Thriller Opening

For my main task i had to construct an opening to a thriller lasting up to a maximum of two minutes.

Below is my final opening of a thriller:

Preliminary task

For my Preliminary task I had to construct a short sequence containing three key camera shots, these were: shot reverse shot, match on action and 180 degree rule.


Below is a video of my preliminary task:

Pearl and Dean Research

During my research I used the Pearl and Dean marketing site which enabled me to establish my target audience for the opening of my thriller in terms of age, gender and social class.

The Departed
age			gender
4-6	0%		male	62%
7-11	0%		female	38%
12-14	0%		class
15-24	32%		AB	20%
25-34	31%		C1	46%
35-44	11%		C2	17%
45+	25%		DE	17%
source: CAVIAR

Seven
age			gender
4-6	0%		male	60%
7-11	0%		female	40%
12-14	0%		class
15-24	42%		AB	26%
25-34	39%		C1	29%
35-44	10%		C2	31%
45+	9%		DE	13%
source: CAVIAR

Paycheck
age			gender
4-6	0%		male	78%
7-11	0%		female	22%
12-14	3%		class
15-24	29%		AB	31%
25-34	38%		C1	22%
35-44	22%		C2	23%
45+	8%		DE	24%
source: CAVIAR

From this research I was able to notice that the target audience for people watching thrillers were males aged 15-34 within the working/middle class.

Evaluation Questions

1. In what way does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

For my thriller I decided to develop the conventions found in real media products for instance the music I used was that of the typical thriller genre also the scenes I developed where scenes that would normally be established within a film of the same genre. In order to develop conventions of real media products I took ideas from existing media products of the same genre and constructed scenes of similarity, the two films that gave me my final idea was “Psycho” and “Se7en” from these I created my shower scene and the idea of my character suffering from a mental illness. I thought that by doing this, I would create a much more interesting and applicable storyline if the film where to be furthered as the opening ends on a cliff hanger which would not only intrigue the audience but also raise all sorts of questions in their minds. During my research for my media product I was able to discover the different genres in which people enjoyed and decided to explore different ways in which I could create this. I was able to expand on the idea of my sub-thriller genre found out from my target audience which was the psychological thriller. I found from research that in most real media products males are normally portrayed as the antagonist. Staging a murder for my opening, I was also able to inter-link my second sub-thriller genre sought from my target audience which was the action thriller.

 

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

A male and a female are represented in the opening of my thriller. The female seems to be quite young preferably middle twenties probably at the peak of her career whereas the male seems to be in his mid forties probably experiencing a mid—life crisis. The surroundings of the female character suggest a middle class style of living. However the surroundings of the male seem to be quite disjointed we see that his room is rather cluttered probably reflecting his mindset we also see that he has an obsession with various murders, which articles are allocated in his room. Straight away we notice that this is not somebody who is classed as normal but somebody who probably suffers from a mental illness of some sort. The males is dressed in trainers and washed out jeans with a rather old jacket which represents that he maybe from a working class background, however the car that he is driving suggests otherwise, which may make us wonder if the particular clothes have been chosen with reason. I decided to conform to the stereotypical ideology of woman being expressive and men instrumental in these circumstances the women being the victim and the male the killer.

3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

I feel that my thriller with a few adaptations may be distributed by major success institutions such as New Line Cinema, Universal pictures and Paramount pictures who have produced other thrillers similar to mine such as Se7en and Psycho. I feel that major successes may choose to distribute my thriller as the storyline is similar to other popular thrillers which have had huge success. My thriller deals with issues not completely touched upon within the film industry the issue being dealing with the mentally ill. My thriller gives an audience an insight to life through a completely different perspective. If my film received good feedback then it could go on to be distributed on digital t.v. such as sky or virgin media.

4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

I decided that my thriller would appeal to those in late adolescence to those in late adulthood. With an age range of 15-24, the majority being male. I used the pearl and dean website to establish this conclusion. I felt that by using a male as the murdered, I would attract male viewers as from my research I found that when it came to which gender tended to watch thrillers more, the majority were male.

