AS Media: Kyle, Aaron and kuziva's PRELIMINARY TASK

The purpose of an opening title

The Purpose of a film opening

·         Introduces the characters                               Builds tension

·         Tells the audience the actors                         Sets the mood of the film

·         What the film is called                                  Gives an insight of the film

·         The genre of the film                                     Gives first impression of the film

·         Introduces the directors/producers                 Should ‘hook’ the audience

·         List the most important actors

Most important people in each film

Captain America

·         Executive producers

·         Director of photography

·         Costume designers

·         Co-producers

·         Music supervisors

·         Casting

The opening sequence in ‘Captain America’ highlights significant moments and gives the background of the story. The opening sequence gives the audience the background of the movies getting rid of any confusion.

Domino

·         Executive producers

·         Costume designers

·         Music supervisors

·         Casting

The opening sequence in Domino shows exciting scenes of the film, teasing the audience and enticing them. The sequence also highlights dominos as the main theme giving the audience an indication that the game dominos is a main theme of the film, this suggests the film would be based around gambling.

The Departed

Demographics

A common and traditional method of audience profiling is known as demographics. This defines the adult population largely by the work that they do. It breaks the population down into six groups, and labels them by using a letter code to describe the income and statues of the members of each group.

The departed as a hybrid film consisting of the crime, thriller and drama genres is targeted at an audience that would be able to relate to the film and understand the characters and the roles played by the characters in the film. The departed would be targeted at the demographic group C2 and D. This is because the main character would be placed in the same demographic group.










Psychographics

This is a way of describing an audience by looking at their behavior and personality traits. Psychographics
labels a particular type of person and makes an assessment about their viewing and spending habits

The audience for the movie 'The Departed' consists of people who enjoy the genres crime, thriller, and drama. This suggests the psychographic groups for the film 'The Departed' would be reformers and explorers, this is because the film is based on an under cover police officer and his experiences of being a double agent . This is shown in explorers because of their individualism, experience and value for difference. This is also shown in reformers because of their freedom of restrictions and have social awareness, suggesting 'the Departed would interest them because of the main characters freedom of restrictions and social awareness.

What makes a thriller?

What makes a thriller?

Top 6 things that make a thriller:

·        

• Camera shots (alternating types)
• Tense sounds that will stimulate the scene, increase heart rate make the audience feel nervous.
• Action sequences
• Props that fit well with the mise en scene
• Costume (usually unorganized and dirty)
• Back story usually mysterious/thrilling

Other things that make a thriller:

• Violence Special effects
• Tension Sense of mystery
• Fast pace Protagonist
• Heart pounding Cliff hangers

Typical audience reaction:

• On edge
• Suspense
• Curious
• Tension
• Anxious
• Anticipation
• Fear
• Psychological
• Discomfort
• Sympathy
• Disturbed
• Tense
• Heart pounding

Mise en scene:

• Usual clothing
• Police outfits
• Low key lighting
• Dark abandoned places

Themes:

· Crime-Continuous murder or suicide and protagonists has to investigate and find the killer. E.g. 'Se7en'

· Sifi-Extra terrestrials against humans. E.g. Alien 3

· Psychological-Thriller that usually has the protagonist and antagonist battle each other psychologically

· Religion-Usually based around themes that involve angles and demons, heaven and hell

· Action-Fight scenes, chases and explosions.

Character:

• Protagonist e.g. Jason Bourne- Stereotypically male except ‘Kill Bill’
• Antagonist-Stereotypically British or Russian
• Sidekicks/ team-Mainly male based team help the protagonist
• Damsel in distress- Played by female, always in trouble that the protagonist fixes

Narrative

• Starts with problem
• Solving the problem comes at the end
• Fight scene
• Cliff hangers

Characters

• Protagonist- Usually male, has to save the damsel in distress and fixes the problem. Usually beats the antagonist however sometimes antagonist wins and movie ends on a cliff hanger.
• What makes a thriller
   

Pulp Fiction sound track analysis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22u36FOXUQc&feature=player_embedded

Mise en scene of a thriller opening title sequence

Created with Padlet

Camera angles glossery

                         Different Camera angles used in films



Mid shots

 Mid shot shows subject in more detail.

