Group Narrative - Miss Georgiou

A narrative is a story that is conveyed to the audience through the use of characters.

Dans Narrative idea:

My narrative will start off in an empty forest at night. A young female will be walking home from a night out with her friends, she will then feel as if she is being followed by someone. Tense music will then be played to create suspense. After attempting to reassure herself that no one is following her she hurry's on home, at this moment she hears a creepy laugh come from the darkness, she then begins to hurry home even faster until she hears footsteps behind her. (The camera will go into handheld POV mode as she attempts to escape.) 

Advantages:

• Has a female victim.

• Low key lighting can be portrayed

• The antagonist is a clown so hidden identity is used.

Disadvantages:

• No ending

• May be a bit short.

My narrative idea:

Young boy (12 years) Boy walking through posh estate at night, face is shadowed and a series of high angle shots of him walking his way down the path with eery music playing as he goes. The opening credits flash in and out of the screen, moving and flashing slightly to imitate the impression of mystery, suspense and fear, much like the opening credits in Seven which is seen bellow. Out of nowhere several people wearing masks appear and begin to chase him. He is forced to run into the forest where he falls over and hears laughter come from several directions. He screams loud and then the screen blacks out.

Advantages:

• Has hidden identity.

• Has a chase scene.

• Has tense music.

Disadvantages:

• Does not follow any theories that well.

• Audience is not connected to the victim

Reggie's narrative idea.

A young blonde female wakes up in a basement and sees the door open and she walks upstairs, while exploring the house that she has never seen before a series of different angles and camera movements are used to create suspense and fear. She hears more and more eerie, strange noises around the house, she tries to exit through the front door but it is locked. As she looks around for another way out she walks into a room to find a man wearing a hoodie and holding a knife sitting on the bed, without saying anything the man stands up and begins to walk towards her, she turns round to run away and in the chaos while suspenseful music is playing, she runs into a room and slams the door. The screen goes black and all sound stops.

Advantages:

• A conventional female victim
• There is a hidden identity
• Low key lighting can be incorporated 
• Iconography - knife

Disadvantages:

• Does not closely associate itself with any theories
• No audience-character relationship is built

Theory:

Vladimir Propp proposed that characters and their role within the film are the most circumstantial features in a narrative. Examples of some of the characters you would expect to see in a Vladimir Propp film would be a hero, villain and victim. 

Another theorisist by the name of Todorov concluded that 

-a state of equilibrium at the outset

-a distruption of equilibrium 

-a recognition of the equilibrium

-an attempt to repair this equilibrium 

-back to equilibrium  

 is necessary within a narrative. 

Aristotle believed that an incident had to occour for the character(s) to overcome and resolve for a narrative to be effective, simular to Todrov's theory. 

Our thriller film however adopted Aristotle's theory and served as inspiration for our thriller opening structure. Our incident (the girls abduction) and the mystery surrounding it that is Aristotle's dramatic question (who done it) is conventional to a thriller and Aristotle's theory as it excites the audience and invokes tension.  

Conventions in Holloween opening- Mrs Georgiou

A opening sequence before/during the films opening credits is generally used to set the scene for the film. Particularly in the context of the thriller genre a opening is usually used to introduce the murder and sparks the enigma that will follow as the viewers begin to guess as to who the killer is. This convention is used within the opening of the film Halloween which i will be analysing today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELF1DCf1ChA

The female victim stabbed during the opening is a common convention of the thriller genre.Their femininity, beauty and blonde hair suggests venerability.  Her being naked also suggests that she is defenceless to the attack, furthering my initial interpretation about her vulnerability during the scene. The theme of vulnerability is why they are used again and again as easy targets for murderers throughout the genre as the audience feel even more scared of the antagonist as they are killing a symbol of western vulnerability.

Low key lighting is another convention of the thriller genre that Halloween has invoked in their classic opening scene. The darkness (low key lighting) that shrouds, what appears to be the boy, moving through the house, creates a sense of fear, mystery and suspense. Helping to create more tension as we don't know or who the murderer will kill. Low key lighting is relatable to the thriller genre as it protects the killers identity from the viewers so as the thriller continues the viewers and expected to keep guessing who the killer is. This unpredictability helps build relationships and emotions towards all different characters during the film.

The point of view camera shot used throughout the opening scene hides the killers identity as well increasing the tension  that the film inflicts on the audience as the viewers are able to see the killers journey through the house from his point of view, this makes the film feel more realistic and insights more fear as the viewers become increasingly aware that anyone is capable of murder. This particular camera shot is relatable to the thriller genre as it creates tension through seeing the murder through the killers eyes ad tension is what thrillers always look to achieve in the filming.