5. How did you attract/ address your audience?

At first I researched different thriller openings which gave me ideas as to how i were to create my own. I found out what sort of age range were interested in the thriller genre, using this information I constructed a questionnaire in which i asked my target audience a series of questions all linking back to the construction of the opening to my thriller because of this I was able to find out exactly what i should include in order to make my opening appealing. The camerawork used in my opening also helped to attract my audience as the use of point of view shots helped place the audience in the eyes of the murdered , also the fact that we knew that the women was in danger and we could not do anything about it created a suspense and tension that would encourage an audience to watch on. The fact that my camera was always at an angle in which neither of the characters were identified, helped with the creation of suspense contained in the opening of my thriller.

6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product?

I used a variety of technologies in order to construct my product. These technologies included a camera, a tripod, final cut pro for my editing and garageband to create my soundtrack. Whilst using the camera i found that the amount of megapixels determined the quality of my product. I used the tripod in order to gain a steady camera however i did find it difficult to use the tripod when trying to film in tight spots and found myself having to hand hold the camera in order to film. During the filming process i found i could not always film from the exact angles i wanted to film from due to lighthing as there wasn't nay to see exactly wht i was trying to film. In order to resolve i had to have a lamp nearby the camera whenever i was filming in dark places so that the shots were still visible. I also found that whilst moving the camera sometimes the focus would become blurred. I found that this actually worked to my advantage as in the end it looked like an effect which was part of my final product. I learnt from using final cut pro how simple it actually is to edit once you are familiar with the different tools. Certain effects i found particularly useful when editing were cross-fade effects and fade dissolve effects. They were particularly usefull when trying to fade one scene into another. When using garageband i found that it was quite a complex software however once I knew exactly how to manage it, it become easier. It was a very usefull programme and helped to create a suspenseful soundtrack for my opening, however i found at times that certain pieces i had constructed did not exactly go together well in order to give the right effect to my thriller but it the end i worked it out and fell i was very successful.

7. Looking back to your preliminary task, what do you feel that you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Constructing the preliminary task enabled me to be familiar with the way in which to put together my storyboard and working script. I also did a lot of planning before hand into the genre as seen in my research and planning area, because of this i was able to recognise the common shots needed for my thriller. When constructing my preliminary task i learnt how to use the editing software which helped the process to be smoother when it came to finally editing my thriller. I was more specific in using shots such as match on action, 180 degree rule and shot reverse shot, because I had used these shots in my preliminary when it came to use them in my thriller i had improved and felt more confident when producing them. i also felt far more confident using the overall equipment. Looking back at the task as a whole i feel my end product was very successful in fulfilling the main task set, i feel i achieved a suitable opening to a thriller aimed at a target audience between the ages of 15-34. 

Storyboard and working script for pre-liminary task

For my preliminary task, i had to construct a story board which would consist of a basic out line of what each shot would look like i also had to add the shot that i would use.

Below is a picture of my storyboard for my preliminary task:

I also had to construct a working script which would briefly explain each shot including what exactly would happen and the shot that would be used. Below is my working script for my preliminary task:

Int scene

1.In this shot a young woman called Bianca is walking down a corridor, towards a door.

2.Bianca walks through the door where she approachs a table and 2 chairs with a male character called Steve sitting on one side of the table.She sits down.

1. Steve and Bianca engage in serious conversation.

Bianca:

Steve?

What have you done Steve?

Steve:

I didn’t mean to.

Bianca:

Do what Steve?

What did you do?

Opening to thriller planning

Setting/Location:

The opening of my thriller will be set in a middle class house, however the main scenes will take place in the bathroom, where we will witness a murder and the bedroom, where it all begins.

Costumes and Props:

For the opening of my thriller i will use props such as:
A Gun, Leather Gloves, Newspaper articles, books and a highlighter.

The costumes i will use for my main characters will be:

Male Character- Jack:

I want Jack,my male character to come across as quite dark and mysterious therefore I have chosen black overalls with builder boots, a khaki green jacket and a grey pull on hat for him to wear.

Female Character-Evie:

As the female charcter, Evie will only be in part of the opening scene all she will be wearing is a bath robe as she is making her way to the shower.

The title of the film:

I decided to choose the title "The Assassin" as i felt it was very sharp, straight forward and straight to the point as the film is about an x assassin. I feel that the title raises speculation and gets my audience thinking about what the movie may be about, which is the effect i wanted.

