Peer Feedback on final opening sequence

1. Describe the type of camerawork which has been used. Do you think it's effective, and why?

-Good longshot, POV and close-up
-POV shot related the the genre
-good closeup on phone
-phone shot was too long
-good variety

2. What type of sound has been used? Does it work with the visuals? How?

-The soundtrack was tension building
-soundtrack wasn't clear
-music fitted with genre
-non diegetic and diegetic sounds worked together
-the diegetic sounds made story clear

3. How has the mise-en-scene been constructed? does it have an impact on the thriller genre?

-could have used better lighting. The narrative shows it is a thriller but the mise-en-scene isn't clear
-could have had better poles (props)
-good casual costume

Final product evaluation.

Our final thriller opening sequence is slightly different to how we first planned.
in our plan we did not have the running scene and the protagonist shouting at the antagonist. we added this so the excitement in our opening sequence was higher.

16th March

Today is our last editing lesson in which to finish tweaking any footage, and to add our logo in and the 15 certificate. We finished added transitions to the credits so they fade in and out, and also made sure the soundtrack was in sync with the footage.

At the end of the lesson we uploaded the video onto youtube and then put the URL into a new blog, which we named "The Watched. Final thriller production".

The Watched. Final Thriller Production.

Software Used

During producing our thriller we used software on computers sch as Final cut express, photo shop and garage band. Each of these was used for a different purpose.
Final cut was used to put all the different footage together and dd the sound to it.
Photo shop was used to make the company logo.
Garage band was used to make the soundtrack which will last the duration of the piece.

Equipment used during filming

We used many differant types of equipment, some you see within the film but others are used to help create the film.

Production
The cameras used to film were HD Sony digital camera which after some practice filming become a lot easier to use. these cameras give the video a much clearer image and allows the audience to see small details a lot better. Also, to go with the camera a trip-pod was used. this was to ensure when filming the camera had a smooth turn and kept still when needed. without this the camera would be shaky and would make the video look very poor. However, when filming POV or handheld we decided the shot would be more effective without the tri-pod.

Post-production
 When we had finished each filming session, we uploaded our footage to the computer and used different types of software to bring it all together. we used final cut in order to bring our footage together and edit any clips we didnt needor was not quite right. not only this but to add credits we also used final cut. in order to create a soundtrack for our thriller, we used garage band. this enables you to create the kind of music you want. when we had created our peice for our thriller we then edited it into our thriller using final cut. finally photoshop was used to create our production logo. we then transferred our logo into our video.

Credits.

For the credits there are many area's we have to show.
The director
The music producer
The Producer
Actors
Props manager
Editing Manager
and Sponsered by.

These will be throughout the beginning of our piece.

Colour scheme for Title Sequence

For our title sequence, the colour scheme plays a big part because it gives the over-all atmosphere of the opening, and can hint to which genre the film is.

Each colour is associated with different emotions. Red is linked to anger, love, and lust. Black is linked to death and emptiness. White is linked to purity. Blue is linked to calmness. Green is linked to jealousy.

Our Thriller has anger, guilt, death, and innocence in it. The best colours that link to this are black, red and white. These will be the colours we use for either background, or alongside a style of font that represents fear, or anxiety. Our logo is mostly red, to show blood, so red will be used sparingly, as not to distract from the logo, or overwhelm with a certain colour.

Titles

When coming up with a title we looked at other thriller films such as; Obsessed, Inception, The hunted. These film titles are all linked to the narrative either by being a state of mind the protagonist is in, or the antagonist. Also, film titles can be linked to the main element or location in the film, such as "The phone booth". When choosing our title we thought about what our film was about and what were the important features. Our short list consisted of:

Framed
The Black-mailer
Wanted
The Watched
Never Alone
Faked
Blame Game

After going through each of these "The Watched" stuck out to us and was the one we all remembered. It relates to our film because our narrative is about a man being watched so that he is forced to take the blame for a crime.

Thriller Music

During thriller opening sequences, the same piece of music tends to be played throughout, and it just fades in and out, and has different sections to it to correspond to the visual action.

Thriller music is distinctive because it often in written in a minor key, using chords, on the main instrument and ornamentation surrounds that chord using other instruments.

Thrillers often have a strong bass and beat which create a build up in suspense or tension. The use of wind instruments can create an eerie feel, like the wind, and can be mysterious, whereas brass sounds are loud and harsh, and can make you feel intimidated.

Thrillers nearly always end on a imperfect cadence so that the music is left hanging much like the narrative, instead of having a pleasing sounding end that sounds final, and gives closure.

Filming day 3

On our final day of filming we put on the same cotumes, and did the same scene as the day before except from a different angle, a POV shot, so that during the eiting process we could decide which worked best, or link both with transitions.

We filmed some extra footage and the seperately filmed the dialogue incase there was any background noise interferance with the audio.

Filming day 2

During the second day of filming the weather was dry so we took advantage of this and went to a block of flats next to Addenbrookes to film the carpark scene.
When we got there we only got one take before we were asked to leave the premissise because the flats are property of Addenbrookes, and we cannot film footage there.
After this set back we searched for another location nearby that had the same visual aspects; talls building and pathway. We found this behind a sports hall, and set up there instead.
We filmed the antagonist walking and beating up the victim, and then being seen by the protagonist.
The lighting worked well because of the dull over-cast sky giving the atmosphere a feel of danger.

Filming day 1

On our first day of filming the weather was miserable, and wet. We couldn't take the cameras outside as they would have been destroyed, so instead of filming the first scene we decided to film the indoor phone scene.

