Possible Ideas

Without having a confirmed storyline, theres been discussion amoungst the group to decide on a final idea.
With the choice being between two possible ideas we're going to have to look at both ideas and see which one we can develop the most and see which one has the most potential.

Pippa Cansell

Filming Timetable

After looking at the groups frees, we have realised that there is no point where all member have a free at the same time. Due to this, the majority of our filming would have to be done on weekends and after school. However there may be issues with lighting and travel, as not everyone may be able to get to the locations.

A solution would be to split up into smaller groups, with each subgroup filming in the appropriate frees. We would then edit each groups recording in media lessons and lunches as a group, and choose the most appropriate shots for the film. This way, all members of the group would be equally involved with filming and editing, and issues lighting, time and travel would be avoided.

We will be unable to film any scenes involving Jamie on Wednesdays and Fridays, as he is not present in Sixth form on those days.

Subgroup 1:
Pippa & Lucy


Subgroup 2:
Kirsty, Pippa & Maddi


Subgroup 3:
Kirsty, Lucy & Maddi

Music Ideas

Through watching other thriller films it seems that the most effective openings have very little, or no dialogue involved and the majority of the time non diegetic music is played in the background. The type of music used is important to the whole opening and can can either create or ruin the atmosphere intended.
Below are some pieces of music we have looked at and discussed but we are unsure at the moment which piece or pieces will feature in the film.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j911HD2OiE - Lost in My Thoughts by Chi-iLL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-llm1n-5go - Over My Shoulder by Mika
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2Ma4BvMUwU - Requiem for a dream by Clint Mansell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ-0nUMHlzk - Angel by Massive Attack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVyw3Uu5MoQ - Creep by Radiohead

All these songs create different atmospheres, and as of yet we are unsure which will suit our film best.

Font Ideas

This is showing research that we've done into fonts that we want to use for the credits.
These are just a few ideas as we are yet to make a decision.

Male Costume

The male actor will be dressed in a black hoody, with the hood up to hide his face. He will also wear black trackies as this will create connotations of a 'chav'; a subgroup in society which are stereotypically viewed as 'intimidating trouble makers'. The lack of colour and individuality in the clothes will emphasise the mystery around the stalker character, as well as distinguish the differences between the male and female characters, and their agendas.

Black is a colour
stereotypically worn by
villains as it connotes evil,

power and mystery - an antagonist.

Female Costume

Hayley will be dressed in casual clothing to create an unsuspecting atmosphere, as if she was returning home from college or from a friends house. The use of the cream blouse has connotations of purity and innocence, showing that she is the protagonist. When teamed with black leggings and a denim jacket, the use of white will appear more subtle, and the audience may not suspect any action or suspense during the scene.

Characters

For the opening two minutes of our thriller, only two characters will be used;  a male (stalker) and female (victim).
The male characters' face will not be seen by the audience during these two minutes, to build up tension and create the suspense needed in a successful thriller.
For the role of the victim we will use Hayley Orwell:

Although Hayley is the victim in our film, she fits the stereotypical image of a femme fatale (dangerous woman), as she is brunette and pretty, with assets typical of the character. 
Although femme fatale's are usually the anti-hero who use their seductive charm to entice men, we will add a modern twist to out film by involving the male stalker; a man who has become obsessed with Hayley, reversing the role typical in films such as 'Fatal Attraction', where the female seduces the male, before becoming obsessed. The unsuspecting victim will not realise that she has attracted the stalker, creating more suspense. 

Film Reseach

Following is also another movie that was in the psycho genre. Its directed by Christopher Nolan who is also famous for other thrillers such as The Dark Knight, Memento, The Prestige and Inception. Christopher Nolan is an British-American director whose storyline structures often reflect the mental construction of the characters in his films. Each of his films are massively popular and throughout his years he has developed a professional realtionship with actor such as Sir Michael Caine. Caine doesnt appear in the film following but he does appear in The Dark Knight, The Prestige and Inception. This shows the viewer that Nolan really wants to put across the kind of character that Caine plays in each of his thrilling suspence films.