Camerawork and editing:

The camerawork which will feature in my opening will be rather simplistic consisting of  close ups and mid shots. However in a particular sequence i will include quick cuts as i feel this will be very effective to my target audience. I will edit my thriller in such a way  that you will not be able to identify my characters. 

Story and how the opening sets it up:

The narritive for my thriller is of a male named Jack, Jack is an ex assassin who cannot come to terms with the loss of his job after being diagnosied with the mental illness of schizoprenia. He decides to take matters into his own hands and take away the lives of those he believed took away his ,when taking away his job and his sanity. The opening of the thriller is actually a flashback of Jack's last ever assassination which he believes was organised by headquarters when infact it was merely voices in his head telling him to do so. Jack must find out whether or not this is the truth or someone in hedquarters has set him up.

Genre and how the opening suggests it :

The genre for my opening is a psychological thriller and will consist of typical conventions such as newspaper articles, photographs and a gun such conventions create mystery and makes an auidence think about what may happen next. The fact that we will not be able to identify either character helps to signify the suspense needed when portraying a thriller genre. The non- digetic music i will use will also reflect the type of genre being conveyed.

How characters are introduced:

Both characters will be introduced mysteriously without the audience not being able to identify them. I feel such an introduction will create more tension for an audience as the chracters could be anybody. Evie will be shown walking into her shower and then brutally murdered whilst Jack will be introduced firstly by picking up a phone and then shown breaking into Evie's house and murdering her.

Storyboard and working script for Opening of thriller.

I had to construct a storyboard and working script for the opening of my thriller which i would follow whilst filming.

Below is my storyboard which i used for the opening of my thriller:

I used my working script to explain each individual shot and the story behind it.

Below is my working script for the opening of my thriller :

INT. Scene:

SHOT 1. In this shot the camera will pan over a series of murder articles.

SHOT 2. Side view of books open.

SHOT 3. Close up on character highlighting book.

SHOT 4. Close up and zoom on murder articles again.

SHOT 5.Introduction to Jack we cannot see him but he has his back to us. His phone rings and he answers.

Jack:

I’m ready.

SHOT 6. He puts on leather gloves and picks up a gun, he puts the gun into a bag.

SHOT 7. Jack walks out of the room and outside.

ENT. SCENE:

SHOT 8. He drives off to his destination.

INT. SCENE:

SHOT 9. Introduction to Evie however we do not see her, only her feet, she is walking into the bathroom.

SHOT 10. We see jack breaking into a house and walking up the stairs, this is the same house we have just seen Evie in,going into the bathroom. 

Shot 11. Jack is walking up the stairs he is getting out his gun.

Shot 12. Evie is in the shower, she is unaware anybody is in her house.

SHOT 13. Jack walks into the bathroom the door closes.

SHOT 14. We hear a gunshot and a scream. 

Questionnaire and results.

As part of my research I have decided to construct a questionnaire for my target audience (15-34). In order to find out exactly what appeals to them in a thriller. The results taken from this will enable me to construct an appropriate opening for my thriller.

Thriller opening analysis

Opening Sequence Analysis (Se7en)

Camera Shot/Angle/Movement

The scene opens with an extreme close up of a book. In the background we appear to see a figure we take to be a hand turning the page.We then have a birds eye view overlooking what we think is a book with very explicit imagery of hands which are deformed.

Sound

The sound is mixed with both digetic and non-diegetic sound the non diegetic sound however seems to over power the digetic sound it adds more of an effect creates a sense of suspense to the opening as a whole whereas the digetic sound helps set a sinister tone to the opening sequence as a whole.

Editing

The editing constructed in the opening sequence is very effective there is a use of fast edits which create pace and hints to an adrenaline rush which may be present throughout the film.There are also abstract images which add a sense of confusion at a very early stage, these images are already intriguing as an audience to watch on.

Mise en Scene
There are specific colours used which are red and black these are two colours we associate with blood and darkness, two key elements we associate with the horror genre. The main features include abstract equipment and books which suggest mystery.

Characters

We are not yet introduced to any specific character yet only a mystery silhouette figure whose shadow is only discovered.

Locations

We are not yet introduced to a main location yet but from the specific conventions and images used we begin to think that the location maybe in some sort of a basement or laboratory definitely somewhere off limits.

Narrative/Plot

Depending on the opening sequence there is no actual clear indication of a narrative/plot. Not yet anyway, we haven’t yet been introduced to it.

