Production group: CJNS
Production title: In suspense
Sunday, 14 December 2008
SECTION 10: VIDEO LOG SHEETS
Video production paperwork: Logging sheet
Production group: CJNS
Production title: In suspense
Production group: CJNS
Production title: In suspense
SECTION 9: PRODUCTION SCHEDULE
Film title: 'In Suspense'
Directors and producers: Sara, Jade, Chrissy and Coley
Date production started: 15/11/08
Treatment started: 22/11/08
Storyboard started: 24/11/08
Shooting started: 2/12/08
Post-production started: 8/12/08
Rough cut submitted: 19/12/08
Final show tape completed: 9/1/09
Location equipment required:
Camera
Tapes
No transport requirements
Crewing requirements:
Camera people
Actors:
News reporter - Joe
Simon - Rory
Pidge - Alex
Scarlett - Delaney
Audrey - Chester
Props:
Sink
Clearasil
Tie
Car
Jacket
Directors and producers: Sara, Jade, Chrissy and Coley
Date production started: 15/11/08
Treatment started: 22/11/08
Storyboard started: 24/11/08
Shooting started: 2/12/08
Post-production started: 8/12/08
Rough cut submitted: 19/12/08
Final show tape completed: 9/1/09
Location equipment required:
Camera
Tapes
No transport requirements
Crewing requirements:
Camera people
Actors:
News reporter - Joe
Simon - Rory
Pidge - Alex
Scarlett - Delaney
Audrey - Chester
Props:
Sink
Clearasil
Tie
Car
Jacket
Friday, 5 December 2008
SECTION 4: AUDIENCE RESEARCH
Questionnaire
How old are you? 16-17 18-19 19 and over
Do you enjoy films? Yes No
Do you enjoy thrillers? Yes No
How often do you go the cinema? Often Sometimes Rarely Never
What was the plot of the last thriller you watched?...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
What would you do to improve it?...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
What do you believe makes a film certificated 15 differnt from an 18?...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
What type of charecters do you enjoy watching in a thriller?
Heroes Drug dealers Gangsters Detectives Spies Other?
Please state .................................................
Do you like thrillers to be set in a...?
School City Farm Police station Prison Other?
Please state .................................................
Do you think music makes more tension in a film? Yes No
Questionnaire results
82.5% of the people who were asked to take our questionnaire were 16-17.
10% were 18-19, and just 7.5 % were 19 and over.
So the people who took our survey were all quite young, and so this quiz has a young persons perspective.
92.5% of them liked films in general, and 80% said they liked the thriller genre.
When asked how often the went the cinema 20% said they went often, 52.5% said they went sometimes, 15% said the rarely went, and only 12.5% said the never went.
In regards to what kind of characters people said they like to see in thriller films, 30% said they like heroes, 25% choose gangsters, 17.5% said detectives, 10% went for spies, 5% said dug dealers, and the remaining 12.5 said other.
The most popular setting choice was a city with 47.5 %, 12.5% said farms, 12.5 said prison. 7.5 % said school, 5% said police station, and 15% said other.
When asked if they think eerie music makes something more suspenseful, 87.5% said yes, and only 12.5% said no.
We asked what the plot of the last film they watched was, some general characteristics of these plotlines are:Murders, victims, crime type investigations. Modern films with modern settings.
Twists and turns - these were written by many people, showing this tends to be the thing people remember.Puzzles, and how they solve the. Generally a hero involved in the solving. Gangsters and drug dealers/criminals. Mystery and complications.
We also asked how they would improve these plotlines. A lot of people tended to say the same things, and 50% said they wouldn’t change the film at all. Other things people said are making it less obvious, making it shorter, scarier, put more twists in, less cheesy, easier to follow, and more mysterious.
We asked them what they thought would make an 18, the criteria our participants said was as follows :
Strong and offensive language
Nudity
Sex scenes
Drug use
Gory scenes
Extreme violence
Disturbing scenes
How old are you? 16-17 18-19 19 and over
Do you enjoy films? Yes No
Do you enjoy thrillers? Yes No
How often do you go the cinema? Often Sometimes Rarely Never
What was the plot of the last thriller you watched?...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
What would you do to improve it?...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
What do you believe makes a film certificated 15 differnt from an 18?...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
What type of charecters do you enjoy watching in a thriller?
Heroes Drug dealers Gangsters Detectives Spies Other?
Please state .................................................
Do you like thrillers to be set in a...?
School City Farm Police station Prison Other?
Please state .................................................
Do you think music makes more tension in a film? Yes No
Questionnaire results
82.5% of the people who were asked to take our questionnaire were 16-17.
10% were 18-19, and just 7.5 % were 19 and over.
So the people who took our survey were all quite young, and so this quiz has a young persons perspective.
92.5% of them liked films in general, and 80% said they liked the thriller genre.
When asked how often the went the cinema 20% said they went often, 52.5% said they went sometimes, 15% said the rarely went, and only 12.5% said the never went.
In regards to what kind of characters people said they like to see in thriller films, 30% said they like heroes, 25% choose gangsters, 17.5% said detectives, 10% went for spies, 5% said dug dealers, and the remaining 12.5 said other.
The most popular setting choice was a city with 47.5 %, 12.5% said farms, 12.5 said prison. 7.5 % said school, 5% said police station, and 15% said other.
When asked if they think eerie music makes something more suspenseful, 87.5% said yes, and only 12.5% said no.
We asked what the plot of the last film they watched was, some general characteristics of these plotlines are:Murders, victims, crime type investigations. Modern films with modern settings.
Twists and turns - these were written by many people, showing this tends to be the thing people remember.Puzzles, and how they solve the. Generally a hero involved in the solving. Gangsters and drug dealers/criminals. Mystery and complications.
We also asked how they would improve these plotlines. A lot of people tended to say the same things, and 50% said they wouldn’t change the film at all. Other things people said are making it less obvious, making it shorter, scarier, put more twists in, less cheesy, easier to follow, and more mysterious.
We asked them what they thought would make an 18, the criteria our participants said was as follows :
Strong and offensive language
Nudity
Sex scenes
Drug use
Gory scenes
Extreme violence
Disturbing scenes
SECTION 5: TREATMENT
Treatment for film.
Title: In Suspense
NEWS REPORT
News reporter talks about deaths of SIMON SPENCER and SCARLETT HART shows picture of incident
FLASH OF WHITE – to show flashback
“TWO WEEKS EARLIER” - on screen text
BATHROOM
Simon Spencer looking in bathroom mirror wearing shirt and suit trousers.
Ties tie. Internal diegetic NARRATION post synchronisation – talks about life – Scarlett – being in the gang and hating it.
Puts on leather jacket. Walks out of room.
BIG HOUSE + DRIVEWAY
Simon gets out of car.
Walks to front door and is about to knock
DAVID “Pidge” PIGEON opens door before he can knock “You’re late.” Mock seriousness.
Joking they walk down hallway – shows them being best friends.
LIVING ROOM
Big dog barks at Simon “Calm down Audrey.” – MIKE STEEL
Tense atmosphere.
The gang has a meeting – we introduced to Scarlett and the other members here.
They talk about a deal that they have got going down.
Mike gives Simon the responsibility of running the “operation”
Scarlett stands behind Mike Steel has her hand on his shoulder – shows they are supposed to be “together”
KITCHEN
Simon and Scarlett are in the kitchen making coffee – flirtatious – sexual tension. Walks towards her. Hand on wall leaning over her. KEVIN interrupts – He is suspicious.
LIVING ROOM
We see Kevin whisper something to Mike. There is a montage of moments showing all the times he has seen Scarlett and Simon flirting – pieces it together that they were obviously having an affair, right under his nose and he has only just seen this.
LATER ON
LIVING ROOM
It is darker showing it is later in the day.
Mike says he wants Kevin to take over the lead in the deal.
Everyone is leaving. Mike asks Simon to stay behind for a moment.
Threatens him about Scarlett. Makes the offer of £10,000 to leave and never come back or he’ll kill him.
Simon takes the money.
STAIRWAY
Scarlett is watching this happen. Runs upstairs visibly upset.
DRIVEWAY
Simon leaving looks up at windows seemingly guilty. He is actually looking for a place to sneak in and find her.
LATER
Simon climbs up the side of the house and knocks on the bathroom window. He climbs in and asks her to run away with him. She agrees after some convincing.
Throws some clothes and money into a bag. They sneak out.
DRIVEWAY
Both get in car and drive away at high speed.
FRONT DOOR
Mike opens the door angrily and sees them turning the corner.
IN THE CAR
Scarlett and Simon driving away exhilarated.
IN THE HOUSE
Mike shouting hysterically down the phone. Calls up the rest of the gang.
HOTEL
Scarlett and Simon book a room under different names. At first it is exciting. After a while Scarlett begins to panic that they won’t be able to get away from Mike and if he finds them she knows he will kill them. Simon calms her down - assured that everything is going to be alright.
HOUSE
DINING ROOM
Mike and the gang members are planning a man hunt to capture Simon and Scarlett. Some are up for it. Others are not so comfortable with the idea e.g. Pidge – being Simon’s best friend.
Talk about hotels where they could be – what names could they be under.
Stumble across the idea when Johnny “Jobster” O’Brian makes a joke about them being like Bonnie and Clyde.
Gang calls up local hotels they have in fact booked a room under the names Bonnie Hart and Clyde Spencer.
Mike sends Johnny and Kevin to the hotel.
HOTEL
They are talking and packing up at a leisurely pace – audience suspense. Want them to hurry.
LOBBY
The lift doors open Simon and Scarlett are there. Simons face shows panic.
Kevin and Johnny are at the desk arguing with a receptionist.
Simon presses the “close doors” button frantically.
IN THE LIFT
Simon and Scarlett are panicking about how to escape. Decide to use the stairs and find a back door.
LOBBY
Kevin and Johnny are arguing with the receptionist – they want to know what room Scarlett and Simon are in. Receptionist refuses to tell them. Goes to get manager.
Johnny jumps over the front desk and uses the computer to search and finds the room number. Kevin checks the car is still outside, it is. They run upstairs.
