Location Research

Horror/Thriller films are known to be cliche and over used, in my research, locations are a main cliche that directors fit to. 


Some of these locations are - 
Houses - (The Clockwork Orange)
Forests - (The Last House On The Left)
Empty rooms - (Saw)
Main city locations - (Panic Room)
Castles - (Van Helsing)
Lakes - (Friday The 13th)
Hotels - (The Shining)
Schools - (Tormented)
Countryside - fields, trees etc - (The Crazies)
Graveyards - (Cemetery Man)
Churchs - (The Unborn)
Asylums - (Shutter Island)
Hospitals - (28 Days Later)
Deserts - (The Hills Have Eyes)
Theme Parks - rollercoasters etc (Final Destination 3)


From this research, I have discovered that location is key to make a good horror thriller film and that my group and I will need to look into our ideas with location as a key theme. 

Continuity Editing Task - Evaluating Other Groups Work

When marking the other groups continuity task we had to use the brief we were first given with the directions for the task which informed us of the different things we needed to include as well as using the marking criteria
For


Heather, Laura, Brogan and Sam: We gave them a level three. We thought that they were to good to be a high level two and therefore should be in the threes. There use of different shots and angles was good and they varied them throughout. They also followed the brief and did everything asked of them. There audio was also very clear and easy to understand.

Luke, Jess, Serenna and Hannah: For this group we gave them a low level two. This was mainly because there footage wasn't finished and therefore they had not even completed what they were told to. The audio was okay on there piece and they tired to use a different variety of camera angles within there shots which takes them off a level one.

Callum, Tom and Ellie: For this we gave them a level two-three. This was because they did what they were told to do and followed the instructions. They also used different camera angles and the audio was good I thought on this piece.

Continuity Editing Task

We were given the task of creating a continuity task which focused on producing a short clip of one minute which showed the ability to use the camera along with a range of different angles.
We were given a short of list of things which we would need to include like having a person walk in to a room through a door and exit from the same door, as well as having two people having a conversation.
My group found it hard at first to think of an idea which would be easy to shoot in the day we were given to use the equipment provided. After some discussions about who would be needed to act in the task the ideas came to us and we were able to think of a simple idea which was able to include all the things asked from us.


When filming our task we found it okay as we had the tri-pod to keep the camera still and we were able to develop techniques when using the camera which I believe will be very useful when filming our main coursework.


Editing the film wasn't as hard as I had first anticipated and actually once you are able to learn the basics, editing the short piece is simple.


I think that for my group the role that we took when making the continuity task worked for us and we were able to get the task completed a few days before it was due which left us with more time to make sure it was the best we could make it with the footage we had taken.


I believe after studying the marking criteria and focusing on the video section that I would give our group a high level 2 to a low level 3 as I think we managed to do what fell under the level.


As for the audio this is something my group struggled with when having it on the mac. This was because of the sound of the music which we had chosen to accompany the sense, as I nor anyone else in the group was sure how to make one sound louder than an other and save it there so it wouldn't change the next time it was viewed and this was something that I think my group should of worked on. Because of the loudness of the music in some senses it was hard to hear what was being said. For this I would give our group a level 1 as I personally didn't think it was as clear as it should have been.


Overall I think our video probably scored a level two from the teacher.


From doing this task my group were able to under how the camera and mac worked and the different ways of using them. We also learnt the different things that need to be done when editing a piece of film. There are still things that need to be learnt but I believe that from what we have already learnt it will help us in our main production of our film. We have also been able to learn the different strengths within the group and this therefore will help us in deciding who will do what when doing our final AS piece so we can be organised.

Continuity Task - Completed Video

Planning - Brainstorm

As a group, we sat down and started to think about the style of thriller we would like to base our opening sequence on. After all deciding that we would prefer to pick a hybrid instead of an sub-genre, this is the brainstorm we created to make a decision on what hybrid we would like to focus on.


Genre - Hybrid

Horror Thriller
- murder, torture, tense music, blood, gore, violence, house, death, revenge, love story?, teenagers, news reports, police, flashing images

- french film (Faces In the Crowd) - hong kong film (The eyes) - american film (The Eye) 

Crime Thriller
Se7en (1995)
- buildings, guns, criminals, antagonist/protagonist, housing, urban area - london/city



Action/Adventure Thriller
eg. The James Bond films 


Sci-Fi Thrillers
eg. Alien (1979)


Western Thrillers
eg. High Noon (1952)


Film-noir Thrillers
eg. Double Indemnity (1944)


Romance/Comedy Thrillers 
eg. Safety Last (1923) 

Summary of Research

What have I learnt from my research? 


