There are many conventions of the thriller genre; each aspect of film (cinematography, sound, mise-en-scene, characters, narrative and subgenre) has its own conventions for each genre.
Common examples include: close ups being used to frame emotion which can increase tension depending on the expression; dramatic and fast paced scores chosen to match the action on screen 
or completely contrast it to give a feeling of unease; low key lighting to create shadows which gives an evil or secretive look to a character or place; vulnerable female characters who are victims within the narrative; and finally, dramatic irony and enigma’s which play a large part in any thriller film, they heighten tension and intrigue.Thrillers can be classed as either “Contemporary” or “Classic”. Hitchcock’s films are renow
ned for their individual style, even in more recent times directors have created films which are seemingly inspired by Hitchcock’s work, and such films would most p
robably be classified as “classic”. The older Bond films are all classified as Classic thriller films as they have the subgenre of espionage; they are very typical of this category. However, the Bond films created post 1995 are more likely to be classed as “Contemporary” because of their more distinct action subgenre. The same goes for all thrillers, if the subgenre is action, it’s most likely to be a “contemporary” thriller.
ned for their individual style, even in more recent times directors have created films which are seemingly inspired by Hitchcock’s work, and such films would most p
robably be classified as “classic”. The older Bond films are all classified as Classic thriller films as they have the subgenre of espionage; they are very typical of this category. However, the Bond films created post 1995 are more likely to be classed as “Contemporary” because of their more distinct action subgenre. The same goes for all thrillers, if the subgenre is action, it’s most likely to be a “contemporary” thriller.My media product is more likely to be placed under the classic classification: firstly because Hitchcock was a great inspiration for my product by studying his most successful works and seeing how his use of attention to detail and cinematography enabled him to control the mood of both t
he film and the audiences; and secondly because there is not a great deal of action throughout the film, the “murdering” character within the film is a young female, reducing the amount of action in the film enabled the character to still seem vulnerable and immature yet emotionally strong and mentally unstable.
he film and the audiences; and secondly because there is not a great deal of action throughout the film, the “murdering” character within the film is a young female, reducing the amount of action in the film enabled the character to still seem vulnerable and immature yet emotionally strong and mentally unstable. This last point shows how I have taken a common classi
cal thriller convention, the strong male antagonist, and challenged it to give the film a more contemporary feel. This then opened up the target audience as females were seen as more likely to view the film, in place of large male audiences. Challenging stereotypes was also a large factor in the production of this film, the antagonist and main character of the film is female, whereas in the majority of classic and contemporary thriller films the antagonist is male; the antagonist is also under the age of 20, this gives the audience a feeling of unease during the film and can help to increase the feelings of tension in required scenes.On the other hand, many of the aspects of my film were developed from the conventions of the thriller genre; for example the score suited the action on screen, whilst slow paced throughout, during scenes of danger or importance the layers of sound become more complicated and more instruments are played. Aspects of dramatic irony and enigma codes are used during the opening sequence, this is very a very common convention used in thriller films from both classifications; it entices the audiences to carry on watching and appeals to their innate sense of intrigue and curiosity. The majority of camera shots used within the opening sequence give a restrictive sense to the action. Close ups of facial components, hands and inanimate objects all give a frustrating and enticing air to the scene whilst giving enough information to the audiences for them to formulate a mental picture. The use of low key lighting throughout the product g
ives it a more realistic feel and removes the product from the generic “American” feel.Removal from this makes the film “Identifiably British”. American thriller films tend to carry typical gender stereotypes, vulnerable ‘damsel-in-distress’ type females, and attractive, strong, brave type males.
The films which had mild influence include: Orphan (2009), The Birds (1963), Psycho (1960) and London to Brighton (2006) the last of which gave the inspiration to incorporate a non-linear narrative into the opening sequence.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
There are 6 main aspects that are commonly represented in media products: gender, age, ethn
icity, regional identity, sexuality and class. In my media product the two main chara
cters are female which challenges the typical stereotypes of this gender; however a male voice is featured. Both of the characters are young, the police officers age is undistinguishable and other than the father of one character, no older characters are mentioned. The ethnicities of the two characters are different, one is classed as “white British” and the second is classed as “white other”.
