Evaluation of my opening to a thriller

I believe that my opening to a thriller fits the criteria it had set out to fulfill because it uses a wide variety of shots and effects to create a professional and interesting quality to the overall piece. Especially the tracking shot of the men in the corridor which really shows off the use of camera angles and movement within a single cut. The use of lighting is also key in the effectiveness of my film because the contrast between the light of the day in the establishing shots and the illusive shadows and lighting in the hospital create a change in time and mood to shock the viewer and grab their attention from an otherwise docile scene.

The choice of non diagetic and diagetic sound in the film is also key to the overall effectiveness of the film because it builds tension to a climaxing point where diagetic sound dominates and creates a dramatic ending. The slow music at the start is to fool the viewer in to thinking all is well but as the introduction of the characters in the vehicle begins the music takes a different role and helps emphasise the seriousness of the situation. The main theme music is taken from the 'American Gangster' soundtrack which is a similar style film involving gangs and violence which is why the music was chosen for the piece.

If i were to redo my thriller opening then i would consider changing the shower torture scene because i believe it is too dark for the intended mood of the film and it loses quality because of the lack of lighting. Also the diagetic sound of the actor shouting "shoot him" could be redone to give the impression that the child is hearing it from his point of view which is another way of changing the mood of the piece, allowing the viewer to feel more immersed in the film.

My media product uses variations on lighting and use of suitable music to create a classic thriller genre film. Harsh shadows and dark corners were created using strong and carefully positioned lighting which created dark and mysterious feel to the continuity piece and final product. This is typical of a thriller because it keeps the audience wondering what is going to happen next which was the primary objective of the film. Also the choice of music was carefully carried out to ensure it created an ascending feel of tension that climaxed at the final scenes of my final product.

A media institution that would distribute my final product would be a film company renowned for classic thriller such as 'New Line Productions' who created film such as 'the exorcist' and 'Se7en' which are classic examples of films that fit the thriller genre. I believe my product would be distributed by this style of company because it follows the rules of a basic thriller and uses new techniques to create the same mysterious effect that is necessary for a thriller piece.

The audience that would be suitable for my media product would be males aged 18 and over because my product contains scenes of violence that would be unsuitable for younger audiences according to BBFC regulations on age restrictions. I think this product would be more suitable for a male audience because the film contains scenes of violence and torture that would usually be associated with male fans but i do notice that some smaller groups of female and older generation viewers would be interested in the mysterious story line because of the twists in the plot.

From constructing my media final piece I have learnt many techniques involved in the process of constructing a convincing media product that delivers a thrilling mood to the audience. The main process I have learnt is how to use the equipment given to create effective and professional looking scenes that can be easily edited and added to to create a final product. This is mostly relevant to the operation of the editing software on the computers because i had to learn the basics of constructing a film in lessons and quickly progressed to being able to edit a series of clips in to one flowing film. Also the camera equipment given to my group took getting used to because it required more technique than using a standard digital video camera and this took some getting used to but from my media lessons i have learnt how to operate this equipment effectively.

Looking back at my continuity piece i believe i have progressed in several key areas that have helped me create a high quality final product. The main one of these being the use of equipment, when i first started filming the continuity piece i struggled to handle to complicated equipment and tended to use it in effectively which shows in the continuity product. This did however allow me to get used to the controls of the editing software and camera equipment which meant i was much more effective in constructing scenes in the final product.
When constructing the continuity piece i also found limit in which the camera equipment would go e.g. filming whilst moving, this allowed me to not use some of the techniques i would have if i had not done the continuity piece but it also helped me use those limits to my advantage and create better quality scenes in the final product such as the corridor scene.

The high points in my thriller product are the use of non-diagetic sound because on closer inspection, the music changes to suit the visuals that the viewer is seeing e.g. the vehicle appears on the horizon as the music changes tempo which subtly changes the mood of the audience and keeps them intrigued. I also think that the corridor scene in the final piece is very professional looking because of the detailed mise-en-scene and lighting that creates a dark and realistic, industrial scene. It was also filmed on a moving platform which was difficult to control and this took more time to shoot but it created a better final scene.

The low points of my thriller is mainly the diagetic sound that appears on the film because it believe it doesn't match up to the quality of the rest of the piece. This is mainly evident in the torture scene where an actor shouts at the main character, i would redo this scene if i were to do it again because it sounds distorted and unsuitable for the rest of the clip. This is a minor issue though and does not affect the product a great deal in my opinion.

Overall i am very happy with my media final piece and i enjoyed being part of a great media group that strives to create the best finished product in the time limit. I am proud of the finished product we have created and i believe it shows all the techniques i have learnt over the AS course including use of light, representation, camera angles and use of sound to create effect. I would change small aspects of the final film, mainly the diagetic sounds but i am still very pleased with the final product and believe that it shows how much i have learnt over the media course.

Thriller Essay

How does the director of the thriller film 'Se7en' create tension in the opening scene?

The opening to the film 'se7en' is a very dark and mysterious scene creating a sense of mystery through various techniques such as lighting, text and diagetic/non-diagetic sound. The mood of this scene sets the tone for the rest of the entire movie.

