AS Evaluation- Question 6- What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Add in strengths and weaknesses of software
describe blogger and camera

AS Evaluation- Question 7- Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

The main purpose of a preliminary task is to understand the camera and how it works. The purpose of doing a preliminary task is so that our group is used to using the camera and knowing how it works before filming our opening sequence. It also gave us confidence with the camera so when I went to film our opening sequence I had no problems with the camera. We also learnt how to use the editing software also which was useful when we came to editing our opening sequence as we had experience with using it. 

As a group we learnt many things from doing the preliminary task. It allowed our group to know what camera angles were easier to shot so we practiced on camera angles that were more difficult to perform such as a panning shot so when we come to film our opening sequence we could perform any camera angle without any difficulty. It also allowed my group to know what camera angles worked well for example we found that when I was having a conversation with Domenico the best shot to use was a close up so the speech was clear. I also learnt that I would have to film my thriller in a quiet location so there are no background noises as I found in a preliminary task background noises can ruin an effect of a camera angle. I also learnt to keep the tripod dead still otherwise the camera shots will be unsuccessful and sometimes come out blurry. Lastly when I watched back the preliminary task the shots didn’t flow meaning that I now know to keep the camera in the exact place when filming the next shot. 

My preliminary task was very useful as we learnt many skills which helped in my thriller film. The main skills I learnt was how to use the camera well, how to create different camera angles, what shots works best in different positions and just to become confident with the camera. Without doing the preliminary task I would have had no experience with the camera meaning that the camera angles would have been less successful which could have made my opening sequence less successful. This task helped me create my thriller as the things i found difficult during the task such as certain shots were overcome and i could perform them well producing the opening sequence. By taking part in this task i believe overall made my thriller more successful. 

AS Evaluation Question 5- How did you attract/address your audience?

Primary research was essential in carrying my production as it gave many successful ideas that I can corporate into my opening sequence. Without primary research my opening sequence wouldn't have been as successful. I carried out many different research methods to help/influences us when creating the opening sequence. I analysed many different opening sequences to provide inspiration for my own opening sequence. For example when researching into cinematography I chose the film prom night as there were many conventional camera angles used such as close ups and over the shoulder shots. Another film I analysed when researching into sound was silence of the lambs as in the scene there was many different types sound used such as non digetic, parallel, digetic and on screen sound.

By researching into films I could see the generic conventions and how they have made their thriller successful. If  I didn't analyse different films I wouldn’t have understood what conventions in thrillers are successful and what conventions to add into our opening sequence. I analysed many different opening sequences of thriller films to help see what generic conventions are used so I could use them into my own sequence. I also analysed many different opening sequences to see how different narratives can still create the same effect on the audience. By analyzing different opening sequence I could also see what shots are important to use, ideas for our mise en scene, what sound to use, what editing styles  and characters I should incorporate.

 A shot that inspired us to use from analysing prom night was a close up because 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.  It also built suspense for the rest of the scene. The film we analysed to look at the mise en scene was saw VI. From analysing saw VI we took the idea of using low key lighting throughout the whole of the scene as this is conventional to the thriller genre because it creates adrenaline for the audience as it hides part of the scene. I also saw that the characters were set in the middle of the scene so when creating the film we put the character in the middle. From analysing silence of the lambs we incorporated many different sound techniques such as non digetic and parallel sound into the opening sequence to make the opening sequence interesting and to keep the audience at edge. I used a non digetic sound track throughout and parallel sound of the door opening and crunching leaves as she walks through the forest. By using different sounds it creates a tense atmosphere which is conventional to a thriller film. By using the parallel sounds it makes the film seem more realistic and creates a sense of realism.

 The editing styles that I saw was conventional and decided to incorporate into the opening sequence was to use a straight cut. I  used a straight cut from a different location to another to create suspense as the audience can’t see what is going on. The straight cut was from the girl getting ready to the globe. I used a straight cut to build tension as the audience cant see what is going on. I also incorporated timing of shots; we chose the timing of shots to be slow at the beginning of the sequence and quicker towards the end to build up to the climax. By doing this is will create an element of excitement and make the audience engage with the film more. I also looked at age certificates to see how films are assessed and to see what audience I should set my opening sequence at and what conventions would interest them.

