EVALUATION

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

I have used red titles to symbolise blood and danger, the audience will then know there's bound to be twists. I've also used non diegetic music which sounds like a little girl singing about death, it's very eerie, and also goes well with the stroyline, it is therefore conventional for a typical thriller. Sounds similar to this are used in the opening sequence of Red Dragon to help create tension.
Flashing images are used to portray to the audience that the film is a thriller, it symbolises the young girls mind, how there's so much going on in her head and how confused she is. Images similar are used in the opening sequence of Seven.
Red lipstick is used as the young girls symbol, this is a connotation of death and violence. When she kills she leaves a kiss on the victims faces.
Our thriller film challenges the thriller convention by incorporating what should be the end of the film as the opening shot so throughout my production the audience will be trying to work out what has happened, this conforms with the 'enigma' theory, the audience not knowing what to expect.

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The characters I have used in my production are all of a white middle class family. The parents previously abused their daughter which is very unconventional for a thriller as an audience woluld usually expect somebody of a different culture ethnicity and social class to have been the killers rather than their own family. It's also very common for the perpetrators to be of a working class which also proves my film to be unconventional.


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

Film 4 would distribute my film as they mainly focus a lot on youth audience, which I thought would be a good target audience for my film. They make a lot of low budget films, don't particulary focus a lot on how much money they spend but more the storylines and different ways to attract the audience. It also gives a chance to new and up and coming film makers which is basically myself.


4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

I will generally be targeting my film at teenage males and females of any ethnicity, class and social grade, with the film having a 15 certificate. I want the main character to almost mirror the target audience we aimed for so they would be able to put themselves in the portragonists shoes and really get into the film.

5. How did you attract/address your audience?

I tried to attract my audience by having a gripping and exciting storyline that could possibly happen in every day life. Th opening shot of the film will shock the audience, which will grab their attention and make them watch the whole of my opening sequence. I used very interesting music which could also grip the audience even more. The locations I wused caried very often which the audience may find interesting and the large variety of shots I have used could appeal to them.

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

I became familiar with basic shots and camera movement which I've used within my film, having never learnt any of it before. I also learnt panning, tilting, match on action and framing our shots through doing our preliminary task.
To edit, I've had to use FinalCut Pro, which is the first time I've used the program, so I have learnt how to drag and drop, put transitions between shots, rendering, also how to put the credits on, overlapping different shots, speeding shots up aswell as slowing them down.
I used blogspot which came in handy as it helped to structure my ideas and put together my final piece. I've learnt how to set up a blog, add posts and also embed videos and images.

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

From the preliminary task I have learnt how the video camera works and how to achieve different shots I wanted from the different angles. I've learnt about match on action and never to break the 180 degree rule whilst filming my footage. I learnt how to film a shot reverse shot which I then incorporated into my film to make it look as if she closer the girl got the more pain she was putting the victims through. I added zooms in and out using the camera, of the newspaper articles that the girl had collected. I also filmed an establishing shot as it helped to set the scene and show the surrounding areas.
I have learnt a lot from my mistakes and then applied my knowledge to my final piece.

Preliminary Task

Before we starting filming I took part in a preliminary task for my forthcoming Foundation Project in AS Media. In a group, we were asked to produce a short clip of no more than two minutes. This clip had to include the following things:
The exchangment of an object,
A door being opened,
A match on action shot,
A handshake, and
A shot-reverse-shot.
We managed to incorporate all of these and produce a short clip >> BELOW....

Codes and Conventions

Media Codes and Conventions:

Thriller- A thriller will normally start with some fast music to set the scene. Often, it may show a chase scene which is also there to set the scene of a thriller as it is a good way to introduce the characters early on and also get the audience interested but also because it is a sign of things to come in the film. For example, in the film "Speed," the bad guys and the good guys are introduced but a high action disaster still takes place at the start which is tied in with the main plot.

Horror- In the first five minutes of a typical horror film, it is usually about setting the scene of where the action will usually take place. It is also a chance to introduce the victims and sometimes the villain. Also, a lot of suspense is normally created in the start of horror films. A prime example of this is the film "Saw." The scene is placed where most of the film will take place, and the two main characters are also introduced in the very first scene. A contradiction to this however is "Dawn of the Dead." There is a killing in the first five minutes, and therefore one might say that there is no suspense and the suspense is killed. Also, the main setting is not introduced for some fifteen minutes later. So this proves that not all horrors follow the so called "codes and conventions."

Romantic Comedy- In a lot of the romantic comedies I have watched, the two people who will eventually fall in love are actually seeing other people at the start of the film. This is the case in "Serendipity," "A lot like Love," and "Along Came Polly." Often the partners of the two main characters will be portrayed in a bad way so the viewers don't like them and then hope that the two main characters will get together instead. This is the emotions I found myself feeling when watching "Serendipity." I have noticed that in the romantic comedies I have watched, the opening credits are often in red. An example of this is "Love Actually" and also "Four weddings and a Funeral."

TASK 10: EDITING

FILMING: PICTURES

PICTURES:

TASK 9: FILMING

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE


WHEN
Wednesday 20th January 2010
@ 4.30pm

WHO
Actors: Julie Stock (mother) and Julian Stock (father)
Filming: Harriet
Props: Fake blood, rope, knife, dirty blood stained t-shirts.
ALSO DV camera, tripod and a digital camera.

