Presentations Q&A

Do we have permission to film in the coffee shop? As the coffee shop is owned by Liams parents he was able to ask them if we will be allowed to film in the coffee shop, we have been given permission, generously.

How will day dreams or night dreams differentiate from 'normal' life filming? We have a few ideas as to how we will make it obvious a flash back is happening, however we need to make a clear distinction between a day dream and a night dream, as night dreams are more disturbing. We will make the flashbacks obvious that they are a memory by perhaps adding echos to the characters voices, this may work as the protagonists memory is not perfect, so the bluring of the speech adds to the lack of information (change this if you don't like it, just a suggestion guys;) We have also considered making the flashbacks black and white.

Does the Protagonist know he is the antagonist also? The protagonist is unaware that he is also the antagonist, however if given the chance to film the whole film, it would follow the protagonists 'adventure' to find out, by stringing together clues, that he is the antagonist.

How are we presenting the credits? We analysed the opening sequence of Se7en and decided amongst us that the credits are really effective, and relevant to the film. Se7en uses quick shots and jump cuts of quite disturbing imagery whilst the credits are rolling, in a strange unfarmiliar font. Since we used a more advanced type of credits on the Childrens opening sequence, we feel we should go one step further and advance it further; perhaps by creating out own font on Photoshop, as opposed to the set fonts supplied by Final Cut.

What music will we use? As our movie is certified 15 we decided that the music should be more mature. Following thriller conventions we must creat a lot of suspense, using 'cresendos' (music getting louder) and loud noises. We will also use diegetic sound in the coffee shop, however as these sounds may be too quiet to pick up on camera we may need to record typical 'coffee shop noises' and add them over the top of the filming.

Mise-en-scene of our thriller

Mise-en-scene: 


Props- Knife, Kettle, Blood, Tea, coffee, cups, everyday items, Bed, newspaper


Costume- Everyday clothes, Suede coat,  Waiters outfit, pjs

Make Up- Blood to show been stabbed, bruises


Set- The site of darwin nurseries and farm shop, wooded area, cafe, kitchen, bedroom,


Colour- Dark colours mostley plain. black and white affect for flash backs.


Lighting- Dark for the flashbacks, natural.

Fool's Paradise, 'snap down'.

0-10 seconds - Ident 'Clockwork productions.
11-20 seconds - 'day dream whilst waiting for kettle' cuts back to kettle. Point of view shot of Lucy being killed, the identity of the killer is kept secret.
21-30 seconds - awakes from the day dream. coffee man pours him coffee, asks if he is alright. notes something down.
31-40 seconds - looks at the newspaper, zooms in on the headline about murder.
41 - 50 seconds - reads the title and walks out the shop and back home
51 - 60 seconds - goes into his house, into the lounge, looks stressed
61 - 70 seconds - flash back, a bit more information about the killing comes back
71 - 80 seconds - writes another note down about the flash backs
81 - 90 seconds - its getting dark so closes the curtains but looks through the window first, then locks the door.
91 - 100 seconds - goes to bed
101 - 110 seconds - a dream about the killing, credits start to roll.
111 - 120 seconds -Credits finish as protagonist wakes up from the dream in shock.

Cast and Crew- Fool's Paradise

Protagonist- Jack

Antagonist - Jack

Protagonists Partner - Lucy dickinson. 

Crew- Liam Mills & Matt Bryan. 

Liam and Matt as crew will be filming the shots of Jack and Lucy, finding props.

