Research: setting (Miss Heath)

Settings

Setting is an element of mise en scene that is made up of 4 other elements which are based on the set. Setting is important to highlight the the genre and complementing the genric convention at the same time. the scenes setting is important in creating the right atmosphere in illustrating the story and message.

The film romeo and juliet (1968 version) is a period drama and in this scene is set in and around an old castle. the historic monument, places the audience in the time and allows them to relate to the culture. the settings are important in making the scenes believable. as a believable setting alows the audience to take in all the information.

Using a posh hotel in a movie as a base will signify that the chacters may be dealing with wealthy  people or even havig the antagonists lair/hideout in a manson will punctuate their wealth and make the audience fear and look up to them for he may have unlimited resources.



The battle takes place in a wealthy looking tower, owned by the enemy. The fact that the building is owned by the enemy emphasizes the bravery of the daring protagonist. Also the building being a wealthy one makes the battle more interesting as the enemy may have the money to by powerful resources of defence. All the contributing factors of setting, are why the audience will question and fear for Prestons’ safety.  

In reseaching setting in films i found by watching a variety of thrillers that conventionally mysterious place are used where the audience is left baffled and left in a state of where they feel helpless. this has inspired me to use locations where it is dark and the audience wont be able to distinguish a clear location and make them feel lost and disorientated.

The dark room is conventional to a thriller and would be an ideal location for setting my own film as the minimal lighting will create an earry feel, and set an atmospher that will make the audience on edge evoking emotions of tension and fear.

This research is useful in helping identify conventions for my own thriller in terms of location and the importance of location and setting.

Planning: Preliminary task (Miss Begum)

The Preliminary task was done for the purpose of experimenting and getting to grips with the equipment. how the camera operates and different shots we were capable of taking, also to find out who is best suited for the jobs of editor and camera operator

we decided on an idea of a character being on the run and hiding as it allowed us to use a variety of angles and shots and the tempo and speed of action could be changed as this scenario is common in the thriller genre and will be helpful in when we create our final thriller
                                                                                                 

                            

High angle                                                  point of view                                     pan shot

When selecting production roles we found that I would be a definite actor as I have experience in the particular field and are capable of portraying the desired role. I will also take and the role of editor although the editing will be divided up between me and onat other roles we found due to this task was camera lady. we established that Jessica was best skilled with the camera and possessed the skill needed to take on this role.

creating this task was helpful towards our group as it allowed us to establish a few of the best roles for creating our thriller. we also discovered what angles movents and shot sizes worked well and what didnt work so well. also the task gaves us all a chance to attempt what we will specialise in allowing us to get a head start on working together to creating a magnificent and effective thriller

                      





  

Research: Costume (Miss Heath)

Costume

 

 

Costume in a film is used for establishing characters whether it be hero, villain, upper class, lower class or victim. Costume is used to represent this and make the character easier to read and determine what there goals are. it is also used to determine what genre the film is for example having old victorian dresse will mean it is a period film and characters wearing combat uniforms could mean action or war.

 

The character luke skywalker from the film Star Wars wears a loose fitted shirt with utility belt with white trousers and combat boots. this typicall means that the genre of the film is action sci fi due to his gadgets on utility belt loose fitting clothes meaning he needs to be nimble for a fight. Also the fact that he is wearing white represents him being a hero.

 

 

 

 

  The mysterious ghost faced killer from Scream wears a black hooded cloack with a mask hideing his identity along with gloves and black boots. not only is the black colour of his costume conventional to thrillers he is also in a cloak representing the thrilling figure of a ghost.

Officer John Mcclane wears a rough white open shirt with white vest that represent good and a hero also combat trousers this represent a strong protaganist character that is ready for action he also has a LAPD badge on a chain around his neck signifying he is an officer of the law and holds authority and power. The audience respond to his costume as a reflection of hiss attitude a rugged cop who is capable of handaling difficult situations.








Costume in this scene is conventional to its genres stereotype as the audience witness their protagonist wearing an all-white suit white shoes and white gloves. White represents good and purity so this automatically makes the audience take Preston side due to the conventional outfit. The antagonists who fight Preston however are all dressed in black leather whereas the lead antagonist in the large room wears an all-black suit with black shoes. This clearly represents how the antagonist and protagonist are opposites and are enemies.  The use of suits and leather represents wealth and uniform. This information is received by the audience, making the narrative easy to follow. When the audience see white, they associate Preston with a saviour figure in constant to the antagonists black uniform which they associate with evil.

