Thriller Film Reviews
Se7en
“Se7en” is directed by David Fincher, starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Gwyneth Paltrow.
'The film, “Se7en”, combines unique features which include dark visuals, intense plot developments and focused priorities in order to convey suspense dramas of which attracts the audience by the events designed. Therefore being satisfying throughout the opening sequence.'
Silence of the Lambs
"Silence of the Lambs" is directed by Jonathan Demme, starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and Lawrence A. Bonney.
'The "Silence of the Lambs" provides, a whole new level, of blood and gore into a very intense film. With a brilliantly plot alongside with the background music which is much darker than the film itself, it has many conversational thoughts which takes ownership of an audience into a mind-grappling film that is well deserved of an Oscar.'
Thursday, 29 October 2015
Monday, 19 October 2015
Questionnaire Results
Audience Research Questionnaire Results By Our Group
We conducted our Questionnaire by asking 10 different people, per question, and organised the results into the following pie charts:
The first question was populated by the answer 'Suspense' as many thought it was key to feel excited as to what will happen next. It keeps people on the edge of their seats, always wanting more.
The majority of people, I asked, felt as if 'Music' achieved most of the suspense in a Thriller film. Most feel that 'Music' incorporated different speeds to the film which added a variety of moods and atmosphere's to a film.
We conducted our Questionnaire by asking 10 different people, per question, and organised the results into the following pie charts:
The first question was populated by the answer 'Suspense' as many thought it was key to feel excited as to what will happen next. It keeps people on the edge of their seats, always wanting more.
This was a clear answer as nearly everyone managed to pick 'As little as possible'. By films revealing as little as possible it enables the audience to be aware of the storyline however it could have multiple interpretations therefore the audience is incapable of clinching onto what's happening next straight away.
'Tension Music' was founded to be the most conventional because it has the ability to create different emotions upon the audience but it can also clarify the scenes and characters mood.
We wasn't surprised to find 'Trailer' as the most selected, since the producers put a lot of money and time into the trailer because they want to grab the viewers attention and pull them into buying the film.
'Gore' became justified to an extent that near enough everyone doesn't go to watch a Thriller for 'Gore' but for a creative, extraordinary plot. 'Gore' is as a conventional trait for a Horror film.
Questonnaire
Questionnaire
Audience Research Questionnaire
Thriller: A novel, play, or film with an exciting plot, typically involving crime or espionage
1. What do you like about the Thriller genre?
Confusion [ ]
Mystery [ ]
Suspense [ ]
Compelling Characters [ ]
Hero vs. Villain [ ]
2. For you, what builds up suspense in a film?
Music [ ]
Lighting [ ]
Sound [ ]
Camera Angles [ ]
Pace [ ]
3. How do you think an opening of a Thriller should begin?
Chase Scene [ ]
Everyday Life [ ]
Flash-back [ ]
Flash-Forward [ ]
Present-time [ ]
4. In the opening of a Thriller, how much of the plot do you think should be revealed?
As much as possible [ ]
AS little as possible [ ]
Not at all [ ]
5. What would you consider the most conventional of a thriller film?
Low Key Lighting [ ]
Tension Music [ ]
Shadows [ ]
Quick Shots [ ]
6. What type of advertising grabs your attention best and makes you want to see the film?
Film Reviews [ ]
Certain Actors [ ]
Trailer [ ]
Other [ ]
7. What do you NOT like about a Thriller?
Low Key Lighting [ ]
Gore [ ]
Unimaginative Plot [ ]
Implausible Plot Twist [ ]
Audience Research Questionnaire
Thriller: A novel, play, or film with an exciting plot, typically involving crime or espionage
1. What do you like about the Thriller genre?
Confusion [ ]
Mystery [ ]
Suspense [ ]
Compelling Characters [ ]
Hero vs. Villain [ ]
2. For you, what builds up suspense in a film?
Music [ ]
Lighting [ ]
Sound [ ]
Camera Angles [ ]
Pace [ ]
3. How do you think an opening of a Thriller should begin?
Chase Scene [ ]
Everyday Life [ ]
Flash-back [ ]
Flash-Forward [ ]
Present-time [ ]
4. In the opening of a Thriller, how much of the plot do you think should be revealed?
As much as possible [ ]
AS little as possible [ ]
Not at all [ ]
5. What would you consider the most conventional of a thriller film?
Low Key Lighting [ ]
Tension Music [ ]
Shadows [ ]
Quick Shots [ ]
