Our group have agreed on the following aspects of our thriller opening:

Location: The woodland area of Grovelands Park, Southgate.

Shooting Schedules: To shoot early morning till midday (roughly). The group are to get there 10minutes before the actor/actress to get set up and organised. Arrival= roughly 8 (to be arranged nearer the time), Departure= roughly 1.30

Thriller opening Synopsis: A chase scene between a young innocent (stereotypically blonde) female and a menacing male serial killer. He has previously drugged her with chloroform and lets her escape. He then enjoys the chasing of her until he finally re-drugs her to take her back to his hideaway where he kills and possibly rapes his victim. We are then introduced to his next potential victim.

Sub Genre:
Due to the film being about the villain specifically, with regards to his behaiour and reasons for it, the actual methods of his activities etc. we believe our thriller is categorised as a psychological thriller and maybe even a crime thriller, due to the capturing of the villain. Therefore we have to be careful with the chase sequence at the start as we don't want to provide concreted connotations of an action thriller.

Mise-en-scene: Pure white for the female victim to connote innocence, purity etc. The male serial killer is going to wear a Black coat and boots to signify his hidden agenda, masked identity, villainous character etc. (Produces binary opposite of light and dark) The use of chloroform on a cloth shows he appears to be a suble and articulate killer.

Concerns:
Uneven outside ground will mean smooth camerawork is extremely hard and so to get a good shot this may mean takes will come in the plenty!

Weather,-it is December and so we are all predicting freezing temperatures. This will slow our shooting and we will need to be sure that the actress/actor is allowed to warm up during takes. ESPECIALLY AS THE ACTRESS IS WEARING ONLY A SMALL SILK NIGHTY with underwear...oh and possibly some white plimsolls.

An outside location in December is likely to put off actors/actresses. Lots of bribing is going to take place over the next few days!

The weather may also change from weekend to weekend which is likely to affect the continuity of our opening. Although we will try to limt this factor at the end of the day if we do not have time to wait for the weather to turn favourably we will have to shoot and hope for the best during editing.

Initial ideas

Initial ideas

Here are a few of my ideas that have been stuck in the back of my mind for some time now. I will put these forward to my group members in the next meeting and from feedback we can make a judgment on what to do with each idea. -To use it, develop it further, or just scrap it.

1. there is a notorious London gang (playing on the fears of todays society as gang culture is rapidly increasing) which dress exactly the same, use similar bikes as a means of transport, and commit crimes only as a group, -this is acts as a connotation of their unity. The gang leader is a serial killer and extremely clever. He realises clues he leaves are only tracable back to the whole gang and so this increasses their gang reputation, whilst stops himself being caught. In the opening of this thriller, this main character could either; leave one too many clues for the police to trace, in which case a main theme of the film would be law and order v rebellion, or he could be involved in a gang war in which case we are given an insight to both gangs methods and plans for another battle.- We follow the life of this individual who possibly ends up dying.

examples of dress codes: -same colour bikers masks

- black tracksuits

- same colour bandanas

- same gloves

- BMX's all o fthe same colour

- all teenagers

- all similar hair cuts/hats

- all carry weapons

Although i think this could potentially be a great idea for a film i think for a student piece this is highly impractical not only due to the props but also the sheer amount of actors. I will take this ot the next group meeting and discuss this to see if this can be taken ny further or maybe stem off to another more suitable idea.

Similar to this idea, we could have a group/gang whereby there is a new resident on the block of estates. This boy is of a completely diferent backgrond and has come from a more wealthy family which have lost their money through something, or he could be an orphan old enough to live on his own. This boy is mentally and physically forced to join the gang and they push him to do crimes in order to see how helpful he can be. He is ambition is to try and break free from this estate and live elsewhere but circumstances are just not in his favour (audience sympthise). As a result he is unable to move and is persistantly used as a in between and the final climax is to kill an opposing gang member/leader. This step proves too much and in the end he shockingly is killed.

This is a whole film story although i think an opening to this stroyline would be powerful as we could really get teh audience to sympathise with him and want him to desperately break free. I will take this to the next meeting and discuss and expland on how this could possibly be made into a more effective opening, however i do like this idea.