The lighting used in this opening sequence is key to creating a clear and dramatic sense of the thriller genre that will echo throughout the entire piece. Strong back lighting is used to white wash the rear of the frame and create focus on the pages being turned in the foreground of the shot. This technique creates a warm and satisfying feel to the start of the film reassuring the audience of the mood and lulling them in to a false sense of security which is key for the thriller genre. Also the fact that the pages are the only objects to be seen in the first frames allows the viewer to focus on the book and create a sense of mystery towards what is written within.

Another way the director uses the opening to create the basis of a thriller genre is through the use of Non-diagetic and diagetic sound which creates the suspense in the opening scenes. The non-diagetic music heard in the background of the piece increases in tempo as the scene progresses, on a closer analysis, the transition of shots quickens with the pace of the music to build tension within the scene and heighten excitement for the audience. The diagetic sounds present within the opening scene are very mechanical, emphasising the workings of an object the character is using or suggesting something to the audience that cannot be seen. The sound of the pages being turned also adds to the tension of the piece because it contrasts to the quick sounds of the music to create suspense for the viewer.

Extreme close ups throughout the clip also create suspense for the audience because the camera never fully reveals the bigger picture of the scene and keeps them guessing throughout the opening sequence to ensure they are gripped by the time the first characters are shown. Also, coupled with the diagetic sound of mechanics working and papers, the close up shots define what the viewer is seeing in the frame and helps to create a sense of precision and quality in the persons work.

The use of text in the opening credits is very effective in creating tension for the viewers, the use of 'handwriting' style text and 'projector like' imagery creates a sense of darkness within the scene and the constant flashing of white and yellow disorientates the audience and makes them concentrate on the images more carefully which heightens the drama of the credits. Also the effects used on the typography to create flashing and messy credits gives the impression that the characters are rushing to work and are jotting the character names down like suspects or clues.

The director uses a range of techniques including sound, camera angles, lighting and text which collectively build tension throughout the entire scene leaving the audience on the edge of their seats when the first characters are introduced. This is an effective way of starting a thriller because it entices the viewer in to the story and then hooks them as soon as the first character situation is presented.

Final Thriller product

This is my media group's final 'opening to a thriller' called 'The Asylum'. It shows the start to a gang culture genre of thriller that is full of action and suspense. The idea for this opening sequence was loosely taken from the film 'Blood Diamond' where young children are trained to use violence to bring across their message, in this case a young boy shooting a restrained man. The clip involves a gang of men forcing a young boy to first go with them and then kill another person in an abandoned hospital.

BBFC Age Ratings

The age rating for films in Britain determines at what age a person is able to watch the content of the chosen film. The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) is the regulator of such ratings and they decide on the final age rating that a film will be released on cinema at or on DVD. This information is taken form the BBFC website and explains the different levels of classification for films.




The current BBFC system is:
• Uc: (Universal Children) Suitable for all, but especially suitable for very young children to watch on their own. (formerly used for video and DVD only - classification not currently used)
• U: (Universal) Suitable for all. (The board states that while they cannot predict what might upset a particular child, a 'U' film should be suitable for audiences aged 4 and older)
• PG: (Parental Guidance) General viewing but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. (It is the board's policy that movies rated 'PG' should not disturb a child of about 8 years of age or older; however, parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset young or more sensitive children.)
• 12A: (12 Accompanied/Advisory) Suitable for 12 years and older. No one younger than 12 may see a '12A' film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult. (Exclusively for cinema, '12A' was first implemented on The Bourne Identity and, contrary to popular belief, not on Spider-Man, which was first released months before, under the previously fully restrictive 12 certificate, and then immediately re-released to take advantage of the new guidelines).
• 12: Suitable for 12 years and older. No one younger than 12 may rent or buy a '12' rated video. (Until 31 August 2002, this mandatory certificate used to apply to cinema exhibitions as well)
• 15: Suitable only for 15 years and older. No one younger than 15 may see a '15' film in a cinema. No one younger than 15 may rent or buy a '15' rated video.
• 18: Suitable only for adults. No one younger than 18 may see an '18' film in a cinema. No one younger than 18 may rent or buy an '18' rated video.
• R18 (Restricted 18): To be shown only in specially licensed cinemas, or supplied only in licensed sex shops, and to adults of not less than 18 years. (These films contain sexually explicit, pornographic content.)
Films may receive a different rating when released on DVD/video to that at the cinema. It is not unusual for certain films to be refused classification, effectively banning them from sale or exhibition in the UK. Any media which has been banned receives an 'R' certificate (Rejected).

Continuity Piece

This is the continuity piece that was produced by my media group, it is designed to demonstrate various uses of camera angles and non-diagetic sound. The music sample used in the clip is taken from the film "28 Days Later" and we used it because it builds in intensity until it reaches a climactic crescendo where the main twist of the film occurs. The film starts with several panning shots of the location of the chase to establish the overall setting. This is when the music increases in tempo from a quiet tone to a frantic and rushed beat that compliments the visual elements of the video. We used low level lighting and bright spotlights to create harsh shadows on the walls and floor seen in the film which adds to the dramatic, thriller style genre that the clip was trying to represent.

Examples of Camera Techniques

These are examples of camera angles that will be used in the film industry, i will be using a selection of them in the making of my continuity piece and opening to a thriller. They are key in creating a believable and professional quality video because they allow the audience to be emmersed in the story and not get confused with the position of the characters.