inspiration for opening scene

Inspirations for Opening Scene

 

 

My current idea is typical of most thriller films such as Scream, The Strangers and films alike. A secluded location away from the outside world, which is out of the way from help from anyone. Female Victim most likely to be blonde as in my research from conventions they are portrayed as weak because of stereotypes. The female and the masked killer will be around Low Key Lighting as it creates shadows and suspense. Killer can be seen in the distance following the victim but barely seen so that it is not obvious to the victim. Killer comes into focus under a light to create a sudden shock to the audience and disappears quickly again. To create this light from lamppost can be used as they are a light source and shadows to hide the killer. It becomes apparent to the audience what is going to happen as they can see the killer gaining on the victim. The victim can be killed or just knocked out as the killer maybe torturing victims so either a knife to kill or some form of cloth with some liquid to knock the victim out when en-haled. In addition the victim doesn't need to be killed as the ending of the scene could just be a reaction shot. Although its typical of most thriller films for the victim to be killed.

 

The Uninvited

 

In The Uninvited I have gained many inspirations from watching the clips from the scenes that I have seen, I have taken in the fact that intense eerie sounds that engage the viewer in the scene can have a dramatic and prolonged effect on the audience giving them suspenseful feeling and then can give them a shock feeling when they hear a sound which is out of the ordinary (not like the scenes mood) making them feel uncomfortable because they cannot relate to that specific sound at that given time.

 

I also like the way that this film doesn't have a stereotypical blonde female victim as she is a brunette she comes off to the audience as a more clever and powerful character and gets the audience thinking whether she is close to her death or not as she seems less vulnerable than a blonde female victim.

 

One final thing that I have taken inspiration from is the high angle that is used to show the character vulnerability to the killer as they are more distant from the viewer. I like the way it creates an emotional distance from the character as if the audience are out of range of help from the viewer, but also the way that it shows a large amount of the setting so the audience can relate even further.

 

Scream 2 SeaSea's death scene

 

On the other hand this film does use the stereotypical blonde female victim. This is not a bad thing as its a common convention of many thriller films. I like the way the audience is immediately drawn to this character as she is secluded in her own household she is portrayed to the viewer as a dumb, weak, innocent character that will be killed off the film within the next few minutes. This can be seen as a strong inspiration on me as this is one of the things I have included in my first idea.

 

Masked Killer/Hidden Identity is another character that is to be strongly consider in my opening scene as without it wouldn't be a scene typical of the thriller genre. The masked killer from Scream is an iconic figure that the audience of any thriller genre can relate to. The masked killer adds an element of mystery to the scene adding to the shock the viewer first gets when they first see it. I should strongly consider using this as taking the personally out of the killer makes the scene more typical of the thriller genre.

 

Shutter Island

 

From shutter island scene I have used in my blog I can take away the inspiration of Low Key Lighting. In this scene it shows very clearly how the changing of lighting from High to Low can have a powerful effect on the audience. The mood of the scene is transported from a average mood to a deeply depressing mood mainly due to the sudden change of lighting. So taking inspiration from this I should consider having a sudden change in lighting even more sudden than the one in the scene so I have a more thrilling effect on the audience.

Mise-en-Scene

Planning Mise-en-Scene

Why is Mise-en-Scene important in a thriller film?

Mise-en-scene is very important in a thriller film as all of the aspects of mise-en-scene together make a sucessful thriller film. All of the elements play a role in creating a conventional thriller by bringing all of the esstienal structure/conventions of the thriller genre together. Some elements tend to create a connection between the audience and the character in the film. While other tend to make the thriller feeling and conventions the viewer expects to see when watching a thriller film.

What is the Mise-en-Scene of your thriller film? and Why?

• Setting and Iconography - The setting of our thriller opening scene is an industrial estate at night time. The setting is covered with lamposts at different intervals beaming dim light illuminating the path and some of the road. It is mostly dark so lots of shawdows are created creating the eerie setting that we want as the distance it barely visable with no help around as not many people go to this place at night. Creating a secluded setting that the audience expects to see in a thriller film.The audience properly have visited this setting before and can relate to it making it an ideal setting. Props that we will be using are a knife as it is a conventional killing weapon that is used widely across the thriller genre the knife will be stained in blood because blood is also a massive symbol in the thriller genre.
• Costume, Hair and Make Up - We have two characters in our narrative a blonde female and a man. The blonde female will be wear bed clothes that are ripped and blood stained. She will have a pale face with her hair in two plats. Whereas the man with be wearing typical clothes that the audience can relate to.
• Facial Expressions and Body Language - This element of Mise-en-Scene will be mainly focusing on the blonde female as she is an orphan her emotions will be unstable and the scene will contain lots of close ups of her to express her emotions. Her body language will be shown my a series of mid-shots and high angles etc.
• Lighting and Colour - Our filming will be taking place at night so the light we can use to our advantage will be the light produced by the lamposts. It will be Low Key Lighting as only the lamposts will be used. There will be many shadows that will be cast my the dim light so it will create an eerie setting. The colours that we will mainly use will be dark like the fake blood that will be on the blonde females costume and the blood on the knife as well.
• Positing of Characters/Objects within the frame - At the start of the scene the blonde female will be key to the film and will be central to the camera angles. This will until the blonde female meets the man and the film will change to the focus of him.

