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FINAL FILM

The is my final product for my AS coursework, which I made with my partner Clementine (and then went on to do separate edits). The name of the film is 'Red Herring', starring Emily Wallace, George Ruddenklau and James Henderson.

EVALUATION QUESTION 1

How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups and issues?

Conventions

Representation of Social groups and issues

One main theme in my film, is the binary opposite of the rich vs poor. This is present due to the wealthy couple's enjoyment for 'hunting' those who aren't as well off as them. This raises the issue that is commonly seen in reality - rich people getting away with things because they are able to use money to get rid of their problems. It can be discussed whether the couple are able to pursue their interests because they are able to 'persuade' people to look the other way. Another film that also looks at the accessibility that comes with having money, is "Surviving the Game" (1992) - which is about wealthy businessman who pay to hunt humans in the mountains for sport. This has a similar theme to my film, but with more emphasis on hunting.

 

EVALUATION QUESTION 2

How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?

Target Audiences

Although Clementine and I worked together on our film, we made sperate edits which resulted in slightly different tones within the film openings. For this reason, our target audiences may be slightly different. Within my film opening, I used the song 'Run Rabbit Run', which introduces the suggestion of the couple being predators. The theme of hunting, particularly rich hunting the poor (which can be interpreted within our film due to our characters middle class appearance), is featured within films such as "Surviving the Game" (1994), "The Hunt" (2020) and "Ready or Not" (2019) - just to name a few. On top of this, the movie "Ma" (2019) depicts a middle-aged women who befriends a group of teenagers, before holding them captive and torturing and killing those who come to save them. Although this film is more about a psychological disorder rather than killing for pleasure, it carries the same idea of the illusion of a normal character having a dark nature hidden from the outside world. An outline of our target audience can be read below, or in more detail on my Target Audience blog page.

I believe that my target audience would be pretty evenly split between genders as the characters are relatable to any gender. However, the film has a romanticized element which may appeal to female viewers. The psychological element may appeal to people between the age of 18-25, however, our film opening portrays a middle class lifestyle which may appeal to viewers around the ages of 40-50. Similarly, I think my film will appeal to an upper class audience, due to the sophisticated nature of couple. The characters are portrayed as predators, while still seeming classy, which can provide catharsis for some viewers, while challenging others with the ambiguous imagery. I think my film would appeal to film avids, as they tend to like sophisticated, analytical and thoughtful films. I think my film would fall into this category, as it contains a lot of imagery that may be hard to recognize at first until the dark undertones of the film are revealed.

Audience Profiling

My film has quite an abstract presentation, with some iconography being quite unconventional (such as the clothing the couple are wearing, and the act of the  killers going for a picnic). As you don’t actually see the murder taking place, and the identities of the killers aren’t revealed, the cause and effect is not clear in the opening and instead introduces enigma codes. Furthermore, the use of imagery to help convey the dark undertones of the film challenges the audience and makes them think deeper about the meaning of the shots. This appeals to people who are analytical as the film contains deeper meanings. The audience are drawn to the film as they want to know who was murdered, why, and who killed them. 

My film can offer a sense of catharsis as middle class members of society can easily relate to the characters of the sophisticated couple. This targets people who are generally in the ABC1 class category. This connection can lead to catharsis as the audience are watching seemingly relatable characters explore their dark urges. People who are around the age of 40, who have spent many years at work and may be disenchanted with everyday life, may enjoy this kind of escapism.  Viewers have a sense of what it would be like if they were able to have complete freedom over their actions, with no consequences. However my film may also attract people who enjoy analyzing ambiguous imagery, and enjoy more complex films rather than generic narrative structures. 

Due to the sense of catharsis my film may evoke, it can explore the subject of whether there is evil in all of us. On top of this, the representation of the couple can also be linked to a theme of rich vs poor, due to their sophisticated manner and the suggestion of them being predators that ‘hunt’ for enjoyment. Once again, this may appeal to the educated, analytical personality type as they would enjoy linking the film to reality and todays societal issues.

My film takes place in an  realistic world, which is slightly romanticized. This is appealing to a younger audience as it is relatable, while still offering a world to escape to. My characters are dressed in a sophisticated manner (especially the woman), romanticizing the idea of killing. This would prevent the audience from empathizing with the couple, also prevent them from hating them entirely. 

The tone of my film is quite ominous, as the beginning is silent apart from diegetic sounds. When the song starts playing, ‘Run Rabbit Run’, it changes the tone of the film entirely as it makes the couple seems predatory, and also makes the scene unsettling. This is engaging as the song becomes the point of interest, and contrasts the romantic setting of the picnic.

My film lacks any action, but has a number of enigma codes which engage the audience. Like ‘The Silence of The Lambs’, my film carries an ominous tone rather than showing an frightening actions. Despite being described as a monster, Hannibal Lector is still shown to be very educated and polite. This can be seen in my film as the two killers are carrying out the very generic act of going for a picnic. The lady can be seen putting on a nice pearl necklace, which suggest she has money and cares about her appearance, rather than being a murderess.

Distribution Strategy

As my film is a small scale individual film, it is unlikely to be able to compete with popular movies being displayed in the cinema. It will also be unlikely to appeal to mainstream viewers. The most likely form of distribution would be to display my film in a film festival such as the Sundance film festival, and picking up a distributor there. This would most likely attract individual distributors, or larger companies such as Amazon which may be willing to add the film to their streaming service. Streaming services would also bring a wider audience to my film, as frequent users of these services are often willing to try unique films as it is easy to turn on/off so they have more control over the viewing. I would release the film around January, as people are likely to still be on their Christmas holiday, but also have more time to spare once the major celebrations are over. The Sundance film festival is also often held in January, so the event would help bring more attention to my film as it will have been originally shown there. Our target audience is aficionados, who are likely to make time for individual films, but would also be interested in watching film festivals (or films that were successful in popular festivals).

Marketing

The most effective method of marketing would be through social media, especially popular platforms such as Instagram or TikTok. These platforms allow you to make accounts for free, and it also increases the likelihood of making brand deals that increase visibility of your posts. There are also accounts dedicated to finding and recommending upcoming films, so if they reposted our marketing or promoted our film it would be an effective way of reaching our target audience. These applications also use algorithms to show particular posts to people who like receiving that content, which would also help us reach our target audience. Using social media is a cheap way of reaching a lot of people.

EVALUATION QUESTION 3

How did your production skills develop throughout this project? 

Development of Skills

Over the course of working on my film opening, I was able to develop my film skills, as well as experiment with new techniques. For example, I used Adobe After Effects to create some of my credits. It was my first time using this program, but after some practice I was able to improve the quality of my film. I also used new technology for the first time, which helped me expand my skillset. I made two top trump cards to show my progress within each skillset side by side.