WHAT
I will be filming shots 12 and 14 and taking pictures of the MOTHER and FATHER just after Angelika has killed them. The filming material I retrieve will be used to flash in between other shots & the photographs I take will be used to put onto the newspaper articles I will be creating. The photos will be used in shots 3,8 and 10.

WHERE
I will be filming these shots in my back garden, with the actors placed up against a brick wall, sitting on the floor. They will look as if they've been there for some time and suffered an immense amount of pain.
I shall wait until it starts to get dark to film, as this will create a much more frightening atmosphere.

HOW
For shots 12 and 14 I will position my actors on the floor against a wall, both covered in blood and dirt with rope tied round their hands.

CAMERA ANGLES I WILL BE USING -

ARIEL SHOT: I will stand on a chair and get a birds eye view shot of the mother and father on the floor, dead. This will make the parents appear smaller and make them look much more vulnerable.

HAND HELD: I will use this shot to make it look as if Angelika is filming it herself just after she has killed them which will give a sense of uneasiness and documentary style realism.

HORIZONTAL TRACKING: I will use this shot from both left to right, and right to left.

VERTICAL TRACKING: I will move the camera up and down so the audience have a clear view of the damage Angelika has done to her parents.

LOW ANGLE: I will position the camera low, looking up at the parents, this will make them appear more dominant, as they once were, before Angelika took her revenge.

I will also use a variety of pans and tilts so you can see the whole set.
I will then use a digital camera to take photographs from these angles as well, which i will use to flash in between shots.



WHEN
Thursday 21st January 2010
@ 3.45pm

WHO
Actors: Aimee Hall (Angelika)
Filming: Harriet Matthews and Bianca Henry
Props: Fake blood, red lipstick, cling film.
ALSO DV camera and tripod.

WHAT
I will be filming all the shots Angelika is in, which include the first and second shot where I will be using a medium close up of her hand covered in blood and a close up shot of the blood dripping onto the floor. I will also be filming shots 5,6 and 7, where Angelika puts on her lipstick as if she is ready to kill, kisses herself in the mirror and writes 'Now its my turn' in red lipstick on the mirror. I will film shots 9,11,13,15 and 16 where Angelika is in an unknown location. I will film these as an ELS, LS, MLS and MS as Angelika gradually gets closer.

WHERE
I will be filming shots 1,2,9,11,15 and 16 at a local park, it's the ideal location as it has an extremely long path with trees all along the sides which gives it quite a spooky feeling. Shots 5,6 and 7 will be filmed in my house, i will cover the mirror in cling film to give it a shattered effect.

HOW

CAMERA ANGLES I WILL BE USING -

MEDIUM SHOT: My first shot will be a MS of Angelika with blood dripping from her hand.
I will also have medium shots of Angelika kissing herself in the mirror and when she stands looking at herself in the mirror.

HAND HELD: I will use some hand held shots to give a slightly shaky look.

EXTREME CLOSE UP: I will use this shot whilst Angelika is applying her lipstick as if she's ready to kill. You don't see her eyes on this shot.

EXTREME LONG SHOT: Angelika in the park from a distance.

LONG SHOT: She slowly gets closer.

MEDIUM LONG SHOT: As Angelika gets even closer and is in equal proportion to the settings.

MEDIUM SHOT: As she is very close, cut off at the waist.

OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT: I will use this shot when Angelika is writing on the mirror in red lipstick.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP: This shot will be used when Angelika is on the long stretch of path, while she is quite close to the camera.

TASK 8: Casting

Julian Stock will be playing the part of the 'Father'.
Props needed: - Fake Blood
- T-shirt, covered in dirt and blood
- Rope to tie round wrists
- Knife, placed next to him





Julie Stock will be playing the part of the 'Mother'
Props needed: - Fake Blood
- T-shirt, covered in dirt and blood
- Rope to tie round wrists
- Knife, placed next to her




















Aimee Hall will be playing the part of 'Angelika'.
Props needed: -Fake blood
-Red Lipstick

TASK 7: Role Allocation

I will now identify who is doing what role in the production team.


Written By - Harriet Matthews
Cinematography By - Bianca Henry
Edited By - Harriet Matthews
Music By - Bianca Henry
Produced By - Harriet Matthews
Directed By - Bianca Henry

TASK 6: storyboard

How To Storyboard A Film Sequence


The purpose of a story board is to photograph (draw/digitalise) each and every shot of a film with a list bof key information written underneath it.

Story Boards allow a director to visualise the whole film before filming and also allows the camera person to understand how the film is to be shot.

Story boards also allow you to change elements if they don't work visually before the expensive film making process.

Each frame of a story board should contain the following information :

1. Shot number - each shot of the story board must be numbered so that the intended sequence of shots can be followed
2. Framing - Is the shot a close up ? Medium shot ? Long shot ?
3. Drawing - A drawing visualisation of what is happening in the shot.
4. Action - A breif description of what is happening in the shot
5. Dialogue - Single lines of dialogue may be written
6. Sound effects - Are there any specific sounds, diagetic and non-diagetic sounds ?



Each frame on the story board must have shot descriptors such as FRAMING: MLS, ECU, LS etc.

Also Information on movement and positions such as the following abreviations could be added:
H/A - High Angle
L/A - Low Angle
POV - Point Of View
2-Shot - Two people in a shot
OTS - Over The Shoulder
Track/Dolly - Move camera on wheeled platform
Crab - Sideways move
Pull Focus - Change what is focused on.

