Planning: Character representation - Mrs. Quinlan

What is character representation? Why is it important?

Character representations are specific aspects and personality traits about people based on stereotypical views. Each character types obtain similar connotations and representations which allows the audience to categorise characters into specific stereotypical groups and react to each one differently. Protagonists, antagonists, and Damsel in distresses are a few of the conventional thriller movie characters. For example, damsel in distresses are expected to look a certain way, blonde, weak, wear a white dress to show innocence, and have some relationship to the protagonist. Character representation is best portrayed using mise en scene including costume, hair and make up. It is important as they help audience differentiate the characters. Without character representations, the audience wouldn't know what to feel towards each character and films would seem unorganised as audiences need to feel certain emotions towards different character's.

Character: Antagonist
We decided to make our character an antagonist as antagonists are crucial for thriller movies and are usually the main character with the protagonist. Also the acts the unknown character commits, including beheading models in magazines, connotes an evil vibe and the audience is immediately able to infer that the character is an antagonist, and has no good intentions within.

Name: Unknown
We chose to hide the identity of our antagonist as it creates more tension and confusion to the audience as they get more eager to find out who the character is. However, although it is an unknown character, we hinted personality traits of our character in our opening scene to help the audience connote that the character is abnormal and is clearly an antagonist/villain. Our character being a male is revealed towards the end of the opening scene although different aspects in the beginning of the opening production included connotations towards his gender to the audience.

character representation:
The character is a male as we wanted to follow common conventions for our characters to make a successful opening sequence. This is because male characters are stereotypically  perceived as more dominant characters which makes them seem more threatening, dangerous, and intimidating to audiences; especially female.

Age 30-35:
We decided a character over 30 would be more suitable for our narrative as older characters tend to be wiser and more experienced. This helps the audience assume the character is doing unnatural acts for a valid reason, and not only for the sake of it. Also people usually idealise and choose role models around the ages 30-35 because of their successful and contented life, however; observing the antagonist gives the audience an uneasy feeling as it is an unusual position for a grown man to be in.

Costume, hair and makeup:
The character will be wearing black tights with holes to fulfil his feminine side and appeal to people in a sexual manor, however, the holes also connote the characters gender due to his legs. Also the character finds putting the tights on difficult as they are not made for him and are almost misplaced,. This shows the audience his feelings as he also feels misplaced in his own body. On the other hand the character wears a yellow dress. This can help the audience interpret the character as harmless and with innocent connotations, which makes them feel pity for the character; however, reconsidering the brutal acts his capable of thinking makes the audience reconsider his position in the movie. Moreover, we intended to use red lipstick for the antagonist as red connotes passion and love, which is emotions the character wants to feel; anyhow, it also connotes death and blood which shows the acts the character is capable of .which is emotions the character wants to feel. The lipstick is to be put on messily to show his inexperience in make up and any feminine acts due to his gender and fear of explosion. The character will be wearing a mask to hide his identity and the makeup will be done on the mask.

Body language and facial expression:
The character will have a firm body structure and rough movements due to his masculinity. This will also show dominance and create threat throughout the opening to show the audience he is the antagonist. His facial expression wont be shown in the opening scene as he is an unknown character, however the neutral mask he wears signifies his neutral emotion and how remorseless he is in what he is doing. To continue, his soft movements while touching the manikins leg is different to when he is kicking the lipstick as he almost envies the manikins body and later on we see him pushing it over which again back up the hatred he has towards women as shown in the magazine covers.

Represented as:
He is represented as a psychotic and mentally disturbed victim of his own emotions. This becomes disturbing to the audience as they see him picking up women lingerie which makes them question how disturbed he really is, and makes them fear him a little more. Every aspect of his unnatural behaviour causes more and more fear for the audience.

Role within the narrative:
He is the main character within the narrative. His vile acts towards models will evoke hatred from the audience. However when he is putting on lipstick, the audience may see his child like actions and feel pity towards him as he didn't choose that life, but can choose his actions.

Conclusion:
In conclusion I think we were able to potray our antagonist in an dangerous and disturbed way as we tried using all aspects of conventional thriller movie characters. I believe our character will be able to evoke fear to the audience with its portrayal of a mentally unstable character who is capable of causing harm with no remorse.

Planning: Pre-production paperwork - Miss Begum

What is Pre-production paperwork is it and why is it important 

Pre-production paperwork is legal documents and agreements that require to be completed and is legal evidence and permission in what we are producing, who the production includes, and where we are producing it. The paperwork include:

- Client release
-Location Release
-Location recce
-Production schedule
-Risk assessment

These forms are very important ethically, especially the risk assessment as it shows that any dangers that may occur can be covered by the team and avoided. Moreover without the paperwork you may have a high risk of getting into trouble especially when filming in public, which is why you can use the paperwork as evidence on what you are doing and prove  that you are not causing any harm or mischief. For the best result possible and the most efficient paper work, we decided to split the paperwork up between our group.



