Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

 

Looking back at my preliminary task there were a few basic errors that could have easily been avoided. I was looking to make sure that I didn’t make the same mistakes in my thriller opening task. There was one big mistake in the preliminary where we broke the 180 degree rule. This could have been avoided easily. Another mistake we made was not having the camera still which again could easily been avoided. I was keen not to repeat these mistakes in my thriller opening. We did not plan the preliminary task as thoroughly as we should have. Therefore I was eager to plan my thriller better.

 

My planning for my thriller wasn’t quite successful as I had to change my location and shooting days several time due to weather conditions. Unlike the preliminary task I decided to use varying camera angles and shots. For example I used a lot of slow tracking shots in my thriller that I would not have used in the preliminary task. When filming in my house there were several things that had to be moved around as they were in the way and also they did not seem right in the scene. I had to move some furniture around to film from the places in the room that I could get the best shots and angles from. For the shots in the house I had to have all the lighting on as without it the smaller props such as the car keys and the shoe laces would not have been seen by the audience otherwise.  

 

To prepare for my thriller I feel I should have experimented more with camera angles, lighting and props in my prelim. Had I done this I feel my thriller would have been of higher quality. I did experiment with camera angles in the thriller. Several shots of the car were taken with the camera tilting. I did this to add to the sense of speed and rush in the driving parts of my prelim.

 

The preliminary task did not have a soundtrack and was just dialogue between the two characters. I decided to avoid dialogue in the thriller opening as it would take away the tension and weaken the bleak atmosphere of the thriller opening.

 

I feel that I did not have the substantial amount of footage that I needed to make my thriller better. I had to edit heavily as I was missing plenty of shots that I needed. I needed a lot more shots of the attack scene and a couple of shots of the car being driven away by the attacker. I was very pleased with the shots of the car as I feel I used some interesting camera angles and shot types. However I feel that the shots of the attack sequence were not quite as good as I had hoped as I left it too late to film those shots, this meant that that particular session of filming was rushed and the shots were not of good quality. The weather also played its part in that sequence as it was very windy but due to poor planning on my part I had to film that night and therefore had to use the better shots from that day.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

 

While making my media product I have learnt how to do many things using technologies that are new to me. I have also learnt how to use things I have used before properly. I have used a camera before but never to record my own media product. I learnt how to zoom the camera to the desired distance to show certain objects in a shot and leave out other details. The camera itself was very easy to use and the quality of the footage was good considering weather conditions. I also found the tripod very easy to use and did not find it difficult to get the camera at the precise height that I wanted. I did have to hold the tripod when filming outdoors as it did wobble a lot.  

 

I also learnt how to frame and compose shots effectively. My preferred method for composing shots was the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds uses a 3 x 3 grid and the middle square is where the focal point of the shot usually is.  This meant that I had to put what I wanted to be the focal point of the shot in roughly the middle of the screen.

The golden mean

I did also use the golden mean to compose some of my shots. The golden mean is a way of composing shots so the focal points are on an imaginary diagonal line across the screen. I often used this technique when filming the shots of the car.

 

The most important piece of technology that I used was the Apple Mac. This was very important as it is where I would edit and add sound to my film. The software that I used is called iMovie. To begin with it was hard to get my head round what to do and how to edit but it didn’t take long before it became easy to edit and I felt comfortable with what I was doing. I found out how to add effects to my footage. For the slow tracking shots from the front of the car I slowed the clip right down to build tension. I then added an ‘old world’ filter. This made the shots black and white but also very dark. This made the shots of the countryside very bleak and desolate. The trees that are in these shots also became very dark in their colour, thus making the shots look like the setting to a horror film.

 

For the external shots of the car going past I added the ‘day into night’ feature. This made the shots look like they were shot at dusk. This meant I didn’t have to risk shooting at dusk and having very limited time. Much like the ‘old world’ filter the dusk shots gave a sense of bleakness being shattered by the speeding car.