Planning: Cinematography (Miss Begum)

Cinematography is important in films because as a variety of shots make up interesting an effective scenes I believe it is important to think about the cinematography, especially in thriller films because and using a certain type of camera shot or camera movement can make the scene all the more thrilling for the audience the difference between having a low angle making the protagonist seem dominant and a high angle making the protagonist seem weak makes all the difference in creating the desired response from the audience of  fear for the weak protagonist or joy for the strong accomplished protagonist.

Some of the conventional uses of cinematography in thrillers are made up of shot sizes for example close ups camera angles like low angles and movement like pan shots.

a close up shot is conventional to thrillers as they can be used to capture all the detail on the faces on a victim in agonising pain or being petrified.
the low angle can also be used in the same way to represent strength and uneven dominance used to evoke the emotion from the audience of fear for anyone that will have to face them.
a pan shot can be used to capture all of one movement it shows all the detail in that movement and may reveal important information.

The cinematography I plan to use in my thriller consists of the following:

1. Close-up will be used when we introduce our main character as we have a close up shot to shot the confusion  and fear on her face we used this shot as its both conventional and effective hoping to evoke a balance of confusion and concern from the audience.

2. A high angle shot will also be used to assert the dominance of the antagonists over the protagonist while she is laid on the table looking up at the the villains tied up. the response we hope the audience will have will be fear for the victims safety.

3.establishing shot displaying the area setting the scene and creating an atmosphere. the establishing shot will be of the boarded up house making the house seem abandoned and secluded.

4. A long shot will be used when our antagonist is at her table and in the background have her stalkers watching her in secret the shot Will make her look defenceless clueless and oblivious.

5. Pan shot will be effectively used in our thriller to keep track of the action and display the area and how unsafe and vulnerable she is capturing all her nervous steps highlighting her body language as she walks through the bare park.

6. Zoom shot will be used to highlight the claustrophobic atmosphere the innocent protagonist is feeling when she is cornered by the villains. this will show her fear and show detailed emotion on her face

7. A mid shot will be used in the making of a thriller to show the antagonists huddled and planning on the helpless protagonist well being. the mid shot will make the audience feel apart of the scene as the view would be the size they would get in that situation.

Research: body language and facial expressions (miss Heath)

Body language and facial expressions  is one element from mise en scene made up of 5 different aspects. body language and facial expressions are used to show the emotions and the type of character is. This can be shown through a variety of methods for example an open body posture shows that the character is welcoming and friendly and a scared facial expression can represent fear.

Body language

The use of body language is key in punctuating a genre and sub genre: for example:

martial arts action

The protagonist Bruce lee has a well toned lean and strong body, leading the audience to believe that he is capable of fighting a lot of battle that will come his way. he is also in a stance that enhances the feeling of power as he looks ready for a fight.

Action Adventure Crime

The protagonist in Sherlock Holmes holds a stance where he seams confident and calm, the traits an audience expect from an investigator and makes the genre clear. his hands in his pockets also represent his care free nature and makes the audience question if he is the man for the job.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Thriller drama

fantine in les miserables is sitting alone with her hands between her legs with a hunched back. Her closed posture shows that she is unhappy and portrait a little extra information about her feelings. the audience see this and feel sympathy towards her.

 

 

 

facial expressions

The use of facial expression in film is important for when a characters feelings need to be shown without dialogue, examples of this is:

 

Action sci-fi

 The hero of this film "The Terminator" has a very stern and macho facial expression. he appears focused with his jaws clenched and no smile he looks aggressive and as though he is on a mission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crime Thriller

Antagonist the joker from the dark knight is a sociopath with a sadistic look on dis face which imply he has evil and wicked intent on his mind, this is inferred from his cheeky and disturbing smile and gaze. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Horror

Jason fro Friday the 13th wears a mask hiding all facial features and identity. this makes the audience feel like this psycho murderer can kill without flinching showing no emotion. his piercing gaze adds to his terrifying persona.