We filmed inside one of the music office's at long road college.
First we tried the scene without filming so the actors knew what they were doing at what to say.
After this Jake went outside to call the other jake who was inside the office. The first problem we came across was that jake couldn't get signal inside the building, so he had to stand inside another building where he could recieve signal. After this we did another take but realised that we could only hear one side of the convosation, and so had to put the phone on loudspeaker so the video camera could pick up the sound.

We used the tripod to film on so that the movements were smooth, and not jerky, to give the effect of a business man being very calm before the phone call.

Why thrillers thrive

Thrillers are a art form. They take situations that could be completely ordinary, and turn them into something unexpected and extraordinary.
When an audience go to the cinema to see a thriller they experience danger in a safe environment. Their subconscious knows they are safe, but as they watch the hero taking great risks they feel as if they are there because that is what all their senses are screaming at them.

A thriller is like being involved in something dangerous without all the complications and consequences. That is why thrillers are a great form of adrenaline instead of going, and doing something that could be a risk to you in reality. Audiences like to know that they are safe and that they can get a thrill in a safe environment.

This has been proven because a few years ago an exhibition was opened where audiences were admitted a few at a time into a room to face a curtain with two columns either side. The natural instinct the audience had was that the curtain would be drawn, revealing a screen. Instead what actually happened was that one of the pillars began to topple over onto the audience with deafening cracking sounds.
The exibit closed shortly afterward from the amount of complaints. This was because the audience didnt have the safety that watching a thriller promises.

Thrillers will continue to thrive in today's society, where everyone is looking for thrills. the horror genre will soon be just a sub genre to thrillers, and the audience will continue to be satisfied after receiving their dose of thrills.

Mise-en-scene blog

Props
The props we are going to use are:
A mobile phone.

Costume
The costumes that the first male wears is casual everday wear, so that he does not stand out.
The costume that the second male wears is also casual, neutral colours.
The costume the dead female wears is casual wear for the outdoor cold weather. ie: a coat.

Lighting
The lighting used at the flat location is morning natural light, dull, and slightly misty to give the effect of a typical winters day with a twist.
The lighting for the scene in a room is dark and mysterious to give a contrast to the outdoors.

Location
The first location is at a block of flats and the surrounding grass and car park area. The second location is set in a dark room that could be a study in someones house. This shows the normality of a day with situations that happen which are out of the ordinary.

Location Recce

The location we will be using most is the block of flats. It has a car park next to it, which we will also be using, for as long as we are allowed to be there.
We want to film during daylight so the times of day we can shoot during is not restricted. The main times we will be able to film will be from; 9am-2.30pm.
To get to the location is just a short walk from the college gates, and although it is across a road, we will take care in crossing it.

Planning For Pitch

Planning for our pitch to the class.

Narrative Description:

Unknown man (Stalker) is controlling the victim. Theres a dead body, and either the stalker or victim killed him, and the victim is being blackmailed by the stalker.

Sub-genre Conventions:

Centres around a crime.

The protagonist has a weakness which is exploited by the Antagonist.

Micro elements construct to build up suspence.

Themese of seeing, mirroring and reflecting.
The Title reflects the Protagonists state of mind.

Characters:

Jake Cowie- Stalker Guy

Jake Cotton- Victim

Locations: 

Around addenbrookes, with the high buildings, visually dynamic.

In a car park, somewhere totally random, so its obvious the Victim is being followed

In a house, so its personal to the Victim.

Comparing two thriller opening sequences: 'Catch me if you can' & 'Dexter'.

'Catch me if you can' and 'Dexter'.

The opening sequence to "Catch me if you can" is a very unique one. The credits run throughtout the beginning but the filming is completely different, as reality isn't used and instead graphics show us the first part of the unravelling Thriller.

The typical thriller conventions such as the core of the narrative being a crime; which in this case is fraud. Also, during the opening sequence we are taken down a few possible routes to do with the fraud, and establishes enigmas which the audience expect to be resolved.

The sound used through the opening sequence is one track of music that sets the tone and atmosphere. The soundtrack is in a Minor key which automatically leaves the audience feeling that something isn't right, towards the end of the opening sequence, the music becomes darker, louder and more intense, getting the viewer on the edge of their seats ready for the next scene. The trills played within the music mimic the charaters state of mind, as he is thinking irationally, and the music portays this.

Another thriller opening sequence to the film "Dexter" is completely different the previous. The opening is composed of a range of close-up shots, which give us an insight into the mind of the main character, and establishing him. It seems perfectly normal, as it shows him doing day to day activities, and nothing out of the ordinary. This fits with the thriller convention; extraordinary things are going to happen in such ordinary circumstances.

The only shots which may give the audience an indication that all isn't as it seems are the shots where the main character squashes a spider on his own skin, showing he isn't phased by blood, and doesn't mind killing something that is more insignificant than himself. Also the shot where he shaves and his face bleeds, and we see droplets in the sink shows he isn't afraid to put himself in a little danger, which could be foreshadowing events.

The soundtrack to this opening is misleading because it doesnt sound mysterious or threaterning, which will leave the audience feeling unsettled because of the lack of explanation. The music is non-diegetic, but there are sounds such as frying and shaving that are diegetic.

The first opening sequence is more direct in its approach with its genre, whereas the second opening "dexter" is trying to conseal it, and only giving hints. Both have a soundtrack in which the credits run through and both establish a main character. The main differences are that one is reality filming, and the only is computer generated graphics. These both give different effects and appeal to different audiences, but in the end they both get the same point across, and are good opening to set the scene for the rest of the triller film.

Shona Addison