For the very first shot, I will carry out a medium cloe up of Angelika, you will only be able to see one of her arms and helf of her body, her face will not be revealed until later on. Her hand will be covered in blood and it will then drip off. When editing i will have to slow down when the blood drops so the audience can clearly see it. At then end of this shot there will be a straight cut to the next shot.

The next few shots (2,3,4) will be of images and newspaper articles that Angelika has collected ever since her parents started abusing her, this will inlcude images of her parents alive and happy, images of them after Angelika has attacked them, and also images of her parents that Angelika has scratched out. These shots will include a variety of transitions, some will have straight cuts in and some will dossolve, especially when i overlap different shots as it makes it look a lot smoother. This will also apply for shots 8 and 10.

Shots 5 and 6 are of Angelika looking at herself in the mirror. They will both be shot in a dark room and I will use the lighting from the camera to see what is happening, which will give it a much more thrillerish look. I will cover the mirror in cling film prior to the filming to give it an almost shattered effect. Angelika will then use a red lipstick to write in the mirror "now it's my turn". Whilst writing this I will be using a variety of different shots and different angles, high angles and low angles, close up shots, medium close up shots.While shewrites "turn" I will include a jump cut between each letter that she writes. While she is kissing the mirror, I will stand looking into the mirror rather than at the side of her watching her doing it.I will then use a straight cut to shot 7 where I will fim an extreme close up of Angelika applying her red lipstick as if she is now ready to kill!

For shots 9,11,13,15 and 16 I will be filming in a local park where there is a long narrow path surrounded in large trees. I will start with an extreme long shot then a few long shots as Angelika is moving closer towards me and then shot 16 will be a medium close up of Angelika looking down then slowly lifting her head up to look into the camera with her evil eyes. I will use straight cuts inbetween these shots and some dissolves when i decide to overlap images.

Shots 12 and 14 will be filmed in my back garden. i wish to film these shots as it's just starting to get dark so therefore some of my shots will be in the compelte darkness, whereby I will use the light off the camera to be able to see. Angelika's parents are dead, sitting against the wall covered in blood and dirt where there bodies have been dragged. I will use a variety of different shots and angles to film these shots as I want the audience to be able to see what Angelika has done to them from every possible angle. I will use plenty of dossolves during these shots especially when i oveerlap different shots.

Throughout the whole of my media production I will use a backing track to make it sound creepy and quite scary. It is called 'samara's song' which has been used in the film 'The Ring'. I believe by using a non diegetic sound it will compliment my production and give it more of a thriller feel.

TASK 4.3: Characters

ANGELIKA
Age: 17
Accent: Birmingham, England.
Occupation: Student
Appearance: Extremely long brown hair, dressed all in black with a blod blue top. Wears red lipstick.
Characteristics: Shy, withdrawn and pure evil. She is mentally disturbed from the past she has experienced.


MOTHER
Age: 46
Accent: Birmingham, England.
Occupation: Social Worker
Appearance: Blonde short hair and glasses. Typical parent.
Characteristics: None, as in the pre title sequence she has already been killed. She used to be extremely abusive towards her daughter.


FATHER
Age: 50
Accent: Birmingham, England.
Occupation: Doorman
Appearance: Black/Grey hair, tired looking. Typical father figure, quite muscular. Wears a white t-shirt.
Characteristics: None, as in the pre title sequence he has already been killed. Before he was murdured he used to harm his daughter regulary.

TASK 4.2: Basic plot/storyline of the film

I decided to pick this idea as it seemed to be the most realistic for me to convey. I don't need too many props to use in my film, just fake blood, red lipstick, photographs and newspaper articles that i will design myself. Some of my other ideas seem a bit more complex and may be harder to explain the whole story to the audience in such a short space of time, however with this idea I am able to get the story line across to the audience by using newspaper articles from the past showing everything that has happened within the family and also photographs that have been taken by the main character of the film. This idea, unlike my other ideas won't have anybody acting, I will have one main character and two major characters, and most of my shots will be still shots, or shots with slight movement. I will not be including dialogue as i think it takes away the suspense, instead i will have a creepy stalkerish song in the background to help build up tension.

My idea is as follows:


The main character in the film is Angelika, aged 17, whom from a young age has been mentally, physically and even sexually abused by both her mother, aged 46 and her father, aged 50.
As the story develops the audience will see a sequence of different images of newspaper articles revealing and briefly explaining the story to them.
After years and years of taking such abuse, Angelika finally turns EVIL and wants to take revenge upon those who have harmed her during her life.
She has been planning her violent attack for months now, collecting all evidence of the pain and distress they both managed to cause her.
One crisp night she decides to put her plan into action, and makes absolute sure her parents go through as much suffering as possible before she brutally attacks and kills the both of them.
Her plan was successful, and she is now more powerful than ever.

4.1 Mind map ideas

Idea 1

There is a private detective in his office on day, when a man enters, and asks him to solve a murder. When his P.A asks who was murdered, they guy sayd "we were". He then lowers his colar and takes off his hat to reveal that the client is the P.A himself, as a ghost from his own future, trying to solve his own murder before it happens.

Idea 2

There is a teenage girl at shool, she's lonely and all the popular girls tend to make fun of her and tease her everyday of the week, they also push and shove her into lockers and into other people around school. One day she goes to Central Library and takes out a book about the seven deadly sins. The book is cursed and turns the girl evil. Deep music is played to create suspense showing the girl is about to do some damage to those who once teased her.