Lucy Dickinson- Protagonists partner

 Matt Bryan- Crew member

 Jack Kiff- Protagonist (Nominated for 7 baftas 2009)

 Liam Mills- Crew member

Film classification-15

15 Classification:

• Discrimination- must not endorse discriminatory behavior or language
• Drugs- can be shown but must not encourage or promote buying or taking
• Horror- threat and menace are allowed but not sadistic or sexualized 
• Imitative Behavior- Dangerous behaviour must not dwell in detail
• Language-Frequent use of strong language acceptable if justified by context 
• Nudity- Nudity may be shown in sexual content but not in detail
• Sex- Sexual activity may be shown but not in detail
• Violence- Violence may be shown but it is unacceptable to show the character in pain. Violent sexual content may not be shown but violent sexual talk is allowed. 
• Themes-All themes are acceptable 

We have classified our thriller as a 15 age rating. This is because it has most of the conventions of a 15. the main reason we have classed it as a 15 is that we will have some violence but we will not show the character in pain or the actual action.

Thriller Moodboard.

This is our moodboard for our thriller film. We have put the melted clocks on the moodboard as the time period changes in the film like in the dreams or flash backs. This is also why we have put a time machine picture on here as the flash backs go back in time. We wrote 'Dreams' on our mood board because dreaming, and day dreaming are recurring themes in our thriller 'Fool's Paradise'. Clues is also relevant because the protagonist takes on the challenge of finding out who or why his loved one died, he finds out using clues. The two films we have put on there, 'Memento' and 'Identity', are similar thriller films to our own one. In both films the protagonist has to find out clues to figure out a death or to how someone died, these follow thriller conventions.

Thriller name & Narrative

Possible Thriller titles; 'Fool's Paradise' 'Iterate'

Fool's paradise is relevant because it is a term used to describe day dreaming, an issue our protagonist 'suffers' or benefits from. We felt this is a good name for our movie because it doesn't give a lot of the plot away, also it refers to the protagonists weakness.

Iterate means recurring, we felt this was relevant to our film because the protagonists day dreams and dreams keep repeating themselves. However we felt 'Iterate' wasn't as strong a name for out thriller.

An isolated protagonist had a loved one killed, and he takes on the role of finding out who, or why she/he was killed. This protagonist has recurring dreams and day dreams about how or why his loved one may have died; the night dreams are more detailed, therefore more 'disturbing'. Throughout these dreams the protagonist picks up little pieces of information to put them back together, and finally finds out why or how his loved one died(it was him). Because of this we feel 'Fool's paradise' is a relevant name for the movie.

Location-Darwin Nurseries

Our main location in our thriller is darwin nurseries and farm shop. We have chosen this location as it has the advantages of a farm, field, wood area, shop and house. Having the main road going past give us a good range of diegetic sound. This follows the convention of a thriller as it makes it more realistic as there is natural diegetic sound which people can relate to.

Preparing for thriller pitch

We will be presenting our planning from the blog to the rest of the class. WE will then hold a Q+A and type this onto the blog. We hope to use the criticism and help the class give us to help improve our thriller opening sequence.

This is our production logo for our thriller opening. Our production name is 'A Clockwork production' and this was just a name we came up with. We started off with the forest image then added clocks from the Dali painting. We used the melting clocks from the painting as our back ground was cartoon so it would blend in. Also, the clocks go with our name. We then added the warped clock on the noose to give it more of a thriller feel.

Paramount Logo

The Paramount intro is suited to many different types of movie. however unlike some production logos, they don't change their logo suited to the film. In Madagascar, which is a cartoon, the logo stayed the same.  The logo also stayed the same for movies like Disturbia. Paramount doesn't really relate to any genre of film so can be used for basically all of the genres.

S2-50 Marking Analysis.

We don't really like the way they have done this production label as we don't think it is in context to the thriller genre. As is the same with the music to the production logo.

In this thriller opening there are many different shots and they are all long shots apart from a few that are mid shots. There isn't a variety of shot distances, which isn't too good but it works well with the clip because they need long shots to portray what is going on. The material they are shooting is appropriate to the task/narrative as they are shooting deserted streets. They are basic cuts to each scene but it works well because it is all like a slow montage of deserted streets to give you the picture that no one is around.  The sound they have used in the clip is mainly dialogue as it is cuts from different news broadcasts. There is extra sound that is played when changing between the news broadcasts. The titles are good but are really quite basic and quite boring to watch. For the mise-en-scene, there isn't any like costumes or anything as there are no people in it. The colour has been darkened as they have used filters over a few of the shots to make the scene look a bit darker, which makes it feel more alone/deserted. The scenes are shot during the day so the lighting would be quite bright if they didn't have a filter over the shots. This portrays the loneliness even more as people should be about in the day time.

