Analysing openings of thrillers.

In this post I will be analysing the openings of thrillers and some of the conventions they have used. I will be talking about A History of Violence, No Country for Old Men and Zodiac. 

A History of violence

This opening communicates to the audience as it really makes you feel like you are there watching them due to the use of diegetic sound. Cricket sounds were used as they were in a large grassy area; this makes the scene more realistic and the audience feel involved. Some more diegetic sound was the radio. This adds to the scene as the type of music playing could show where they are, their mood or to foreshadow something. The type of music playing was country music and this shows the location of where the setting is. The music confirms that they are in/around the Texas area so could foreshadow that they are stereotypical Texans who are racist/backward or crazy.

The costumes in this opening were very symbolic as one was wearing all black while the other white, this could show a difference in personality or who may be the protagonist and antagonist. The one in black seemed to be very relaxed because of his body language and tone of voice whereas the one in white initially seemed relaxed but we could see by his body language that he may be slightly anxious.  This further shows which body language that where is a difference between characters so this is foreshadowing a conflict between them in the future.

Here is an image of the two characters in there black and white costumes. Also this is the scene where crickets and the radio can be heard.

No Country for Old Men
In this opening, it is even more stereotypical Texas due to: Texan accents, setting in deep south, guns and costumes like sheriff, cowboy hats and denim jeans. There seems to be an idea that thrillers in Texas must be more suspenseful due to the extreme stereotype and events that happen there like mass murdering and the racial/redneck views. 

The use of the Texan accents really do show that this is set in the deep south and this makes the movie feels a little more suspenseful. This could be because automatically we think that these people could be the stereotypical Texan who may still have backward views. Therefore this could add suspense as we are unsure of what the characters could be capable of until we see it. This means suspense will be building up. however the accents could make it harder to distinguish who could be the antagonist as they all sound similar. This means that suspense could be added as we are waiting for something to happening up we don't know what and by who.

With the use of the props and costumes, this adds a lot of suspense as we can already see a conflict going on as we see the sheriff in his uniform and the other guy in jeans and has a gun. This conflict will be against outlaws and authority; and therefore adds suspense as we can foreshadow that a conflict will happen. this means everything till that point is just building up the suspense and making the viewers feel tension and could be more on edge.

These images show all the listed conventions of the stereotypes; we can clearly see that this is set in Texas.

Zodiac
In this opening we are told the date and setting along with the message that this movie is based on real life events. This already adds suspense as if this has really happened it makes the movie feel much more chilling and spooky; this is because we feel sympathy for the people that this happened too. However other conventions also made this opening suspenseful but mostly sound.

Some diegetic sound was used when the suspicious car drove off then turned around. The sound we could hear was a cars squeaky braking and type sounds. This instantly gives the impression that the car is coming back and the person is going to carry out his actions. This therefore adds suspense as the viewers know that something bad could happen and the unsettling sound of the brakes foreshadows something bad too. If we didn't hear this sound then we may not feel so anxious in this sense as we may think its a different car or the black car has no significance; so this sound makes us instantly know that they are coming back and not for a good reason.

One of the props used was a gun. However this gun had a silencer attached onto it. This makes the viewers think that this antagonist has thought about his plan and could be smart. Therefore for the rest of the film he could have more complicated but controlled killings and could present a challenge the authority. Furthermore the gun looked every common and as the setting is in America it could be possible most people may have this gun at home for self defence. This means that the antagonist cant be traced from the type of gun he uses and this further adds to the idea that he is a criminal mastermind.

Here is the whole movie as I couldn't find just the opening, but if you watch the first couple minuets you will be able to point out everything I noted.

Analysis of Psycho

In this post i will be writing about mise-en-scene, camera shots and sound used in Psycho.

Mise-en-scene

The lighting in Psycho is generally dark as the setting was mostly at night or in dark buildings. This dark lighting could foreshadow that danger is ahead of our protagonists. Furthermore the dark lighting could mean that the current character could be evil so they may be the villain that will prevent the problems. As the setting is at night, this means that the scene will feel much more spooky as the lighting is dark so the audience are on edge and expecting something to happen.  here is an image of a very dark room with Norman Bates. The lighting here suggests that Norman may be in danger or he may be the one presenting the problem.