Codes and Conventions ~ After analyzing multiple Thriller films and their openings, I can confidently identify codes and conventions that are present within the Thriller genre and it's most popular subgenres. Although I had a basic understanding of the Thriller genre from taking GCSE Film Studies, I have now gained the ability to recognize and recreate common iconography, cinematography and storylines. Although my film isn't entirely conventional, I used my understanding of the codes and conventions to make my film unusual while still fitting into the thriller genre. For example, antagonists commonly wear black clothing to make them blend in to the shadows and associate their character with evil. Clementine and I placed our antagonists in colourful, glamourous clothing to contradict this normal image. Using this, we contrasted the imagery of the body and blood with a happy (murderous) couple going for a pleasant picnic. After being introduced to the enigma code, Clementine and I decided to keep our characters anonymous by hiding their faces, to engage the audience more. I conducted in depth research into the Thriller genre  and its sub-genres - which can be found on my blog. I also studied credit sequences, and the order in which the credits appear. I used this research to display my credits in the conventional order to make my film opening appear more realistic.

Camera Work ~ I used this coursework as an opportunity to experiment with different shot types and develop my camera work. I used a gimbal for the first time, and after learning how to balance it and use it effectively, Clementine and I filmed a tracking shot which we used in our film. I also tried using a suction mount, to get capture some footage from the hood of my car. I think my skills have developed as I used a variety of different equipment for the first time which I think improved the quality of my film.

Planning and Organisation ~ I have definitely improved in my planning and organization skills, especially with organizing everything before the day of shooting. On previous projects I often left things to the last minute, and dealt with any problems (such as issues with the location) while shooting. For my coursework, I scheduled location scouting before the shoot, and coordinated with Clementine to work out what props and costumes we wanted. We also staggered the actors arrival times, as our actress was not needed in the kitchen scene and only had to arrive later. This made filming more efficient, and ensured we did not have people who weren't needed on set. Clementine and I both finished our separate edits of the film before the deadline, as we planned ahead of time what we wanted to get done each week.

Visual effects ~ Having had minimal experience with credits, I learnt how to use Adobe After Effects. Due to my experience with Final Cut Pro, I knew how to add text and adjust it slightly, using tilt, rotate and changing the location using the x and y axis. However, I wanted to try something different and learn a new skill. With the support of my classmates and my teacher, I learnt how to use basic tools such as the Rotobrush tool and using layers of footage on After Effects. I also managed to pin text to an a specific point, so that it stayed in one spot despite the camera movement. I found it very challenging, and my first time using the tools it took me a few hours to create one credit within a shot. Once I had practice with the program, I was able to create a second credit in around 20 minutes. Developing a new skill allowed me to add an interesting element to my credits.

Editing ~ I have edited smaller projects before, but this was my first time creating a thriller film and it was a very different experience as editing can change the tone of a film. Clementine and I decided not to use dialogue, making editing extremely important in ensuring the audience understood the narrative of the film opening. It took quite a few drafts until I reached my final edit, because I continued to make small adjustments to the clips throughout the editing process. I also asked some of my friends to watch and give criticism, so I could take their advice on board. Through colour grading, I also tried to create meaning by introducing lots of red imagery to emphasize the violent theme that is introduced when you see a shot of a dead body. This is the first time I have introduced a deeper meaning into my film, and considered editing as a way to add to the final product.

Creative Confidence ~ I often stick to conventional shots, using a tripod to create generic establishing shots, long shots and medium close ups. I have used sliders before to add some movement to my shots, but have not been very confident in implementing more difficult shots. However this time, I tried out new equipment and worked with Clementine to figure out ways to add interest to our film. On top of this, we decided not to include any dialogue and follow slightly unconventional iconography. I experimented with different equipment and practiced collecting footage, and we also had ideas such as using pomegranate to create the impression of blood. In order to get the right effect, Clementine and I microwaved the pomegranate and tried to pop the seeds within by hitting it against the counter, before splitting it open with a knife to prepare it for filming. To step outside the box, we experimented a lot throughout the process of filming our coursework, and I think we ended up with a good result.

EVALUATION QUESTION 4

How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware and online - in this project?

TARGET AUDIENCE

Working out Target Audiences

Pearl and Dean is a company that sells advertising space for UK cinemas. They analyse potential movie audiences, in order to calculate where is best to show the adverts (in order to reach the right target audience). They analyse the audience in terms of gender, social grade and age. and you can access the information online. I used some of this information to estimate the target audience for my film.

'Don't Worry Darling' - Directed by Olivia Wilde (2022)

The analysis of the film 'Don't Worry Darling', shows that the target audience is quite evenly split between genders. It also appeals to a younger audience, with only 17% of people above 45 being likely to watch the film. 64% of what is considered 'upper class' make up the audience for this film. As this film has a similar concept to our film opening, I used this research as a basis to figure out my own target audience.

Similar to 'Don't Worry Darling', I believe that my target audience would be pretty evenly split between genders as the characters are relatable to any gender. However, the film has a romanticized element which may appeal to female viewers. The psychological element may appeal to people between the age of 18-25, however, our film opening portrays a middle class lifestyle which may appeal to viewers around the ages of 40-50. Similarly, I think my film will appeal to an upper class audience, due to the sophisticated nature of couple. The characters are portrayed as predators, while still seeming classy, which can provide catharsis for some viewers, while challenging others with the ambiguous imagery. I think my film would appeal to film avids, as they tend to like sophisticated, analytical and thoughtful films. I think my film would fall into this category, as it contains a lot of imagery that may be hard to recognize at first until the dark undertones of the film are revealed.

Class system

ALTERNATE ENDING

Inspired by my chosen song, 'Run Rabbit Run', I experimented with adding a low opacity layer of gun shooting over the lyrics of "bang bang bang bang". This added to the ominous tone of the film, and gave more insight into the murder of the person in the back of the car. In the end I chose not to include this detail, as I didn't like the sound accompanying the overlay. Without any sound effects the footage seemed underwhelming, however the version with gunshots (which can be seen below), was unnatural and I felt it took away from the rest of the film.

PROGRESS #4

Final adjustments

Once I finished with footage, colour grading and sound, I started adding in credits. When I submitted my rough cut I was using placeholders to map out which shots I wanted to place credits over, and rough positioning. I finished them off using a combination of Adobe After Effects and Final Cut Pro. I also responded to feedback from the class, and made some adjustments to the colour grading and added in some of the diegetic sounds I had missed. I experimented with adding a few extra effects like a cross fade between a shot of the drain and the lady putting on her necklace, as a reference to "Psycho" (1960).

 

 

PROGRESS #3

Sound

The next step after adding the footage and colour, was to add the sound. I started with diegetic sounds, and evening out background noises. As the microphone didn't turn on properly for part of the shooting, I had to use a sound recorder to recreate some of the noises. I selected and favorited the sections of the sounds I wanted to use - similar to what I did with the footage - so I could just drag and drop the correct sounds instead of searching for what I wanted. I also named each recording so I knew what I was listening to, and what shot it needed to go with.