Harry brown- Crime Thriller

This film is very clearly set in a city, most probably london. The set is very important in Harry Brown as it allows the characters to do the things they do, and act the way they act. In the first scene we see, what i believe may be the protagonist, inhale some drugs because his peers persuaded him to.
The costume in this film are also very important as the clothes they wear are hugely stereotypical of the area and people they are. This helps the veiwer identify and understand the characters.
We see the protagonist shoot a lady.. and then run off. Because this act seems so sureal, questions are asked as to why they did this, perhaps it was just to scare her but it went wrong. After the shooting they get hit by a lorry.

No country for old men- Crime Thriller

No country for old men is set in the country of America, following the work of a sheriff, a member of the police force. The set of the movie is well established at the begginning of the movie with a number of establishing shots, which clearly illustrate how lonely the area is.
We are instantly introduced to the Protagonist via a monologue, which tells the horrible story of a 14 year old boy who commited a crime, this raises questions to the veiwer, 'what kind of area is this' for example.
The audience see the protagonist in great peril in the police station, as the criminal he has caught subtly pulls his hands from behind his back to his front in order for him to be able to strangle the sherriff to death. The veiwer sees the criminal move and wants to warn the sheriff, but of course this is impossible. Because of this the scene seems very powerful, and shocks the veiwer.

Deja vu- Crime Thriller

Deja vu is a conventional crime thriller for many reasons. After the bomb explodes the viewer is left wondering who commited this attack on so many civilians, and children, also why they may have done it. We are then introduced to the Protagonist of the film, who is a well known actor, Denzel Washington.
Leading up to the explosion non-empathetic music is playing, to emphasize the mood of the passangers on the boat, who are all excited and enjoying what seems like a party. Because of this un-empathetic music the explosion seems much more of a surprise, so adds to the shock of the movie.
The location of the film is in a city, so a very average place. This makes the viewer more able to relate to the movie, so can follow it acting as the protagonist easier. (voyeurism)
The title of the movie does not give away what may happen in the film, plot wise, however i predict that the attacks seen in the first scene may be repeated, or non-linear continuaty will occurr, to add a deja vu element to the movie.

Crime thrillers

Protagonist usually had a bad past
Well known actors
Secret organisations with lots of gadgets
Binary opposite opposites, conflict between old and young.
Main character gets majority of screen time
Protagonist has a vulnerable family, perhaps. This is their driving force/motivation
Wait to the end to find out who the antagonist is.
Isolated crime scenes, stereotypical.
Opposite sex distracting.
Basic locations
Tension building music

Leon

Conventions for action film:

In action films it normally involves good characters trying to defeat bad characters. There are normally a large group of bad characters and only a few good characters and they have to rise against them. During the film you can expect innocent people to be harmed or killed. You will see the main character suffer at some point during the film because he/she will have a weakness. The film will be set in a normal environment like a city (a public everyday place).

We are introduced to the main character near the start. He is portrayed as being sly and skillful as he takes down about 10 of the bad guys without them having a chance to get him. We are also introduced to who appears to be the leader of a gang. He comes across this way as he is dressed in a suit and he is feared yet respected by his people that he is with. We also see that he is a drug addict. there is also a small girl who we know is the daughter of one of the men who gets killed. we also see that she knows the main character and is helping him out by buying some milk.

