Individual storyboard - Miss Miller

The purpose of a storyboard is to provide with a set of pictures and descriptions that tell a story,  giving a flow of action. This is done to show a preview of a film/sequence, giving a brief insight into the visuals beforehand.

We have created individual storyboards for a number of reasons. Once my group and I have produced individual storyboards, we can look at them collectively as a group and gather ideas from each of them, incorporating them into one singular group storyboard. During this process, we can comment on each others storyboards if they differ from each others significantly, therefore finding out why this is and clarifying the narrative we intend to film, avoiding any confusion at a later stage, as if we all a different idea as to what are going to film, it will result in wasting time during the filming stage trying to resolve the confusion.

An example of a convention in my storyboard is on the 15th frame, in which a handheld camera will be used to film the shot. The use of a handheld is during the part in which the girl is being chased by the antagonist, by showing the antagonists viewpoint while using a handheld to film such also, it puts the viewer in the feet of the antagonist as they are viewing his perspective as he chases the girl throughout the alleyway. This creation a relationship between the audience and the characters, as the it makes the viewer feel closer to the action, making for a more intense and thrilling experience because they want the girl to get out of chase unharmed due to the relationship made prior to this part of the sequence. In addition to this, the use of the handheld creates jerky and unsteady movements, through doing so creating a sense of urgency, which is relevant in both instances as they are present in which the victim of the narrative is being chased by the antagonist of the narrative. All of which connotes to the viewer that the girl is in serious danger from the antagonist, and that the girl and soon to be victim is in a very bad situation and has not got any control, implied through the shaky and unsteady camera movements, and as it being shown with the antagonists perspective, it shows that he has control over proceedings and further emphases the danger which she is in. I took inspiration to do this from the film "nightmare on elm street", as during the film it is used in a scene in which the girl is being chased/stalked by the antagonist of the narrative.

Another example of a convention within my storyboard is the use of low key lighting. This takes place from the 6th frame, and continues on throughout the storyboard and narrative. The use of changing back light to low key lighting is because the drastic change in lighting causes for the atmosphere to change to a dark eerie one instantly causes surprise for the viewer, after which resulting in the build up of tension and suspense for the viewer as it connotes that the scenes to follow are going to be of a hostile nature, due to nature of what is actually happening, as the change in lighting takes place once the couple have just broken up, in which the girl has been left alone, in which the antagonist of the narrative gets introduced in a moment. This makes the viewer feel in edge as they are unaware as to what is going to occur in the following scenes, as the visuals are very dark, both in nature and sight. I took inspiration from many thriller films and non in particular for this convention, as the use of low key lighting is present throughout many thriller films and is one of the most common conventions within the thriller genre, especially those that follow a similar narrative to that of my group and mines.

Another example of a convention within my storyboard is the use of silence within the 7th frame, in which the sounds in the film go completely silent. This is done directly after the couples argument and the girl has been left alone and abandoned, by doing so the use of silence emphases to the viewer that the girl is completely alone, due to which she is vulnerable. This results in increased levels of  tension and suspense for the viewer as it is implied that something bad is going to occur to the girl in the following parts, as she is completely alone in a deserted car park, a conventional location for bad occurances. The use of silence also makes the viewer focus solely upon the visuals, which brings further attention towards the conventional location, and within the context of the narrative it further connotes that something bad is about to occur. Due to this it keeps the viewer on the edge of there seat, as they are aware that something is going to occur, but they want the girl to get out of the situation unharmed. I took inspiration from many thriller films once again and non in particular as the use of silence is very common within thriller films of this nature, as it is very common for the thriller genre to be present within said films at certain points and segments, and to the same effect of building up tension and suspense, keeping the viewer on the edge of there seat.

I think my storyboard provides with multiple ideas which I believe will be suitable to add towards my group and I's combined storyboard. I think that the storyboard I have produced provides with good details towards the narrative, and has a various number of different media elements incorporated into such. As the main purpose of my individual storyboard is to contribute towards ideas for the group storyboard, within my individual work it demonstrates what types of conventions I intend to incorporate within the group storyboard, such as the various different types of lighting and how they change during certain sections to create feelings for the viewer, to the cinematography aspects such as the type of shots used during different parts of the scenes and to what affect for the viewer that there used. As the various different types of conventions mentioned have been proposed by those in my group and myself, I can demonstrate to my group what context I believe what will fit in with my storyboard, showing examples from within my 20 slides.  The main negative of the storyboard itself is the drawings as they are not particularly good, which wouldn't be an issue if it was clear as to what I am showing however that is not the case with some of my slides (however I believe that the descriptions clears up any confusion that could be caused from the pictures). Anything negative of my storyboard is that the drawings themselves lack detail, as they don't fully show backgrounds and minor details for example, so to avoid any confusion caused I have had to write detailed descriptions clearly explaining what is taking place within each individual scene.