OTHER STAIRS
Scarlett and Simon are running down and out round the back of the hotel.
HOTEL CORRIDOR AND ROOM
Kevin and Johnny run down the corridor and burst into room number 55. A woman is doing turndown service. They shout at her, she tells them the people in the room have just left.
They run frantically back down the corridor and Kevin is about to take the stairs but Johnny says the lift will be quicker. – fast paced actions and music. They get in the lift. Doors close. It moves slowly. Stereotypical cheesy music plays. They are impatient. Kevin looks annoyed at Johnny. As soon as the door opens they spring out and run again frantically outside. The car is gone.
IN THE CAR
Scarlett is looking at a map. They are trying to decide where to go. Can’t agree on where. Simon tells her to close her eyes and point at the map and where ever she points to that’s the path they will follow. She points to Portsmouth. They decide to go there.
OUTSIDE THE HOTEL
Johnny on the phone to Mike. Apologising.
HOUSE
Mike is furious with the both of them. Tells them to drive around looking for Simon’s car but if they cannot find them they have to come back but Mike says “Trust me. You don’t want to come back here if you don’t find them.”
MOTORWAY
DARKER early evening.
Kevin and Johnny are driving along the motorway talking. Kevin sees Simon’s car parked on a grass verge. They pull over and run at the car - opening both doors. “ABANDONED!” they are furious. Call Mike again, tell him the bad news.
The audience are left out of the loop in the abandonment of the car
– a sign of things to come. Also creates suspense.
HOUSE
LIVING ROOM
Mike tells Pidge to go and help them in the search as he is the best at piecing the puzzles together and he knows Simon the best – he will know what Simon would do in a situation like this.
SERVICE STATION CAR PARK
We see Pidge pull up. He is trying to figure out what he should do, should he drive away? This shows his struggle. We sympathise with Pidge.
SERVICE STATION CAFÉ
Kevin and Johnny are eating - Pidge walks in.
They tell him what happened.
Pidge suggests that Simon would know not to stay anywhere near here because he knows how “conntected” the gang are in the area.
Also says that they have to be in the UK because Scarlett did not have time to get her passport when they ran away.
He asks a man where the nearest train station is.
AT THE STATION
Pidge looking at the departures. The long distance trains have not left yet. He sends Kevin to Platform 4, Johnny to Platform 1 and he runs to Platform 9.
RUNNING
Following Pidge to Platform 9
He sees Simon helping Scarlett onto the train.
Pidge is stopped in his tracks.
Background noise muffles and fades away.
All we hear Pidge breathing.
Pidge thinks for a moment then springs into action running and jumping onto the train.
IN THE CARRIAGE
Pidge sees Scarlett and Simon finding a seat.
He slides into one trying to stay hidden.
BACK AT THE STATION
Kevin and Johnny meet up again. Both are annoyed and ring Pidge.
IN THE CARRIAGE
Pidge’s phone rings. A recognisable ring tone that was a private joke between Simon and himself.
Pidge panics and hits the answer button quickly.
SIMON AND SCARLETT
Simon’s face shows that he has heard this song. Listens, concerned at first but then smiles at the memory.
PIDGE
On the phone to Kevin. QUIETLY Tells them he’s on the train to Portsmouth. They argue. He wants them to go home and tell Mike they say they don’t want to have to face Mike. The will call him, keep him up to speed and then get the next train. Kevin hangs up.
Pidge leans his head back. Annoyed and reluctant to let it go but he does.
SIMON AND SCARLETT
See them talking, laughing, planning. Time passes. Simon gets up to go to use the toilet. Pidge grabs a newspaper and hides his face. He is successful.
IN PORTSMOUTH
Simon and Scarlett get off the train. Pidge follows them to a little hotel on the seafront. They book a room. As soon as they have their key and leave reception he runs in, hastily books a room and follows them silently.
HOTEL ROOM
Simon and Scarlett think they are safely away.
CORRIDOR
Pidge leans against the wall. We again see him struggle trying to decide what to do.
He turns to walk away.
Then stops and puts his head in his hands.
HOTEL ROOM
There is a knock at the door.
Scarlett is about to open it. Simon grabs her wrist before she can open the door. Suspense builds. He looks through the peep hole. Nothing can be seen.
CUTTING BETWEEN HOTEL ROOM AND CORRIDOR
Pidge has covered peep hole with his hand.
Simon asks who is there?
No reply.
Pidge knocks again.
Silence.
“Spence, it’s me.”
Simon realises that it is Pidge but is suspicious that he is not alone. They argue through the door. Pidge eventually convinces him that he is alone and lets him in.
HOTEL ROOM
They talk about how long their affair has been going on. Begin to argue. Pidge is hurt that Simon did not tell him. Simon explains. Pidge understands but tells them they will never be able to get away from Mike. Simon rhetorically asks what other options they have? Pidge accepts this, says goodbye to his best friend and then suggests that the least Simon could do would be to walk him to the train station.
NIGHT TIME
WALKING DOWN MAIN STREET OUTSIDE THE TRAIN STATION
Simon, Scarlett and Pidge walking, talking, laughing.
Simon sees Kevin and Johnny further down the road.
He misunderstands and becomes angry with Pidge thinking he has tricked them.
Pidge has forgotten that Kevin and Johnny were coming, he did not mean for this to happen. Tries to convince Simon – he won’t listen to him. Pidge looks frustrated and begins walking towards Kevin and Johnny. Audience wonder he is going to do.
SIMON AND SCARLETT
Hide peering around the corner of the train station.
PIDGE
Walks up to Kevin and Johnny
“I lost them.”
Kevin and Johnny are annoyed with Pidge but understand how easy it is to lose them.
He suggests they walk around and check hotels looking for them before they have to tell Mike.
SIMON AND SCARLETT
Simon sees what Pidge has done for them.
PIDGE
When Kevin and Johnny are not looking Pidge turns around to look in the direction of where Simon is hiding. Simon mouths “Thank you.” to Pidge. He is truly grateful.
A TRAIN PLATFORM
Simon and Scarlett get on a train again quickly.
MONTAGE
Shows the passage of time.
The gangs useless searches.
Almost catching them once - losing them again.
Scarlett and Simon travelling around the UK - hotel after hotel - Renting cars.
We see them getting tired of running away.
We see the gang getting tired of the search apart from Mike who is adamant he will find them.
THE LAST DAY
Their two weeks is up.
The audience has known the tragic end from the beginning.
It begins with Scarlett and Simon in the car.
No map.
They know their way around where they are.
HOUSE
Mike and the gang are reassessing the search – going over the last week. Where Simon and Scarlett were last seen. Some want to end the search as it is not making them money like their usual work. Mike refuses to end it. The television is on in the background – volume turned down – the news report announcing Scarlett and Simon’s deaths comes on. Johnny tells one of the other gang members to turn the volume up. They all watch in stunned silence. Pidge’s face shows he is devastated.
NEWS REPORT
Takes over the screen.
The television is turned off.
Camera pans around to Scarlett and Simon sitting in an arm chair watching.
We see they have faked their own deaths so that they could start a new life together.
THE END.
Title: In Suspense
NEWS REPORT
News reporter talks about deaths of SIMON SPENCER and SCARLETT HART shows picture of incident
FLASH OF WHITE – to show flashback
“TWO WEEKS EARLIER” - on screen text
BATHROOM
Simon Spencer looking in bathroom mirror wearing shirt and suit trousers.
Ties tie. Internal diegetic NARRATION post synchronisation – talks about life – Scarlett – being in the gang and hating it.
Puts on leather jacket. Walks out of room.
BIG HOUSE + DRIVEWAY
Simon gets out of car.
Walks to front door and is about to knock
DAVID “Pidge” PIGEON opens door before he can knock “You’re late.” Mock seriousness.
Joking they walk down hallway – shows them being best friends.
LIVING ROOM
Big dog barks at Simon “Calm down Audrey.” – MIKE STEEL
Tense atmosphere.
The gang has a meeting – we introduced to Scarlett and the other members here.
They talk about a deal that they have got going down.
Mike gives Simon the responsibility of running the “operation”
Scarlett stands behind Mike Steel has her hand on his shoulder – shows they are supposed to be “together”
KITCHEN
Simon and Scarlett are in the kitchen making coffee – flirtatious – sexual tension. Walks towards her. Hand on wall leaning over her. KEVIN interrupts – He is suspicious.
LIVING ROOM
We see Kevin whisper something to Mike. There is a montage of moments showing all the times he has seen Scarlett and Simon flirting – pieces it together that they were obviously having an affair, right under his nose and he has only just seen this.
LATER ON
LIVING ROOM
It is darker showing it is later in the day.
Mike says he wants Kevin to take over the lead in the deal.
Everyone is leaving. Mike asks Simon to stay behind for a moment.
Threatens him about Scarlett. Makes the offer of £10,000 to leave and never come back or he’ll kill him.
Simon takes the money.
STAIRWAY
Scarlett is watching this happen. Runs upstairs visibly upset.
DRIVEWAY
Simon leaving looks up at windows seemingly guilty. He is actually looking for a place to sneak in and find her.
LATER
Simon climbs up the side of the house and knocks on the bathroom window. He climbs in and asks her to run away with him. She agrees after some convincing.
Throws some clothes and money into a bag. They sneak out.
DRIVEWAY
Both get in car and drive away at high speed.
FRONT DOOR
Mike opens the door angrily and sees them turning the corner.
IN THE CAR
Scarlett and Simon driving away exhilarated.
IN THE HOUSE
Mike shouting hysterically down the phone. Calls up the rest of the gang.
HOTEL
Scarlett and Simon book a room under different names. At first it is exciting. After a while Scarlett begins to panic that they won’t be able to get away from Mike and if he finds them she knows he will kill them. Simon calms her down - assured that everything is going to be alright.
HOUSE
DINING ROOM
Mike and the gang members are planning a man hunt to capture Simon and Scarlett. Some are up for it. Others are not so comfortable with the idea e.g. Pidge – being Simon’s best friend.
