Possible Locations for the Opening to a Thriller Film

One possible location in which we could film our opening to a Thriller film is on King Street near the bridge that leads to Odeon Cinema. It is the perfect location to film it especially at night because it increases the suspense.

Marketing of Tinker Tailor

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

How are new technologies affecting the ways in which we watch film? - Assessment

Improved Script

Definition of a Film Noir

A Film Noir is the french for the word 'Black Film'. It was first seen in Hollywood films by a French Critic named Nino Frank.

Here is an example of a Film Noir called - The Big Combo (1955)

The Film Noir was first seen in films in 1940. A Film Noir has very bold, dark and are mostly have crime plots involved.

Most of films which are Film Noir is set in a variety of locations such as:

• Back Alleys
• Offices
• Cities

Preliminary Task (Finish Product)

After a few weeks of planning. A few hours of filming and editing. This is the end result. Enjoy!.

The Lovely Bones (2009) (One of the films I seen) Film Number 4

Director: Peter Jackson
Writer: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson
Budget: $65,000,000
Box Office Gross: $43,818,839

Plot of the Film
The film centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family - and her killer - from heaven. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal.

Generic Characteristics of the film

• Convicts
• Criminals
• Stalkers
• Innocent victims
• Psychotic individuals

Evaluation of the Preliminary Task

What planning did you do? How was this useful and how did you change your plans?


For our Preliminary Task we have done some planning. We created storyboards and a shooting script. We created these to help us see what type of camera shots we'll use. Our planning hasn't really changed what we wanted to do we went on ahead and shot the task and had it filmed in under 30 minutes.

What is the 180 degree rule and how did this planning aid the filming?


The 180 degree rule is a guideline in film that characters in films should always have the same left/right relationship within a scene. If the camera passes over the 180 degree line then it would confuse viewers. The 180 degree helped us in our planning because it helped us choose which type of camera shots we should use that would ensure that we aren't breaking the 180 degree rule.

What camera skills have you developed?

Since the start of the course I have developed a variety of camera shots such as:

• Panning Shot
• Over the Shoulder
• Tilt
• Medium Close Up
• Bird's Eye View
• High Angle

I am really confident using the shots mentioned above but there are a few shots which I feel I need to improve which are:

• Long Shot
• Medium Close Up
• Extreme Close Up
• Worm's Eye View
• Low Angle
• Tacking Shot
• Point of View

How confident are you with using the cameras, and has this confidence changed during the project?

At first when we started using the cameras I wasn't confident because I didn't know if I was shooting the camera shots right but out of lessons I have been practicing using a stills camera (as you can see from my posts) and since then I have improved my camera skills.

Explain what you have learned about editing and any problems you had editing your film, or what made the editing easy.

When we finished filming the Preliminary Task we started editing. It took me about an hour and a half to capture and edit our captured film. It was the first time I ever used Adobe Premier Elements (program used to edit the Preliminary Task).

I have developed a variety of developing skills such as cutting scenes which are irrelevant to the finished product. Another editing skill I have developed is editing the sound skills. Some of the sound on the film were not even so I now knew how to change the volume of each scene.

Camera Shots

 Over the Shoulder - Following the person which places the audience in position of character.

Worm's Eye View - It indicates fear - audience view events from a character's vulnerable perspective.

Long Shot - It establishes location and action.

Extreme Close Up - It is utilised to closely identify with character or action. It's often used to symbolise horror in a thriller films such as Psycho.

Medium Close Up - It allows to bring focus to the character/s.

High Angle - This shot shows Insignificance and Vulnerability.

Tilt Shot - It brings in confusion, disorientation and nightmare.

Low Angle - It gives the character power and status.

Bird's Eye View - This shot adds to audience appeal giving the audience a different view of the action.

Psycho (1960) (One of the films I seen) Film Number 3

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Writer: Joseph Stefano (screenplay), Robert Bloch (novel)
Budget: $806,947
Box Office Gross $50,000,000

Cast


Anthony Perkins - Norman Bates
Vera Miles - Lila Crane
John Gavin - Sam Loomis
Janet Leigh - Marion Crane
Martin Balsam - Detective Milton Arbogast
Simon Oakland - Dr. Fred Richman

Plot
A young woman steals $40,000 from her employer's client, and subsequently encounters a young motel proprietor too longer under the domination of his mother.