6. What type of advertising grabs your attention best and makes you want to see the film?
Film Reviews [ ]
Certain Actors [ ]
Trailer [ ]
Other [ ]
7. What do you NOT like about a Thriller?
Low Key Lighting [ ]
Gore [ ]
Unimaginative Plot [ ]
Implausible Plot Twist [ ]
Production Diary 9
Next we decided to create a questionnaire so we could conduct some primary research. The reason for deciding to conduct primary research was to get a idea of what the public and more so the potential target audience think about the genre thriller. The advantages of our group conducting primary research in the form of a questionnaire is so as a group we can get some specific, relevant, clear answers to the questions that we wanted find out. A long with primary research we also conducted secondary research to get a wider all and already conducted view on peoples perception of thriller.
Sunday, 18 October 2015
Thriller Mood Board
Mood Board
My chosen genre was on thriller so i have decided to gather multiple images from several different thriller films. These images show key elements which would be in a thriller film.Through the use of a mood board it helps to give a better understanding of what a mood board should consist of. In majority of these examples there has been a contrast been low key and high key lighting. A key contrast throughout all the male actors within the thriller films is that they all use props such as guns, but all so they are all dressed smartly which in turn blends in with society. This technique which is used within then thriller genre has given us a strong understanding of what are film should consist of. Throughout the mood board it is also clear to the there has been a lot of extreme close up shots which is a key trait in a Thriller film.
Production Diary 8
Here I decided to research multiple thriller films and gather images of each one of them in order to create a mood board. This mood board mainly consisted off images of locations, people, props or key words that a used without the thriller genre. After this was created I decided to upload it on to my blog and then wrote a short evaluation about the mood board and what it indicates.
Friday, 16 October 2015
Textual Analysis On Shutter Island (Mise En Scène)
Representation
From the very start of the opening sequence there is a harbor which is situated in the middle of no where in a very remote looking setting. There is a few ships and highly secure people and vehicles being shown also within the frame. The use of the highly secure people and the smartly dressed characters is used to give a sense of importance and seriousness within the frame. This draws the audience into the story as they are confused by what is going on and they are wanting to find out what is going to happen next. The colors which are being used is dark blue, black and a range of greens to give the impression that it is something to do with special forces. All the characters are male which are usually suited with war, business or the army as they are usually linked with being more dominant and powerful.
Setting
This film is set within a remote looking island but we instantly see from the start that it is located near to a bay. This use of a remote island and being located to the sea is symbolic to the title 'Shutter Island'. This shows that this opening location could play a vital part throughout the film. Instantly afterwards the two character are being transported into a new remote looking location by a army vehicle. This gives a sense that where the actors are going to is a secret location which is going to be secured and top secret. We next see the actors entered a large gateway which is opened by what is deemed to be officers. We swiftly next see some high structure, secure brick walls followed by another steel, large gate. Through the gate being opened up we see a large, secure looking mansion which is guarded by officers. This setting gives of the idea that they are in a secretive location which is highly secure, which could be a key location in the film.
Lighting
Throughout the opening sequence there is mainly natural lighting being used throughout. Natural lighting throughout is being used to give a sense of realism to the audience. This makes the audience have a better understanding and all most gives them a good representation of experiencing this themselves. The natural lighting also helps build a good connection with the audience as helps to make them feel almost as they are in the film themselves. This use of lighting also makes everything clear to see, so the audience can see exactly what is going on. Later on in the scene when they travel pass the cemetery there is low key lighting being used. This use of lighting is used as its dark and is closely linked with horrific, dark scenes such as death.
Costume/Props
From the start we see characters which are surrounded around army vehicles dressed in special forces uniforms,holding guns. This use of costume shows that the situation is very serious and important with the special forced officers equipped for conflict. Throughout the rest of the opening sequence what is deemed to be the main two characters are wearing smart suits, shoes and a that. This implies that they are going to something important, smart and serious. This indicates that they are not in the average situation as they are not dressed in casual clothes.
From the very start of the opening sequence there is a harbor which is situated in the middle of no where in a very remote looking setting. There is a few ships and highly secure people and vehicles being shown also within the frame. The use of the highly secure people and the smartly dressed characters is used to give a sense of importance and seriousness within the frame. This draws the audience into the story as they are confused by what is going on and they are wanting to find out what is going to happen next. The colors which are being used is dark blue, black and a range of greens to give the impression that it is something to do with special forces. All the characters are male which are usually suited with war, business or the army as they are usually linked with being more dominant and powerful.