Talk about hotels where they could be – what names could they be under.
Stumble across the idea when Johnny “Jobster” O’Brian makes a joke about them being like Bonnie and Clyde.
Gang calls up local hotels they have in fact booked a room under the names Bonnie Hart and Clyde Spencer.
Mike sends Johnny and Kevin to the hotel.
HOTEL
They are talking and packing up at a leisurely pace – audience suspense. Want them to hurry.
LOBBY
The lift doors open Simon and Scarlett are there. Simons face shows panic.
Kevin and Johnny are at the desk arguing with a receptionist.
Simon presses the “close doors” button frantically.
IN THE LIFT
Simon and Scarlett are panicking about how to escape. Decide to use the stairs and find a back door.
LOBBY
Kevin and Johnny are arguing with the receptionist – they want to know what room Scarlett and Simon are in. Receptionist refuses to tell them. Goes to get manager.
Johnny jumps over the front desk and uses the computer to search and finds the room number. Kevin checks the car is still outside, it is. They run upstairs.
OTHER STAIRS
Scarlett and Simon are running down and out round the back of the hotel.
HOTEL CORRIDOR AND ROOM
Kevin and Johnny run down the corridor and burst into room number 55. A woman is doing turndown service. They shout at her, she tells them the people in the room have just left.
They run frantically back down the corridor and Kevin is about to take the stairs but Johnny says the lift will be quicker. – fast paced actions and music. They get in the lift. Doors close. It moves slowly. Stereotypical cheesy music plays. They are impatient. Kevin looks annoyed at Johnny. As soon as the door opens they spring out and run again frantically outside. The car is gone.
IN THE CAR
Scarlett is looking at a map. They are trying to decide where to go. Can’t agree on where. Simon tells her to close her eyes and point at the map and where ever she points to that’s the path they will follow. She points to Portsmouth. They decide to go there.
OUTSIDE THE HOTEL
Johnny on the phone to Mike. Apologising.
HOUSE
Mike is furious with the both of them. Tells them to drive around looking for Simon’s car but if they cannot find them they have to come back but Mike says “Trust me. You don’t want to come back here if you don’t find them.”
MOTORWAY
DARKER early evening.
Kevin and Johnny are driving along the motorway talking. Kevin sees Simon’s car parked on a grass verge. They pull over and run at the car - opening both doors. “ABANDONED!” they are furious. Call Mike again, tell him the bad news.
The audience are left out of the loop in the abandonment of the car
– a sign of things to come. Also creates suspense.
HOUSE
LIVING ROOM
Mike tells Pidge to go and help them in the search as he is the best at piecing the puzzles together and he knows Simon the best – he will know what Simon would do in a situation like this.
SERVICE STATION CAR PARK
We see Pidge pull up. He is trying to figure out what he should do, should he drive away? This shows his struggle. We sympathise with Pidge.
SERVICE STATION CAFÉ
Kevin and Johnny are eating - Pidge walks in.
They tell him what happened.
Pidge suggests that Simon would know not to stay anywhere near here because he knows how “conntected” the gang are in the area.
Also says that they have to be in the UK because Scarlett did not have time to get her passport when they ran away.
He asks a man where the nearest train station is.
AT THE STATION
Pidge looking at the departures. The long distance trains have not left yet. He sends Kevin to Platform 4, Johnny to Platform 1 and he runs to Platform 9.
RUNNING
Following Pidge to Platform 9
He sees Simon helping Scarlett onto the train.
Pidge is stopped in his tracks.
Background noise muffles and fades away.
All we hear Pidge breathing.
Pidge thinks for a moment then springs into action running and jumping onto the train.
IN THE CARRIAGE
Pidge sees Scarlett and Simon finding a seat.
He slides into one trying to stay hidden.
BACK AT THE STATION
Kevin and Johnny meet up again. Both are annoyed and ring Pidge.
IN THE CARRIAGE
Pidge’s phone rings. A recognisable ring tone that was a private joke between Simon and himself.
Pidge panics and hits the answer button quickly.
SIMON AND SCARLETT
Simon’s face shows that he has heard this song. Listens, concerned at first but then smiles at the memory.
PIDGE
On the phone to Kevin. QUIETLY Tells them he’s on the train to Portsmouth. They argue. He wants them to go home and tell Mike they say they don’t want to have to face Mike. The will call him, keep him up to speed and then get the next train. Kevin hangs up.
Pidge leans his head back. Annoyed and reluctant to let it go but he does.
SIMON AND SCARLETT
See them talking, laughing, planning. Time passes. Simon gets up to go to use the toilet. Pidge grabs a newspaper and hides his face. He is successful.
IN PORTSMOUTH
Simon and Scarlett get off the train. Pidge follows them to a little hotel on the seafront. They book a room. As soon as they have their key and leave reception he runs in, hastily books a room and follows them silently.
HOTEL ROOM
Simon and Scarlett think they are safely away.
CORRIDOR
Pidge leans against the wall. We again see him struggle trying to decide what to do.
He turns to walk away.
Then stops and puts his head in his hands.
HOTEL ROOM
There is a knock at the door.
Scarlett is about to open it. Simon grabs her wrist before she can open the door. Suspense builds. He looks through the peep hole. Nothing can be seen.
CUTTING BETWEEN HOTEL ROOM AND CORRIDOR
Pidge has covered peep hole with his hand.
Simon asks who is there?
No reply.
Pidge knocks again.
Silence.
“Spence, it’s me.”
Simon realises that it is Pidge but is suspicious that he is not alone. They argue through the door. Pidge eventually convinces him that he is alone and lets him in.
HOTEL ROOM
They talk about how long their affair has been going on. Begin to argue. Pidge is hurt that Simon did not tell him. Simon explains. Pidge understands but tells them they will never be able to get away from Mike. Simon rhetorically asks what other options they have? Pidge accepts this, says goodbye to his best friend and then suggests that the least Simon could do would be to walk him to the train station.
NIGHT TIME
WALKING DOWN MAIN STREET OUTSIDE THE TRAIN STATION
Simon, Scarlett and Pidge walking, talking, laughing.
Simon sees Kevin and Johnny further down the road.
He misunderstands and becomes angry with Pidge thinking he has tricked them.
Pidge has forgotten that Kevin and Johnny were coming, he did not mean for this to happen. Tries to convince Simon – he won’t listen to him. Pidge looks frustrated and begins walking towards Kevin and Johnny. Audience wonder he is going to do.
SIMON AND SCARLETT
Hide peering around the corner of the train station.
PIDGE
Walks up to Kevin and Johnny
“I lost them.”
Kevin and Johnny are annoyed with Pidge but understand how easy it is to lose them.
He suggests they walk around and check hotels looking for them before they have to tell Mike.
SIMON AND SCARLETT
Simon sees what Pidge has done for them.
PIDGE
When Kevin and Johnny are not looking Pidge turns around to look in the direction of where Simon is hiding. Simon mouths “Thank you.” to Pidge. He is truly grateful.
A TRAIN PLATFORM
Simon and Scarlett get on a train again quickly.
MONTAGE
Shows the passage of time.
The gangs useless searches.
Almost catching them once - losing them again.
Scarlett and Simon travelling around the UK - hotel after hotel - Renting cars.
We see them getting tired of running away.
We see the gang getting tired of the search apart from Mike who is adamant he will find them.
THE LAST DAY
Their two weeks is up.
The audience has known the tragic end from the beginning.
It begins with Scarlett and Simon in the car.
No map.
They know their way around where they are.
HOUSE
Mike and the gang are reassessing the search – going over the last week. Where Simon and Scarlett were last seen. Some want to end the search as it is not making them money like their usual work. Mike refuses to end it. The television is on in the background – volume turned down – the news report announcing Scarlett and Simon’s deaths comes on. Johnny tells one of the other gang members to turn the volume up. They all watch in stunned silence. Pidge’s face shows he is devastated.
NEWS REPORT
Takes over the screen.
The television is turned off.
Camera pans around to Scarlett and Simon sitting in an arm chair watching.
We see they have faked their own deaths so that they could start a new life together.
THE END.
SECTION 6: CHARACTER OUTLINES AND SCRIPT
Characterisations
Simon Spencer - He is a 20 year old male. He wears smart pants, a shirt and an undone tie. He’s cocky, smart and tough but caring.
Scarlett Hart – She is a 19 year old female. She wears a smart high-waisted pencil skirt and a tucked in blouse. She’s controlled by Mike.
David Pidgeon – He is an 18 year old male. He wears a suit with his tie done up. He’s happy, a joker and a helper but not intelligent.
Mike Steele – He is a 24 year old male. He wears a suit with his tie done up and a trilby. He’s a villain and is controlling and violent.
Jonny O’Brian – He is a 19 year old male. He wears a suit with his tie done up and he carries a gun. He likes guns.
Kevin Cameleon – He is a 21 year old male. He wears a suit with his tie done up. He’s sneaky and sly.
Miles Phillips – He is a 23 year old male. He wears a suit with his tie done up. He’s a nice man but he’s under peer pressure.
Colin Moyle – He is a 23 year old male. He wears a suit with his tie done up. He escaped from prison in France.
________________
Script
CUT TO:
INT. NEWS STUDIO – 7PM
MARTIN BRAMWELL sat in a news studio behind a news desk. At the side of the screen there are pictures of the incident.
MARTIN
Good evening, and tonight’s top story is the incident which claimed the lives of Simon Spencer and Scarlett Hart. A car known to be theirs has been found burnt after a fatal explosion. No bodies have been found as of yet, however it is highly unlikely that anybody could’ve survived this tragic accident. Police are still investigating this case and have many… (Fades out)
Flash of white light. ‘2 weeks earlier’ appears on the screen in typewriter font.
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM – MORNING
SIMON SPENCER is getting ready in his bathroom. He’s tying his tie. THE CAMERA SHOWS HIM through the mirror.