 By looking at age certificates I found out that the rating 15 would be a perfect rating as 15 films allow strong violence, frequent bad language, sexual activity, nudity, drug taking and discriminant language or behavior. I also created a questionnaire to give out to different individuals whom were different ages to get unbiased results. I asked much different type of questions, i asked opened open and closed questions to get different results that will help me create my thriller. For example we asked ‘What gender are you’ to see what gender I should target my thriller at. Another question I asked was ‘What do you expect to see in thrillers?’  I asked this as an open question and got many different responses to give us a wide range of results to help create the thriller. By doing a questionnaire I found out what audiences look for in a thriller film which helped to create my opening sequence as the answer influenced our choices. Research definitely helped when creating the opening sequence as it gave many inspirations which made my opening sequence successful. It helped to add in many generic conventions. 

Without doing any research I would have struggled and wouldn't have been able to create a opening sequence at all. From the age certificate research I decided to categorize my opening sequence a 15 as the conventions in our opening sequence is typical for that rating. I also took inspiration from many different opening sequences such as seven, silence of the lambs and prom night to add in a non digetic sound track as it builds tension successfully. Another main inspiration I took was to use different camera angles to keep the audience interested; I found this out form the questionnaire and by analysing many different opening sequences. It assisted with planning our production as we then knew what shots I am going to use, the age certificate I am going to use and the different conventions I am going to add into my opening sequence.

AS Evaluation question 4- Who would be the audience for your media product?

Having a target audience is important when creating an opening sequence or any film so that you can add in conventions which will engage that particular audience. For example if your target audience is mainly children over 4 years old your film is most likely to be rated a U. There may be brief scary scenes and moments where the characters are placed in danger. As with violence, however, these scenes will be balanced by reassuring elements, such as comic interludes or music. ‘Baddie’ characters may carry or use weapons, but there will be no emphasis on these. Child or ‘hero’ characters are unlikely to use any kind of weapon outside, for example, historical settings. A U film can be any theme as long as it’s suitable for younger audiences. It’s not just children films that are rated U also adult films can be rated U. U rated films shouldn't have any references to drugs as children won’t understand the concept. All those conventions suit the target audience and will interest them into watching the film. An example of a U film is Walt Disney Peter Pan. The typical age certificate is a 15 so that teenagers can watch them as well as adults.

 My target audience is for teenagers aged 15 and above as it’s conventional to the thriller genre and many conventions in my opening sequence suits this age range. The narrative appeals to this age range as it will interest them because the subject of drugs is very conventional to this age range meaning they will engage with the film. There is a drugs present when the female victim gets possessed from the glass of water; this will extremely interest the audience and will create enigma.  The narrative wouldn't appeal to younger viewers as they may not understand the story line and they may find it offensive as the girl dies, drugs are present and there is violence. The character will appeal to the audience as she will be similar age to the viewer’s meaning they will build a relationship with her which will make them focus on the film more as they will be more interested in her. The sound track appeals to the audience as it will create a tense atmosphere which our audience will enjoy and will be on the edge of the seats which is key for the thriller genre. Especially the loud soundtrack will keep the audience on the edge of their seats and will make them want to watch the film more as it will add mystery to opening sequence.

If my target audience was younger they may be too scared to watch the film due to the loud music and low key lighting throughout the sequence which would make the film unsuccessful. My camera shots will also appeal to our audience as we will have many different shots that will keep them engaged and use them successfully to build suspense which is what our audience looks for in a thriller film. For example audience 15 years older and above enjoy adrenaline rushes, this is why we will use over the shoulder shots as this will make the girl look creepier which will excite the audience. Editing styles that will be used in my opening sequence will appeal to my audience as they will make conventions in my film more interesting. Timing of shots for example will build up suspense successfully which appeals to my audience as they enjoy adrenaline rushes.

The mise en scene such as the setting will appeal to the audience as its set in a typical gloomy forest and house which normal thriller films are set meaning it will definitely appeal to our audience as normal thrillers target audience is 15 years old and above. They will be able to relate to these locations meaning they will be put on edge which is a key for audiences to feel when watching thrillers. The iconography which is the makeup and the watch will interest the audience as it will add a sense of mystery which altogether will engage them into watching the film. 

AS Evaluation- Question 3- What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

change institution to lionsgate- include examples of films that they have made

Why it would make our thriller successful. 

Final thriller sequence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0JZWQA1J3M
Link to my opening sequence

AS Evaluation- Question 2- How does your media product represent particular social groups?