Idea 3

A teenage girl used to get brutally abused when she was younger by her parents. She has know grown up and is mentally affected by what they did to her, which makes her want revenge upon them. The girl becomes the abuser and ends up killing her parents violently. The pre-title sequence will include mainly images of the girl and her parents, with newspaper artucles showing what's happened.

Idea 4

A young boy is playing basketball at night in his back garden and his mother calls him to come back into the house. The boy stays outside, there is a camera in the bushes, using a POV shot to capture the shot of the boy, the camera will be shaking and moving around in the bushes. Suddenly a group of four middle ages armed men run for the boy, snatch him and hold him hostage in an unknown location because of something his mother had done years ago.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Thriller Conventions

The thriller genre can include the following sub-genres, which may include elements of other genres:


Action thriller: In which the work often features a race against the clock, contains lots of violence, and an obvious antagonist. These films usually contain large amounts of guns, explosions, and large elaborate set pieces for the action to take place. These films often have elements of mystery films and crime films but these elements take a backseat to action. Notable examples are the James Bond films, The Transporter, and the Jason Bourne novels and films.

Conspiracy thriller: In which the hero/heroine confronts a large, powerful group of enemies whose true extent only he/she recognizes. The Chancellor Manuscript and The Aquitane Progression by Robert Ludlum fall into this category, as do films such as Three Days of the Condor, Capricorn One, and JFK.

Crime thriller: This particular genre is a hybrid type of both crime films and thrillers that offers a suspenseful account of a successful or failed crime or crimes. These films often focus on the criminal(s) rather than a policeman. Crime thrillers usually emphasize action over psychological aspects. Central topics of these films include murders, robberies, chases, shootouts, and double-crosses are central ingredients. Some examples include The Killing, Seven, Reservoir Dogs, Inside Man, and The Asphalt Jungle.

Disaster thriller: In which the main conflict is due to some sort of natural or artificial disaster, such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes, etc., or nuclear disasters as an artificial disaster. Examples include Stormy Weather by Carl Hiaasen, Tremor by Winston Graham, and the 1974 film Earthquake.

Drama thriller: In which the story consists of the elements of a thriller and drama film. These films are usually slower paced and involves a great deal of character development along with plot twists. Examples include The Illusionist, The Interpreter and The Prestige.
Stanley Robinson|Kim Stanley Robinson's]] Mars Trilogy and Ian Irvine's Human Rites Trilogy and Dasavathaaram. Horror thriller in which the main character is put in danger and his main enemies are unrealistic creatures in which he must destroy to achieve his goal.

Erotic thriller: In which it consists of erotica and thriller. It has become popular since the 1980s and the rise of VCR market penetration. The genre includes such films as Basic Instinct, Dressed to Kill, Color of Night, Eyes Wide Shut, Fatal Attraction, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Obsessed, and In the Cut.

Legal thriller: In which the lawyer-heroes/heroines confront enemies outside, as well as inside, the courtroom and are in danger of losing not only their cases but their lives. The Innocent Man by John Grisham is a well known example of the type.

Medical thriller: In which the hero/heroine are medical doctors/personnel working to solve an expanding medical problem. Robin Cook, Tess Gerritsen, Michael Crichton, and Gary Braver are well-known authors of this subgenre. Nonfiction medical thrillers are also a subcategory, comprising works like The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. Films such as Awake are other examples of medical thrillers.

Political thriller: In which the hero/heroine must ensure the stability of the government that employs him. The success of Seven Days in May (1962) by Fletcher Knebel, The Day of the Jackal (1971) by Frederick Forsyth, and The Manchurian Candidate (1959) by Richard Condon established this subgenre. A more recent example is the 1980 film Agency.

Psychological thriller: In which (until the often violent resolution) the conflict between the main characters is mental and emotional, rather than physical. The Alfred Hitchcock films Suspicion, Shadow of a Doubt, and Strangers on a Train and David Lynch's bizarre and influential Blue Velvet are notable examples of the type, as is The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith (who also wrote Strangers) and The Good Son starring Elijah Wood and Macaulay Culkin.

Spy thriller: (also a subgenre of spy fiction): In which the hero is generally a government agent who must take violent action against agents of a rival government or (in recent years) terrorists. Examples include From Russia, with Love by Ian Fleming, The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum, and television series such as Mission: Impossible and 24 (the latter demonstrating a break from the norm by Robert Ludlum, as it is as much a psychological thriller as a spy thriller).

Techno-thriller: In which (typically military) technology is described in detail and made essential to the reader's/viewer's understanding of the plot. Tom Clancy defined and popularized the genre with his The Hunt for Red October, and is considered to be the "Father of the Techno thriller".

Religious thriller: In which the plot is closely connected to religious objects, institutions and questions. While suspense stories have always shown a significant affinity for religion and philosophical issues (G.K. Chesterton's novel The Man Who Was Thursday has been called a "metaphysical thriller"; and Umberto Eco's novels The Name of the Rose and Foucault's Pendulum both display thriller characteristics), Dan Brown's 2003 best-seller The Da Vinci Code has led to a current boom in religiously oriented thrillers.