Things to later consider when thinking of ideas for the thriller:

-Affordable

-Appropriate

-Locations

-Actors/Actresses

-weather

-Lighting

The conventions of opening thriller sequences:

· Establishes the main characters or themes of the film
· Conventionally begin at a disruption/disequilibrium (Todorov's theory)
· Provide the audience with the conventional opening credits such as:

1. Film title
2. The production company
3. The distributer
4. Director's name
5. Main actors/actresses
6. Other actors/actresses
   

Credits may also also include the following:
· Screenplay by...
· Casting by...
· Edited by...
· Assistant director
· Music by...
· Director of photography
· Set director
· Special effects coordinator
· Cinematographer
· Costume/make up/hair stylists/designers

All of these conventional features should provide the audience with expectations of the whole film and therefore give the audience an idea of whether they will enjoy watching the rest of the film.

Continuity editing

In continuity editing everything is filmed so that the viewer thinks they are seeing continuous action. As well as following the rules below, you will need to ensure that characters’ appearance, the set and the lighting (colour and direction) remain consistent from shot to shot.

Note: MONTAGE EDITING: Not all editing is continuity editing. Film title sequences/ trailers/ adverts/ music videos often use ‘montage’ techniques, where the combination of contrasting images builds up meaning.

Rules for continuity editing –camera work:

Shot Order:

When editing shots together, the audience needs to more across physical space smoothly. This is performed through a logical shot order i.e. LS to MS to CU rather than jumping straight from LS to CU.

180 degree rule:

There is a 180degree ‘line of vision’ between two characters in which the camera cannot cross unless the viewer actually sees the viewpoint move across the line. If the shots appear to just cut across the line the audience lose their sense of direction, spacial awareness and are altogether confused. The same rule applies during movement: The camera must not cross the line of vision as the person or object may appear to be moving in a different direction. E.g. on one side a character may be walking to the right of the frame but if the line is crossed they may be seen as walking left of the frame.-Confusing eh!

30 degree rule:

If the camera angle changes by less than 30 degrees (with the same framing) viewers may notice a visible ‘jump cut’ which can look very amateur.

Eyeline Match:

The direction of characters’ gazes should stay the same, e.g. if one character is taller than the other, the smaller character should be looking up and the taller looking down. This makes the action seem realistic and plausible. In other words...we see what they see, from their eye line.

Match On Action:

Editing movement should be ‘on the action’ to make sure that the character has clearly moved forward between shots- rather than repeating an action. E.g. If their is a character running on their left foot, the next shot should be them about to run on their right foot.

Shot/reverse/shot:

This should be used when shooting an interaction between two characters:

Shot order:

1. A ‘master shot’, which shows both characters
2. A close up on one character
3. A close up on the second character.
4. Individual shots of each character e.g. big close ups to show strong emotion.

Rules for continuity editing –when editing:

Transitions:

• Cuts are the most common way of seamlessly moving from one shot to the next. They can also create pace and rhythm.
• Dissolves can provide a slow, relaxed way of linking shots such as, in a ‘montage’ of shots within an opening. They can also be used to show a forward movement in time or space and show a link between two shots.
• Fades (up/out/to black/from black) often show that time has passed.
• Wipes and other unusual transitions are not conventionally used in film making but can be used to make something lively, wacky and comical-usually children’s TV programmes.

Other editing techniques include:
· Trimming shots and dialogue
· The addition of non diegetic sound, e.g. music or voiceover
· Titles
· Special effects
· Colouring- e.g. blue-ish lighting connotes a cold and isolated atmosphere or a sense of technology. Yellow lighting connotes comfort and gives a feeling of warmth. Black and white or sepia can signify sophistication or set the sequence in the past.

Sound:

Diegetic sound

Sound that the audience believe to be part of what is going on within the action, such as walking on smashed glass, smashing a window, a door bell ringing, a punch, panting, etc. These sounds reinforce the audience’s perception of a realistic sequence.

Non-Diegetic sound

This is sound that the audience know is not part of what’s on screen, but is used to heighten emotions or change our interpretation. E.g. Music in thrillers is used to heighten suspense. Another example is a voiceover which is used to give the audience a better understanding and possibly a bias viewpoint.

