Overall Feedback

Our own feedback from our thriller was that we could have spent more time on the soundtrack and make it better, also we could have used more diagetic sound in places, with the keys on the side in the kitchen.
The first group giving us feedback said that we used specific thriller conventions especially with the soundtrack. Their favored shots were the shot of the wine and the fridge and also the title coming on the shoe and its camera angle. But they said that in the clip with the fridge here was a slight pause that made it kind of stop running smoothly. They also said the final shot with the man in the window is a bit hard to notice him and he should be made noticeable. This is originally how we had it with the clip being longer, but after the rough cut we decided to shorten the clip as it would be more effective and her reaction to the video could have been more, but we did not want to over do this.
The second group watching our thriller said there was good tension throughout the thriller and has the stalking sub-genre of a thriller film. They also said we had very professional titles that work well were in the opening sequence. They believe that the rest of the film would be based on her continually being stalked and finding out who her stalker is.
Both of the first two groups said that our opening thriller sequence would pass as professional work.

Props & Costumes

For our opening sequence we will need to use some props and costumes, these will be:
Laptop - used to show the cd of the girl being followed by a unknown stalker
Kettle - this will be used at the beginning by the woman
Toaster - this will be used to put bread in at the beginning and then again once the woman has watched the cd, the toast will pop up and scare the woman.
Parcel - This will come through the door, containing the cd and a note.
Dressing Gown
Pyjamas
Suspicous Stalking clothes

Animatic

The Final Idea

Character
- Girl aged around 17 to 21
- Pretty Girl
- Desirable looking girl
- Wearing a dressing gown (we do not see her get out of bed. Filming starts with the stereo)

Setting
- Normal urban setting. The girls Flat (Hotel Room to like like home, possibly)
- Kitchen, containing wine from night before, toaster. everything a kitchen should contain.
- Normal lounge setting. Radio easily accessable.
- Laptop on the desk, on stand by.

Action
- First shot is close up of radio, her hand cuts into the shot to turn radio on.
- Walks into the kitchen makes a class of water, flicks the kettle on.
- Puts toast in the toaster.
- Brown envelope drops through the door.
- Character slowly strides over (not alarmed, highly normal) " She has a glass of water in her hand maintaining her relaxed attitude.
- Opens the envelope, sees a CD and gets CD out of the envelope.
- Sits at the laptop and inserts CD. It plays automatically.
- Shot from behind her to create a persuasive feeling.
- Short clip of what she is watching. Maybe black & White.
- Cuts back to her face, frightened.
- Looks in the envelope for more, pulls out a note.
- Audience never see the note, however we do see her face/ reactions.
- Cuts to a long shot of someone (not seen) looking into her room from outside

The last shot will give a sense that this girl is stuck within her home. She cannot get away. Whatever she does, she is being watched.

What does the envelope contain?
- The parcel contains a CD & a note

Notes

- Music is coming from a stereo. Maybe Chris Moyles. Therefore creating a very normal atmosphere.

- Within the envelope, after watching the CD she looks inside to check there is nothing else. She discovers a note. The audience never see what is written on the note.

- Toast goes in the toaster, the she receives and watches the CD. She is then shook up. The toast pops up (the noise is hightend.. Shes really jumpy)
- One shot a long shot of her being watch from outside the building.. eg across the road.

CD Footage

- Long shot of her walking along a street, camera is watching as if a human eye was. Close ups of her face. Many different camera angles to blaintently suggest that she is being watched or pursued.

- The audience see a shot of the paper from below with her face looking at the paper.

- Cuts to her face looking fairly frightened. As if she knows exactly what is coming.

- Toast goes in the toaster, the she receives and watches the CD. She is then shook up. The toast pops up (the noise is hightend.. Shes really jumpy)

- One shot a long shot of her being watch from outside the building.. eg across the road.

Garage Band

For this proect instead of using a pre-made soundtrack, we have to create our own one using Garage Band. On here we can produce a soundtrack exactly how we want, with it being quiet in places and then loud in other action, which will create suspense and mystery in our opening sequence. On garage band there is a variety of different instruments we can use, and in some of the previous lessons memebers of our group have used Garage Band to see if they can find out sondtracks or instruments they have liked that could be used in our actual thriller proect soundtrack

Possible Titles

Here are some of the possible titles for our thriller proect:
Stalk
The Follower
Trapped
The Video

More Initial Ideas

One Idea is.
- Group of students (5 or 6) go on a camping break with their school.

- When they reach their location (some sort of a forest setting) they discover that they have to stay the night in this place due to a certain reason (not yet known)

- The students discover the remainders of an old camp site as well as a resonably clean video tape, they gather round to watch on their cam corder.