Setting
This film is set within a remote looking island but we instantly see from the start that it is located near to a bay. This use of a remote island and being located to the sea is symbolic to the title 'Shutter Island'. This shows that this opening location could play a vital part throughout the film. Instantly afterwards the two character are being transported into a new remote looking location by a army vehicle. This gives a sense that where the actors are going to is a secret location which is going to be secured and top secret. We next see the actors entered a large gateway which is opened by what is deemed to be officers. We swiftly next see some high structure, secure brick walls followed by another steel, large gate. Through the gate being opened up we see a large, secure looking mansion which is guarded by officers. This setting gives of the idea that they are in a secretive location which is highly secure, which could be a key location in the film.
Lighting
Throughout the opening sequence there is mainly natural lighting being used throughout. Natural lighting throughout is being used to give a sense of realism to the audience. This makes the audience have a better understanding and all most gives them a good representation of experiencing this themselves. The natural lighting also helps build a good connection with the audience as helps to make them feel almost as they are in the film themselves. This use of lighting also makes everything clear to see, so the audience can see exactly what is going on. Later on in the scene when they travel pass the cemetery there is low key lighting being used. This use of lighting is used as its dark and is closely linked with horrific, dark scenes such as death.
Costume/Props
From the start we see characters which are surrounded around army vehicles dressed in special forces uniforms,holding guns. This use of costume shows that the situation is very serious and important with the special forced officers equipped for conflict. Throughout the rest of the opening sequence what is deemed to be the main two characters are wearing smart suits, shoes and a that. This implies that they are going to something important, smart and serious. This indicates that they are not in the average situation as they are not dressed in casual clothes.
Thursday, 15 October 2015
Production Diary 7
Through further analysis on high end thriller films we started to compare the similarities and difference between locations, lighting, camera shots and key conventions. By doing this it gave us a clear indication of what we need we wanted to cooperate into our production to help engage the audience and to give the sense of unknowing.
Wednesday, 14 October 2015
Production Diary 6
Research was completed by RACING 3 different thriller films to help further our knowledge on thriller and to indicate to us the key elements and features which are involved within making Thrillers so successful. By identifying these different elements and features we as a group would be able to use some of these ideas and cooperate them into our own film.
RACING:
Representation
Audience
Conventions
Institutes
Narrative
Genre
RACING:
Representation
Audience
Conventions
Institutes
Narrative
Genre
Tuesday, 13 October 2015
9 Key Screen Shots Of Outbreak
The genre of Outbreak is a 1995 Thriller on a American medical disaster film directed by Wolfgang
Petersen and very loosely based on Richard Preston's non-fiction book The Hot
Zone. The film stars Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo and Morgan Freeman, and
co-stars Cuba Gooding, Jr., Kevin Spacey, Donald Sutherland and Patrick
Dempsey.
My second shot shows a bright, big, explosion of some sort coming from where the parachute was situated. Through the sudden explosion it helps to engage the audience which in turn grabs there attention to watch on. It also gives a sense of confusion to the audience as they do not know the reason for why the explosion has happened. From the first shot to this one there is a sudden change in the use of lighting from low key lightning to a dramatic exaggeration in the use of high key lighting.
This next shot is an extreme long shot which shows the vast open area in which the scene is taken place. Also this shot shows that the destination is a very open, deserted area which creates a sense of mystery why there was explosions and human life present. In this shot it also indicates that it could be about something military based or mission based by the use of the plane. The use of low key lighting here helps to highlight the dark atmosphere which is created by the weather.
The fourth screen shot is a close up shot in the foreground of the destroyed habitat of the monkey from the explosion which is shown in background. The use of the monkey shows that there is some form of wildlife present with this remote, deserted island. The monkey also hints to the audience that the film could be something possibly to do with wildlife/animals.
This shot is a point of view shot as it implies that the audience are seeing it from a humans perspective. This shot instantly hints to the audience that the destination is very secure and is where top secretive army medical research is happening through the use of subtitles. It isn't just the subtitles which gives the sense of it being a secure, secretive place its the way there is a highly compact army vehicle and a security officer in the foreground. There is also the use of very bright, clear lighting being used to clearly show the audience what is going on in the secret location.
This sixth shot is an extreme close up shot of highly elite medical equipment and someone who is examining evidence or samples. The use of the face mask,gloves and the safety coat suggests to the audience that there being sometimes dealt with great care and precision. The in turn creates a sense of danger of whatever is being dealt with could be highly dangerous if it is not dealt with properly.