Sound Bridging

This is when sound links two shots or scenes by changing the picture and diegetic sound at different times. Usually sound from the second shot or scene comes before the next shot is shown. E.g. the audience may hear a gunshot in a shot whilst the next shot shows somebody on the floor wounded.

Lighting:
This needs to be consistent throughout the sequence to make it seem realistic and continual. There are many types of lighting such as:

· High-key. This is bright lighting possibly used for distorting a shot.
· Low-key.This produces shadows and dramatic contrasts, which may be used to connote a villainous character. E.g. in the villain’s lair.
· Lighting from below. This makes something/someone seen threatening or horrific, such as a villain.
· Backlighting. This produces a ‘halo’ effect around something/someone, for example a hero/ine.

Past thrillers

Past thrillers:

'SILENT WATER'

• Dissolves were effective at showing a passing of time and I felt it almost resembles the characters disillusioned thought.
• The female character in the background appears to be saying nothing and just stars implying she is a ghost.
• The main character is wearing black and the ghost wearing white which implies the ghost’s innocence and suggests the main character’s guilt and negativity.
• The non-diegetic piano tune is repetitive and slow making it seem really creepy.
• The action codes are very powerful such as stroking the picture of her best friend and the opening is made more successful by the background anchorage from the voiceover. –A well written script.
  
  

'Under the Gun'

• Low Lighting implying this is the villain’s lair and gives a feeling of eeriness through the dramatic shadowing.
• The mise-en-scene of alcohol, guns, cards, men in suits etc.. Helps to suggest the themes of the film such as gangster culture, crime, revenge, heists.
• The camera distancing was very close throughout which gave this sense of claustrophobia, secrecy and entrapment.
• The pace was very slow and coupled with the fades to credits, gave the impression of a passing of time. This is successful as we understand that the victim has been held hostage for a long time.
• The script was very effective and well written as this set up the expectations of this villainous character easily. Also the music is questionably diegetic which would imply that the villain is listening to this relaxing yet meaningful song – all the more suspenseful.
• The male villain wearing a black suit, shows confidence through his dialogue and calm state of playing cards, and appears not to get very aggressive. This is more enigmatic as the audience can relate to this seemingly reasonable character.
• The black clothing of the female implies that, although she is the victim at present, she has a dark/evil past to her. -Also shown through the fact that her face is half shadowed from the light, similar to the males. This therefore suggests her involvement in this crime.
  

'Exposure'

• This action orientated opening sequence is successful as it follows all continuity rules: never crossing the 180degrees line so the audience are always aware of the characters sense of direction , using shots more than 30 degrees from the last to avoid the effect of ‘jump cuts’, using eye-line matches, matches on action, and shot reverse shots. Also the distancing increases and decreases gradually which helps move the audience smoothly across physical space. For example, the match on action of opening and closing the bedroom door seems continual from shot to shot.
• The domestic setting and use of diegetic sound makes the sequence really realistic, for example, keys rattling, packing a suitcase, slamming door etc.
• I really like the montage of different shots near the end, as this connotes a passing of time yet we still understand what has happened in this condensed time.
• The colouring is very successful also. The black and white colouring suggests this sequence is from the past yet more than this, the stark contrast to the yellow/saturated colouring of the other room suggests something is very significant about this room.
• The introduction of non-diegetic sound and the long forward low level track of the character walking towards ‘the room’ also heightened suspense and builds the audience up with an expectation of something very significant about to happen.
• I love the fact the sequence is so simple yet extremely effective. –The audience can easily relate to this yet the focus on simple action codes like packing a suitcase and running around arouses many questions. - I.e. there are still many potential narrative developments.
• I feel the action orientated sequence was shot very well and there was much to take in and therefore I think the superimposed credits on the sequence proved successful as they did not disrupt the viewer’s experience.

