Planning: Editing Planning Ms Begum

Planning: Editing Planning

Editing is important in films because it helps define every transition made in a film. Depending on which one you can use it to create a joyful or a scary scene that would end up getting some sort of reaction from the audience. I believe it is important to think about the editing, especially in thriller films because without clear editing sometimes the plot of the film can get lost and then the audience end up losing interest in the film and then you don’t create the reaction you want from the audience.

Some of the conventional uses of editing in thrillers are:

• Slow paced editing

Slow pace editing is when clips are put together at a slower pace and this is to create suspense. Slow pace editing is used so the audience can follow the plot of the thriller but it is also used to signal that something is going to happen

• Fast paced editing

Fast pace editing is when clips are put together at a fast pace and this is to create tension and thrill. Fast pace editing usually comes after a scene of slow pace editing to emphasize the fact that something bad has happened and the character is in trouble

• Montage

A montage is the speed of editing, where shots are quickly juxtaposed together to create excitement The process or technique of selecting, editing, and piecing together separate sections of film to form a continuous scene showing the character’s movement or action.

The editing I plan to use in my thriller consists of the following:

1. Slow paced editing will be used when the antagonist is approaching the protagonist. I have chosen to use this because of using slow pace editing it builds up tension within the scene and because of that it gains a response from the audience. This is conventional to the thriller genre because wit slow pace editing it shows every frame clearly as the tension builds up giving the audience something to react to.

2. Reaction shot will be used when the victim is grabbed by the antagonist. I have chosen to use this because the tension that was built up to that very scene will be released and we would expect to get a reaction from the audience. This is conventional to a thriller genre because a reaction shot is always used to show how someone will react to a certain situation they are in.

3. 180rule will be used when the antagonist is having dinner with the (now murdered) victim. I have chosen to use this because the two of them are at the dinner table and using the 180rule would be best to show this happening. This is conventional to a thriller genre because it allows you to show either a conversation or two people sitting opposite each other to its fullest effect.

4. Fast pace editing will be used when the antagonist is attacking the victim. I have chosen to use this because it shows how frantic the scene is and it emphasises the situation shows the victim struggling to get free and to show that her efforts to escape are useless. This is conventional to a thriller genre because when the victim comes into contact with the antagonist there is always a struggle to get free from the victim.

5. Straight cut will be used throughout the thriller opening. I have chosen to use this because this way the audience is able to follow the plot of the story and that way they don’t get too confused. This is conventional to a thriller because the audience needs to follow some sort of plot. If they don’t they end up losing interest in the film.

Planning: Sound in my thriller Ms Begum

Planning: Sound in my thriller

Sound Planning

Sound is important in films because it is a micro element that provides atmosphere within a scene, and can cause a desired audience response. I believe it is important to think about the sound, especially in thriller films because it can help to build tension within the film, and provide the audience with an understanding of what is going on in the scene, or what to expect.

Some of the conventional uses of sound in thrillers are:

·         Non-diegetic soundtracks: these are used to help create and build tension and suspense within that scene. For example in jaws non-diegetic sound is used to tell the audience that something bad is going to happen and that the shark is getting closer.

·         Diegetic sound: they are used to make the audience be able to follow the plot but they can also have the same effect as non-diegetic sounds. For example someone running through a forest could build tension because it signifies the antagonist chasing her

·         Off-screen sound: again used create tension maybe more so than diegetic sound as you don’t know what is happening and where the sound is coming from. For example someone could be banging on the walls in a completely different room to where you are.

The sound I plan to use in my thriller consists of the following:

1. Non- diegetic sound will be used when the victim comes into contact with the antagonist. I have chosen to use this because in the audiences mind it can create a lot of different scenarios. The victim could get away or in our case she gets killed. This is conventional to the thriller genre because when the antagonist comes into contact with the victim, it always gets a reaction from the audience, especially when a soundtrack is added to create more tension.