 

On iMovie there is also a useful feature that allowed me to speed up and slow down my clips. I found this very useful and used it on all the shots of the car and the tracking shots. I used it to speed up the external shots of the car; this meant that I could show the car moving at considerable speed without having to break the law in the process. Best of all when I sped up the shots the footage still looked realistic and that the car was actually moving at that speed. The tracking shots were slowed right down but had to be stabilised as the camera was shaking due to the vibrations of the car.    

 

On the second day that I attempted to film I did suffer a problem with some of the external shots of the car. The sun was reflecting off the car so when I watched the shots back the car could not be seen clearly. To avoid this problem on most of the shots I filmed some shots and made sure that the sun was obscured behind the trees. These shots were much more effective as the trees also enhance the atmosphere of bleakness.  

 

I also encountered problems with lighting when filming the shots outside the house at night time. This time it was too dark. This meant that some of the close up shots we tried didn’t work as there was too much shadow being cast by the only outside light. To fix this problem we held up a torch opposite the outside light. This meant that the close up shots of the hand and the hammer were not spoilt by the shadow. I also used the shadows to my advantage as we could use the passage to show the attacker seemingly appearing out of the darkness caused by the shadows.

 

After the completion of my editing I then had to burn my project onto a DVD. This is a relatively simple process. To burn the project onto the DVD I had to insert the disc into the side of the Mac and then export my project onto it. I encountered a serious problem the first time I attempted to burn the DVD when the Mac crashed just before the burn was completed. This meant I had to wait for the mac to be fixed and try and burn the DVD again.

 

Another piece of technology I have used for the first time is Prezi. Prezi is a website that allows users to create presentations without being restricted by the creative limitations of Microsoft PowerPoint. I used Prezi to present the organisation of my thriller. This included props, costumes and locations. The information would have been the same if I had used PowerPoint but aesthetically Prezi is a lot better.

How did you attract/address your audience?

How did you attract/address your audience?

 

I used a questionnaire to find out what people wanted from a thriller film. I asked people of all age ranges and various backgrounds what they prefer to see in a thriller film and what storyline and which settings they preferred. I then decided that whatever genre of thriller was most popular with people I would try and make a thriller in that genre. The two most popular genres were crime thrillers and action thrillers so I have included elements of both these genres in my opening sequence.

 

My feedback from questionnaires also suggests that music is important in a thriller opening. I took this on board and thus used music as my main method of creating tension in my thriller opening. Some people also suggested that the killer’s identity should be kept hidden during the opening sequence. They feel that this makes them ask questions and makes them feel the atmosphere of the film.

Who would be the audience for your media product?

Who would be the audience for your media product?

 

My thriller film is aimed at people who enjoy watching gritty British TV dramas such as Ashes to Ashes, Top Boy and Shameless. This is because these TV dramas are all gritty and noting is held back in terms of the language that the characters use. Also the setting of my film is similar to these places as they are all urban or suburban in setting.  I decided to make a film like this because I feel that those programmes in particular could make good films. I also feel that a film like mine would be unique in a world of American blockbusters. My film will also be aimed mainly at males between the ages 25 – 40 as this is the age group where I had the most feedback for this kind of film. However there are also elements in there that may attract a wider audience.

 

I have chosen a BBFC age rating of 15. Generally films such as mine would be an 18 but I feel if it has an age rating of 15 it would give me more of a chance to focus less on violence and more on atmosphere, mood and storyline. Also there is the thieving element to think about as this could influence the behaviour of younger teenagers and children. If computer games such as Grand Theft Auto are not suitable to people this age then a film with a car thief in is also not suitable for people under 15.

 

This age rating would also mean it is easily accessible to a wider audience. My feedback from my questionnaire also suggests that people prefer to see the usual conventions that incorporate elements from the crime genre and the action genre. The film itself is not particularly violent gory and there is no strong language but the theme of murder and stealing does mean that an age rating of 15 is probably more suitable than an age rating of 12.