SIMON (Internal diegetic)
My name is Simon James Spencer and there are a few things you need to know about me. I’m 20 years old. I’m a mild insomniac. I watch far too much television and I never could have imagined how much my life would change the very moment I set eyes on her. Scarlett. The only reason I still work for that vile man. The deals and the threats… being a part of this gang was never in my plan, I hate it. But I would do anything for her. She is my life now. This is my life now.
CUT TO:
EXT. DRIVEWAY – EARLY AFTERNOON
Simon gets out of his car and walks towards the front door of the house NERVOUSLY. He’s about to knock on the door but DAVID ‘PIDGE’ PIDGEON opens it before he has chance.
PIDGE (MOCK SERIOUS)
You’re late.
SIMON (JOKINGLY)
Shut up.
CAMERA FOLLOWS THEM INTO THE HALLWAY. Simon pushes Pidge into the house JOKINGLY. They do their secret handshake showing they are best friends. CAMERA IS INFRONT of the 2 characters and TRACKS BACKWARDS into the living room. THE CAMERA SPINS AND ZOOMS into MIKE STEELE and his dog AUDREY. The dog barks at Simon ANGRILY.
MIKE
Calm down Audrey.
Simon Spencer - He is a 20 year old male. He wears smart pants, a shirt and an undone tie. He’s cocky, smart and tough but caring.
Scarlett Hart – She is a 19 year old female. She wears a smart high-waisted pencil skirt and a tucked in blouse. She’s controlled by Mike.
David Pidgeon – He is an 18 year old male. He wears a suit with his tie done up. He’s happy, a joker and a helper but not intelligent.
Mike Steele – He is a 24 year old male. He wears a suit with his tie done up and a trilby. He’s a villain and is controlling and violent.
Jonny O’Brian – He is a 19 year old male. He wears a suit with his tie done up and he carries a gun. He likes guns.
Kevin Cameleon – He is a 21 year old male. He wears a suit with his tie done up. He’s sneaky and sly.
Miles Phillips – He is a 23 year old male. He wears a suit with his tie done up. He’s a nice man but he’s under peer pressure.
Colin Moyle – He is a 23 year old male. He wears a suit with his tie done up. He escaped from prison in France.
________________
Script
CUT TO:
INT. NEWS STUDIO – 7PM
MARTIN BRAMWELL sat in a news studio behind a news desk. At the side of the screen there are pictures of the incident.
MARTIN
Good evening, and tonight’s top story is the incident which claimed the lives of Simon Spencer and Scarlett Hart. A car known to be theirs has been found burnt after a fatal explosion. No bodies have been found as of yet, however it is highly unlikely that anybody could’ve survived this tragic accident. Police are still investigating this case and have many… (Fades out)
Flash of white light. ‘2 weeks earlier’ appears on the screen in typewriter font.
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM – MORNING
SIMON SPENCER is getting ready in his bathroom. He’s tying his tie. THE CAMERA SHOWS HIM through the mirror.
SIMON (Internal diegetic)
My name is Simon James Spencer and there are a few things you need to know about me. I’m 20 years old. I’m a mild insomniac. I watch far too much television and I never could have imagined how much my life would change the very moment I set eyes on her. Scarlett. The only reason I still work for that vile man. The deals and the threats… being a part of this gang was never in my plan, I hate it. But I would do anything for her. She is my life now. This is my life now.
CUT TO:
EXT. DRIVEWAY – EARLY AFTERNOON
Simon gets out of his car and walks towards the front door of the house NERVOUSLY. He’s about to knock on the door but DAVID ‘PIDGE’ PIDGEON opens it before he has chance.
PIDGE (MOCK SERIOUS)
You’re late.
SIMON (JOKINGLY)
Shut up.
CAMERA FOLLOWS THEM INTO THE HALLWAY. Simon pushes Pidge into the house JOKINGLY. They do their secret handshake showing they are best friends. CAMERA IS INFRONT of the 2 characters and TRACKS BACKWARDS into the living room. THE CAMERA SPINS AND ZOOMS into MIKE STEELE and his dog AUDREY. The dog barks at Simon ANGRILY.
MIKE
Calm down Audrey.
Friday, 28 November 2008
SECTION 7: RECCE AND LOCATION SHEETS
Locations for filming
Location: priesley
health and safety
extension cordes, celotape,
keep away from water,
trained dog.
Location: Jade's living room
Address: 374 liverpool road great sankey
telephone number 01925 728379
health and safety
extension cordes, celotape,
keep away from water,
trained dog.
Location: Jade's kitchen
Address: 374 liverpool road great sankey
telephone number 01925 728379
health and safety
extension cordes, celotape,
keep away from water,
trained dog.
Location: Jade's bathroom
Address: 374 liverpool road great sankey
telephone number o1925 728379
health and safety
extension cordes, celotape,
keep away from water,
trained dog.
Location: priesley
health and safety
extension cordes, celotape,
keep away from water,
trained dog.
Location: Jade's living room
Address: 374 liverpool road great sankey
telephone number 01925 728379
health and safety
extension cordes, celotape,
keep away from water,
trained dog.
Location: Jade's kitchen
Address: 374 liverpool road great sankey
telephone number 01925 728379
health and safety
extension cordes, celotape,
keep away from water,
trained dog.
Location: Jade's bathroom
Address: 374 liverpool road great sankey
telephone number o1925 728379
health and safety
extension cordes, celotape,
keep away from water,
trained dog.
Saturday, 22 November 2008
SECTION 3: BRAINSTORM OF CONTENT AND CLASSIFICATION OF FILM
Certificate of film
We have reached the decision that a 15 certificate is the best for our film. An 18 certificate would eliminate a large section of our audience, and may not be necessary in terms of what we need to put in the film i.e. violence. A 12 would be restricting in what we could film, and may make the film less powerful. A 15 is perfect as we can show some violence, without isolating part of our audience. And the lack of gore and extreme violence could create more suspension, which is fitting for the thriller genre.
Thriller Ideas written up from brain storm:
Idea 1: A man escapes from an asylum, kills people all over the country but aims at killing the doctors of other asylums in order to help his physcopathic friends escape so they can all take over.
Idea 2: 7 people on death row, each one has committed a deadly sin, it turns out to be just one person as the killer who has 7 different personalities.
Idea 3: Little girl is kidnapped her parents have been left clues, they follows the clues, lots of twists and turns, to find her dead or alive?
Idea 4: A villiage has poisoned water they go to find out what is makes the water bad - find dead bodies, there is a mystery to be solved.
Idea 5: 8 teenagers locked in a school. They disappear one by one, find them dead, eventually they realise the murderer is one of them. The survivors try to escape. Murderer is the loner character. Lets the nice ones survive and kills himself.
Idea 6: A group of teenagers camping, two of the girls are killed. Murders are so horrific they think only an animal e.g. bear could have done it. Others run for help the forest ranger turns out to be the real killer, goes after the other three teens. A fight for survival.
These were our first ideas and were not chosen as they seemed too much like horrors or slashers, not having the detailed plot line or twist possibilities that a good thriller should have.
We have reached the decision that a 15 certificate is the best for our film. An 18 certificate would eliminate a large section of our audience, and may not be necessary in terms of what we need to put in the film i.e. violence. A 12 would be restricting in what we could film, and may make the film less powerful. A 15 is perfect as we can show some violence, without isolating part of our audience. And the lack of gore and extreme violence could create more suspension, which is fitting for the thriller genre.
Thriller Ideas written up from brain storm:
Idea 1: A man escapes from an asylum, kills people all over the country but aims at killing the doctors of other asylums in order to help his physcopathic friends escape so they can all take over.
Idea 2: 7 people on death row, each one has committed a deadly sin, it turns out to be just one person as the killer who has 7 different personalities.
Idea 3: Little girl is kidnapped her parents have been left clues, they follows the clues, lots of twists and turns, to find her dead or alive?
Idea 4: A villiage has poisoned water they go to find out what is makes the water bad - find dead bodies, there is a mystery to be solved.
Idea 5: 8 teenagers locked in a school. They disappear one by one, find them dead, eventually they realise the murderer is one of them. The survivors try to escape. Murderer is the loner character. Lets the nice ones survive and kills himself.
Idea 6: A group of teenagers camping, two of the girls are killed. Murders are so horrific they think only an animal e.g. bear could have done it. Others run for help the forest ranger turns out to be the real killer, goes after the other three teens. A fight for survival.
These were our first ideas and were not chosen as they seemed too much like horrors or slashers, not having the detailed plot line or twist possibilities that a good thriller should have.
Friday, 14 November 2008
SECTION 2: RESEARCH INTO EXAMPLES OF COMPARABLE MEDIA PRODUCTS
American Psycho
The introduction of American Psycho has a linear and chronological narrative structure. Going from diner to the club and then getting ready the following morning. The scenes flow into one another especially in the restaurant and when Bateman is in his apartment.
The thriller codes and conventions in American Psycho begin in the opening credits when the audience is show what would appear to be drops of blood and a large knife typically scene in thrillers. This is an example of partial vision, because we are later shown that the blood is in fact raspberry sauce and the knife is being used to prepare food in the restaurant in which the characters are eating rather than something sinister.
The exotic is also incorporated because of the upmarket yuppie lifestyle being shown.
Another example of partial vision is the way in which Christian Bale’s character is speaking in riddles, there is a little bit of mystery at all times, a typical thriller convention.
The interesting cinematography begins with the red on white theme that begins the film, this tricks the audience into thinking that the first thing they will see is something gory or sinister. The close ups on the faces and hands of people throughout the film gives the audience the impression that they are only seeing so much and that something is being hidden. The lingering panning shots of the extravagant food and credit cards insinuate wealth, this makes the viewer aware of what kind of person our main character is. The tracking shots following Bateman are always kept at some distance and how the camera is moving round the table rather than sitting at a seat is showing that viewer that they are an observe not a part of the story. Also the shots of Bateman in the mirror and framed picture are reflections and are used to show that he can be seen in different ways.
The Mise-en-scene of the restaurant scene and apartment scene of this sequence is bright, the chrome kitchen and bathroom all have reflective surfaces. In contrast to this the club we see them go to is dark. Christian Bale’s character also changes when he in the club, this is the first time we see him being threatening. Bale’s character is also vain and superficial, the first thing we learn about him being his body care routine.
