high angle shot was most appropriate here than any other
shots such as an eye level shot or low angle shot as the protagonist looks small
and vulnerable as she is in bed alone, and in a tired drowsy condition as she is
mid sleep, this highlights her vulnerability. A low angle shot would of made the
character look powerful and would not of shows her whole body in the shot.
After the series of high angle shot of the protagonist in bed I zoomed into the
window , to highlight to the audience the mysterious figure is now outside the
window. This follows more of the thriller genre conventions as it is more subtle
than the over the shoulder shot I used of the antagonist. The zoom in I used
makes it clear to the audience as the focal point of the shot was originally the
protagonist changing sleeping position.
5. Editing
During the editing process I used white, solid font which is separated for the title of the film. This font suits the thriller genre as when I researched
other film titles white was a very popular colour as it reflects the characteristics of the protagonist as white connotes innocence, youth and vulnerability.
I used the photograph of a woods and a light at the end to show the hope that the protagonist finds the way out from the trap in the woods. I used the
editing technique that scatters the writing in slowly when the production company comes on top of the black screen. The scattered letters effect is
really effective for the thriller genre, as it sizzles in like an effect of a broken light. For the titles of the actors and production team I used a clear, white
font which is very sophisticated as I have chosen a higher target audience of 16-25. The titles fade in and out of the screen which is very effective as it
foreshadows the ending to the opening sequence as the font disappears like the protagonist disappears.
For the protagonists, actress name I have used capital letters, with white big writing in the centre of the frame. I used a lens flare, to highlight the
actresses name as she is a very important person in the film. I used dissolves in to move scenes after the location changed, when the protagonist enters
the tunnel a dissolve is used to move to the antagonist watching the vulnerable victim. The dissolve leaves the protagonists face on top of the villain
which suggests the villain has mental, psychological issues. I used another dissolve to change scenes between the tunnel and the house, as it shows time
passing. I also used a fade to black at the end of the film when the titles finish, this is a great way to end the opening sequence as it is smart and
professional and parallels who the audience feel as they are also left in the dark to where the protagonist has gone. During the montage of fast shots
showing the girl moving positions in bed, I used fast straight cuts to make it abrupt and to show time passing through the night. I have experimented
with the pace of cuts as at the start of the film, the cuts are very slow and elongated but as time passes, the cuts get quicker and quicker to reflect the
villain getting closer and closer. By the end of the sequence the cuts are very quick to imitate the on screen action.
6. Sound
• I used a programme called Avid pro tool on the Apple Macs, and found some very effective
sound effects on there.
• I used the tapping of drums, and a soft sizzle sound when the first credit come on, with credit to
‘Columbia pictures’ and a ‘Courteney Coutinho’s production’. I found this sound effect very
effective as it suits the thriller genre as it the drums build up like conventional thriller music and is
a typical instrument in the thriller music. The sizzle sound suits the editing technique I used for
the writing as the titles also slowly fizz onto screen. The sound can be related to a broken light
which is also seen and recognized in thriller films.
• I used the medley I created on Avid pro tool which is the tradition nursery rhythm of Teddy bears
picnic, it is a creepy, slow motif I repeat subtly through out the sequence. At the end of the
sequence I played the motif really slowly, to a create a creepy distorted feel to the thriller. This
makes the opening sound really professional as a few thriller films I have researched use high
pitch nursery rhythms to create a distorted feel and to disorientate the audience. Nursery rhymes
are the binary opposite to the thriller genre as they for children, and should be happy but by
twisting the idea, I have disorientated the audience.
• The use of silence in the opening sequence and no dialogue is very effective as the synchronise
sound effects of foot steps, keys and water help move the opening and tell the story without
dialogue. Dialogue would of detracted from the vulnerability of the character as she would of
had to have another character to talk to someone which meant she would not of been as
vulnerable as if she was alone.
• I have used synchronise sound as at the end when the cuts speed up as the protagonist is
changing position, as every time the cuts change the music gets louder and louder. Synchronise
sound is very effective here as it help shows time passing and build up the tension for the huge
lighting/storm sound when the titles appear and the bed is revelled empty.
7. Mise-en scene
The costumes I have chosen for my film opening were well thought of as I had to consider a few ideas and I did target audience research on costumes
and prop before making my final decision. The mysterious figure is wearing an oversized coat, to hide their mescaline figures and to disguise their
identity. This is a conventional and effective costume for a thriller film as it hides the identity to the audience and leaves the audience worried as they do
not know who if following the victim. The protagonist is wearing a black and gray coat, with a red jumper to connote danger, blood and death. The red
jumper foreshadows the victims ending. I chose for the protagonist to wear pyjamas as it shows a sense of vulnerability, as they were obviously tired
and shows their youth and feminine figure. I personally fell that the costumes I had chosen were very effective as I thought about them before
choosing them thinking about different colour connotations. I chose not to use any props in the opening sequence as the opening introduces the
audience to the characters and the audience are still unaware of the mysterious figure.
The lighting within my two minute thriller opening changes, as at the start the lighting is very bad which effects the overall enjoyment the audience
receive from watching the film. As I filmed outside, I was unable to use artificial lighting as we did not have facilities which offered artificial lights or
ambient lighting. I did attempt to use a torch, to light up the scene but did not help so I made the scenes out side very limited. The lighting in the
tunnel and in the house is allot better as there was access to artificial lighting, which made the scenes much clearer and easier for the audience to watch.
In the bedroom I used artificial lighting again by using purple fairy lights to match with the bed sheet, this highlighted the character changing position,
although the lighting was still not as a class as possible. The location which I have used in my thriller opening is effective as I used the outdoors to
show the vulnerability of the protagonist as she is young, female and alone while being isolated outside within the trees. I used the house to show how
alone and isolated the protagonist is, to make it even harder for the audience to find out who kid napped the protagonist.
8. Feedback
I believe that my thriller opening was successful as I incorporated my target audience research,
as I used red and black costumes to connote danger and evil acts, while foreshadowing the
fate of the victim. I followed thriller conventions by using a nursery rhythm motif
throughout the opening sequence to disorientate the viewer as the well known motif has
connotations of child hood and happiness. The lighting was a major issue in the
production as I filmed during winter seasons, when the sky turned dark early. I should of
used a huge torch or filmed while the sun was going down to prevent the bad lighting which
detracts from the overall enjoyment the audience receive from watching the film opening.
The feedback which I have received from my thriller opening has been very positive as I
showed it to a group of people which fit in with my target audience age bracket. A few
people said that they really enjoyed the creative narrative, and loved the ending to sequence
as it really hooked them to the film wanting to find out where the protagonist went. Some
constructive feedback which I received was to make the mysterious figure much clearer
through out the whole of the sequence, from start to end dropping hints to the audience
that the protagonist will soon be a victim. I agree with this as I could of dropped hints such
as windows open, or putting the camera through leaves to create a sense that somebody is
watching the protagonist walking.
