In groups of two or three we made a poster of ‘conception to reception’ life of a film which we split into 6 sections:

• Pre-production
• Production
• Post-production
• Distribution
• Marketing
• Exchange

Within these sections, we had to write jobs that people have which are important in the making of the film. These include Producer, Director, Makeup, Distributors and Cinema Owners.

This task has helped me with the understanding of the film industry and the importance of each worker and where they are needed most. This understanding will help me in the making of my film as I will know how many people I need when setting up my location, cast, costume etc. This will help me to answer Evaluation Question 3 ‘What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?’ as I have a better understanding of the industry.

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Similar to the first analysis the idea of this post is to learn the typical iconography of a thriller film

The opening sequence to this film shows the journey of the protagonist towards the island of Alcatraz, the use of low-key lighting, pathetic fallacy, and high angles helps us as an audience understand the protagonist.

The idea I would like to use from the opening sequence is the use of pathetic fallacy as i feel it can reflect emotion well in terms of setting and character.

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In this task, we had to analyze the opening sequence to ‘The Hole’ (2001) this sequence contains typical thriller iconography and by analyzing it I can now understand what those things are and how to use them effectively.

We analyzed micro features such as:

• Mise-en-scene
• Sound
• Narrative
• Editing
• Themes
• Titles

after looking at all of these constituents, I learned how all of the features reflect on an audience and as a viewer what we can learn from the use of these things. It also helped me to understand what to use in my thriller when I come to produce it.

I would like to use canted angles to help create disorientation and help to create a dramatic effect that makes the audience concerned for the protagonist.

Within this task, we looked at different thrillers and the different conventions that create the different aspects within the thriller world. We researched using the two films “The Number 23” and “Secret Window”. This helped us gain an understanding of thriller conventions and the iconography of thrillers and what they connote.

I am going to use the low key lighting similar to what is used in “The Number 23”. I feel the darkness highlighting something whilst leaving the protagonist in the shadows is a brilliant idea.

Last week I watched the thriller “Secret Window” within the thriller I saw many techniques used to startle and intrigue the audience.

Synopsis:

While in the process of an ugly divorce from his wife, writer Mort Rainey relocates to his remote cabin in upstate New York for isolation. Attempting to recover his mental health, the writer has the misfortune of being found by John Shooter, a farmer who claims Rainey plagiarized his work. At first, Rainey ignores the accusations, but Shooter has no intention of quietly disappearing. Soon, Shooter becomes increasingly vicious in his quest for retribution.

Within the film, the opening introduces the protagonist and location using a broad and capturing establishing shot of the iconic “cabin in the woods” perfect for a thriller, throughout the film the editor chose to use jump cuts this creates a jarring and quite aggressive mood reflecting on the audience when watched, I feel the techniques used could reflect well in my thriller, I would like to use jump cuts in my thriller as I feel it can connote themes such as aggression mystery and confusing.

5 ideas I would like to take from this are:

• The use of framing through different pieces of set
• Using canted angles to create a disorientating effect
• using jump cuts to distance the audience
• use a variety of shots to display different pieces of mise en scene
• use proxemics to display the hierarchy within the plot

The preliminary task is a compulsory piece of coursework that all students must complete as part of their Foundation Portfolio. The purpose is to train you in some basic camera and editing techniques, that you will then use and develop in your main production piece.

It’s an opportunity to learn some new skills and whilst it is coursework it doesn’t matter if it goes wrong, as you don’t get any marks for it.

The brief for the preliminary task is:

“A continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue.

This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.”

In this task we used the app Vine to create and display different camera angles and shots, we will be using these to encode events/narrative in our thrillers.

Canted (Dutch) Angle: This camera angle is deliberately slanted to one side, sometimes used for dramatic effect to help portray unease, disorientation, frantic or desperate action, intoxication, madness,

High Angle: A High angle is used to create a sense of weakness and in some extreme occasions death.

Low Angle: A low angle shot is taken from low down looking up. This connotes, Power, dominance, and strength.

Long shot: A long shot is a shot taken from far away used to show a bigger part of the setting.

Two Shot: A shot used to capture two people in a scene can be used to detail conversation.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately due to the closure of the app Vine the vines we made discussing the different camera shots and angles have been removed, beyond my control. Sorry for any inconvenience.

The titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes.

All video and audio material must be original, produced by the candidate(s), with the exception of music or audio effects from a copyright-free source.

The genre of film which you are going to make is Thrillers.