 

 

 

 

 

Equilibrium analysis

The facial expressions of the protagonist are especially important as his face is exposed, whilst the villains wear tinted helmets hiding all facial expressions. This creates a sense of mystery around the villains leading the audience to question if the enemies are simply emotionless machines that do not have any remorse or emotions, thus making Preston stand out as the audience can relate to and respond to his emotions. His facial expressions reveal a message of determination and seriousness. The audience are given a glimpse of this just before he begins his attack as he composes himself, which the audience respond to with excitement and nail biting nervousness due to the velocity of the situation. The body language in the scene displays that all of the villains have the same intent. This is because all of the characters are specially trained officers who are in combat and are prepared for an attack with high performance, agility and power. Preston has also been trained in the same way, so he shares similar body language. For the audience witnessing this allows them to infer that the showdown will be epic due to him fighting men who are on his physical level. This increases the audiences concern for his safety as each solider is a reflection of his own physical ability.

 

Research: Opening credits & Typography (miss Heath)

Opening credits

openig credits are te pieces of written information used at the begining of a film to introduce the starring lead actor(s) and main crew in creating th film e.g producer and director. An effective opening will display sounds to intensify the mood creating an appropriate atmospher and shots that dont make complete sense leaving the audience intreaged as to what is happening.

The "Se7en" opening use all the criteria to making an outstanding opening credits due to a quality variety of distorting sounds and images, including fonts in the written credits. the use of low key lighting is apparent throughout the opening. This being used tells the audience what to expect as the distorting, mysterious shots and low key lighting are all popular conventions of the thriller genres. however the quick cuts do not allow the audience to keep hold of whats going on and as a result leave them guessing wanting to know more.
The audience is additionaly shown the main cast of the film advertising the big hollywood stars adding to the hyped up expectation of the film. these factors all contribute to intensifying the tension built into the opening.
These openining credits also show hints to what the film will involve but only small glimpses. for example there are shots of religious symbols blades and pictures all in small cuts placed throughout the start confusing the audience. seeing this allows the audience to infer what kind of themes will appear in te film allowing the viewer to prepare themeselves.

Typography

typography is everything to do with the format of the text. for example colour, size, location and order the text wil appear. the style of font used in "se7en" is diffrent and strange following the generic convention of distortian in a thriller.




Stigmata is a thriller film with the sub genre religion, making it conventional to have the text in an old fashion font from a bible or religious book. The words on screen are from what appears to be bible passags that then mold together  and creates the name of the media institution actors name or crew member. This is effective as its a genric convention and makes the audience engage more as the feel the build up increase.

Research: Iconography (miss Heath)

Iconography

Iconography is 1 element of mise en scene and is all the props used on stage to create a detailed atmosphere. Iconography is used in a variety of ways to communicate the message of a scene. for examle having a bare room with a candle can show some sort of entrappment. iconography can be anything from weapons, rubble, trees, buildings, cutlery, gadgets and even blood. 

Iconography in the house of mirrors scene is extremely conventional to the action thriller genre. We have the use of swords guns and blood. In this shot the iconography excels due to how the detailed props are littered around the room. In this one shot we see dead bodies on the floor swords lying around and a gun. The props give the impression of a chaotic battlefield and are what illustrates the aftermath of the occurred assault. Setting is the glue to this scene as the set is a wealthy looking tower owned by the enemy. The fact that the building is owned by the enemy emphasizes the bravery of the daring protagonist. Also the building being a wealthy one makes the battle more interesting as the enemy may have the money to by powerful resources of defence. All these factors this setting contains add up to the reason why the audience will question John Prestons’ safety.

iconography in this shot is all the more significant due to empty setting.the use of uns shows a battle and struggle and effectively portraits this to the audience making the viewer feel a surge of excitement and adrenaline due to this high tension scene. 

the role of iconography in this clip is very important as we see the placing of objects playing a huge part in creating an exciting scene. smashed glass on the floor of the scene is used to create a dangerous eniroment making the characters in the area apear daring and brave. the audience respond to this with fear and concern for the protaginsts safety.
another key prop used in this scene would  be what the scene is based around and is the injection gun. as the antidote is inside a gun apparatus means that the chemical is powerful as well as important. this allows the audience to question the importance of the object and the velocity of the situation the gun has brought this then amplifies the tension in the scene.

the implications of iconography i will take away to use in the producing of my own thriller would be that every prop on screen should need a meaning and how the message may be changed if there is a misplaced object