Opening Scenaration - Miss Miller

Our narrative is about a girl being possessed in a creepy house which is her own home, after being possessed she goes to the forest and drowns herself in the lake. Our narrative begins with household objects which are creepy to set the scene. We are using creepy household objects to show the audience that its set in a creepy house which builds tension for them and creates a tense atmosphere. The sound over the objects will be an eerie soundtrack which will create a tense atmosphere for the audience. The credits will be put over the still images, these credits include director, actress etc. The creepy objects we are using is a static television, a very old radio and a globe. After the mid shots of the household objects there are shots off the girl in her bedroom putting on make up. The shot is a mid shot, side shot and over the shoulder shot so the audience can clearly see she is applying makeup. Over these shots is still the same soundtrack to let the shots flow. We thought it would be a good idea for the girl to put make up on as it shows she an innocent girl which is very conventional to the thriller genre especially because she is blonde and young as well. This builds a relationship between the audience and the character straight away as they will sympathise for her. It will also create massive shock with audience when evidence is shown of her being possessed. After applying make-up the girl puts a watch on her wrist which symbolises there is not long until her death which is our iconography of our opening sequence. There will be a closeup of her watch to clearly show the audience there is not long until her death.This may build tension for the audience which is very conventional in thrillers. She leaves the room looking very ill and goes to the bathroom. Here we start to see the girl being obsessed with water as she washes her face even though she has just applied make-up which doesn't make sense and shows the audience that she is far from normal. The same soundtrack is still being played over this shot which builds up to the climax of the opening sequence. She goes down stairs and gets a glass of water circles it and pour it on the floor. Here is an high angle of her circling water to show that she is small and make the house bigger which is daunting for the audience. When she drops the glass on the floor its a mid shot just so we can see the glass of water to build suspense. The audience will start to understand that she isn't right in the head and the sympathy towards her will change to envy which builds the relationship they have with her. The water being poured on the floor will emphasise to the audience that water has taken over the girl and is harmful to her. After that theres a panning shot of a creepy household object and a mid shot of a flickering light to portray that she has been taken over completely. The timing of shots before she walks to the forest are slow and when she leaves the timing of shots is quicker to build tension and to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. After that she steps out the door and starts to walk towards the forest. Here is a long shot to show of the mise en scene so it will scare the audience more. We see all different shots of her walking up and through the forest to interest the audience. One main shot that is used is a long shot to show the audience the setting and where the girl is placed which will create a tense atmosphere as its set in a creepy dark place. She comes across to the lake where possession with water overcomes her and she drowns herself. There are many shots when used such as a long shot, over the shoulder and close up of her shoes standing on the edge of the lake, this causes massive tension and makes the audience scared for the girl. At the end the watch floats on top of the water which shows she has drowned and creates a tense atmosphere right at the end of the opening sequence which is key in thrillers.

We tried to incorporate many conventions of the thriller genre which will make our opening sequence more successful. We edit it so there is low key lighting throughout the opening sequence which makes the audience at the edge of their seats. By using low key lighting is also builds a relationship between the audience and the character as she will stand out and show them she is powerful. The make-up scene will make our opening sequence more successful as this emphasises the innocence of the girl so when she dies the audience will be effected more. The watch is also very important as it resembles many things. It shows that time is ticking till her death, when its laying on top of the lake water it shows she has died but also shows the possession has overcome her and time will not cure her.

Inspirations- Miss Miller

We need inspiration before we can create something so that we can take successful elements from different films and add them into one into our own film. Also we need inspiration so when can get different ideas when creating our own opening sequence. You can take inspiration from films that have been made before of the same genre as the one you are creating for example if you was creating a comedy film you would watch many comical films to get different ideas on what to incorporate in your own film. When we was planning our opening sequence we watched many different opening sequences of thriller films such as Se7en, Reservoir dogs, The strangers, Scream and saw. We watched these particular thrillers as there the sub-genre of them all is completely different to each other meaning that we would get more ideas of what to add in to our own one. After watching many different opening sequences we decided that the main conventions of our thriller would be suspense and tension as we believed that the most interesting sequences included them. We also decided to create our opening sequence very similar to a successful opening sequence as it would be successful.

When finding inspirations for our opening sequence I looked at the film Saw V, i especially looked at the Pendulum scene as the mise en scene in this scene is very conventional to a typical thriller. The setting of the scene is gloomy and dark with backing light to produce contrasting colours. This gave our group inspiration to make our opening sequence all dark so that the victims stood out against all the other characters. Also by doing this you can see the facial expressions of the victims better so that the audience are more scared. We also felt that if we had low key lighting throughout our opening scene it would create a tense atmosphere which is key in thrillers. Suspense will also be built easier and quicker by having low key lighting as the audience cant see fully whats going on. From saw V we have took inspiration that our opening scene will have low key lighting throughout as it was effective in the saw so it would be effective also in our opening sequence. We will incorporate low key into our opening sequence to build suspense and tension for the audience.