During the action scenes the editing involves faster cuts and jump cuts to add tension to the scene and also makes it feel more fast pace. *

The Prestige

Mise-en-scene
The costumes in the Prestige are very important to set the time period of the film. Everyone is dressed in dull colours as during this time the technology wasn't available to produce the colours. However when the magicians are performing they wear more elaborate clothing.
The make up is minimal in this film to make it seem more realistic & simplistic. The females however wear a little make up when performing to make themselves appeal more to the audience they're performing for.
Lighting in The Prestige is minimal, and dull, to emphasize the time period. I feel this because this was a very industrial period, and poverty was high. This is portrayed in the dull, negative feeling the lighting gives off. Also the confusion of the film is shown in the darkness of the scenes, as the viewer is unable to see some small details, which means not too much is given away. therefore the viewer can't predict the ending too hard, following the theory of voyeurism.

Narrative themes
The theme throughout The Prestige seems to be rivalry, finding out why, how or when, a lot of the time. This is underlying the most obvious theme of the movie; magic.

Character roles
The roles of the males are to figure out what each other are doing (the binary opposites)

Conventional for a thriller?
The Prestige is conventional for a thriller because it asks a lot of questions, which are not answered until the last scene. All the way through the viewer is wondering how things are happening & why they're are happening.

Vantage Point

The film Vantage Point starts out with the credits and with the credits are a montage of pictures to do with the film e.g police, police cars, guns, members of the government, etc. This is all edited to give you a small amount of information so you get an idea of what the film could be about. After the credits it goes straight into an establishing shot to let you know where everything is taking place. The next few minutes it cuts between scenes of where leaders of the world are gathering with many members of the public gathering around where the world leaders are going to speak. It also shows the armed police who are watching over the public so to protect the world leaders. With every shot of the public, it is a high angle shot to show that they are being watched and that they are not in power, less authority. When showing the armed police, it is a low angle shot, which shows their power over the public as they are armed with weapons. During these few minutes parrallel editing is used, as it jumps from being at the world leader speaking to being at the news station who are talking to one of the film reporters at the scene.

Psychological Conventions

Conventions of a Psychological Thriller:

• Clever Characters-thinking ahead

                                      - they become isolated from the rest of the characters

• It messes with your head
• There is a mis-leading story- plot twists 
• Unusual happenings- extraordinary
• Film works up to chocking reveal
• Characters have fascination/fear and death  
• Danger on a mental level rather than physical 
• Characters try and find their own purpose
• Characters in conflict with their mind- they don't know what is true or not 
• 2 or more characters preying on each-others sanity.

Political Conventions

- Uses many locations, focuses on different cultures and countries
- 'false heroes', someone who we think is good but ends up turning out not to be good.
- 'helper', provides the protagonist with something useful
- threat is set against a background of political struggle
- plots are designed to give political power to someone while the opponents try to prevent this
- innocent people are drawn into the political world
- trying to prove innocence

The Prestige Opening Analysis

mise en scene :

• costume- in the opening scene of the prestige we see that it is set in olden times as all the characters and extras in the opening are wearing old fashioned clothes. 
• sets- in the opening scene we see that the main set is going to be the stage or the theatre   
• colour- in the opening to the prestige the colours are all really plain, dull and boring for example the costumes and the sets are all brown, grey, black and white. 
• lighting- the lighting is very dark and gloomy this is to add tension to the scene. 
• props- some props that are used are all the magic equipment. this tells us that is is going to have something to do with magic. this also tells us that it is set in the olden times as there isn't any modern things e.g. computers. 
• make-up- there isn't very much make up used because it is old fashioned so they didn't have much then. 

Narrative themes are;

• Magic
• Rivalry
• Revenge
• Secracy
• A Competition

Character Roles:

• Main: - Angier - strong character, ambitious, confident, wise
            - Borden - calm, clever, confident
            - Cutter - superior, respected, clever, wise
  Others: - Julia Angier - confident, respected
              - Sarah Borden - weaker character, easily persuaded
              - Olivia Wenscombe - confident character, can be miss leaded

Is it Conventional for a thriller?

