Planning: Questionnaire Ms Gibbings

Questionnaire

As well as getting secondary research from the internet to help us aid our way to making good thriller trailers it is also useful to gather primary research that we have found out by ourselves. One way of doing this is to create a questionnaire. Questionnaires are good when it comes to finding out what the people themselves like about thriller films. We are able to analyse how the audience react to certain themes of thriller films and what micro-elements creates suspense to them. The questions and results I got were as followed:

Even a simple question like this can give out vital data. For example asking the gender can reveal what sex is more intrigued into thriller films. As this data shows it is men that are into thriller films more than women.

Asking questions like these help my group in finding out what would be best to include in my thriller trailer as they find out what people who watch thriller films think on how they are made and what are included in them. Also because it is from their point of view, you get the answers from people who are familiar with thriller films which we can use to improve our ideas for our own thriller trailers.

Planning: Preliminary Task Ms Begum



Preliminary Task

In order to get on with making our own thriller films, me and my group had to get to grips with the equipment we were going to use to film our thriller openers. For example the camera we were going to use to film and the tripod to help steady the camera when filming. So to help use get use to the equipment we were told to film a short preliminary task. Lasting for about 2 minutes, we had to film a short piece with a specific scenario with everyone getting a chance to film to decide who would be the best to operate the camera. We decided this would be Adam as he has had experience using  and tripods to film. To create a good piece of film we were given advice to film similar shots from a variety of angles so if we did make a mistake we would have other takes to use instead that we could put into our final edit. It’s vital for us to make a preliminary task so we are prepared for when we actually film our thriller opener. Furthermore when it comes to finally filming the real trailers we are able to see the progress we have made over the time we have had.

Overall we were finally all able to use the equipment given to us but not without its difficulties. I personally found it difficult to steady the camera when filming. My arms always seemed to move slightly which resulted with shots that were either slightly blurry of the frame would suddenly move. However although we did decide Adam would be the camera operator, because i had experience we were going to use to edit we decided that it would be best if i did the editing.

Conclusion
Above all the preliminary task have given us insight on how to film our own thriller trailers when given the time to. We have been told various techniques to use to make sure we get the most out of filming time. We have done a lot of research on camera shots, angles and movements to decide what would be best in our thriller trailer and finally we have given everyone a chance to film to find out who would be best to film the thriller trailer.

Planning: Production Roles Ms Heath

Production Roles
 

•Camera Operator is the person responsible for handling the camera in order to film. Operating a camera needs someone with a steady hand, an eye for good shots and is able to maintain composition for large periods of time. This role we have gave to Adam because he has a lot of experience with filming using camcorders and tripods cameras which means he has a steady hand

•The actors are the people you see in the film, they are the ones that play different character who each have different personas to define their roles. 

•The Sound technician is a key member of the group who also story organiser . They need to see what sounds are able to fit in what scenes, what sounds would be most effective with what character and to know what reaction the technician wants to receive from the audience which is why the sound technician works with the story organiser and no one knows or understands the film more. This role goes to Trey because he understands the micro-element sound better and knows what reaction and tension he want to happen from the target audience. It also makes sense as he is one half of the story organiser as well

•The Editor is someone that works with the full length of filming and is able to cut certain scenes and parts out while combining others to create a flowing sequence to making a finished motion picture that is able to stick to the plot and that also looks professional.  This role goes to me and Adam because we both have previous experience in the subject of media and are aware of all the editing techniques to create a good and effective thriller film.

•The Director is someone that is able to take charge, has the potential to lead a group and can get the groups best effort into  acting as well as being able to tell the filming crew what to film and where. The person that has this role is Trey because he get on with everyone and is therefore able to run things smoothly. Also because he came up with part of the storyboard, he already knows what he wants the actors to do and how he wants the film looks in his head.

•Location manger is someone who is able to locate areas suitable for filming. They understand how important the micro element lighting is and is able to find an area with the perfect balance making it just that more of an authentic thriller. They are also able to find settings that are conventional to thriller films and therefore making the thriller film more. The role I have given this to is to Nicholas because he is  very good at spotting great locations. Furthermore he does photography as well so he knows about colour contrasting and lighting very well.

•Storyboard Organiser is usually the person who came up with the narrative of the film. They are able to put their ideas to paper and in a sequence. It is basically the first steps to making a film. In the storyboard you have to decide how many scenes there are, what sounds you want in those scenes, the characters in the scenes and more. This role goes to Trey and me because we merged our story ideas together.

 

Planning: Pre-Production Paperwork Ms Begum

Pre-Production paperwork

 

 

 

Risk Assessment

 

 

The risk assessment is the analysis of the locations used in your film and to find out all the possible dangers in all the sets you are using and to find out if there are possible solutions to tackle the problem

 

Production Schedule

The production schedule is a timeline of exactly what is going to happen and where the filming is going to happen in the schedule

Location Recce

The location recce is the summary of all the locations you plan to use in your thriller production.

 

 

Location release

 

The location release form is the legal document that goes over the terms and agreements for the company, council or people that are giving us permission to film in their area.

 

 



Client Release

 

 

The release and consent form is a another legal document that goes over the terms and agreements for all the people acting in my thriller

 

 

 



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.