Planning opening credits - Miss Georgiou

List of uses for opening credits

-  To inform the audience of the different roles of characters
-  To show the production company of the film
-  Show the title of the film
-  To introduce the mood/style of the film


Se7en opening credits analyse

The colour of the font used is white, whereas the background is back, showing a huge contrast in colours on screen, making the font easier to view alongside the dark images on screen. Hints of red are shown throughout the opening credits also. White is conventional of portraying good and innocence, whereas black is used to show evil and bad. The white font shows the names of the actors playing the characters in the narrative, showing that they are forces of good, and that they are trying to compact the bad due to the theme of the film. The hints of red are used to portray blood, red itself being occulted with blood and death, connoting to the viewer that the theme of death shall be present through the film.

A number of thriller conventions are shown throughout the credits. The use of colours creates tension for the viewer as dark colours such as black and bloodshot red are used throughout the opening. As such used are often associated with dark themes, the atmosphere created is very eerie and dark, creating tension for the viewer as the images on screen are being seen at a very fast pace, making it unclear as to what the viewer is seeing, creating further tension because of the mystery aspect created from such. As the images on screen are shown at such a fast pace, it creates surprise for the audience due to the contrast in the speed of the sequence.

Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitts names are shown, after which the title of Se7en is shown. This is done to show the audience who the significant characters in the narrative are, and also to promote the film by showing those famous names are in the film. As Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman have large fan bases/followers, therefore having them as the main focus of the trailer caters the film towards the individual fans of those actors

This is the title font for the opening credits that I created myself via final cut pro.  I did a number of things to ensure that I followed the typical conventions of thriller films with the types of text often used. I made it so the colour of the text is clear and easy to view, but also faded into the black back ground, as the narrative of the film has a dark element to it, therefore the colours used complement the typical conventions of what is usually associated with the colours used, as having a bloodshot red background arguably would be more conventional however the narrative isn't gory therefore a more subtle dark colour which has an element of mystery towards it is more appropriate. I positioned the text so that it is tilted towards the side. I done such as it connotes instability within the narrative, making the title seem more interesting as the viewer will question what the narrative is about due to such positioning. The font text used is rather large and clear, having large spaces between each word, making every letter stand out. The title of my group and I's thriller is undecided as it stands, however we intend to do a short one worded one (similar to that of real thriller films), therefore this text type would suit it as it shows extra significance towards the title itself as it will cover the majority of the screen and will be easily visible due to the size and spacing.

Samantha Apperley - Thriller title idea












Positives

- Blurred text adds an element of mystery to the title, making it seem eerie and unsettling.
- font used looks similar to that of real thriller titles, making it more realistic


Negatives

- The title is placed in the top left hand corner of the frame, which is unnessary as it is done to no suitable affect, therefore placing it central in the frame would be more suitable as it is the main focus of the frame, as the black background is used to make the white font more clear to view.
- Blurring the text does add an eerie element to the text however, it is not very clear to view

Mikaeel Khaliq - Thriller title idea











Positives

- Large, bold text is very powerful and striking to those viewing it
- Title is very clear and concise, yet still has a strange and eerie element to it due to the fade in colour near the end of the text
- Black smudges on the text makes the title font districtive from other ones similar to it, making it unique

Negatives

- The title covers the majority of the frame, making the text smaller but keeping it bold would be more suitable for a thriller film as it looks more suitable for an action film as it stands due to how striking it, as the narrative we have estabilished is rather eerie and has a mystery element to it, making a smaller and stranger looking title font would be more suitable


Summary

As a group we have decided to go with mikaeel's title font. This is because it is very striking for the audience, as well as being very clear to view as it hasnt been altered to be blurry, rather a fade has been used to create an element of mystery and to set the tone of a mysterious atmosphere for the opening credits.

Group planning - Miss Georgiou

My group consists of myself, Samantha Apperley and Mikaeel Khaliq. Group meetings are essential as we can all contribute towards ideas for the narrative and the planning stage, in which we can collate such ideas and elaborate onto when doing individual work on the project. As the weeks progress, it is essential that we inform each other onto the details in which we intend to include. Collating with the group allows for every member to be aware to what we intend to do, so once we get to the filming stage there is no confusion or complications as to the work.

In our first meeting (taking place on 13.10.14) we decided upon a group narrative between us. This consisted of discussing ideas and concepts for such; furthering reflecting on the ideas given in everyones individual narratives posts (refer to group narrative) and incorporating that into a whole group narrative. We decided however to go with the concept and idea Samantha's narrative, but we incorporate aspects from both Mikaeel and I's to produce a group inspired narrative.

On the 4/11/14, my group and I got together to work on a planning sheet for the mise-en-scene, in which we discussed what ideas of miss-en-scene we could use for our own opening sequence. During which we noted down different types of mise-en-scene which we intend to include within the opening sequence, at what time during the segment, and to what effect as to why it is used

On the 5/11/14, my group and I got together to work on planning aspects of cinematography, and what types of which we intend to incorporate into our own opening sequence. This consisted of writing down multiple different examples of iconography, in which we wrote down how we could incorporate such our opening sequence. By doing so we wrote down specific examples of such within our narrative into the individual sub subsections, also stating to what effect that particular type of cinematography would create.

