Planning: Production Roles: Miss Begum

Production Roles. 

Production roles are responsibilities given to different people when in the process of making a film. When a certain person is given a production role they are responsible to fulfil the task to create the best end product for their target audience. The production roles are:

1. Camera Operator- They work beside the story boarder to organise the scenes, they operate the cameras getting the correct shots for the scene. They capture different shots, angles and sizes, this also makes them responsible for making ideas come to life on the big screen.

2. Producer- The producer makes sure everything is running smoothly for the director and everyone in the production team. They are the leader of communication throughout the whole team.




3. Director- The control the entire making of the film. The artistic and dramatic aspects are also controlled by the director. The guide the cameras and actors into the role of their vision.




4. Lighting- The people who do lighting are responsible for all the lighting and shadows we see in a scene.




5. Location- The person with this role is responsible for finding all locations to film at and making sure that they are suitable to convey the vision the director has.




6. Costume, Hair & Make-up  - Their role is to make the actor or actress look like their character. This is important because the way the characters look in a film convey various different things to the audience. They need to look a certain way for the audience to be able to draw meaning.




7. Storyboard- The story boarder plans the scenes and the narratives. They keep all the scenes organised and in the right order. The scenes would not flow properly if there was no storyboard.


8. Editor- The editor is in charge of editing all the scenes together and how they will transition from one to the other.


9.Sound- The role of sound and sound tracking is finding suitable music to be in your film. They are in charge of all sound in each scene.


The roles in our group:



1) Camera operator: Me
As a group we decided to assign myself the role of the camera operator as I have had past experience working in a photography shop where I learnt how to operate a camera.

2) Producer: Carlie
We decided to assign Carlie the role of the producer as she is good at keeping good communication amongst the team.

3) Director: Katie
We decided to assign Katie as the director as she is good at managing and organised. Also, She has had past leadership experiences.

4) Lighting: Katie
We decided to assign Katie with the lighting role because She has experience in holding different lighting for a long period of time as She has a steady hand.

5) Location: Me
We decided to assign myself with the location role as most of the settings are going to be set in my house and I will know whether it is available and suitable.

6) Costume, Hair, Make-up: Katie
We decided to assign Katie with this role as We believe She is quite creative and enjoy designing things.

7) Storyboard: Carlie
We decided to assign Carlie with the story boarding role as hers was the most detailed and narrative was most organised.

8) Editor: Me
We decided to assign myself as the editor as I have past experience of editing in my music GCSE.

9) Sound: Carlie
We decided to assign Carlie this role as she has had experience in mixing music together and making sound.
 

Conclusion- 

This has shown me and my group that production roles play a main part in the making of a film. It has shown me and the people I am working with how much responsibility each role contains and how it will keep us all organised.

  

Planning: Pre-production Paperwork: Miss Begum.

Pre-production Paperwork.

Introduction.


All pre-production paperwork is vital because it makes sure that all rules and regulations are put in place. It ensures that everyone in the production team, including the actors knows what is going on.

Client Release Form:

This  is a legal document that discusses the terms and agreements for any actors in our thriller. It should be given to everyone who is a part of our cast. The document also shows an analysis of your location and calculate the risks.

 

 

 

 

 

Location Recce Form:

This is a summary of the location that we will be filming our thriller in. The document should be given to everyone in the production team so they all have the information and directions. Need to show visual information and discuss the location.

 

Risk Assessment:

This is analysis of our location and we need to identify what risks might cause and how we plan to overcome them. This should be given to everyone in the group so they all have the information they need to know about the risks in our location. This is a legal document used to calculate the risks in the environment.

Production Schedule:

The production schedule is a summary of exactly what is going to happen in your filming schedule. This document should be given to everyone your filming team and cast so they have all the information they need about filming, dates and times.

 

 

Location Release Form:

A legal document that discusses the terms and conditions of where you are filming. This is to show the people who are allowing you to film in the location . You will give this to the company or council, this needs to be shown so that everyone understand the rights you both require.

Planning: Preliminary Task: Mr Smith

Preliminary Task.

The purpose of a preliminary task is to give us a first hand experience of film and editing before we start to officially film our thriller openings. The task is used to show us how and where we can improve whilst creating our end product. It allowed us to see what production roles we prefer and come to terms with the difficulty of them all. The preliminary task also taught us how to share out roles.


Video of Preliminary task.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij1bAv4X3h4
The Scenario.
The scenario of our video was two girls talking about a party coming up. One of the girls invites her friend to come with her but she doesn't seem so keen to go.

 

 

The scenario we used allowed us to use the shot reverse shot, this shows the two people having a conversation clearly.

 One of the girls says something offence and this leads my group to using a reaction shot to convey the emotion on her face.

 We used a longshot to show when both characters walked towards and away from each other. A crane shot was also used in this moment of time.

 

 

 When it came to editing we used a fade from one scene to another to show continuity. At the end of the scenario we used a fade to black to show the scene has come to an end.

 

 

Group Roles.
In our group all roles where distributed fairly:


Director: Katie
Katie was director because she has very good leadership skills. As a group we decided this was the best decision because she would be able to guide everyone to also be creative and assertive whilst the making and filming of the end product.

Actors: Emine & Carlie.
As a group we decided that me and Carlie should take the role of the main characters because we are the most confident and comfortable in front of the camera.

Camera Operator: Katie
Katie was appointed to be the camera operator because she felt most confident with this role.