       From researching the genre of thriller, I have gained an understanding of the codes and conventions of thrillers and what makes a film specific to the thriller genre. I have researched the codes and conventions, camera and editing techniques as well as sound and mise-en-scene which is typical in thriller films. Furthermore, this has allowed me to understand what I need to do to create a good opening title sequence and what factors I need to include to make sure it meets the criteria to become a thriller film. I will apply these factors to the production of my opening sequence through the planning, filming and editing so I can make the film the best it can be. 
       In addition to learning what I need to do to make the opening good, I have also learnt what I need to avoid through the production. The steadiness of the camera, continuity of the editing, use of good pace and suitable mise-en-scene will help me to gain the higher grades and help my group to continue to avoid these negative techniques.
       Overall, the research I have completed has helped me understand the different aspects of film and the thriller genre. The research I have completed has allowed me to gain the knowledge to know what positive and negative techniques and methods I should use or avoid. 
       Now, in my group, we will need to brainstorm our ideas and discuss techniques we could use for the opening of the thriller. We will also need to decide whether our opening sequence will be a hybrid or sub-genre film as well as a thriller. 

Evaluating Past Students Work

As a class, we evaluated past students work which allowed us to understand what is expected of us and what skills were involved in obtaining the high grades. It also has given me more of an understanding into how to create my own original opening title sequence using different and specific skills and not what to do when planning the opening. 

The first impression we got from the openings of the thrillers were that they looked professional and well made. As we starting analysing them in more detail, the opening had some issues that could of easily been avoided such as uneven editing and off timing. These were benefitting factors towards the grade that the past students received so this evaluation session made me realise how every part of the research, planning, filming and editing was crucial and should be done to our best ability so that we can obtain the high grades. 

Thriller One - Room to Breathe

Genre - Psychological Thriller

Audience - 15 Certificate

Technical Ability - Low level 3

Camera - There was a variety of different shots used but the quality of the filming wasn't overly well done. This is because the shots were shaking and bumpy meaning the technical ability level was lowering the grade. 

Editing - The editing was off timing and inconsistent which also put their technical ability level down.

Sound - The music worked well with the opening even though it was contrapuntal music. This technique is used often in thriller films which shows the group thought about the codes and conventions of a thriller.

Mise-en-scene - The props used were realistic and worked well within the plot.

This opening of a thriller was good but had many technical errors that could of easily been resolved throughout the filming and editing process. I have learnt that i need to think carefully about everything my group does in the future to make sure these problems can't effect my opening sequence. 

Thriller Two - Root Case

Genre - Horror Thriller

Audience - 15 Certificate 

Technical Ability - High Level 3

Camera - The shooting was smooth and consistant throughout the opening. There was also a variety of shots in the opening that the group used. 

Editing - The editing was good and timing was well put together

Sound - The music was suitable and parallel to the shots being shown. The group payed well attention to the codes and conventions of a thriller. 

Mise-en-scene - The group used 'film noir' which made it interesting and the group thought well about the genre and style. The props, costumes and characters were well suited to the genre of a thriller. 

The technical ability was very good and stood out compared to the previous group. The group had continuously thought about the codes and conventions and expressed them well in the opening titles. 

What have I learnt?

Through evaluating these two thriller openings, I have gained an understanding of the difference between a high level 3 and a low level 3. I have found out that main errors that were made can easily be avoided or changed if necessary so my group can achieve the highest grade possible. We must make sure our camera skills are precise and steady including a variety of different camera angles and movements as well as editing being consistant and timing is correct. 

Certificate Guidelines - 18 Certificate

18 Certifcate

Suitable only for adults

No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema.
No-one younger than 18 may rent or buy an ‘18’ rated video.

In line with the consistent findings of the BBFC’s public consultations and The Human Rights Act 1998, at ‘18’ the BBFC’s guideline concerns will not normally override the principle that adults should be free to choose their own entertainment. Exceptions are most likely in the following areas:

·                     where the material is in breach of the criminal law, or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence

·                     where material or treatment appears to the BBFC to risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society – for example, any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which may cause harm to public health or morals. This may include portrayals of sexual or sexualised violence which might, for example, eroticise or endorse sexual assault

·                     where there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by context. Such images may be appropriate in ‘R18’ works, and in ‘sex works’ (see below) would normally be confined to that category.