PROGRESS #2

Colour grading

After gathering all the footage, I began the process of colour grading. I predominantly used colour curves and simple tools to adjust the Saturation and exposure of the shots to bring out the colours and contrast. We shot the footage in very neutral tones, to allow for colour grading. On top of this, the day was quite overcast which meant we had to digitally adjust the lighting. Below you can see some screenshots of me using the program - Final Cut Pro - to colour grade some of the footage. I found that using colour curves could change the footage quite drastically, so I had to make very small changes on the curve and move individual point to get the tone I wanted.

PROGRESS #1

Assembling clips

Once we finished filming, I planned to assemble all the clips and put them in their rough order, before adjusting the timing and positions. Below, is the video once the clips were put together in their final order.

I started out by going through the footage and finding the useable clips. Some takes were test shots, or ruined by background sounds/camera wobbles etc. By highlighting the footage that was good enough to end up in the film, it cut down a lot of time when I started putting clips in their order as I didn't have to search through waste footage for what I wanted.

You can see the in the clips above, I started to add clips together and work out how long each shot should be.

CHOOSING FILM TITLE

Clementine and I decided to name our film 'Red Herring', which is a device that is designed to steer the audience to a false conclusion - a trope that is commonly used in crime thrillers and dramas. We decided o name our film this, as we use in our film by misleading the audience with the cooking scene and the romantic imagery, before revealing a dead body and adding an ominous twist. It also gives foreshadowing towards the events in the movie, and helps establish the movie as a Thriller. The term also refers to a clue or piece of information that is misleading, which, in our film, is the representation of the couple.

Clementine and I also wanted our film to have a relatively simple title, giving a clue towards the the narrative of the film. We thought that this title fit, especially as we used a lot of red imagery, and the title seemed match the general tone we created.. 

AFTER EFFECTS

 

Animating Credits

For animating my credits, I used Adobe After Effects for the first time. This involved watching YouTube tutorials, and asking for advice from my teacher. I was able to learn how to use the Roto-Brush tool to create layers, and place overlays on top of my creates (so they interacted with the props in my shots). I also pinned my credits to a specific object in the shot, so that as the camera moved they stayed in place. This added some interest to my credits and allowed to expand my visual effects skills. 

Different layers within the shots

The car and motorbike highlighted, creating a layer so they move on top of the credits

ROUGH CUT FEEDBACK

Rough Cut

Our teacher decided it would be a good idea to show our progress so far to class, so we would be able to reflect on our feedback and make improvements to the film. At the stage where we downloaded the rough cuts, I had yet to add sounds, and the credits were used as placeholders rather than functioning credits. Clementine and I had decided to edit our footage separately, however we chose to present my version to the class as I had gotten slightly further along.

Feedback

I mainly need to add more diegetic sounds and make adjustments to the credits. I had been considering using after effects to animate a few of the credits, and the class agreed with this idea as it would add some more points of interest. As you can hear, the music in the rough cut abruptly cuts out. Clementine and I had been experimenting with different sounds to see how they would sound with the footage, so we had been planning to allow the music to play until the end of the film. Despite the sudden stop to the song, we received positive feedback over the choice of song and our classmates seemed to like the contrast it presented against the body and red imagery.

Verbal Feedback

Adjustments

As planned, I need to add in diegetic sounds for the first half of the film and then lengthen the duration of the music playing in the car. From the feedback I know I need to start looking at appropriate fonts and perhaps try using After effects to make them more interesting. I also have to bear in mind the size of the font as I was told they shouldn't take up too much space on the screen, as they will start to take over the footage. They should be a small feature (with practical uses), rather than the focus of the film opening. Another suggestion was to go back and make some of the colour correcting more dramatic. When originally colour correcting I struggled to make the colours stand out while still making it seem realistic (and keeping skin tones natural etc), however I can adjust some of the shoots such as the blood in the sink, to make the red stand out more.

SOUND

Inspiration

We looked at sound and music used in film openings for Psychological thriller such as "Panic Room" (2002), "The Shining" (1980) and "The Silence of The Lambs" (1991). The music in The Silence of the lambs uses low pitch horns to play the melody which releases a diminished sound that creates a feeling of unease. Similarly, The Shining uses brass instruments as well as unsettling chimes and other percussion instruments to create a disturbing atmosphere. Panic Room also uses horns playing at a low pitch, creating an ominous build up to the start of the movie. However, Clementine and I decided to go for a completely different approach. Inspired by movies such as "Reservoir Dogs" and "A Clockwork Orange", which use upbeat songs that contrast the dark themes of the film. This adds a sinister tone to the film and the music does not match the imagery at all. 

Experimentation

We originally considered using Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" in our composition, however it was still under copyright. I sent an email to a licensing agency, but we didn't receive a reply.

We found some other options, and then I edited all three potential sounds over the ending and put it all into one video (replaying the ending each time with each sound playing over each sequence), so I could compare and make a decision. Currently my favourite option is "Run Rabbit Run" by Flanagan and Allen, as it is slightly creepy and contributes to the unsettling undertones of the film opening. It also inspired the idea of adding a low opacity overlay of the female antagonist shooting a gun as the lyrics "Bang, bang, bang, bang goes the farmer's gun".

Final Choice

In the end I chose the song "Run Rabbit Run" performed by Flanagan and Allen. I made this choice because I felt it changed the tone of the film, portraying the couple more as predators and making the mood more sinister. Unfortunately I couldn't find any information on the copyright of this song, as it wasn't mentioned on Wikipedia and copyright websites seemed to mistake the song for "Rabbit Run" by Scott Lewis Mc Caughey. The author of the song, Noel Gay, died in 1951 meaning the 70 years of copyright should have expired. The song also has a dark background (which you can see below), with the meaning of lyrics being changed during WW2. This gives extra depth to my film, as the song is now commonly associated with death.

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" (2016) also used this song due to its associations with wartime.

Foley

During the first day of filming, when we were preparing food, Clementine and I failed to turn the microphone on properly for the first half of shooting. This meant we had to re-record some our sounds. I made a checklist of sounds we had to recreate, then used that to keep track of what I had recorded. In the videos below you can see me using a sound recorder to recreate some of the sounds. In some instances I created a similar sound rather than preparing the food all over again, for example I recorded the scratching sound of the knife dragging across the cutting board rather that recording myself spreading jam across a piece of toast. I used the sound of peeling a mandarin to recreate tearing open the pomegranate, and I used a combination of two sounds - pouring pine nuts into a bowl of lettuce and pouring some water into the same bowl - to recreate pouring pomegranate seeds (and juices) into a salad as I had run out of pomegranate. You can also see me running some water which I will add over the footage of water swirling in the sink and washing away “blood”.

FONTS

 

Experimentation

Before choosing my font, I looked at movie titles for popular thriller films. I found thriller movies generally use fonts with very straight lines, rather than cursive - creating a bold look. I wanted to keep my credits fairly conventional, and not too distracting from the footage in my film. This is because I wanted the red imagery to stand out, and I preferred my audience to be disturbed by the imagery rather than distracted by the credits. As you can see above, Thriller credits tend to be written all in capital letters to make a striking impression. I chose the font Heiti-SC (as seen below) as it fit my criteria for my font choice.