Editor: Emine & Carlie & Katie
As a group we all played a part in editing. We all delivered our creative ideas and opinions until we came to a final decision.
 
Difficulties we encountered whilst filming:
Whilst filming we encountered problems such as finding a quiet area with no background noise. Another problem was that since we where filming in school it was very difficult to film a scene whilst people kept wanting to walk past. Another problem was keeping the continuity throughout every scene. For example in one of the scenes there is no chair but as the scene continues you see a chair appear.

Difficulties we encountered whilst editing:
Whilst editing we encountered the difficulty of not having full knowledge on how to work with the software. We had to experiment with different ideas before making permanent changes to the footage.

What have I learnt?
I have learnt that the filming and editing process isn't as easy as it seems and that a lot needs to be taken into consideration before and after filming footage. I have also learnt that being more vocal with ideas and opinions is a good thing and that they could make a good contribution to the end product that is created.

Planning: Micro-Elements: Mr Smith.

Micro-Elements.

Micro-elements are used in films to make the best end product for the audience to view. Each micro-element is an important aspect that adds to the story of every film. Micro-elements are things such as, sound and editing and cinematography. In a thriller micro-elements are used to create tension and suspense. They are usually there to make everything much more intense and scarier. 

Cinematography:

I believe it  is important to think about the cinematography, especially in thriller films because it adds to the excitement of what the audience is watching. The type of cinematography used in a film is very important because different things can cause the audience to subtract a certain meaning through what they are watching. Cinematography can interrupt very many things, such as a calm scene and quite a action packed scene. 

A Shot reverse shot will be used when both the actors are arguing. We will use this to create tension between the two characters. This is conventional to a thriller because it will generate a reaction from the audiences as well as encouraging emotion and helping them withdraw meaning. 

A zoom out will be used to show both bodies laying on the flow. This will be used to create a sense of mystery. It will leave the audience wondering what happened and how it happened. This is conventional to a thriller because one of the themes that is related to thriller films is mystery and suspense. Again this type of cinematography will have the audience feeling various emotions.

An extreme close-up will be used when the antagonist is introduced. This will be used to give the audience a clear view of the character entering the narrative. It will show the emotion of the character therefore giving spectators time to try and figure out what her intentions are. This is conventional to a thriller because the extreme close-up will also show that the character has a hidden identity, making the audience feel uneasy. 

An Ariel shot is used right at the beginning when the scene opens and the audience see both bodies laying on the floor. We chose to use this because it will show the bodies and the iconography clearly for the audience to grasp the atmosphere in the first couple seconds of the scene. 

A close-up is used when showing Carlie's hand. This is to emphasise the cuts and damage that has happened to her. She will still be bleeding which suggests the violence that has occurred before. This will help give the audience an understanding of what has happened before hand. This is conventional to a thriller as close-ups are almost always used for emphasis to affect the audience. 

Medium shots will be used when the audience is shown the two injured bodies laying on the floor. We've chosen to used this because its shows a clear view of both of the bodies and how injured they are. This is conventional to a thriller because it allows the audience to not only see bot of the characters, but some of the scenery.

Long shot will be used for the end to show the last shot of all three characters. We have chosen to use this because it's a shot where we can see all the characters actions in the last shot.

A high angle will be used when the female victim is scurrying around after waking up from being knocked out by the violence between her and her boyfriend, she is looking for a gun.We have chosen to use this because  it will show the character as inferior. This is conventional to a thriller because it shows vulnerability in victims which is usually what is shown in thrillers.

Sound.

The sound used is important because it will also help the audience withdraw meaning and understanding of what is going on. 

Off Screen sound will be used when the gun is used to shoot someone. You will not be able to see where the gun shot is coming from but you will here it. We have chosen to use this because it is very conventional to a thriller, by the way it will leave the audience in suspense and it will encourage the theme of mystery. 

Diegtic sound is a sound part of the film world and will be used during the flashback scene of the couple arguing. The audience know exactly where the sound is coming from and it is important for the audience to hear the dialogue between both characters. This is conventional to a thriller as without diegetic sounds the audience will not understand the film.

On screen sound will be used when Carlie is arguing with Lashane and objects are being smashed about e.g. the glass and frames. The audience is able to hear the smashing and see exactly where it is coming from and where it is being created. 

Parallel sound is used when the flashbacks are happening with the couple, you hear their voices and what they are arguing about. We have chosen this so the audience see and feel what the characters are feeling through their words and passion in their voices. This is conventional to a thriller because it shows violence in the characters and the situation itself which is needed for the audience to have an understanding. 

Editing.

Fade to black is used when the production company's name comes up on a black screen and edits into the next shot of the hand dripping with blood. We have chosen to use this edit because it smoothly with the background of black in the first edit. 

Fade to white is used when we are doing a flashback scene. We used the fade to white as this symbolises the reminiscence of what had happened. This will give the audience a clear understanding that the scene is going into a flashback. 

Straight cuts will be used regularly as it is one of the most significant edits when putting a film together. It is easy to use and does not confused the audience which is why we chose to use this edit.

Conclusion:

This shows overall how important the micro-elements we use in our thriller are. Each micro-element we use conveys a different emotion, feeling and represents things in a certain way. It also shows that we have a clear understanding of all the techniques we wish to use.
 

Planning: Character Representation: Miss Begum

Character Representation.

The representation of a character is extremely important in the film world because it allows the audience to understand each character in more detail. Having characters with different personalities helps keep your audience interested. This also makes it easier for your audience to identify each character separate from each other. 