Back lighting was also used in Psycho as it creates silhouettes. The audience will therefore not see the character in detail or at all. This creates a sense of mystery as we do not see who it is. This mystery adds suspense in the film as the person that we can see is killing someone while means the audience does not know who the killer is; adding suspense. As you can see in the image below, the killer is completely unrecognisable and therefore the audience can only have ideas on who it is and this adds mystery, suspense and confusion.

Props where also used in Psycho to add suspense or create tension between characters. In the scene where Norman and Marion are in the back room eating sandwiches, there are many birds in the background. One specific bird behind Norman is a bird of prey. This could imply that he is the bird of prey/predator and that Marion is in danger with him around; Marion is the prey. In the image below you can see the birds in the background, and you can see the huge bird of prey. These birds can represent Norma or that there will be danger overlooking and challenging our protagonists.

There are some facial expressions that really added to the scene. One in particular is when Lila Crane is scared as she just saw Norman's mothers's dead body and then turned around to find Norman with a knife. Her facial expression shows that she is incredibly frightened. This facial expression stood out as we was expecting her to be found and was lowering the excitement, but when we saw her face then the suspense really hit the audience and we could feel her terror.

Body language used by Marion also adds suspense. Marion's body language seems to stay majority the same. She always seems stern and back straight. This could reflect her feeling as she feels very tense as she has ran away with stolen money. Therefore her body language can be justified that she is on edge, tense and possibly stressed. On the other hand she may be stern as she knows what she whats so she thinking and planning her plan. therefore she is tense as she has many thoughts rushing through her head. An example of this body language can be seen in the image below.

Sound

when the women in Psycho walk, we can hear their heels click on the floor; this is diegetic sound. this sound makes the scenes feel more feminine and stereotypical which could make the viewers think that the women are more vulnerable and weak. therefore this could add suspense as we will think that they will be the next target and could easily be killed. this means that we associate this sound with a stereotypical feminine women who back in 1960 would have been seen as weak and easy prey.

non-diegetic sound was also used in psycho in the famous shower scene. there is some suspenseful music that plays when Norman pulls the shower curtain across that really makes the scene stand out, makes it suspenseful and its what makes the scene famous. the reason it adds suspense is because its fast past instrumental music that is very shocking. being as the editing is fast pace the music really fits in with the scene.

here is the shower scene with the famous suspenseful music

First production meeting: ideas generation

In this post i will be talking about our thriller opening idea and how our group of three has developed these ideas

First idea - romance/psychological thriller

This idea is set in American prison and is about a man and a woman (who is a police officer) who have been in a relationship but it all crashed down when the man made her have an abortion. This pushed the woman to the limit and she snapped and got him on death row. She done this by murdering someone and pinning the blame on the man, however she changes her mind and tries to save him by using all her power to stop his execution but not getting the blame on herself. 

some costumes that will be used will be police uniforms and orange overalls for prisoners. some of the props that will be used include - knives, necklaces, guns etc.

We thought this was a good thriller as it connects with the audience as we end up sympathizing for the villain as she has reached her ultimate low point. Furthermore there would be a lot of suspense and action to interest the audience but give them a shock too. Lastly we thought this would be a good thriller as it is more girly so people who prefer these films will be more interested but they still get a shock and suspense.

Second idea - crime thriller

This idea is set in a rural part (east) London and is about two girls who are socializing and hanging out in a field. One girl (Sarah) is spooked by rustling in the bushes and hears a twig break. The other girl (Shelby) dismisses her fear and they carry on with what they were doing but are then spooked once again and start to run. The girls then start to run for their lives as they have realised they are being chased; Shelby outruns Sarah so she is left behind and after a while Shelby try's looking for Sarah but fails. Shelby then gives up and goes come to find Sarah is dead on the floor in the bedroom.

The costumes would be just casual girl clothing that they may wear on a daily occasion, then the stalker will wear black/dark clothing like a track suit and hoodie - they will also have a mask. The props will be a photo and knife

We thought this was a good thriller opening as it is slow at the beginning so the audience really start to connect with the characters so when they die, its a huge shock. This is our use of a McGuffin as these girls have no relevance to future events. Also this is a good opening as its plain and simply so we as a group can easily film so all our hard work can go into the filming so the overall opening will look so much better.

Last idea - action thriller

This idea is set in two places at once, a bank and a high end luxury home. What happens in this opening is that it switches between two people who are married. The wife is having a good day at home where she may be cooking, cleaning and looking after the children while the husband is preparing a bank heist on the other side of town. The husband has picked his crew members the take part but commotion is caused when someone jealous complains he was not picked for the job; he has some mental issues so he travels to the wife where she gets murdered.