In the case of video works (including video games), which may be more accessible to younger viewers, intervention may be more frequent than for cinema films.

Sex education at ‘18’

Where sex material genuinely seeks to inform and educate in matters such as human sexuality, safer sex and health, explicit images of sexual activity may be permitted.

Sex works at ‘18’

Sex works are works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation. Sex works containing only material which may be simulated are generally passed ‘18’. Sex works containing clear images of real sex, strong fetish material, sexually explicit animated images, or other very strong sexual images will be confined to the ‘R18’ category. Material which is unacceptable in a sex work at ‘R18’ is also unacceptable in a sex work at ‘18’.

Reference - http://www.bbfc.co.uk/classification/guidelines/18-2

Certificate Guidelines - 15 Certificate

Certificate 15

Suitable only for 15 years and over

No one younger than 15 may see a ‘15’ film in a cinema. No one younger than 15 may rent or buy a ‘15’ rated video work.

Discrimination

The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour.

Drugs

Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse. The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example, aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable.

Horror

Strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic or sexualised.

Imitable behaviour

Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

Language

There may be frequent use of strong language (for example, ‘fuck’). The strongest  terms (for example, ‘cunt’) may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.

Nudity

Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.

Sex

Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail. There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour, but the strongest references are unlikely  to be acceptable unless justified by context. Works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable.

Theme

No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate for 15 year olds.

Violence

Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and have a strong contextual justification.

Reference - http://www.bbfc.co.uk/classification/guidelines/15-2

Camera, Editing, Sound and Lighting Terms

Camera Framing
Extreme Long Shot (ELS) - This shot is generally used as an location or scene setting establishing shot. It commonly shows an outdoor shot which is a wide and large area shot, making sure the audience can instantly recognise the surroundings of where the plot will happen. The shot denotes the precise location. 
Long Shot (LS) - The shot is showing a the whole characters body with background around it. The enables the audience to still understand where the character is but they can also see the whole of the character within the shot. This type of shot's main focus is the character but still wants to allow the setting to be known. 
Mid Shot (MS)/Two Shot - Normally contains the figures body from the knee/waist up and is mainly used for dialogue sequences. The shot can contain up to three figures but any more tends to become a long shot. The setting or background is minimal as the shot is nearly always used after the setting has been established. The main focus of the scene is the communication or action between the characters and allows the audience to engage in this. 
Close Up (CU) - Shows very little background and concentrates on a specific object of mise-en-scene or face. The shot it uses to emphasis on a facial expression or an action, occasionally used on bits of paper so the audience can read it. The shot can also maybe be seen as intimidating for the audience which can put them on edge or feel the suspense of the scene. The shot is normally used in horror films.  
Extreme Close Up (ECU) - This is a closer version than the close up. It focuses on a particular part of an object or face such as an eye or a word without showing any background at all. This shot is always used for dramatic effect and can change the emotion from the audiences perspective. 



Camera Angles

Birds Eye View - This shot shows a scene from directly above; it is a very unnatural and strange angle. Familiar objects are often unrecognisable at first eg. umbrellas. The shot, however, puts the audience in a godlike position, looking down on everything that is happening. Being looked down on is very intimidating so the shot may be used in fight scenes, for example. Hitchcock was fond of this style of shot. 
High Angle - Not as extreme as a bird's eye view but still elevated above a natural level. High angles make the object being filmed become smaller and less significant meaning less scary; they almost get swallowed into their setting and become part of the wider picture.
Eye Level - The most natural shot which is used for dialogue scenes and when the director wants the audience to focus on an expression or specific character or object. The camera will normally be placed five to six feet from the ground. 
Low Angle - Useful to increase the height or give a sense of speeded motion. Low angles help give a sense of confusion to the viewer and a feel of powerlessness within the action of a scene. The background tends to be a sky or ceiling making the lack of setting around them become disorientating to the viewer. The added height of the character can increase a fear element and make the audience feel insecure because of the dominating character on the screen.
Oblique Angle - The shot is titled to suggest an imbalance and transition which is very popular in horror films. The technique is used to suggest point of view shots to the audience and the camera becomes the eyes of the person looking at what is in the screen. Hand held cameras are normally used for this method.