How is the Mise-en-Scene conventional to a thriller film

Set Iconography - A thriller film makes go use of this element as thriller film take place in a secluded location usually for example a house. The setting is usually linked with the audience so they can relate to the film and the character. This stands as well for the Iconography of the film. The typical props that the audience sees for example a knife can be seen across the whole of the genre. So it is important that the film contains a set of props which are conventional to the thriller genre.

Costume, Hair and Make up - Some thriller films contain very iconic figures which have very complex costumes and others contain more eerie character with costumes. This is also another important element as the costumes and features of the character need to be widely considered as they need to be relateable to the auidence so they can create a bond with the audience.

Facial Expressions and Body Language- Thriller films contain lots of the characters emotions throughout the film and they are expressed through many camera angles such as close ups. This element needs to be considered as the audience will not feel the emotions of the character and will not be able to create a bond with them during the film.

Lighting and Colour - Needs to be considered as Lighting is key to creating a suspencful thriller film. If the lighting is not considered the film will not have the same effect on the audience of suprise, tension and shock created by various lighting techniques such as Low Key Lighting. As the colour as well it can comminicate esitenial information to the audience such as blood can mean death.

Cinematography

Planning Cinematography

Cinematography is one of the key elements in the thriller genre it plays a massive importance in relating information back to the audience through various camera angles that are used in films. It gives the audience a sense of what the film is about but also information about the characters that the audience can relate through there different feelings and emotions different camera angles can display different camera angles emotions and feelings to the audience. This makes the audience feel they are part of the scene because they are feeling the same emotions as the characters in the scene.

Panning Shot- The first camera angle that we will be using in our opening sequence will be the panning shot to establish the setting that our scene is set in. It will introduce one of the main characters which will be the blonde child walking along in the distance. The camera angle will mainly focus the setting and only briefly on the character. This camera angle is conventional to the thriller genre as it is used to establish the setting of the scene and also give the audience details about the story line. This camera angle will create the audiences first relationship with the character in the scene. This will be done will the character being shown in the distance which the audience will have there first response to.

Long Shot- This is also one the camera angles that I will also be using. Will will use this multiple times throughout the scene because we want the audience to feel distant from the character too make the link between audience and character stronger. This will used on both of the characters. This shot will show the audience the body language and in more detail the setting of the scene. This will be the second camera angle used after the panning shot. This camera angle is conventional to the thriller genre because it is used in thrillers to show the audience the situation the character has been placed in, in more detail which they can relate to further because of the setting.

Close Up- This camera angle will be used to show in detail the facial expressions of the characters throughout the scene. The close up will show the audience various emotions and feelings of the characters. This will help the audience relate to the character because they have been placed in the same position of the characters but they can see their emotions clearly. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it gives the audience an idea of the characters emotions in which they can relate to because the emotions should match the ones of themselves.

High Angle- This camera angle will be used correctly and to manipulate the audience into thinking that the blonde female is the victim (Although she is not). It will show towards the end that in fact the teenager is in fact the victim. This will be used multiple times to make the audience feel that the characters are vulnerable to then create a strong bond between the two. This camera angle is conventional to the thriller genre because it shows the characters vulnerability and gives the audience the feeling that something in the near future is going to happen to the character. This is in order to create a very strong relationship between audience and characters

Low Angle- This camera angle will be used to manipulate the audience into thinking that the teenager is the killer and not the victim. It will be used to show the character power/dominants over the blonde female. This camera angle will only be used once to directly get the audiences bond with the character to be very weak so then later on into the film the audience will be shocked when they see the shift of power from him to the blonde female so an even stronger relationship is created. This camera angle is conventional to the thriller genre as show a characters dominants over another particular item in order to create that very weak relationship.