icity, regional identity, sexuality and class. In my media product the two main chara
cters are female which challenges the typical stereotypes of this gender; however a male voice is featured. Both of the characters are young, the police officers age is undistinguishable and other than the father of one character, no older characters are mentioned. The ethnicities of the two characters are different, one is classed as “white British” and the second is classed as “white other”. Throughout the media we see representation of teenagers. This can show teenagers in mainly negative lights: the first shows them an undesirable way, they wear clothes which cover their faces, or “hoodies”, and commit crimes such as vandalism and shoplifting
(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00420/paranoid_420641a.jpg); another way in which teenagers are represented is as sex-crazed, rebellious and promiscuous simpletons (http://www.thegate.ca/news/images/uploads/elisha-cuthbert1.jpg)
In our media product, the main character is a young teenage female, she follows the first stereotype. In wearing a hooded jacket she immediately casts preconceived ideas into the minds of the audiences, they believe she is “up to no good”, which is the desired effect of the scene, although unfortunately reinforces the stereotype which could be an ethical issue. The second character within the opening sequence can be described in using the last stereotype. She wears short, revealing clothes and performs in a way which shows that she is drunk, this could cause the same ethical issue, and however, stereotypes are a great tool within the film making industry.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
To understand which type of media institution would be interested in the distribution of my media product, I must first define the product itself. The media product in question is in the form of a film under the thriller genre, the low budget involved implies that the film is an Independent production; such productions include those from British and European studios. Another low budget film production type is called “Arthouse” which usually makes experimental films, this is in contrast to Mainstream productions which are typically made in Hollywood and have very large budget
s. Mainstream films usually feature less pressing themes, A-list actors and have a large budget, w
hereas Independent films are almost the complete opposite, featuring important issues (e.g. climate change), actors who aren’t established or are emerging into fame and have a limited budget. The film “Grease” is an example of a mainstream film, it can be contrasted with “Quadrophenia” as an Independent production, both released around 1978 and dealt with very different issues.
s. Mainstream films usually feature less pressing themes, A-list actors and have a large budget, w
hereas Independent films are almost the complete opposite, featuring important issues (e.g. climate change), actors who aren’t established or are emerging into fame and have a limited budget. The film “Grease” is an example of a mainstream film, it can be contrasted with “Quadrophenia” as an Independent production, both released around 1978 and dealt with very different issues.There are many different ways in which a media product can be distributed; the main distributors include cinema and television. Major chains of cinema such as Vue, Odeon and Cineworld do not normally feature independent films, whereas independent or “Arthouse” cinemas,(such as the Electric Cinema in Portobello Road, the Waterman’s cinema in Brentford and the Everyman cinema’s which are dotted around the UK), never show mainstream films.
Our media product would not be shown at a major chain cinema and is more likely to be licensed for viewing at an independent cinema.
To obtain a contract for distribution, film makers are encouraged to get their films featured at annual film festivals, for example the Cannes film festival or student film festivals. Websites such as YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/) and MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/) have also been known as good places for films to be posted, many productions today were originally spotted on a video sharing site. The advantages of posting the product on an internet site is that the audience potential is practically unlimited and money can be made through charging for downloads, e.g. MySpace.
Television is also a great way for media products to be seen. With the new television progressions, i.e. Sky, satellite, and HD TV, television is constantly changing the way in which people interact with media. The five main terrestrial channels are BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4 and FIVE. BBC1 and 2 are funded by the fees from Television Licences, which means they’re not allowed to advertise, however, the other channels rely heavily upon broadcasting advertisements for their revenue. Channel 4 (http://www.channel4.com/) is the most likely source of distribution for our product as it is a public service broadcaster, and quite often films such as ‘Boy A’ premier on the channel. The off-beat documentaries which are a common feature of Channel 4 are all created by independent companies, and channel 4 has a remit to promote independent British Film. Community channel on cable and freeview services are another option as they use user created content.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
The target audience for my media product is males and females between the ages of 15 a
nd 35; however I feel that females are more likely to want to see the film as a result of the atypical female antagonist. This age range is the most likely to go out and see a film at a cinema, and is therefore the best audience to target because of the increased chance of higher turnover. As a direct cause of aggressive, discriminatory language and behaviour featuring within the film, it would be given a 15 rating according to the BBFC regulatory concerns; strong terms and the treatment of main themes throughout the film strengthens the claim. (http://www.bbfc.co.uk/)
nd 35; however I feel that females are more likely to want to see the film as a result of the atypical female antagonist. This age range is the most likely to go out and see a film at a cinema, and is therefore the best audience to target because of the increased chance of higher turnover. As a direct cause of aggressive, discriminatory language and behaviour featuring within the film, it would be given a 15 rating according to the BBFC regulatory concerns; strong terms and the treatment of main themes throughout the film strengthens the claim. (http://www.bbfc.co.uk/) How did you attract your audience?
The themes chosen for the film are bereavement, drugs, and emotional instability. The first two themes are not uncommon for the average person to have encountered, t
he score used throughout the film are not songs from a particular era or genre of music, the idea of the music not being grounded or specified to one audience allows each viewer to experience the same emotions and moods during the film. The characters within the film are all aged between 15 and 35; this enables the audience to relate to the characters, which could make the whole experience seem more real.
he score used throughout the film are not songs from a particular era or genre of music, the idea of the music not being grounded or specified to one audience allows each viewer to experience the same emotions and moods during the film. The characters within the film are all aged between 15 and 35; this enables the audience to relate to the characters, which could make the whole experience seem more real. Though sometimes slow and thought-provoking, at times it’s fast paced and lively. The score can change the entire effect that the film has upon its audiences. During the film, fast paced scores and fast cut editing are used to ensure that my media product appeals to the audience and attracts their attention.
We asked a group of people who fitted the target audience profile to watch the opening sequence to our film; when asked “How relevant do you think this sequence is to the thriller genre?” 100% of responses replied “Very Relevant”. This is the exact same finding for the question that asked how relevant they felt it was to our target audience.