The Non diagetic music throughout increases tension as its jumpy pace invokes a jumpy atmosphere and the audience are ready for the killer to kill his victim.This is relatable to the thriller genre as it makes  the audience feel on edge.

Ages certificates and the BBFC- Miss Georgiou

The bbfc (British board of film classification) is a non profit organisation set up with the sole purpose to protect the public, particularly children from harmful content within film. As children we are susceptible to what we see and hear on the television and so the bbfc was put in pace in order to protect us (using age cartificates, U, PG, 12A, 12, 15, 18,) from harmful themes such as drug use, violence and gambling that we may see on television.


U
The first age certificate is U. Standing for universal, it means that any film given this certificate should be appropriate for audiences over four years old. However it is just a guideline for the older years as some older viewers may still find it distressing. An example of a U film is The Smurfs realised in 2011, a clip of which can bee seen bellow. Its absence of themes such as inappropriate language, sexual references and drug use make it applicable to audience of that nature. This can be seen at 0.23-0.24 seconds into the bellow clip. Where when Smurfette uses the words 'mean' and 'old' when referring to the film antagonist, as opposed to more stronger language.

PG
Next is PG. The bbfc say that PG or parental guidance is suitable for general veiwing and should be appropriate for more older children (eight and above) however unlike the U certificate more younger viewers may find some scenes upsetting or adults may not want their children viewing them as mild bad language can be used if given in a context deemed acceptable. For example 'shit' may be used if it isn't used in a aggressive manner. However phrases such as "shut up" and "you poor, stupid guy" and said by the Lorax throughout the film 'the Lorax' and has been given a PG rating.

12 and 12A
12 means that anyone the age of 12 or over can be permitted to watch the film unaccompanied. However if a film is 12A it means that they have to be accompanied, with the 'A' being a reference to adult (anyone over the age of 18). infrequent uses of strong language such a f*ck and tw*t are allowed and discreet, brief portrays of sex references are allowed if they are deemed suitable for young teenagers. Examples of 12 and 12A films include 'RED' being rated a 12 for the violence and language used. And 'spider man' being a 12A due to reference of the phrase "pissed me off' in a aggressive manner by the Green Goblin during the final battle scene,  meaning that the film was unable to reach its initial target market of pre teen comic book fans.

15
If a film is rated 15 it means it is not applicable for anyone under the age of 15 to view the film. The jump from a 12A to a 15 is a big one with much more being allowed including drug taking, sexual nudity, and strong verbal references to sex. With no limit on the amount of times strong language is permitted 15 films are able to freely use words such as f*uk as much as they want, as long as they are not endorsing them in any way. The occasional use of the strongest terms, e.g c*unt are also allowed, if used in the correct context (not being used aggressively). An example of a 15 certificate film would be friends with benefit (a clip of which can be seen bellow) as it features strong sexual references throughout, some of which can be seen at the start of the bellow clip,  and strong language that would be indecent for audiences under 15 years.

18
Everything is allowed to be show within a 18 film without restrictions as because if you are at this age or above you are an adult and so you are allowed to choose your own entertainment within the law. Scenes you should expect to be shown in an 18 are consistent use of strong/vary strong language, strong portrayals of sexual activity (in some circumstances, real sex) and discriminatory language and behaviour that some viewers may find offensive. Lock stock and two smoking barrels is a common example of a 18 rated film. Its strong consistent use of language and violence is inappropriate for younger viewers as it glamorises these themes in a way that that the younger viewers may find attractive, and some may find scenes distressing. where illegal gambling is prominent throughout the clip and strong language is used at 2.54.

My research into age certificates has helped in my thriller opening preparation as i now now what is allowed in order for my thriller to be accessible to my target audience of teens as i aim for my thriller to be classed appropriate for audiences aged 12. This allows my film to be viewed be a larger target audience. However for it to be made available for my chosen audience it must not have frequent use of strong language.                                                                    






Information came from http://www.bbfc.co.uk

Sound techniques used in thrillers- Miss Miller

Sound is adopted in many different ways in film to create all different types of effects. There are two different types of sound used, diegetic and non-diegetic. Diegetic sound refers to sound that is appropriate to what is being seen on screen and has originated from something that is happening in the films world, for example dialogue. Non-diegetic sound refers to sound that cannot be seen on screen or doesn't relate to what is happening. It is the sound that has not originated from any source in the film world; a common example of non-diegetic sound is narrator’s commentary. This type of non-diegetic sound is used famously in Frank Darabont's Shawshank redemption where Morgan Freeman (Red) narrates throughout the film.