2. Diegetic sound will be used when the protagonist is screaming after the protagonist has her.   I have chosen to use this because it makes the audience feel terrified for the character safety. This is conventional to the thriller genre because it is typical for the protagonist to scream when she is in danger.

3. Off-screen sound will be used when the protagonist screams when she sees the knife. I have chosen to use this because it’s very effective of when the protagonist screams because she knows that her life is in danger and it gets the audience to react in a scared way too. This is conventional to the thriller genre because a protagonist screaming is something the audience expects to see in a thriller film to add that extra intensity to the scene.

4. On-screen sound will be used when the victims friends leave the house and closes the front door. I have chosen to use this because it helps to slowly build up the tension of the scene. This is conventional to the thriller genre because as soon as the victim’s friend leaves it gains a reaction from the audience because they know that at that point it signals danger.

5. Non-Diegetic sound will be used throughout the whole sequence to set the mood of the scene. I have chosen to use this because it sets the mood of the scene and if chosen correctly can really complement the film. This is conventional to the thriller genre because all trailers have non-diegetic sound to help portray their film.

6. Diegetic sound will be used when the antagonist is dropping his bag full of equipment down on the table to show what kind of a person he is and he is cleaning the evidence. I have chosen to use this because it tells the audience that in any scene that if they see him then they know trouble is brewing. This is conventional to the thriller genre because every murderer has a way of murdering their victims. This scene shows that he likes to use tools.

7. On-Screen sound will be used when the tap is running in the sink I have chosen to use this because it will symbolise the time the victim has and the sink filling up is to show that her time is running out.  This is conventional to the thriller genre because it shouldn’t be as clear for the audience to understand which keeps them intrigued in the film.

Planning: Cinematography Planning Miss Begum

Planning: Cinematography Planning

Cinematography is important in films because each shot is used to tell a part of a story. Each shot can define how a character is feeling, what a character is doing and how the storyline is going to progress. I believe it is important to think about the cinematography, especially in thriller films because if used effectively, cinematography can build up the tension and suspense to keep the audience on their toes, keep them engaged with the storyline. Without good use of cinematography the audience can’t get into the story and it loses emotion felt by the character.

Some of the conventional uses of cinematography in thrillers are:

·         Close ups. Usually used to show a character emotion so the audience gets close and personal with the character. For example if the character was in distress a close up would be used on her face to show that emotion and therefor the audience would feel sympathetic for her.

·         Low angles. This shot is used mainly used to show how dominant one character is compared to another, to demonstrate ones superiority in a certain predicament. For example If a kid was being bullied at school, the low angle shot would be used to show how superior the bully is and the audiences reaction is that they would feel scared for the one being bullied

·         Point of view. This shot (used in first person games) is to show us as the audience to be in exactly in the same position as the character. We see what they see. It makes us feel that we are in the same situation as the character.

The cinematography I plan to use in my thriller consists of the following:

1. Close-up will be used when the antagonist has his victim and is stabbing her with the knife. I have chosen to use this because it shows emphasis on the iconography used in that scene which is the knife. Furthermore it makes the audience feel scared and sympathetic for the victim as it looks like she has no hope. This is conventional to the thriller genre because it is typical in a thriller film to see a close up on a symbolic object in this case the murder weapon the antagonist uses on the protagonist.

2. Panning shot will be used when the two friends walk into their house with their shopping bags. I have chosen to use this because it slowly builds up tension as it is almost irrelevant to the other scene and it keeps the audience guessing what is going to happen next. This is conventional to the thriller genre because in almost all thriller films there is an irrelevant scene where the protagonist is happy and it always leaves the audience intrigued and wanting more.

3.  High angle will be used when the antagonist is in contact with the victim. I have chosen to use this because this shot clearly shows the antagonist in power ready to use it on the protagonist. This is conventional to a thriller genre because it is key to show the villain in a dominant state to portray an antagonist that is able to scare the characters and the audience and the use of a high angle does that.

