THRILLER EVAULATION
As part of our AS Media course, we were asked to create a short 2-minute thriller opening. The codes and conventions for a thriller are something that brings about tension and suspense and creates an expectation that something is going to happen but you are not sure when and what. The storyline usually imitates real life circumstances and are more often than not played by everyday characters. While planning for our thriller, we were required to watch a variety of thriller films. One of our focuses was ‘The Shining’ directed by Stanley Kubrick. After watching this film, I discovered many techniques, techniques such as mise en scene, camera angles, editing, sound and cliffhangers. The film had a great influence on my group due to the fact we used flashback in our thriller opening similar to ‘The Shining’. All the films that we watched and from background information on thrillers we made sure we pertained as much information as we got to create a really good thriller opening.
My group consisted of four member two boys and two girls from all different backgrounds, which I think was fair and equal balance because we all played an equal part to help one another. Our thriller opening was called ‘Once upon a kidnapper’ and we had a main character who witnessed her close friend being kidnapped at a young age and then being familiar with the villain years later. Our thriller represents young teenage friendships between 14-17 and ‘youths’ (boys) that are involved in crime and violence. The media portrays that young boys from ethnic origins are more involved in crime and violence than boys from a non-ethic origin. We used this as a stimulus for our thriller opening imitating the stereotype the media depicts for our advantage. Our thriller also represents a working class society because at the beginning of the thriller we are immediately introduced to a young black working class female adult getting on public transport, which suggest her status.
The media institutions that will distribute our thriller opening would be Channel 4. I suggest Channel 4 because they show many urban UK drama films for example, ‘Fall Out’ directed by Ian Rickson. Channel 4 is best known for showing the reality that young teenagers face in everyday life. Due to the fact we will have a low budget, we will use the internet as our source to distribution for our thriller. This would save us money because we will not have to pay distributers to sell our film.
The target audience for our thriller would be young teenagers, male and female aged between 14-19. For example an ideal person that would fit as our target audience would be; Daniel Small, aged 17, a black boy, lives in east London, works part time at schuh and attends college four times a week, loves spending quality time with his friends at the cinema and plays the drums at church. He is a Christian.
I would attract my target audience by posting posters at colleges, school. Youth clubs and having a street team to hand out flyers. I will also use networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace, Bebo, Hi5 and Twitter. To catch the attention of my target I will put images of the main characters on the posters and flyers to show the film is about teenagers so that the audience can relate to the characters and gain knowledge of what they should expect. There would also be a trailer on Channel 4 so our audience would be reminded of film and when it is released. A Myspace will be created so people can comment on how they personally feel the film was and if they have any inquires about the DVD; the trailer would be on the Myspace site. This would be effective for our audience who do not regularly watch TV and allowing a wider global audience to recognize our film.
In making any type of film, effectual technology is required to get the best quality possible. We used Cannon video cameras and Apple Mac computers to use final cut and pro to edit. I enjoyed filming in the beginning but as we progressed, it got quite tiring. We tried to be creative by thinking of different shots Editing was one of the easiest tasks, as long as we were taught the basics, we were able to try new things and include them to our editing process. We used effects like fade and match cut to have a fluidity in our thriller. Selecting the sound was quite difficult for our group because there was so many to pick from and individuals in our group were disagreeing on certain types of music so we concluded that the boys should take responsibility to create the music. Non-digetic music was used throughout our thriller. Playful and upbeat music was used to emphasise childhood while on the other hand sharp strings were used to illustrate danger. What I enjoyed most of all was being filmed. I found this part of the process quite fun and intriguing, expect for when we were told to film in the rain even though we were cold, wet and uncomfortable it created a visual mise en scene for our audience during the flashback. We used to internet to blog our progress each lesson. The internet has been very useful and has allowed us to get views and comments from other people. Our video was put on a website called ‘’Vimeo’’ which certified our video to be viewed by others, and allowed us to view other peoples videos. There is also another website called ‘’YouTube’’. This particular website allows any and everyone to view your thriller and lets them to write their comments underneath. Our video was not yet put on this site because none of us had a YouTube account. Watching our thriller in the cinema in angel was an exciting, yet scary experience. It was exciting because we were anxious to hear the view of others and it was scary because we were not sure if it we would be up to standards as the others. Overall, our feedback from out classmates and friends was positive, but we were told that we could have made our camera work shaper.