On the 13/11/14, my group and I produced a planning sheet for the type of sound we intend to include in our opening sequence. During which, we noted down four different types of sounds which we intend to incorporate into tour opening sequence, after which we wrote down into the individual subsections specific examples from within the opening sequence, stating when the sounds will be used and to what effect.

On the 18/11/14, my group and I produced a planning sheet, in which we discussed the details of the characters of our opening sequence. We separated the page into three sections in which we described the characters of the narrative in depth, stating details such as there name, gender, clothing that they shall be wearing once it comes to filming, and how there character is conventional to the thriller genre. We also wrote down smaller details to accompany this, going into as much detail into the characters as possible, fully planning an in depth persona for all of such.

On the 21/11/14, my group and I got together to discuss ideas for the opening credits we intend to include in our opening sequence. We produced individual opening credit texts, then discussed what we thought was the positives and negatives of our individual ideas was, after which agreeing on what group members idea we are going to use after receiving feedback from my other group members

On the 24/11/14, my group and I created a group storyboard, in which we created by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of our individuals ones, and incorparated the good aspects of which into one sole storyboard, by working on 1 sheet each (containing 4 shots per page), communicating while doing so to avoid any errors or confusion. By working on 1 sheet each, we could complete the task faster and each group member therefore had a role to play in the creation of the group storyboard.

Meetings and discussions are important to carry out, as without doing such the group can't communicate with each other and will be unable to contribute ideas towards group ideas for whatever the task at hand is. Without meetings and discussing, it can also result in confusion between group members in terms of the film process, as without discussing and establishing such group members may be unaware as to the actions of the other group members, being uninformed about what work is going to take place.

My group worked well together at times and not so well at other times. During the times in which we worked well, we had assigned individual roles for each other as we would go to complete such efficiently, an example being one group member working on editing, whereas the other two would gather audio for the film. At times when we did not work well as a group, this was the result of either miss - communication unaware as to what to do at times, or it was the result of us just not working together to complete certain tasks in times however, for the most part we completed work and worked reasonably well together. 

Preliminary task - Miss Miller

Preliminary task

The other members of my group are Samantha Apperely and Mikaeel Khaliq. The purpose of the preliminary task was so that we could get used to the equipment which we shall use once we get to the filming stage of the project, experimenting with different shot types in the process so that when we go to film, we have had prior practice with a varying number of shots. We had to film a conversation between two people, which had to last between 30 - 60 seconds. We had to quickly edit the sequence together and watch it back so that we could see how the film came out in the end, seeing if anything had gone wrong and what went well.

We had to use a varying number of shots, including a long shot, which was used to show the background in which the conversation is taking place. This was achieved by placing the camera a about 7-10 metres away from the bench in which the conversation takes place. A close up was used to show the facial expressions of those talking throughout the conversation, which was achieved by placing the camera close enough to the individual so that there facial expression were the focus of the frame. A mid shot was used to show some of the background but also have the characters in shot from the waist upwards, which was achieved by placing the camera in-between both of the people, in which it was placed about a metre or two away from them. A shot reverse shot is used to individually show the faces of the characters during conversation, which was achieved by filming one of there faces, focusing on there faces individually on screen (through the use of a close up or mid shot), then film the other person speaking afterwards in the same way.  Panning is used within the same segment in which a long shot is used also, so that it shows the background while one of the characters enters the frame, approaching the other person. This was achieved by placing the camera the same length away as the long shot, but moving the camera (while attached to the tripod) as the person moves so it pans there movement. Included within this also, we also had to show are understanding of the 180 rule, by following such and not breaking it during any instance. My group done well when filming the approaching person in the conversation, through the use of incorporating a long shot and panning. We achieved this result by placing the camera on a tripod from a distance away from the bench, in which I was filmed walking towards it from an angle through the use of a long shot and panning. As the overall product produced was not of a high standard by any means, there wasn't anything else which went well, as a group we have taken the preliminary task as a learning curve so that once we go to create the actual production, we have had prior experience with the editing software and the equipment we used throughout this task. As the only good thing achieved during this task was the filming of certain segments and being able to vary shot types (but not to a particularly good standard), due to reasonable camera skills, in which as I group we intend to approve upon also, as the more experienced gained using the equipment will only enable us to progressively get better with them. Due to this, as a group we struggled with a large number of things throughout this task. In regards to the equipment, we done well (eventually) with working the camera, after some struggles beforehand.

During this task, the multiple things we struggled with includes the following. Finding a engaging conversation which didn't seem to staged or unnatural was hard to come up with, therefore we had to repeat filming out of lesson as the lesson allocated to do such was wasted trying to think of suitable dialogue. The lesson time was wasted essentially due to confusion, both between the group and the task at hand, as we did not have a conversation established, nor did we have a location in which it was possible to include all of the shots mentioned prior. Regardless of that, when filming we were unsure at what segments we were going to include what, an example being through the use of long shot into panning of one of the people coming onto the frame, approaching the other to engage in conversation. Without planning anything beforehand or establishing what exactly the task was within the group, confusion arose and resulted in time being managed poorly, which further had other knock on affects.  Due to the fact that we had to complete the task within our time, we had to recreate everything and essentially rushed filming because of this, hence why we struggled to gather many clips, a lack in filler clips resulting in the final product not flowing at all and generally being a poor viewing. I struggled a bit during the editing process regardless as I was unfamiliar with the software, therefore I had to learn how to do basic tasks such as cropping and putting clips together, therefore time was wasted during that process. Because of the issue with time, I had to find time out of class to dedicate towards editing the task, which was not easy, therefore I had to rush editing as I was behind on class work and therefore had to complete it as soon as possible. In regard to equipment, we struggles with using the camera and tripod originally, as we couldn't keep the camera stable on the tripod as we didn't know how to tighten it on however, as we progressed with the task that became less of an issue.