4.  Close up will be used on the sink and show the tap continuously running. I have chosen to use this because it keeps the audience guessing the plot and doesn’t give too much away. The tap is there to symbolise something. It’s the job of the audience to guess what it is. This is conventional to a thriller genre because in order to keep the audience intrigued in a film you got to keep them guessing. If it is predictable then the audience loses interest in the film.

5. Medium shot will be used when the antagonist and now murdered victim are at the table. I have chosen to use this because this scene in particular shows just how disturbed our antagonist is; having dinner with the protagonist he just killed. This is conventional to a thriller because it confuses the storyline asking questions from the audience which is what a thriller should do

6. Long shot will be used when the antagonist enters the protagonist’s house. I have chosen to use this to show the costume of the antagonist and show that he doesn’t look like your average villain. This is conventional to a thriller film as you usually can tell who the antagonist and protagonist is by looking at their costume but again this turns that concept on its head.

7. Close up will be used on the victims face when she is attacked. I have decided to use this because it can be really effective to see the terror in the victim’s eyes and through that the audience can feel remorse. This is conventional to a thriller genre because close ups are usually used to emphasis the situation and to get a reaction from the audience.

Planning: What is a Storyboard Ms Begum

Storyboard:

A storyboard is basically the narrative of the film being created but in its first stages. it is a rough plan of the film using drawings and information to define what happens in each scene. storyboards are usually drafted to save time with filming and to avoid wasting resources when filming. storyboards help the whole film crew as well as the actors as everyone has the same frame in mind as everyone knows where to be and what happens in each scene.

storyboards are important in the making of films because it clarifys the roles of each person involved in the film and therefore they know what to do. for example the camera crew know to shoot a close up on the protagonists face or the actors know what happens at each scene. there are things to consider whe drafting up your storyboard:

• The number of the shots
• Duration
• Cinematography
• Location
• Iconography
• Lighting
• Actors
• Sounds
• Dialogue
• Narrative description

These micro-elements help decide what happens in each scene for example you can define the amount of seconds each scene is gonna be and how many scenes they actually are in the film. Each micro element has its own set of importance. The cinematography is important because then the film crew know what camera shot, angle and movement to use when filming. The location is important as it sets the mood of the film and is one of the key elements to get a reaction from the audience. Iconography is important because you can associate characters and their personas just by looking at the props around them. lighting is important so to get the right lighting for each scene can add effect not just to the film but can also can get a reaction from the audience if you use the correct lighting. actors are important as then they will able to know what characters are meant to be in what scene at what time. sound is very important as if chosen to complement the film it could really increase the tension in the film which will more than certainly gain a reaction from the audience. dialogue is important because then the characters know what they are ment to say and when to say it. the narrative description is probably the most important as it tells everyone what is happening in each scene.

This is the storyboard of the music video for gorillaz song rhinestone eyes.  the main micro-element used in the storyboard is the setting. You first think that they are performing on stage infront of a crowd but using cinematography and the camera movement zoom out you later realise that they are performing infront of no-one on a deserted island with trash all over the place. Antother thing is that they keep bringing up a character who they refer to having `rhinestone eyes` and in a scene you see her eyes reflecting off a landscape which could physically represent rhinestones as eyes.

 

This storyboard is from the well known thriller kill bill vol 2 and the pai mei traing scene. this storyboard has the editing technique montage. its where loads of scenes have been cut into short clips and been put together to create 1 scene. Notice that they have also included dialogue to show what each character would be saying.

 

Conclusion Through this conclusion i have gotten to understand just how important a storyboard plan is when it comes to creating a film. it is important because it is important information for myself but also the whole film crew and actors. It is definatly essential to plan and needs to be considered because if not you could end up wasting countless hours filming footage that you wont use which is an waste of time and resources.