Also we took inspiration from saw V as the victim was always in the middle of the scene so it showed the audience who was the main character, we decided this was important because it allows the audience to engage with the film so they know who the characters are so that they can build a relationship with them easier. It also lets the audience know on who to focus on so they become aware on who the main characters are. We decided this was very important so we incorporated this idea by having the victim always being in the middle of the scene.
The facial expressions and body language of the victim in the Saw V pendulum scene has also inspired us. The facial expressions of the victim in the scene showed that he was in pain meaning that the audience felt sorry for the victim therefore building a relationship between the two. So in our opening sequence we will make sure that the facial expression of the victim is on show so that the audience will be more interested in the film and will sympathise for the characters therefore building a relationship between them.We will incorporate all these points by showing off the victims facial expression by using a close up so the audience will sympathise for her building a relationship between them and we will also make sure the victim is in the middle of the scene so the audience understand who the main character is.We believe this will make our opening sequence effective in scaring the audience and help them to understand the storyline more.

When i was planning cinematography i looked at the opening sequence of prom night to give me inspiration as the scene was very stereotypical of a thriller. Many different shots and angles are used in the opening sequence of prom night which make the opening sequence very effective as it makes it more interesting for the audience therefore this has inspired us to add in many different angles to create the same effect. A shot that was used in prom night that were thinking of incorporating in our own sequence is a close up. In prom night it was very effective because it showed how the character especially the victim felt meaning that it allowed the audience to build a relationship with them as they felt sorry for that particular character. We will add a few close ups in our opening sequence so the facial expression of the victim is clearly showed so the audience clearly understand how they feel which makes the storyline clearer for them. Also in prom night many different angles are used to interest the audience. We are planning to also incorporate many different angles into our own sequence so it makes it very interesting for the audience and engages them in the storyline. We will incorporate a close up the victim to portray to the audience how she feels which will successfully build a relationship between them, we will also incorporate a long shot regularly so the audience can see the mise en scene which will build tension because its set in a gloomy place. We are also going to incorporate many others such as a low angle and panning to interest the audience. Prom night was very inspiring as it is very conventional to a thriller and uses different angles successfully.

When our group was planning editing styles we looked at the film scream 3. We especially looked at the scene the cutting room as the editing styles used in that scene are very conventional to a thriller. They used many editing styles in the scene to interest the audience but the main two that we want to incorporate into our own thriller is a straight cut and timing of shots. A straight cut is where a change from one view point to another/location to another. It was used very successfully in scream 3 as it clearly showed the different view points of the man and woman which built tension successfully. They also used a straight cut from a location to another. This built tension greatly as one location was calm and the other one was very tense. This inspired us massively to use a straight cut as it built tension so well which is conventional to a thriller. It also made scream 3 more interesting and gave a sense of mystery to the film which we want to incorporate into our own film therefore this inspired us also. When we incorporate it into our own film we will change the location from the victim inside to the victim outside to build tension. Another editing style that was very inspiring to us is the timing of shots used in that scene. It was very inspiring to us and we want to incorporate it into our own scene because it built tension successfully and created an element of excitement for the audience which are both conventional to a thriller. In the scene the timing of shots were very slow at the beginning which allowed tension to be built and then when the attack was coming up the timing of shots were very quick as it releases suspense quickly and makes it more jumpy for the audience which is very conventional to a thriller film. We decided that this was very successful in making it more interesting for the audience therefore inspiring us to add it into our own sequence. We will make the timing of shots slow at the beginning of the sequence and quicker towards the end of the scene so it builds up to the climax successfully.

When planning sound we looked at the film silence of the lambs to inspire us. The two main sound types that inspired us to incorporate into our own sequence is contrapuntal sound and non digetic sound. Contrapuntal sound in the film is very conventional to the thriller genre as it creates a tense atmosphere for the audience and creates suspense and tension when an attack occurs which is key for thrillers. It inspired us greatly as we want our own thriller to be full of mystery and from watching the film it showed us we should use contrapuntal sound to create that effect. The film also inspired us to use non digetic sound which is sound you add on in the editing stage to make it interesting or to create suspense. In silence of the lambs non digetic sound is used after contrapuntal sound to build tension massively and to create a tense atmosphere which is key in thriller genres. We want to incorporate this into our own thriller as it makes it interesting for the audience and shows a mystery in the narrative. Silence of the lambs have massively inspired us as we want to add all the different music elements which they use in their film as its successful in creating suspense in its own way. We will incorporate a non digtic soundtrack throughout the opening sequence so it builds tension and suspense for the audience as it will make them feel tense.

When planning characters we researched into many thrillers to see what the conventional characters there are so we could plan the characters into our own thriller. We saw typically there are is a villain and a victim. We wanted t b sightly different then other thrillers and just have one character which is portrayed as the victim and the killer. At the beginning of the scene we see her innocent so the audience will feel sorry for her which will build a relationship between them and then when she gets possessed she will turn into a different character which will mean the sympathy will turn into envy and the audience will turn against her. We wanted to have one strong character as we thought having two strong character's will be overpowering.

Researching into films before we created our thriller is very important as we could get different ideas from different films and successfully incorporate it into our own. It also helped us think of a clear narrative and conventions which are conventional to a thriller genre. The inspirations have made our sequence better as we have a clear narrative due to watching different opening sequences and successful conventions which are suitable for a thriller genre.

Filming schedule and risk assessment - Miss Georgiou

The filming schedule was created when planning our opening sequence. We created a filming shcedule so we have a structured plan when we film and so that we have a clear understanding of what we are doing. By making the shcedule we defined what we needed to complete on certain days at particular times so we completed the task within the set time we were given to film. This meant by following a timed schedule we were able to fit everything in and wouldnt have to re film as we wouldnt of missed anything. Our filming schedule broke down of what we needed to include in our film such as specific locations, dates and times, the content in each shot, different icconography, personnel and Equipment. From this we have a structured plan of how and when we are going to film. From this we can tick off sections once we have filmed them. We mainly created a film schedule to make sure we are organised.