Client release form:

This paperwork was created to help us recruit an actor. This is a crucial piece of paperwork as it tells people interested in the offer what we expect of them and what they will need to do for us. It also tells them where the production will be posted and who will be able to see it. The paper work is simple to fill in after the terms and conditions have been read which makes it easier and more efficient for the target audience.







































Location recce:

This is a form to show the different locations you plan to use to inform authorities and people in charge why and how you plan to use the  location. It gives information on how to get the the specific location and and the issues that may occur while travelling which is adequate for the group and the actor in the performance.





Production Schedule:

This can be used as a timetable for the production team. It also highlights all the equipment needed for that day, and what time each person is expected. This can save time and help avoid hassle as a team figuring out what is needed and when its needed. As everyone in the group has to agree to the schedule there will be minimal amount of trouble figuring out when to film the production. 



Risk Assessment:
The risk assessment is essential piece of paper work needed before production as it highlights and clearly states the risks that may occur during the production period. As well as the cautions, it has information on how the team plan on overcoming the risks. This is useful for all the production team as it is evidence in showing that risks are thought over which means they are less likely to be faced.








Location Release:
This is a legal document that informs anyone in charge the locations you are planing on using. As well as it being a permission letter to use the location, it also informs authorities on how you plan on using the location and what dates and times you will be using it. Lastly it can be given as evidence to authorities if you are ever questioned on what you are doing in the certain location.




Advantages of creating Pre-production paperwork:

- Evidence for authorities
-Makes the production look professional
-Gives us legal security
- Experience on creating paperwork

Planning: Preliminary task - Miss Begum

The purpose of a preliminary task?

the purpose of the preliminary task is familiarise your self with the camera and film different shots confidently and efficiently. It also helps you gain insight into how to use the camera and helps you gain skills in editing. Moreover it helps identify group members individual strengths and weaknesses which helps us identify what jobs to give each group member to create the best opening scene with everyone set at what they are most skilful at. It is also useful as it helps group members improve team working skills and learn to work together.


Preliminary Task: 

Narrative/ Scenario:
 Bibi is peacefully doing her homework in Miss Begums class. She is politely interrupted by her friend Gulustan asking her where Miss Begum is. Bibi tells her Miss Begum is absent due to her illness and they get into a conversation about what Bibi is doing. When she tells Gulustan she is completing her homework, Gulustan is shocked as she has forgotten to do the homework so they decide to do it together. As they begin to do the Homework Gulustan realises how pretty Bibi's bracelet is and the scene ends


The group roles:
Gulustan- Director, Actor
Natalia- camera person
Bibi- Actor

As a director I was expected to direct the group into different parts of the scenes efficiently. I was in charge of the actor's body posture, position in the setting, and the narrative idea, with contributions from the group. I also directed Natalia in what cinematography technique to use in each part of the scene.

Natalia was expected to film steadily using cinematography techniques. This was the most important role in the group as she was doing the filming. She used different techniques including panning shot and zoom in.

As an actor Bibi was asked to look as realistic as possible and write her own dialogue according to the narrative. I was also asked to write my own dialogue.

The editing role was taken upon the whole group as it's considered one of the hardest stages as none of the group members had edited before. We used many different editing techniques to show our broad understanding of different editing techniques.

What I found difficult with filming and how I overcame it:
I found the acting difficult as it was challenging to make it look realistic and off script. Also although the directing had some difficulties, as a group we decided it would be appropriate to keep me as the director as that was my strong link

As a group we found using the camera tough as we hadn't used one in detail before. One of the difficulties we over came was zooming in. The zoom in button was too delicate and moved fast so we learnt how to use it subtly so the zoom in is presented clearly.



What I found difficult with editing and how I overcame it:
Editing was one of the hardest processes as no one in the group had edited before. We found it challenging to decide which editing technique would be appropriate for which part of the scene. However, we overcame it by using different editing techniques to show our broad understanding of editing techniques and scene analysis with the scene.


What I have learned:
I have learnt that editing and cinematography techniques make the scene more interesting and without them the scenes tire the audiences eyes. Also we developed our preliminary task as a group which helped us improve our team working skills and showed members of the group, our strengths and weaknesses in the production making process.



Conclusion:



In conclusion the preliminary task has been very useful as it has given us skills in using a camera and editing. It will also help show the progress we've made with filming when our final product is finished. Finally it has helped us identify our production roles.

Planning: Storyboard - Miss Begum

What is a storyboard? And why is it important?

A Story board is a graphic representation of your idea/story and how you plan to present it to the audience in this case, What scene you've decided to make fist. It simply unfolds your idea and accompanied by a reasonable amount of description/explanation under the image, it gives the audience a clear image on what you plan to create. Story boards are extremely useful when creating a production as the whole idea and techniques have been planned out on the story board and the whole team are bound to have to same idea as they would all be following the story board. It also simplifies the decision on when to take each scene as the storyboard shows what scenes come first and is laid out in a chronological manor. It is the best way to share your vision with the group and bond ideas together.