In my opening sequence I  have only included one character as I wanted my opening sequence to be slightly different to the typical thriller opening sequences and be unique. My character at the beginning of the scene is deemed to be an innocent young girl as through the use of the mise en scene of her putting on make up portrays her as a typical young girl. However the audience will start to see a change in character when she starts to circle the glass and when the location changes from the house to the forest. The emotions of the audience may change from sympathy to envy when she changes. I just wanted to have one character in our thriller so the audience can just focus on her and will be understand the narrative more as there is only one powerful character. Also by just having one character the audience will be able to engage with her more meaning they will be more interested in the film.I also just had one character so it will be quicker to film. The character is a 15 year old girl who looks innocent with typical blonde hair. We've decided to use a young girl with blonde hair as it’s very conventional to the thriller genre as the audience is more likely to sympathize for her meaning a relationship will be built. The age of the girl is important because they are more likely to feel sorry for her building more of a relationship between them. Also by having her a similar age that the audience will be, they will be able to relate to her more meaning a relationship will be built. The girl comes across vulnerable as at the beginning she’s vulnerable and looks innocent as she comes across in that way by putting on make-up etc whereas at the end she looks unstable. The clothing she was wearing was a plain grey tee and plain jeans. We wanted her to wear something plain to portray the innocence so the audience will sympathize for her when she gets possessed. The clothing will also appeal to the audience as they will wear similar clothing so they can relate more to the film. I 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. I just decided to use her instead of two characters as she is a very strong character and I didn't want to have two strong characters.

The representation of the character changes throughout the opening sequence.  At the beginning she comes across really innocent as she is seen putting on make-up and getting ready to go out. She comes across as the victim to the audience and they sympathise for her. However when she puts water on her face after she gets ready the audience starts to notice she’s not right. Especially after she circles the glass and drops it on the floor the representation of the girl changes from her being innocent to her being possessed and evil. I decided the girl would change from innocent to evil to show the audience she’s not as she seems and to get a point across that not everything is as it seems. I also decided to have 2 representations of her as I only have one character and I wanted it to make it more interesting for the audience so we wanted to change the way they felt about her. The audience may also feel sorry for her but however they may feel different and get a feel that she’s mental which will build a tense atmosphere and build a relationship between them.  

The gender of the girl is represented in a typical way as she’s young and a female so the audience will feel sorrier for her when she dies. When she becomes her own killer she is very not very stereotypical to the thriller genre as she in young and has blonde hair which is the opposite of what typical killers look like. I believe this was a risk but has been successful. The character would appeal to the audience as she’s a similar age to them which is 15 so they would be able to relate to her easily which makes the film more interesting for them. They can relate to how she feels meaning that they may sympathize for her or may envy her. I want the audience to have different opinions of my character because she has 2 different representations.  I 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. I decided to use her instead of two characters as I didn’t want to only wanted to have one strong character.

AS Evaluation- Question 1- In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Generally in thrillers there are two main characters which contrast each other to build up suspense. The characters which are conventional in thrillers are a killer and a victim. The killers are usually men and represented as being as strong and powerful characters.  They are usually shady which gives the audience an impression they shouldn’t be trusted. Sometimes they have a hidden identity or act in a way to show to the audience that they are mental. Usually there is only one killer to show the power they have. They will wear dark clothes which represent evil and could show there not right.  The killers in thrillers create suspense to be built and enigma throughout the film when they are present. They also give off an eery aura. The other character which is the victim is usually a blonde female character as it presents innocence to the audience and they are able to relate to her easier. The victims are usually quiet but get most in trouble. They wear bright clothing to show that they are a happy person which massively contrasts with the killer character. They are the unfortunate character in the film. For example in the film Psycho, the victim is a young pretty woman and the killer is a strong man with a mental problem. These were two contrasting characters which made the film successful as it built suspense and tension. Throughout a thriller film a sense of fear or danger is presented which builds up to the climax of the scene. They also sometimes begin with a sense of equilibrium. The story of a thriller will usually be shown from the victims view point which allows the audience to relate to the characters meaning that they will get close to them. Usually films that are shown from the victims point of view will have short clips or ‘flashbacks’ which are from a killers point of view which also builds a relationship between them and can create a sense of guilt. It also helps the audience understand the storyline better. Usually scenes in thriller films will keep the audience guessing and they will be asking themselves questions. At the end of every thriller an event is overcome and the audience will understand why the killer is who he is. For example in the film Seven ‘the sloth scene’ when the investigator finds a body tied to a bed the audience wont fully understand what is going on until the end of the film. Suspense is built very well in this seen as there is a sense of mystery which keeps the audience engaged. The typical setting of a thriller is in a dark place usually really dim and gloomy which allows suspense to be built really well. It’s normally set in a suburban area or dark forest. For example the film shutter islands its set in a really dark mental home. The lighting is usually low key which enables mystery to be built as the audience can’t see every part of the scene. The main camera shots that are used are steadi cam and Handheld where steady images are contrasted with jerky image to build tension and to keep the audience on edge. Eery music is also very conventional and used a lot in thriller films to create a tense atmosphere. Hidden identity is also very common and conventional in thrillers as it makes the audience want to find out who's under the mask therefore they will be engaged with the film. Timing of shots is very conventional to the thriller genre as it builds up to the climax of the scene and makes events more dramatic and creates high tension.

