Preliminary task- Final video

This is our group's final video, we worked very hard trying to produce and edit our sequence. We used black and white effect all over to create a 'Film noir' themed sequence. 

Preliminary task- Story board

This is my story board for my preliminary task, I used this to help plan what my story line is, and to then develop further onto my script. We then used the storyboard to help prompt us when we were filming

Preliminary task- Evaluation

As a group we have previously planned and then produced our preliminary task to our interrogation scene for our opening. To plan how we were going to film, we first had to create a story-line, to do this we planned out a storyboard. Also, we wrote a script ensuring we included any stage directions, shot types, character directions, character lines etc, this made the whole filming process alot easier, as we had our prompts. As a group, we planned our preliminary task very well, and in depth therefore when it came to filming our sequence we were very prepared and had an vast understandment as to what to do.

When filming we used black stage curtains around the scene, making our sequence look very professional and film noir like. We chose to make our sequence have the theme film noir as it looks very effective and it fits to the genre of thriller films very well, creating mystery and suspense throughout. Using a variety of different shots and camera angles to ensure our piece is as professional looking as it can be. We carried out match on action, whereby the character of Scarlett exited via the door, we stuck to the 180 degree rule and also the shot reverse shot, without breaking any of the rules. Tahnee was the lighting technician during the course of the filming along with being the camera woman, Georgina played officer Scarlett and James played Jim.

Georgina edited the footage using final cut pro, she had to piece it all together, and added the black and white effect to our video ensuring it fit the 'Film Noir' aspects. She also put a backing track of classical atmospheric music behind our video, again creating more suspense.

Overall, we feel our piece is very effective, as we chose correcting lighting and themes to fit the thriller brief, which then creates suspense and mystery. If we were to carry out this again, we would have held the timing longer for some of the scenes, for example the picture of the victim, as this was a very important aspect to our sequence and we did not capture the importance as we should have.

BBFC Certification for Thrillers

 James research

BBFC Certification for Thrillers

BBFC stands for British Board of Film Classification, they are in charge of putting films into the right classification whether it be;

• U
• PG
• 12
• 12A
• 15
• 18
• R18

Thriller films are 9/10 times either a 15 or an 18, the films that are certificated a 15 are likely to include a strong amount of violence and bad language, the use of bad language can also contain verbal references to sexual violence. However this cannot contain images of sexual violence or a large amount of pain. sexual scenes are not prohibited in a 15 although nudity is allowed. Films that are certificated 18 are aimed at adults as it usually contains sex within the films containing clear images 18 rated films are allowed to include the use of violence and bad language. it can be based on a criminal offence or an example of a thriller rated at 18 is Seven.

Composition Expert

James research
Rule of thirds

The basic Principals behind the rule of thirds is to visualize breaking down an image into thirds (both vertically and horizontally) so this gives you 9 slots like the example below;

The theory is that if you place points of interest in the slots then it makes the shot look a lot more appealing as none of the slots are empty, because if they were then the shot would look out of place and dull in certain slots. It just makes sure that the things that you want to capture the viewers eye is on eye level for example;

Here the eyes are on the top line for primary interest and the tie and flowers and of secondary interest and they are on the lower line.

Thriller Soundtrack/ sounds research

Thriller soundtrack research task

Tahnee research

I have recently carried out a research task, whereby I researched the expected sounds you would find within a Thriller movie. I used some class peer's to demonstrate what the sounding effects may be like; for example scream, footsteps, creeping doors etc. I then surveyed a couple of people and asked them what sounds they would expect to see within a thriller and why. Please watch the attached video to view my research task. Then I found the soundtracks to 5 thriller films and have linked the youtube web addresses below:

Fight club opening track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EOb7lcto0k

Shutter island sound track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGtN3lpI2f4

Silence of the lambs soundtrack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGtN3lpI2f4

Se7en opening track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzoISWwmH1s

Taxi driver sound track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnk4fg14Eho

Film Noir Research

What is film noir?  Tahnee Marshall

Film noir is a type of film brought to view afetr WW2. Film noir is filmed in black and white as noir meaning black in French, therefore ‘Film Black.’ The main charactersitic of film noir are shadows, as the lighting used shows the type and characteristics of the person for example using shadows and dark lighting shows the evil side to a person.  The image converyed in ‘darkness in an up turned world.’ You will need a hardlight that it intense to show the film noir style, for exmaple using a  500 watt light as it shows the intensity of the shadows fulfilling the frilm noir style. Lighting should only show the parts the director wants the naudience to see, as it conveys a lot of emotion within this. The hard key light should be focused. To create sihlouttes you need to place the light behind the person/ object. To show the imagery of the smoke to need to place the light behind this also. Light a person standing infront of a wall as this creates emotion filled shadows creating the mystery effect. 

Fight Club analysis

Tahnee Marshall

We watched the opening sequence of the Fight Club, and we analysed the start. The beginning focuses on the inside of the main characters brain, this could symbolise that the main character has a mental problem, as this focuses in a microscopic way, focusing on what is going on around him. The opening sequence is very exciting and mysterious, as we do not have an understandment as to what is going on which creates mystery and suspense. The music played is fast and powerful different from usual thriller movies, and the rate of the music portrays the heart rate of the main character. The writing used in the credits is very white and faint, almost ghost like against a dark background, maybe this could be seen as possibly good contrasting bad/evil.

Lock stock poker game sequence

This is our lock stock poker game sequence, we took eight images from the original and then made a short movie using the images, and we used a match on action shot.

LINK TO GROUP BLOG.

Hello, we have recently created our group blog for the task. The blog address is:

www.JamesGeorginaTahnee.blogspot.com

We will upload all of our group tasks, video entries, pictures etc onto the blog.

Se7en interpretation

In class we had to create our own interpretation of the Se7en opening scene. We used the programme final cut pro to do this. In our group of 3 we received some images and video clips whereby we had to create the video, by editing parts of the images and videos desired. To ensure the clip looked more professional and 'se7en like' we added effects over the sequence, focusing on Bad TV and film settings in order to look more effective and thriller- esque

Tahnee Marshall

Preliminary task- Script

Script:

Dark room, door opens.

Scarlett: enters, with the clicking of her heels, she sparks a cigarette.

(Midshot) Spot light on Jim

Jim: (cocky) “I didn’t do it, I’d never hurt her.”

Scarlett: (In darkness) “I didn’t say anything about a girl Jim”

(Close up on Jim’s eyes- worried)

Jim: “Well I’m not here for nothing. Am I Scarlett?”

Scarlett: “I’m glad you asked, Jim. Maybe this will jog your memory 

(Close up on image on table)

Jim: “Never seen her” 

Scarlett: “I think you should take a second to look Jim.... because a key witness has said otherwise?”

Jim: “What is the time officer?”

(Close up on clock revealing the time)

Scarlett: “Half three, why got plans?”

Jim: (Smirks) “Well I think you should go and check on your key witness, they might not be as useful as you think” 

Scarlett: gets up and exits (match on action as she walks through door)

The Script above is taken from our Preliminary task, whereby we created a short scene from a thriller, we chose to do the integration of a suspect who was assumed to of murdered a young girl. Our script is very in-depth and shows all of the stage directions for the actors and the different shots used for the director. 

Vox Pops

We have recently conducted a for of research  within our group sing the method vox pops whereby we briefly interviewed people within our class about what they expect within a thriller. The video is attached