Advantages of storyboards 

Advantages:

• Saves time in pre-planning, filming and editing
• Clear depiction of what you intend to do.
• Combines ideas 
• shows what techniques to use (i.e.Low key lighting)
• Can be used to organise which scene to film first
• Helps you in the editing process to pre-plan your narrative

Disadvantages:

• Not very detailed
• an be restrictive
•  It’s time consuming
•  Doesn’t always look good

It is clearly shown by the lists that there are more advantages than disadvantages.

This is the original storyboard we created using common conventions and influences from other thrillers.

Planning: Shot list - Miss Begum

What is a shot list and why is it important?

A shot list is a list of all cinematography techniques you intend to use during filming. This can be made using your story board or opening scene narration as they are both detailed enough to give directions on angles, sizes and editing techniques. This has helped us visualise the different cinematography we will be using in our production to create variety within our work.

advantages of shot lists

- Quick to create and fill in
- Easy to visulise the production
- Will help when filming
-Will help when editing





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Conclusion:

Overall creating a shot list has been highly beneficial for the group as it has given us direction on where and when to use each cinematography technique. We are able to refer back to it when filming and editing.

Planning: Mise en scene - Mrs. Quinlan

The intended Mise en Scene for our Thriller Opening.

Iconography:

• News Paper cut outs- these will play as typography to our opening credits and will be used throughout. We decided on this less typical typography because it will make the viewer intrigued and much more engaged into the viewing as they are encountered with something less familiar. Additionally, often newspaper cut outs are associated with threat and blackmail because these help to hide the antagonist hand writing and keep them anonymous which can create a sense of unsettlement for the spectator who will feel uneasy about using such secretive way to present the opening credits as nothing obvious is revealed.
• Magazines- another inevitable iconography used will be the fashion magazines which will be constantly referred to and shown throughout the opening, forming almost a montage of images. We decided to use magazines because it will fit nicely with the idea of newspaper typography as well as these fashion magazines will almost give an insight of the characters life and interest which can be interesting for the audience to see. Simultaneously, these can be a false clue for the audience who will instantly connote fashion with the female gender, however as an element of surprise we decided that this deception will impact the audience more when they start to release that this is in fact a male character. Additionally, these magazines will have beheaded models on, which yet again will help to give an insight of this character likings as well as show that this is an antagonist of the narrative and someone we should loathe.
• Red Lipstick- another iconography that will be reinforced throughout the opening is the red lipstick that will be used to write in the title of the film. We wanted to use a lipstick to reinforce the female nature and yet again false clue our audience which will help to build to the climax and element of surprise. At the same time red is a strong color with connotations of evil, which will show that this is an antagonist, as well as blood, which will symbolize that the character has brutal intention, but also passion, showing that this is someone with an obscure obsession and crazy passion towards his interest.
• Red Bra and Underwear- this discographies will be briefly accompanied by one of the cast names. We decided that the character will quickly grab these props, as if rushing to do something or being ashamed, which will intrigue the viewer who is unaware of what is happening. We decided on a red bra and underwear because bras are a part of female attire which will alert the viewer who will think that this is in fact a female character. We want it to be red as, similarly to the red lipstick, this colour has strong connotations and will also imply sexual desire or romantic passion which will seem obscene when we realize that this is a man, surprising the audience.
• Mannequin- this will be displayed at the middle of our sequence and a zoom in will be used to introduce this and show its significance. We decided on a mannequin because it will show that this character has a passion, nearly an obsession, for female fashion and females overall. This will make the viewer feel uncomfortable, knowing that this person if out of control with his longings which is typical of an antagonist as often they have a fixation on one thing that they keep hold on to throughout the film.
• Mirror- lastly, we intend on using a mirror which will display the title written on with a lipstick. We want to use this iconography because it will be a metaphor for reflection of his past as well as real him. It will also help to reinforce the idea of female gender because stereo-typically they tend to spend a lot of their time trying to improve their image and looks which shows that this character wants a change in his life, making the audience reflect on themselves.

Lighting & Colours:

Lighting - The lighting we intend to use is low key with top lighting throughout the scene. This is because we wants to create a cunning and evil atmosphere and make the audience have a fearful response. Moreover we will use the top lighting to focus on the objects such as the magazines and the writing in the mirrors. The under lighting will be used when the main character is portrayed in the camera and begin to wear tights and a dress. This is because we want to show the character's silhouette and make the viewers feel uncomfortable as the character's identity is unknown. Lastly, we think that these key lighting are conventional to the thriller genre which will give the right response from the spectators which are threat and mysteriousness.  