1:09 - 1:16

The use of contrapuntal diegetic sound during the clip, conflicts with what we are seeing on screen. The character being murdered inside the truck in juxtaposition with the 'hip pop' music being played when the characters walk past creates an effect of inconsistency and loss of control of the situation, suggesting that the scream killer may be loosing control of his plan. The effect is relatable to the Thriller genre particularly as it builds tension in the storyline as the viewers start to feel as though the killer is perhaps beginning to 'loose control'.

1:04

At point 1:04 loud non-diegetic sound is used in the form of a suspenseful bang this is used to frighten the viewer as the killer jumps out to grab the victim. The silence that comes before the attack builds suspense making us feel that nothing is going to happen at that moment however the sound sounds shocks the viewer which as a result furthers the shock the audience have towards the killer jumping out of the truck. Shock, suspense and tension are relatable to the thriller genre as these are the main elements thrillers look to exploit. The use of suspense that fluctuates throughout the scene helps to scare and confuse the viewer into not knowing when and where the killer is going to attack from. The scene usually concludes when we think nothing is going to happen and the immediate sense of fear that the surprise implements on the viewer furthers tension and helps the viewer build a relationship with the victim on screen as they feel sympathy for them and want them to survive.

Parallel sound is prominent throughout the clip particularly at point 0:26- 0:30. This suspenseful non-diegetic addition to the clip increases the tension as the characters desperately search for the killer 'ghost face'. The fast paced music builds in volume as the characters close in on what they presume to be the killer on the phone before reaching a climax when the suspect is jumped on. This fools the viewers into believing that the suspect is in fact the killer, as although the music is parallel to the general situation it is not to what we are seeing at 0:26-0:30. Parallel sound is relatable to all movie genres not just thrillers as it helps build the effect that the director is hoping to convoy in the scene, for example, fast paced music is used allot in the action genre as it connotes an out of control scenario with lots going on. However thrillers will generally adopt a more subtle music style that builds in frequency and volume to suggest something is going to happen.

0:37- 0:38

During this time frame there is off screen sound of the women on the other end of the phone that the protagonists apprehended. The unnecessary use of off-screen sound makes the film more dynamic and relatable to real life. As you begin to feel as though the film is more believable you then begin to build a relationship with the characters in this case the man how was been tackled to the floor. From this we can see the desperation in the characters efforts to find the killer help building tension. Off screen sound is used in all movie genres however it is used more controversially in the thriller genre particularly as apposed to it being used as background noise e.g. traffic, television. It is used in a more constructive way to help build tension, as off screen noise particularly in the form of dialogue, such as on the phone gives a sense of mystery (a key convention of the thriller genre) this builds tension as we are unaware of the callers identity.

The research I have carried out today has made me aware that near all sound used within the thriller genre has been used for the particular reason to increase the tension or another effect within the scene. To enhance the fear that the scene will create and the effect that the fear will have on the audience. I now know what sound techniques to apply at different parts within my thriller opening to increase the desired effects of fear, tension and suspense and therefore make my thriller opening more professional, conventional and effective.

Research into the history of thriller films- Miss Georgiou

In the context of film a thriller is a genre along with others such as action, horror and drama in which suspense is a key aspect. Examples of a film belonging to the  thriller genre would be the popular Saw franchise, contrary to popular belief Saw is also categorised under the thriller genre as it features many of its conventions including, suspense,and a mystery antagonist (jigsaw).
However Thrillers have evolved throughout the years with the advancement of media technology making editing easier and scenes more believable allot more can now be done than was first anticipated.

One of the earliest Thriller directors was Alfred Hitchcock. Born on 13th August 1899, Alfred Hitchcock was a prominent director in the early years of the thriller genre, creating master pieces such as Psycho, Dial M for murder and Rebecca. Making the thriller genre what it is today.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Hitchcock

The research that i have carried out today will help me in the planning of my own film as i am now aware of the conventions of modern thriller films as apposed to previous films in the thriller genre. 

I am now aware that in order to create a modern thriller opening sequence i need to adopt a more sincere, gory approach as well as sticking to the common thriller conventions of suspense, mystery ect.  

If a film is to have any hope of being successful its themes and context must be appropriate for the audience it is targeting it at, it also will need to reserve some previous thriller conventions. For example The Titanic grossed a total of $658,672,302 for its portrayal on the real life event. I would argue that its success was partly a result of it conforming to the generic thriller conventions such as a desperate, frantic scenario where a youthful female, portrayed to be a victim; again a thriller convention, is desperately hiding her affair, creating a tense atmosphere as the film reaches its climax. 