In summary I think my sequence will be more effective in creating emotions/feeling in my target audience. The different camera angles that we are using, are being used to create the illusion of power, weakness, vulnerability etc. By doing this we are making it easy for the audience to obtain a strong or weak relationship with the characters corresponding to their roles in the narrative at given times. By using camera angles like the close up we will make the audience feel as if they are more involved in the scene. These angles are conventional to the thriller genre because they are designed to get the audience to respond to them via the different emotions that are channeled to them. By doing this cinematography planning I clearly know what I have to achevive and obtain during the course of filming my opening scene. I now know how the audience is going to respond to each camera angle so I can go away now and film knowing what to do.

Sound planning

PLanning sound

Sound is also one of the most important elements of the thriller genre as well. It is widely used across the genre to create tension and surprise the audience through a range of different techniques and sound types. It gives the audience a sense of the future events that are going to take place in the scene. Planning is required because we need to have a clear idea of how and when the sounds are going to take place in our sequence. Each sound that we will be using will relate to the images/footage that is in the opening sequence.

Soundtrack, Off Screen, Non-Diagetic - This sound will be used at the start of the sequence and will be low pitched, it will be used to build up tension until the first character will be seen in the film. It will be used at different noise level and will be apparent at the start but will then fade in and out during the course of the film. This is conventional to a film under the thriller genre as it builds up tension for the audience. It will do this by engaging them more in the scene This sound will bring to the audience a sense of mystery as already they can determine the genre of the film.

Wind/Rain, Off Screen, Dietetic - This sound will be used throughout most of the scene as it is background noise it will purely be for effect on the viewer. It will act as making the scene feel more realistic for the audience so it makes it easy to relate to the scene. It will alike the soundtrack fade in and out depending on different noises in the scene. These sounds are conventional to the thriller genre as most thrillers tend to take place at night time in these particularly harsh conditions.

High Pitched, Off Screen, Non-Dietetic - This sound will be used when the teenagers turn around for the audience to find out that the antagonist has disappeared and has become the killer in the audiences view. It will have a sudden impact on the audience in the way that the sound will not be expected and will make the audience jump and be on the edge of their seats. This is conventional to the thriller genre because it makes the audience emotionally fragile as the events of the film have dramatically been placed apon them.

Scream in the distance, Off Screen, Diagetic - This will be used when the teenagers hears a scream in the background and gets distracted from the killer. It will be a direct scream that the character and the audience will both hear without a warning making the audience able to further bond with the characters as they are experiencing the same situation. This sound is conventional to the thriller genre as is symbolizes that a character etc, has been placed in trouble.

I think that my sequence with the added element of sound and the various different ones will be more effective in creating the main elements of the thriller genre, surprise, suspense. They are conventional sounds that the audience will recognize throughout the genre. These sounds will allow the audience to be manipulated to feel different emotions/feelings depending on each sound. By planning my sounds it is easy to see how sound plays a massive role in creating a successful thriller opening scene it allows the audience to become more engaged and bond with the characters. And without the element of sound it would be easy for the audience to loose interest in the scene.

risk assesment

 

Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment

· Why is it important to consider risks before filming?

It is important to consider risks before filming so that we can plan for any unwanted or serious injuries to anyone involved in the filming process or any damage to the equipment that we will be using.

· How will the risk assessment assist you with filming?

The risk assessment will assist me with filming because I now know what dangers I have to check for before we start our filming process.

 

Planning opening credits

Planning opening credits for my thriller

Credits are very important to film under the thriller genre this is for a mixture of various reasons. Credits introduce the audience to the film that they will be watching by engaging and drawing there attention to the centre of the screen. Credits also clarify to the audience the genre of the film they will be watching. They then go onto to show the audience the actors/actresses , production company and the director.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ncjf3jHQq8&feature=player_embedded


There are only two main colours used in the opening credits of Hannibal. At the very start the word "Hannibal" is the colour red or the colour of blood straight away after the audience see this they can confirm the genre of the film as the colour is the symbol of blood and blood is used widely across the thriller genre.

Again the other colours used in traditional thrillers are the colours black and white which again contrasts between the good and the bad. There are two different styles of credits at first the writing of Hannibal is a conventional style which is a lot like handwritten text. Meanwhile the style of the rest of the text is big and bold so it stands out to the audience but is slightly unconventional to the thriller genre. Thriller conventions used are the colour red for blood, jump cuts between the random CCTV footage of bird and various buildings, sinister sounds through the changes on screen to make the audience feel vulnerable and close up although this may not be apparent at first the formation of the birds on the floor create the face of the main character, Dr. Lecter played by Anthony Hopkins.

Order of Credits of Hannibal - Title of film, Main Actor, Other Actors, Casting, Costume Designer, Music, Editing, Production Designer, Director of Photography, Executive Producer, Producers, Screenplay, Director.