In some shots I used a 3D text effect to add some interest to the credit, especially when the background did not have an obvious subject. I did this using Final Cut Pro, however I also used Adobe After Effects to made more interactive credits.

Final Credit, 3D Text effect with Heiti-SC font made with Final Cut Pro

3D text effect with Heiti-SC font made with Adobe After Effects

PRODUCTION

 

Preparation

The day of filming, a few hours before we met up, Clementine and I called and I made a quick checklist to make sure we had everything prepared so as not to hold up the filming once the actors arrived. We prepared the gimbal (finding the right balance for the camera), as it can take a long time to make sure it is evenly balanced and didn't want to take up too much time during production setting up equipment.

Behind the scenes

COMMUNICATIONS

Discussions

Due to complications such as COVID, travelling over Christmas, and other absences, Clementine and I were forced to find other ways to communicate. We used a variation of different texting applications, as well as various calls to check in. This forced us to develop our organizational skills and learn to coordinate with each other. At times where we were in different time zones, we had to adapt our communications system to ensure we were getting everything done.

Padlet

Initial Ideas

Scheduling

Sound

Costumes

Filming day

 

SHOT EXPERIMENTATIONS

Aims

In our short film we planned to have a short driving scene in order to get the characters to a different location. Originally we had planned to do an aerial tracking shot of the car, however I decided to experiment with some different camera angles that would add interest to the scene. Below are some behind the scenes pictures of me attaching my camera to a suction camera mount. In the footage the car reflected quite a lot of the surroundings making it difficult to see inside the car, however this will work out well in our film if we choose to use the footage, as we want to keep the characters anonymous (introducing an enigma code). I also practiced using the drone to get some tracking shots of the car from different angles.

COSTUME AND SFX

 

Costumes

We wanted to incorporate the colour red into the costumes, to match the bloody imagery. We made the choice for the girl to have red fingernails, and we originally planned to have a bit of fake blood on her fingertips (however this wasn't picked up by the camera very well). We came up with three outfit options for the girl, however we ended up going for the long dress (the picture on the left). This was quite dressy, adding to the unnatural situation, and had rust coloured features without which also matched the theme of red. 

To match the dress, we wanted to have a necklace that would appear quite dramatic from the back, as we had planned an over the shoulder shot of the girl putting on her necklace to showcase her red nails and fingertips. Clementine (my partner) and I found necklaces that would look like a pearl necklace, as we were aiming for something elegant that would contrast the uncomfortable and messy close ups of preparing food. The red lipstick also added to the elegant, dressy look while contributing the red theme. We ended up choosing the necklace on the left, as the 'pearls' were more noticeable.

SFX

In order to reveal the body in the back of the car, we had the idea of revealing a bloody hand before showing the body concealed by a blanket. To do this we had to experiment with fake blood. Below are some photos from using the fake blood. On the left are photos taken a couple of days before filming, as I experimented with different amounts of fake blood spray. On the right are photos taken on the day.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

 

Planning

Prior to filming, Clementine and I worked out some potential risks that would have to be addressed while filming. This included, dehydration and using knives. On the day of filming we made sure we were prepared with water bottles, and when using props such as knives we were extremely careful and made sure the actor was holding it in a safe handhold. We used the sheet below to document some of the risks, and once we filmed we filled out the ways we had minimized these hazards.

Additional risks

We mostly relied on natural lighting, so we did not have to worry about set lights heating up, or cables causing a tripping hazard. We did have to transport equipment in a car to get to the outdoor location, however we made each passenger in the car responsible for holding a piece of equipment, especially the camera and the gimbal as they were the most expensive. We also a simple first aid kit on hand (in both locations - the house and the park), in the event of an injury. Another relevant risk was catching/spreading COVID 19. The actors, Clementine and I took a COVID test before filming so we knew it was safe to take masks off while filming it at my house. When we went to the outside location, we kept masks on the entire time, apart from the final shot because the extreme long shot briefly shows the actors faces. This means in one of the final shots you can notice the male actor wearing a mask, however the actress's hair fortunately covered hers.

 

LOCATION SCOUTING

Scouting

The week before filming I went out to look at some potential locations to film. I had a place in mind, but I also went to a second location to make sure we found the best place to shoot. 

The first location had a large area of flat grass right next to the road, which was ideal for the last shot we had planned (a continuous tracking shot of the couple retrieving their stuff from the back of the car and setting up a picnic). However, in the background a green fence was visible. This put me off slightly, as we had been aiming to shoot somewhere that seemed remote and the fence was clear evidence of human activity.

Location one and location two, there was a winding road up the side of hill that added to the remote feeling of the location. It seemed like a good spot for a tracking drone shot as it was surrounded by thick vegetation and would contribute to the idea the couple are taking the body to an isolated area. This can come across as quite sinister as secluded areas are conventionally where the "dumping site" of a body is. This is also supported by remote locations typically being associated with murder (eg. the stereotype of hitchhikers being dangerous).

The second location also led right from the road onto the grass. The long slope of the area leading into vegetation successfully made the location feel isolated, however there were a lot more people here than the first location. We had to consider this when scheduling our shoot, as we were filming around the time of a public holiday. Although we had originally planned to film around sunset, we ended up shooting earlier to avoid the time where the most people gathered. 

The location scouting was successful as it allowed us to plan and practice our shots more accurately before the day of filming, but also made us aware we had to avoid times where lots of people gathered.

 

PROPS

Food

Our main props were food, as we needed it for the cooking sequence. We used lettuce, pomegranate, tomatoes, and other basic salad ingredients. We also used some bread and strawberry jam to make jam sandwiches. We had researched the best way to open a pomegranate, and the internet suggested putting a pomegranate in the microwave, followed by crushing it, would make the fruit release more juice. When we created a slit for George (our actor) to use to open up the pomegranate with his hands, it released a splatter of red liquid (as seen in the photo below). The overall effect was a dramatic - blood like effect which we used to our advantage. In my film I used a unsettling shot of the juices dripping onto a butchers knife, which appeared very effecting.

 

Other

For the first scene, we used some basic props to prepare the food - butchers knife (to suggest the couple are dangerous), a chopping board which we used to contain the mess of the food and protect the table from the knives, and a salad bowl. We also used a picnic bag and blanket to contrast the suggestion of a threat. Although we didn't have a conventional picnic bag, we overcame this by using a cooler bag that had a similar appearance and looked as if it would contain food. We also used fake blood to create the effect of a bloody hand belonging to a body in the back of the car. We practiced beforehand, so we knew what effect we wanted to create, however I included pictures on my Costumes and SFX blog page.

CHARACTER RESEARCH

Introduction

For our characters, we wanted to present the normalcy of a conventional couple contrasting the gruesome imagery and twisting their relationship into something sinister. The idea of a couple matches the idyllic picnic scene, and contrasts the body in the back of the car and all the red imagery. We deliberately chose an actress with red hair as we felt it added the characterization of a femme fatale. As we also chose to not have any dialogue and not to reveal the characters faces, red hair added a bold feature that would make the female identifiable.