The costumes that will be used will be would be some heist clothing like black combat outfits and masks etc. and the wife may be wearing a designer dress. The props that will be use will be a necklace that was stolen in the heist, guns, other jewelry. 

We thought this idea was good as the idea of two story lines happening at the same time could interest the audience more and they could easily feel the connection between the two. Also another reason is that the wife's death could be seen as unexpected so having this shock and suspense would make this idea a good thriller.

Our group has decided to go with idea 2 as its simply, easy and has so much potential. This idea could become a really good thriller if we do this correctly; also this idea seems to be similar to other popular thrillers but is different and unique.

Here are some images of our group in the process of making and developing our ideas.

Editing introduction

In this post i will be talking about editing and the different types; i will then provide examples of these editing techniques from movies.

Editing is the process of looking at all the footage for a film/ TV programme and placing it in the desired order and joining it together. There are two types of editing:

Speed of editing
Speed of editing is how long does each shot last and can be increase or decreases by cutting things out or by letting the shot run longer. Changing the speed of editing can effect the film as more suspense can be added if the scene is short, or the scene can be more meaningful/personal if the scene is long. Scenes at the beginning of a film will be longer so this is enough time to tell a story, help the audience understand whats going on and to introduce the characters. As the film progresses on then the scenes will generally become shorter (depending on the film genre) so this adds an effect to the scenes; this can add suspense, tension and fright.
Here is a clips, it is the first fight in spiderman 1 which shows how the editing speeds up within a film to add more suspense.

Style of editing
Style of editing is how each shot is joined to the next and can be joined with different techniques; these are all commonly known as transitions. A cut, wipe, fade dissolve and jump cut are examples and they all provide a different feel to a scene.
Cut- these are instant editing from one shot to the next and therefore will be must faster if used. These can be used to create a fast pace speed of editing so suspense is added.
Wipe - this is when the whole shot/scene slides over and the next one follows. This breaks continuity as the scenes don't seem to be linked, this adds a fast pace feeling.
Fade - this is when the scene fades out to black or white. As no scenes follow this means it shows an ending to the scene however this is a slow ending as the scene fades slowly out.
Dissolve - this is like a fade but it is between two scenes (from one to another). this is a slow transition so a slow pace feel is present.
Graphic match - this is when the two scenes dissolve or cut to another but both have simpler looking items/shapes in each scene. this therefore links the two scenes together even if they have no linked meaning/story
Match on action - this is when someone is doing an cation and tree is a transition between that changes the angle/view of the action. when we see the next shot, the character has not finished the action but it carried on. for example when someone walks through a door and we see them go in but there is a cut so we see them on the other side
Jump cut - A jump cut is when there this a cut from the start of a scene to the end. This breaks he continuity as we see the character start and action but then suddenly we see them finish it. This is fast face or saves time. As jump cut is sometime hard to understand here is a video example (watch from 40 seconds onwards)

Here is a clip of the different transitions and you can see what effect they have on the scene. This is a great example of the different transitions as they have been used very well and helps us to understand the difference and how to use them.

Sound exercise evaluation

In our sound exercise we needed to use different sound techniques so we could get a better understanding. We was able to use most of the techniques which include:

• diegetic
• non-diegetic
• on-screen
• off-screen
• parallel
• contrapuntal 
• sound bridge

So firstly there was diegetic sound which was dialogue and natural sound like the door opening and Sarah falling off her chair. The dialogue was calm and happy at the beginning as the tone was neutral and the content was happy too. This is effective as a sequence is mooring without dialogue and natural sound. This is because the scene will have no content 

Secondly, we used non diegetic music. This music was happy and upbeat as the girls were talking and catching up with each other so their mood as happy. Therefore this makes the music parallel as both the mood and music fit together. This is effective as the whole scene will fit together and also so the audience know how they should feel.

However the mood changed between the girls as there was tension when Sarah was being sassy; the music carried on being upbeat but as the mood between the characters was different, this would therefore make the music contrapuntal. This is effective as the music is what made the scene feel more comical and funny. If the music was not contrapuntal then if would make the scene more serious but in reality its just a silly squabble between two girls.