We could have approached the filming process differently by preparing a basic dialogue beforehand, rather than bickering over something which isn't the main focus of the task (dialogue), by doing so making us complete the task quicker and hassle free. We could have also established what location we were going to use as we changed it a couple of times and finally settled for doing it outside, as this way we were able to film certain shots which could not be done otherwise. I will ensure that we don't encounter the same issue when we go to film the opening sequence as we have prepared what we intend to film many times up till that point, as shown through the multiple planning posts on the various different elements of the sequence. I do feel that the preliminary task will help my group and I production of our opening sequence as we know how to film certain shots, have experience with camera use and have produced a practice piece of film. Watching the footage back has helped us understand the mistakes which we made during filming that we were not aware of while filming, because it is clearer to acknowledge what didn't go well because we could watch it back multiple times and edit and remove parts which needed changing. We will not encounter issues in regards to the equipment due to the experience we have gained from this task. Issues in relation to time should be irrelevant as we intend to getting filming for the opening sequence done early so that there is no strain during the time in which editing will take place, therefore finishing the production with less stress and hassle however, if time does become an issue for whatever reason during filming, we can simply gather some addition clips during the editing process as the time given is much longer than that of this task. Confusion between group members should not be an issue when filming the open sequence as we are well informed as to what the task itself is, and what we actually intend on filming upon as we have done much planning beforehand on all of the individual elements within the opening sequence, and we have experience of going out and filming segments because of the preliminary task.

This task will help in preparing for the filming of the opening sequence for a number of reasons. My group and I can now work the camera better as we have experience using the tripod and can use it without any issues, enabling us to use multiple shots without issue as we have had experience filming multiple different shot types, while doing so following the 180 rule. As we have filmed multiple shots following said rule, it has given us additional practice for the opening sequence as we are going to follow that also and abide by the rules of such. Also, I now have more experience with the editing software which we intend to use when it comes to editing the clips for the opening sequence, so very few issues in regard to editing or the software should not happen, so when it comes to putting clips together, adding transitions and such, this should be less of an issue. I have learnt from this task that planning is essential before going to film anything and that we should not go to film unless we have clearly established what we intend to film in our opening sequence. We need to ensure as a group that we don't stall with filming, and that we should establish a time schedule in which we know when we are going to film and what scene and where.

Planning characters - Miss Miller

It is essential to plan for characters within a narrative so that the producer can establish how the characters are going to interest the viewer in the narrative, and to also enable to the audience to build a relationship with the character on screen, by doing so creating responses and emotions for the viewers watching the film.

Planning sheet my group and I produced
for the characters in our narrative

The antagonist (played by myself) is the stalker of the narrative. The antagonist is present post argument between the characters, as he is the one chasing the female victim after the boyfriend has left her alone in a deserted car park, being chased through the alleyways. His occupation is unknown, as his is age, name, and background. The antagonist shall be wearing all dark clothing, consisting of a  black hoodie and black tracksuit bottoms, making him hard to be visible in the dark, as the later scenes consist of mainly low key lighting. This shall be done to connote to the audience that he is a dark person, portraying him as the antagonist of the narrative without having any prior information given. The character is stereotypical to the thriller genre as no addition information is given on the antagonist, creating an enigma with his character, an enigma in the opening sequence is typical to thriller films as it engages the viewer with the narrative, making them want to continue watching. The audience will create a relationship between the antagonist as they are going to associate him with evil and mystery in the narrative, due to the enigma and the way in which the character is perceived by the viewer, through doing such this will allow the viewer to engage with the narrative better due to them establishing a connection with the antagonist.

Nicole, the victim (played by Samantha Apperley) is the young girl in the narrative. She is the focus of the narrative, as she is present in every segment of the opening sequence. Firstly, she is shown arguing with her boyfriend at the beginning, after the argument where she gets left alone by her boyfriend she gets attacked and chased by the antagonist. She is a 17 year old, has blonde hair, is a student, is white British and shall be wearing jeans, jumper and a coat during the film. Her character is extremely stereotypical to the thriller genre as the victim in such films are identical to the one of our narrative, as she is a young blonde girl who is portrayed as being vulnerable and is put in a position of danger. The argument between Nicole and her boyfriend is sparked due to her being cheated on, which from the off makes the audience to feel sympathy for her, which is only increased due to the nature of the events to follow in the narrative. The audience will feel further sympathy for her because of the way in which she is portrayed as being a "damsel in distress", from creating this relationship between the viewer allows to make the producer to create responses and emotions towards her as they want her to escape from the antagonist unharmed.