Write up generic conventions in more detail- choose 6 different conventions. 

 In my opening sequence we followed many generic conventions of a thriller but tried to make our opening sequence different to typical ones also.One generic convention that I followed was using multiple locations within my thriller as it builds up suspense for the audience. At the start of the scene its set in a urban area/city which will portray to the audience that the girl is normal which will help build a relationship between them and will also create empathy for the girl later on in the scene. By also having it located in an urban location in the beginning which creates a sense of normality will make the girls situation more dramatic. Its very conventional for thrillers to be set in urban areas as it creates high tension when something dramatic does occur which is key in thrillers. We wanted to use two dark locations to show that her mind set in very unstable, through the change in location the audience convey that she is not okay. The audience see the progression of how she changes from the urban location to the forest. We used a forest as the other setting to emphasise that she is vulnerable in which the audience will feel empathy for. Forests are very conventional in thrillers as it creates a sense of mystery as the audience may not be able to see the whole of the scene. It also puts the audience on the edge of their seats as its a dark setting which is key in thrillers.

 I followed the convention of having a female blonde as a victim as the character will be portrayed as vulnerable especially as she has blonde hair meaning that a high relationship will be built with the audience and the audience will engage with the film more. However we decided to break the conventions by having the victim and the killer as one character. In the beginning of the scene the audience will perceive the girl to be innocent as she has blonde hair and is applying make up however as the scene progresses the audience will start to view that she is mentally unstable which will result in mixed feelings about the character therefore the audience will engage in the film more. I wanted to break the convention slightly to make our film unique compared to others. I am 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. The audience may also feel sorry for her but however they may feel different and get a feel that she's mental which will build a tense atmosphere and build a relationship between them. The age of the girl is important as she is similar age to the audience meaning that the audience will be able to relate to her more meaning that they will engage with the film more. I also chose this character as she creates enigma within the film which will keep the audience fascinated. 

Another convention I used is the editing style timing of shots. Timing of shots is very conventional in thrillers as they build up to the climax of a scene or a dramatic incident, by using timing of shots the incident will be seen as more dramatic which is key in thrillers. Timing of shots is where shots are either slow or fast to build up tension within a scene. In thrillers timing of shots are typically slow at the beginning of the film and then they gradually get faster to build up to an event which builds up adrenaline for the audience. I am making the timing of shots slow at the beginning of the opening sequence to engage the audience and to show the mise en scene in detail without rushing it. By using slow timing of shots at the beginning the audience will be able to pick up on the iconography which is the wristwatch. This will create enigma for the audience and may portray that her death is coming. The timing of shots start to become faster as she is moving through the forest which creates high tension as the audience wont know where she is going to end up. Just before she drowns herself the timing of shots will be faster to build suspense for the audience as they will now know she is going to end her life. Timing of shots in my opening sequence will build suspense and make the audience want to watch more of the film.

Another generic convention I followed was by using eerie non digetic sound throughout the opening sequence. Using non digetic sound such as an eerie soundtrack is very conventional as it creates a tense atmosphere for the audience which is a key mood for thrillers to create. Without eerie music the film wouldn't be as interesting and the events in scenes wouldn't be as scary. I used the same eerie soundtrack through out the whole 2 minute opening sequence so it makes the shots flow. The eerie soundtrack I used successfully linked with images behind and create a tense atmosphere for the audience. I also used non digetic sounds over the objects such as the television, globe and radio. By using the eerie noises over the objects made the setting which is her own home portray to be more creepier which created empathy towards the girl. The soundtrack will used sounded unstable.I used this soundtrack particularly so that it would link in with our character. I also used parallel sound which is conventional over the door when its opened. I used the sound here as it looks more realistic for the audience in which they will engage more with the scene.