Looking back at my preliminary task, I believed it helped me a lot to prepare for my thriller opening. These tasks allow us to make mistakes and learn from them. We learnt a lot about ‘match cut’ in depth, which had an effect on our overall finished piece. I learnt that planning is key source to making any film successful but particularly with our thriller opening which we were successful in planning. We had a specific idea of our plot; setting and camera shot sequence, which made it easier for us to film, however during filming our thriller we came up with new ideas, which did not affect our storyline but added more effectively.
On the whole we all worked well together and helped one another out and I now have a insight into what filming is about and how uneasy it can be at times and also how much hard work is put in by the directors and producers not only the ’stars’ and main characters of the film but behind the scenes.
Wednesday 6 May 2009
Monday 4 May 2009
"Once Upon A Kidnapper" Thriller Film Evaluation
“Once Upon A Kidnapper” Thriller Film Evaluation
As part of my task I had to create a two minute opening to a film of thriller genre. I was in a group consisting of four students and we were given a dated deadline to complete the task. Before starting our task we studied related media texts such as openings of thriller films. Our main case study was that of the cult classic “The Shining”. The Shining is a 1980 thriller film directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. Though not initially successful, the film has had status as a cult film for years. After watching this film I learnt many techniques after watching this film. Techniques such as camera angles and effects that will thrill the audience. I gained many influences from the film as we used flashback effects similar to the film. I believe we as a group benefited from watching this cult classic as it allowed us to discover conventions and themes of thriller films. Techniques such as filming in the rain supported our film. This is because the rain made the film seem more thrilling and signifies the importance of the kidnapping scene.
Source 1 shows an image of actor Jack Nicholson in the film “The Shining”
Source Reference: philzine.wordpress.com/.../
(Cannot Be Shown On Blogger, Click On Link (Source Reference) To View Source)
There are many ways my film represents particular social groups. As the villain is seen wearing what could be described as wearing “ghetto clothing”. This signifies a male from an deprived background may be stereotyped as living in the “slums of London”. The villain is of an Asian background which addresses the stereotype of ethnic minorities being the “hooded criminal”. The two other characters are also other ethnic origins. There are two scenarios of age being represented in the film. Firstly is that of teenagers. During the “past flashback” the characters were in their teenage years. This is presented with the two female characters playing on the swings. Also the villain is wearing “ghetto clothing” which is portrayed in many media texts in the interests of teenagers. Secondly during the “present day scene” the two remaining characters (kidnapper and friend of kidnapped girl) are seen wearing smart clothing or “worklike clothing”. This suggests that they are in the mature stages of their living years. This shows that they have grown and is a sense of “kidulthood to adulthood”.
I believe that “Once upon a Kidnapper” will be distributed via a small UK independent release. This means that it will be shown in a limited amount of screens across the nation. This is because I believe that are film was made for the passion of film making, not the so called “moneymaker hits”. Our film has a hard-hitting thrilling storyline, which will attract a certain number of audiences. If our film is genuinely a success on the screens then plans would be put forward for a DVD release. An example of a small UK independent film is the film “London to Brighton” which critics gave rave reviews.
Source 2 shows an image of the film “London to Brighton”
Source Reference: www.moviecritic.com.au/2008-04/
(Cannot Be Shown On Blogger, Click On Link (Source Reference) To View Source)
I believe the general target audience of the film will be that of the working class origin. This is because the deep-hearted thrilling storyline and genuine locations will appeal more to this audience as it is similar to their real life surroundings. The age I believe will be generally wide, from the age of 15 to the age of economically active people. The youth or teenager will be a strong target audience. This is because of the characters in the film. The behavior and general overall look of the villain can be associated with the youth due to common stereotypes of youths being “ASBOS”. The gender target audience is that of both male and female. This is because there are scenes during the film that will appeal more to the male population and scenes that will appeal more to the female population. The character of “Amy”, the friend kidnapped “Lucy” will appeal more to the female population. This is because females will wish she uncovers the truth behind her disappearance and whether she is still alive. Whereas the male population who are often argued to be more biased will side with the villain. This is because of his gender and they may believe he has reformed. An example of a typical person who fits into my target audience Sameer, a 19 year old student who loves watching films that he can relate to.