Colours - The colours that we intend to use during the editing is a yellow filter to convey the feeling of mysteriousness. Also the dress will be red to connotes the feminine ways of woman and the passions that this character has for woman. Furthermore even the pen that the character will use to cross the models in the magazine, will be red to connote danger and misery. The tights will be black because is conventional and credible. Whereas, the lipstick will be dark red to connote blood and revenge and makes the audience feel curious and want to see more. Overall, we think that these colours will suit our thriller opening and makes the audience have the proper feeling and emotions.

Setting & Location:

Setting:  The first part of our opening scene will be set in a drama room because of its lack of lighting and wide spacing. The opening credits will be made up o magazine cut outs and placed chronologically on the floor in the drama room, We also chose the drama room due to the scratches and marks on the black floor which creates an distorting effect to the audience as it gets them thinking what caused all the scratches.

The rest of the opening scene will be set in 'Moda Istanbul Boutique.' We decided this location would be suitable for our opening scene because the criteria matches our story board as our unknown character is obsessed with women clothing and fashion, however hates women, and a boutique is a perfect place that attracts women and fashion addicts. Moreover the boutique contains a large mirror hat is crucial for our production.

Location: The drama room is located in our school (Oasis Academy Hadley). This is useful as it easy to access at any time available. The boutique is also located on Enfield Lock high road which is also easy to access by bus travel and train travel.

Planning: Planning cinematography, sound and editing - Mrs. Quinlan

In this lesson the focus was to plan our key uses of micro elements. We divided each micro element up and each member of the group researched and analysed in detail the specific key micro elements that were crucial to use in our opening sequence.

This are the sounds we intend to use in our thriller opening (Gulustan)

There will also be non- diegetic/ contrapuntal sound of a ballerina box used right at the beginning of the opening credits. We chose to use this because it will not match with the dark atmosphere of the scene, making the viewer confused and intrigued. This will also express the child like innocence behind the story but how much damage obsession and hatred has caused. This is conventional as this kind of non-diegetic sound can give a background story and additional knowledge for the viewer. From this the audience will feel insecure because the simple tune will have a haunting effect giving this scene a fearful atmosphere.  The innocent track will be then replaced by growing eerie non diegetic sound.

Non-diegetic sound of an eerie metallic sound track will then be used throughout the opening scene, however it will be manipulated by pitch, volume and pace in order to make the sequence exciting. We chose this because eerie metal music will support the thriller genre, already signifying the audience what they could expect from the narrative. This kind of music could also scare the viewer which is the outcome of a thriller. This is similar in the opening of Seven where the non- diegetic sound changes in volume through out to create thrill as well as tension for the viewer.

An increase of tempo of the non-diegetic sound track will be used when the unknown character in the opening scene picks up the red bra while typography is being presented. We chose to increase the pace in order to place emphasis on this iconography. This is conventional to a thriller opening scene because it shows the audience that the red bra has a significance to the whole film and gives them connotations on what to expect. However, could make the audience insecure because such iconography can cause controversy as knowing that this could have a significance in the film could show that this thriller will be touching upon sensitive topics.

The use of these sounds will help to establish the genre of the film as well as help the viewer to infer the character’s role within the narrative because of the way that he has been presented. I think that the use of the mild and innocent ballerina box music in contrast of heavy metal is effective because it shows the change that the character underwent and how much hatred he has gained from being completely vulnerable and innocent.

This is a list of the most significant cinematography techniques that we plan to include in our thriller opening: (Natalia)

Close Up

One of the first cinematography techniques will be a close up of a double page spread from a fashion magazine with three beheaded women. We chose to use this shot because it will allow to show clearly the iconography and the beheaded women so the audience can put their full attention on this image. Also the close up will not reveal the identity of the hidden character who stays anonymous until the end of the sequence. This shot is conventional to a thriller because often close ups are used to show something significant without revealing the main character which helps to create a build-up of tension. This close up will have an effect on the audience as they will become curious of who could commit such a cruel act to a vulnerable female models. A similar close up is used in the opening of Seven where the character crosses out and highlights different texts from the Holy Bible without revealing his identity. This technique works well in this opening because it helps to keep the element of surprise and suspense for the viewer who is oblivious to the character on screen.

Medium Close Up

Another shot that we decided to use was a medium close up which will display one of the cast names as well as a red bra which will be quickly grabbed by someone’s hand off the screen. We chose to use this shot because it will allow to show two things at once, one being the credit and second being the red bra with a hand. However it will be close enough not to reveal too much of the characters identity and keep the audience intrigued. This shot is conventional to a thriller opening because often close up shots are used continuously in order to stimulate the spectator senses as well as their curiosity. This shot will make the audience feel curious because they are unable to predict what will happen as well as are not able to tell anything about what is going on. A medium close up is effectively used in the opening of Saw where the male character is exposed to the light and realizes that he is kidnapped. This allows the audience to see his fearful facial expressions but does not show the full location, leaving them in suspense.