Zak, the third and final character (played by Mikaeel Khaliq) is the boyfriend of Nicole in the narrative. He is 17 year old student who is brown British and shall be wearing Jeans and a coat during filming. He is only present before and during the argument scene, in which she ditchs his former girlfriend and leaves her alone in a deserted car park. From doing such, the audience will instantly dislike him as a character as he is portrayed as being in the wrong, yet he only further worsens his perception to the viewer from doing this. This will make the viewer favour Nicole over him, making them create a hostile relationship with him as a character, making the events of the victim to follow seem worse, making the viewer feel further sympathy for her. He character is stereotypical as he is portrayed as being the abusive big boyfriend, his girlfriend being the damsel in distress who is unhappy due to his actions. The audience will further engage with the narrative because of his character as due to his actions, the viewer feels sorry for the girl and creates a relationship with her, due to this the viewer is put on edge because of the events to follow.


I believe that the characters in our narrative are very conventional, as they are extremely similar to that of characters in thriller films of a similar nature, and are portrayed in the same way and to the same affect for the viewer. They will emphasis the genre of the sequence as the viewer will associate the sequence we produce to those of real ones, as we will follow the conventions of the thriller genre, be that with the production and the characters themselves, as they have typical characteristics of characters in similar types of thriller sequences. I have found planning helpful in preparation for the filming process as I am now aware as to how my group and I need to portray the characters when filming, making sure we do it in a way that portrays them in the intended way.

Planning sound - miss Miller

Sound is very important within films as it allows the producer to control and manipulate the feelings of the audience from varying the sound included, accompanied with what is seen on screen. Planning is required to produce excellent sequences as if you plan what types of sounds you intend to use and to what affect this creates, it enables you to be aware as to what the resulting sequence will consist of, and how it makes the audience viewing it when the sound is paired alongside what is on screen.



Planning sheet my group and I
porduced for the sound elements
we intend to use in our sequence

Non diegetic sound -

An example of intended non diegetic sound will be heathy breathing in scenes in which the characters are far away from the camera, therefore the breathing could not be done via diegetic sound, so it has to be edited in afterwards. This is done to show the audience how scared the girl is, emphasising her emotions of shear fear and portraying her in a position of vulnerability as she is shown as the one being controlled, the antagonist controlling the proceedings as she is frightened due to him. From such, this makes the audience create a relationship between the character as they want her to get of the situation unharmed, as they picture themselves in her position, making the audience feel sympathy for them,  favouring her over the other characters as they are aware as to there situation. This is conventional to the thriller genre as making the audience create a connection between the characters allows the producer to create the main thriller conventions for the audience, building up tension by keeping the viewer on the edge of there seat as will want the girl to be fine during the scenes in which she is in a position of danger.


Parallel sound -

The footsteps of the girl while she is running through the alleyways and the forest will be heard clearly and amplified, making it easier to hear amongst the background music which shall be present during the scene also. This shall be done to create suspense for the viewer as it emphasis's the feeling of panic while she is trying to escape from the antagonist as it speeds up the scene, making for a more exhilarating experience frequently seen in thrillers, by including such making the sequence more realistic to actual thriller sequences. This builds a relationship between the audience and character as the viewer relates with the girl and pictures themselves in het shoes, from doing such creating further empathy as the audience feels sorry for her, hoping that she gets out of the situational unharmed.  This is conventional to the thriller genre as making the audience picture themselves in the characters shoes enables them to interact more with the narrative, making them gage with the storyline better, by doing so making scenes have more significance and adding for feelings/responses for the viewer.

Diegetic sound -

An example of diegetic sound in the sequence will consist of dialogue between the couple when they arguing near the opening part of the sequence. Another example shall be non diegetic sound of the victim during that segment.  This creates tension as the audience is experiencing the feelings/emotions of the couple. The victim will be shown screaming when she is running away, trying to escape from the antagonist. This will be done as it draws attention to her, highlighting to the audience how frightened she is, emphasising the feeling of shock shown during this segment of the narrative. This will allow the audience to build a relationship with the characters as they are being exposed to there emotions during the argument, allowing for the viewer to connect with them as they are being shown both perspectives, getting a better insight into both of the characters, allowing them to pick a side in the argument, engaging them with the narrative. This is conventional to the thriller genre as involving the audience with the characters in the narratives allows for the viewer to have feelings for the characters, allowing for the audience to have more responses to what is happening on screen as they are connecting to the narrative.

Silence -

Silence shall be used shortly after the couple have finished arguing and the man has left her alone in the car park, in which the scene will go completely silent (apart from diegetic sound which cant be altered/manipulated such as the sound of wind). This creates tension for the audience as it emphasis's the enigma of the narrative, as they are unaware as to what has caused the actions up to this point, resulting in the audience questioning what is going to happen next as the use of silence connotes to the viewer that something bad is about to happen to the girl, due to the eerie atmosphere as the mian focus will be on the visuals of the segment, which will consist of a low lit, deserted car park (convention location). The audience will create a relationship with the girl as they will feel sympathy for her as they can foreshadowing the events to follow, due to the sequence following the conventions of thriller films, as the elements used are frequent in films in which a girl is portrayed as being vulnerable; only to be put in danger at a later stage (identical to the chosen narrative). This is conventional to the thriller genre as the use of silence is frequent throughout thriller films to the same effect, helping create an eerie and unsettling atmosphere, from doing such building up tension and suspense for the audience (main thriller conventions).