Camera Movement 
Panning - A movement which scans a scene horizontally. The camera is placed on a tripod which operates as an axis point from which the camera can turn. Often used to follow a moving object or character which is kept in the centre of the frame.
Tilt - The movement which films a scene vertically, similar to a pan.
Tracking - The camera is placed on a moving vehicle and moves along with the action which is generally a moving figure or object. The shot creates a great way for portraying movement.
Crane - This is a tracking shot but filmed in the air. A crane is used to move the camera around to film the moving object or figure. 

Editing
Cut - Sudden change of shot from one viewpoint or location to another. On television cuts occur on average about every 7 or 8 seconds.
Matched cut - In a 'matched cut' a familiar relationship between the shots may make the change seem smooth.
Jump cut - Abrupt switch from one scene to another which may be used deliberately to make a dramatic point. Sometimes boldly used to begin or end action. Alternatively, it may be result of poor pictorial continuity, perhaps from deleting a section.
Motivated cut - Cut made just at the point where what has occurred makes the viewer immediately want to see something which is not currently visible (causing us, for instance, to accept compression of time).
Cutting rate - Frequent cuts may be used as deliberate interruptions to shock, surprise or emphasize.
Cutting rhythm - A cutting rhythm may be progressively shortened to increase tension. Cutting rhythm may create an exciting, lyrical or staccato effect in the viewer.
Cross-cut - A cut from one line of action to another. Also applied as an adjective to sequences which use such cuts.
Reaction shot - Any shot, usually a cutaway, in which a participant reacts to action which has just occurred.
Insert/insert shot - A bridging close-up shot inserted into the larger context, offering an essential detail of the scene (or a reshooting of the action with a different shot size or angle.)
Buffer shot (neutral shot) -A bridging shot (normally taken with a separate camera) to separate two shots which would have reversed the continuity of direction.
Fade, dissolve (mix) -Both fades and dissolves are gradual transitions between shots. In a fade the picture gradually appears from (fades in) or disappears to (fades out) a blank screen. A slow fade-in is a quiet introduction to a scene; a slow fade-out is a peaceful ending. Time lapses are often suggested by a slow fade-out and fade-in. A dissolve (or mix) involves fading out one picture while fading up another on top of it. The impression is of an image merging into and then becoming another. A slow mix usually suggests differences in time and place. Defocus or ripple dissolves are sometimes used to indicate flashbacks in time.
Wipe - An optical effect marking a transition between two shots. It appears to supplant an image by wiping it off the screen (as a line or in some complex pattern, such as by appearing to turn a page). The wipe is a technique which draws attention to itself and acts as a clear marker of change.
Inset - An inset is a special visual effect whereby a reduced shot is superimposed on the main shot. Often used to reveal a close-up detail of the main shot.
Split screen - The division of the screen into parts which can show the viewer several images at the same time (sometimes the same action from slightly different perspectives, sometimes similar actions at different times). This can convey the excitement and frenzy of certain activities, but it can also overload the viewer.
Stock shot - Footage already available and used for another purpose than the one for which it was originally filmed.

In thriller jump cut are films frequently in chase scenes when the editing is fast paced, this add suspense and anticipation to the film which is key in a Thriller film.

Sound
Direct sound - Live sound. This may have a sense of freshness, spontaneity and 'authentic' atmosphere, but it may not be acoustically ideal.
Studio sound - Sound recorded in the studio to improve the sound quality, eliminating unwanted background noise ('ambient sound'), e.g. dubbed dialogue.
Selective sound -The removal of some sounds and the retention of others to make significant sounds more recognizable, or for dramatic effect - to create atmosphere, meaning and emotional nuance. Selective sound (and amplification) may make us aware of a watch or a bomb ticking.
Sound perspective/aural perspective - The impression of distance in sound, usually created through the use of selective sound.
Sound bridge - Adding to continuity through sound, by running sound (narration, dialogue or music) from one shot across a cut to another shot to make the action seem uninterrupted.
Dubbed dialogue - Post-recording the voice-track in the studio, the actors matching their words to the on-screen lip movements. Not confined to foreign-language dubbing.
Wildtrack (asynchronous sound) - Sound which was self-evidently recorded separately from the visuals with which it is shown. For example, a studio voice-over added to a visual sequence later.
Parallel (synchronous) sound - Sound 'caused' by some event on screen, and which matches the action.
Sound effects - Any sound from any source other than synchronised dialogue, narration or music. Dubbed-in sound effects can add to the illusion of reality: a stage- set door may gain from the addition of the sound of a heavy door slamming or creaking.
Music - Music helps to establish a sense of the pace of the accompanying scene. The rhythm of music usually dictates the rhythm of the cuts. The emotional colouring of the music also reinforces the mood of the scene. Background music is asynchronous music which accompanies a film. It is not normally intended to be noticeable. Conventionally, background music accelerates for a chase sequence, becomes louder to underscore a dramatically important action.
Silence - The juxtaposition of an image and silence can frustrate expectations, provoke odd, self-conscious responses, intensify our attention, make us apprehensive, or make us feel dissociated from reality.