Like having a conversation, pay no attention to their lower body.







Medium close up
     

 Medium close up.

Is half way between a mid-shot and close up.







Close up

 Certain feature or part of subject takes up most of the frame

Useful for showing detail.



 Extreme close up
Used to show extreme detail
Used to show important detail on the subject.













Two shot
Good for establishing a relationship between subjects
Presenters standing side by side.









Over the shoulder shot

Shot helps to establish the position of each person













Point of view shot


The shot shows a view from the subjects perspective.

Conventions of a thriller movie

conventions that make a thriller film

1. Camera shots (alternating types)
2. Sound
3. Action sequences
4. Props
5. Costume
6. Backstory

• Violence
• Tension
• Fast pace
• special effects
• sense of mystery
• protagonist
• cliff hangers

Typical audience reaction

• On edge
• Suspense
• Curios
• Tension
• Anxious
• Anticipation
• fear
• psychological
• Discomfort
• Sympathy
• disturbed
• tense

Mise en scene

• Unusual clothing
• police outfits
• low key lighting
• Dark abandoned places

Themes

• Crime
• psychological
• Action
• Love
• Si-Fi
• Religion

Character

• Protagonist e.g. Jason Bourne stereotypically male except Kill bill
• Antagonist- Stereotypically British or Russian

There are several aspects of a thriller movie that makes it a thriller movie . For example alternating camera shots, sound with haevy drum and base. In sound there is usually a cresendo to highligt certain moments of the movie that are significant or are revealing something important. The use of cresendo is also important in hybrid thrillers such as the movie 'Mirrors.' The use of cresendo will build up tension and scare the audience. Fast paced car chases, guns and warehouses are also to be expected in a thriller movie.

The mise en scene of a thriller depends on the sub genre ofthe movie. For example Thriller crime movies expect poliece outfits and cars and guns. For Thriller si-fi you should expect some sort of extra terrestial being or futuristic objects as shown in 'Alien 3'.

Protagonists are usually male for example Jake Hoyte ( Training day) or Jason Bourne (Bourne Trilogy). However, Kill Bill is an exception.
The Antagonist is usually male and is usually superior to the protagonist. The antagonist usually has mental dificulties or is usually someone who is trusted for example  'The departed.

'

The movie training day and the movie se7en are both hybrid movies. Training day being a Thriller crime and se7en being s thriller mystery. However both have the same conventions for example, the clothing of the charcters are very similar both wearing police outfits and both have guns. Both movies also have prisoners and have the same lighting tone. This shows some of the typical conventions of a thriller movie.

Phsyco analysis

Analysis of psycho shower scene exploring how film techniques are used to create effects.

 

The scene begins with slow paced editing, and the only sound being heard is the sound of the shower. This is done because it shows the audience what is happening form her perspective. The use of just one sound in the scene gives the audience a sense of security and makes them relax, however, at the same time it makes the audience brace for something bad to happen. The slow paced editing and use of only one diegetic sound gives the audience a sense of anticipation and comfort. Dramatic irony is used because the audience know something is going to happen before the victim does, thus increasing the tension. The shower curtain is then ripped back, revealing the killer wielding a knife, which is then replied with a gasp and a scream from the victim. This ear-piercing scream along with a fast, jerky extreme close-up of the victim’s mouth creates a dramatic and shocking effect on the viewer.

The music becomes louder as the killer starts to impale the victim with the knife. At this point, the speed of the transitions increases rapidly, showing the panic of the victim and the frantic nature of the murder, as well as adding to the shock and drama of what is taking place. The unpleasant sound of knife piercing flesh also adds to this effect. During the murder, there is a cutaway to a stormy sky, which is a use of pathetic fallacy as it symbolises the dramatic events that are unfolding and the angry and violent nature of the killer.







After fatal blow is delivered the murderer leaves the scene, there is an extreme close-up of the plughole, showing the victim’s blood being drained. This is used as a graphic match for her eye and symbolises her life draining away. The camera then zooms out from this, revealing the extent of the damage done and then exits the bathroom. Finally, there is a wide shot of the victim’s house with the dark sky above, again symbolising the event that has just taken place in the building. The dark clouds showing that death has occurred and life has been taken away.