Summary

I think my sequence will be effective in creating certain emotions and reactions  through the use of sound as it will help in creating a thriller like atmosphere for the viewer, be that eerie or fast paced. The atmospheres created from the use of sound are conventional to the thriller genre as they make the audience connect with the narrative and character, creating emotions and responses. I have found the planning helpful preparation for filming as I am now aware as to what sound techniques we intend to what affect, from such allowing for the filming process to have less complications. 

Planning cinematograhphy - Miss Miller

Introduction

The importance of cinematography within films consists of a number of things. It allows for the creation of film elements (examples of which being the 5 main thriller conventions), through the creation of such adding considerably to the enjoyment factor of the film itself. Planning is required in order to produce excellent sequences as without any preparation, once it comes to the filming stage of the project, time which is allocated to do so will be wasted as decisions will have to be made there and then as to what is going to be done; preparing beforehand enables you to have an clear insight as to what you intend to have in the sequence.  (Why chosen, what will they portray, why its conventional to the thriller genre, relationship built between the viewer)

Planning sheet which my group and I produced
 for the cinematography in the sequence

High angle shot

The use of a high angle shot shall be used shortly after the couple have an argument and the girl is left alone, just before she gets attacked by the antagonist. This shall be done so it portrays the girl of the narrative as being small and vulnerable, connoting to the audience that she is in danger and is about to be attacked. This makes the viewer feel sympathy for the character as they are made aware that something bad is about to happen to them; through this relationship it builds suspense and tension as they are aware that something is about to happen but they don't want it to happen as they have connected with the character. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the use of high angle shots is frequent in thriller films to the same affect as our narrative, as the audience is made aware of what is to follow (foreshadowing the upcoming events).

POV

The POV (point of view) of the antagonist will be shown during the sequence in which he is chasing after her. This will be done so an enigma is created as at this point the identity of the antagonist is unknown. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the use of the POV of the antagonist, creating an enigma is common in the opening sequence in thriller films as it makes the audience question the identity and motive of the antagonist in the narrative. Through implementing this convention into our opening sequence, it makes it more realistic to that of the thriller genre and thriller films. The only relationship created between character and viewer at this stage is the association of mystery/violence when the camera shows the perspective of the unknown character of the antagonist, as no other connection can be made as the viewer is unaware as to the characters persona.

Eye level

When filming the girl of the narrative, the camera will stay eye level with her for the most part, apart from scenes which are filmed using high angle and extreme long shots for example. This shall be done as keeping the character eye level with character keeps the audience engaged with that character and there facial expression, which is an important aspect of filming as the character will be shown as having a scared expression throughout the sequence as she is often in a position of vulnerability. This is convention to the thriller genre as the audience create a relationship between the character as they are looking into the eyes on screen, from creating such a relationship it enables the audience to feel sympathy for the character, creating tension and suspense (typical conventions in thriller films) as when they are in a position of danger the audience will want her to get out of it unharmed.

Handheld

During the chase scene in which the antagonist is chasing the girl, a handheld camera will be used when showing the chase scene (through the perspective of the antagonist). This shall be done to further express the panic of the situation to the audience, through the rapid jerky camera movements seen on screen. This is conventional to the thriller genre as emphasising the panic of the chase creates further suspense and surprise for the audience (main thriller conventions). The use of a handheld creates a relationship between the character and the audience as the viewer will be shown the fear that the character is experiencing on screen, making the audience feel sympathy for the girl as it is as if they are witnessing it happen there and then.

Canted angle

A canted angle will be used to film the segment in the narrative just before the couple are arguing, once they confront each other. This shall be done to show the instability in the couples relationship, connoting that they are about to break out/ get into a conflict. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the use of a canted angle is present in many thriller sequences to show instability, weather that be the mental stability which is the case with the couple in the narrative, or for the literally purpose. The audience associate mental instability with the characters in frame with the use of a canted angle, connoting to the viewer that they have not stable mindset, therefore whenever it is used in the sequence it makes the viewer automatically make this connection.

Extreme long shot

A extreme long shot shall be used on a few occasions,  a significant example being when the antagonist is chasing the victim down a long stretch of alleyway. This shall be done to emphasis the surroundings/settings, expressing to the audience that she is alone on her own with no quick escape in sight; furthering showing her vulnerability. This is conventional to the thriller genre as emphasising the convention locational a deserted area, alongside the victim of the narrative being a girl being portrayed in a vulnerable manner; further express through the use of an extreme long shot will make for the scene to look realistic to that of opening thriller sequences, as it will follow the conventions mentioned. The audience will create a relationship between the type of shot used (extreme long shot) and associate it with a lonely/abandoned atmosphere as every extreme long shot used will be done to such affect.