Zoom In

We decided that we will use a zoom in when the frame introduces the iconography of the mannequin for the first time. We chose to use this camera movement because it will help to place emphasis on the mannequin and suggest that this is something significant and will play a part in the narrative or influence the character. This movement is conventional to the thriller genre because often thrillers tend to use zoom in in order to make sure that the audience will focus their full attention on the object/ person that the frame displays. I think that this zoom in will make the audience feel intrigued because they will be wondering why is a mannequin such a significant object and how will it influence the upcoming actions in the narrative. A zoom in is effectively used in the ending scene from Psycho. This is evident when the antagonist gives his final monologue and the camera zooms into his facial expression, showing that he is in fact a psychopath. This zoom in makes the audience place their attention on the character and allows to learn something about him.

Extreme Close Up

Another shot that we have decided on is an extreme close up. This shot will display the character’s lips which are being painted with a red lipstick. We decided to use an extreme close up to display this frame because it will place emphasis on the red colour as well as help to keep the characters identity anonymous.  The emphasis of red will make the audience feel fearful because red connotes evil and blood which proposes danger, thus creating a threatening atmosphere for the viewer who will expect something dramatic to happen. This shot is conventional to the thriller genre because usually extreme close ups are used in order to make something very significant and show its importance in the narrative. An example of an extreme close up is used in the thriller Knowing. The dates and numbers which were circled in red marker were often displayed in an extreme close up to show their importance in the narrative as well as to show that they are dangerous, which was evident by the use of red marker.

Low Angle  

Moreover, our group decided to use a low angle when the character is partially revealed. We wanted to use this angle because it will show this character’s supremacy as well as suggest that they are in fact dangerous. This angle is conventional to the thriller genre because often angles help to establish the hierarchy and power distribution between the characters. In thrillers, low angles, are usually used to make someone look dominant and powerful in comparison to others. This angle would make the audience feel intimidated by the character who has much more authority and supremacy over the vulnerable viewer who needs to look up to the character.  A low angle is used in the thriller Wanted where the character of Morgan Freeman is displayed at a low angle to show his high status and power within his crew.

Tilt Shot

We have come to the conclusion that a tilt shot should be used to fully introduce the character, starting from bottom to top, displaying his full image. We want to use this movement because it will allow to closely display the antagonist and almost evaluate his features, including costume, make up and body language which will allow to convey the character representation. This movement is conventional to a thriller genre because often tilt shots are used to introduce a significant character who will have a massive impact on the narrative. This tilt shot is likely to make the audience feel shocked realizing that this is a man who wears female clothing but at the same time they could feel fulfillment because they finally got to know who the anonymous character is. An example of an effective tilt shot is used in the opening of a mystery thriller Chloe, where the tilt shot reveals one of the main characters, allowing the audience to see her body language and costume.

Long Shot

Lastly my group and I have decided to use a long shot at the end of our sequence. This shot will display the silhouette of the antagonist walking out of a dark yet unknown location. We want to use this particular shot to end our opening because it leaves the viewer with a cliff hanger. Additionally the viewer will be in apprehension because they are unaware of what the antagonist actions are and where did he go. This shot is conventional to the thriller genre because often long shots are used to allow to the audience see full body as well as surroundings. Because the setting is very dark the audience will be able to infer that this character has evil intentions. A long shot is used towards the end of thriller Seven, where Somerset runs towards Mills and the antagonist to tell them what is in the ‘box’. That shot allows the audience to see full body language and the deserted location giving the audience some information but the scene.

These are the editing techniques we intend to use in our opening scene (Bibi)

Cross-cut: One of the first editing technique that we chose to include was the cross cut. This editing techniques is mostly used in our opening thriller which will introduces the opening credits, then cross-cut to another frame showing an Elle magazine with the front page of the model cuts out, and then again back to the opening credits of newspaper cuts-out. We choose this technique because we want the scene to be chaotic and make the audience feel intrigue and create mysteriousness. This shot is conventional to a thriller genre as it introduces two setting without confusing the audience. We decided to create mysteriousness throughout the opening thriller, thus we though that this editing will be suitable for this shot.

Dissolve: Furthermore, a dissolve will be used when the opening credits of the cast member are shown with the iconography of the red bra, then a dissolve is put in place. This is because is the first iconography where the audience are able to make assumption about the character, thus the dissolve transition will focus of the iconography and make the audience feel curious and want to find out more about the character. This edit technique is conventional to a thriller movie, because it introduces another frame fluently, or sometimes makes the scene looks chaotic if is framed well. This will make the audience engage and want to find out more what will happen next.