Another generic convention I used was the style of credits. In many thriller films, the credits stand out to the audience and get them excited for the film by the way that they are presented. For example in the film seven the credits are a main part of the film, they give an idea about what the film will be about by the way they are presented. The opening credits will also tell the audience the team members whom produced the film. My opening credits were very de fragmented to tell the audience that the character in the opening sequence is very unstable. This will create a tense atmosphere from the start of the film meaning that the audience will be engaged straight away. By having the opening credits de fragmented the audience will be able to build a relationship with the character as they may envy her as they will start to get a feel she is not right in the head. I made the opening sequence colour red, this is very conventional to thrillers as it symbolizes death. I used the colour red to convey to the audience that a death occurs which will create suspense for the rest of the scene.

Another generic convention I used frequently was a long shot. Long shots are conventional to the thriller genre as it build high tension for the audience because long shots portray the mise en scene which can be gloomy and dark. I used long shots frequently to build suspense and tension for the audience as they wont know what is going to happen next. I use a long shot of the girl when she is walking towards the forest. This creates high tension as the audience wont know where she is going and will create enigma. I also use a long shot of when she is walking through the forest. I have used a long shot here as it makes the character look smaller which shows that she has been taken over by something. I also used a long shot here to show that the girl is walking through a dark forest which will create empathy for her. Another time I used a long shot is right at the end of the scene just before she is about to drown herself. I used it here to show the audience the whole location of where she is about to die. This will create high tension. I also used a variety of different shots which is conventional as it will keep the audience interested in the film.

 The film psycho uses many generic conventions which are similar to my opening sequence.  The film Psycho also has a female character whom is represented as very vulnerable meaning that she is a victim who is very similar in my opening sequence as she is blonde and very young. Another similar convention is the place its set in, my opening sequence and psycho is set in a gloomy place however my thriller is set in a forest and a house where as psycho is set in a dark motel in a suburban area however it both creates the same effect on the audience and creates high tension. My opening sequence uses low key lighting throughout whereas psycho is in black and white but still creates high suspense as it makes the film dark. The main camera angle which defines the thriller genre is a long shot; it is highly used in my opening sequence and in psycho to show the audience the mise en scene which proves to the audience that it’s a thriller film which puts the audience on edge. The editing is very similar. The timing of shots are slow at the beginning and fast when the girl is getting stabbed and in my film when the girl is drowning. This will build up adrenaline for the audience and will be released really quickly therefore meaning that the film will be jumpy which is conventional to thrillers.

AS Thriller Evaluation

My brief was to create and produce a 2 minute opening sequence of a thriller film which included the credits and a soundtrack. I also had to analyse other thriller opening sequences and write them into blogs. I had to look at different elements in the opening sequences to help when creating my sequence such as mise en scene, sound, editing, cinematography and conventions. I wrote a different post about different conventions in the films we analysed. I wrote planning posts, for example research into mise en scene and research into planning sound. Some posts were on research into the media, for example research into age certificates. A few other posts such as group storyboard, planning sound and planning cinematography are posts about what conventions I am going to add into the opening sequence. I wrote posts to link to my opening sequence.

 I worked in a group of three when planning and creating my opening sequence. I worked with two boys, Domenico Martini and Harry Fagan. I had many roles in my group as there were only three of us so I had to split the roles and pick who was suited to each role. I 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 it’s very conventional to a thriller and we can create high suspense by having our location at a forest which is key in thrillers. I learnt that someone else should have been the director as it was pretty hard to direct and be in the opening sequence as well. I also learnt that I should’ve made Domenico director as I had too many job roles to focus on. I decided that Harry would be the director of photograph as he has had experience with a camera before so I 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. Domenico was the sound operator and the editor as he had experience in both so I thought he suited those roles.

 My group worked really well in a group as we cooperated well and let opinions be shared when planning the sequence. Also when filming I worked extremely efficiently and quickly as we had great communication between the group. For example in the forest I had no trouble with the filming as we listened to each other carefully. I also let opinions be shared when editing our sequence; this made our editing successful as we incorporated many ideas in what parts to edit of our sequence. For example Harrys idea was to slow down the timing of shots at the beginning in which we thought it was a good idea and incorporated it at the beginning of the sequence when editing our sequence.