In thriller films the music is very significant in creating tension and anticipation when watching a thriller film, the music accompanies what’s going on screen.

Lighting
Soft and harsh lighting. Soft and harsh lighting can manipulate a viewer's attitude towards a setting or a character. The way light is used can make objects, people and environments look beautiful or ugly, soft or harsh, artificial or real. Light may be used expressively or realistically. Backlighting. A romantic heroine is often backlit to create a halo effect on her hair.

Mise-en-scene
Is an expression used to describe the design aspects of a theatre or filmproduction, which essentially means "visual theme" or “what’s in shot”—both in visually artful ways through storyboarding, cinematography andstage design, and in poetically artful ways through direction.  When applied to the cinema, mise-en-scène refers to everything that appears before thecamera and its arrangement—composition, sets, props, actors, costumes, and lighting. Mise-en-scène also includes the positioning and movement of actors on the set, which is called blocking.

In thriller films the Mise-en-scene is very significant, the setting, lighting and props can make a thriller film seem realistic and believable which is key. Usually most thriller open with a long shot of the setting, letting the audience know where the film is set. Most thriller are set in inner city or urban areas it very important the director gets the location right to make it seem more realistic therefore the mis-en-scene is very important.

Thriller 5: 28 Days Later

28 Days Later (2002)

Directed by Danny Boyle 

Horror/Sci-Fi Thriller

Camera - The camera stays in the same positioning throughout the opening which allows the graphics to merge in and out. The cameras stillness and the theme of blood could be symbolic to the state your body is in once dead which is chilling for the audience. 


Editing - The editing is slow which contrapuntal to the pace and intensity of the music. The use of graphics and the spreading of blood could be symbolic to the spread of infection which is what the film is based around. The director has used the idea of blood throughout the film and this effects the audience from using this theme feel on edge and intense. 


Sound - The scene opens with screeching violins which is symbolic to the protagonist's emotional state. The music the director has chosen has a eerie feel to it which is a common convention in a horror or thriller film. 


Mise-en-scene - There are several images of blood shown in the opening which again reflects on the horror conventions and gives the audience an insight that the film will be gory and plays on the idea of death and torment. Special effects are shown creating the effect of cells and how they are mutating is eerie and makes the audience question and become on edge. The use of medical references also could tell us this is a science fiction film too. The titles are in a random arrangement which also makes the audience feel this strange layout is unnatural. 

Thriller 4: Panic Room

Panic Room (2002)
Directed by David Fincher
Thriller


Camera - The opening titles of 'Panic Room' are all long shots of an city which establishes the location and introduces the audience to the setting and where all the action will be happening. The camera uses a range of panning and tracking shots throughout which are filming the city building and the titles which are positioned in the foreground over the city buildings which could signify symbolically, the sense of being trapped between two objects.


Editing - The scene starts at a slow pace which enables the audience to engage in the sequence quickly. As the editing increases throughout the titles, the audience feels more and more on edge and they quickly start to become panicked, much like the title of the film represents. Transitions such as fade in/out are used in the scene.


Sound - Non-diegetic sound is used in the opening through music and other sounds such as police sirens. Police sirens are symbolic to danger and crime which makes the audience create a sense of danger in their minds. The music is slow paced but feels edgy and continues to make the audience feel on edge and in suspense. 


Mise-en-scene - Lighting is low key and reflects on the dark and sinister feel that the director is creating which is symbolic to danger and indicates the the audience that something bad is going to happen. The scene then carries into the opening of the characters which centralizes the male female protagonist. This is a common convention of a thriller when the director focuses on the victim. 