Name: Carlie Cokell-Smith

Character Role: Character 1, girlfriend of Character 2.
Age: 21
Gender Stereotype of Role: Young female, attractive and innocent.
Costume: grey clothing, casual.
Hair and Make-up: Big curly hair, natural make-up, quite pale.
Body Language: Confident and Upright, slightly weak and vulnerable.
Facial Expression: Angry, frustrated, angry and scared.
Represented as: Angry girlfriend who is hurt by her boyfriends actions.
Role within Narrative: Arguing with her boyfriend after hearing that he cheated on her. She attempts to kill him as he is unconscious however she is stopped by a mystery girl who walks in with a gun.

Name: Lashane Williams

Character Role: Character 2, boyfriend of Character 1.

Age: 21

Gender stereotype of role: young male, attractive, suspicious but has a dark side.

Costume: all black clothing.

Hair & make-up: neat hair & no make-up.  

Body Language: confident, masculine, strong, built and superior.

Facial Expression: angry, frustrated.

Represented As: Deceitful boyfriend who denies cheating on his girlfriend.  

Role within Narrative: Arguing with his girlfriend over him cheating on her. Gets caught up within the situation with both girls and almost gets shot by character 1.

Name: Zelal Keskinbicak

Character Role: Antagonist.

Age:21

Gender stereotype of role: young female, intelligent, arrogant, attractive,selfish. 

Costume: all black clothing, choker around her neck and black hoodie hiding her identity.

Hair & Make-up: Long Straight Hair, simple make-up, dark nails and lipstick.

Body Language: Upright and Confident.

Facial expression: Bland, emotionless, serious.

Represent as: crazy girl who is in love with character 2.  

Role within Narrative: She attempts to kill character 1. Seen putting lipstick on, she looks good and proud of herself. Audience don't know if she succeeds within her attempt.

The character representation planning has been extremely helpful to my group because each member has a clear understanding of every character and what they bring.

Planning: MES: Mr Smith.

The role of Mise en Scene in a thriller is important because it allows the audience to grasp meaning and responding to what they are watching. It is also important because all the various elements play along with the storyboard to help reveal the narrative.

The five sections of Mise en Scene are: 

Setting- 

In my group we chose to set out thriller in a normal dark room in a house. The rooms we are using the most are living room and bathroom. We chose this type of setting to show that our characters live together and share an intimate bond. 

Iconography- 

The iconography we are using is blood, glass, frames,guns and lipstick. The blood will be used to represent violence and hatred. The frames will represent the reality of their relationship breaking down and that she is over it, this is the same for broken glass. The lipstick will portray the confidence of the character.

Costume- 

Carlie: 

Grey casual clothes 

Natural make up (dripping by the end)

Big curlie hair 

Lashane: 

All black clothing 

Zelal:

All black clothing 

Dark lipstick and nails 

Straight, long hair. 

Lighting- 

The lighting we will use is low key lighting, candles and a smokey atmosphere. The low key lighting is being used because it is conventional to a thriller and will build tension. The smokey atmosphere created by the candels will build anxiety within our audience.

Colour- 
The colour we will use is black and grey. These colours are being used because they are dark and represent things such as grieving, depression, stress and devastation. They also convey that no one is innocent or pure.

Conclusion. 

To conclude the planning of my groups MES, it shows how important it is to plan ever aspect so that your audience withdraw the correct message from what you are showing to them and also that your scene conveys the right emotions towards your spectators.  

Planning: StoryBoard: Miss Begum

Storyboard.

A storyboard is produced after the script. The storyboard is used to explain the narrative of the film, shot by shot. Storyboards are essential because it helps make ideas more organized and help the filming process become much more easier and simple. It helps instruct everyone what to do, for example the camera operator, director and lighting. The storyboard gives information on what props will be used and focuses on the micro elements that will be used in each scene. The micro elements it focuses on are:

1. shot
2. duration
3. iconography
4. setting/location
5. lighting
6. sound/ dialogue
7. edit
8. characters
9. narrative description

 My Storyboard:

Planning: Open Scene Narration: Miss Begum

Open Scene Narration.

The beginning of my thriller will be a scene full of images from a crime scene. There is a dead body on the floor that is unidentified to the audience. The victims body is covered with a sheet and there is detectives surrounding it. The audience will be able to hear the sound of the camera taking images of the scene and sirens from police vehicles in the background.  The next scene is a medium shot of the antagonist whilst they are being interviewed, the audience does not yet know that this person is the antagonist, however they will still be wearing dark colours. The police are talking directly to the antagonist but she is unable to comprehend or respond to what they are saying because of the voices in her head. As the scene goes on the apparent voices in her head seem to get louder and louder and more distracting. Eventually she faints because she is unable to handle the noise of all the voices going round in her head; at this point the scene fades to black. When she awakens she can hear shuffling noises and finds herself tied down onto a bed. The antagonist then starts to have graphic flashbacks. The first one is of her boyfriend dead and her in the corner shaking and panicking. The scene turns back to her on the bed with a close up to her face, it then quickly flashes back to another flashback, this time it is of her murdering her boyfriend. The end of the scene shows her smiling as she mutters the words "Our love died, so i guess he had to."

Planning: Final Idea: Mr Smith

The final Idea.

Possible Titles: Unknown. Red Flag. Alone.

