Thriller Production Research

In this task we had to research a Hollywood and Indie film and what went into it to produce it.

I did my research on Blair Witch and Level Up which both got released in 2016.

 

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I did some research to find out who the director, screenwriter and producer was in each film, I also researched how large of a budget they had to create their film and what they spent their budget on. For example who was casted in the film and the locations and settings of scenes. Afterwards I found out what the original property or franchise it fitted into and if it did. Lastly I found out what the production features were.

In conclusion I learnt that the smaller the budget for a independent film producer the harder it is for the production of their independent film. Which in turn means that they have many more budget restrictions then the Big 6 conglomerates.

 

Film industry research jobline

In groups we were asked to research conception to reception in films. We made a timeline in which we used different titles such as:

  • Pre production
  • Production
  • Post Production
  • Distribution
  • Marketing
  • Exhibition/ Exchange

We used the titles to write key words which would help explain what jobs and roles go into each sector of making and distributing a film.

This task is useful because it will help with the answering Evaluation question 3 easier as I have a greater understanding for what kind of media institution might distribute a media product and why they would do it.

 

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Previous Students’ Work

I had to review a previous students opening to a thriller film and depict certain elements of it, the opening sequence I reviewed was called ‘REC’.

The narrative shows a group of teenagers that go into a deserted building to investigate and try uncover a ghost that had been rumoured to have been living there and haunting the surrounding area, how ever that all back fires horribly as they uncover the truth….

I used the level ladder below to help me review the groups thriller film.

LVLLADDER

 

HOLDING A SHOT STEADY

I would give this a Lower level 4 as the shots are clear even in the moving shots. To say the majority of the film was in point of view trying to show a hand held camera, I personally think they showed each clip clearly and obtain a clear meaning through out the shots.

 

FRAMING A SHOT

One of the shots which showed brilliant framing when was when the  group was walking up the stairs and a camera was positioned behind a door just showing a crack as the group walked past, I would give this a upper level 4 because the shot made the group seem vulnerable and made it feel like they were being watched.

 

VARIETY OF SHOT DISTANCES

There was a good variety of shots as the group used a long shot to show the group walking into the building then they used close ups when they were recording each other in the sequence which helped to show emotion. I think the group would get a upper level 4 because they showed that they can create different shot differences well.

 

APPOPRIATE TO TASK

If i was marking this groups work I would give it a lower 4, because the sequence clearly showed a film from a thriller genre, however the actors were good but there was times that they didn’t seem as scared as you would be in that position which stopped me from giving it a upper level 4 because the acting didn’t feel perfect.

 

MISE-EN-SCENE SELECTION

I would give this section a upper level 4 because all the Mise-en-Scene fitted the genre of thriller perfectly. The old books indicating that something spooky is going on and it gives the sequence an eerie feel. The characters in REC were illustrated as ordinary people with typical teenager clothing but what was happening was extraordinary which is typical in a thriller which furthermore means that it fits nicely into the genre giving them a higher level in this area.

 

EDITING FOR MEANING

I would think that REC would get a upper level 4 for this element of their work because all the edits fitted nicely with the conventional features of the genre. The edit was in chronological order and made sense. As the scene progresses the tension builds up and the shots become quicker adding more and more tension onto the scene.

 

SHOT TRANSITIONS

The shot transitions are well executed therefore making me give it a lower level 4. They use a interference in some shot transitions making it look like the camera has some sort of problem or is put together with taken footage. The shots run smoothly as it goes from point of view to third person view.

 

SOUND WITH IMAGES

I would give the sound a upper level 4 because they clearly chose sounds to fit the genre which i think fit pleasingly into their piece of work, the unpleasant sound playing in the background definitely created tension and also connoted the danger the group were in.

 

USING TITLES

I would give the title use a upper level 4, I would give it the upper level 4 because the title was kept smart and fitted well with the content and also the theme of the film which is thriller. The title looked like the record image a camera would use in the corner while recording which is classically shortened to ‘REC’.

‘Thriller 2’ analysis- Shutter Island ( Scorsese 2010)

After analysing the opening of The Hole we had to analyse another Thriller film, I chose to do Shutter Island. Likewise to my first analysis, I took apart the opening of Shutter Island to see how I interpreted them and look at what the micro and macro features meant in the sequence.

The use of low key lighting in the opening scene worked feel and made the scene feel eerie, therefore I think low key lighting would work well in my Thriller opening.

Please scroll on the document to look at my analysis 

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‘Thriller 1’ analysis- The Hole (Hamm 2001)

I analysed the opening sequence to The Hole (2001). We had to pick apart the Macro and Micro features, we analysed what they mean in the sequence and what meaning they suggested.

After watching the opening sequence of The Hole ,I think that I will use breathing sound affects to add significant tension onto my opening Thriller scene.

Please scroll on the document to look at my analysis 

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Thriller Conventions

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conventions-mind-map-adam-ed

We watched the opening to Shutter Island and Memento. We took screenshots of various clips within the opening sequence to show the different elements involved in a thriller film. We inserted the clips onto a mind map to explain the elements which were used. The elements which we look at were Antagonist, Protagonist, Iconography, Enigma, Visual Style and setting.

This task has been useful with further decisions on which elements to use in my thriller. I think that my Thriller will have to use close up shots to illustrate emotion clearly and help the audience connect with the characters, my thriller will also probably use under lighting to distort someones face which would in turn make a scene more mysterious, I am planning to use low key lighting in my thriller because the eerie effect it creates would be brilliant in my thriller.

Thriller Expectations

The Purge

Director: James DeMonaco

Stars: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey

Plot: The Purge, an annual event held every year for 1 day which allows all crime to be legalised for 12 hours in America.  During the Purge a wealthy family is held hostage , for allowing a fugitive into their home, meaning they have to battle out against some violent purgers to survive as a family.

purge_poster-1

I saw the following conventional features while watching the Purge that you would expect to see in a thriller:

  • Hand held camera following attack scene.
  • Low key lighting creating tension.
  • Close up of guns/faces showing danger and emotion.
  • Music giving suspense on exciting moments.
  • Match on action in attack scenes following all the punches and stabs.
  • Running away from a threat or antagonists.

 

This task was important because it will help with the deciding of features to use in our Thriller.