Planning: Age Certificate Ms Begum

Age Certificate

 

 

Age certificates are age ratings given to all films to decide what age group should be able to watch what film. The people that make these decisions are the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). Set up in 1912 the BBFC regulate all films in Britain and give it a certain age certificate depending on the content the film has. There are 5 cinema film certificates and there are 5 video/D.V.D film certificates plus some retired age cetificates as well including the most recent one Universal Children (Uc). Universal Children (Uc) rating was a video/D.V.D rating and means that the film is particularly suitable for a pre-school child to view alone although this film rating was discontinued in 2009.

 

 

Universal (U). It is impossible to predict what might upset any particular child. But a ‘U’ film should be suitable for all audiences. ‘U’ films should be set within a positive moral framework and should not contain anything that would offend or upset a child. An example of this is the film the lion king.

 

Parental Guidance (PG). Parental guidance is usually made for general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. Unaccompanied children of any age may watch. A ‘PG’ film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. PG films may contain scenes of fear or comical violence. An example of a 'PG' film is Megamind.

 

The ‘12A’ category exists only for cinema films. No one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult and films classified ‘12A’ are not recommended for a child below 12. A 12A film may contain fear, moderate violence, brief bad language and brief shock. An example of this is the iconic reason for the 12A rating existing: Spiderman

 

The ‘12’ category exists only for video works. No one younger than 12 may rent or buy a ‘12’ rated video work. The content in a 12A rating is exactly the same for a film in a 12 rating. An example of this is The Dark Knight

 

 

 

15 rating. No-one younger than 15 may see a ‘15’ film in a cinema and No-one younger than 15 is allowed to rent or buy a ‘15’ rated film. Things included in 15 rated films are violence, controversy, mild sex scenes and nudity, frequent bad language and mild drug abuse. An example of a 15 rated film is Disturbia.

18 rating. No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema and No-one younger than 18 is allowed rent or buy an ‘18’ rated video work. 18 rated films are usually on the brink of being cut or banned from cinema viewings. An example of an 18 rating film is The Godfather

Thriller films are almost always given a 15 rating because they leave a chilling feeling amongst the audience. Furthermore they keeps you on the edge of your seats. Thrillers are meant to make you jump. Some of them are made to psychologically play with your mind and get you thinking. All of them have some tension and suspense.
 

The story of the 12A rating film

 

In 2002, many citizens, ignored the BBFC's ruling that Spider-Man would receive a 12 rating, and allowed children younger than 12 to see the film. they thought that because spider-man was a childhood hero for many kids they wanted to watch him on the big screen. However, the BBFC were already in the process of replacing the 12 rating with a new 12A, which allowed under-12s to see the film if accompanied by an adult, so in the end, Spider-Man was reclassified as 12A. The first 12A certificate film released was for The Bourne Identity.

Conclusion

This lesson on age certificates in general has really helped me to understand the concepts of the film and understand what would be deemed unsuitable for a certain target audience for example a theme like discrimination would not be shown in a film rated PG or show nudity and sex scenes on a filom rated U. But furthermore i has given me an insight on what themes to include in my thriller opening.because thrillers are usually given a 15 rating, that broadens the choice of themes to include in the scene

 

Planning: Censorship Ms Begum

Censorship

Film Censorship is the hiding or banning of explicit images, words or scenes in films that would be deemed unsuitable for a certain age group by the British Board of Film Classification or (BBFC).

Role of (BBFC)

The role of the British board of film classification is to protect the public from anything offensive or could cause any harm. They are the ones who decide the age certificate for all films released in Britain from cinema or straight to shelves. The decisions they make if a film is deemed unsuitable to be released in the cinema are:

·         They could make no changes and just move the film straight to D.V.D

·         They could tell the producers to cut out the offensive scenes and make it appropriate for viewers in the cinema

·         Or finally they would ban the film completely and it wouldn’t get show in cinemas

Cut

Cutting a film is when a film has been edited or has had scenes taken out of it to make it appropriate for viewing. An example of a film that was cut before it was released was Saw. Some of the graphic images and gore was deemed unsuitable and was needed to be cut before shown in the cinemas.