Most thrillers are formed in some combination of the above, with horror, conspiracy, and psychological tricks used most commonly to heighten tension. Combinations are highly diverse, including:

Science fiction thrillers: Jurassic Park, Sunshine.
Techno/political/conspiracy/military: Robocop, S.M. Stirling's Draka novels.
Legal/forensic/psychological/: Thomas Harris' The Silence of the Lambs novel, Seven.

TARGET AUDIENCE: The thriller genre

The Thriller Genre


In 2007 the cinema and box office admissions saw an increase in the number of films that were viewed within the UK. Cinema admissions increased by 4% whilst the box office share of UK films went from 19% in 2006 to 29% in 2007.However, even though most media attention is mainly focused towards film it is not always necessarily viewed by audiences at the cinema. Within the UK in 2007 the the number of people was recorded who opted to watch films on the television as opposed to at the cinema. The total figure for the audiences who watched films on television was 3.1 billion, which was 19 times larger than an audience who preferred to watch films at the cinema.According to the UK Film Council's statistics, young people nearly half under the age of 25 mainly watched films at the cinema. However, in recent years there has been a substantial increase in the older audience such as people aged 45 and over which accounts for 19% of cinema visits.
The UK Film Council has recorded thw top 20 films released within the UK in 2007. Films of the thriller genre that appeared within this list were I Am Legend, The Bourne Ultimatum, Die Hard 4.0 and Ocean's Thirteen. I Am Legend was shown in 440 cinemas, the box office gross (£ million) was 25.52 and the opening weekend gross (£ million) was 11.01.The Bourne Ultimatum was shown in 458 cinemas, the box office gross (£ million) was 23.72 and the opening weekend gross (£ million) was 6.55.Die Hard 4.0 was shown in 458 cinemas, the box office gross (£ million) was 13.89 and the opening weekend gross (£ million) was 5.00.Ocean's Thirteen was shown in 475 cinemas, the box office gross (£ million) was 13.15 and the opening weekend gross (£ million) was 3.02.The Bourne Ultimatum made it to number 1 in the weekend box office charts on 17th August 2007, where it stayed for 3 weeks. The weekend gross (£ million) was 6.6.
In the UK in 2007, there were 28 (5.4%) films released of the thriller genre. The gross box office (£ million) was 67.6 (7.2%). The top performing title was The Bourne Ultimatum.However, audiences favourite genre was comedy with 127 (24.6) released films in 2007, and the gross box office (£ million) was 206.6 (22.1%). The top performing title was Mr Bean's Holiday. Horror was the 10th most favourite genre with 24 film releases in 2007, and romance was the 14th most favourite genre with 21 releases. Top performing titles from these genres was Saw 4 and P.S I Love You.
BBFC classifications are there to give audiences a general idea of what the film will contain and what type of audience will be suitable to view it. U (Universal) classifications are suitable for for all to watch, PG (Parental Guidance) is suitable for general viewing but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children, 12A is suitable for no one younger than 12 years of age and this age groups cannot see a 12A in a cinema without being accompanied by an adult, 15 is suitable for no one younger than 15 years of age and 18 is suitable for no one younger than 18 years of age.In 2007, one film from the thriller genre was given the 12A classification. This film was The Bourne Ultimatum, whereas all of the other films with this classification fell under the genre of comedy, romance and action.Films with a classification of 15 were mainly from the genres comedy, action, sci-fi and drama. Two films from the thriller genre were given a 15 classification in 2007, these films being Blood Diamond and The Last King of Scotland.Films with a classification of 18 were mainly from the genres crime, horror, thriller and action. Examples of these films in 2007 were American Gangster, Hannibal Rising, Eastern Promises, Outlaw and Apocalypto.
The UK Film Council has recored the top 10 institutions/distributors in the UK in 2007. The number one institution being Warner Brothers with 15.6% market share, box office gross (£ million) 141.5 and 32 released films in 2007 including there biggest hits Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I Am Legend, 300 and Ocean's Thirteen.Paramount was the second best institution with 14.7% market share, a box office gross (£ million) of 133.7 and 31 released films in 2007 including Shrek the Third, Transformers and Stardust.20th Century Fox was the third most rated institution with 13.9% market share, box office gross (£ million) 126.3 and 27 released films in 2007 including The Simpsons, Die Hard 4.0 and Fantastic Four: Rise of The Silver Surfer.
http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/media/pdf/1/p/2008.pdf

TARGET AUDIENCE: summary of questionaire

12-15 year old males and females enjoyed Romantic Comedy's, mainly because of the jolly story lines ad the fairy tale happy endings they all seem to have. They preferred to watch this film genre at home or with friends as it helps to create a positive atmosphere. However one element this age group disliked about Romantic Comedy's was that many of them have far too similar story lines and you never really get any twists in them like you do in thriller films.
This age group wasn't particularly keen on horrors as thery contain many disgusting and horrific images that they may find disturbing. Favourite films from the Romantic Comedy genre were Four Weddings And A Funeral, The Proposal, Love Actually and My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

16-25 year old males and females seemed to enjoy thrillers more than any other genre, this was down to the amazing storylines that have been produced,k the amount of suspense that is built up and the way the films seem to captivate the audience and bring them into the film. From this genre, the age group expected a thriller to end with a twist and would like to be given clues throughout the whole of the film as to 'who did what', engaging the audience and really trying to make them think.
Nobody in this age group chose Romantic Comedy as their favourite film genre and a large perentage would prefer to watch a film just as it's been released in the cinema. Favourite films from the thriller genre are Hannibal, The Silence Of The Lambs, Seven, Saw, and Basic Instinct.