We tried to follow the schedule as best as we could. Before we came up of current narrative of the girl becoming possesed and drowing herself in the lake, we had an original idea of a halloween narratvie where children go trick or treating and get kidnapped and assualted. Therefore when we was set time to film we filmed the halloween idea meaning that when we went to film our new narrative we had to film in our own time and quickly as all the other groups in our class finished. Therefore this meant we was set back a few weeks as we had to come up with a whole new idea and still film. We tried to film as quickly as possible however we was still set back as we had to re do blogs to do with our old narrative. So therefore the dates on our film shedule are in Decemeber rather then the allocated time we had to film our media as we came up with a completly new idea. Some of the times on our film schedule are slightly different to when we actually filmed as other memebes in group couldnt paritcipate at them particular times. We filmed all our shots in chronological order that we put on our film schedule so we wouldnt get comfused and so our time shcedule doesnt mess up. However we changed some of the shots as when we filmed as the shots we planned to use didnt go quite to plan. We changed the panning shot of the water to a close up as it didnt make look right when we put all the shots together. We chanegd it to a close up so it showed the audience that the girl has died which will build tension.

Risk assessments are created to identify potential problems that may occur during the filming process. This allows our group members to plan what we need to do to overcome the risks before they become a hazard. It has an impact of when we film as filming wouldnt run smoothly if we had hazards in the way. Also the group members wouldnt feel as safe meaning that it will prevent us from fullfilling our full potential.

After finishing filming, I found that the risk assessment really helped our group as we susccssfully overcame the risks that we thought would prevent us form successfully filming.

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Narrative theory- Miss Georgiou

The three theories that were proposed are by three men Vladmir Propp, Tzvetan Todorov and Aristotle. Vladmir propps was a soviet formalist. Vladmir Propps theory is that characters in the sequence provide a structure for the narrative. Mainly in fairy tales the characters set the narrative. The typical characters he found were:
A Hero- A character that seeks something.
The Villain- Who opposes or actively blocks the hero's quest.
The Donor- Who provides an object with magical properties.
The Dispatcher- Who sends the hero on his/her quest via the message.
The False Hero- Who disrupts the hero's success by making false claims.
The Helper- Who aids the hero.
The Princess- Acts as a reward for the hero and the object of the villains plots.
The Father- Who acts to reward the hero for his effort.

His theory of narrative seemed to be mainly based in a male orientated environment and some critics would often dismiss the theory when regarding to films. Some critics may argue that Propp's strict and restrictive order of events may be an false representation of the film. 

Tzvetan Todorov theory simplified the idea of narrative theory whilst also allowing a more complex interpretation of film texts with his theory of Equilibrium and Disequilibrium. A simplified list of his theory is this.

The fictional environment begins with a state of equilibrium (everything normal, how it should be)

Then it would suffer some disruption (example of disequilibrium)

New equilibrium is produced at the end of the narrative. 

There are five main stages that the narrative progresses through:

1. A state of equilibrium.

2. A disruption of that order by an event.

3. A recognition that the disorder has occurred.

4. An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.

5. A return or restoration of a new equilibrium.

The narrative is driven by attempts to restore the equilibrium. However, the equilibrium attained at the end of the story is not identical to the initial equilibrium. Todorov argues that narrative involves a transformation. The characters or the situations are transformed through the progress of the disruption.

Finally Aristotle observed that all films have a beginning, middle and an end. He also believed in stages in film and they were:

• Exposition - Setting a scene and introducing characters.
• Development - situation develops, more characters introduced
• Complication - An event takes place which would disturb the life of the characters.
• Climax - Involves high amounts of suspense and decisive moment reached.
• Resolution - Matters are resolved and satisfactory end is reached.

Our narrative shall follow the theory of Aristotle because our opening sequence follow stages. The character is introduced, then possessed, the kills herself because of it.

Production roles- Miss Miller

When creating a film there are many roles which people have to do meaning that there has to be a lot of people on one production team. People are allocated specific roles so they can stick to the main thing they are good at creating. For example the editor will just be the editor they wouldn't be the director as well. The main roles of creating a film are:

Camera operator- or cameraman is a professional operator of a film or video camera. In film making, the leading camera operator is usually called a cinematographer, while a camera operator in a video production may be known as a television camera operator, video camera operator, or video grapher, depending on the context and technology involved, usually operating a professional video camera.

Actors- sometimes actress for female is a person who acts in a dramatic or comic production and works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity. Their role in the film is quite big as without them there would be no story and film. 
 
Location manager-is the person who will be making decisions where the film is set and they work closely with the director. 

Storyboard Organiser- translate screenplays, or sequences from screenplays, into a series of illustrations in comic book form. These illustrations have two functions: to help directors clarify exactly what they want to achieve, and to illustrate to all other heads of department exactly what is required, e.g., prosthetics for makeup, computer generated Images (CGI) for visual effects, props for the art department, etc

Sound Technician- also called audio technician, audio technologist, recording engineer, sound operator, or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. An audio technician is proficient with different types of recording media, such as analog tape, digital multitrack recorders and workstations, and computer knowledge.

Editors-  Editors in film are people who edit the film when completed to make the story line clearer to the audience, edit shots, add in effects, add music to a scene, make a shot longer or delete shots.