Narrative/Plot:

There will be scattered pictures across the floor from the crime scene. The pictures will have the family and friends in them so they link and show relevance. There will be muffled sound of whispering and sirens. Also the sound of a camera flashing whilst it takes a picture. The scene then transitions into the young girl placed in a room being interviewed by the police. Whilst being interviewed the girl can hear voices and whispers in her head, you can see that she looks disturbed. As the tension increases the voices she can hear get louder and louder and faster and faster. She gets herself into an awful state and ends up having a fit. When she wakes up after fainting she finds herself handcuffed to a chair; at this point in time she is listening to her own thoughts and reflecting on her recent actions. This is when the door opens to the room she is in and the scene flips to a flashback of her killing her boyfriend, as you can hear the words, "our love died, so i guess he had to." 

Narrative Structure:

Todorov, Aristotle - provoking emotion which is conventional to a thriller. 

Characters: 

• nurses 
• teenage girl 
• two police officers 
• dead boy

Mise en Scene:

• Lighting - Low key, under lighting (when she wakes up after fainting), Top lighting (used for the interview scene) 
• The colours included should be dark however we plan to have the interview room all white to show contrast. 
• Setting - Hospital, Forest & Police station
• Body Language & facial expressions - The antagonist will be quite fragile and petite but shows bold confidence through body language.
• Costume, Hair and Make-up - Antagonist will wear dark colours to represent confusion and evil. Her hair will be messy and big but will also have dark make up that is quite simple. The nurses and police will wear their specified uniform so that it fits in with reality. 
• Iconongrapy - Blood, knives, ropes, pictures and medicine. 

Film Influences:

• se7en
• momento
• shutter island 
• identity

Why is this conventional to a thriller opening?

It is conventional because it builds tension that will make the viewing audience feel uncomfortable. It will also play psychological games with them which will leave them to draw meaning from what they are watching. Also the themes that are included and the iconography are all conventional to thrillers. 

Response from the audience?

The response i am looking to get from the audience is one where they feel highly uncomfortable. I do not want them to predict what is going to happen. My goal is to have them sitting on the edge of there seats because the amount of tension that is building up within the opening. However i want them to enjoy what they are watching as well. 

Planning: Initial Ideas: Miss Begum.

Initial Ideas.

My group has come up with 3 different initial ideas for our thriller. Each idea is conventional to the thriller genre in it's own way. Even though all three ideas are different, they all have similarities. The similarities fall into place when we discuss who the antagonist is and what they should look like.

First Idea.

Narrative:

• young girl being interviewed by two policemen, she killed both of her parents.

Sub-genre:

• Crime Thriller

MES:

• White room where the interview will take place
• Bedroom where the parents where killed.

Characters:

• 2 police officers
• Teenage girl
• Parents

Second Idea.

Narrative:

• There is a crime scene where you see someone dead. The eye witnesses can not explain what they have seen.
• The antagonist has a mental health disease

Title:

• The Unknown

Sub-genre:

• psychological thriller

Characters:

• victim/protagonist
• no antagonist
• maybe police

Narrative Structure:

• Aristotle
• Shows the importance of plot structure
• will arouse emotion from the audience

MES:

• forest
• abandoned places
• dark
• blood
• knives
• tools
• low-key lighting
• back lighting

Third Idea.

Narrative:

•  A young girl who loses her way in life and ends up spiritually possessed.

Title:

• The Red Flag

Sub-genre:

• psychological thriller

characters:

• female victim
• crazy man
• children
• police

MES:

• urban setting
• city
• flashing lights
• dark
• leather clothing

Conclusion.

To come to a conclusion on which idea we liked the best we had to discuss all three ideas until coming to an agreement. We decided that we would use elements from all three of our ideas to create something unique but conventional to the thriller genre. This discussion lead on to a even more detailed discussion about the narrative of our final idea.

Research: Results From Questionaire: Miss Begum

My Results

In this question I asked my audience what age rating the last thriller film they watched was. This will help me with my planning because I will find out what content I should put in my film and what type of thriller appeals to my target audience. It will also allow me to know the limits and boundaries of what content I can show.

 

 

This question was put in the survey to come to the decision on whether the protagonist/victim in my thriller should be a male or a female. Again this question will help me create a thriller that my audience can draw meaning from and hopefully it will entertain them. This question helps gain research on what my audience want to see.

 



Asking the audience how often they watch thriller films is important because it will give me an insight into how much they may or may not know about thrillers. It will inform me on how many different ideas and genre of thrillers they may have seen and how predictable my idea may be to them.

This part of my research will tell me what subgenre of thriller my audience would like to see the most. It will allow me to decide what things I include in my thriller so that it is as conventional to the sub-genre as possible.



Research: Censorship: Mr Smith.

Film Censorship.

Who are the BBFC and what is their role?

The BBFC are the British Board of Film Classification. The role they hold is to protect the public from viewing anything harmful or offensive. They do this by choosing age certificates for each film and picking what scenes should be cut and what films should be completely banned. Censorship is when the film is revised due to the content that is in it. 

Why is the role of the BBFC important to the film industry? Logo

The role of the BBFC is important to the film industry because it saves the audience from viewing things that can cause conflict or harm. This is important because it allows people to express themselves and carry on making money without breaking any laws or creating any discomfort to anyone.

What things get censored and why? (examples)

Violence:

• Violence gets censored because it is incredibly easy for people to copy that behaviour and it could portray that the person who made the film is promoting violence and giving people the wrong idea. Things like violence in films are known to corrupt the young.

True Events:

• Some films often involve stories that are related to real life and caused a lot of problems within the society and the culture of that person. An example of this would be 'The Murder of James Bulger.'

