Module 2 Requirements

Opening Scene Analysis

This is a range of screenshots from the film Batman. The background is very dull and dosile, it is portrayed to the audience as very tense and eerie. Also in contrast to the background yellow writing is used, which is an unusual combination just like the film. The background scene is also very desolate which adds unawareness and suspicion. The font is also all in bbold and upper case, this would be a good idea to use in our final opening scene.

Here is another range of title scenes from the film Edward Scissor Hands. This clip is also very dark, which has a chilling effect. The titles are incorporated into the scene as if they were in the acutal scene itself, this adds realism to the opening scene. The background images are very dark and lacking in colour which also gives the idea of an upcoming tense and thrilling film. The font used looks like handwriting, this could also be used in our opening scene but a bold font will have a greater effect.

This screenshot has a selection of title slates from the opening sequence of Catch Me If You Can. This opening scene in comparison to the other two is very colourful and eventful at the same time. The screenshots show the scenes have colour and give you an idea of what will happen in the film by providing animated scenes. The use of animation of the scenes and text could be portrayed as a film for all ages which doesn't require you to really follow along and remember every detail. The font in this opening scene is very clever as it is incorporated into the acutal scene, it would be very effective to use this in our opening scene but in a more negative way. For example change the font to a more bold font and make it move with objects using object tracking in Adobe After Effects.

Production Logo

Asset List - Filming Equipment

This is a camera, it will be used for the filming of the thriller and the opening scene. It is ideal for our needs as it is portable and it has a good lense and fulfils all of the needs we have.

This is a tripod it holds the camera so that when we need to film you put the camera on it and film like usual. The tripod is adjustable so you can get it to the right height you need it also has a balance level on it to let you know that the camera is balanced which means your filming will come out better than it would if it was unbalanced.

This is the SD card it is inside of the camera and it is a memory card, it saves everything that is on the camera into the SD card. We will use it by taking it out of the camera and inserting it into the computer so we can get our footage off of it and edit when it is time to edit our footage. 

Actors Being Used

Asset list - Props

The bed is used in the opening scene as the mother is dreaming that her dead daughter is playing in her room and she rushes in to see the empty bed and the empty bedroom. It can also be used as the mother is dreaming which means she would of been asleep in bed.

The getting dressed part of the opening sequence is used because after the mother goes into her empty daughters bedroom she begins to slowly get ready by getting dressed.

The tooth brush is used in the opening sequence as the mother is standing in the bathroom cleaning her teeth after she has gotten dressed.

The study is used because once the mother has finished getting ready she goes into her own study and logs on to her computer.

The computer is used because once she has logged on to the computer she opens a file.

Inside the file is information on her daughters murder and it also shows possible suspects of who could of been the murderer.

She then gets into her car and travels to town where she hears a strange voice that she recognises from the day of the murder scene. 

Character Costume

Location for Thriller Recces

Pitch for Opening Scene

Here is our idea for our thriller opening, it will include the following characters:
Woman - Parent of daughter
Daughter - who gets killed
Killer - person who kills the young girl


Our idea for our film is based around a woman who's daughter has been killed and she will not rest until she has finally bought the murderer to justice.
The opening scene will show the woman dreaming about her daughter playing in her room. She will wake up and rush into her empty daughters bedroom, after she will get ready and dressed. She will go to her study and open a file with all the evidence and information about her daughters murder and look at possible suspects. She will then travel to town and will hear a voice that she recognizes from the day of the murder scene.

The murder scene took place in her daughters bedroom at her home. The murderer was masked, he shouted at the parent and the killing took place which was witnessed by her mother.

Production Schedule

Lighting

Animatic Storyboard

Location for Filming

Target Audience

Thriller Genre

Identification of good to over rule the evil of the world, secrecy of governments and secret organisations in history.

Crime thrillers - focuses on criminals and what they do, emphasises action over pscychological aspects, serial killers/murders, robberies, chases, bank robberies.

Disaster thriller - survival in conflict with natural or artificial disasters, causes of human activity, future going to bring. Eg. The Impossibe, based on a true story of a family on holiday where a tsunami takes place and the family get separated

Mystery thriller - crime related, detective/private investigator, mystery that needs to be solved, circumstance of the mystery of crime, gets audiences attention and makes the audience think, dramatic effect.

Political thriller - stability of government, hero or heroine prevents bad things happening, 

eg elections, like V for Vendetta

Psychological thriller - plays with audience mind, produces suspense, shows mentality of the character and the thought processes. Eg. Flight Plan

Religious thriller - plots closely religious objects, institutions and questions. Show and provide good and bad points of religion.

Supernatural thriller - otherworldly element that shows something, tension and suspense, unsuspected twist, villains have supernatural gift, closely linked to religious thrillers. Eg. Avengers Assemble

Techno thriller - manipulation of sophisticated technology which plays a part of taking over the world, mostly based on fictional speculations on life. Based on world wars, action, and science fictional/supernatural events such as alien invasions.

Non linear - Where the film has a clear beginning, middle and end. A basic film to follow like The Impossible, they are together then the tsunami takes place then they find each other at the end.