Dream Casting

For my film opening, I would ideally cast Emma Stone and Penn Badgley. Badgley's role in "You", a successful Psychological Thriller TV show, shows his ability to convincingly play a Psychotic character. Similarly Emma Stone's role in "Cruella" (2021) shows her range of capabilities. She has starred in multiple movies and has won many awards, while participating in films of many genres. This range would be especially useful in our film as the actors have to play a happy couple as well as mentally deranged killers. 

Cruella's character, although violent and not entirely moral, could be described as an anti-hero as she was still likeable to the audience and arguably (although her intentions are entirely selfish) she was working towards a good outcome. Although our antagonists aren't meant to be liked, they are supposed to carry a carefree quality that Emma Stone has proved she can pull off - especially as she has starred in romance films such as "La La Land" (2016). 

Another casting possibility for the male lead could be Rami Malek. He has played many diverse roles, such as the villain in "No Time to Die" (2021), but also has experience playing the protagonist in movies such as "Bohemian Rhapsody" (2018). His range of skills makes him an ideal.

Character construction

In order to develop our characters further and to be able to construct their representation within our film opening, Clementine and I created backstories for our characters. In the film the male and female appear to be a conventional couple until the car boot opens revealing a body.

We imagined a couple that are portrayed as predators, hunting and killing for sport and enjoyment. This is reflected in my final music choice of using "Run Rabbit Run", as the meaning behind the film opening aligns the characters with the description of the farmer in the song.

THRILLER OPENING ANALYSIS

 

In this clip, editing, camera work, sound and lighting all give meaning that the girl is in danger. In the opening shot, an establishing shot shows a girl standing in front of a funhouse - with a sign saying 'Find Yourself'. This is foreshadowing when you consider the context of the film (a family discovers there are clone-like copies of themselves who are out to kill them, and the girl's doppelganger is inside the carnival). The bright lights illuminating the building emphasise the darkness around the areas, isolating the young girl and creating a silhouette of her body. When it moves on to a close up of her feet, which proceed to walk away, it creates the impression she is walking out of the audience's reach, and walking away from safety. In the following shot, a slow zoom on the girl as she walks into the building, framed by the doorway, also leaves the impression she is walking away from the outside world, and into darkness.

 

As the character walks through, a tracking shot follows from behind, as she gets deeper. The pleasant diegetic music provides contrast to the building tension but also carries connotations of danger when it abruptly shuts off, along with the lights. The mirror props create distorting images as the girl enters the room, adding a sense of unease as it appears like someone is watching her although she seems to be alone. Once the music is gone, other diegetic sounds such as her laboured breathing, become more prominent. This has the effect of shared suspense, as the audience can't see the danger but it is clear there is a threat. The exaggerated sounds of her breath create suspense as it evokes a sense of anxiety for viewers. Furthermore, the echoing sound of her whistling draws attention to the silence and makes it more alarming when someone else joins in.

 

The mirrors in the funhouse, obstruct the exit and help create the impression the girl is trapped. It also makes it unclear which direction the sound is coming from. This generates shared suspense, as both the girl and the audience are unaware of where the threat is coming from, and therefore when the danger will strike. Adding to this, the mirrors create illusions of the girl in every direction. This is threatening, as the audience knows by this point in the plot the threat is likely coming from the Doppel-ganger of the girl. The low key lighting also makes it hard to see in the background, heightening the tension. The girl's dark dress also has the same effect, as the second girl is wearing the same clothing and this helps conceal her in the darkness. This makes the effect more startling when the girl's 'reflection' doesn't turn around as she does, and the audience becomes aware of the second girl in the room.

SCHEDULE

Schedule

To keep track of our progress and to ensure we were staying on track for the deadline, we made a basic schedule outlining dates for test shots, filming and other tasks we had to get done. I used the website Trello, as it had the ability to be shared so I was able to work online with Clementine (which was especially useful when we were both away over the holidays). Trello had two exchangeable formats, a to do list and calendar. Clementine and I started by making a list of what we had to do, and we would switch it into the completed section once we finished. This allowed us to stay on top our work, organised, and prioritize tasks. The calendar function also made it easy for us to plan out filming around our own schedules.

 

 

PRE-PRODUCTION

Script

Before starting our storyboard, we came up with some initial ideas for our film on a piece of paper. We then developed that into a script, so we could visualize which shots would be filmed at each location, and sort out the narrative that would be featured in our film. Our storyboard ended up slightly different to our script as we changed our minds on some shots as we began to visualize each scene, however Clementine (my partner) and I found it very useful to have to the script to refer to throughout the different stages of production.

First draft

Second draft

Pre-visualization

Below is a picture of our preliminary storyboard, which we drew out when we first started to visualize the different shots. We drew each shot on a magnetic whiteboard sheet, so we could rearrange them as we figured out the sequence of the shots. This made it much easier to figure out the order of our film as we were able to add, and move around shots as we discussed our thoughts.

Storyboard

This is our final storyboard, which we used as we filmed. It helped us stay on track and made it much easier to make our shooting schedule and work out the logistics of filming. Although we added a few shots, we used it to make sure we remembered to film the shots we had discussed previously, so we knew we at least ended up with the shots we needed to carry the narrative of the story.

PRE-VISUALISATION

Mood board

Before we started planning, we used various techniques such as creating a mood board to plan the tone and some iconography of our film. Although we decided on using a narrative that appeared cheerful (couple going on a picnic), we initially collected photos that captured a kidnapping/murder. This reflected our original idea for our thriller film. We later went on to decide we wanted the film to have connotations of these events rather than showing the murder outright. We both felt this would make the scenes feel more sinister. From there we chose to film a conventional couple as they go to a picnic to contrast the connotations of murder. Once we reveal the body we hope our film will become more menacing. Despite the changes to the plot, we continued to use the mood board to help us capture the tone of the film, and we still included the off-putting imagery of food as we had originally planned.

 

Shot ideas

Once we had settled on the vague idea of our plot, Clementine and I began to verbally plan out the scenes, including some shot ideas. As we talked I noted down some of our ideas, and we later used this and developed it into a storyboard (with some slight adjustments to the narrative, order and shots).

PITCH PADLET

Padlet

I used the website Padlet, to display my ideas for our film in a mind map format. My partner Clementine made a separate presentation, and then we brought our ideas together so we could start planning out our idea. I started by analyzing the film openings of Psychological thrillers to identify conventions that could be reflected in our own film opening. From there I looked at the sounds and music each film used, and started to brainstorm ideas. This research inspired two initial ideas for our film, one of which we ended up using for our final composition. Below, is my padlet of ideas, followed by Clementine's work. As well as looking at conventions, I also inspected how credits were incorporated in the opening sequence. Although I was off school for the week we worked on our pitches, Padlet allowed us to connect our ideas and look at each others thought processes remotely.

Feedback

The main feedback from the class was that we had to narrow down our research to a more specific idea, which led to us searching for imagery more specific to a theme. We were also recommended some shows/films that we could analyse that were relevant to our ideas so far. We were also given advice, such as to introduce enigma codes and to imply a threat rather than showing it to build up suspense and a ominous atmosphere.

