How successfully do they meet the criteria and thriller conventions?
Last Breath - Dark atmosphere - this shows how it is more of a thriller as it is dark and sets the scene well so the audience has a heads up on what to expect
Tracking shot following a masked man walking up to a house, it then pans up to a window in the house and shows a girl. This makes the audience wary and scared for her as it seems like she is a victim, However, this film is more of a horror than a thriller.
The mise-en-scene is very basic as everything in the house is what you would expect from a bathroom. When the girl turns the radio on, the audience could believe that she is going to be electrocuted. The audience does not know if she will live or not which increases tension.
It meets all of the criteria, however it is a bit more scary than a thriller so fits the conventions of a horror instead.
The very few seconds show the camera slowly zooming into the boy. This makes it obvious to the audience that he is the main character or one of them. The fact that it is set in daylight relax the audience into falsely believing that he will be okay. The fact that it is set in a forest/woodland area takes all the beginning sense of content away as there won't be anyone around so it is not the safest place to be even in daylight. The jump cuts increase tension and apprehension in the audience that makes them want to watch the rest of the film to see what happens.
Being set in black and white increases the tension. It meets the criteria of a thriller and make you wonder what is going to happen to the character and if they are going to find the stalker/baddy
- the pictures are a unique way of introducing the character and at the same time makes the audience wonder how and why the person going through the photos have the pictures.
The hand held camera increases the tension as it is shaking and makes the audience wonder what is going to happen.
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Marking criteria
LEVEL 4
- 48/60
Demonstrate an excellence in the following:
- holding a shot steady
- framing a shot - excluding/including elements as appropriate
- using a variety of shot distances
- selecting mise-en-scene
- editing so that meaning us apparent to the viewer
- using varied shot transitions/effetcs
- using sound with images
- using titles appropriately
Expectations of opening
Introduction to characters
we should be able to see setting/location
music should indicate the genre
themes of your film and narrative structure should be clear.
- 48/60
Demonstrate an excellence in the following:
- holding a shot steady
- framing a shot - excluding/including elements as appropriate
- using a variety of shot distances
- selecting mise-en-scene
- editing so that meaning us apparent to the viewer
- using varied shot transitions/effetcs
- using sound with images
- using titles appropriately
Expectations of opening
Introduction to characters
we should be able to see setting/location
music should indicate the genre
themes of your film and narrative structure should be clear.
Friday, 15 January 2010
Sub-Genre: Action- The Bourne Identity
Conventions
-Obvious antagonistic.
-Race against the clock scenario.
-More violence than other sub genres
-Disruption to equilibrium requires the protagonist to use action to solve it (most be still from some form of combat)
-Usually involves a character of the opposite sex to drive the narrative (however, their loyalty may be doubted, double cross scenario).
-Often involves high character profiles.
examples are: The Bourne Series, James Bond, Mission Impossible
The Bourne Identity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD-uQreIwEk
-Obvious antagonistic.
-Race against the clock scenario.
-More violence than other sub genres
-Disruption to equilibrium requires the protagonist to use action to solve it (most be still from some form of combat)
-Usually involves a character of the opposite sex to drive the narrative (however, their loyalty may be doubted, double cross scenario).
-Often involves high character profiles.
examples are: The Bourne Series, James Bond, Mission Impossible
The Bourne Identity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD-uQreIwEk
The trailer starts with the usual universal pictures ident but with a scope of a gun over it. This tells the audience straight away that this film is an action film.
The actual first bit of the montage is introducing the main character, he looks like a normal guy from his costume, however the next shot we see him in a fight scene, using moves that only trained fighters would know.
The whole trailer is a race against the clock, as he is trying to find out who he is and why these people are after him, which is a typical convention of an action thriller.
Men in suits are shown in an office environment giving the impression they are in a city or general urban location and we are not sure if they are the protagonist or antagonist.
Lots of guns and other weapons are used to create excitement and a thrill. It also creates suspense for the audience as people usually get hurt or killed with weapons and the audience don't know who it will be.
A women is brought in to add more to the story as it creates also a love story which will appeal to a wider target audience. Also she may be a antagonist which creates tension. She is also beautiful which is typical for the sub-genre as it gives the men in the audience a thrill.
The music uses diegetic and non diegetic sound. However the main soundtrack is fast paced and dramatic which exaggerates the action being shown in pictures. It also makes the audience tense and eager to watch the film. Without the music the trailer would not have the same effect.
The main character is the actor Matt Damon, who is well known in Hollywood, and is found attractive by women which is an added selling point for the film. He may also be idolized by young males.
The actual first bit of the montage is introducing the main character, he looks like a normal guy from his costume, however the next shot we see him in a fight scene, using moves that only trained fighters would know.
The whole trailer is a race against the clock, as he is trying to find out who he is and why these people are after him, which is a typical convention of an action thriller.
Men in suits are shown in an office environment giving the impression they are in a city or general urban location and we are not sure if they are the protagonist or antagonist.
Lots of guns and other weapons are used to create excitement and a thrill. It also creates suspense for the audience as people usually get hurt or killed with weapons and the audience don't know who it will be.
A women is brought in to add more to the story as it creates also a love story which will appeal to a wider target audience. Also she may be a antagonist which creates tension. She is also beautiful which is typical for the sub-genre as it gives the men in the audience a thrill.
