Sound

Just to add to the 8 tracks that we have for sound, if we want any other interesting tracks there are a few on the website below. Although they are titled horror they are not all necessarily for a horror movie.

http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/index.html?genre=Horror

Also as you can see at the top there is browse by genre or feel and i am sure we would be able to find some good tracks from here. They are all copyright free so are good for use.

Permissions letter and Chosen Location

Hi all,

I asked my dad to write a permissions letter to say that he gives us permission to use the farm land and buildings in our media film as these are our chosen locations. Below is what he has written and signed.

Opening Film Credits

I researched what needs to go into film credits. They are usually text shown on a blank screen although, like the James Bond films, some opening credits are built around some sort of animation. Even though this would be interesting and add intrigue to the story, because of time constraints it is virtually impossible to do this. Also we are at risk of deterring away from the story too much.

As we are only making an opening sequence, I researched into what is typically seen in opening credits as the end credits will not apply to us.

Title - The name of the film
Cast/Starring - Main characters (with cameo sometimes added)
In association with
Presented by
Narrated by
Writers/Creators - Based on, Written by
Production - Produced by, Directed by

Fonts

I was thinking about the different fonts that we could use for our titles. I have a CD with over 1000 different fonts so some of these we may be able to look at using. I have been through all of them and picked out the ones that i think are most interesting. Not all of the ones i have picked out will be suitable but i have done to give you and idea.
Unfortnatly i am unable to get them on the blog as the blog only has its preset fonts so i will print them out and bring them to the next lesson and also try to scan them in as an image to put on the blog.
The only thing we will have to look into is asking the IT department how we can get these onto final cut express if we wish to use them in our coursework. I do have a rough idea because i have imported them onto my laptop so i will bring in the CD and we can have a look at how it may be done.

Questionnaire feedback

From the questionnaire that we handed out for people to fill in, we have compounded a list of things which people like to be included in a thriller. 

The people questioned were aged from 10 up. 

All 13 interviewed said that they liked thrillers.

Out of the 13 asked, 8 of 13 said that they prefer thriller over any other genre but 5 did not.

From those we spoke to we have also gained a list of films that people have named their favorite thriller:

Sixth Sense

Golden Eye

The Bourne Trilogy

Phonebooth

2 Fast 2 Furious

Quantum of Solace

And 7 more.

The list of things that makes a thriller according to those we asked was:

car chases

fights

suspense

good character backgrounds

sub plots

voyeurism

high paced sequence

POV shots

twists to the plot

and dramatic music

Sound

I had a look at the website that you found on music Henry. As Grace said there is some very good pieces on there. I found a few that I like and would suit a range of possible films. Good shout. What is the deal on using them though? I don't understand.

Casino Royale Clip Analysis

Camera and editing:

The opening/establishing shot of this sequence of Casino Royale is an aerial shot circling an arena in an urban district of town or city in Madagascar. The camera changes to closer shots (MS) of the crowded arena then jumps to a close up on the ferret and snake in the arena. There is a close up of a bookie taking money off of some of the people for bets.

You the get a medium shot (MS) of the mark, the man Bond and his colleague are tailing. From the MS of the mark the camera then zooms out to a long shot of the mark. The focus of the shot then changes as the 2nd agent walks into the shot turning it into a close up. There are then various cuts of medium shots of Bond, the 2nd agent and the mark. Then there is a close up of the marks phone as he gets a text. As the mark leaves he spots one of the agents and chase begins. The spend of cuts increases and the angle of the shot becomes more extreme with low angle shots and high angles shots and a few canted shots. Then as the mark and Bond leave the arena there is an aerial shot of Bond running almost parallel to the mark.

Then as the action picks up more and more pace the shots start to incorporate fast panning and point of view shots all the way from the market to the building site.

Once on the building site the first 10 or so shots are all extreme long shots of the surroundings. Then it jumps to a close up of the mark drawing his weapon.

Then as Bond comes through a building in a truck a small sequence jumping between Bond and the mark commences with the gun being fired and the bullets impacting the truck glass. This obeys the 180 degree rule throughout and the time between cuts shortens until the mark runs for it.

As they start scaling the building the angles again become more interesting with canted, low and high angle shots.

Sound:

At the start the only sounds are the mob at the animal fighting arena and the two agents talking.

As the chase sequence really begins though there is a low note and pitch orchestral beat which I believe is played on drum and strings. This continues and builds throughout most of the sequence and takes a regular beat which does not change enough to be notice. While the case through the arena continues the mob can still be heard shouting and after the 2nd agent discharges his pistol, that shouting turns to screaming as people scatter. As they leave the arena though the rhythm does change and brings in African drums to the music. Over this the sound of people crashing through their environment can be heard. Silence then ensues as Bond disappears but comes back louder than before as he comes crashing through the building site, work men and machine going along in the background. Then as the chase starts to gain height by going up the building work the music becomes even more tense using higher pitches.

Casino Royale Clip

In this clip I am focusing on analysing the first 3 minutes. However, the entire sequence has potential core idea which could become the basis for something.

Thriller Music

I am aware that our group collectively or individually hasn't done much research on thriller music in films.

So, I have added a link which contains several music clips made for thriller films taken from the Enetiworld website (that not necessarily would be used but more for researched into). This gives me a feel for what kind of music would fit depending on the scenario of the film.

Plot Summary for Thriller Plotline

Here is one plot idea for thriller coursework, in my mind this is very brief and plot twists could be added to make the story more thrilling.

