Final Thriller

http://youtu.be/5owpvSr5cJU

Evaluation question 2

Due to the fact we had a time limitation of two minutes, we felt it would be easiest to include one main character within our thriller opening. This made it to easier to create a relationship between this main character and the audience rather than having to build relationships between 3 or 4 main characters. When deciding about our main characters we discussed our target audience, which was 15-18 year olds.  We therefore felt it would be appropriate to use a main character who fell into this age range, as it would be relatable for the audience that we wanted to see the film. By using props like headphones and costumes like the sports kit the main character wears, we felt we were able to give the main character a stereotypical relatable feel for most teenagers who are strongly into music and some kind of sporting activity. Also throughout the opening we felt the character acted in a stereotypical way for a teenager, showing his fear and acting with particular caution as you would expect from a younger person, rather than a man. The way the character dealt with the conflict was appealing to the audience because we hoped it would be relatable and similar to how many of them would act in this situation, being of a similar age. We went against the codes and conventions of thriller films by choosing a male victim, as usually, like Scream, Halloween and Psycho, the victim is female. We felt this provided something new for the audience and as males are seen are typically stronger, the fact the man was powerless also made the antagonist seem more sinister and unbeatable.

Evaluation question 7

The preliminary task was the first task we had to carry out as a group. It involved us filming a short clip of two people having a conversation using different shot types and camera angles. The preliminary task was extremely useful at making us accustomed to the equipment that we would be using to film our thriller, like the tripod, camera and editing software Final cut pro X. From the preliminary task we learnt about the effects of different camera angles, like the reaction shot and panning shots to show one of the people involved in the conversation walking into the room. Also by filming the sequence only once, when it came to editing we realised some parts needed re filming, which was vital when filming our real opening as we filmed each scene several times to make sure we could choose the best possible one. The preliminary task also saved us time when editing our final production as by then we were accustomed to the editing software and able to efficiently use our time on editing rather than having to get used to the software, which would have cost us time.

Evaluation question 5

Primary research involved me looking at numerous different thriller film clips and analysing different things in each one. For example looking at the lighting of paranormal activity, or the sound used in the opening scene to Halloween. This was important because it gave us an idea of how real thriller films use these different elements to effect, creating suspense, tension and enigma. When researching we also looked at the use of age certificates so that we could help adapt our film to our chosen target audience. Looking at narrative theory also gave us a template to use for the story line of our thriller opening. We chose the Aristotle theory as there was a sense of hidden identity and mystery by using the spirit as the antagonist. The research was vital in planning our film giving us numerous different inspirations and ideas that we could include in our own thriller to use to effect. The questionnaires we produced, which involved asking 40 people numerous questions about what they preferred in a film, was incredibly useful as we took these answers and incorporated them in what we eventually produced. As our research showed mostly 15-18 year olds watched thrillers this is the target audience that we chose. The research also showed most people preferred a supernatural element within the thriller which led to us including a ghost rather than a physical antagonist.

Evaluation question 4

The target audience is important for making a film or any type of production because these are the people that you are aiming your product at, in this case our thriller opening. It also means certain elements of your film will have to be specifically adapted to suit this audiences needs. When choosing our target audience we decided as a group that 15-18 year olds would be best. This is because it is a similar age to us, which made it easier for us to appeal to an audience and include things that we felt were relatable and would entertain people our age. We also used a 16 year old actor, which made it easier for the audience to relate and understand why he made the choices he did throughout the clip. Our primary data, the questionnaires, showed that people aged within our target audience, preferred a spirit or ghost rather than a physical antagonist, so by listening to this feedback our thriller would be appealing to this age. The very relatable situation of being home alone, perhaps while parents are at work and after school is one that many teenagers are accustomed too so this increased the fear factor within our thriller and therefore made it more appealing and more scary to an audience.

Evaluation Question 1

Within thrillers there are general conventions of the genre, which are expected to be seen during these films. These generic conventions include things like blonde female victims, low-key lighting, unknown locations and hidden identity. Hidden identity is used in the film Scream through the main antagonist wearing a mask for the duration of the film. The fact the identity of the antagonist is unknown creates tension and a heightened element of fear and mystery. This is also the case in films like the Texas chainsaw massacre, where again a mask is used to cover the murderers identity. By not knowing who or what the protagonist in the film is up against the fear of the unknown creates an effect on the audience, which can also lead to an increase in empathy for the main character who has to combat the antagonist in most cases. Low key lighting is seen throughout many popular thriller films. One of these is paranormal activity. Most of the scenes which are considered 'jumpy' and suspenseful in this film take place during the night where the lighting is low key. The low key lighting makes the familiar relatable setting of the house seem more sinister and unknown, which in turn created a dark atmosphere and increased tension within those scenes.

Within our own film we aimed to include these generic conventions in order to help us produce a successful thriller opening. We included low key lighting, the use of a knife as a prop, a clear antagonist, the setting of a house and the use of typical sounds both diegetic and non diegetic. Low key lighting was used throughout the duration of our clip. Due to the fact we had only 2 minutes the low key lighting immediately set the sinister and dark tone that we wanted to achieve. One scene in particular where this was effective is the scene where our main character, played by Reece, came through the front door from the outside. The lighting made it seem as though he was stepping in to a dark and eerie place, despite the fact it was the familiar and relatable setting of a house. This was intended to make the audience feel on edge from the beginning and from there we could begin to build the suspense. The knife as a prop, which we saw used in films like Psycho and Halloween, was used as a sign of foreshadowing in our product. The scene in the kitchen near the beginning of our clip, where the food is being cut, put a large focus on the use of the knife. We used a close up shot to put more emphasis on it and suggest to the audience that it may be significant later on in our thriller opening. One piece of data we collected was primary data in the form of a pie chart. Most people that we asked stated that they prefer to see a supernatural antagonist such as a ghost or spirit rather than the more common murderers and monsters. This is why we included the conventional clear antagonist and made this a ghost. Paranormal activity used this sort of antagonist effectively and allowed them to be more creative with what they could do, such as things moving around the room and doors slamming etc. We included similar elements in our clip such as the scene where all of the doors in the house slam or the scene we included where the radio begins to play music unexpectedly. This had the effect of almost making the house come to life, turning it from the familiar cosy setting of a home that the audience can relate to, to something much darker and more dangerous.

I feel that because of these generic conventions being included we managed to define the thriller genre quite accurately through what we produced. Things like the sound also helped achieved this. When looking at the thriller Halloween the use of sound made the clip tense and suspenseful, something seen in many other thrillers as well. The sound in the Halloween clip quickened as the camera neared the tension before finally reaching the climax with the murdering of the woman. By including sound in the same way as Halloween. Thrillers are commonly known for having a clear antagonist, protagonist and some sort of conflict or problem to either escape from or solve. Our thriller opening includes all of these things, which makes it typical to the genre and defines the genre itself.

Evaluation question 3

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