Banned

 

Films being banned mean when a film is taken away from cinema viewing completely due to indecent, harmful or offensive material. An example of this is Freaks. Due to high levels of discrimination, disturbing content and cruelty this film was banned for over 30 years.

 

What themes would cause a film to get cut or banned?

·         Violence

 

·         Graphic representation and realism

·         Corrupting the young

·         Controversy and the press

·         Sex and nudity

·         Sexual violence

·         Religion

·         Class

·         Language

·         Shock

·         Drug abuse

 

Examples of other films banned in the UK

·         The human centipede 2

 

The sequel is due to be released in October, 2011, but has been denied a classification for distribution in the United Kingdom. The sequel contains much more blood and faces than the original, and also that it makes the first film look soft in comparison. The new film also contains a larger centipede involving twelve people and involves rape and masturbation scenes.

·         Mikey

Mikey was banned in many countries and is still banned today in the UK. Many graphic scenes of torture and murder contributed to the ban, as well as the James Bulger murder of 1993, when two young children tortured and murdered a toddler. This is also an example of corruption of children.

·         The Exorcist

The Exorcist was banned in many individual towns and countries for being horrifyingly scary, and in some cases for religious reasons. The film affected many audiences so strongly that, at many theatres, paramedics were called to treat people who fainted and others who went into hysterics. In the UK, The Exorcist wasn’t available until 1990.

Forma vs Kermode on Film Censorship

Reasons For Film Censorship (Forma)

·         Words, images and scenes that are used in some films can be taken in the wrong way and could end up stirring racial hatred.

·         The public may be influenced by a certain characters and some may even put themselves in the predicament the character is in which can be very dangerous for themselves as well as the public.

·         Certain scenes shown in different films can influence certain people to re-enact those scenes and could potentially cause harm among the public. E.g. rape, robbery, murder.

·         Films are breaking down the barriers that are meant to separate the film world from the real world e.g. a film could have someone killed but then when you see it on the streets you think it’s a joke

Reasons against Film Censorship (Kermode)

·         As humans we don’t watch films to be influenced by the scenes or characters. We know what is right from wrong. We watch films to enjoy what is on the box office at the moment.

·         When the directors are filming the films, sex doesn't occur while they are filming so there's no need to censor it when it out in the cinemas.

·         Every human has their own opinions to different things and films are just one of the things people will react differently to.

·         Restricting films to the laws of the public is impossible; films are not made to encourage their viewers to commit murders and rape. Instead they show the audience realistic situations or events.

 

 

Conclusion

This lesson has really helped me in deciding what to include in the thriller opener i want to create. It has shown me that there are limits when it comes to creating thriller films with explicit scenes. It has explained that excessive uses of offensive material is likely to cause a film to be banned.

 

 

Research: Mise en Scene: Iconography Ms Heath

Iconography

Iconography is another 1 of the five elements of Mise en Scene. It is 

the objects that you see in the scene. The meaning that these objects create to the scene. It is the visual images, symbols, or modes of representation collectively associated with a person, cult, or movement.

 

For example in a warehouse the iconography you would expect to see is:

·         Broken windows 

·         Empty boxes

·         Dust everywhere

·         Boarded windows

·         Rubbish on the floor

·         Unused machinery etc.

 

 

These objects would specifically describe an abandoned warehouse. This is what you would associate with scenery like an abandoned warehouse. It is conventional for that stuff to be in an abandoned warehouse.

If it was what iconography you would associate with someone for example James Bond you would expect:    

·         Gadgets and gismos

·         Watches

·         Weapons

·         Flashy cars

·         Cell phones etc.

This tells the audience that he is a very important person who is very ‘flash’ and has got a lot of money and gets himself into a lot of trouble.

 

This is the film trailer from the thriller film Disturbia. The main iconography (prop) used in this trailer are the binoculars the protagonist uses. After being homebound due to the tag on his leg, he ends up spending his time spying on the neighbours although he sees something that he might not have wanted to.