Conclusion 

I think that my groups sequence will be more effective in creating certain emotions and reactions through the use of cinematography as varying camera angles and the way in which the scene is filmed/ portrayed changes the way the audience perceives what is being seen on screen, creating affects and changing the audiences mood and feelings. The cinematography we intend to include in the sequence is conventional to the thriller genres as all of the examples above are consistently presence in thriller films, and the affect created from using such creates shock, surprise, tension and suspense (main thriller conventions). I have found the planning helpful in preparation for filming as my group and I now have a good idea as to what types of shots I intend to do once it comes to the filming stage, and I am also aware as to what affect is created from filming in such a way.   

Planning editing styles - Miss Georgiou

Editing styles are important to include within a thriller film as through varying the different editing styles allows for the creation of the main thriller conventions for the audience; of which consisting of the creation of shock, surprise, suspense). Certain editing styles also allow the audience to build a relationship between the characters on screen, from doing such making a better experience for the viewer. Through the connection created, the audience may want a certain character to prevail when they are in danger, allowing the producer to put them in a position of danger so it builds up further tense and suspense for the audience.

Planning sheet my group and I produced for the editing
types we intend to include in our opening sequence

Reaction shot 

A reaction shot shall be used during the segment in the narrative in which the girl realises that the stalker is present, looking at her in the distance. This will be done to create surprise and shock for the audience as the camera will suddenly focus on the stalker standing in the distance, when previously the atmosphere was quiet. The moments before this scene will be of a segment of the girl alone on her own (using slow editing), therefore the drastic change in camera movement and narrative change will create further surprise for the audience. This is convention to the thriller genre as reaction shots are often present in similar thriller sequences, used to the same effect of shocking the viewer. The contrast in scenery between the difference shots, speeding up the overall pace and thrill factor of the sequence creates further shock for the audience. This makes the audience feel on edge as it will make them question what significance the new shot has as it has instantly changed.

Montage editing

Montage editing will be used during one of the chase scenes in which the antagonist is chasing after the girl. This will be done so the speed of the segment increases drastically as multiple images will be juxtaposed together, creating tension and suspense for the audience as the shots are being shown too fast for the viewer to clearly acknowledge what is happening on screen. This is convention to thriller sequences as the opening parts of thriller films often have the use of montage editing as it confuses the viewer, but keeping them on edge by doing so due to the speed of actions on screen. This will help make my sequence conventional to the thriller genre as using this type of editing during a chase scene will emphasis the panic of the situation also as everything is happening very fast on screen, as chase scenes are often present in thrillers, keeping the audience on edge due to the action element, but building suspense for them also as they are unaware as to what is actually happening.

Fade

A fade will take place at the very end of the sequence, at the point where the girl escapes from the antagonists grasp. The purpose of a fade in this context is so that it signifies to the audience that it is the end of the sequence, in which the screen would fade black until it follows onto the next scene (the following scene in our narrative would be the morning after the ordeal). This will connote to the viewer that the hectic scenes that have taken place in the beginning sequence is resolved and the following scenes are going to regroup from what has already occurred. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the end of the opening sequence in thriller films often have fade exits, as it signifies the end of the fast paced scene beforehand, the following scene after which would inform the audience as to more information into the narrative and why those actions occurred and to what affect. This makes the viewer feel at ease as they are now made aware that the scene has finished, and that the girl has managed to escape unharmed, making them more relaxed as the scenes beforehand were very tense and had I high degree of suspense.

Slow editing

Slow editing will be used instantly after the girl realises that the antagonist is after her, which takes place shortly after the man has gone off and left the girl alone in the darkness. The effect of using this form of editing at this point is that it slows the pace of the scene by having a long continuous sequence, from doing such building up tension and suspense for the audience as the atmosphere created from the lack of faster editing keeps the viewer on edge and creates anticipation; making them question what is going to happen next. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the use of slow editing is frequent in thriller films and used to same affect, creating suspense and shock for the audience, from following these conventions it will make the sequence seem more realistic to actual thriller films due to the viewer associating it with actual thriller films of a similar nature, in which slow editing is present. Slowing editing creates the effect of fear/suspense for the viewer, keeping them on the edge of there seat due to long unedited segments. The viewer will create a relationship between the characters because of this, as they will want them to be safe and unharmed, building up further tension as the viewer is aware that the film is building up to a climax in which the characters will be in a position of danger.

Planning miss-en-scene - Miss Georgiou

Planning production - mise-en-scene
Examples of intended miss-en-scene use in the narrative

Settings and iconography

I have selected an abandoned, dark car park along with a dark obsucure forest for the settings. I have selected both as they are both common locations for thriller films, as the lack of prescense and people creates a dark and eerie atmosphere; paired alongside the lighting and other aspects allows for the creation of a thriller like atmosphere. This location will be used in the middle and later end of the sequence, as this setting will take place during the part of the narrative in which the antagonist is chasing the victim. This is conventional to a thriller as the location is generic and iconic for thrillers, as they usually take place in either a main city/ busy area or a surban quiet area. From using such a location, the atmosphere which is created by doing so allows for the build up in thriller conventions (such as tension, suspense, surprise and shock), as it is a very dark location which enables the producer to build up tension and suspense for the audience.