Jump Cut: Additionally,  a jump cut will be utilize when the mysterious character begin to wear a tights. This is because we don't want to make the audience feel bored or show them how to put on some thighs, but to save time while filming and also make the scene look disturbed which will make the audience feel curious and anxious, as the identity of the mysterious character in nor revealed. This editing technique is conventional to a thriller genre because it allows more action to take place in a short time making the audience paying attention. Also is a technique that add distortion and negativity to the frame which it's what it were looking for.

Slow Motion: This slow motion technique will be combined with the tilt shot when the mysterious character wears a lady dress. The slow motion will focus on the action that is taking place, while the tilt shot will partially shows the identity of the mysterious character. This will make the audience feel interested as they may think that he character is going out to have fun. This is a conventional editing techniques for the thriller genre because it helps emphasis in a specific object or character. This will make the spectators feel intrigue and keep them watching.

Fade to Black: Lastly, a fade to black is portrayed at the end of the scene. This is because we want to demonstrate that the opening scene is come to an end. This will leave the audience questioning what will happen. Also as black as connotations of death and misery, the audience are more likely to think that the character was the antagonist and is ready to commit negative actions. This will makes the audience feel frustrated as they do not know what were his intentions and left with suspense which is conventional to the thriller genre as the theme of mystery is presented.

Overall, this planning has been beneficial to me and my group because i have broken down into sections the specific micro elements we used to bring our thriller movie together. Micro elements are a very important part of creating a movie as it adds emphasis on the situation and excites the audience.

Research:Typography - Mrs. Quinlan

Typography is how the writing is presented to the audience. As we analysed typography we looked at the following things: style, size, letter case, and colour. Doing this research was in order for us to have a better understanding of how we should present our language in order to make it conventional to the thriller genre. Each genre has its own typography look and I needed to make sure I knew what was common for thrillers.


Below are some thriller examples that I analysed to get inspiration from:




The Number 23:

The typography in ' The Number 23' the typography is quite child like and all of the place. Knowing that every letter has its own number, it shows the audience that the film has something to do with codes. The writing is boldly subscribed which shows he doesn't want to forget it and indicates the importance of everything written down. Additionally its all written in pen which is unusual as everyone types things in modern society. Most importantly, audience that has a relation to the number 23 gets drawn into the title.




Seven:

The opening credits for Se7en are one of the most iconic openings ever. The typography indicates that its a thriller movie even before the audience is introduced to the movie it self, also the opening credits are accompanied by montage to give the audience an insight into the film. Moreover the typography is very distorted and flashes up on the screen which gives the audience an uneasy feeling about the film. The words look like they've been carved with a razor or a knife which is an important aspect as we see an unknown character with a razor during the opening credits. The flashing opening credits indicate the unknown characters persona as it indicates that the character may have a bad mental state.




Halloween:

The typography of Halloween gives away the genre and the theme of the movie as the colour orange gives it all away. The typography is big and bold, which is actually common of thrillers made within the 80's. The role of the team is slightly smaller than the persons name which gives a lot of credit to the people who are in it. I like this and will look to use this in my opening. Another thing is that the names are in capital letters and again, I like this as it stands out to the viewer.


Overall, this research into credits has been beneficial as it has given me some ideas on how I want my typography to look. I like the fact that white is used against black which is what I plan to use, and also a scratch look as it creates feelings of mystery and uncertainty. I think I wall also plan to use capital letters for the names as I want the work of me and my group to be noticed by people who watch it.

Planning: Developing ideas in groups - Miss Begum

 Title: It’s Time

Narrative:

A young lady is lost and finds herself in Liverpool Street Train station at 11:45 pm. While turning around on the spot trying to figure out where she is, she realises a little girl sitting in the middle of the empty train station playing with a doll. As she approaches the little girl and is about to sit down to see if she’s ok she hears the voice of a foreign old man saying “isn’t it a little too late for a young girl like you too be out here… especially here.” As she turns around to ask why, there is no one there and she and the little girl are the only ones there. Exactly at 12:00 the big grandfathers clock bongs and she hears chants and a loud drum beat coming from outside. She is afraid to go take a look but doesn’t want to show her fear to comfort the girl but as she looks back at the girl, she is gone and her doll is still there. She picks up the doll and moves the arm, but weirdly when she does her own arm moves, almost as if the little girl controlled her and brought her precisely at 12:00. She slowly and steadily takes steps towards a window to see what’s going on and she see a crowd of people in ranks marching and chanting words in a different language. First she thinks it’s some kind of creepy festival but as she becomes conscious that something is controlling everyone she sees figure in a black cloak which she can’t make out due to it being dark and the figure being camouflaged…

Mise en scene:

Costume- black cloaks,

Iconography- the doll that controls the damsel

Setting- Liverpool train station

Lighting and colour- high key back lighting to make the setting look harmless and glamorous to defy the audience from the coming of events.

Sound-

Diegetic sound: Chants and drum beat, Grandfathers clock bong, the old foreign man’s voice.