The first sound we hear in American Psycho is a string instrument in synchronisation with the drops of “blood”. At the beginning this is frightening. However, as it goes on and we realise it is not blood the music becomes more playful suiting the atmosphere at the restaurant. The diegetic music in the club becomes muffled when the characters are speaking, this allows the audience to focus on what is being said. There is a piano piece and a voice over of Bateman’s narration dubbed over the apartment scene. The voice over is internal diegetic as it is supposed to be the thoughts of Bale’s character.
The editing of the sequence becomes most noticeable when there is a stark cut from the nightclub to the apartment. There are also short cuts between his face and hands and the mirror as he gets ready, although these are close up it is showing the audience what he is doing and what he is going to do next. But we are still reminded in these cuts that the audience are observing rather than being involved.
The graphics used in the intro of American Psycho are the drops of “blood” and the stark red on white theme. This unavoidable contrast captures the audiences attention and allows them to use their imagination. The text showing the actors and creators compliments the style of the rest of the film. Being very clean cut, serious and straight forward capital letters. The font is san serif with no embellishments until we see the ‘directed by’ in which the ‘by’ has a different fancier font. This may be to show the split personality possessed by the film’s main character. This change in font contrasts the two sides there is to Bateman.
_______________________________________________
The introduction of American Psycho has a linear and chronological narrative structure. Going from diner to the club and then getting ready the following morning. The scenes flow into one another especially in the restaurant and when Bateman is in his apartment.
The thriller codes and conventions in American Psycho begin in the opening credits when the audience is show what would appear to be drops of blood and a large knife typically scene in thrillers. This is an example of partial vision, because we are later shown that the blood is in fact raspberry sauce and the knife is being used to prepare food in the restaurant in which the characters are eating rather than something sinister.
The exotic is also incorporated because of the upmarket yuppie lifestyle being shown.
Another example of partial vision is the way in which Christian Bale’s character is speaking in riddles, there is a little bit of mystery at all times, a typical thriller convention.
The interesting cinematography begins with the red on white theme that begins the film, this tricks the audience into thinking that the first thing they will see is something gory or sinister. The close ups on the faces and hands of people throughout the film gives the audience the impression that they are only seeing so much and that something is being hidden. The lingering panning shots of the extravagant food and credit cards insinuate wealth, this makes the viewer aware of what kind of person our main character is. The tracking shots following Bateman are always kept at some distance and how the camera is moving round the table rather than sitting at a seat is showing that viewer that they are an observe not a part of the story. Also the shots of Bateman in the mirror and framed picture are reflections and are used to show that he can be seen in different ways.
The Mise-en-scene of the restaurant scene and apartment scene of this sequence is bright, the chrome kitchen and bathroom all have reflective surfaces. In contrast to this the club we see them go to is dark. Christian Bale’s character also changes when he in the club, this is the first time we see him being threatening. Bale’s character is also vain and superficial, the first thing we learn about him being his body care routine.
The first sound we hear in American Psycho is a string instrument in synchronisation with the drops of “blood”. At the beginning this is frightening. However, as it goes on and we realise it is not blood the music becomes more playful suiting the atmosphere at the restaurant. The diegetic music in the club becomes muffled when the characters are speaking, this allows the audience to focus on what is being said. There is a piano piece and a voice over of Bateman’s narration dubbed over the apartment scene. The voice over is internal diegetic as it is supposed to be the thoughts of Bale’s character.
The editing of the sequence becomes most noticeable when there is a stark cut from the nightclub to the apartment. There are also short cuts between his face and hands and the mirror as he gets ready, although these are close up it is showing the audience what he is doing and what he is going to do next. But we are still reminded in these cuts that the audience are observing rather than being involved.
The graphics used in the intro of American Psycho are the drops of “blood” and the stark red on white theme. This unavoidable contrast captures the audiences attention and allows them to use their imagination. The text showing the actors and creators compliments the style of the rest of the film. Being very clean cut, serious and straight forward capital letters. The font is san serif with no embellishments until we see the ‘directed by’ in which the ‘by’ has a different fancier font. This may be to show the split personality possessed by the film’s main character. This change in font contrasts the two sides there is to Bateman.
_______________________________________________
Jaws
The narrative structure of Jaws is linear and chronological, we see the events happen one after another in the order in which they happened.
There are many codes and conventions of a typical thriller in Jaws, this being the tension filled music, the female character being the victim, screaming, having the other character – who could possibly save her- being unaware that anything is wrong. The girl, Chrissy, thinking she is safe when she gets to the buoy but she is not and the shark attacks her again. Also never seeing what is attacking her is an example of partial vision this fear of the unknown a typical convention of a thriller.
The cinematography in the scene where the audience has the view point of the shark is giving the audience an idea that she is not safe and which direction the danger is coming from. The wide shots of the sky and water also show how it was easy for her to think that the water is safe because nothing looks out of the ordinary even from the widest point of view.
There are few props in the opening apart from the fire, showing that it is almost night time and how there will not be many people around. Also the setting gives the audience an idea of the location of the film.
The sound we hear in the opening of Jaws are the tension building music leading up to when the girl is being attacked in the water and the loud drum beat accompanying the attack which stops abruptly when the girl goes underwater for the final time.
The editing of the sequence when the two teenagers are running to the sea and when the girl is being attacked is shown in quick fast paced, frantic cuts of shots from different angles. In contrast to the calm, static, lingering shots of the boy who has fallen asleep on the beach.
_________________________________________
Silence of the Lambs
The introduction to Silence of the Lambs is linear and chronological. The codes and conventions of a thriller shown in this opening are that is it foggy, this could be an example of partial vision, forcing viewers to the edge of their seats not knowing if someone is watching or following her. Or even if she is running into a trap. The running is also a convention, although we soon realise that she is running an police training course. The heavy breathing, although it is her own is still a convention of a thriller film.
As we are following Jodie Foster’s character running through the woods a lot of the shots are tracking, zooming and panning. This makes the viewer feel more involved rather than just an observer.
The Mise-en-scene of this scene are that she is the only woman in the lift with a group of tall men, to emphasize this contrast she is wearing grey and they are all wearing red. The setting also being a forest and the fact that she is on her own add to the tension of this scene. The main prop we see in this scene are guns which have violent connotations.
The non-diegetic string instrument based piece of music which accompanies Foster’s character as she runs through the forest begins quite slowly and calmly. However, as the scene continues the music gets faster and builds tension preparing the audience for what is to follow.
The cuts between shots in the forest begin smoothly but grow more choppy as the scene goes on. The grow even faster when she enters the building, translating a somewhat typical working environment at a police station.
The graphics in this sequence are the opening credits shown in block text filling the frame. This style may have been used to cover some of the screen so that the audience is inclined to know what is behind it and creates a bit more partial vision for them.
_______________________________________
Hannibal Rising
The narrative structure in Hannibal Rising in general has some flashbacks and is not strictly linear. However, in the opening it is chronological because even though what we are seeing is Hannibal’s past. We have not seen ahead of this time yet.
The thriller conventions are how the audience is shown a spiders web and silence of an undisturbed forest. The close ups on the water and leaves is an example of partial vision as the viewer is only being shown a selection of what is happening. Children on their own can also be a convention as it makes the audience consider whether the children are safe. The explosion and the urgency of their parents to get on the road is also a convention of a thriller as the viewer is wondering what they are running to hide from. Although there are clues e.g. planes, Nazi flags. The reassurance the father is giving the children seems more for the benefit of reassuring himself as the children, especially Mischa, are still too young to understand properly. This reassurance also helps the audience to understand what is going on and why they are running away.
The cinematography of the scene begins with close up shots of the forest, the audience is only shown so much. In contrast to this we see some wide shots of the river and the buildings, this is when the mood of the scene is calm. However, when we hear the sound of an explosion the shots become a lot closer again and the angles they are shot from are sharper, this creates an edgy atmosphere for the viewer.
The Mise-en-scene in the way of costumes and setting shows the audience that the film is get the 30’s during World War II. The house they live in and amount of bags they take also show that they are a wealthy family. The performance of the children shows very clearly that they are inseparable and that Hannibal is very protective of his sister Mischa, we later learn that this is crucial to the story.
The first sounds we hear typical noises of the forest alongside vocally created angelic sounding music and soft wind instruments. This calmness flows the children’s laughing which contrasts to the explosion and birds flapping their winds disturbed the mood changes along with the sounds we hear fighter planes overhead and a horse’s neigh. The music becomes tension building and bombs and guns go off continuously in the background. When they are in house we think that they are safe as the music is a lot softer and there is less background noise they are just a family again.
The cuts begin slowly and transitions allow shots to flow into one another they continue to do this in a roundabout way when we see the children playing on the dock but we are shown more angles this time. Cuts become more choppy and frantic when the bomb goes off and they are running away these short sharp cuts are representing the urgency that the family have to get out of their house.
The only graphic in the opening is film title, Hannibal Rising. It is written in capital letters and in a serif font and gradually appears onscreen. The lettering comes into view almost from out of the mist and dissolves away as if into the water.
____________________
Rebecca
Rebecca (1940) directed by Alfred Hitchcock is a classic thriller film and it is about a young woman who marries a rich widower and settles in his mansion. She finds that the memory of his first wife is maintaining a grip on her husband and the servants. The introduction of the film begins with a montage of the grounds of Manderley mansion going into a dream sequence and a flashback of the past.
The narrative structure of the introduction is not strictly linear because it is a dream sequence but the dream follows a linear structure in itself as it is the journey up the drive to the mansion. However, there is then a flashback to the story of how she came to live there in the first place. The flashback contains the rest of the film and the story which explains how the mansion came to be the way we see it in the beginning.
The thriller codes and conventions in the introduction of Rebecca begin when we see the misty grounds of the house. The mist and light streaming through the trees can make the viewer feel that they are being subject to partial vision, only being shown part of the story. The tension building string instrument and low drum beat based music adds to the nervous atmosphere of the introduction and is typical of a thriller. The eerie abandoned mansion is also a typical thriller convention as it connotes a sense of mystery and fear of the unknown.