 

Our Opening Scene Credits
We have decided that our credits will be at the start of the scene and continue throughout the scene until a certain point which will be the scream. They will stop for a period of time and continue to the end of the scene.


Order of Appearance
Production Company: Tiger Blood Productions
Actors names in order of apperiance: Hannah Mahoney, Luke Durrance
Casting: Harry Hyett
Music: Joshua Lester, Luke Durrance
Costume: Hannah Mahoney
Editor: Josh Lester
Production: Tiger Blood Productions
Camera Operation: Joshua Lester
Co-producer: Luke Durrance
Director: Harry Hyett
Title of Film: Relinquish

Production Roles

Production Roles

In the creation of a movie people need to be given different roles to secure the sucess, efficency and overal saftey of the movie.
Film producers prepare and then supervise the making of a film before presenting the product to a financing entity or a film distributor. They might be employed by a film studio or be independent, yet either way they helm the creative people as well as the accounting personnel. There are many different roles witin a prodution this includes:

- Producers
- Directors
- Actors
- Cameraman
- Music producers
- Screenplay writers
- MES co-ordinators
- Editors

Producer: The producer is the person who takes overal charge over everybody who is assosiated with the film from the actors to the financing. He/She controls the sets that take place and stands off screen.

Directors: The director stands behind the cameras and is close to the actos as they are the ones who give instructions for facial expressions, body language and how to go about exicuting scenes to a high professioal manner.

Actors: These are the people that you see on scene when watching the final product in a cinema or on TV. The actors are responcible for learning and performing the screen player written by the screen writter. Actors build an emotional bond between movie and audience viewing it and are arguable the most important aspect to a entire movie.

Cameraman: The cameraman is in charge of the directions and angles of the camera as well as making sure that the footage taken is correct, relevant and up to the directors standards.

Music Producer: The music producer creates and inputs music into the movies in order for the movies to have an emotion relationship with the audience, their job is to make the movie more exciting and intense with the job of producing music.

Screenplay writer: This person creates the actually play that is then later taken by the director and turned into what the movie looks like on screen by adding emotion and screen directions. The screenplay writer creates the language that is said by the actors as well as creating the story line and the events that happen in order, their job is the make the actual base of the movie. This is arguable the most important job of making a movie due to not having this a movie would never exist.

Editor: This person takes all the film shots and looks at them on a computer, their job is too examine these clips and edit them into clips making them link and make sense to the audience. Editors shorten clips, extend clips, change speed as well as adding filters and different effects to clips to add emotion to the footage.

Roles of Our GroupWe decided our roles by conferring with what roles we were confident with, so our film would be quicker and more effective. We each had to do a certain amount of tasks between the four of us so we decided to do at least two each and then more if we felt we would be able to do/complete the task that the role would allocate

Producers - Harry Hyett, Co-Joshua Lester, Luke Durrance. A person responsible for the financial and managerial aspects of the making of the film, Together we will decide what we will need for our film and purchase the items we need and pay for it ourselves.
 
 Director - Harry Hyett. A film director is the person who directs the making of the film, as I contruceted the screenplay and I know it better than anyone else in the group, It would be easier to complete the opening scene filming.

Actors - Hannah Mahoney, Luke Durrance. A persons whose profession is acting in films, as they are both willing to act in the scene and feel confident in that role, also they are both stereotypical like characters of the thriller genre.

Director of Photography (Cameraman) - Joshua Lester. A person whose profession is operating a film camera., Joshua know the location of the setting very well and from this it would be best for him to take the role of cameraman and he already has an idea of what angles can be achieved at the setting.
Music Producers - Luke Durrance. A record producer is an individual working within the music industry producing music for a film., Luke took this role as he has a knowledge of how garage band works and felt confident with this role.

Screenplay Writer - Harry Hyett. Is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting of films etc., I took this responsibility as I had a clear understanding of the story line at which we would be including in our opening thriller scene. So I took it apon myself to construct the individual narratives together and combine to make our real narrative/screenplay.

MES Coordinators - Hannah Mahoney, Joshua Lester. The five elements of MES are...
Settings and Iconography, Lighting and colour. - Joshua took this aspect as he had a clear understanding of the setting.

Costume, Hair and Make Up , Body Language and Facial Expressions- Hannah Character was put together by herself and she decide to have a specific costume, and with this used her hair and make-up to make an orphan like character. She also helped with the design of the other character.
Positioning of Characters within the frame - Joshua as the camera with the help of myself will position the characters where he wants them to be on screen.

   Editors - Harry Hyett, Luke Durrance, Joshua Lester. A person who is in charge and determines the final content of the film. We all have a basic understanding of the editing software that we will be using so together we would work together to put our film together.