SUB-GENRE RESEARCH

Thriller Sub-genres

To prepare ourselves for creating a film opening to a thriller, we did some research into the different sub-genres. There are may sub-genres associated with Thriller films, however these are some of the most well known:

• Psychological thriller
• Action thriller
• Crime thriller
• Spy thriller
• Political thriller
• Mystery thriller
• Horror thriller
• Supernatural thriller

I did some more in depth research of the sub-genres I found most interesting.

Decision

 Clementine and I decided to base our film opening on a psychological thriller. We found the use of shared suspense particularly interesting, and thought that keeping the audience in the dark would make the film more interesting. We included this in our film by purposely leaving our actors faces out of each shot, so that their identities remained an enigma code. Psychological thrillers can often include themes of mental illness, such as "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991), and we thought the cheerful attitudes of our characters could be interpreted as a potential mental illness - considering it is also implicated they are murderers.

Common character types within a Psychological thriller includes:

• Criminals
• Stalkers
• Assassins
• Private investigators
• Psychotic individuals (mentally ill)
• Sociopaths
• Secret agents
• Terrorists
• Cops

YEAR 12 PRODUCTION DAY

Introduction

During production day we were given the task to recreate some of Hitchcock's most famous techniques. This included lighting, montage (inspired by the famous montage shower scene in Psycho (1960), and using the camera to "show, don't tell". We also attempted to recreate the unsettling character reveal in Hitchcock's film Frenzy (1972). 

Examples

We were given examples from Hitchcock's films, so we could attempt to recreate the techniques and add them to our skillset, as many modern day films use similar methods.

 

Final results

Our group presented our final footage in the form of videos, explaining our techniques and how we were able to recreate similar sequences to Hitchcock. We also made a montage of all outtakes from the day, showing unused footage and behind the scenes.

 

My classmates and I worked to recreate a scene from the film "Frenzy" (1972), when the camerawork is used to create a dramatic reveal of the killer, followed by a tracking shot following his conversation with his victim. To recreate this we used a shoulder rig, to stabilize the camera. Later, my coursework partner and I decided to use a similar tracking shot in our film, using a gimbal rather than a shoulder mount for further stability.

We also experimented with using silhouettes and different lighting, taking inspiration from Hitchcock's film  "Vertigo" (1958). We used large windows to provide the bright backlighting, and then turned down the exposure to capture the persons outline.

This video captures us using moving camera shots to recreate different Hitchcock shots. This included the axial cut, moving close up and a dolly zoom. These were inspire from examples used in Hitchcock's movies "Rear Window" (1954), "The Birds" (1963) and "Psycho" (1960). This also meant experimenting with the technique Hitchcock called "show, don't tell", as a way to use the camera movement to tell the narrative rather than dialogue.

Instead of using montage in a clip following a narrative, we decided to document our experimentation throughout the day using montage. This shows us working with lights, tracks, lighting flags and other equipment to experiment with different techniques and try recreate some of Hitchcock's famous approaches.

Evaluation

Which shot or sequence are you most proud of and why?

I am very happy with the shots experimenting with lighting, as I haven't had the chance to work with large lights like the kind we were using on production day, and that allowed me to develop a new skill. I was also really proud of our groups moving shots, under the "show don't tell" station.

Which shot or sequence do you think could be improved upon and why?

I think we could have improved on the handheld tracking shot using the shoulder mount, as it was slightly unsteady. We also found it difficult to recreate the reveal from "Frenzy", as we always found the second actress was too far away from the camera to recreate the effect of the character being right behind the first actress.

What ideas did you take from the process that you would like to develop more or take into your own work?

Although we had some trouble with the tracking shot, I really like the idea of using it in my own film as it adds some interest to the shot. One potential idea could be using a gimbal rather than a shoulder mount as it will make the camera more steady.

HITCHCOCK

Introduction

Alfred Hitchcock was a film maker, most well known for his Thriller films and his effective methods in building tension. He is known as one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Hitchcock often used the phrase 'pure cinema', which can be interpreted in different ways, but his successful film techniques won him many awards. I looked at Hitchcock's style and the many definitions of pure cinema, so that I could identify techniques that are still being used to this day.

Pure Cinema

PURE CINEMA: Through the Eyes of Hitchcock (25 min) Directed by Gary Leva from Gary Leva on Vimeo.

 

Hitchcock

The Shallows - Analysis

Many movies use Hitchcock's techniques, and 'The Shallows' is just one example. You can see from the clip that the movie makes use of shared suspense, anticipatory space, temporal deadlines and vicarious suspense. This all helps to build tension, just as Hitchcock used in his films, and the disorientating shot angles also help enhance the audience experience.

TRUE BLOOD ANALYSIS

 

Introduction

We analysed the opening to the show 'True Blood', to look further into tv shows opening sequences and to explore montage techniques. We also looked at the imagery and what the shots represented, while looking out for theory tools such as binary opposites.

Tasks

1. Think about the format of the images

    - How are they constricted

    - What shot types are used

    - What filters, effects are used

    - Any adjectives you would use to describe the quality of the images

    - Are there any key colours used?

The images are formatted in the form of a montage - short clips edited together. The edits are quite fast, almost overlapping. There a lot of mid-shots and close ups, to keep the audience guessing (introducing enigma codes). A flickering/glitchy effect has been added to the images, as well as retro filters. There are vivid colours contrasting black and white images. Adjectives you could use to describe the quality of the images are grainy, mysterious, and the font used is quite organic and rural. The key colours used are red and white, which also contrast, adding to the dramatic effect.

2. Now start thinking about the imagery

    - Start taking screen shots from images that stand out for you and then try to gather them into sections

    - Start to think about what themes or connotations are associated with the groups of images

3. Now start to see if there's any other tools from our theory work that might be useful to use

The show uses binary opposites such as themes of good and evil and purity contrasting violence.

4. Once you've considered all this, can you identify the following?

    - What is the genre of the show?

    - What are the themes of the show?

    - What is the representation of the setting?

The genre seems to be horror, shown through the imagery of blood and violence. The themes that are represented in the opening of the show, are fear, seduction, religion, civil rights, and the suggestion of a vampire storyline. It is suggested that the setting is in the deep south of the USA, in a rural location. 

FEARS AND MONSTERS

 

Introduction

 

Scary movies are a popular form of entertainment, and can appear in the structure of Horror or Thriller films. There are many differences between the two genres, which I highlighted in my 'Conventions of Thrillers' blog post. Whatever form they appear, the two Genres are still very popular, so our class decided to analyse how fear is created through films, and why people continue to watch scary movies.

Fears

One method used to create discomfort in the audience, is by incorporating common fears in the movie, so the audience are automatically uneasy from seeing their own fears on screen. This helps them connect with the characters, and start feeling fear on behalf of them. Scary movies often contain themes of death, darkness and being hunted. Below are some common fears that effect society, which are often included in films:

Movies that exploit fears

As previously mentioned, movies exploit societal fears in order to make their movie more effective. Below are some examples of movies that target specific fears.