Thriller 3: The Dark Knight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OYBEquZ_j0


The Dark Knight (2008)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Action/Crime/Drama Thriller




Camera - The directors establishes a setting for the audience by using a range of long shots and extreme long shots; he also uses a birds eye view when filming the zip wire section of the scene. This helps give the audience a perspective on Gotham City and the characteristics of the location. The director also uses close up shots of different props; this method is used to create suspense and tension, for example, the close up of the joker and the mask he is holding is mysterious and we wouldn't normally expect this much suspense in the opening scene which puts the audience on edge and question what is happening. The audience also, instantly recognises the character and that he is a criminal which allows the audience to connect to the character making the scene more personal and tense. In addition, the director uses a point of view shot by placing the camera in the car and uses a range of mid shots and close ups which connotes the characters are discussing and communicating in the scene. As the location changes, the director uses mainly close up and mid shots compared to other camera angles.

Editing - The choice of fast, rapid and sudden editing makes the audience feel on edge and more intense as the action continues to increase and quicken. The audience feels involved and cutting from one location to the other also gives the impression of the mystery and makes the viewers question what is happening. Alternatively this could be symbolic to the way a criminals mind works and how many different people involved in making the plot happen are in a range of different locations or places in a specific location. 

Sound - The non-diegetic music builds throughout the scene which creates the tension and suspense in the opening. It fits in with the conventions of a thriller well as it builds throughout the scene to it's final point. The diegetic voice keeps the audience informed on what the scene is telling us and what is happening.

Mise-en-scene -The use of masks are a significant prop used throughout the opening sequence and they connote the use of hidden identity and double personalities. The lighting is a combination of high and low key as the bank uses different lighting to in the car section etc. The location is a city scape where there is a range of different people and buildings used in the shots. The use of weapons in the scene enables the audience to become worried and feel the suspense and tension in the scene that the director was trying to create. 

Thriller 2: Psycho

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tek8QmKRODw


Psycho (1960)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Drama/Horror/Mystery Thriller


Camera - Graphics are used throughout the opening scene instead of the camera. The graphics are simple yet create an unnerving feeling as the audience will be questioning what is happening or going to happen. The director has used this method to enhance the feel of the unknown and mystery. 

Editing - In the opening scene, the first thing the audience sees is a black screen which turns green. It is then split by parallel, horizontal lines which enter from the right hand side of the screen. The colours and words on the screen which appear are always followed by the split down the middle using the different colours apart from the directors name whicvh is used in contrast and left on the screen for a lot longer than the rest of the opening titles. The splitting of colours in the opening title sequence connotes the idea of a split personality linking in the with what is usually thought to be a 'pyscho'. The simple method used by Hitchcock enforces and re-enforces the idea of the film without having to show any images or characters of the film. 

Sound - The non-diegetic music used in the opening of the film is parallel and fits in with the images shown on the screen. The music has a harsh tone with connotes danger and panic. The music enables us to think this by the quick pace and particular instruments which create a certain gripping tone to the sound. The music in the opening, fits into the conventions of a thriller.

Mise-en-scene - There are only graphics shown throughout the scene which have the connotations of split personalities. 

Thriller 1: Sin City

Sin City (2005)
Directed by Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino
Action/Crime Thriller


Camera - The scene first opens showing a shot of a female character. We are first shown this character using an extreme long shot which establishes the location and setting of the scene. This shot also allows the audience to make a first impression on the characters appearance allowing the them to connect and establish what the character is like. Throughout the rest of the scene, the camera using a combination of mid-shots and close-ups which connotes meaning of relationships and closeness between the female character and now, a newly introduced male character, in the shot. The director uses this style of shot to represent the emotion and recognize the characters facial expressions which allows us to gain further understanding of the characters relationship and emotions towards each other.

Editing - The director uses a mixture of red, white and black throughout the opening extract. The setting is all black and white which contrasts to the female protagonist' brightly coloured red dress; therefore, this establishes the importance of this character. The director has used a bright light to highlight the main source of action in the scene which also indicates the importance of the scene and the characters in it.


Sound - The scene starts off with a voice over from the main male antagonist; this sound is non diegetic which is indexical to the thoughts of the male character. The music in this scene is parallel to the action and feel of the scene, it is slow and calm which matches the atmosphere the director is creating through the use of  camera, editing, lighting and mise-en-scene. The use of diegetic sound through the use of dialogue and voice adds to the sense of realism in the scene.


Mise-en-scene - The use of limited props make the characters in the scene stand out; this continues to establish that the director wants us to focus on the characters. Props such as cigarettes denotes what type of people they are. Also, the background in the scene which is a city scape, tells the audience where the story is set and the location the characters are in. 