Sexual Violence:

• Sexual violence is censored because it causes discomfort to those who are watching and some  people may not understand the concept of what is going on. Sexual violence also can advertise degrading women and their rights.

What is the difference between films being cut and banned? (examples)

Cutting a film is when it is edited or has had scenes taken out of it to make appropriate for the audience to watch. When a film is banned, it is taken away from cinema viewing because it is harmful or involves offensive material.

Discuss the Forna (for) and Kemode (against) debate, and then discuss where your own opinions lie on this matter.

This is where I discuss the two different views on censorship using two specific cases. There is Forna who is for censorship and Kermode who is against it. Forna stated in her argument that the things people watch influence them in everyday life. An example of this is the James Bulger incident which shocked the nation. The intention of the young boys actions all sprung from the watching a film that influenced such behaviour. On the other hand Kermode believed that everyone should be free to watch what they want and it's their responsibility how they respond to it after. I know this from when he says this in his argument: "You're an idiot, stupid, impressionable, easily led and unable to distinguish between fiction and reality. If you're an adult you're probably an immature one and if you're a parent you're a very bad one." His other argument was that censorship distorts the directors original idea and that this isn't fair. My own opinion is that censorship should be there just incase people do take the meaning of what they are watching in the wrong way, however i also believe that you should be able to decide what you want to watch and see before your mind is made up for you.

Conclude with what you have learn about film regulation and what you need to consider for your own thrillers.

In my own thriller i need to make sure the content in it is suitable for the age rating i have provided for the film. I will have to make sure there is nothing controversial or extremely discomforting that will cause any distress to anyone viewing the thriller. It has also taught me about the things we don't see in a film because it has been banned or cut and the reasoning behind people doing so. 

Research: Scream Analysis : Mr Smith

Scream Analysis.

How is the opening sequence of scream conventional to a thriller opening?

Cinematography.
In the opening we see close ups, this is conventional to a thriller because we can see the emotions the character is feeling. It also allows the audience to connect with the character and what is happening. The close up shot is conventional to a thriller because it helps you keep your audience. In a later part of the opening you see a tilt shot that is set in the garden. This shot shows us more about the setting of the film and it adds to the narrative. A tilt shot is conventional to a thriller because it often shows us more about the dark surroundings or leaves us in suspense. In the tilt shot you can see the swing slowly moving, creating a bit of curiosity as to what is going to happen next. There is a P.O.V shot further on in the opening. This creates a better understanding of the view of the character. It portrays what is happening in a more realistic way.

Editing.
The opening scene has a lot of straight cuts, the straight cuts are a simple way of transitioning into various parts of the scene or the setting so we know exactly what is going on. Later on a reaction shot is used to convey the emotion of the actress Drew Barrymore. Also the edit between shots gets faster and faster creating excitement and panic. There is reaction shot throughout the opening, this grips the audience's attention by showing the reaction of the character, when they do this you can tell the emotions she is feeling.

Sound.
Throughout the whole scene there is sound. It starts with off screen sound, this is when there is a voice coming through the phone. The phone ringing is a diegetic sound, it is diegetic because it makes sense with the scene and you can see were the sound is coming from. Another sound that is involved in the opening is off screen and on screen, this is when she is making popcorn and she is shaking it around and then when she turns and leans on the counter top it becomes off screen because you can not see it. The scene also involves contrapuntal sound, this is when she is running from the kitchen to lock the front door, it is contrapuntal because
Mise En Scene. 
There is a lot of elements of mise en scene in the opening of this thriller. The first element I'm going to analyse is costume and mask. The antagonist is wearing all black and a mask. This is conventional because it is usual for the antagonist to have a hidden identity and to wear dark colours to show that they are not pure. Also the victim has faire hair and is wearing light colours, this shows the innocence of the character. The iconography in the opening is conventional to a thriller, this is because the antagonist usually has a weapon. As you can see the antagonist is holding a knife.

Conclusion: what has this opening taught you? What can you use from this thriller?

This opening has taught me how effective the use of thriller conventions are. It has taught me how important all of the four elements together really are. This thriller has shown me how to use sound effectively and in a way that will make sense to the audience. It has shown me that when making my own thriller opening that I must take into consideration the audience that are watching and what type of meaning they will gain from what i am presenting to them. 

Research: Questionaire: Miss Begum

Intro: what is the importance of primary research? Relate to direct, specific audience feedback

The importance of primary research is that you can gather information specific to what you're researching and what you want to know. All the information is gathered from the public so it can not be biased towards one side of the research. The advantage of carrying out questionnaires is that you can recover the information you want quickly and it allows you to create something that will appeal to the public. The disadvantages are that you will never be able to please everyone and your answers may not be accurate.

My Questionnaire.

Who did I ask and Why?

I asked people aged 15 to 25. I did this because those are the ages that are suitable and most likely to be watching my thriller. I need their answers as primary information because the thriller I make, I want it to appeal to them and I want them to enjoy it.

Conclusion: Has this research been beneficial?

This research has been beneficial because it has helped me develop my final idea. After the research I've done, I am now able to include things in my thriller that my target audience will want to see. It has also highlighted the things my audience are not keen on and things they are not aware of. It will help me create tension when needed and add characters the spectator will want to see.

 

Research: Age Certificates: Miss Begum

Age Certificates

What is the role of the BBFC and why are they important to the film industry (relate to parental guidance/ appropriateness of content)?