I believe I have made a successful thriller film as there are many conventions which are conventional to the thriller genre in my opening sequence. Suspense is built throughout my opening sequence which is key in thrillers and engages the audience through editing such as using different timing of shots throughout the sequence. The main convention that is very conventional to the thriller genre is the use of using a young blonde female character as the victim. This is very conventional because it’s what the audience expect the victim character to be like. By using a female character some of the audience will be able to relate to her meaning that a relationship will be built. The mise en scene is very typical of the thriller genre as its set in a creepy house and a dark forest which create a tense atmosphere which is key in thrillers. I have used different editing styles to build up tension, the sound is very conventional as we have used an eerie soundtrack which is non digetic sound which ultimately creates a mystery to the opening sequence. This is successful as it keeps the audience on edge. I have used different camera angles to engage the audience. We have used many long shots to convey to the audience the mise en scene which creates tension as it will scare the audience. We have also used a few over the shoulder shots to make the victim look creepier which shows the transition from victim to killer. All those points have made my sequence successful as they are very conventional to the thriller genre.

Thriller comparison

I believe we have created a successful thriller opening sequence as we incorporated many conventions from other thriller films into our 2 minute opening. We have also incorporated elements of suspense and excitement into our opening sequence which will engage the audience therefore it will be a successful viewing. We also had a unique twist in our opening sequence where instead of having 2 characters typically being a victim and a killer we had one character where she played both counterparts. We decided to do this to try and be different to the typical thrillers that have been produced, we also want to excite the audience by just having one character whom they can relate to and engage with more. Also by having one character the audience can engage more and understand the narrative better as they just concentrate on one person. By having a convention of having just one character will appeal to many different audience as its a completely new idea meaning that they will want to view our thriller. We also wanted to be different as we wanted to have a brand new narrative so the audience wont be bored as its different to any other thrillers.

The micro element that best shows our understanding of the thriller conventions is the use of just having one character throughout the whole sequence. We also believe this shows our creativity as the female is portrayed in many different ways. Firstly shes shown as the victim as she looks sad and distressed whilst getting ready. The use of the mid shots and long shots clearly show the audience how she is feeling which engages the audience into the scene. After she get possessed the audience see a different side to her, she changes and comes across in an aggressive way meaning that many views of the audience have of her will change to envy her. She is shown aggressive through the use of long shots of her storming towards the forest. We believe this is very creative as we have used one character to portray two characters: the victim and the killer. We wanted to be different and not to follow the typical thriller narrative as we believed it would be boring and repetitive. We wanted to create something different which would interest the audience and excite them. It is a uncommonly used convention however the audience will still be able to understand that its a thriller due to the other conventions used such as the eery music and the mise en scene. The use of having one person as two characters shows our creativity and how we wanted to stay away from boring typical thriller narratives.
The element clearly shows our understanding of the thriller genre as we wanted to show audiences a new narrative for thrillers which will excite them still. We risked our work by not following the typical character convention of having two characters but by having one. However we believe this was successful. Similar films where a child gets possessed and ends up getting hurt is the exorcist and the conjuring.

Our opening sequence can be compared to the exorcist (1973) opening sequence. They are similar in by both having a female blonde character whom gets possessed. This is very conventional as the blonde hair in the characters shows high vulnerability as blonde females are stereo typically seen as dumb therefore the audience expect a young female character meaning that its conventional. Another convention which is similar is where the opening sequence is set. They are both set in a creepy house which is very conventional as the audience can relate to the film. This therefore makes the audience feel part of the film and builds suspense and enigma. The sound in both opening sequences are similar as they both have a non digetic sound track which creates a tense atmosphere for the audience and may portray that something bad is going to happen. The cinematography is very similar as both opening sequences use a variety of shots to interest the audience and use a long shot many times to show the audience the mise en scene in which creates suspense as its set in a creepy place. By using a long shot can also scare the audience and build a relationship between the characters and them as the audience will sympathise for her.

Audience Feedback

Audience feedback is very important to a production as it shows our group what we need to improve on and allows us to do so. It also lets us understand the audience more and what would they like to see through their comments. The feedback wouldn't be biased which truly shows what needs to improved. By using the feedback our final opening sequence will be successfully improved and add conventions that our audience wanted to see.