Cinematography is not particularly varied in the introduction but the little that is shown does say a lot about what is happening. The static long shots of the grounds are the establishing shots, they set the scene and atmosphere for what is coming next. Also these shots are useful for showing the opening titles as not too much is happening and the camera is still. The credits are appropriate here whereas if they were being shown over the next scene it would detract from the importance of what Mrs. de Winter is saying. In the dream sequence we are being guided through what she saw in her dream and the camera is being used as if we are looking through her eyes.Tthe very slow zoom in makes you unsure as to if you are actually moving forward and you are at the iron gates before you even realise the camera is moving. The scene is not totally realistic as the camera, in a way, floats forward. This, I imagine is to enhance the surreal look of the dream. We continue to look through the eyes of Mrs. de Winter narrating the dream, we move up the drive of the house and the camera is moving forward at a quicker pace, building tension for the viewer. When we finally reach the house the camera tilts up to show the house. The slightly low shot compliments how magnanimous it is and the way the camera sweeps across the house the scene loses all reality but I think adds to the dreamy look nicely.
The Mise-en-Scene of the introduction begins with the mist and the moon coming from behind the clouds. These both make the viewer aware that it is supposed to be night time and gives and eerie fill to the sequence. The iron gates also make the viewer question whether we are going somewhere that is dangerous or that we should not be going. The overgrown drive leading up to the house gives the viewer an impression that no one has been down this road in a long time and gives an idea of what to expect of the house. Also the fact that we cannot see clearly around the drive because it is so overgrown adds to the tense atmosphere of the dream. The abandoned mansion with missing windows, trees without leaves and dark clouds shrouding it makes the viewer wonder why the house is like that? and how come the dream narrator knows so much about it? Also, some may wonder who she is? and so on. The viewer forms questions from seeing this and the story begins to answer these questions. The thrashing waves and cliff side are the first things we see in the flashback and they connote violence and danger and prepares us to see the man about to jump. However, when we meet the women who has been narrating us through the dream her soft kindliness contrasts to this.
The first sounds we hear in the introduction of Rebecca is tension building music. The music becomes slightly more joyful as if it is trying to make the audience feel reminiscent of this place we are being shown. It then becomes softer and we hear the narration monologue added in post-synchronisation. The words flow nicely through the sequence and in time with everything we see on screen and violins music, connoting sadness is more prominent when we see Manderley. It makes the audience wonder why Manderley is a figurehead for such sad memories. The sound of crashing waves is heard before the image is on screen, I think this is because this loud noise is supposed to take you out of the dream like feeling and into reality but the noise comes before the explanation of what it is to get the audience thinking. The music builds up loudly until we see the man on the cliff side this tells the audience that he is not safe.
The establishing shots transition into one another smoothly, almost as if they are blending together this gives the audience a calm feeling and eases them into the dream. To give the sequence this dreamy look a radial blur has been used on some of the shots making them glow, a very impressive effect for 1940’s cinema. The shot of the moon fades to black and the shot of the iron gates fades in from black. When the camera passes through the gates “like a spirit” this is also a very impressive editing technique for the time when the film was made. To cut down the length of time spent on the drive the camera goes into the mist and this is used to transition between the next shot further ahead. After seeing the house it again fades to black, more quickly this time as if coming out of the dream.
The on screen graphics of this sequence are the title and main credits of the film. The title font of “Rebecca” looks as if it could have been handwritten by Rebecca, Mr de Winter’s first wife, it is feminine but in strong capital letters showing the type of woman that she was. The serif font used for the credits is tall and business like showing that this film is to be taken seriously. Also the cast and crews names are in capital letters whereas the titles and connecting words are in lower case. This shows that their names and the fact that they were even involved in the production is more important than what they did on in the film.
The narrative structure in Hannibal Rising in general has some flashbacks and is not strictly linear. However, in the opening it is chronological because even though what we are seeing is Hannibal’s past. We have not seen ahead of this time yet.
The thriller conventions are how the audience is shown a spiders web and silence of an undisturbed forest. The close ups on the water and leaves is an example of partial vision as the viewer is only being shown a selection of what is happening. Children on their own can also be a convention as it makes the audience consider whether the children are safe. The explosion and the urgency of their parents to get on the road is also a convention of a thriller as the viewer is wondering what they are running to hide from. Although there are clues e.g. planes, Nazi flags. The reassurance the father is giving the children seems more for the benefit of reassuring himself as the children, especially Mischa, are still too young to understand properly. This reassurance also helps the audience to understand what is going on and why they are running away.
The cinematography of the scene begins with close up shots of the forest, the audience is only shown so much. In contrast to this we see some wide shots of the river and the buildings, this is when the mood of the scene is calm. However, when we hear the sound of an explosion the shots become a lot closer again and the angles they are shot from are sharper, this creates an edgy atmosphere for the viewer.
The Mise-en-scene in the way of costumes and setting shows the audience that the film is get the 30’s during World War II. The house they live in and amount of bags they take also show that they are a wealthy family. The performance of the children shows very clearly that they are inseparable and that Hannibal is very protective of his sister Mischa, we later learn that this is crucial to the story.
The first sounds we hear typical noises of the forest alongside vocally created angelic sounding music and soft wind instruments. This calmness flows the children’s laughing which contrasts to the explosion and birds flapping their winds disturbed the mood changes along with the sounds we hear fighter planes overhead and a horse’s neigh. The music becomes tension building and bombs and guns go off continuously in the background. When they are in house we think that they are safe as the music is a lot softer and there is less background noise they are just a family again.
The cuts begin slowly and transitions allow shots to flow into one another they continue to do this in a roundabout way when we see the children playing on the dock but we are shown more angles this time. Cuts become more choppy and frantic when the bomb goes off and they are running away these short sharp cuts are representing the urgency that the family have to get out of their house.
The only graphic in the opening is film title, Hannibal Rising. It is written in capital letters and in a serif font and gradually appears onscreen. The lettering comes into view almost from out of the mist and dissolves away as if into the water.
____________________
Rebecca
Rebecca (1940) directed by Alfred Hitchcock is a classic thriller film and it is about a young woman who marries a rich widower and settles in his mansion. She finds that the memory of his first wife is maintaining a grip on her husband and the servants. The introduction of the film begins with a montage of the grounds of Manderley mansion going into a dream sequence and a flashback of the past.
The narrative structure of the introduction is not strictly linear because it is a dream sequence but the dream follows a linear structure in itself as it is the journey up the drive to the mansion. However, there is then a flashback to the story of how she came to live there in the first place. The flashback contains the rest of the film and the story which explains how the mansion came to be the way we see it in the beginning.
The thriller codes and conventions in the introduction of Rebecca begin when we see the misty grounds of the house. The mist and light streaming through the trees can make the viewer feel that they are being subject to partial vision, only being shown part of the story. The tension building string instrument and low drum beat based music adds to the nervous atmosphere of the introduction and is typical of a thriller. The eerie abandoned mansion is also a typical thriller convention as it connotes a sense of mystery and fear of the unknown.
Cinematography is not particularly varied in the introduction but the little that is shown does say a lot about what is happening. The static long shots of the grounds are the establishing shots, they set the scene and atmosphere for what is coming next. Also these shots are useful for showing the opening titles as not too much is happening and the camera is still. The credits are appropriate here whereas if they were being shown over the next scene it would detract from the importance of what Mrs. de Winter is saying. In the dream sequence we are being guided through what she saw in her dream and the camera is being used as if we are looking through her eyes.Tthe very slow zoom in makes you unsure as to if you are actually moving forward and you are at the iron gates before you even realise the camera is moving. The scene is not totally realistic as the camera, in a way, floats forward. This, I imagine is to enhance the surreal look of the dream. We continue to look through the eyes of Mrs. de Winter narrating the dream, we move up the drive of the house and the camera is moving forward at a quicker pace, building tension for the viewer. When we finally reach the house the camera tilts up to show the house. The slightly low shot compliments how magnanimous it is and the way the camera sweeps across the house the scene loses all reality but I think adds to the dreamy look nicely.
The Mise-en-Scene of the introduction begins with the mist and the moon coming from behind the clouds. These both make the viewer aware that it is supposed to be night time and gives and eerie fill to the sequence. The iron gates also make the viewer question whether we are going somewhere that is dangerous or that we should not be going. The overgrown drive leading up to the house gives the viewer an impression that no one has been down this road in a long time and gives an idea of what to expect of the house. Also the fact that we cannot see clearly around the drive because it is so overgrown adds to the tense atmosphere of the dream. The abandoned mansion with missing windows, trees without leaves and dark clouds shrouding it makes the viewer wonder why the house is like that? and how come the dream narrator knows so much about it? Also, some may wonder who she is? and so on. The viewer forms questions from seeing this and the story begins to answer these questions. The thrashing waves and cliff side are the first things we see in the flashback and they connote violence and danger and prepares us to see the man about to jump. However, when we meet the women who has been narrating us through the dream her soft kindliness contrasts to this.
The first sounds we hear in the introduction of Rebecca is tension building music. The music becomes slightly more joyful as if it is trying to make the audience feel reminiscent of this place we are being shown. It then becomes softer and we hear the narration monologue added in post-synchronisation. The words flow nicely through the sequence and in time with everything we see on screen and violins music, connoting sadness is more prominent when we see Manderley. It makes the audience wonder why Manderley is a figurehead for such sad memories. The sound of crashing waves is heard before the image is on screen, I think this is because this loud noise is supposed to take you out of the dream like feeling and into reality but the noise comes before the explanation of what it is to get the audience thinking. The music builds up loudly until we see the man on the cliff side this tells the audience that he is not safe.
The establishing shots transition into one another smoothly, almost as if they are blending together this gives the audience a calm feeling and eases them into the dream. To give the sequence this dreamy look a radial blur has been used on some of the shots making them glow, a very impressive effect for 1940’s cinema. The shot of the moon fades to black and the shot of the iron gates fades in from black. When the camera passes through the gates “like a spirit” this is also a very impressive editing technique for the time when the film was made. To cut down the length of time spent on the drive the camera goes into the mist and this is used to transition between the next shot further ahead. After seeing the house it again fades to black, more quickly this time as if coming out of the dream.