 The role of the bbfc is to monitor the films that the public is viewing and make sure that the age rating is appropriate for the content that is in the film. Their job is to protect the people in the public from viewing things that may harm or cause any offence towards them.

What are the different Age Certificates?

  This age rating is universal. This means the film can be watched by people of all ages. It is impossible to predict what might upset a child. A universal film should be suitable for the audience aged four and over. These films should be set with a positive morals and should offer reassuring counterbalances to any violence, threat or horror. A film that would be classified as 'U' is 'Finding Nemo'.

  PG stands for parental guidance. This film would be suitable for general viewing but some scenes may not be appropriate for young children. Children of any age can watch this film unaccompanied. The film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. However parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger or more sensitive children. A film that would be classified as 'PG' would be Harry Potter.

 These categories are awarded where the material is suitable, in general but only for those aged 12 and above. Works classified in this category may upset children under twelve or contain material which many parents will find unsuitable for them. A film that would be rated a '12' is 'Twilight'.

The 12A category only exists for cinema films. No one younger than 12 may see a 12A film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult and films classified 12A are not recommended for a child younger that twelve. An adult may take a younger child, if in their judgement, the film is suitable for that particular child. In such circumstances, responsibility for allowing a child under twelve to view lies with the accompanying adult. A film that would be rated a '12A' is "The Fault in our Stars".

These films may have content that have some controversial elements to it, but on the whole, there shouldn't be any discrimination, drugs may be touched upon, but not promoted, violence can be displayed but cannot dwell on injury and pain, there may be use od frequent bad language and nudity can be shown but only were appropriate. A film that would be rated a '15' in the cinema is 'Oculus'.

At 18 The BBFC's guideline concerns will not normally override the principle that adults should be free to choose their own entertainment.

• Material may touch upon criminal law, and display criminal offence
• Violent or dangerous acts, illegal drug use may be shown but should not cause harm to public health or morals. This may include portrayals of sexual or sexualised violence which might, for example, eroticise or endorse sexual assault.
• explicit images of sexual activity can be shown and bad language can be used. 

A film that would be rated 18 is 'Spring Breakers.'

Discuss 12A rating- Spiderman and Comic Hero films.

Spiderman the film is rated 12A however some of the scenes in the film are not suitable for this rating. Although there is proof of this nothing was done to change it because the readers of the classic Spiderman comics started from the young age of eight years old. The BBFC could not just leave the content out there free for everyone to watch, knowing that it would upset some of the audience so they created a new rating with allowed adult supervision during the viewing of the film.

What age certificates do thrillers tend to get and why? (relate to content)

Thriller films tend to get the age rating of 15 or 18 because of the content that is in them. There is usually a lot of violence, controversy, bad language, drugs and many more elements that a younger audience would find disturbing. The BBFC do this to protect the minds of a younger audience and to make sure no one is harmed by what they are watching. Some films need to have a high age rating because a younger spectator would not understand the meaning or reality of what is happening in the story. For example they may not be able to tell the difference between right and wrong and real or fake.

What age certificate would you give your thriller?

I would give my thriller the age rating of 15. this is because the content will not be too disturbing however you will have to be of a certain age to understand the concept of what is going on. The behaviour in my thriller will not to be copied or seen as the right thing to do so showing it to a younger audience would not be appropriate.

Conclusion: what have you learned about certificates and what do you need to consider for your own thrillers in terms of what is appropriate for different age groups?

I have learned that age ratings are there to protect people watching the film and warn them of the content that is in it. It has also shown me there are many different elements you need to consider when picking an age rating for a film. It shows that you can show thing to younger people because they are influenced easily.

 

Research: Mise en scene: setting and iconography: Miss Begum.

Mise en scene: Setting and Iconography.

What is setting and iconography and Why is it an important convention? How can it help with audience understanding? Discuss connotations and denotations.

The setting of a film is important because it plays a main part in the story of film. The setting is the environment and surroundings that appear in a film. The setting is important because it allows your audience to draw meaning from the film and it also helps the narrative to make sense. Iconography is the objects that appear in a scene and have significance to it. It helps with understanding because if there was a scene that had a phone call and there was no phone involved it would confuse your audience and you may potentially lose them. In a thriller film it is likely that the setting would be in dark places or abandoned houses with narrow corridors; this sends a message to the audience that the story of the film is dark and twisted. It also leaves room for mystery and this causes tension. Thriller film iconography links in with the narrative of the film. 

Setting: What are typical thriller settings and why? Discuss connotations and denotations? - use examples.

Typical thriller settings are houses, hospitals, places that are dark and abandoned and forests. They are usually set in these places so that the film fits into that genre and connotes all the things of a thriller film. The setting can also cause different types of responses from your audience. For example if there is killing in somewhere that is dark and shadowy, your audience is bound to feel uneasy and the climax of their excitement will go up whilst watching the scene. An example of a scene like this is from the film "I Spit On Your Grave.": 

Settings and Sub-genre: how are settings dependent on sub-genres?- examples.

The setting is dependent on the sub-genre because it helps the film to make sense. It wouldn't make sense if the setting didn't link to the specific connotations and denotations each sub-genres has. 

Crime Thrillers:

• Urban areas
• Prison 
• Car scenes 
• Playground 
• Warehouses 

Psychological Thrillers:

• Houses
• Schools
• Hospital 
• Urban areas 

Suspense Thrillers:

• Forests 
• Houses

Religious Thrillers:

• Houses
• Holy buildings 
• Grave yards 
• Isolated rooms 

Iconography: what are typical thriller iconography and why? Discuss connotations and denotations- use examples. 