Bourne Identity's less popularity compared to that of 'Titanic's' is a result of the contrasting narratives and themes. Bourne Identity is a much more fast paced thriller with many more action conventions such as fight scenes and iconography in the form of weaponry, as apposed to Titanic. Where as Titanic features more of the generic thriller conventions including a female victim which as a result lead to it being more successful.     

Super 8's narrative focus's around hidden identity and mystery as the viewers are unaware of what the government is hiding. This key thriller convention is a focus of its success (as well as the prominent low key lighting) in the thriller genre however i would have no doubt that it would of ranked higher if it features many more of the thriller conventions used within the more successful films ranked on the list such as Titanic and the sixth sense.   

Conventions of thriller films- Miss Miller

Conventions; in the context of media, generally refers to a aspect of film with is particular within a certain area or genre. For example typical conventions of a action genre include explosions, lots of special effects and weapons (iconography).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LRQBTIo9o8

Firstly the main convention that we are immediately made aware of and our attentions are draw towards are the mystery antagonists. Their concealed identity helps to build mystery and tension as we, the viewers, are unaware of the killer, suggesting that to the viewers that anyone in there everyday life's has the potential to become a killer as long as their identity is concealed. The mysterious identity concept also creates an enigma; a common feature within the thriller genre as it is attractive to the audience and helps build tension and suspense within a narrative as the audience is scared of the unknown. The effect on hidden identity keeps the audience guessing as to whom the antagonist is keeping them engrossed in the narrative. This is relatable to the thriller genre as the feeling of mystery is what Thriller directors hope to achieve, making the film as relatable as possible to make it feel as though it could happen to the viewers is what really helps to build suspense and make a thriller film excellent. 

Next is low key lighting which is prominent in many, if not all Thriller films. Used in effect with a low angle in the screen shot above it creates a sinister, frightful effect as dark colors and lighting connote death and fear, the primary themes explored in the thriller genre as they help to build tension. This clever use of lighting subliminally makes the attacker appear more dangerous and scary to the audience making them feel more scared towards the antagonist and therefore increase the tension within the film. Low key lighting is used in many thriller films as it creates the effect that many thriller directions are looking to achieve, mystery being the primary one as the darkness that the low key lighting gives obscures the killers identity, which again promotes the earlier mentioned convention of hidden identity. 

The antagonist moves at a slow pace to present the idea that they are confident that they will kill the character in the end. The slow walking pace builds tension as the killer (in this case, the 'animal man' climbing through the window) gets closer to the victim. Tension is built as the viewers begin to question whether the killer will get the victim. The convention connotes a sense of insanity within our antagonist. He is so mentally deluded he believes he doesn't even need to run to catch the victim and remains confident that he will kill them if not now then eventually. This furthers the tension within the clip as if the audience believe the killer is more mentally unstable he is then more, dangerous and unpredictable, keeping them at the edge of their seats guessing what he will do next. The speed at which the antagonists move is a generic thriller concept that is more unique to the thriller genre particularly than any other, we see the effect used in many other thriller films including the opening of the Halloween clip which can be seen bellow.

25th - 30th second into the clip 

Sound is also a key aspect of thrillers however specific sounds used in my chosen clip are conventions of the thriller genre in particular. My clips choice of music is a common choice within most thrillers as it helps build tension. As the music frequency increases as to does the tension as the high frequency invokes a sense of excitement and panic which is exactly what thriller films are looking to do as amongst the 'shell shock' effect that the non diegetic music is creating tension is building. The tense, eerie music helps promote a sense of confusion and panic amongst the audience as well as they where completely unaware that that was about to happen as the sounds leading up to that clip where contrapuntal to the sound we hear in the 25-30th second. The music is relatable to what the audience is seeing on screen and so it helps to further the suspense as the antagonist makes his presence known. 

Although all modern films feature sound the effect that the sound creates, whether it be diegetic or non-diegetic varies between the different genres of film. While action will look to use more exciting, fast paced music soundtrack e.g. Monty Norman's iconic 'James Bond theme' in the James Bond films. Thriller films will look to use a more suspenseful piece with pauses such as "Ironsides" by Quincy Jones, which was in the Kill Bill films.

The research I have carried out today has helped in the future preparation of my thriller film as I am now able to correctly identify the conventions of a thriller film and take inspiration from what I have seen and learnt and apply these conventions effectively to my thriller opening, making it a more generic thriller opening and therefore achieve a higher mark.