'Memento': Opening Sequence

OPENING- 0:00-2:26

I thought the opening sequence of ‘Memento’ was very clever and unique. It began with a Polaroid which throughout the opening sequence fades out. Although the filming is obviously reversed, at this point it is not obvious and looks very unique. The fading of the Polariod is an enigmatic code which makes the audience anticipate that the storyline is also linked to something fading or a forgotten event. Throughout the film the audience is therefore more satisfied when they find out that the main character has a short term memory loss since an accident. Althought the fading is very enigmatic, it is also a connotation of the main character's loss of memory.-Therefore a key theme is highlighted in the opening, which is conventional.

I find the stillness of the opening 2 minutes really successful as the lack of movement creates so much suspense whilst the stillness connotes an eerie and lonely situation. There are so many enigma codes in this opening, it makes the audience asks questions such as; who was murdered in the polariod? why were they murdered? why is there a tattoo on this character's hand? where is this character?- why is he there? etc.

The credits fade in and out during the fading of the polariod. Althought this action code is very enigmatic, the stillness allows the audience to read the credits without missing any of the viewing experience, therefore the viewer is fully satisfied as they are able to understand and take in everything given to them. The fading of the credits alos reinforces the theme of short term memory loss in the film.

After this moment the credits stop and the action becomes the focal point. This is important as narrative is revealed from the action codes. We see a who the main character is and who he has killed, but we still do not know who the victim is and why they were killed.-This is important as the audience are still interested. Generic signifiers are also revealed such as; blood, bulletshells, gun, dark lighting, a dead body, half shadowed face (to show an evil side), confined room, photos/polariods and camera, shouting, gunshots.

There is music/a non-deigetic sound in this opening. Only string instruments are used during this opening as a slow drone, which connotes suspense and eerieness yet passion. At the end of the opening sequence there is a greater sense of realism and involvement in the action as this music is backgrounded and the diegetic sounds such as gunshots and shouting are loudest(foregrounded). I think the instruments and sounds really help build up tension and i think using sounds of the same effect would make my thriller opening more successful.

'SCREAM':Opening sequence

'Scream': opening sequence

I thought the opening sequence of ‘Scream’ was fantastic. The audience instantly relates to the main character, Casey (Drew Barrymore), as the domestic setting and situation is very ordinary- she is just at home making popcorn getting ready to watch a film with her boyfriend. The realism created makes the film more thrilling as the audience believe events which are to follow can also be brought to life. It really plays on once of society’s current fears. When I asked a female friend what they thought of this film they told me that when it first came out they had to hide the film so that it was not accidentally played again. They stated that it was so realistic that it petrified them to think that something like that could actually happen to them.

The opening sequence breaks the conventions of Propp’s narrative theory. The audience perceive Casey to be the film’s heroine as she is a conventional hyper feminine character (blonde, clever, attractive) and her point of view is clearly given. However she is then dramatically killed within 10-15minutes. This break in convention entices the audience as they want to find out what is going to happen next, and who is going to survive this serial killer’s attacks. Prior to Casey’s death, her boyfriend, Steven, is killed and so our preconceptions that he made end up as the hero are instantly flawed.

What I particularly love about this opening sequence is that the whole conversation is over the phone. This is a highly successful enigma code, as so many questions are raised in the audience’s mind during the suspense. Examples include: Who is this person? Why has he decided to ring Casey? Is he a psycho killer? Will he come and find Casey? Etc. What makes this even more thrilling is that the conversation changes from light and chatty to angry and threatening. There is a real sense of vulnerability in this opening and is heightened further by the fact the villain knows much about Casey already. - He completely controls the dialogue.

I also like the fact that Casey is made to play a ‘game’ in order to keep her boyfriend alive, as this makes the film more personal and we really empathise with her desperation. This even gets the audience more involved- I’m sure when watching this film, some people are probably shouting the answers at the screen.

What is really great about this opening is that so much of the villain’s character is given to us but his identity is still hidden. This is very intriguing but more importantly the audience are familiar with his traits and personality, which means there is an expectation, that in the rest of the film we will witness this villainous character being overhauled, in order to satisfying the audience.

In the opening sequence to ‘Scream’ credits are even shown. Although this is unconventional of thrillers I think it is extremely successful as the audience is forced to focus on the highly suspenseful narrative event, (nothing to distract the audience’s initial experience of the film). Conventionally credits are shown in the opening of a thriller when the characters are introduced.