- it shows frantic scenes, not in detail... they continue to watch the tape and discover clips of them walking on their trip a few days before.

- silence.

Another Idea is.
- First part of the film shows
- A few close ups e.g. silhouettes, camp fire, in a tent. etc.
- While this is going on the opening credits could be coming in at the bottom
-

The first idea...

Our idea is based on a camping holiday with a group of students. It will be set in a wooded environment, fairly dark lighting. These elements along with others will help add to the thrillers atmosphere. It will include shots that switch between each other fast making it jumpy.

Analysis Students Work

The students work we analysed was called Derilium Tremens. We feel that the soundtrack used was not good because it did not fit in with the film. The main characters suit was too big which made it appear unprofessional. Also you could not tell what was going on with the opening apart from towards the end when you guess he has a body in the boot. However there are a few good camera angles used for example the shot of the character closing the boot. It gives the impression that someone is in the boot of the car.
The setting was ok but we feel that this particular film could be set anywhere, this location is not great and could be better.

Review of students work...

THE RECKONING


This is a great example of a thriller convention as there is a sense of mystery. The viewer never knows or understands clearly what is about to come/ happen and it is this that keeps the viewer wanting to watch more, keeping them on their seats. The group have targeted the thriller conventions well which cn be easily related to a thriller sequence due to the surprise, mystery and enjoyment.

The opening sequence is structured well, it sets the scene without revealing important information which creates mystery and introduces the characters well.

There is good use of mise-en-scene, this is shown where there characters all have costumes to suit their role. Also they have props, an example of this is where they have guns and a suit case. Also they have used a building to film in which is appropriate to this opening.

Bourne Ultimatum Opening

The Bourne Ultimatum is the third and final in the sequence of the bourne films, it starts straight in with action, with ason Bournce holding a Russian Man hostage with a gun to him. Here they are talking about the russian asking Bourne not to kill him and Bourne says that he is not the person he is after. The setting of this opening is in a dark place and if you had not seen the previous one you would not no where it is set. But it is actually set in a medical area because Bourne is bleeding and needs to stop this. The opening soundtrack is very quiet at the beginning so you can hear the pair of people talking, it ends with Bourne leaving the screen. Then, when it comes into the title of 'Bourne Ultimatum' the soundtrack starts gradually getting louder. the title is central and small in all capitals, it is in silver with small shades of turquoise flicking over it. With Mise-en-Scene, Bourne is dressed in all black clothes where as the Russian man is dressed in his uniform and whereing a Russian hat. This is a short but effective opening sequence because it continues of from the previous film and kind of tells the viewer what is going to happen in this film.

Casino Royale

I think that this titles sequence is good because of the use of the siloettes throughout. I also liked the music and thought that it worked well with the titles.

Casino Royale's opening sequence showing James Bond in Prague in the Czech Republic. It shows Daniel Craig killing a man in his office because he was selling of the agencies secrets, in with this it has flashbacks of bond killing the man's agent in a toilet. He did not kill the man first time and bond picks up the gun and turns and shoots towards the screen, this is when it goes into the opening credits. The opening credits show producers, directors and characters names. With a background of cards and also the theme of cards this includes shooting hearts and other card symbols out of a gun. Also the theme of cards links in with the film and the title Casino Royale, as it is all leads up to a big poker game at the end of the film. Both men in the opening sequences are both dressed in suites, this potentially shows their wealth. the camera work is used well in the opening sequence when the older man enters the room, from the camera angles you cannot tell James Bond is waiting in the room, it takes a few seconds before the camera shows him.
The Soundtrack in Casino Royale is bold and good, it links in well with the action that is happening on the screen. Some of the sound effects used in this opening sequence are things such as gun shots, things smashing, all these sound effects are slightly exaggerated to enhance the action in the sequence. Some of the special effects used in the sequence include: A gun shot breaking a sink, the man being killed, breaking a mirror with a fist and also when another man is shot and he flies backwards off his chair.

Casino Royale

We think that this titles sequence is good because of the use of the siloettes throughout. I also liked the music and thought that it worked well with the titles.

Thriller

A thriller is a broad genre of a film, if often includes numerous and often overlappping different sub-genres. Thrillers are often characterised by fast paced, constant action and resourceful heroes who have to stop the plan of the villians. Most thrillers include cliffhangers, suspense and are usuallu extensively. They often take place in exotic settings settings such as deserts, but as this is only a college project we will not be able to do this quite so easily. The people in danger are you weak and unable too look after themselves and in most thrillers woman are becoming the main character. Some of the sub genres in thrillers are action thriller which containts lots of voilence and action and a race against time, another sub genre is crime thriller. Some examples of thrillers are:
Phone Booth
All Bourne films
Solo Voayge
Jurrasic Park