Monsters and what they represent

Dracula

	- Rich - Prays on young virgin girls - Seduces them - Sleeps in a coffin - Drinks blood	- Signifies the patriarchy - Exploitation of women - Using power to corrupt - Rich people abusing the poor (social structure) - Blood infections (AIDs, STDs) - Good vs evil (binary opposites) - The devil (corrupts innocence, prays in the dark)

Godzilla

	- Giant monster set loose - Walks around the city, crushing people and things - Out of control - random directions - Created with nuclear power	- Signifies not being able to control what happens - Even with technology things can be out of our control - We don't always have control over things we start/create - Nuclear war, controlling nuclear power - Fear of something bigger than us - Revenge of nature

Zombie

	- Eats people - Spreads disease - Last man standing - End of the world	- Signifies fear of being alone in the world / facing other people - Drug addicts (they want something so badly they will do anything to get it) - Invasion - Death (unstoppable force) - Fear of old age (getting slower, losing their mind) - Anarchy

The Alien

	- Extra-terrestrial beings	- Superior being - the unknown - Space (infinite) - The inner voice (represented by the second mouth) - Not knowing what's beyond us

Why do people watch scary movies?

There are many theories on why people watch scary movies, and some are listed below. I agree with them to varying degrees, however I agree with David Skal the most, because horror films wouldn't be so scary if they didn't reflect internal fears. For example, scenes in horror films when the villain is hiding in the dark are more frightening to someone who is naturally afraid of the dark.

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

Introduction

Today I watched the movie 'The Silence of the Lambs' (1991), directed by Jonathan Demme. This is a classic example of a Psychological Thriller, as it changed the Thriller genre forever by introducing the idea of highly intelligence serial killers. It stars Jodie Foster as Clarice Sterling, a young trainee with ambitions to become a FBI agent. Anthony Hopkins plays the role of Hannibal Lecter, an educated doctor-turned serial killer who seems to provide help for Clarice, but continues to live his horrible lifestyle. 'Buffalo Bill', is the main serial killer in question, played by Ted Lavine. I looked at representation throughout the movie, along with looking out for conventions of the Thriller genre, and common Narrative structures.

Genre and Narrative

Clarisse - Representation

Deconstruction

Conversation Analysis

CREDIT STRUCTURE

Introduction

Our task was to watch the opening credits of a film and note down which times each credit appeared. We then had to create a list of the credits that are essential to have in an opening sequence, before categorising the structure of the credits.

CONVENTION OF THRILLERS

Task 1

Google 'top thrillers of 2021' select 4 and watch the trailers. Then embed the trailers into your blog and slides and answer the following:

- What do these films have in common?

- What are the differences?

 

This trailer for the movie "Rushed" contains many typical Thriller conventions. A lot of these can be identified in the plot, such as an investigation and a murder plot. There are also other recognizable features of thrillers, such as low key and coloured lighting, and dramatic camera angles.

This Thriller is also very effective, as it incorporates common fears that people have into the film, such as heights and being trapped in a fire. This makes the overall effect of the movie successful, and this technique is often used in Thrillers.

At first the trailer doesn't seem to reveal the genre of "House of Gucci", however it soon reveals a murder plot which is commonly associated with the Thriller genre. There are also clips including some  violence, combined with fast pace music, suggesting an element of action and exitement.

The trailer of "Last Night in Soho" presents the movie as a very conventional Thriller. There is dramatic coloured lighting, and hints at the use of knives and other violent props. These elements of mise-en-scene, as well as the music, sound effects of a flickering bulb, the style of text displayed and the creepy element of reflection represents the exciting aspects of a Thriller movie.

Similarities

The trailers have many aspects in common, as most Thrillers contain similar elements of mise-en-scene, sound, camera work, editing and storylines. For example, all these films have a murder plot within them. This is quite common in the Thriller genre as the aim of these movies are to excite the audience, and this is often generated by a threat. Thrillers also use a lot of low key lighting, as it adds a dramatic element to the film. During tense scenes the shots are normally a longer length to build suspense, however they become faster cuts during periods of action. As seen in all four trailers, there are short cuts that allude to a fast paced storyline and a build of tension resulting in the climax of the storyline. This is usually presented as an action sequence or the moment when the threat to the character is the greatest. The music can also reflect the situation in the scene. The trailers all use music with a powerful beat to reflect the exciting aspects of the movie and to mirror the building tension. Another similarity is the camera shots used in the films. Thriller tend to use a lot of close up shots, to capture emotions on characters face (such as fear, anger or remorse), as well as extreme angles. These can be seen in the four movie trailers, and you can also see how the shot types change to best capture moments of suspense or action.

Differences

The trailers have many similarities, however some aspects do vary. All Thriller films have conventions that are associated with the genre, such as the protagonist being victimised, having to race against time to save someone or stop the antagonists intentions. However, in order to maintain tension, each movie has to create a plot that isn't predictable. Although certain storylines may be reused, such as the common murder plot, conspiracies or acts of terrorism, the context and circumstances change in each movie. This maintains the 'thrilling' aspect of the genre.

Task 2

Find 2/3 definitions of the Thriller film genre. Cite them, then summarise what they have in common and answer the following question:

- Why is it hard to define a Thriller film?

"Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_film

"The thriller genre movie and TV show definition is characterized by the moods it elicits. Thrillers are about the feeling of thrills! They are movies and TV shows that keep you wondering what will happen next. They give viewers heightened feelings of suspense, excitement, surprise, anticipation, and anxiety. Thrillers also usually have a main character who is slowly isolated from the people they once trusted and relied on. The betrayal might thrust the protagonist into a new worldview. They have to work alone to prove their innocence or take down the people trying to kill them. Here's the most important part of the thriller genre... what's happening on screen can be explained by the natural world."

https://nofilmschool.com/thriller-genre-in-movies-and-tv-shows

If the genre is to be defined strictly, a genuine thriller is a film that rentlessly pursues a single-minded goal - to provide thrills and keep the audience cliff-hanging at the 'edge of their seats' as the plot builds towards a climax. 

https://www.filmsite.org/thrillerfilms.html

Similarities

The definitions all seem to state the importance of creating "excitement and suspense in the audience", as well as feelings of anticipation and anxiety. One definition also includes the importance of keeping the audience "cliff-hanging at the 'edge of their seats'". Despite the different terminology, they all convey the same message, using the codes and conventions associated with the Thriller genre while changing the plot enough to surprise the audience and keep audience engagement.

Why is it hard to define a Thriller film?

Thrillers can be hard to define, as they have elements of Horror, Crime, Action and Mystery. This means it can include conventions similar to these genres, to evoke the same feelings of fear, tension and excitement. Despite being hard to define, it is still very recognisable by the rising tension throughout the movie, following the progression of the storyline.

This diagram is a similar representation of Todorov narrative structure. Todorov's theory states a story always contains a state of equilibrium, followed by a disruption, a recognition a disruption has occurred, dealing with the disruption, and then ending with a reinstatement of equilibrium (often an altered equilibrium to the start of the story). Throughout a Thriller, the tension continues rising until reaching climax of the film.