Film Director- is a person who directs the actors and film crew in film making. They control a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, while guiding the technical crew and actors. They have control over most of the aspects of the film making, and make all the main decisions.

We gathered as a group and decided on what role we would play when creating our opening sequence. As there are only three of us in a group we had to do many different roles.

 We decided that Harry would be the director of photograph as he has had experience with a camera before so we figured that he would be suited to that role, he's also the storyboard director as he is good a drawing so the rest of the group can understand the storyboards easily. So within his role he would film the shots and come up for different ideas for shots as well as drawing the storyboards for the rest of the group to follow. He came up with many different camera angles which made our opening sequence more interesting and would interest the audience more. However a problem he had was when he was filming the camera was unsteady so the shots were uneven but we overcame this by using a trip pod for every shot. His drawings were very clear also and the whole group understood them all easily however we changed some of the shots that he picked because when we filmed it didn't work out. It made the production easier and more straight forward as the storyboards he drew was clear and he had done work with a camera before. To improve he should have been more organised.

My job role was the actress and the location manager. We decided i would be the actress (victim) as i look young and innocent with blonde hair so i would match a role of the victim perfectly. I've also had experience in acting also so as a group we decided i would be this role. I was also the location manager because i knew good places to film. I decided to film at my house because i had creepy household objects which build tension throughout the sequence. I also decided to film in a forest as its very conventional to a thriller and we can create high suspense by having our location at a forest which is key in thrillers. Also i was the director as i am good at leading people and directing in what to do. Being the actress was easy as i had the exact idea on what i was doing however being the director also made it difficult as i had to explain to the camera man which was harry on what to do as well as actressing. We should have made Domenico the director as he could have managed it better because he had less important job roles.

Domenico would be the sound technician and the editor as those roles are very similar and Domenico has experience in both so we thought he was suited to both those roles. In his role he would edit the whole opening scene after for example adding in credits and he would make sure the sound is okay. By having specific roles when creating the opening sequence has made it easier to film as we can stick to our specific role perfecting it and filming will be quicker as the group know what their job is and what they have to do to succeed. Domenico was well at his job role as he had experience in editing. However he should have planned what he was doing before editing because it took him a while to edit. 

Each person done well in the specific job however for it to be even better is that each person should only have one job role not two because our group got a bit confused, we could of  got over this by having more people in our filming group so that each person would only have one job role. Other then that everything went to plan and was very successful. Allocating people different roles makes my sequence better and production easier as we can all stick to our individual job role which makes filming easier. Having different roles is also useful so people can have a job role which there good at.

Planning opening credits- Miss Georgiou

Credits are important in the opening scene as it tells the audience who create/produced the film which is important information. It also can set the scene by using scary looking font or dark colours in can create a thriller feel for the audience. If your credits are successful they can also create a tense atmosphere for the audience which is key for thrillers. Credits can easily create an uneasy atmosphere as the font should be daunting, dark and creepy looking which also sets the scene. Credits also can give the audience what the rest of the film will be like for example if the credits are bloody or gory the audience may get an idea that the film will contain violence. The colour of the background when the credits appear can also show the audience what may happen in the rest of the scene.

A thriller film that has a successful opening credit sequence is the film Se7en. The credits build suspense and gives the audience a clear idea of what is going to be within the thriller film. The style of the credits are crooked writing, this suggests to the audience that there may be a psycho character in the opening sequence which could be mentally ill or could be evil in some way. It sets the scene for the audience as they get an idea of what type of character is. The writing was very flashy which shows that the film will keep the audience in suspense and keep the audience in fear of what is going to happen next. The style of the fonts were all different, the important role such as the director credits were bigger to stand out to the audience. Other roles such as the camera man were much smaller. The colors used in the opening credits are black and white which builds suspense for the audience as it makes the character seem mysterious whom wants to attack someone. Also the contrast of black and white represents a evil character against an innocent character. Other colours are used such as red which can symbolize blood or danger and show that a character is angry. The main convention that is used within se7en is suspense as the image behind the credits is a man cutting up pictures and writing which creates a mystery also. The character also has a hidden identity as you can only see their hands which engages the audiences the audience straight away as they want to find out more about the character. The character is also sharpening weapons which makes the audience aware that an attack may happen which builds tension which also makes the audience interested in the film. The music behind the music is squeaky which is quite eerie, when the character does something for example pick up the blade the music and the beat gets louder which also shows the audience that something to do with the blades may occur in the story. The order of the opening credits were from the least important roles to the most. The order of the credits were the production company, the director, the actor then the title of the film. Following were the actors, cast, music, costumes, editors, producers, camera man, co-producers, producer, write and then the director.
Another opening credit sequence we looked at was the sixth sense. This opening sequence was slightly different compared to se7en. The style of the credits was bold so the audience can clearly read them. They also flickered which may suggest to the audience that there will be a mental character in the film which builds tension right from the start of the film. It defiantly shows the audience that it may be a psychological thriller due to the flickering of the credits. As the credits are flashing it make keep the audience on the edge of the seats as it will build suspense for the rest of the film which is very conventional to a thriller. However the important credits at the beginning didn't flicker which may portray that something happens in the film to make someone become mental. The soundtrack behind the credits at the beginning for up till 27 seconds is quite slow and when it hits 27 seconds the credits appear quicker and they start to flicker. This also may suggest that something happens in the opening sequence which causes something bad to happen. It create enigma for the audience. The colour of the opening credits are white on a black background which are done to stand out clearly. Also the contrast of black and white represents a evil character against an innocent character which will build tension for the audience as there watching the film. The music behind the credits was upbeat and quite eerie to show the audience that the opening sequence will be very interesting which will engage the audience.