The Codes and Conventions of a Thriller

Mirrors

- Used widely in thriller films through the use of reflection of one's soul and inner self

- Represent the darkness within a character

- Example - 'Mirrors' directed by Alexandre Aja (2008)

Shadows

- Closely related to low key lighting 

- Represent inner darkness 

- Creates tension and eeriness

Obtrusive Editing

- Also known as quick shots/editing

- Emphasis the feeling of suspense and tension

- Often used during an important or particularly thrilling scene

- Sometimes used to create a disorientation of time and space - using montage editing

Flashbacks

- Contribute to a sense of time and space disorientation 

- Confuses the audience

- Displays what did happen, giving the audience an insight of the characters past

- Example - 'Momento' directed by Christopher Nolan (2000)

Black and White

- Accentuates the use of shadows

- Can often appear to be eerie and dark

- Example - 'Psycho' by Alfred Hitchcock (1960)

Claustrophobic Spaces

- Planes

- Coffins 

- Under water 

- Lifts 

- Trains/Tubes

- Prison cells 

- Alleyways

- White vans

Low Key Lighting

- Very dark

- Natural

- "Chiaroscuro" - light against dark - creates a sense of illusion

Music 
- Tense
- Piercing 
- Often orchestral - violins are used often

Genre

Genre is a set of conventions that we use to categorise films. The film is categorised through iconography, familiar narrative, mise-en-scene, actors and style of representation. Genre is not static but constantly changing between industry and audience; a combination of familiar reassurance and new twists.A creative strategy used by film producers to ensure audience identification with a film. Genre is an important way of working through important myths and fears by repetition, variation and resolution. Genre also offers comforting reassurance in an uncomfortable world. Threats within a film are vanquished, outlaws become civilized, gangsters are punished. 

Genre functions like a language; there are a set of rules and a vocabulary with which to organize meaning. 

Audiences become accustomed to a certain genre and therefore look for there favorite genre of film when choosing what film to watch. However there are arguments and debates of the existence of genre. Genre is often hybridized so genre is easily misinterpreted. Hybridization means when two genres come together to create a new genre for example romantic comedy. There are also sub genres to main genres for example horror : slasher, psychological horror, gothic horror. 

Altmans argument

Altmans argues that the relationship between the two links to how we can understand genre evolution and hybridization. Genre begins with the semantics and over a period of time evolve into genre after a variety of themes, issues, and plots have been explored. Thus it can take a while, what limits this is the shifting social ideologies that can affect themes, issues and ideas.

Traditional theorists

Schatez and Wright look at genre in a compartmentalized way, thus with no overlapping with specific ways of identifying the genre. Hybridization can be argued there is only a set of semeiotics no syntax. films influence each other. 

Analysing genre allows me to understand what target audience I should be aiming and the way in which genres can be changed and the different types of genre there are and the different sorts of genre that my group will be able to choose between when deciding which thriller hybrid or sub genre to choose for our film. Different theorists opinions on genre also allows me to understand the ways in which genre can be manipulated and the ways in which is can be changed. 

Research - Thriller

Thriller is a genre of literature, film and television that uses suspense, tension and excitement as the main elements. The primary subgenres of thrillers are: mystery, crime and psychological thrillers. After the assassination of President Kennedy, political thriller and paranoid thriller films became very popular. The brightest examples of thrillers are the Hitchcock’s movies.

Thrillers are mostly characterised by an atmosphere of menace, violence, crime and murder by showing society as dark, corrupt and dangerous, though they often feature a happy ending in which the villains are killed or arrested. Thrillers heavily promote on literary devices such as plot twists, red herrings and cliffhangers. They also promote on moods, such as a high level of anticipation, adrenaline rush, arousal, ultra-heightened expectation,uncertainty, anxiety and sometimes even terror. The tones in thrillers are usually gritty, slick and lurid.

The cover-up of important information from the viewer and fight/chase scenes are common methods in all of the thriller subgenres. Though each subgenre has its own characteristics and methods. Common methods in crime thrillers are mainly ransoms, captivities, heists, revenge, kidnappingsand, more common in mystery thrillers are, investigations and the whodunit technique. Common elements in psychological thrillers are mind games,psychological themes, stalking, confinement/deathtraps, horror-of-personality and obsession. While elements such as conspiracy theories, false accusations, paranoia and sometimes action are common in paranoid thrillers.

Information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(genre)