We used on-screen as there was dialogue, falling sound and chair squeaks. On screen sound is important so the audience can see the source of the sound. If you can't see the source then the sequence can be confusing as we do not know the content of what is happening. So when Sarah fell of her chair this was important to see as if that sound was off screen we would not know what happened so this is effective as we get to see and understand the confrontation between Sarah and Shelby.

We also used off screen sound when Shelby came through the door and walked through the room. We was able to hear the door and footstep but we decided it was more effective to view Sarah as she was doing her work so we had no need to see Shelby. Off screen sound is used so the universe of the film is expanded to what the audience watch will seem and feel more realistic and that is why we used off-screen sound.

Lastly we needed to use a sound bridge. We did not use a sound bridge as we only had one setting and one scene so there was no other scene to use a sound bridge link. A sound bridge is used to maintain continuity between to scenes so the overall sequence runs more smoothly; but this is only used to link two scenes and we only had one. If we did have more scenes to link together we would have used a sound bridge and it would have been the music running over.

Sound exercise

I was set the task to create a clip demonstrating that i can use different sound techniques. I had to use:

• Diegetic
• Non-diegetic
• On screen
• Off screen
• Parallel
• Contrapuntal  
• and a sound bridge

here is the clip where we attempted to use all these techniques - 

Mise-en-scene exercise

This is my groups video exercise of using different body language and facial expressions

Lighting

In filming, a lot of different light techniques are used to show shadows, create a silhouette and make the characters look differently. A standard lighting set up is a simple way that the lights are set up which manipulate the way we see the subject. This lighting set up consist of the key light, filler/reflector light and the back light. 

The key light is the brightest and most influential light. This means that when the key light is on alone this will make large and harsh shadows shadows as seen in the example to the left. Shadows are darker and less of the subject can be seen.

A filler/reflector light is used to soften the harsh shadows that the key light creates. Therefore the shadows are lighter and more of the subject can be seen. in the image to the right we can see the difference between a key light (being the left) and the filler light (being the right).






The back light is used the either counteract the key light or to create a silhouette of the subject. The back light counteracts the key light by removing the shadows and brightening up the subject. A silhouette is when the front of the subject is not visible but there is an outline of light around them (like a solar eclipse).






Under lighting is when the source is below the subject and this creates a shadow above/over the subject creating a spooky look. This is mostly used in horrors or thrillers due to this effect because it adds suspense or make the scene even more spooky than what it already is





Over lighting is when the source is above the subject and creates a shadow underneath the subject or no shadow at all. This is used to create a glamorous look and highlights the subjects features. Sometimes this is used to remove as much imperfections as possible to make the subject look there best. We all have imperfections so this lighting is a good way to over these.






Low key lighting is created using only the key and back lights. This will produce a sharp contrast of light and dark areas on the screen. Very deep and distinct shadows are formed; Low key would be more darker or have darker shadows.
Higher key lighting is when more filler lights are used to brighten up the scene or just to make the shot look more realistic. this can be done by brightening up the subject but not the background so the subject may look like they are in natural lighting etc.

Here to the right is our lighting exercise that shows all the different lighting that we used.

Camera shots and angles used in "North by North West" and "The Dark Knight Rises"

In this post I will be comparing shots that are used in both North by North West and The Dark Knight Rises. This is to see if modern thrillers use the same camera shots/angles to add the same effect for if they differentiate from the old classic thrillers.

My shots chosen to analyse

Tracking shot - A tracking shot is when the camera follow a character around usually left and right  (can be forward and backward) while the camera is fixed on rails/tracks.

Close up - A close up is when we can see small items or creatures. This is usually the size of a face and is used as it helps the audience see facial expressions better.

Low angle - A low angle shot is when the camera is positioned low down and looks up at whatever is in the frame. This is used to make what ever is in the frame much bigger than what it actually is.

North by North West

Firstly, a low angle shot was used showing the climb back up the monument to look much larger. This is because this camera angle therefore prevents a challenge to Roger and Eve, This adds suspense as the audience will start to think that our protagonists will fall and can not make it; we are on the edge of our seats as this life and death situation has now become a challenge. Alternatively this could suggest that as the climb seems to be a long way up, that the only way could be to go down. The audience start feeling doubtful as the protagonists and take the jump or may fall.