• i think that the prestige is coventional for a thriller as it includes many conventions of a thriller. for example it has many un-answered questions, a few main characters and some other characters aswell. this thriller also has a crime right at the start even though we see it wasn't him they still think it was in the film.

The Prestige Opening Analysis.

Mise-en-Scene: 

Costume - They are wearing old fashioned clothes, tells you it is set in the past.
Sets - The stage/theatre, the prison, in the mountains in Colorado, on a train, in a hotel, back stage
Colour - the colours are dull, sets the time period
Lighting - quite dark, makes it more mysterious as is the genre; magic/illusions/trickery
Props - magic equipment, horses and carriages (again, setting the time period. tells you it is about the 1800's as cars weren't around then, walking stick, hand cuffs.
Make up - normal, nothing over the top as they are normal people/characters, one person is wearing a disguise including a fake beard and added skin.

Narrative Themes:


- Magic and how it started
- Competition
- Revenge
- Secrecy
- Rivalry

Character Roles:

Main: - Angier - strong character, ambitious, confident, clever
          - Borden - relaxed, clever
          - Cutter - superior, respected, clever
Others: - Julia Angier - confident, respected
            - Sarah Borden - weaker character, easily persuaded
            - Olivia Wenscombe - confident character, can be miss leaded

Conventional for a thriller?


Yes, i think this is conventional for a thriller. A thriller will have a few main characters with rivalry between them. The mise-en-scene helps to add effect to the scenes, e.g. the lighting helps make it more mysterious as it is darker.

Seven - Psychological Thriller

Directed by David Fincher

Binary opposite- Morgan freeman, older, wiser, organised, he has seen a lot. MES, costume is neater, props layed out.  Metronome- to help him sleep.
Brad Pitt- younger , messier, unorganised. cocky.

Unanswered questions- Titles introduced to a character on the titles.
Micro elements, lighting. Claustrophobic, gloomy , difficult to see.
music adds suspense.

Morgan Freeman is at this stange the protagonist. He has more screen time, commends dialogue. Weakness-he looks at other details-, isolates him.

Thriller vs. Horror

Horror:
Young cast
Violence (blood and guts)
Focus of the narrative is the violence
multiple victims
lead 'victim' often becomes detective
suburban setting
adults absent, or not supportive

Thriller:
Mature cast, often highly regarded, expensive actors.
Focuses on who did it? why & how?
Often detective is the lead
Victim is not always known to the audiences.

Thriller conventions

Narrative centers around a crime
Binary opposites- protagonist, lead moral. & Antagonist, villain.
Protagonist will have a weakness, this is often reflected in the title (vertigo)
Protagonist will be seen in peril.
Complex web of clues or questions, leads to protagonist being isolated.
Themes of mistaken identity, mirroring & illusions
Objectification of women
Viewer becomes voyeur. (voyeurism, the pleasure of watching/looking without knowing, the viewer acts as the protagonist, trying to figure out what will happen/ has happened)
Micro elements build suspense.
Non-linear narrative.

Thriller mark scheme

Planning and research- Blogs.
Include images, detailed analysis and terminology.
Title and tag posts.
20 marks on Blog, 16/20 = level 4 (very good)

Use Blog as a diary, progress, ideas & editing.

Video- 2 minutes opening sequence.
make own music on Garageband. Use titles and opening credits, be more creative.
Use friends & better location, more detail in props & costume.
We have 2 evenings to film.

Evaluation- same questions as childrens film. Has to be on a powerpoint & individual work.
Include images.

Thriller rules

No swearing
No weapons in a public place
No filming on the college roof, because Holly will be grumpy about it.
No boring stories
No children, because Holly doesn't like children.

Preliminary Task Film

This preliminary task was more successful then our previous preliminary task because we much more confident than we were to start with because we had used all the equipment before. We also did it a lot faster and without any problems.

Preliminary Task Storyboard

This is our preliminary task storyboard

Shot List

This is our shot list for our preliminary task