This next screen is another close up shot of a top security equipment and thick bomb proof door. The use of the top security equipment shows that only a few people have and do see past what is behind these closed doors. The shot also helps highly emphasis the doors which create enigma as there is something behind them which is key to the film which the audience can not see. Consequently this will help to entice the audience to watch on as they are wanting to know what is going to happen next.
The eighth shot is a zoom shot coming in from outside of the window. The reason for this shot being used is because it only give the audience another small clue to what is going on within this very secretive building. This shot also shows that there is a highly dangerous operation being carried out with top safety equipment being used as it looks like there is a substance that can not come into direct contact with human life. Also low key lighting has been used in this shot to prevent to much being given away as there is no certain focus point to the shot.
The last and final shot from the opening sequence is a jump shot to a completely new location which looks in a completely new location to the last. This has completely drawn away the audience from the remote, secretive location and has left them with a sense of confusion as they don't have a clear understanding of what is now going on. The only thing that the audience can use from this shot which relates to the previous ones is from the use of animals.
Production Diary 5
Today I decide conduct a textual analysis on a successful thriller themed film. The film that I had chosen was on Inception and to critically evaluate 9 key screen shots from the opening sequence of outbreak. At this stage this form of analytical research was vital as it helped me to pick about the opening sequence of 2 highly successful thriller film and in turn helped me to understand why they have been so successful. This allowed me to get in depth and helped to widen my knowledge of our theme Thriller.
Monday, 12 October 2015
British Board Film Classification (BBFC)
British Board Film Classification (BBFC)
(Click the link above)
This presentation investigates the British board film classification and what impact it has on the age ratings for videos, games and what age rating means and how they are chosen.
(Click the link above)
This presentation investigates the British board film classification and what impact it has on the age ratings for videos, games and what age rating means and how they are chosen.
Production Diary 4
We next decided as group who are target audience was going to be for the film The Chase and from this we needed to establish which age rating our film would be. We then as a group decide upon our film being rated a 15. From this we all decide to go away and to individually research the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) so we could get a clear understanding of which age rating meant and help ensure that a 15 would be suitable for our thriller film. This also now meant we as a group would no exactly what we could include and what types of conventions are in a 15.
Monday, 5 October 2015
Mastermind Preliminary Task
Mastermind Preliminary Task
When filming this preliminary task we used a wide variety of different shots to make this short opening sequence effective whilst including key shots. This use of different shots helps to indicate the range of shots that is needed to make the opening sequence effective. Some of the shots used where 'Match on Action', '180 Degree Camera Rule' and 'Shot Reverse Shot'.
When filming this preliminary task we used a wide variety of different shots to make this short opening sequence effective whilst including key shots. This use of different shots helps to indicate the range of shots that is needed to make the opening sequence effective. Some of the shots used where 'Match on Action', '180 Degree Camera Rule' and 'Shot Reverse Shot'.
Preliminary Task Script
Preliminary Task Script
FADE IN:
INT. SCHOOL - COMMON ROOM
Kelvin: You ‘ite Jamie
Jamie: You ‘ite Kelvin
Kelvin: Yeah, how’s it going?
Jamie: Yeah good, you mate?
Kelvin: Yeah - West Ham, what’s going on with West Ham this
season?
Jamie: Yeah they ain't doing too bad, Payet’s come back
Kelvin: To be honest I don’t really like West Ham like that,
I’m more of a Manchester United fan Yeah but if you think about it, Martial is
like way like ten times better than him ‘coz you know Lanzini, yeah he got a
couple of goals but Martial – his work rate you know is still there
Jamie: Nice and young
Kelvin: Yeah, naaah
Jamie: Lots of potential
Kelvin: Yeah, he’s decent he’s decent
Jamie: Yeah he’s not a too bad little player, play on the
wing and play upfront as well – Keeps your style of Manchester
Kelvin: Ahh yeah well listen Jamie, im off alright – Catch
you later man
Jamie: Nice speaking to ya
Kelvin: Yeah you too, sweet
FADE OUT
Production Diary 3
Today we filmed and completed the preliminary task and shortly after we decided to upload this on to each of our blogs. Once this was uploaded I decided to write a brief evaluation about the preliminary task stating why we used each camera angle and the effective it would have upon the audience.
Production Diary 2
Today as a group we mind mapped a few ideas which we could include into our preliminary task and we also decided to scout for a suitable locations for this. After we decided on the location as a group when the came together to produce a script for the preliminary task but also a short list of the key camera angles we was going to use to ensure we met the requirements of the task.
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