Something Generic about the film 
It is the last film that Alfred Hitchcock filmed in Black and White before he filmed his films in Colour. He wanted to film Psycho in Black and White because he thought that it would have been gory and expensive.

Generic Characteristics of the film

• Innocent victims
• Psychotic Individuals
• Femme Fatales
• Psycho-fiends

One thing Psycho is most known for is the 'Shower Scene'.

Camera Angles and Movement

The scene first cuts to a close up shot of Marion (Janet Leigh) closing the door of the bathroom of the hotel room she is staying in. This shot allows the audience to establish what Marion's emotion. For example the close up shot shows how tired she looks.

The film then cuts to a Close-Up shot of Marion getting in the shower and turning the shower on and washing her whole body. The use of Close-Up shot allows the audience to see what Marion's emotions are. The use of the shower shows that she is washing away all of her sins and that everyone in Phoenix would forgive her which would be unlikely.

The film then cuts to a Medium close up of a mysterious character (which turns out to be Mother, who is actually Norman Bates) behind the shower curtain. This shot allows the film to have enigma; to allow them to think who is the character behind the shower curtain or if the audience knows that it is Mother then what does she look like?.

The film cuts to another close up shot of Marion when that mysterious character opened the shower curtain. This shows tthe emotions going on with Marion when that mysterious character opened the shower curtain. The shot mostly showed fear because Marion doesn't know who that person is it also shows her uncertainty will she get killed or injured?.

The film then cuts to an Extreme close up shot of Marion's mouth. this shot shows how scared Marion is of the mysterious person.

The film then cuts to a Low angle shot of Mother's face. This shot shows the dominanace/status of Mother/Norman and how she could do anything to Marion.

Hitchcock first uses a Medium Close-up of the interaction between Marion and Mother/Norman, Hitchcock also used a Bird's Eye View shot before the scene went on and showed close-up shots. The use of the Bird's eye view allows the audience to see the action in a different view.

The film then uses a variety of Extreme close-up shots of Marions body parts. These include her hands, and in the end when Hitcocks zooms out from Marion's Dead eye. The use of the Extreme close-up shots symbolises horror, especially when it was used to show Marion's dead eye. The use of the extreme close-up also helps the audience to identify with the character.

Lighting

In this scene, Hitchcock mostly uses natural ambient lighting. Hitchcock uses ambient lighting to increase the suspense of the scene to show what a nightmare it would be.

Location

The shower scene was filmed in a bathroom which is a thriller convention. It is a thriller convention because the bathroom is a claustrophobic location. Which creates suspense because no one else is seeing what happens and no one is there to help her.

Sound



Psycho was effective as a thriller film is because of the sound (score) especially during the shower scene. It invovles screeching violins with the volume increasing up until the murder and the suspense of the music decreasing after the murder has happend. The score of the music is considered to be one of the most scariest theme by the PRS based on a survey.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Director: Tomas Alfredson
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: September 16, 2011
Budget: $30,000,000
Box Office Gross: $11,200,000 (as of 02/11/2011)

The Strangers (2008) (One of the Films I seen) Film Number 2

Director: Bryan Bertino
Writer: Bryan Bertino
Budget: $9,000,000

Cast:

Liv Tyler - Kristen McKay
Scott Speedman - James Hoyt
Gemma Ward - Dollface
Glenn Howerton - Mike
Alex Fisher - Mormon Boy 1
Peter Clayton Luce - Mormon Boy 2
Laura Margolis - Pin-Up Girl
Kip Weeks - Man in the Mask

Plot
After returning from a wedding reception, a couple staying in an isolated vacation house receive a knock on the door in the mid-hours of the night. What ensues is a violent invasion by three strangers, their faces hidden behind masks. The couple find themselves in a violent struggle, in which they go beyond what either of them thought capable in order to survive.

Something Generic about the film
The film was actually based on an experience Bertino had when he was younger. A stranger knocked on their family home and asked for someone who wasn't there and the next morning his neighbours houses were broken into.

Generic Characteristics of the film:

• Innocent victims
• Psychotic Individuals
• People in twisted relationships