Themes

There are very apparent themes shown already in the opening sequence. we are introduced to themes of mystery,blood and gore. From the opening sequence we are able to predict that one of the poignant themes in the film will be murder.

Visual Style

The use of fast edits and abstract images almost act as a series of questions which will only be answered when we watch the movie.

Genre

We are not 100% sure on the genre but from the opening sequence we can maybe say that it maybe within the horror/thriller genre.

Opening Sequence Analysis (Panic Room)

Camera Shot/Angle/Movement

The opening is introduced with an omniscient shot. This shot shows us exactly how big the supposed town is. We then have a series of high shots mixed with panning. The camera focuses though on windows of buildings which represents the many different rooms this shot we can associate with the title of the film Panic room. We then have a series of high shot almost omniscient like which shows us the busy city, now we are able to identify where we are. Throughout the whole opening the shots seem to rotate between high shot, mid shot and low shot. This could hint to the levels which the characters are at later on in the film.

Sound

The sound in this opening sequence plays a very important role as it adds emphasis and really sets the tone from a very early stage. The music is diegetic and the use of the piano and strings sets a very calming sinister tone we then constantly have a ticking sound which we immediately associate with time this hints that maybe in the film the characters are up against time. The music begins to get faster which creates pace and sets a sense of intensity this suggests that this feeling is felt later on in the film.

Editing

The editing is quite basic in the sense that the camera changes its attention to different still images which are of buildings and the city. However there is a main focus on the windows of the buildings this has an association to a variety of rooms which links to the title of the film.

Mise en Scene

The main settings of the opening is focused mainly on buildings and the city. we have cars and billboards which represent an everyday life and the fact that everything is ongoing. The fact that this has been highlighted may question whether or not this formation will later on be disrupted.

Characters

We are not yet introduced to any specific characters yet.

Locations

From an early start we are able to identify the location as New York City.

Narrative/Plot

We are not yet sure of a particular narritive/plot as it has not yet been made clear to us.

Themes

There is not much of an obvious theme from the opening sequence but we can maybe see one of the themes as typical american city life.

Visual Style

The visual style of the opening sequence shows a middle class/working class status. It also shows what life in america is like on a normal day.

Genre

From the music and the shots focused on we may start to perceive that the film may be a type of mystery/thriller.

Comparison of Panic room and Se7en.

The opening of both films differ with a huge amount the camera work used in the opening of Se7en is very jumpy and consists of alot of jump cuts and quick edits straight away tension is created, however in the opening of Panic room the camera work is very subtle and only consists of slow pans and long shots also different level shots such as high angles and low angles.

The sound in Se7en consists of digetic and non-digetic with the non-diegetic music having a more stronger emphasis on the opening as a whole, however for panic room it is the diegetic music which makes the difference to the sequence as a whole. Both pieces of music add a great deal to the openings and both create a sinister tone hinting to the future plot of both films.

The editing in Panic room can be branded as basic when compared to the quick cuts and jump cuts used in the opening of Se7en. However both openings focus on still abstract images which link to the nature of both films and what they may be about.

There is a great difference within the Mise-en-scene in both openings as the mise-en-scene in Se7en boasts a dark and dangerous element hinting to us that the film will probably contain murder and mystery. The mise-en-scene in Panic room is focused mainly on the city and city life. This focus may hint that this city may be disrupted later on in the film.

In both openings we are not primarily introduced to any specific characters, however in Se7en we are aware of an unknown silhouette figure.

The Locations of both openings are entirely different. Se7en hint a location in maybe a basement or a cellar- somewhere secretive whereas Panic room boasts of the city which we think is New York city a very open place.

For both openings at this early stage we are not yet sure of a particular narrative or plot.

Where the themes in Panic room are not so obvious there may be a theme of perhaps American city life. Whereas the themes in Se7en become very apparent from an early stage and we are able to tell that some of the themes that will appear will be mystery ,blood and a poignant theme of murder.

The visual styles of both openings again differ where Panic represents a working/middle class style of the city and what exactly it is like, the visual style of Se7en builds up suspense and intruigs the audience.

From watching the openings I think that the genres maybe within the horror/thriller genre. The music used in Panic room starts to suggest this as it has a sinister tone to it. Whereas the editing and visual style of Se7en quite obviously suggests this.