Eg. Seven

Linear - has flashbacks of past life, like in Shutter Island where the woman has flash backs of the past.

Eg. Taken

Omniscient - where characters and the know details about what's happening, eg. Why someone is killed or what the aim of the event is.

Restricted - This is where only the audience know why a certain event is happening, for example the audience should know why a character is being killed and why whereas the other characters don't know who did it or why.

Story Board

Camera Angles - With Test Shots

For our opening scene we will be using the following camera shots:

Jump cut shot - this will add masculinity and tension to the scene, as the jump cut shot doesn't take up time and adds drama

Medium long shot - this will show the location and character at the same time, giving a hint onto the location as you will see the background.

Close up shot - this will be used to show the information about daughter

Panning shot - this will show the character delivering the case file smoothly and quickly

Test Shots:

Jump cut shot when coming upstairs

Medium shot

Close up

Music and Sound Effects

The music we will be using will be high paced. A heat beat like effects will be used to help dramatise the scene. Also music with a fast beat will he used, these sounds being used will be non diagetic as you cannot see the source of the music. Other sounds will include general city sounds like cars, traffic and crowd noise to help and realism to the opening scene. As the tension builds the sound effects will enhance this as it will increase and become louder. Adding sound effects and music will help grab the audience and increase suspense and mystery.

Here is an example of the type of music and sound effects that we will produce and incorporate into our opening scene: 

http://youtu.be/XOzCgLA3tKw

http://youtu.be/MTn6DHfF9Q8

http://youtu.be/VjZ-iUStAEI

Timeline - Opening Scene Walkthrough

0.00 - 0.15
-Production company introduction
0.15 - 0.45
-Woman having dream about daughter
0.40 - 0.55
-Woman wakes up and gets out of bed
0.55 - 0.65
-Woman rushes into daughters room
0.55 - 0.65
-Woman has flashbacks of the murder of her daughter
0.65 - 0.75
-Woman breaks down
0.75 - 0.80
-Woman gets dressed and ready
0.80 - 1.00
-Woman goes into office and looks at file on computer of daughter
1.00 - 1.15
-Looks at possible suspects
1.15 - 1.25
-Goes out door
1.25 - 1.30
-Walks into town
1.30 - 1.35
-Walks past man
1.35 - 1.40
Flash back of the murderer shouting
1.40 - 1.50

Title Sequence Research

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The title sequence of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo shows that the use of lots of different conventions such as the names of the cast and crew with a dark backgrounds which relates to the title of the film. Only 2 of the characters are introduced in the title sequence which tells the audience that they are the main characters when we see their faces form from a strange liquid that the whole title sequence is made up of. The title of the film is then put in bold dark writing which relates to the title again and is a Chinese/Japanese font, which also relates to the title of the film as dragons are known as a big icon in the Chinese and Japanese culture.

Seven

You can see some words being highlighted on paper and they are highlighted with a black pen. The black represents death and that something bad is about to happen as black is a dark colour and very dull. The objects shown such as blades and needles also help create a dark mood. The props such as the book and the images etc, add to suspicion to the viewers and make them wonder what the person is doing.

Fight Club

The title sequence begins with a plain black image when the music appears, making it mysterious. The music is at a fast, exciting and effective pace. The first title appears as the music suddenly goes very loud, which emphasises the “thriller” genre. The writing is in large, white block capitals. Which makes a strong image as the light letters contrast with the dark background. This contrast could be linked with the schizophrenic character the film is based around. The title then becomes blurry and fades out, as if it was hiding from something which goes with the thriller genre.

Vertigo

The title sequence of Vertigo however does not do any of this. First we see a a women we do not know who she is or where she is. This woman isn't Kim Novak and in fact we never see her again throughout the film. This type of filmmaking is extreme, it disorientates the audience. We fall into her eyes and then into a whole story of mystery. The representational turns into graphics. There is no direction or stability here,The colours do not match and only the motif of the spiral is constant.

Health and Safety - Location

British Film Classification

In the Uk Films have different rating to prevent younger people watching inappropriate material. This was formed in 1912. This is divided by age classification like U, PG, 12A, 15, 18 and R18

This shows the age of films. As Thrillers normally contain a lot of violence and fight scenes. Our opening sequence will not have much violence included in it so therefore it will be suitable for everyone to watch.

Call Sheet

Here is our contact information, this allows us to iMessage each other to plan and discuss media studies

Ben Homewood

Email address: ben.homewood@live.co.uk

Vicky Smith:

Email address: vicky_121_@hotmail.com

Weather for filming

This is the weather forecast for the location we will be filming in, the location is Dartford, this is an example of the kind of weather it will be when filming. This forecast covers the dates we will be filming. The colder days for example 30th-1st or the 9th or 10th are better because the thriller needs to have gloomy weather rather than sunny.

This is the weather forecast for one of the locations we have chosen the location is in London. When we are filming this is the kind of weather it will be. This forecast does cover the dates that we have chosen to film. The colder days and raining days would be better as the weather cannot be sunny and bright as it is a thriller. The days best to film in London is 31st/1st or 3rd/4th as they are the dullest days.

Production Introduction

Costume for characters