 

A typical member of the audience for my thriller would probably be about 18 - 24 years old. They would probably enjoy gritty Television dramas such as Luther and Ashes to Ashes. They would perhaps enjoy listening to British music and in particular indie/rock music as those are the music genres that would best fit my film. A typical member of my audience may also have a keen interest in cars and motoring. As my film as the car thief and car chase elements to it there may be a section of my audience who like cars and also action films such as the Fast and Furious franchise.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

 

A production company would assist with almost every aspect of producing my film from scripting and casting to providing money and editing. They would be responsible for finding the quality actors and buying and making props and features for the set, however they would also be responsible for anything that goes wrong such as injuries to actors or filming crew. A distribution company is what it says on the tin. They would be responsible for deciding where and when my film will be shown. They will send out copies of the film to cinemas.

 

I feel that film4 would be the sort of Film Company who could distribute my film. As my film is set in Britain and may have many colloquial mannerisms and phrases that are recognised predominantly by British people. Also film 4 has produced similar products to mine already.

 

Film4 are a British company based in London, they do not produce too many films every year but the films they do make are usually based and set in Britain.  As they are part of the Channel 4 group they do have a fairly wide audience in Britain but not worldwide. This would be alright for my thriller film as it is aimed at a predominantly British audience. Although the storyline is very different to my thriller a film such as Attack the Block has a similar British feel to it and often the characters use phrases that can be seen to be British. Also the setting for Attack the Block, an urban/suburban setting, is similar to some of the settings in my thriller.

Film4 logo

 

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

How does your media product represent Particular social groups?

 

There are only two characters in my thriller opening are polar opposites in terms of costume and this could suggests that they are from very different backgounds and very different social classes. The setting of the house suggests that the home owner (victim) is not middle class but also not struggling for money. In the shots we can see that the house is smart and kept tidy unlike a stereotypical working class household.  

 

The victim is wearing a normal suit and is dressed as if he is getting prepared for some sort of meeting, whether that is a professional meeting or a dodgy meeting is not revealed in the opening scene. The smart suit does suggest that he does have money and may be middle class. The use of a middle aged man suggests that he has been deliberately targeted by the younger attacker. The man is living in what could be described in a typical house. Quite often in a film a character in a smart suit can often be portrayed as powerful, James Bond is a prime example, however in my film the man in the suit is not depicted as a powerful man but as an ordinary man who is not really powerful at all as the audience find out shortly after we first see him. The fact that he is quite a short man could again show the danger he is in and that he is vulnerable. 

 

Often in a thriller film some characters have special traits to make them stand out from other characters but in my film the victim is depicted as being a normal stereotypical middle aged man. I chose to do this because I feel that it represents today’s society.

 

When we first see the hooded attacker he walks out through the gateway. The gateway acts as frame around the character. This highlights that he is a very important character in the story line. It also emphasises that at that moment in time he is the most influential character in the scene. This may not represent characters dressed like him in other films as often they are seen as criminals but not powerful criminals. They are often seen doing the ‘dirty work’ for the gang leaders who may often be in similar costume to the victim in my scene. The darkness that we see all around him could be seen as being a reflection of his character and personality.

 

The attacker is wearing very different clothes to his victim. The tatty jacket suggests that he is from a working class or even lower social class. The use of the scruffy jeans also shows that he is short of money and may have to wear the same clothes several times a week due to a lack of money and this could suggest why he has turned to stealing cars. The theft of the car can be seen as a stereotypical act by someone dressed like that as often in society hoodies are often seen as trouble makers and thieves by people. The attacker is also concealing his identity which is often what armed robbers and car thieves may do.  This is similar to the killer in the shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. In that instance the features of the

killer are not revealed at all but in my film the audience can see the physical build and gender of the attacker but not the facial features.