For our groups opening credits we discussed many different ideas for the text size, colour and the font style. We also looking at many different film opening credits to give us inspiration on what would be the most successful.
For the opening credits of our group thriller film, we collectively discussed our ideas for the text size, colour and the font style. We decided we wanted to make the font fragmented and crooked to show that the killer has mental issues. We also decided that the font of our film title should be bigger then the rest of the credits as this is the most important credit. We decided that fonts would get bigger and bigger until they reach the title of the film. We also decided to make the fonts grow so the audience are aware that the attack happens at the end of the sequence. The colour of the font would be an dark green so its conventional to the forest scene. We will have the opening credits appear over still credits so the audience can clearly read them without getting distracted from whats going on in the background. The music behind the credits will be an eerie soundtrack to build tension for the audience and engage them within the film.
The order of appearance that we will use is: Location manager, costume/makeup, storyboards/screen play, casting, actors, editors, directors/ co directors, production company and finally the title of the film.

- example of our credits.

Planning sound- Miss Miller

Sound is important within films as without sound the film would be very dull and boring for the audience and wouldnt make sense. The sound element in films is very important as sound also creates enigma, builds tensions and suspense, creates an element of excitment and makes it interesting for the audience. Different sound techniques create different effects on the audience depending on the scene, how loud the music is and what type of music it is. Sound is important in all genres but especially in thrillers because without sound the audience wouldn't be as scared meaning that sound builds tension successfully and creates suspense. Sound also creates a sense of mystery in films. In thrillers sound is mainly used to build tension and create suspense as sound can create a tense atmospheres easily.

 Planning is very important when thinking about sound as you have to use the correct sound technique with the correct image behind it to create the effect you want on the audience. If you don't plan your sound before filming you may not create the effect you wanted to meaning that your sound in your film is unsuccessful. Also you need to make sure the image behind the sound links together otherwise the audience might get confused. By using a non digetic sound or a soundtrack within your opening sequence can build tension and suspense successfully which is conventional so you need to plan sound well before filming for it to go successfully.
In our opening sequence we are planning to use different sound techniques to create different effects on the audience. We are also using many sound techniques to keep the audience interested and engaged with the film.

 At the beginning of the scene where we use the mid shot of the tv and the different shots of the girl getting ready we are going to use a loud crackling sound over the tele and a eerie non digetic soundtrack in the background. We are using a crackling over the tv as it links with the image which is called parallel sound, it can also make the audience jump which is conventional in thrillers as that is the main purpose of a thriller film. Also by using parallel sound it makes the opening sequence seem to be more realistic which will engage the audience into watching the film. We are using an eerie soundtrack as we hope this will portray to the audience that its leading up to something bad, its also adds a sense of mystery to the film which is a key element we want to present to the audience so by using an eerie soundtrack its very conventional to the thriller genre. The eerie soundtrack will be slow so it builds tension more, it will gradually become louder so the end scene is more scary. Also we are using contrapuntal sound at the end of the scene to show that the victim has been possessed and is mental as the sound wont go with the scene. Its conventional to the thriller genre as it builds tension and suspense successfully which is key in thrillers. It also builds a relationship between the character and the audience as the audience becomes aware that the victim is mental so they feel envious towards her.

We are also using parallel sound of televion, the glass smashing and the girls footsteps. We are using this just to make the audience jump and to crete a tense atmosphere. By using parallel sound here can help the audience build a relationship with the victim as they will feel sorry for them meaning they will engage more with the film.

Our sequence will defiantly be more effective with music as it builds tension, creates suspense, creates excitement for the audience and makes the story line clear to the audience so sound is conventional to the thriller sound as they are all key for thrillers to be successful.

Planning cinematography

Cinematography is important in films as without it in the film, the film would be very boring for the audience. It also wouldn't interest them which is important as your film needs to interest the audience to be successful. Cinematography is important in all film genres because the film wouldn't make sense without the use of different camera angles and the film wouldn't be exciting as camera angles create excitement for the audience. Especially in thrillers camera angles are so important as they create tension for the audience which is key for thrillers. Without camera angles in thriller films, the film wouldn't be jumpy or create a tense atmosphere therefore it wouldn't be a successful film. Its important to use different angles in films to keep the audience engage and to create different effects on the audience. Also without cinematography the audience won't understand what is happening in the film. Planning ahead is required when thinking of camera angles as they are the main element to build suspense in thrillers. Its important you plan camera angles so you know that the certain type of angle you are planning to use creates the effect you want on the audience. Its also important to plan camera angles ahead so when it comes to filming you wont panic and can film quickly.

In our opening scene we are planning to use different camera angles to create different effects on the audience. We planned camera angles really well so we can build tension, create elements of excitement and create a tense atmosphere for the audience. We took a long time planning our camera angles as we needed to figure out what angles suited each scene well.
The first shot we used was an mid shot of the television of where the opening scene is set. We chose an mid shot to show the audience what the object is but not give too much away so it creates a sense of mystery. We will hope the shot portrays a creepy house as the television will be on static so the audience are nervous for the rest of the film. The shot is conventional to the thriller genre as the mid shot presents to the audience its set in a creepy place which is stereotypical place for thrillers to be set in. Its also conventional to thrillers because it makes the audience feel uncomfortable which is key in thrillers. The mid shot will also automatically build a relationship between the victim and the audience as its set in a dark place and the victim is a young girl, the audience will sympathise for them as they will put themselves in their shoes therefore building a relationship between them.