We asked a group of people who fitted the target audience profile to watch the opening sequence to our film; when asked “How relevant do you think this sequence is to the thriller genre?” 100% of responses replied “Very Relevant”. This is the exact same finding for the question that asked how relevant they felt it was to our target audience.
Comments about the editing style, appropriateness of titles and sound within the opening sequence were all very positive and reassuring.
Changes made after the audience feedback were mainly minor alterations with sound levels and positioning of main titles.
Click on the link to view our final product: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiKj5pf3S-w
What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
In order to make this film a lot of research had to be carried out, into existing films, the history of the thriller genre, the BBFC guidelines and other essential information. The main source of information was the internet. The internet definitely played a large part in the pre-production stage of our film. Firstly an internet blog was created using http://www.blogspot.com/. The blog was used to keep track of the production progress and post the results of our research. When drawing the storyboard, we scanned it into the computer, this allowed us to alter it digitally, make copies and eventually post it onto the blog. Youtube.com allowed the group to view clips from existing films or interesting video monologues from Alfred Hitchcock.
As a result of our limited budget, we had to use songs from a copyright free website. The website chosen was http://www.mobygratis.com/; this provided a small variety of songs which was easier to sort through than larger websites which offered choices of many songs.
The camera we used to capture the action was a Mini DV (digital video) camera; the effect of using such apparatus gives a gritty and realistic effect to the film. This sets the product apart from the typical American mainstream production, giving it a definitive British identity. Productions such as Hollyoaks, Desperate Housewives (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlliBMON7kY) and Brothers and Sisters are filmed using celluloid “film”; whereas Eastenders, Friends(http://www.youtube.com/watchv=1YISBc8TUrQ&feature=related) and Silent Witness are filmed using DV cameras, and the difference is very clear.
The limitations of using such apparatus is that the cameras did not support external microphones, therefore dialogue was cut to a minimum and sounds were recorded using internal microphones on computers. This was originally a limitation and the script had to be changed, however, during production we realised that dialogue could prove to ruin the depressive and confusing air of the opening sequence.
The limitations of using such apparatus is that the cameras did not support external microphones, therefore dialogue was cut to a minimum and sounds were recorded using internal microphones on computers. This was originally a limitation and the script had to be changed, however, during production we realised that dialogue could prove to ruin the depressive and confusing air of the opening sequence.
To edit the footage we used non linear software called iMovie, this enabled the film to truly take shape, and it enabled us to make alterations to the sound and transitions of the clips. We could also experiment with different ideas for the film and continue to develop and improve our film, building upon the original storyboard ideas.
The youtube video linked shows the full ability of iMovie, including a range of transitions, title effects and video effects.
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learned in the progression to the full product?
The approach we took with our preliminary task was less serious to that of the main product, the preliminary task was the first real filming we did as a group, and taught us that we couldn’t all film our own ideas, and needed to learn to work together, and compromise. The location we used for
our preliminary task was our school grounds, and because we had not realised how much planning was actually involved, we encountered a few problems involving other students walking around and sometimes through the set. This enabled us to “learn from our mistakes” and therefore realised that in our actual filming it would be easier to use locations where control of the public would be a lot easier, therefore locations included one of our group member’s living room and the M4 flyover which passes through a park. We researched the location and found that within 1 hour only one person had walked past, and no-one had walked th
rough. The organisation of our storyboard also proved difficult; the preliminary task storyboard was simple enough because the task was simple, however, the more complicated our production became; the more difficult it was to stick to the storyboard. This resulted in many drafts and copies of the storyboard being created.
The approach we took with our preliminary task was less serious to that of the main product, the preliminary task was the first real filming we did as a group, and taught us that we couldn’t all film our own ideas, and needed to learn to work together, and compromise. The location we used for
our preliminary task was our school grounds, and because we had not realised how much planning was actually involved, we encountered a few problems involving other students walking around and sometimes through the set. This enabled us to “learn from our mistakes” and therefore realised that in our actual filming it would be easier to use locations where control of the public would be a lot easier, therefore locations included one of our group member’s living room and the M4 flyover which passes through a park. We researched the location and found that within 1 hour only one person had walked past, and no-one had walked th
rough. The organisation of our storyboard also proved difficult; the preliminary task storyboard was simple enough because the task was simple, however, the more complicated our production became; the more difficult it was to stick to the storyboard. This resulted in many drafts and copies of the storyboard being created.Our preliminary task did not focus much on the technical elements of mise-en-scene. However, in our final product we concentrated on the effects of the mise-en-scene elements, for example we learned to control the lighting and amount of shadows to strengthen the effects of the scene. The technique of altering the sound also changed; we split the audio from the visual images using the iMovie technology and reduced the natural ambient sound and introduced the score. We decided to record the dialogue because during our preliminary task the dialogue was difficult to hear as a result of the microphones on the camera not picking up dialogue very well and recording loud ambient sounds.
No comments:
Post a Comment