 

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

For my media task I have been asked to create the opening sequence to a thriller film. I decided to produce a crime thriller. I chose to do this because it is my favourite sub-genre of thriller. I like crime thrillers because they often mix a good storyline with plenty of action and tension.  In most thrillers the key scenes are set at night time. In my thriller I have decided to use this convention as the key part of the opening sequence is set at night time. The part in question is the moment the victim is killed. In some thriller films the plot may be revealed in the opening scene, however in my thriller opening I have revealed clues as to what in particular the plot may entail. Thus in the opening there are shots of the car driving around then towards the end of the sequence we see the car thief attacking someone. As my film is called ‘The Meeting Place’ this makes the audience ask where the meeting place is and what will happen when the protagonist gets there.

 

The car thief element of my film was inspired by the film Drive. I thought the idea of the getaway driver was clever and original so I developed this choosing for my film to be centred on the car thief.

 

In most films the titles may appear after the opening establishing scene. However in my opening I have decided to show the titles during the opening scene. This could act as a barrier between the dual narrative. I decided to opt for a dual narrative as I feel it adds more excitement and drama to the opening of a thriller film. The titles appear as text messages on a mobile phone. This is not conventional as a lot of thriller films use computerised text over a background or a shot of the setting for the film.  This also shows the audience that the main character uses the phone during the film and that the mobile phone is a key prop to the plot.

Titles from se7en compared to my titles

 

 

 

 

 

 

The opening sequence to my thriller film uses the same conventional characters as most thriller films do, these being a victim and a killer. I decided to use this simple format as a result of my audience research. I found that a lot of people prefer simple hero/villain structures to film as they can watch it and not get too confused by complex plot lines.

 

In my thriller sound plays a key part. There is no dialogue in my opening as I feel that dialogue in an opening sequence may start to answer questions before the film actually begins. The sound in my thriller was not inspired by the soundtrack from a thriller film but instead from a tense scene from an episode of Shameless. I found that the slow building music used in that scene really created atmosphere and set the tone for the rest of the episode.

 

In the opening of my thriller I have used several typical camera shots and camera angles that are synonymous with thriller films. For example there are several shots of the victim using high angle shots. The first of which is when the victim is doing his shoe laces up. This shot is used to show vulnerability and is often a typical shot in thriller films as the audience are looking down on that particular character and have a sense of power over the character. The fact that the victim has his back turned to the world also shows vulnerability as he cannot see behind him. This is reinforced when he is attacked and killed from behind him.

Another thing most thrillers do effectively is using lighting to create shadows and darkness. I have used this convention in opening. The shot where the killer walks out of the small passage uses this as at first the audience can’t see him then he walks out of the darkness.

 

Often in thriller openings the victim knows they are a target and can be nervous and tense. However in my thriller the victim goes about his business as normal. This suggests that he is none the wiser to the forthcoming attack. Another factor that suggests vulnerability is the fact that the man his living on his own. This suggests that he has been singled out.

 

Many thrillers use flashbacks as a device to create tension and enhance the storyline. In my thriller I decided to use a flashback. The very slow tracking shots at the beginning of the scene are used to create tension but are also foreshadowing what happens after the attack when the killer steal the car. I filmed these shots on the day when weather conditions limited me on what I could shoot and film outside. The shots are almost dreamlike as I have added an ‘old world’ filter to them. I decided to do this as it made the trees in the background become very dark and looked like dead trees. I was going to use these shots at the same pace I filmed them but this was not effective in creating tension, to do that I slowed the shots right down and added the slow soundtrack.

 

I used the dual narrative to give the audience a taste of what would happen later on in the film with the main character using the stolen car to drive to the ‘meeting place’. Many thriller films are set in bleak bland places to create a sense of isolation. I tried to do this with the shots of the car being driven down country lanes. On those particular shots I used a day into night filter to create a sense of bleakness and an atmosphere of loneliness and isolation.

 

The use of lighting in parts of my opening was inspired by film noir and films such as Double Indemnity. The use of shadows in films such as this influenced my work as I used shadows and light to keep the identity of my killer concealed. The attacker also walks out of the very dark passage where the audience cannot actually see him. I developed this from Double Indemnity as when the man enters the room the focal point of the shot is his shadow.