- mid shot of tele.

Another shot we will use frequently is a high angle shot, we will use high angle shots persistently of the victim so the audience are aware that she is the victims of the scene. We will use a high angle shot of when she's circling the glass. We have precisely chosen to use this angle here so the girl look small and innocent compared to the house which looks huge and daunting. This will give off the impression that the house is a creepy, daunting place. Therefore emphasizing that the girl is young and innocent making the relationship between the audience and her stronger as the audience sympathizes for her meaning that the audience will focus on the film more.It will also show that she is getting possessed by something greater than her.  We are also using a high angle when the girls to drown herself in the lake. This builds tension for the audience and creates a sense that she is about to kill herself as she is made to look small and vulnerable. By having a high angle there you can see the lake and the girl which makes the audience aware she is going to drown herself. This is conventional to a thriller as it makes the audience jumpy which is key in thrillers.

- high angle shot.

Another shot that i will use repeatedly in the opening scene is a long shot to mainly build suspense and tension for the audience. We will use a long shot when the girl is walking down the road and up towards the forest. We are using a long shot here just to show the audience that she's left the house and for them to become aware where she's going to. It also shows the mise en scene well including the setting. It also builds up to the end scene of her falling into the lake. Long shots are very important within thrillers as it shows the whole setting of the scene which builds tension for the audience as its typically set in a dark place which creates a tense atmosphere. Also by using a long shot it makes the victim look smaller which shows the audience she's less superior. We used a long shot when she's walking up to the forest to show she's walked far, it also builds up to the end scene where she drowns herself. It creates a sense of mystery as you don't know where she's going which is key for thrillers.

- examples of long shots.

Another shot we are planning to use is a over the shoulder shot. We are planning to use this camera angle right at the beginning of the scene where the girls back is towards the mirror. This gives a sense of mystery to the film because the audience wont know who the character is straight away as her identity is hidden. This is conventional to a thriller as many thrillers keep characters identity hidden as it builds suspense and adds a sense of mystery. By having an over the shoulder shot it also gives the impression that something is behind the girl which is possessing her through out the clip. It helps build a relationship between the character and the audience as they want to know more about the character meaning that they will focus on them during the film more.

- example of over the shoulder shot

Our sequence will be effective as we will use many different camera angles so it will create suspense, build tension and create elements which is conventional to thrillers. By using different camera angles our sequence will be successful as it will also engage and interest the audience in the film more. Our camera angles that we will use for example an over the shoulder shot will mainly build tension for the audience which is highly important in thrillers. Cinematography is conventional to thrillers as its the main element which builds tension and suspense in thriller films which has to be successful otherwise the audience wont engage with the film therefore meaning cinematography is very important in thrillers and has to be perfect.

Planning Characters- Miss Miller

The purpose of characters within film is to engage the audience by telling the story line in a dynamic way. The characters need to be down to earth and realistic if you want the audience to connect with them as well as the film. The characters need to be in the right environment depending on the issue of the film for it to be a successful film otherwise the audience wont understand the story line. The audience want to be able to put themselves in the characters shoes that's why its important to make sure its realistic and the scene is suitable for the characters. The audience always have great sympathy for characters as they relate to the audience, therefore thrillers are highly successful for building bonds between the characters and the audience. Its important that the characters are shown for who they are so the audience understand why they are part of that film. Its important in the film that the characters have to resolve an issue to fully interest the audience until the end. You can easily do this by having few characters in great detail so the audience understand why they are there and build relationships. The film is all focused around the characters so you need to have strong characters for it to be successful. If a film didn't show characters feelings the audience will easily become bored therefore the film will be unsuccessful. Successful thrillers have strong characters in which they need to resolve issues therefore when planning our characters we will make sure we create them in high detail.

The Victim
We are only using one character in our thriller as we wanted just to have one strong character which the audience can relate to and to focus on. Also by only having one character the audience will straight away understand who the main focus of the film is and wont get confused throughout the scene. We have chosen the character to be a victim as its conventional to a thriller film as all thrillers have at least one character who gets victimized. We have chosen the character to be the victim instead of the killer as you couldn't pull of having one character in the sequence which is the killer as it wouldn't make sense. We also decided just to use one character because its easier to film with one character and it will quicker to film. It will be easier for the director of our team to direct one person rather than a few people meaning that our opening sequence will be successful. The victim is a 13 year old girl who looks innocent with typical blonde hair. We've decided to use a young girl with blonde hair as its very conventional to the thriller genre and very stereotypical. The blonde female victim is very conventional to a thriller as she looks really innocent which builds more of a relationship between her and the audience as they will feel sorry for her more. She will engage the audience as she will look possessed after having water which will interest and engage the audience. The audience may also feel sorry for her but however they may feel different and get a feel that shes mental which will build a tense atmosphere and build a relationship between them. The age of the girl is important because they are more likely to feel sorry for her building more of a relationship between them. We wanted our thriller to also be a different then typical ones so just by using one character makes our thriller more interesting. We wanted our narrative to be different so with one character makes it interesting for the audience. We have chosen this particular character as she will be able to engage the audience into watching the film as she is a very different to normal characters in victim. We wanted to have this particular character so the audience stay interested throughout and to show the different types of people in one character. We also chose this character so people will be asking questions meaning they will want to watch more. She will create enigma and keep the audience fascinated. We just decided to use her instead of two characters as she is a very strong character and we didn't want to have two strong characters.