Typical iconography in a thriller is: 

• blood
• guns 
• masks 
• bats 
• scars 
• knives 
• fire 

These are typical iconography of a thriller because they all relate to typical themes of a thriller. Things like blood, guns, scars and knives all represent the violence and abuse that is shown through thrillers. Also masks and hidden identity help connote the idea of mystery. 

Iconography and sub-genre: how are settings dependent on sub-genres? - examples.

Iconography is dependent on it's sub-genre because it is specific to each one. Each sub-genre will have certain iconography that is set for it. It helps the audience creating meaning from what is happening.

Examples of iconography being dependent on sub-genre:

Crime Thriller:

• Guns
• Blood
• Knives
• Blind Folds
• Drugs 
• Money 

Psychological Thriller:

• Ropes
• Handcuffs
• Rocking Chairs 

Suspense Thriller:

• Child Dolls
• Puppets
• Masks 
• Gloves

Religious Thriller:

• Ghosts/ Spirits
• Religious Cross
• Fire
• holy books

Thriller scene analysis. Analyse a scene identifying the use of setting and iconography - use PEER.

This is a perfect example of iconography in a thriller film. It allows the audience to respond in a certain way and figure out what genre it belongs to. I would say it belongs to a crime thriller because of the connotations it holds. The use of office utilities connotes that the character is in a professional environment and that they have authority. However the setting is dingy and dark showing that it isn't an organisation where loads of people are, it is secluded and secretive. This creates tension and curiosity for the viewer. When know the character isn't young because the things being used is quite dated and scruffy.

Conclusion: what types of setting and iconography are you now planning to use and why? 

I am planning to use a dark outside setting for my thriller, I want to use this so it creates a sense of mystery and suspense. I want to discomfort my viewer by using a setting that will play with them psychologically. The iconography i will use will be based on the characters role in my thriller and the genre or sub-genre i pick. However when i make this decision i will be sure that it matches perfectly with the thriller connotations and denotations.

Research: Narrative Theory: Miss Begum

Narrative Theory.

What is Narrative and Why is it important to audiences?

Narrative is the story of the film someone is watching; it is important to the audiences because it shows a clear structure of what is happening. A narrative is a clear showing of a start, middle and end.

Creating meaning in texts: What four elements allows the audience to find meaning?

When creating and finding meaning in text, there are various codes and conventions that need to be considered. The four main ones are genre, characters, connotation and denotation and structure.

Genre:

• lighting
• colour
• sound
• own set of conventions

Characters:

• physique
• star
• body language
• facial expressions
• relationships
• demographics

Connotations and Denotations:

• Themes
• Iconography
• Costumes

Propp (characters): Who was he and what did he say?

Propp was a theorist who was mainly interested in narrative folk talks. His theory was that folk tales were about the same basic struggles so that meant they all had the same characters. The main characters Propp identified in folk tales were:

• The Hero - a character that seeks for better things. An example of this Character would be Batman.                   
• The Villain - a character who opposes or actively blocks the hero's quest. An example of this would be The Joker. 
• The Donor - a character who provides  an object with magical properties.
• The Dispatcher - a character who sends the hero on his/her quest via a message.
• The False Hero- a character who disrupts the hero's success by making false claims.
• The Helper - a character who aids the hero.
• The Princess - a character who acts as the reward for the hero and the object of the villain's plots
• Her Father - a character who acts to reward the hero for his effort.

Todorov (eq-diseq-new eq): Who was he and what did he say?

Todorov believed in the theory of structure. He believed that every story had a start, middle and end. Each stage had a different scenario and created different meaning.  The three stages he had in his theory are called the equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium.

• The equilibrium is the start, this is the beginning of the film when the characters are all in a stable situation.
• The disequilibrium is the middle, this the part of the film where something disruptive happens, this causes change that needs a resolution.
• The new equilibrium is the end, this is when the problem that was caused gets solved and then the narrative is closed.

Aristotle (themes and emotions): Who was he and what did he say?

Aristotle's theory is based on themes and emotions. The main this from his theory was to arouse and evoke emotion from the audience using themes. He wanted the audience to be able to draw meaning from different parts of the film they are watching. His theory had four different stages, they are the:

• Exposition: This is the part where the audience gets to know the main character.
• Rising Action: When the protagonist understands his or her goal and begins to work towards it.
• Climax: This is were the greatest overall tension, this is the part where the most problems occur.
• Falling Action: This is the turning point of the story, this is where the main character has to make a vital decision which decides on the out come of the story.
• Denouement: This is the part where the problem is solved and all mystery in the film is unrevealed.

An example of a film that uses Aristotle's theories is Abduction.

Barthes (semiotics): Who was he and what did he say?

Barthes theory focused on connotations and denotations. He believed that a film relies on the connotations and denotations of the genre or sub genre it belonged to. He also had a view that different people will have a different cultural understandings about what the are watching. This meant that certain things in a narrative would be grouped with a certain culture.

What narrative structure do thrillers tend to take?

I think that thrillers tend to lean more towards Todorov and Aristotle's theories. These two theories focus more on the audience drawing meaning from a film and keeping them interested. These theories create excitement and play psychological games with the viewers. Both these theories carry the most connotations towards a thriller film.

Conclusion: What narrative theory/ies will you use in your thriller and why?