The on screen graphics of this sequence are the title and main credits of the film. The title font of “Rebecca” looks as if it could have been handwritten by Rebecca, Mr de Winter’s first wife, it is feminine but in strong capital letters showing the type of woman that she was. The serif font used for the credits is tall and business like showing that this film is to be taken seriously. Also the cast and crews names are in capital letters whereas the titles and connecting words are in lower case. This shows that their names and the fact that they were even involved in the production is more important than what they did on in the film.
Friday, 7 November 2008
Se7en analysis
Se7en - Thriller Analysis
Narrative Structure
The narrative structure of Se7en is linear and the story that unfolds is in chronological order. It is set in a week over the seven days seven murders are committed one for each deadly sin. The themes in the film are that of religious and classical text based killings. And humanity – whether it is worth fighting for and having belief in god or a lack there of.
Thriller Codes and Conventions
There are plenty of codes and conventions of a typical thriller film shown in Se7en.
In the scene were Brad Pitt’s character David Mills chases Kevin Spacey’s character John Doe we never see Doe’s face. He it is either covered by his hat or he is too far away. This adds to the suspense, the audience are made to feel like they are about to find out who the killer is. But when he gets away from Mills he removes himself from view of the audience too. The quick cuts and fast paced cinematography often used in Thrillers is used in Se7en to great extent in the scenes e.g. chase scene. Gory scenes are usually a convention of thrillers and this film has many creative examples from every murder scene they visit. The shadows, eerie lighting and dingy setting used in the scene when Mills and Somerset are looking around John Doe’s apartment is typical of a thriller film convention. A setting like this builds tension and prepares the audience to expect something to jump out at any minute.
The thriller convention theories compiled by Mark Ruben that we looked at the other week also apply to Se7en. Se7en is set in a city hence, GK Chesterton’s theory of an Urban setting. Northrop Frye’s idea of turning the ordinary into the extraordinary applies here as the heroes of the storyline, may be policemen, but they are still ordinary people. The audience is even shown them being ordinary by showing how they both started their days like normal. John Cawelti brings the exotic to this, in the way that Doe’s murders were so elaborate and how the plot combines classic and biblical texts. This is not something normal it is “exotic” in the way that it is so inventive and unusual. WH Matthews theory of twists applies to Se7en when you look at the section in the film when, just before the sloth killing, Mills and Somerset think they have caught the murderer. But no it turns out the man they thought was the murderer was actually one of the victims. Pascal Bonitzer’s theory of partial vision applies to Se7en when the audience does not see what is in the box at the end. Not seeing the what is in the box at the end also applies to Lars Ole Saurberg’s theory of concealment and protraction as the outcome is drawn out in the moment as Somerset opens the box and this builds tension for the audience. Noel Carroll’s theory of question and answer applies to Se7en as the audience is constantly asking the questions “who is committing all these murders?” and “Will the Mills and Somerset catch him?” they are answered as the film goes on.
Cinematography
Rather than shot-reverse-shot Mills and Somerset have a lot of two shot and sideways on conversations. E.g. on the couch and in the mirror. Firstly showing that neither character is more important than the other and also because it is supposed to make the audience feel like one of the team, as if the viewer is level with and alongside the two main characters, helping them solve the case. At the beginning, a lot of the shots of Mills and Somerset are from below. This is probably to show the high status they both hold in the film. Se7en is also full of tracking shots. Mainly when they are on a murder scene, the camera is in front following them through the rooms this allows the audience feel more involved in what is happening. Similarly, there are also shots where the camera pans slowly around the room e.g. seeing Doe’s apartment properly for the first time. The audience is now being allowed to look around for details, yet again increasing the involvement. Shaky running shots from the chase scene makes the audience part of the point of view. It is also used to break up the shots for some variety and texture.
In one of the final scenes the camera is looking up to Doe and his head is blocking out the sun giving him an angelic glow. This is a clever technique and subtle reminder of how Doe thinks of himself. How he is under the impression he is doing God’s work by killing these people. Finally, the wide, almost aerial shot of the men after the shooting has been used to distance the audience from the characters now and to remind them of the wider consequences of what has happened.
Mise-en-Scene
Performance
There is a noticeable contrast in the confidence portrayed between the detectives. Mills is urgent and always eager for action whereas Somerset takes his investigations in a calm, careful manner. We can see that his character is the one who looks at the logics behind each case. A contrast like this would usually result in the two characters being incompatible. However, their styles of investigation compliment each other and in the end they make a good team. The performance of both Pitt and Freeman’s characters when they are in the office, when Somerset is preparing to move out and Mills moves in, is very realistically awkward. The audience is made to feel the tension in the room along with the characters.
Costume, Hair and Make-up
Looking at the costumes worn by the two main characters we see that Somerset’s suits are always neatly pressed. He alternates between grey and brown tweed, wearing a trilby a lot of the time. This traditional attire tell the audience that this character is quite old fashioned before we even get to know him. On the other hand Mills is generally seen wearing black suit trousers, a white shirt and a crumpled leather jacket. We also see how Mills’ tie is already done before he puts it on, this again helps us identify Mills’ character. The viewer sees he is a bit rough around the edges, but is trying hard and his tie being already done suggests that he is always on the go and wants to keep everything fast paced.
Props
One major prop used continuously in Se7en are guns. As the film goes on we learn that Somerset has only had to draw his gun once and Mills even though he is relatively new, he has not only drawn his gun but has shot it and killed. The presence of guns in this film is unavoidable and the viewer sees that Mills’ wife, Tracy hates guns which is a clue as to what will happen in the end. Torches are also an important prop in Se7en, they are used to highlight certain areas on the screen – the audience are only shown what the torches shine on, this highlights details and the viewer also cannot see whether the killer is there, this creates suspense and fear. Dreary, messy apartments with flickering televisions, cockroaches and dull lighting all add to the eerie, creepy feel that is trying to be created. Another prop that was used to good effect was the hundreds of car air fresheners over the rotting body in the “Sloth” killing. The sheer amount of air fresheners used helps the audience imagine how bad it must smell.
Sound
In the introductory montage of Se7en, a mixture of grungy mechanical, unnatural noise has been dubbed over. It has no comforting tones and so builds tension for the audience about what is going to happen during the film. The post synchronized diegetic, off screen noise such as rain, sirens, shouting and dogs barking have all been added to help the audience learn to sympathise with the characters and gain understanding of why they do not like living in the city. During the montage of Mills and Somerset in the library and at home both trying to solve the case. Somerset listens to the classical music piece ‘Air on a G String’ by Bach, though it has been dubbed over the shots of Mills also. This makes the audience consider the contrast by showing the peaceful intellectual side to their job. This music continues in a sound bridge over to Wednesday helping the scenes to flow into one another.
Editing and Graphics
The editing in the introduction of Se7en is shown in quick cuts between shots of what we later learn is John Doe preparing for the murders he commits. These harsh cuts are supposed to represent the sharp razorblades in the clips and give a feeling of uneasiness and curiosity to the audience preparing them for what is to come. The montage style clips of Somerset in the library and Mills at home are slow sweeping shots and are dragged out before flicking between the two of them as this is meant to be a peaceful scene. The flash of Mills wife’s face at the end is used to explain to those in the audience who have not understood. And also the fact that it is shown very quickly is supposed to put across how quickly this will have registered in Mills mind and what he will have seen before he decided to kill Doe for revenge. The scene where the frame has been bordered with binoculars when they are looking through them is once again for audience involvement.
Narrative Structure
The narrative structure of Se7en is linear and the story that unfolds is in chronological order. It is set in a week over the seven days seven murders are committed one for each deadly sin. The themes in the film are that of religious and classical text based killings. And humanity – whether it is worth fighting for and having belief in god or a lack there of.
Thriller Codes and Conventions
There are plenty of codes and conventions of a typical thriller film shown in Se7en.
In the scene were Brad Pitt’s character David Mills chases Kevin Spacey’s character John Doe we never see Doe’s face. He it is either covered by his hat or he is too far away. This adds to the suspense, the audience are made to feel like they are about to find out who the killer is. But when he gets away from Mills he removes himself from view of the audience too. The quick cuts and fast paced cinematography often used in Thrillers is used in Se7en to great extent in the scenes e.g. chase scene. Gory scenes are usually a convention of thrillers and this film has many creative examples from every murder scene they visit. The shadows, eerie lighting and dingy setting used in the scene when Mills and Somerset are looking around John Doe’s apartment is typical of a thriller film convention. A setting like this builds tension and prepares the audience to expect something to jump out at any minute.
The thriller convention theories compiled by Mark Ruben that we looked at the other week also apply to Se7en. Se7en is set in a city hence, GK Chesterton’s theory of an Urban setting. Northrop Frye’s idea of turning the ordinary into the extraordinary applies here as the heroes of the storyline, may be policemen, but they are still ordinary people. The audience is even shown them being ordinary by showing how they both started their days like normal. John Cawelti brings the exotic to this, in the way that Doe’s murders were so elaborate and how the plot combines classic and biblical texts. This is not something normal it is “exotic” in the way that it is so inventive and unusual. WH Matthews theory of twists applies to Se7en when you look at the section in the film when, just before the sloth killing, Mills and Somerset think they have caught the murderer. But no it turns out the man they thought was the murderer was actually one of the victims. Pascal Bonitzer’s theory of partial vision applies to Se7en when the audience does not see what is in the box at the end. Not seeing the what is in the box at the end also applies to Lars Ole Saurberg’s theory of concealment and protraction as the outcome is drawn out in the moment as Somerset opens the box and this builds tension for the audience. Noel Carroll’s theory of question and answer applies to Se7en as the audience is constantly asking the questions “who is committing all these murders?” and “Will the Mills and Somerset catch him?” they are answered as the film goes on.