My results show me that 26-40 year old males and females mainly enjoy to watch Thrillers for the action, storylines and unpredictability the writers have managed to create. this age group prefered to watch these films in the comfort of their own home and would like to see a thriller ending with some sort of physchological twist, leaving them in deep thought about the film as they can often prove to be very realistic. This age group only has little interest in Romanttic Comedys and Horrors, with some of the favourite films from the thriller genre The Bourne identity and Deja Vu.

My results show me that 40+ males and femaes enjoyed watching mainly thrillers with some interest in Romantic Comedys and Horrors, due to the suspense, realism and brilliant acting the genre tends to include. Some people dislike the fact that thrillers often take a long time to get in to as there is so much to take in during the film, but people tend to LOVE the twists they can include. Many agreed an appropraite age certificate for thrillers and horrors would be either a 15 or an 18, whilst Romantic Comedys should be either a PG, a 12 or a 12A. Many people in this age group would prefer to watch a film at home with friends and family.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Questionaire

Age:

12-15 16-25 26-40 41+

Gender:

Male Female

What is your favourite film genre?

Thriller
Horror
Romantic Comedy

And why?

......................................................................................................

What do you dislike about the following genres?

Thriller: .........................................................................................
Horror: .........................................................................................
Romantic Comedy: ...................................................................................

What do you think would be an appropriate age certificate for the following?

Thriller: ..........
Horror: ..........
Romantic Comedy: ..........

Where do you prefer to watch a film?

Home
Cinema
Other ..........................

From the following genres, what is your favourite film

Thriller: ...................................................
Horror: ...................................................
Romantic Coemdy: .................................................

What do you like most about your 'favourites' stated above?

Thriller: .....................................................
Horror: .....................................................
Romantic Comedy: ................................................

How would you like to see a Thriller end?

A cliffhanger
With closure
With a twist





I will now ask a variety of different age groups to fill in this questionaire & based upon the feedback i recieve, this may determine what kind of genre i decide to make my opening sequence about and what kind of storyline i include.

4.3 Characterisation

Every film has a MAIN character and a MAJOR character.
Conventionally there is usually only one main character in a film, but there can be many major characters.

Examples of MAIN and MAJOR characters:

STAR WARS: A new hope (1977)
Main character: Luke Skywalker
Major characters: Obi-one-kenobi, Han Solo, Darth Vader, Princess Lela

CASINO ROYALE (2006)
Main character: James Bond
Major characters: Miss Moneypenny, M, G, Le Chiffre, Felix

ROCKY III (1982)
Main character: Rocky Balboa
Major characters: Adrian Balboa, Apollo Creed, Mickey, Clubber Lang (Mr T)

RED DRAGON (2002)
Main character: Agent Will Graham
Major characters: Hannibal Lector, Francis Dollarhyde, Agent Crawford, Blind girl

SEVEN (1995)
Main characters: Detective William Somerset
Major characters: John Doe, Detective David Mills


ANTAGONISTS are usually major characters whereas PROTAGONISTS are the main characters.

Examples of protagonists are:
STAR WARS: Darth Vader
CASINO ROYALE: Le Chiffre
ROCKY III: Clubber Lang (Mr T)
RED DRAGON: Francis Dollarhyde
SEVEN: John Doe


Character Descriptions

Here are some examples of character descriptions...

Age: 34
Appearance: Long ginger hair, kilt, body armour, blue war paint on face.
Characteristics: Physically strong, brave, aggressive, intelligent.
Accent: Strong Scottish accent.
- William Wallis

Age: 64
Appearance: Beige mack, suit, shirt and tie, cardigan, pork pie hat.
Characteristics: Methodical, intelligent, professional, confident.
Accent: Louisiana, America.
- Morgan Freeman

Age: 17
Apperance/costume: Plain dresses, dowdy look, long ginger hair, pale freckly skin.
Characteristics: Shy, timid, withdrawn, polite, calm, scared.
Accent: American, mid-west.
- Carrie

Halloween

Halloween is a 1978 American independent horror in the fictional suburban town of Haddofield, Illinois, USA on Halloween.

A psychotic murder institutionalized since childhood escaped on a mindless rampage while his doctor chases him through the streets.

Halloween was produced on a small budget of $320,000 and grossed a massive $47 million at the box office in the USA alone, equivalent to over $150 million as of 2008, becoming one of the most profitable independent films of all times.

Many critics credit the film as the first in a long line of slasher films inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960). The movie originated many cliches found in low budget horror films of the 1980's and 1990's. However, the film contains little graphic, violence and gore.

The text in the title sequence is orange, representing Halloween, gradually turning to red, letting off a negative connotation of blood and danger. There is a black background making it clear to the audience that the film is bounf to include elements of darkness and violence. There is also a pumpkin in the background, an establishing shot first shows the pumpkin in the distance, the slow zoom in towards the pumpkin represents an animal zooming in on its prey, getting ready to attack. The titles constantly fade in and out whilst the music gets louder and faster, sounding as if there is a chase going on. The pitch often changes from high to low within the title sequence, which helps to build tension.

During the opening sequence a subjective point of view shot is used once the person has put the mask on which makes the audience feel as if they are behind the eyes of the killer. We see a knife been picked up and the person moves around the house using a forward dollying shot, as if he's searching for his victim, all the while the music gets higher and louder creating tension, as the audience aren't sure what the knife is about to be used for.