Link - Low angle shot of monument

Secondly a close up was used to show the audience the contents of Eve's bag. She had a gun. This fills the audience with suspicion as this innocent woman is seen in another light; she could harm our protagonist. Therefore the audience start having different opinions on Eve and what she is up to, the audience are confused and suspicious. On the other hand some people may see that Roger could be in danger so Eve is prepared to protects him. This close-up leaves mixed messages so that the plot is left open. I was not able to find an image of the bag but here is an image of the shot just before and is around 80 minuets into the film.

Lastly a tracking shot was used to show the relationship between Roger and Eve. They were coming closer together and the tracking shot was suggesting that they are in love in one and other. Therefore this tracking shot slows down the pace of the film to focus on the two; but they cant be together for complicated reasons. This adds sadness to the audience as they want to see Roger and Eve get together as they seem so happy but they can't as they are in danger. 

The Dark Knight Rises

Firstly a low angle shot was used to also show the climb up to seem harder and bigger. This is also used to make this task look like a challenge as this angle emphasizes that not everyone is able to climb to their freedom and most of the people are trapped. Therefore this shows the audience Bane is not to be messed with as he effortlessly climbed to the top of the prison when he was a child; not even the adults could do it. Batman will have a difficult time defeating Bane if he was able to complete this challenge so the audience start to feel anxious as Batman may not be able to succeed. 

Link - Low angle shot of man climbing up

Secondly a close up was also used. The close up was to show Batman and how injured and helpless he was. It was used to to help show more detail so that the audience were able to clearly see Batman's conditions. This was used for the same effect as it opens the plot to different paths and the audience are left confused as so many events could happen from that point that will change the film. The audience may think that Batman will get up and fight for whats right or it may even be the end; this adds suspense and the audience are on the edge of their seat.

Lastly a tracking shot was used to show the relationship between Batman and Bane. They are enemies and they despise each other so the tracking shot that follows their fight emphasizes their hate. The tracking shot enables the audience to follow the fight to see who will win and this adds suspense as we want our hero/protagonist to win. Also the shot clearly shows the audience the bad relationship between the two and this further adds suspense as it seems like this will be a dual to the end.

Mise-en-scene in Casino Royale

In this post, I will be analyzing mise-en-scene. I have watched two different scenes in Casino Royale and I will compare the mise-en-scene used to see how James Bond is portrayed different.

Mise-en-scene consists of everything that we can see in anything filmed. This is: setting, costume, make up, lighting, props etc. 

In the first scene, when Bond is getting his double O status, the lighting is very dark; which prevents us from seeing Bond's body (this can be seen in the image below). This adds a sense of mystery as we can't see what he is holding and therefore he is seen as very mysterious and frightening. He could have a gun to kill his second target and the audience will wonder what he is planning which shows him in an evil and conniving way. However the lighting could also tell the audience how Bond is feeling. As we can not see his bond this means that we can not examine his body language; this is effective as this could show that Bond is currently emotionless so he is 100% focused on getting is double O status.

Also is the first scene a gun prop was used which instantly tells the audience that danger is around and therefore indicates a scene of suspense and action is going to come. A gun foreshadows that their is danger, death and deceit. The first gun was pointing at Bond which makes the audience panic as the protagonist could get hurt, but the situation flips as Bond pulls a gun out on his target. At this point its very fast pace and the audience are left surprised. The use of the prop here portrays Bond as a mastermind who is extremely determined to get his double O status. As a gun was used this could reflect his determination also as a gun is a very quick and efficient way to kill someone.

Lastly, in the first scene a wide shot was used. This wide shot showed the audience the distance between Bond and his target; this means that the audience could clearly see that they are both enemies and trying to kill each other. The use of this wide shot presented Bond distant from in enemy so therefore this shows that he is really determined to get his double O status as he is prepared to do anything to kill his target. Bond is portrayed very strict and emotionless so nothing can stop him from getting him the status he deserves so he goes to make extra precautions, like distance, to ensure his success.

Alternatively, James Bond is portrayed with Mise-en-scene differently in the second scene I analysed. The lighting in the second scene was much lighter and brighter (this can be seen in the image below). As the lighting is very bright, this could explain that Bond is more innocent here as he is trying to kill his first target. He seems sloppy and inexperienced. Therefore the lighting could resemble Bonds purity before he became a killer and therefore the room is white as he may find the task hard or may not even want to really be doing it as he is taking someones life. However the lighting could also resemble the inconvenience of the two fighting there. Therefore this shows that Bond may have lost control of the situation and resulted fighting in a public bathroom where civilians could get hurt.