Non-diegetic: The unpleasant humming sound before and after the old man speaks.

Parallel sound: Chants and drum beat.

Narrative Theory: 
Todorovs: It has a clear start middle and end throughout the whole narrative which will structure the narrative clearly so the audience isn't confused.

Aristotle: The main theme presented is supernatural which enhances the audience perspective of defiance as they know the damsel in distress is brought there by coincidence. This will draw apon there emotions as they will be scared for our damsel and confused on why the picked her.

Prop: Although we don't know if there is a hero in opening sequence, there is still the conventional thriller characters including a damsel in distress and a Villain

Sub-genre: 

horror, revenge,remorse

Narrative:  I want to divide the opening into 2 sections that will both make sense and work with one another. In the first section the opening credits will be presented with little narrative in order to establish the mood, atmosphere and genre of the film. This section is an intertextual reference to the opening of Seven where we don’t see the characters but can tell what is happening and what this could resolve in. In section one the main focus will be the anonymous letter that someone is creating by gluing and sticking newspaper cuttings together to create a whole. The newspaper cuttings will also become the typography for the opening credits. Section 2 on the other hand will have a clearer story line. It will start with a female character simply jogging in a forest until she finds a mysterious letter which is the one from the first section. She then feels unwell and takes medicine which causes her to hallucinate and hear things that are non-existing. She spots a weird ritual where an unknown figure does something to a child’s dead body. The sequence ends with an image of a female who wakes up on the floor with blood on her face leaving the audience with wonder whether the ritual was just a hallucination or reality.

Sub-genre: Psychological/ Mystery thriller.

Themes: Mystery, Supernaturalism, Death, Medicine, Chaos, Darkness.

Characters:

• Female Protagonist
• The Supernatural antagonists
• The Child Victim
  
  

Narrative Structure and Theory: 

• Todorov: in section 2 there will be a clear start, middle and end. The equilibrium when the female simply runs for leisure. Disequilibrium when she takes the pills and sees things. New equilibrium when she wakes up.
• Aristotle- the theme of child’s death should draw the audiences’ emotions and make them feel pity and distraught. The theme of mystery will make the spectators feel engaged with the narrative more and make them intrigued.
• Propp- the female character as a hero and the supernatural figures as the villains and the victim is the child.

Mise En Scene:

• Iconography- the Pills are the key iconography in this opening. This is because they are one of the causes of the visions and they give meaning to the narrative and character. The letter which is another stimulus for the protagonist.
  
  
• Lighting and Colour- low key natural lighting which will help to make the scene much more threatening and scary for the viewer.

• Setting- forest. Forests tend to be isolated and have connotations of mystery and danger. This will help to establish the thriller genre.

• Facial Expression and Body Language- the antagonist should slouch a little bit to show that they are mysterious and will not open up to anyone. The female protagonist will have a steady and firm body language and facial expression so the audience can put their hopes in her. The child victim will lay on the floor with open hands to show that it was a welcoming and good child who should be pitied by the viewer.

• Costume- the antagonist will wear a black cloak with white or black masks. This will help to hide their identity and show that they are in fact a supernatural character rather than humans. The hidden identity will scare the audience. The protagonist on the other hand should wear something casual to show that she is a typical person who the audience can relate with. The victim will wear a white to represent its purity and vulnerability.

Title: ‘Can You Hear Me?’ – This title will fit this opening because it will reinforce the idea of suffering from schizophrenia which is what the protagonist tries to fight. Also this is a direct question that aims at the audience too. The spectators will question themselves which will be engaging for them.

Advantages for choosing this idea:

• It is original
• Isn’t cliché
• It will draw the right emotions from the audience
• It has accurate thriller themes
• The characters are untypical
• The setting can be easily accessible                        
• The typography for the opening will be original and will not be added but it becomes a part of the scene which is also unique.

Potential problems and how I plan to overcome them:

• The natural lighting can be an issue as there needs to be a right balance so the scene isn’t too dark and still seems believable. However this could be tackled by editing the sequence and making it darker in Final Cut.
• The pills can be hard to access. This could be overcome by simply using sweets that look like medicine.

Planning: Final idea - Mrs. Quinlan

introduction:  what is a final idea and why is it important?

A final idea is an idea we've finalised as a group to match the conventional thriller expectations.The final idea is important as it strengthens each of our initial plans and structures how were going to set and structure out our opening scene. This is useful for our group as it gives clear information on what we need to do first and directs us through the process of creating an efficient thriller opening sequence. It is important for our group to understand the narrative clearly to interpret it in a thrilling way and if necessary to add simple ideas to create a distorting atmosphere for the audience. 

Title: Who is that Woman?