As the killer walks up the stairs you can hear the diegetic sound of the young girl humming, which helps to create a tense atmosphere. The music suddenly changes to a very high pitched sound representing the scream of somebody in grave danger as the killer behing the mask stabs the girl to death.

Unexpectedly, the killers identity is revealed and is infact the girls younger brother. John Carpenter cleverly used the camera angles to trick the audience by protraying the killer to be a lot older and taller than he is.. The entire opening scene is a long take from the killers point of view, up until the very last shot when it cuts and Michael is revealed as the man behind the mask. This could then make the audience believe the film contains many more twists.

180 degree rule

Match on action is a component of seamless editing where a point of action (like handing something to someone) is shot from different angles cut at the point of action creating a macth.



You also have to make sure of eye line match - which is making sure the eyes of both characters from a shot reverse shot match in terms of locations on the screen.

Love Actually

Love Actually is a British film made by Working Titles in 2003. The film follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely and interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.



Working titles started off as a very small company gradually building itself up slowly, in 2004 it made a total profit of £17.8 million. Working Titles made the film Four Weddings and a funeral in 1994 which was expected to be unsuccessful. The film was an unexpected success, becoming the highest-grossing British film in cinema history at the time, with worldwide box office in excess of $244 million,with a budget of only $6million. Love Actually had an estimated budget of around £30,000,000 and ended up being a huge success making a gross profit of $247,472,278 worldwide. The main reason for such success was the well known A list actors that starred in the filmsuch as Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, Rowan Atkinson, Laura Linney, Martine McCutcheon and Lúcia Moniz.

As of 2007 Working Titles films were all distributed by Universal Pictures, whcih owns a 67% stake in the company, whcih then helped them to gain a bigger budget for their future films. The co-producers at Working Title are from Studio Canal, also BBC films & other private investors then own the remaining part of the company.


Hugh Grant has starred in many Biritsh Romantic Comedy's. Aswell as Love Actually he's also starred in:

• Four Weddings and a Funeral




• Notting Hill




• About A Boy




• Bridget Jones's Diary




• Bridget Jones's Diary, The Edge Of Reasons




• Music and Lyrics




• Two Weeks Notice

Love Actually recieved mainly positive feeback, some negative as with every film. Some examples of its positive feedback are:

• Cynics maybe sick, romantics will feed their spirits soar. Richard Curtis returns.




• The writer responsible for the biggest British hits of the last ten years. The film was directed well as a vibrant and romantic comedy, blending ambition with good sense by filling the profuse parts of this multi-storied script with excellent, experimental actors, and rising young stars.

Pre-title sequence for 'Love Actually'

I analysed the pre-title sequence of Love Actually, the shots used during this are in a documentary style and almost looks as if they aren't actors and are real people coming out of an airpost to be reunited with their loved ones. A big proportion of the shots are zoomed in, showing families hugging and been loving towards each other. In terms of distance and framing medium close up and close up shots show the happy, joyful and loving expressions on the peoples faces as they're reunited with the people they love at Heathrow Airport, London. You can easily see by decorations it is Christmas time, there are extreme long shots of different parts in London such as an ice-skating rink and a large Christmas tree in a part of central London. During the pre-title sequence none diegetic sounds are played in the form of a piano,it's very soft, slow and dreamy. Also a voice over is used which is none diegetic speaking about love the whole way through. The titles that appear on the screen are red and white, this symbolises love and purity. Mainly all the shots used jumpcuts from one shot to another and slow motion is also intergrated into these shots which compliments the slow music, it has a dreamy focus to it and seems almost unreal. The entire pre-titled sequence is shot at Heathrow Airport in london showing families been reunited. Most of the actors are white and middle class, you don't tend to see many people of different colour. London is symbolised in these shots as a sparkly and amazing place to be, showing mainly middle class people, and looks very expensive.

Red Dragon (opening sequence)

Red Dragon is a 2003 film directed by Brett Ratner. I analysed the pre title sequence of the film using camera angles, sound, mise en scene and editing to help me break it down. Doctor Hannibal Lector is the main character in this film played by the well known actor Anthony Hopkins.

The pre title sequence is set in a grand theatre, a crane shot of the audience is shown as they are watching an orchestra perform. The camera slowly zooms in on Hannibal, who seems to stand out from the others, which suggests he's an important character in the film. By the way he represents himself, wearing a suit, suggests he may be upper class and an important character within society. The camera zooms in and shows an extreme close up of Hannibal Lectors face. You can see the concentration on his face as he watches and observes the flute player in the orchestra.Shot reverse shots are used between Hannibal and the flute player. He notices a single note of the piece that the flute player has got wrong, the expression on his face shows that Hannibal has notcied, and is very dissapointed as its a song he must love and know very well. He immediately wants revenge upon the flute player.

The music in the pre title sequence starts off very loud portraying aggression, it's very powerful just like Doctor Hannibal Lector. The classical music sounds very cheerful until the flute player gets a note wrong, the tempo then gets a lot faster, creating a sense of danger.