The iconography I intend to use consists of a phone, and a knife. This is because they are common items in thriller sequences, therefore the use of them in my own sequence will allow the audience to see it as being more realist to an actual thriller as they will see similar items in the sequence. The phone will be seen after the couple have an arguement as the girl trys to call someone, but her phone gets no service and the knife will be used by scenes in which the antagonist is trying to harm the victim. This is so the audience will see that the victim is in danger as she has no contact to anyone in the middle of nowhere, and the use of knife is because it is common iconography used by the angonist of thriller films, therefore the presense of typical weapons allows for a more realistic viewing. This is conventional to the thriller genre as both items are frequently used in thriller films, used to add to the atmosphere of the sequence, relating the item use with the charaters in the narrative as the antagonist is weilding a weapon and the victim is alone with a phone with no service. From doing so it estabilshes to the positon in which the characters are in throughout the sequence, adding to there character through the item use.


Costumes , hair and makeup

The other characters in the sequence will be wearing casual clothing, whereas the antagonist in the sequence will be wearing all black attair, along with an identity hidding mask. None of the male characters will wear visable makeup, whereas the female victim will be wearing makeup. The antgonist will be wearing this throughout the enire sequence, as it will hide his iddentity for the audience; creating an enigma as they will be unaware as to his iddentity. The use of all black clothing will make the audience percieve the antagonist as having a very cold and dark character, which is how he is intended to be shown. The remander of the characters will wear regular clothing as it shows them as being regular people and civilisms, allowing the audience to relate to those characters as they are just regular people. This is convention to thriller films as the custume of the antagonist, creating an enigma from doing so makes the audience question as to the character of him. Creating an enigma early on in thriller openings is convention as it makes the audience question the actions and iddentity of the villian. Also, creating a relationship between the audience and characters allows for a more thrilling experience as the audience will want the characters to prevail if they are in a position of danger, due to this connection.


Positioning of characters (objects in the frame) 

Before the couple are arguing, they will positioned in a way in which they are shown from a unsteady viewpoint, through the use of canted angle during the part of the segment in which the couple first confront each other on scene. The girl of the narrative will be positioned so that she is often the main focus of the shot (near the middle of the shot, in which the camera will be eye level), as she is the main focus for the audience in the opening sequence. The antagonist will often be shown so that he is slowly behind her in the frame. This will be done to show the couple as being unstable and uneasy, connoting to the audience that there is going to be an upcoming conflict. The girl will be shown as the main focus of the frame as she is going to be the main source of creating suspense and tension for the audience as she is often going to be in a position of danger, and as the audience have built a relationship with her due to the use of cinematography in the sequence, they will want her to get out of her situations unharmed; therefore putting her in a position of danger keeps the audience on  there feet.

Lighting and colour 

Before the conflict between the couple takes place at the very beggining segment of the opening (during the equilibrium stage), high key lighting will be used throughout this segement. As soon as the conflict between the couple begins, low key lighting will be used througout the rest of the sequence, emphasised more so during the chase between the antagonist and the victim. This will be done to emphasis to the audience that everything is fine at this stage because the scene will be very lit and easily visable, creating a calm/ relaxed atmosphere. This shall be done so once the conflict takes place, a drastic change in atmosphere will be aparent, by doing so having a stronger impact on the audience, creating shock and surprise because the pace of the scene increases drastically. This is convention to the thriller genre as creating a contrast between the two segments in the film emphasis's the break in the eqalibrium,  introducing the dark theme of the narrative through the disequalibrium as the rest of the segment is very dark. The errie atmosphere and theme is clearly shown to the audience through the use of low key lighting, as it makes the scenery harder to view, and overall the lack of light creates a suspense filled atmosphere, accompinied with the concept of the narrative.

Facial expressions and body language

Scared facial expression of the girl will be shown quite frequently after the argument (past the middle and later segments). The body language while the argument is taking place is closed, both characters having there arms crossed, the antagonist in the narrative will have an open posture and body langauge throughout the entire sequence. This will be done to show the audience the fear of the girl, by doing so making the audience feel sorry for her due to her very scared and frightened expression, as she is portrayed as being weak and vulnable beforehand through the use of shots (high angle). The body language of both characters will be closed to show that they are both unhappy with each other, showing both of there displease which is each other and the relationship. The posture of the antagonist will be open to show that he is not nevous when attacting the victim, showing also that he is happy doing so; through which showing that he could be psychotic or have psychological issues as he is happy while doing such horrible acts. This is convention to the thriller genre as portraying the young girl in the narrative as scared and in danger is the common portrayal of the main female roles in thriller films that follow a similar narrative such to the groups and I. Varing the body language/posture to the mental state of the characters connotes to the audience an addition insight into them, which is conventional as the antagonist in such films often has psychological issues, and arguments are often shown through the characters having closed body language.