In my thriller I will use Todorov's theory in my thriller because I believe it will add the most excitement  to my opening. I believe it will show clear structure in my film and display it in a way my audience will understand. I will also use Aristotle's theory because I want my audience to be able to convey emotion and meaning through what they are watching.

Research: Mise en scene: costume, body language and facial expressions: Miss Begum

Costume, Body Language and Facial Expressions.

Costume, Body language and Facial Expressions.
The costume in a film helps the audience understand more about a character. This can guide the audiences attention to particular personalities or traits. Different costumes in films have different representations. The body language of a character is due to certain actions. The movements they make can represent various things about them and about how they are feeling. Facial expressions show the audience how the character is feeling. Every genre has a certain set of connotations grouped together that are portrayed through costume, hair , body language and facial expression. All these things help the audience draw meaning and understand the narrative of the film better.

Costume, hair and make-up: discuss connotations and stereotypes of characters and clothing (hair and make-up)

Costume hair and make-up have various connotations and colour types. These are:

• light colours - innocence and vulnerability

When a character is dressed in light colours it connotes that they are weak and that they are not a threat or a danger to anyone. They are there to good and not harm anyone.

• tight clothes - confidence and strength

This shows that the character is brave and is on a mission. They do not intend to be defeated or to be shown as weak.

• leather clothes - strong, precise and accurate

Leather clothes connote that the person is strong and not easily broken.

• masks - mystery, secretive and they conceal

Masks are used to play psychological games and add mystery to the narrative.

• red - blood, violent, romance and danger

The colour red shows death and danger. Red represents emotions such as anger and frustration.

• suit wearing antagonist - dangerous and sneaky

A villain that wears a suit shows that they know what they are doing and that they have a plan.

• suit wearing protagonist - smart and bold

A hero that wears a suit is showing that they are brave and well educated.

• normal clothing - weak and regular

A person in regular clothes show that they are not expecting trouble so they are more vulnerable to being a victim.

• uniform - authority, power and order

A uniform shows that the person has a specific job to do and that they are smart and brave.

All these thing a specific to the thriller genre and help the spectator draw meaning from the way the character is.

Stereotypical victim/protagonist - use examples

A stereotypical victim/protagonist is usually dressed in light colours to portray that they are innocent and don't want to harm anyone. This works in a film because the audience do not link light colours and danger together. An example of this is the girl from scream, before the antagonists phones her.

Stereotypical antagonist - use examples

A stereotypical antagonist wears dark colours to show that they are dangerous and mysterious. They usually mask their identity so they are never caught. They wear dark make up and make themselves look distorted. An example of a antagonist that portrays all of this is The Joker.

 

Body language: discuss representations and meaning to the audience and expectations.

The body language of a character is important in a thriller film. It must satisfy the expectations of your audience if you want your film to do well. In a thriller film the victim usually portrays that that they are scared or uncomfortable by using body language, this could be anything from crouching down into a ball or cover there mouths because of shock. The body language of a character can tell you more than the actual words they say, it adds meaning to the narrative.

Stereotypical victim/protagonist - use examples

The stereotypical body language of a victim/protagonist is that they are usually portrayed as weak so they hardly have any upper body strength. They are usually very timid and distressed. Their heads are usually bowed down.

 

Stereotypical antagonist - use examples

A stereotypical antagonist is usually standing up tall with very good body posture. They are quite bold and do not look like they are scared of anything.  An antagonist is someone who comes across intimidating and aggressive, they often tower over their target.

 

 

 

 

Facial expressions: discuss representations and meaning to the audience and expectations.

The facial expressions of a character tell us how they feel in the scenario they have been put in. The audience need to be able to tell their characters expression so they can understand the narrative of the film better and so the director doesn't lose their audience.

Stereotypical victim/protagonist - use examples

The facial expressions of a victim usually shows the character screaming, crying, frowning and crouching. They are made to look weak and vulnerable so the story is sold to the audience watching it. The facial expressions are used to make the audience feel the same as the character so they can relate to the scenario.

Stereotypical antagonist - use examples 

The facial expressions of a antagonist show that they are there to cause pain and invite danger. They are usually shown laughing or smiling. Their expressions are sometimes distorted so the audience cant really tell what emotions they are feeling. This helps the narrative of the film by keeping things a mystery. The expression of an antagonist is used to strike fear into their protagonist and the audience at the same time.



Thriller scene analysis. Analyse a scene identifying the use of costume, body language and facial expressions - use PEER

In this scene the use of costume is used to show that the boy is innocent, you can tell this by his fair hair and the light colours he was wearing. Even though his mother is wearing light colours, you can tell she is the villain because of the way her body language is, towering over the child. Another part of her body language that is obvious is that she is frowning and when she is speaking her mouth is very tightly closed, showing that she is angry. You can also tell because her hair and eye make up is really dark compared to the child. The child's body language shows that he is attentive because he is looking up at her making eye contact. The people in normal everyday clothes are seen to be innocent but their facial expressions show that they are shocked at what they are watching. You can tell the son and the mother are not part of their everyday life because their make up is extremely obvious compared to the people who are watching them.

Conclusion: what types of costume, hair and make-up, body language and facial expressions are you now planning to use and why?

In my thriller I am planning to pick what my character wear very carefully. I want to use a contrast of light and dark colours to create a psychological effect on my audience. I will use hair and make-up to distort my characters and deceive my audiences view. I will make sure all my characters expressions are clear so my audience can draw emotion and meaning through what they are watching.