Our group created a presentation and presented aspects about opening sequence and our rough cut to the classs. Whilst the class was watching our rough cut they would write down a few postives and negatives about our rough cut. Afterwards we looked back on what they think we need to improve on so we could contructively improve our opening sequence based on their comments.
Also as a group we created questionaires about different aspects of a thriller to give out to a random selection of people. We gave the questionaire to many and different people so we wouldnt get biased results. We created these questionaires so as a group we could see what conventions and micro elements to add into our opening sequence which would suit our audience. As a result of these questionaires we knew what audience to suit our thriller at, what elements to add into it and what conventions to use.

The feeback on how to improve our opening sequence from the class proficiently helped us when making improvements to our opening scene. We found out what we need improve on for our opening sequence to be more successful and we could see what our weakness are and what we need to do to improve them. This would benefit our production as our audience would engage into our opening sequence more meaning that our opening sequence has become more successful after the improvements. It would also benefit the industry as our opening sequence is very conventional therefore it looks very professional meaning that our opening sequence looks genuine.

We recieved postive comments as well as consructive comments. One postive comment that most of the class thought of our opening sequence was the good use of camera angles. We was happy that we got many positve comments about our camera angles as we tried really hard to produce many different shots and angles in our opening sequence.

Another positve comment we also got from our class peers was that we had successful low key lighting. This is another comment that we was happy with as we filmed in the light so we had to darken our opening sequence on final cut pro. Therefore it shows us that we have edited our opening sequence successfully as the audience believed we filmed in the dark.

The final main postive comment we received was that our mise en scene is very conventional to the thriller genre. We believe this was a fair comment as our thriller was set in the forest and a creepy house. We also tried to show of the mise en scene by using long shots when appropiate.

We also had many constructive comments so that our group could improve our thriller and get it to the best of our ability. One comment that most of our peers said on what to improve was to make the narrative clearer. We believed that our peers thought this was because we had no music in the background with no opening credits also. So instead of overcoming this by re thinking of a narrative we will add in conventional music to our thriller so the audience can understand what our narrative is about therefore meaning they will be able to engage with our thriller more.

Another contructive comment that came up alot was to make the use of the character clearer. We discussed what we could to to improve this, we could either add in another character or make the shots more clear on the character we already have. We decided to make the shots more clearer on the character we already have by using a range of different shots which are steady. If we had to add in a different character we wouldve had to change the narrative completly.

A constructive comment was it improve on the music we had in the rough cut as well only had one soundtrack. We thought this was good feedback and added in more conventional music. For example when the radio comes up we put up a creepy sound clip behind it to create tension for the audience. We added in many sounds that tie in with the image its with. When the door opens we added in a creaking door noise. By adding in sound it makes the film more interesting and the audience will engage with the film more.

Rough Cut- Miss Miller

A rough cut is important to consider as it allows the group to see what we can improve on from feedback from an audience. We as a group can also see what we need to improve on to be more successful. Its important to do a rough cut so we can get a better view on what needs improving. Its very important to consider audience feedback as they are our audience so what they think needs improving is correct and need to make changes to our rough cut for it to be more successful. The things the audience thinks needs improving will be taken into account definitely as they are the people watching our film. In our group we created a presentation about our opening sequence to show our class. In the powerpoint we described our narrative, how we got the idea and what each person in the group role was. They then watched our opening sequence and gave us feedback on our rough cut. They gave us marks out of 60 and comments on how successful our rough cut was. We also put our rough cut on youtube and received comments also.

We received many different views on our rough cut. Out of 60 our average mark was 40. This means roughly we are obtaining a level 3 Band for our opening sequence. We need to improve by about 8 marks to obtain a secure band 4. Our class mates thought we had good use of camera angles, successful low key lighting, and conventional mise en scene. Our class mates said we should improve on making the narrative clearer, making the use of the character clearer, add in more conventional music and use different timing of shots. From the comments on youtube we need to change the style of the fonts for it to be conventional to the thriller genre.

From our feedback our group we can see we need to improve our opening sequence to obtain a higher grade and for it to be more successful. From our feedback we can see we need to make the narrative more clear by adding in a soundtrack and other elements such as making our opening sequence a bit lighterso the audience can see whats going on. We also can see that we need to add in credits and edit our opening sequence. The feedback will help us assist finalising our rough cut as we now know what we need to improve on.

This is the url to view our rough cut opening sequence-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zCpjDSZEWE

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.