In 1998, Following was Christopher Nolan's first film he directed with a very small $6,000 budget and began filming on weekends over a time span of a year, he got help from friends he'd met at the University College London film society. The film portrays a writer who is obsessed in following random people that are obliviously carrying on with their own lives. The scenes are show out of chronological order, making the viewer very disoriented having to analyze the elements of the story in the same way as the protagonist calculates what is happening around him.


Kirsty Passfield

Character Research

Characters play a huge part within any genre of film and create a direct link with the audience allowing them to embrace and appreciate the film's action.

To decide on the characters we wanted to include in our Thriller film opening we watched other Thriller films and looked at the characters that are typically included.

Alfred Hitchcock - 'Psycho'

Norman Bates is the main character in 'Psycho' at first to the audience, he appears to be an average male, who lives with his mother in the motel they own together, this view is completely altered when the audience realise his mother doesn't exist and is only a figment of his imagination. His mothers death has lead him to become almost schizophrenic and in an unstable mental state. The way the director has concealed the 'real' character of Norman Bates by masking his real identity creates suspense, mystery and uncertainty with the audience ultimately adding to the 'thriller' atmosphere the film has.
Mark Romanek 'One Hour Photo'

Seymour Parrish is the main character in 'One Hour Photo' he's a shy and soft-spoken middle aged man who works full time at a department store as a photo technician. He is portrayed as an average man who is often dismissed by others as being a harmless. However many people don't realize is that Seymour Parrish is a troubled man under his 'average' exterior, concealing a horrific past which has resulted in his introverted personality. He becomes obsessed with one family in particular stalking them and develops a wall in his home completely covered in photos he has stolen from them.


Both of these characters have acted as inspiration for our own Thriller opening, particularly Seymour from 'One Hour Photo' as his character almost exactly echoes the villain we are hoping to create. This 'villain' character is based on the idea of a 'stalker' who is becoming increasingly obsessed with a young women, and like Seymour he takes many photos of her and displays them in his home. It would seem that the idea of deception and deceit makes a character more believable, so it seems it may be an effective idea to have the villain as a character that the audience would never suspect, ultimately adding to the suspense.

The main inspiration for our film came from 'One hour photo' we were inspired particularly by the part in the trailer where the character is looking at the wall of photographs. We have used this idea and adapted it to suit our thriller storyline with the stalker, making the shots more dark to create tension and a sense of danger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOvY76XFkcg

-Lucy Everitt

Camera Angles

Close-up: Sees only the face and shows emotion.
Extreme Close-up: A close up in which a small details fills up the whole screen.
Medium Shot: Shows half the body and some of the background and body language.
Long Shot: Shows all the body and background.
Pan: Camera moves from side to side to view the whole scene, and give the audience a sense of perspective.
Tracking: Follows a person/object to give a sense of excitement and show movement of subject/object.
High Angle Shot: A shot in which the camera looks down upon the subject from a higher vantage point, to make the subject appear smaller - a victim.
Low Angle Shot: A shot in which the camera looks up at the subject from a lower vantage point, and places the subject in a position of power/authority.
Bird's Eye View: Filming a scene from directly overhead, to make objects appear smaller and more insignificant. It can also be used to give a shot of the entire surroundings.
Worms Eye View: A view of an object from below, used commonly for third perspective, and to make objects appear bigger and more threatening.
Tilt Up: Similar to a low angle shot, it makes the subject seem more important. This shot includes an upward panning effect.
Tilt Down: Similar to a high angle shot, making the subject appear inferior, again including a download panning effect.
Shot-reverse-shot: A shot of one subject, then another, then back to the first. It is often used for conversation or reaction shots.
POV: A shot where the scene is viewed through the characters eyes - may contain jolting movement to show a character walking etc. Used in films like 'Cloverfield' to increase tension and make the audience feel as if they are right in the midst of the action.
Over The Shoulder Shot: Shows a face over another persons shoulder - way of showing a conversation between two people.
180* Rule: Camera pans around a 180* semi circle in order to keep continuity of direction or position of a subject.
Dutch Tilt: A lateral tilt of the camera, as though an object is about to fall to one side. It suggests tensions, transitions, impending movement. If the camera slants to the left, it is to create a weak or static effect. If it slants to the right it is acting forceful.