- my character

I believe my character is conventional to the thriller genre because she looks young and innocent which is very typical for a thriller to have.To emphasize the genre of the sequence I will make it clear to the audience that the character is victim so they know that the genre is a thriller as that is the type of character in thrillers. Also i will make sure that the victims look innocent so the audience don't get confused from the beginning. Planning characters before filming was very useful so when we film we can start straight away and film quite quickly. It was also useful so the group know for definite what character is in our opening sequence and wont get confused.

Editing Styles- Miss Georgiou

Editing styles are different effects that the directors of the film add in to make it more interesting for the audience or to create an effect, for example a a dissolve shot is where one image is blended with another to build tension.Editing is important within a thriller film as it keeps the audience engaged whilst watching the film. Editing is important in the opening sequence as it has to be successful for audience to stay interested. It builds tension and suspense really well and is needed in thriller films for it to be conventional to thrillers. Editing helps the director put all the cuts together to finish the film.

In my opening sequence we will use different editing styles to engage the audience and to keep them interested throughout the opening sequence. The first shot we are using is timing of shots. We are planning to have the shots slow at the beginning of the scene which will build up suspense for the audience and build up to the climax of the scene. When the girl is getting ready to go out we have the shots slow and when she leaves the house the shots will be slightly quicker as its getting closer to the tragedy. By the time she gets to the forest it will be very quick as it will build tension for the audience and they will become aware that something bad will happen. After she drowns herself the shots become slow again to show that she has drowned. Its very conventional to thrillers as it builds suspense and tension really well which is a key element in thrillers.

Shot of where the timing of shots is slow.









 Shot of where the timing of shot is fast.


Another main editing shot we will use is a jump cut, a jump cut is where the camera suddenly focuses on something. In our sequence we are using a jump cut to focus on the watch when she is getting ready. We are using a jump cut shot on the watch to give the audience a clue that there is little time before she drowns which builds tension massively. We are also using a jump cut on the watch because at the end of the scene, the watch will float on top of the lake water to imply that she has drowned which will create a tense an atmosphere for the audience which is very conventional to thrillers.

 Shot of the jump cut on the watch.

The third editing shot is we are using is a straight cut. Straight cuts are where a shot is changed from a location to a different location or a viewpoint to a different viewpoint. In my opening sequence we are using a straight cut from one location to another. When the girl is getting ready we are changing the view point from her to a globe. This will build up tension for the audience and create a tense atmosphere as they don't know what the girl could be doing as we changed the location. Therefore it will make our opening sequence more interesting and engage the audience into watching it.

The final editing shot we are going to use is a fade shot. This is when the screen fades to typically show that the film has finished. We stereotypically are going to use it at the end as well to show that the film has finished and to leave the audience on a cliffhanger. This is conventional to thrillers as it creates a sense of mystery and excitement for the audience which is key in thrillers. It also makes the audience want to watch more of the film as they don't know what happened to the girl. Many questions would go through the audiences mind about whether she drowned or not so by using a fade shot here adds to the suspense.

My editing styles are conventional to a thriller as they are all stereo typically used in thrillers. A fade shot is conventional to thrillers as it builds suspense successfully as the audience don't know what will happen next which is key for a good thriller. Timing of shots are conventional to thrillers as they build tension really well when used in the correct way, they also help show who are the main characters in the film which is important in thrillers and lastly they create a jumpy atmosphere for the audience. Jump cut editing style is also conventional to thrillers because they build tension for the audience as by focusing on something the camera shot can change quickly making the audience feel scared. The straight cut is also conventional as it shows the mise en scene to the audience and builds tension successfully.

Our editing will appeal to our audience which are people over 15 as it will make the film more jumpier which interests people of that age. Also it will make the film more interesting to watch and keep the audience engaged in the film.

Group Storyboard- Miss Miller

The main purpose of a group storyboard is so that we can view each others ideas and combine all our successful ideas to create a better narrative and opening sequence. We will look at each others storyboard in great detail and chose the best micro elements from each and add it into the group storyboard. We will make sure there is an equal balanced contribution of the individual storyboard ideas so its balanced. We sat in a group and discussed each others storyboards. We looked at each frame by frame to get a detailed view of each others storyboard. We was very happy with each others storyboard as we had successful ideas which could be inputted into the group storyboard. 

It was Harry's idea to set the location into two places such as the house and the forest. We incorporated the idea of our opening sequence being set in two places rather then one as it will keep the audience engaged and keep them interested into the opening scene. We also thought this was a good idea as it split up the opening scene and by setting it from the house to the forest showed the transition of the girl becoming possessed. They are also both conventional places for a thriller to be set as they are dark which will build suspense easily and high tension so we thought it would be successful for our opening sequence to be set here. From having a change in location will also build tension as the audience will not know about what is going to happen. Another idea that we incorporated of Harrys' was using the same eerie soundtrack through out the opening sequence. We incorporated this as by using the same soundtrack made the shots flow and made the opening sequence easier to watch. Also by using a eerie soundtrack is very conventional to the thriller genre as it creates a tense atmosphere which is key in thrillers. We also incorporated parallel sound of the television, radio and door opening which was one of Harrys idea as it created a sense of realism and made the opening sequence more realistic. We used these ideas as we believed it would make our opening sequence highly successful.