Task 3

Research the different types of sub-genres of Thriller. Choose four you would like to explore, find definition, conventions and examples.

 

Task 4

Try to find the difference between a Horror and a Thriller film. Explain the difference with examples.

FILM OPENINGS

 

Introduction

As an introduction to film openings, we were instructed to analyse the first two minutes of the film "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood". First, we identified the key features of a film opening and what we thought were the most important factors. We then watched the clip three times, and noted down our observations, making sure to look our for narrative details.

Film Openings

Narrative

Films include narrative details such as binary opposites, to make a film more interesting and engaging. These narrative features can also be found in film openings, so they are something to look out for. - Binary opposites - Narrative range (eg. restricted/unrestrictive narrative) - Codes (eg. enigma codes) - Juxtaposition (within shots, editing, actions etc.)

Analysis

I identified many different shot types and imagery within the opening sequence, revealing information that is relevant to the plot of the movie. For example, there are some shots where the characters shoes are the subject. Despite being a close up on an article of clothing, it reveals a lot about the characters. The two men's shoes have an obvious difference in quality, which suggests a large difference in status.

Similarly, Sharon Tate (played by Margot Robbie) is wearing tall heels that represent her wealth. On top of this, she is walking in sync with her partner, which suggests they have a good relationship. In contrast, Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth (played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt), have completely different quality of clothing, and their relationship is very clearly distant. Rick Dalton is also shown stepping out of the car first, leading Cliff through the bar and then finishing his drink first, clearly establishing the hierarchy between their characters to the audience. The use of cross cutting, however, suggests that Sharon Tate has a much more social lifestyle than Rick Dalton, despite the indications of them both being wealthy. In one sequence of shots, Sharon gets off the flight, walks through the airport, travels in her car and pulls into her driveway, in the same time that Rick walks through the bar and has his drink prepared. The cross cutting in this situation indicates that Sharon has a much faster lifestyle, therefore suggesting she has a higher status than Rick. In the first minute and a half, the identities of Rick and Cliff are concealed by silhouettes and close up shots (such as the previously mentioned shots of their shoes). This shows further shows the disparity between their lives and Sharon Tate's. As she leaves the airport she is followed by paparazzi, and she is illuminated by the flashes of their cameras. This represents her life in the spotlight, and suggests Ricks career is no longer as successful. To add to this, Sharon's life is visually brighter. While the men travel in their generic car, she travels on the top level of an airplane before riding in an open top, vintage car (commonly associated with wealth).

 
The cars can also be interpreted to further represent their lives. The cigarette-filled car Rick drives, can be deciphered to reflect his run-down career and messy lifestyle. Sharon's sports car can reflect a much cleaner and innocent lifestyle, as well as more respected. The open roof of the car also shows she is not restricted, with her wealth she has more freedom to do what she wants. A lot of enigma codes are introduced, leaving the audience wondering who the characters are and what role they will play in the coming movie. The cross cutting also leaves the question of how the characters are related.

 

SCREAM

Introduction

We were tasked with analyzing the classic horror film "Scream" (1996). We were looking for symbolic codes within the opening scene, and typical conventions within Horror films. Our main observation was how the character was portrayed as innocent with connotations of purity, through her clothing and actions. We also picked up on the popcorn reflecting the rising tensions in the scene, as her fear levels rise so does the packet of popcorn. The scene ends with the girl dead, and the popcorn in flames. My annotations for the scene is below. This task familiarised us with some more film terminology, and was one of the first instances we were able to practise analysising a film opening.

 

BREAKING BAD ANALYSIS

Introduction

We were instructed to analyse a scene from Breaking Bad. I focused on deconstructing the shots and finding meaning encoded within. I then wrote about the meaning created by camera, mise-en-scene, editing and sound.

Progressing emotions

Analysis

Practise essay

How does the Breaking Bad clip create meaning through the use of camera, mise-en-scene, editing and sound?

Throughout the clip the director uses camera, mise-en-scene, editing and sound to show how the teacher is undermined by Chad, the student. Towards the beginning of the clip, the power is held by Walter, the teacher. This is shown predominantly through camera angles. The teacher is mainly the focus of all the shots, or it shows him standing in front of a classroom of students. He is displayed with a slight low angle, which indicates he is more powerful. When the class is displayed there is a slight high angle which exaggerates his height over the sitting students and further indicates he holds the power over them. In contrast, Chad is at the back of the classroom and out of focus, making him appear as any other student. However, there is a power shift between the teacher and Chad when they have an encounter and Chad steals the classes attention. Originally it appears as if Walter is in control, as he is shown as from a slight low angle as he exerts his power and tells the student to move. Once again, camera angles are the main hint to this power shift. Once the boy drags his chair and produces a distracting sound, there are some close ups on the student that signify how he has stolen the attention, and therefore power, away from the teacher. He takes back some control by having the focus on him, and the camera follows his movement as a subtle hint to this slight change in power. However the use of sound also exaggerates this encounter. After the teacher resumes talking to the class and Chad drags his chair across the floor loudly, the class is interrupted once again. This diegetic sound represents a clear lack sign of disrespect, and the teacher is forced to concede and wait until the boy is sitting before he can resume. This loud sound makes the pause seem longer, and the long shot of Walter is obscured as Chad moves through the foreground, as if his darkness is encroaching on the teacher. The scene progressed, as the surrounding change to a car wash. Walter is seen working a second job as an employer at the car wash. This is a power shift for Walter, as the contrast is clear between holding the attention of a classroom and being told what to do by an employer. There is a slight high angle for an over the shoulder shot from behind the employer, making Walter seem less significant. This is made to be more humiliating for him when he is spotted by Chad. The power dynamic is made very clear from the low angles for both characters, however the angle signifies two very different things for each character. Walter is shown from a low angle to emphasise the size of the car next to him, and therefore he seems smaller and less significant. His plain clothing also contrasts the shiny red colour of the car, which is usually associated with wealth. Chad is shown from a low angle to show he now holds the power in the encounter. Overall the director shows the power shift predominantly through camera, but also includes significant meaning within mise-en-scene, editing and sound.

 

POWER SHIFTS

Introduction

We were given the task of creating a scene depicting a conversation, where the power dynamic is clear before a power shift occurs. With the help of my team, we decided to film an interrogation between a police officer and a delinquent. We tried to use a variety of techniques to show the power dynamic within the scene, including camera angles, lighting and negative space. 

	Pre-production Shot analysis Final product

JURASSIC PARK RECREATION

Introduction

We were given the task of recreating a scene from Jurassic park (1993), when two children are eating dinner before being interrupted by a dinosaur. This scene had multiple challenges to overcome, as we didn't have CGI, the right props or the right setting. This meant that in order to get our recreation as accurate as possible, we had to focus on camera movements and experimenting with what was around us, to try capture the same effect that the movie had.

Pre-production

Props

 Setting 

Post-production

   Editing

   

 Final product