Maddi Mears

Inspiration

Through films we've been shown in class and through our own research we've drawn inspiration from these to help gain ideas for own task.

films such as the blair witch project

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxcdGgy9i_I

Where they use point of view shots to convey the intensity of the film and so that the audience can gain first hand experience and relate to the actors.

Another film that has drawn inspiration is the mist ending, where the suspense and intensity of the characters is shown in such a way that the audience are left on the edge of their seats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8uPYulh05I&feature=related

Pip Cansell

In order to create an idea for our own film opening i thought it would be useful to watch other Thriller openings and see what is typical of the genre.
Sin City -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M17kHj-TNOc

Sin city follows three different characters, who are all caught up in violent corruption in a dark and miserable American town. Straight away it is clear that this is a 'Film Noir' which is translated as a black/dark film. This is clear from the use of monotone colours creating a dark and possibly unpleasant atmosphere. The only use of colour in this opening scene is the dress, lips and eyes of the female character. The colour red holds many connotations and in this scene it seems to be suggesting passion, but also danger and death. Also as the only colour used within the scene is around the female the audience could be lead to believe that she will be an important character within the action of the remainder of the film.
There is non diegetic sound within this scene which appears to be of the jazz genre, particularly a saxophone which could suggest to the audience the era the film is set in or the upcoming action, often jazz is associated with love scenes.
Within the clip it begins to rain, which is use of pathetic fallacy, as the audience automatically associate rain and bad weather with something bad happening.


-Lucy Everitt

Possible Locations

Due to the low budget we have to create our coursework, we have been looking at locations surrounding Hedingham to film.
These are possible outdoor locations around High Street Green, Sible Hedingham, which would be suitable for a thriller.

This shed will be used by the stalker. 

Maddi Mears & Lucy Everitt

Preliminary Task

This is our groups Preliminary Task, which shows a variety of camera angles and shots, and editing techniques, which we will use in our coursework.
Filmed by: Pippa Cansell, Lucy Everitt, Charlotte Bone, Kirsty Passfield and Maddi Mears.

Typical Thriller Characters

• Convicts, criminals, stalkers, assassins, down-on-their-luck losers, innocent victims (often on the run), prison inmates, menaced women, people with dark pasts, psychotic induviuals, terrorists, police and escaped convicts, romantic triangles leading to murder and more.
• Male characters are most generally quite rough looking, they are not a main attraction to a female audience, they specifically have a scary appearance to match the story-line character of stalker, murderer etc. This makes it more intense to the viewer and they would be able to relate the victim to themselves in the emotion.

Kirsty Passfield

Thriller Genres

• action or adventure thrillers
• sci-fi thrillers (Alien 1979)
• crime-caper thrillers (The French Connection 1971)
• western thrillers (High Noon 1952)
• film-noir thrillers (Double Idemnity 1944)
• romantic comedy thrillers (Safety Last 1923)

Many suspense thrillers can be also be classed as Horrors e.g. Halloween (1978). Such films are made to connect the viewer and put them through fear and agony and connect them on an emotional level with the story line, to thrill them.

Kirsty Passfield

Definition

Thriller is a broad genre of literature, film and television that includes numerous and often overlapping sub-genres. Thrillers are characterized by fast pacing, frequent action, and resourceful heroes who must thwart the plans of more powerful and better equipped villains.

Kirsty Passfield