Cinematography
Rather than shot-reverse-shot Mills and Somerset have a lot of two shot and sideways on conversations. E.g. on the couch and in the mirror. Firstly showing that neither character is more important than the other and also because it is supposed to make the audience feel like one of the team, as if the viewer is level with and alongside the two main characters, helping them solve the case. At the beginning, a lot of the shots of Mills and Somerset are from below. This is probably to show the high status they both hold in the film. Se7en is also full of tracking shots. Mainly when they are on a murder scene, the camera is in front following them through the rooms this allows the audience feel more involved in what is happening. Similarly, there are also shots where the camera pans slowly around the room e.g. seeing Doe’s apartment properly for the first time. The audience is now being allowed to look around for details, yet again increasing the involvement. Shaky running shots from the chase scene makes the audience part of the point of view. It is also used to break up the shots for some variety and texture.
In one of the final scenes the camera is looking up to Doe and his head is blocking out the sun giving him an angelic glow. This is a clever technique and subtle reminder of how Doe thinks of himself. How he is under the impression he is doing God’s work by killing these people. Finally, the wide, almost aerial shot of the men after the shooting has been used to distance the audience from the characters now and to remind them of the wider consequences of what has happened.
Mise-en-Scene
Performance
There is a noticeable contrast in the confidence portrayed between the detectives. Mills is urgent and always eager for action whereas Somerset takes his investigations in a calm, careful manner. We can see that his character is the one who looks at the logics behind each case. A contrast like this would usually result in the two characters being incompatible. However, their styles of investigation compliment each other and in the end they make a good team. The performance of both Pitt and Freeman’s characters when they are in the office, when Somerset is preparing to move out and Mills moves in, is very realistically awkward. The audience is made to feel the tension in the room along with the characters.
Costume, Hair and Make-up
Looking at the costumes worn by the two main characters we see that Somerset’s suits are always neatly pressed. He alternates between grey and brown tweed, wearing a trilby a lot of the time. This traditional attire tell the audience that this character is quite old fashioned before we even get to know him. On the other hand Mills is generally seen wearing black suit trousers, a white shirt and a crumpled leather jacket. We also see how Mills’ tie is already done before he puts it on, this again helps us identify Mills’ character. The viewer sees he is a bit rough around the edges, but is trying hard and his tie being already done suggests that he is always on the go and wants to keep everything fast paced.
Props
One major prop used continuously in Se7en are guns. As the film goes on we learn that Somerset has only had to draw his gun once and Mills even though he is relatively new, he has not only drawn his gun but has shot it and killed. The presence of guns in this film is unavoidable and the viewer sees that Mills’ wife, Tracy hates guns which is a clue as to what will happen in the end. Torches are also an important prop in Se7en, they are used to highlight certain areas on the screen – the audience are only shown what the torches shine on, this highlights details and the viewer also cannot see whether the killer is there, this creates suspense and fear. Dreary, messy apartments with flickering televisions, cockroaches and dull lighting all add to the eerie, creepy feel that is trying to be created. Another prop that was used to good effect was the hundreds of car air fresheners over the rotting body in the “Sloth” killing. The sheer amount of air fresheners used helps the audience imagine how bad it must smell.
Sound
In the introductory montage of Se7en, a mixture of grungy mechanical, unnatural noise has been dubbed over. It has no comforting tones and so builds tension for the audience about what is going to happen during the film. The post synchronized diegetic, off screen noise such as rain, sirens, shouting and dogs barking have all been added to help the audience learn to sympathise with the characters and gain understanding of why they do not like living in the city. During the montage of Mills and Somerset in the library and at home both trying to solve the case. Somerset listens to the classical music piece ‘Air on a G String’ by Bach, though it has been dubbed over the shots of Mills also. This makes the audience consider the contrast by showing the peaceful intellectual side to their job. This music continues in a sound bridge over to Wednesday helping the scenes to flow into one another.
Editing and Graphics
The editing in the introduction of Se7en is shown in quick cuts between shots of what we later learn is John Doe preparing for the murders he commits. These harsh cuts are supposed to represent the sharp razorblades in the clips and give a feeling of uneasiness and curiosity to the audience preparing them for what is to come. The montage style clips of Somerset in the library and Mills at home are slow sweeping shots and are dragged out before flicking between the two of them as this is meant to be a peaceful scene. The flash of Mills wife’s face at the end is used to explain to those in the audience who have not understood. And also the fact that it is shown very quickly is supposed to put across how quickly this will have registered in Mills mind and what he will have seen before he decided to kill Doe for revenge. The scene where the frame has been bordered with binoculars when they are looking through them is once again for audience involvement.
Thursday, 30 October 2008
SECTION 1: THE THRILLER GENRE
Section 1: The Thriller Genre
Martin Ruben’s book used ideas of a range of critics and authors to examine the basic ingredients of a Thriller starting with GK Chesterton, who defended the genre by determining it as a modern genre. Suggesting that mainly, Thrillers were set in urban landscapes e.g. Seven, often making them more realistic to an audience. He referred to them as an attempt to find ‘the poetry of modern life’ and to find excitement in an everyday environment, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. Chesterton’s theories were more based on what a thriller should be in order to have the desired effect on an audience.
Northrop Frye builds on Chesterton’s critique by saying that the hero should be an ordinary person. That way, as the story goes on we will always be unsure weather he/she is going to survive. This will keep the audience in suspense, the perfect reaction to a good Thriller would be the audience not knowing what comes next. Frye suggests we are happy to believe the situation because thrillers are similar to romance fiction. This theory is explained by stating that the hero of the romance fiction moves into a world which the ordinary laws of nature are slightly suspended. The enchanted forest becomes modern city, this allows the thriller to seem more realistic.
Combining the theories of Chesterton and Frye, John Cawelti believed that Thrillers should transform a city from modern centre commerce, industry and science into a place of enchantment and mystery. This is achieved by introducing the exotic into the everyday world.
WH Matthews work relates to mazes and labyrinths in fiction. He was inspired by the image of Theaseus descending into and underground maze full of twists and turns, puzzles and dead ends. Matthews thought that this would add a complex twists and turns so that the audience doesn’t solve the problem too easily – the whole picture should be designed so that the audience could deduce it. It is not an aimless journey,
but a puzzling one.
Pacal Bonitzer thought Matthews was describing ‘Partial Vision’ when advocates he mazes into thrillers. He thought that the audience should only be allowed to see so much.
Lars Ole Saurberg wrote about his theory of Concealment and protraction In which he talks about two ways suspense can be added to a thriller. Deliberately hiding something from the audience or delaying or protracting an expected outcome.
In other words his theory and Bonitzer’s theory combined suggest that you should choose what is necessary to show the audience in order for them to understand what is going on but not enough so that they can figure out what is going to happen.
Noel Carroll looked at the Question – Answer model for plot formation. He said that it is important to create questions which keep the audience in suspense until they are answered. The audience my ask themselves “Will the hero survive?” and it is best not to answer that particular question until the end when he/she does or does not survive.
One factor for creating suspense is a battle against odds also know as the probability factor. The moral factor also increases suspense as is may not be morally right for the hero to survive.
I think that the thriller genre has been determined in detail by all these different people to be a difficult genre to master. I also think that they defended it well as a respectable genre. However, I think that all of these theories boil down to one common factor and that is audience suspense. I now know that a thriller, no matter the style of plot line, needs to keep the audience in suspense in order to be successful.
Martin Ruben’s book used ideas of a range of critics and authors to examine the basic ingredients of a Thriller starting with GK Chesterton, who defended the genre by determining it as a modern genre. Suggesting that mainly, Thrillers were set in urban landscapes e.g. Seven, often making them more realistic to an audience. He referred to them as an attempt to find ‘the poetry of modern life’ and to find excitement in an everyday environment, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. Chesterton’s theories were more based on what a thriller should be in order to have the desired effect on an audience.
Northrop Frye builds on Chesterton’s critique by saying that the hero should be an ordinary person. That way, as the story goes on we will always be unsure weather he/she is going to survive. This will keep the audience in suspense, the perfect reaction to a good Thriller would be the audience not knowing what comes next. Frye suggests we are happy to believe the situation because thrillers are similar to romance fiction. This theory is explained by stating that the hero of the romance fiction moves into a world which the ordinary laws of nature are slightly suspended. The enchanted forest becomes modern city, this allows the thriller to seem more realistic.
Combining the theories of Chesterton and Frye, John Cawelti believed that Thrillers should transform a city from modern centre commerce, industry and science into a place of enchantment and mystery. This is achieved by introducing the exotic into the everyday world.
WH Matthews work relates to mazes and labyrinths in fiction. He was inspired by the image of Theaseus descending into and underground maze full of twists and turns, puzzles and dead ends. Matthews thought that this would add a complex twists and turns so that the audience doesn’t solve the problem too easily – the whole picture should be designed so that the audience could deduce it. It is not an aimless journey,
but a puzzling one.
Pacal Bonitzer thought Matthews was describing ‘Partial Vision’ when advocates he mazes into thrillers. He thought that the audience should only be allowed to see so much.
Lars Ole Saurberg wrote about his theory of Concealment and protraction In which he talks about two ways suspense can be added to a thriller. Deliberately hiding something from the audience or delaying or protracting an expected outcome.
In other words his theory and Bonitzer’s theory combined suggest that you should choose what is necessary to show the audience in order for them to understand what is going on but not enough so that they can figure out what is going to happen.
Noel Carroll looked at the Question – Answer model for plot formation. He said that it is important to create questions which keep the audience in suspense until they are answered. The audience my ask themselves “Will the hero survive?” and it is best not to answer that particular question until the end when he/she does or does not survive.
One factor for creating suspense is a battle against odds also know as the probability factor. The moral factor also increases suspense as is may not be morally right for the hero to survive.
I think that the thriller genre has been determined in detail by all these different people to be a difficult genre to master. I also think that they defended it well as a respectable genre. However, I think that all of these theories boil down to one common factor and that is audience suspense. I now know that a thriller, no matter the style of plot line, needs to keep the audience in suspense in order to be successful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