Sub-Genre:  Psychological thriller

Narrative/ Plot:  

The opening begins with pieces of paper ripped on the floor. Once in a while these will create the typography for the opening credits. The eerie music will accompany extreme close ups of beheaded women in newspapers which has been cut out or scribbled on which will help to introduce the mood as well as the theme of hatred. Moreover there will be short and quick cross cuts to someone putting on a hand bag, lipstick and tights as well as other clothes. Simultaneously the camera will dispose a mystery character putting on clothing on a mannequin; as if trying to put up a new outfit together. This will be accompanied by cross cuts of fashion newspapers of famous and expensive magazines such as Glamour or Elle with models. The anonymous character starts to take the outfit from the mannequin and puts it on themselves. The final shot will reveal the male who wears this costume and walks out the room. (Fade to black)

Narrative Structure:       

• Todorov: Equilibrium- the beginning and when there are just bits of paper on the floor.         Disequilibrium- when we see the beheaded models and cross cuts of putting on handbag and lipstick. New Equilibrium- when the character is revealed and walks out.
• Aristotle: the different themes should evoke meaning and response from the audience, whether emotional or physical. For example the theme of mystery will intrigue the audience who will be curious to know who the mysterious character is. 
• Barthes: the idea of cultural references will be explored by the idea of a male putting on females clothing and being interested in becoming the other sex. Also the theory of semiology will be explored by the use of denotations such as magazines or lipstick and their different connotations.

Characters:

• Unknown character: the main character is the antagonist however his identity is only revealed at the end. The way that the shots will be framed and the contribution of lighting and cinematography will show that this character is evil.

Mise En Scene:

Costume, Hair and Make-Up:

• Antagonist: male antagonist in female clothing such as tights and blouses or dresses. This will subvert the conventional image on an antagonist but will be interesting to explore and develop in order to create an effect on the viewer. The Make-up should be heavy so it will be easy smudged in order to reinforce the idea of evil nature.

Lighting and Colour:

• Throughout, lighting will be mostly low key with highlights of top lighting and under lighting. The low key will allow the audience to feel the thrilling atmosphere. The top light will allow to highlight the important iconography or typography which is relevant to the narrative. Moreover the under lighting will help to create the chilling atmosphere as well as create a representation of the antagonist and reinforce his evil intensions.

Setting:

• The unknown setting will help to make the audience feel insecure because they are completely vulnerable and exposed to their surroundings as everything is hidden and mysterious. Because of the use of lighting it will look like they are surrounded by darkness.

Iconography:

• The newspaper cut outs which will also play as typography
• The Mannequin
• The magazine pages
• Lipstick which will be used to write the title of the film

Facial Expression and Body Language:

• The antagonist will have an aggravated facial expression to show his anger and frustration towards the magazine models. In addition he will also feel hatred towards these covers. His body language should look feminine in order to suggest that he is imitating the female models, however because this doesn’t work he becomes stiff and has rigid movements.

Film Influences:

• Seven- this is because there are many cut outs and highlighting just like the character from the Seven opening did. Also we plan to use lighting in a similar way to the opening of Seven where there were many lightbulb flashes and yellow highlights to create fear amongst the audience.
  
  

Advantages of the Idea:

• Its original
• Influenced by a classical thriller
• It is chaotic and will make the audience question the material
• Doesn’t give away too much of a narrative which is what an opening should do

Possible Problems and how to overcome them:

• The possible issue that will occur is to find a dark enough location that will allow the lighting to work effectively. This could be tackled if we film during an evening or night.

Why is it a Conventional Opening?

This idea is conventional to the thriller opening because it evokes the right audience responses. These include fear from the anonymous as well as obsessed antagonist. Moreover the use of themes such as mystery, obsession and hatred are often explored in thrillers which will also cause the audience to feel tense as well as enhance the narrative. Lastly this opening doesn’t give a lot of information about the film but has just enough to intrigue the viewer and continue to watch.

Possible Themes:

• Mystery
• Morality
• Obsession
• Hatred
• Revenge

Audience Response:

• At the beginning the audience is likely to feel confused as they are kept in tension because of the lack of knowledge about characters and narrative.
• During the cross cuts of beheaded models in newspapers the audience will feel disgust and fear as well as curiosity because they are unsure of what is going on.
• As the Audience are exposed to the shots of putting on lipstick, tights and hand bag they can become more relaxed as if thinking that this is all a mistake and someone is just getting ready to go on a night out.
• When the audience are finally introduced to the antagonist they are probably shocked to see that it is a male and will feel uneasy. They can also feel confused and question what is he up to and why does he feel so strongly about these models and fashion. 
• At the end they will find themselves terrified and insecure because the sequence leaves them with no answers to their questions.

Conclusion:

The final idea is one of the most useful resources we could use to make our opening scene as it clearly directs us on the narrative, the genre behind it, sound that will sound adequate and accompany our  thriller opening perfectly. Our final idea is all of our ideas combined which makes it easier to work with as each of us know how to potray each bit of the idea presentabl