I believe our film will attract audiences because of its genuine storyline. Our film does not star any “big stars” which audiences will queue up for the sake of seeing the so-called “star”. However due to the storyline and the natural breathtaking performances by the characters, our film will attract audiences. I believe our film is a typical British film due to its simplicity and honesty. The film will be able to associate with the audience as they may have been through a similar situation. Our main source of advertisement will be the internet. This is because it can reach out to a wide range of people, as the internet is the number one source for publicity. Posters, trailer, information and other forms of advertisement will be displayed on the official film website. A YouTube account has also been created to advertise the film featuring trailers, on shoot interviews and other promotional advertisements.
Source 3 shows an poster, which I created for “Once Upon A Kidnapper”
(Cannot Be Shown On Blogger Due To Technical Dificulties)
After the creation of “Once upon a Kidnapper”, I believe I have learnt more about technologies during constructing the film. Firstly is the use of camera and filming. When filming I learnt how to change the focus of the camera, how to playback footage etc. Secondly is the use of editing software’s such as Final Cut pro, Livetype and Soundtrack. After filming, we used the software Final Cut pro to edit the film. During the time I used this software I learnt how to “log and capture”, shorten clips, add effects etc. I used the software Livetype to add credits during the duration of the film. Whilst using this software I learnt how to change the font of the text, add effects and changing the colour of the text. I used the software Soundtrack to create a soundtrack for the film. When I was using this software I learnt how to add different, sounds, change the focus on certain sounds etc. as this was the first time I was using these software’s I believe I have learnt considerable which will be beneficial to my future projects. I also used the internet during the creation of my film. I had to blog information on the progress of my film on the blogger website. In addition, I had to upload the actual “Once upon a Kidnapper” film and the preliminary task.
Source 4 shows “Once upon a Kidnapper” on the blogger website.
Source Reference: http://thriller08group17.blogspot.com/
(Cannot Be Shown On Blogger, Click On Link (Source Reference) To View Source)
I believe that the preliminary task was beneficial for the creation of Once upon a Kidnapper. The preliminary task allowed the group to understand the use of match cutting. The preliminary task was a short scenario of a conversation between two characters. During the scenario many match cuts were done and a soundtrack was also added. During the task I learnt basic functions of a camera. During editing in the preliminary task it was at first difficult due to the fact that this was the first time in using the software (Final Cut pro). However when completing this task, i got to grips with the use of this software which allowed me to progress in making my actual film.
Source 5 shows a scene from the preliminary task
(Cannot Be Shown On Blogger Due To Technical Dificulties)
As part of my task I had to create a two minute opening to a film of thriller genre. I was in a group consisting of four students and we were given a dated deadline to complete the task. Before starting our task we studied related media texts such as openings of thriller films. Our main case study was that of the cult classic “The Shining”. The Shining is a 1980 thriller film directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. Though not initially successful, the film has had status as a cult film for years. After watching this film I learnt many techniques after watching this film. Techniques such as camera angles and effects that will thrill the audience. I gained many influences from the film as we used flashback effects similar to the film. I believe we as a group benefited from watching this cult classic as it allowed us to discover conventions and themes of thriller films. Techniques such as filming in the rain supported our film. This is because the rain made the film seem more thrilling and signifies the importance of the kidnapping scene.
Source 1 shows an image of actor Jack Nicholson in the film “The Shining”
Source Reference: philzine.wordpress.com/.../
(Cannot Be Shown On Blogger, Click On Link (Source Reference) To View Source)
There are many ways my film represents particular social groups. As the villain is seen wearing what could be described as wearing “ghetto clothing”. This signifies a male from an deprived background may be stereotyped as living in the “slums of London”. The villain is of an Asian background which addresses the stereotype of ethnic minorities being the “hooded criminal”. The two other characters are also other ethnic origins. There are two scenarios of age being represented in the film. Firstly is that of teenagers. During the “past flashback” the characters were in their teenage years. This is presented with the two female characters playing on the swings. Also the villain is wearing “ghetto clothing” which is portrayed in many media texts in the interests of teenagers. Secondly during the “present day scene” the two remaining characters (kidnapper and friend of kidnapped girl) are seen wearing smart clothing or “worklike clothing”. This suggests that they are in the mature stages of their living years. This shows that they have grown and is a sense of “kidulthood to adulthood”.