It was Domenicos ideas to use different timing of shots throughout the opening sequence. We incorporated this idea as it would create high suspense and tension through out the whole opening sequence. We incorporated the idea of the timing of shots being slow at the beginning so it builds up to the death at the end and the shots at the end getting faster to release adrenaline. It was also Domenicos idea to use a straight cut form different locations. We decided to incorporate as it would create high tension as the audience cant see what is going on at one of the locations. This is very conventional as it would create a sense of mystery which is key in thrillers. By using a straight cut also would engage the audience into watching the film as it would create adrenaline for them. Another one of Domenico's idea we decided to incorporate was the iconography of using the watch. By adding this into our opening sequence would create a sense of mystery as it would create enigma. We are using this idea as it will convey to the audience that her time is up. It will also tell the audience that there is not a long time until her death is due. We thought this is a good idea as its very unique.

My idea was putting a jumpcut shot of the watch as it would clearly show to the audience that her time is almost up which would create high tension therefore our opening sequence will be conventional. It was also my idea to incorporate many different shots to interest the audience. We are especially adding in long shots to show off the mise en scene to the audience which will create a tense atmosphere. By using long shots will also show off her body language clearly which will illustrate to the audience that she has been possessed. We also took my idea of using a handheld shot which will create high tension as the camera shaking about will put the audience on edge which is a key feeling in thrillers. It will also make the opening sequence more dramatic and put the audience on edge. We are also incorporating my main idea of only using one character and putting two characters into one. We incorporated this idea as its very unique and different even though its slightly breaking the conventions we thought it will still be successful. We decided as a group that we would only use one character also so the audience can put there entire focus on her which will build a bigger relationship between the two. Also we incorporated my idea of the girl being around 15 so the audience can relate to her more so they will feel empathy for her.

I think our group storyboard has been successful as we have a clear understanding of the narrative and what we are going to film in a few weeks time. By incorporating different peoples ideas gave us a highly successful storyboard. When we go to film we all understand what we are doing so we able to film quickly and successfully. If there was anything to change about the storyboard was to make the scenes with low key lighting however we cant film in the dark as the picture will not come out. On the other hand we could make our opening sequence low key when it comes to the editing stage. Overall our group storyboard has been a high success as we have a clear narrative and conventions we are going to follow.

Storyboards- Miss Miller

The purpose of storyboards is so that the creator when producing their film have an idea of how they going to create there film. Storyboards help manage timing of shots, shows where and when the production starts for example starts in a forest and lasts for 5 minutes and shows how the film will pan out. From doing a storyboard it is easier for the producer to see if there are any faults and to see where the narrative needs changing. Storyboards are images and information to help the producers with filming, by using a storyboard filming will run smoother and be quicker. My storyboard contains 12 different frames. The frames include images, sound which will be used, camera angles, location of each frame, iconography, lighting, actors, sound, narrative description and editing.

Conventions
We are using a blonde character as the victim in our scene. It is very conventional to use a female as the victim particularly a blonde female as they are portrayed as weak an vulnerable therefore the audience sympathize for them which builds a relationship for them. It is also very conventional to use a male as the killer as they are conveyed as very powerful characters which can also build a relationship between them as the audience will envy them. However in my opening sequence we are using the two different types of character: the victim and killer into one character. Although this is not conventional to a thriller we wanted to be slightly different to usual thrillers and we believe the audience will enjoy the opening sequence because of the slight twist. By having two characters in one girl, the audience will have mixed opinions about her. At the beginning of the scene they will think she is a typical girl as she is doing makeup and will feel friendly towards her but after she has that drink the audience will start to see she is unstable and may even begin to envy her which will engage them into watching the film more.

Low key lighting- Low key lighting is very conventional in the thriller genre. The lighting produces shadows and contrast other lighting which creates a sense of suspense and tension. By using low key lighting the audience will have to focus more on the scene so that they will be more engaged in the scene. If thrillers were produced with high key lighting the effect of shock on the audience wouldn't be as high. By using low key lighting they are able to keep the audience on the edge of the seats which creates a tense atmosphere.

By creating storyboards i was able to figure out what sound would sound best and where. I decided to use a non digetic soundtrack throughout the whole scene with other non digetic sounds included such as a crackling tv and a radio noise. By using an eerie soundtrack throughout the whole of the scene a tense atmosphere will be created which is key in thrillers. 

I took many inspiration from the thriller films i analysed and used similar ideas in my storyboards such as characters, narrative and other conventions like sounds and mise en scene. I took the idea of using the a  female character as a killer and the victim from the thriller film orphan as at the beginning of the film the female character is seemed to be innocent but towards the end of the film the plot is turned and she is actually the evil character. We took inspiration from psycho of using a blonde victim as in the film psycho the victim character is conveyed as very vulnerable which builds a massive relationship between the audience and the character which we want to reproduce in our opening sequence. 

I believe i have made a successful storyboard as i clearly know what we are adding into the scene. I know all the different camera angles, timings, props, location, lighting styles and narrative we are going to follow. I also think its been successful as its very clear to follow when filming our opening sequence. My other two members in my group have also created a storyboard, we will look at each others storyboards and create on big storyboard including each others ideas. By doing this we will have a successful storyboard to follow as we have took on board everyone's ideas and added them into the scene. In our next lesson we will exchange storyboards and go over them as group and see what ideas stand out. We will then create a whole new storyboard as a group which we will agree on.