The music uses diegetic and non diegetic sound. However the main soundtrack is fast paced and dramatic which exaggerates the action being shown in pictures. It also makes the audience tense and eager to watch the film. Without the music the trailer would not have the same effect.
The main character is the actor Matt Damon, who is well known in Hollywood, and is found attractive by women which is an added selling point for the film. He may also be idolized by young males.
Sub-Genres: Crime- Reservioir Dogs
Conventions
-Film is a suspenseful account of failed or successful crimes
-Involves murders/robberies/shoot-outs/double crosses
-Can glorify the rise and fall of criminals
-Often set in large crowded cities to provide a view of a secret world.
-Characters have an ambitious desire for success or recognition
-Strong rivalry between binary opposite characters
-Several locations, often seedy interior locations
The film Reservoir Dogs challenges the conventions of of a crime thriller as in this film the main characters are gangsters and are fighting against the police, however as they are the main characters we relate even though they are also the antagonists. This is usual for a crime thriller as usually we are trying to find the baddies and we relate to the protagonist. It is easy to distinguish the opposite characters as they as the antagonists, but in this case the protagonists, are dressed smartly in blacks suits and one of the antagonists, the police are in uniform and other criminals are dressed in regular, casual clothing.
It fits with failed success as the boss Joe Cabot is too old to carry on as he was so he hires 4 younger guys to carry on name and work.
Another unconventional aspect of the film is that it is also quiet comical, which is unusual for a crime thriller. However this does help to glorify the criminals as it show not remorse for what they are doing but instead they have a joke about it.
The film however does involve a lot of violence, shoot-outs, murders and the film is based around a robbery.
-Film is a suspenseful account of failed or successful crimes
-Involves murders/robberies/shoot-outs/double crosses
-Can glorify the rise and fall of criminals
-Often set in large crowded cities to provide a view of a secret world.
-Characters have an ambitious desire for success or recognition
-Strong rivalry between binary opposite characters
-Several locations, often seedy interior locations
The film Reservoir Dogs challenges the conventions of of a crime thriller as in this film the main characters are gangsters and are fighting against the police, however as they are the main characters we relate even though they are also the antagonists. This is usual for a crime thriller as usually we are trying to find the baddies and we relate to the protagonist. It is easy to distinguish the opposite characters as they as the antagonists, but in this case the protagonists, are dressed smartly in blacks suits and one of the antagonists, the police are in uniform and other criminals are dressed in regular, casual clothing.
It fits with failed success as the boss Joe Cabot is too old to carry on as he was so he hires 4 younger guys to carry on name and work.
Another unconventional aspect of the film is that it is also quiet comical, which is unusual for a crime thriller. However this does help to glorify the criminals as it show not remorse for what they are doing but instead they have a joke about it.
The film however does involve a lot of violence, shoot-outs, murders and the film is based around a robbery.
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Silence Of The Lambs analysis
Silence of the Lambs is a psychological thriller than focuses on an FBI who's on a serial killer's trail, but in order to track him down she'll have to let him inside her head. This is a prime example of a psychological thriller as it has all the elements of one such as mind games.
Sound
At the beginning of the clip there is complete silence except from them talking on the phone. When she goes to the old warehouse there is only diegetic sounds, making the audience realize how few people are there, this increases the audience's tension. As the clip progresses so does the sound. The further along it becomes the more tense the music comes, this makes the audience apprehensive about what is to come.
Lighting
Right from the beginning of the clip there is almost no light. This gives off the impression that something bad is going to happen to the woman and that the audience should be aware of that. When she goes into the old storage building the light decreases dramatically even more.
Mise en scene.
When the woman goes into the storage building the camera pans around the room. It shows a child's rocking horse firstly - this plays on the idea that there are children involved in the serial killer's plan, this then makes the audience apprehensive and worried about who the victims are. It also helps feel sympathy and respect for the main character as she is doing this investigation to stop the serial killer and help all the potential future victims.
Conventions of a psychological thriller
- Elements of both drama and mystery
- Danger on a mental level initially rather than physical
- 2 or more characters preying on the minds of each other to create conflict or one solitary character in mental conflict with their own mind.
- characters try and discover their own purpose.
- characters have a fear or fascination with death
- Narrative - confusion of what is real and what is not
- Non-linea edits/flashbacks/montage.
Sub-Genre: Psychological-American Psycho
Conventions
-Drama/mystery
-Danger on a mental level rather than physical
-2 or more characters praying on the minds of each other to create conflict
or one solitary character in the mental conflict with their own minds
-Characters try and discover their own purpose
-Characters have a fear or fascination with death
-Narrative confusion of reality
From the trailer our first impressions of him are that he is average guy who appears to be well educated and intelligent, as he is wearing a suit and shown in an office environment giving us the impression he is hard working and earns a lot of money. The trailer also gives us the impression at the beginning that he is a womanizer as it shows him interacting with lots of different women. In the first few shots he is shown smiling and laughing, he comes across as a friendly guy, however in later scenes of the trailer his friendliness seems to be odd and slightly too forward and we begin to suspect there is something more to him
The shot that changes our opinion of him is one where he appears naked and is holding a chainsaw chasing a women who is obviously distressed and scared. It here forth becomes apparent that he is a psycho, fitting with the name of the film.
It is then clear that there is something wrong with him and that he is fascinated and obsessed with killing people, mainly women. It is clear that he is aware he is not normal as he can interact with people, who believe him to be normal but then changes and becomes slightly odd and ultimately ending up with him killing them.
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