The title sequence for Red Dargon is very similar in many wats to the title sequence for Se7en. Se7en could have inspired Brett Ratner to make his using similar eliments. Like Se7en, a scrapbook has been used, including horrifying and disturbing images mainly of different body parts which suggests this is what the film could be about. There are shots of newspaper articles, with positive stories about Doctor Hannibal Lector, then suddenly the lighting goes down and the music turns to a much lower and more aggressive sound as we see shots of negative stories about Hannibal, he looks pure evil. This shows us the two sides to Hannibal and how he can go from good to bad so easily. There is also an image of a young child with their eyes scratched out which could represent how Hannibal doesn't like people looking at him and seeing him for what he really is.

The titles are red and white, red representing danger and blood, while white could symbolise the better side of hannibal, this could help represent the two sides hannibal has to him, red been his bad and evil side, harming people and white representing his innocence and purity.

Christian Metz model of genre developments

Introducing Metz Theory


Metz's model of development was to recognise the horror genres existance and develop it as much as he could.


Christian Metz in his book Language and Cinema (1974) explored the development of Genre film and suggested that Genre's pass through the four phases of existance.
1.The Experimental films such as The Cabinet of Doctor Claigan (1919) and Nosferatu (1922)
2. The Classic Hollywood films such as Dracula (1931) and Frankenstein (1931) made by Universal Studios.
3. The Parody films such as Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein (1948) Carry On Screaming (1968) and Scary Movie (1998)
4. The Deconstruction films such as Se7en (1995) The Sixth Sense (1999) The Blair Witch Project (1998) and Scream (1998)

Explanation Of The Four Phases

By Experimental we mean the phase of early films with explored and experimented with horror themes in its narratives. They helped formalize the narrative conventions of the horror genre in its earliest phase.

By Classic we mean the phase of films which established the narrative conventions of the horror genre in its most successful and defining period.

By Parody we mean films that have mimicked the horror genre in some comical way.

By Deconstruction we mean films which have taken the generic elements of the horror genre and amalgamated them into varying cub genre.

Here are some examples of Genres combined with generic elements of horror:

Se7en- Psychological Thriller/Horror

The Sixth Sense - Supernatural Thriller/Horror

Blair Witch Project - Documentary film/Horror

Scream - Teen Movie/Horror

SE7EN

Title Sequence from 'SE7EN'


Written by Kyle Cooper, Se7en symbolizes the new wave of screen titling that began in 1990. The title sequence has been produced using many close up and extreme close up shots of such items as a notebook, a razor blade held in a persons fingers, and also a needle. Many of the shots onscreen are far too brief to be thoroughly "read." The text is composed in what appears to be handmade scribbles whose letters sometimes jiggle and shift.

The camera angles used in the title sequence of Se7en are mainly close up and extreme close up shots. There's an ECU of a person turning pages in a scrapbook, and of a pair of hands, supposidly broken or crippled, perhaps from arthritus. During the title sequence many close up shots are used to show the writing in the scrapbook, this suggests the person in intelligent and has written a lot of journals, possible obsessed. The CU shot of a tea bag could show that the person is British or posh, as people from Britain tend to drink tea whereas Americans are always seen drinking coffee. The director may have used these types of camera shots so we can't see who the person is, they want to hide the identity of that particular person.





During the title sequence irregular edit shots are used to symbolise the persons state of mind, they are an irregular person with irregular thoughts. Super imposed images are also used to show the cluterness of that person and how jumbled up there mind may be. The jump cuts used could show a passive of time, this could be over weeks months or even years of the person writing, also some shots are blurred to show how out of sink they are. Quick fade outs are used to show the tension and the persons different thought processes and most edits cut with the beat of the music. Flashing, overlapping and flickering images are are used, there's a picture of a boy shown once with the whole of his face, then with his eyes crossed out and finally the whole of him had been crossed out, this could show that the person doesn't want the boy to look at him and makes them aware of how sick they really are.

There are many different sounds used in the title sequence, some high and some low pitched. Sounds such as radio waves, screetching and screams of torture are used, this could also represent the persons unhealthy state of mind and how it varies. The music is very disturbing to the audiences ears, they sound almost like machinery being crushed, suggesting the person could be quite a mechanical criminal, and very orderly. The sounds convey the audiences minds as they are uncomfortable to listen to as they are irregular and distort. The music is disturbing to anyones ears - Just like the CRIMINAL.

The scence may have been in an dingy and dark place, possible someone's workspace underground as there is very little light been let in, the person may be trying to isolate themselves from anyone on the outside. It may have been set in a dark room as negatives have been shown, this could suggest the criminal takes a lot of photos. The title sequence is almost like a nightmare, different objects flashing before your eyes, all negative images. There's many disturbing shots, these include the person shaving off their fingertips with a razor perhaps to get rid of their prints (CRIMINAL!), also there's negatives been cut, and a needle threading a book together. The person obviously has a lot of time on their hands and is very patient, they could be creating something monsterous! The text is like somebody has handwritten it, it seems childlike and jumps around the screne a lot. In the scrapbook, images of naked children are shown, the photo with the childs eyes scratched out could symbolise the person not wanting to be seen by others. The photo could be the criminal when they were younger, they may have been molestored by somebody else, and now he's become just like his perpetrator. In the scrapbook the words 'intercourse' and 'transexuals' have been crossed out, God wouldn't want this so therefore the criminal wouldn't either, they both detest such words of misconduct. Also the word 'God' has been taken out of the dollar, the person doesn't want God to be associated with money, as they obviously don't agree with America using God to help them make money. The criminal thinks he's helping God by doing what he thinks God would want.