I believe that “Once upon a Kidnapper” will be distributed via a small UK independent release. This means that it will be shown in a limited amount of screens across the nation. This is because I believe that are film was made for the passion of film making, not the so called “moneymaker hits”. Our film has a hard-hitting thrilling storyline, which will attract a certain number of audiences. If our film is genuinely a success on the screens then plans would be put forward for a DVD release. An example of a small UK independent film is the film “London to Brighton” which critics gave rave reviews.
Source 2 shows an image of the film “London to Brighton”
Source Reference: www.moviecritic.com.au/2008-04/
(Cannot Be Shown On Blogger, Click On Link (Source Reference) To View Source)
I believe the general target audience of the film will be that of the working class origin. This is because the deep-hearted thrilling storyline and genuine locations will appeal more to this audience as it is similar to their real life surroundings. The age I believe will be generally wide, from the age of 15 to the age of economically active people. The youth or teenager will be a strong target audience. This is because of the characters in the film. The behavior and general overall look of the villain can be associated with the youth due to common stereotypes of youths being “ASBOS”. The gender target audience is that of both male and female. This is because there are scenes during the film that will appeal more to the male population and scenes that will appeal more to the female population. The character of “Amy”, the friend kidnapped “Lucy” will appeal more to the female population. This is because females will wish she uncovers the truth behind her disappearance and whether she is still alive. Whereas the male population who are often argued to be more biased will side with the villain. This is because of his gender and they may believe he has reformed. An example of a typical person who fits into my target audience Sameer, a 19 year old student who loves watching films that he can relate to.
I believe our film will attract audiences because of its genuine storyline. Our film does not star any “big stars” which audiences will queue up for the sake of seeing the so-called “star”. However due to the storyline and the natural breathtaking performances by the characters, our film will attract audiences. I believe our film is a typical British film due to its simplicity and honesty. The film will be able to associate with the audience as they may have been through a similar situation. Our main source of advertisement will be the internet. This is because it can reach out to a wide range of people, as the internet is the number one source for publicity. Posters, trailer, information and other forms of advertisement will be displayed on the official film website. A YouTube account has also been created to advertise the film featuring trailers, on shoot interviews and other promotional advertisements.
Source 3 shows an poster, which I created for “Once Upon A Kidnapper”
(Cannot Be Shown On Blogger Due To Technical Dificulties)
After the creation of “Once upon a Kidnapper”, I believe I have learnt more about technologies during constructing the film. Firstly is the use of camera and filming. When filming I learnt how to change the focus of the camera, how to playback footage etc. Secondly is the use of editing software’s such as Final Cut pro, Livetype and Soundtrack. After filming, we used the software Final Cut pro to edit the film. During the time I used this software I learnt how to “log and capture”, shorten clips, add effects etc. I used the software Livetype to add credits during the duration of the film. Whilst using this software I learnt how to change the font of the text, add effects and changing the colour of the text. I used the software Soundtrack to create a soundtrack for the film. When I was using this software I learnt how to add different, sounds, change the focus on certain sounds etc. as this was the first time I was using these software’s I believe I have learnt considerable which will be beneficial to my future projects. I also used the internet during the creation of my film. I had to blog information on the progress of my film on the blogger website. In addition, I had to upload the actual “Once upon a Kidnapper” film and the preliminary task.
Source 4 shows “Once upon a Kidnapper” on the blogger website.
Source Reference: http://thriller08group17.blogspot.com/
(Cannot Be Shown On Blogger, Click On Link (Source Reference) To View Source)
I believe that the preliminary task was beneficial for the creation of Once upon a Kidnapper. The preliminary task allowed the group to understand the use of match cutting. The preliminary task was a short scenario of a conversation between two characters. During the scenario many match cuts were done and a soundtrack was also added. During the task I learnt basic functions of a camera. During editing in the preliminary task it was at first difficult due to the fact that this was the first time in using the software (Final Cut pro). However when completing this task, i got to grips with the use of this software which allowed me to progress in making my actual film.
Source 5 shows a scene from the preliminary task
(Cannot Be Shown On Blogger Due To Technical Dificulties)
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