The film begins with a series of murders (in different locations) all with a link between them. The CSI step in. These murder victims have been marked, the killer sending a message.
As the Police start to understand what connects the victims, we cut (in simultaneous time) to the killer's whereabouts and next target. The target is now revealed to the audience, the police soon catch on.
Now it is all about the chase, can he survive?

Narrative Structure

Here is a link to information on narrative structure:

http://www.inpoint.org/pdf/LanguageofFilm01.pdf

'Mission: Impossible 2' Analysis

This film manifests itself as a spy or action thriller. In which the hero is generally a government agent who must take violent action against agents of a rival government or terrorists.

Aiming more towards action thriller, throughout the film very dramatic kung fu/karate is used based primarily on the influences of director John Woo. This is twinned with very "Hollywood-ised" stunts, influenced by the film's target audience and the film industry. I believe there are some key points that can be drawn from this opening sequence clip that would feed in nicely with our coursework.

The first thing I liked about the clip was the scale difference between the subject (Tom Cruise) and the location, although cleverly our focus is drawn to both. I know that it would be impossible to recreate a setting like that, but my point was that the setting added to the sequence as a whole and to Tom Cruise's character. We can see already (just from the opening clip) the character codes. We can see that he is adventurous, daring, strong and determined. All this information on the character can be drawn from just the setting they are in at that time and we can tell the audience a lot about the character just from the location alone. I believe it is vital to get across a lot information in the shortest space of time, as the trailer/sequence will only last 2/3 minutes.

My next point is on the camera techniques used, which link into the establishing of the scene and character codes. Throughout the clip, there were many close- ups used: head, feet and hands. I believe these shots intensified the portrayal of the character's struggle. This deepens the audience's insight into this character all before the beginning of the film, we see his determination, his drive, and in a way the maverick inside of him along with his constant thrill seeking.
There was another camera shot that was intriguing, the slow motion shot. This shot is short but it is full of tension, it provides the audeince with a heart-racing moment. This brings the reality and nature of the film straight to them. This is a shot I believe we could use or recreate for our coursework, for instance used as a signal of a flashback or important moment. Towards the end of the sequence, the camera pans around his face (almost moving in and out) heavily signifying his relief. This is another shot I believe we could use to show different to convey a sense of panic or uneasyness in our character.

At the very end of the clip, I felt the titles were interesting. The titles entered the screen at a fast pace, helping to signify the speed and tone of the film that is to come. Also, textual effect that was used was literally very explosive, the way the title of the film fragmented or shattered and then carries straight into the main film. I felt the use of these particular titles was (although flashy) quite powerful.

'Mission: Impossible 2' Opening Sequence

Location

To my photobucket location folder i have added lots of photos of my location. These photos are of all sorts and there are many more that i could have taken but i limited it because i thought that you are going to get the chance to see this for real when we location scout later on.
The only thing i have not included is images of the church which is only a few doors down and so easily accessible if we wanted to use this.

I have permission from my dad to use almost any of the farm which is pictured and with his permission anything we are unsure of. I also have many contacts within the village and i am sure i could get permission to use the church and other features of the village like the cricket pitch if we wanted too.

I was also thinking that if we needed to make anything for our production i have the facility to do so and if we knew in a reasonable amount of time i am sure that we would be able to do so.

Audience Research

I like what Henry has come up with for the questions for the questionnaire. The only one which i would like to change is the last one and instead of saying 'If you were directing', i think it would be better to ask 'What would you like to see in a thriller?'.
I think we should also add in the question 'Which age rated thrillers do you watch most?' to get an idea of whether people under age watch films that are not meant for older ages and if they do watch these what makes them enjoy these. This question could also be changed slightly to find out why people over the age rating still watch younger age rated films.

Certification Research Cont.

Following on from the previous post (All content in this post directly taken from BBFC Website):

12/12A Classification

Discrimination
Discriminatory language or behaviour must not be
endorsed by the work as a whole. Aggressive
discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely
to be acceptable unless clearly condemned.

Drugs
Any misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should
not be glamorised or give instructional detail.

Horror
Moderate physical and psychological threat may be
permitted, provided disturbing sequences are not
frequent or sustained.
Imitable behaviour

Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and
self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be
copied, or appear pain or harm free. Easily accessible
weapons should not be glamorised.

Language
Moderate language is allowed. The use of strong
language must be infrequent.

Nudity
Nudity is allowed, but in a sexual context must be brief
and discreet.

Sex
Sexual activity may be briefly and discreetly portrayed.
Sex references should not go beyond what is suitable for
young teenagers. Frequent crude references are unlikely
to be acceptable.

Theme
Mature themes are acceptable, but their treatment must
be suitable for young teenagers.

Violence
Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell on
detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood,
but occasional gory moments may be permitted if
justified by the context.
Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and
discreetly indicated, and must have a strong contextual
justification.



15 Classification

Discrimination
The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory
language or behaviour.

Drugs
Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not
promote or encourage drug misuse. The misuse of easily
accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example,
aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable.

Horror
Strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic
or sexualised.

Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and
self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be
copied. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

Language
There may be frequent use of strong language. The strongest terms may be
acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated
use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.

Nudity
Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without
strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a
non-sexual or educational context.

Sex
Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail.
There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour,
but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable
unless justified by context. Works whose primary purpose is
sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable.

Theme
No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate for 15 year olds.

Violence
Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction
of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to
be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also
unlikely to be acceptable.
There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence
but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and
have a strong contextual justification.



18 Classification

• where the material is in breach of the criminal law,
or has been created through the commission of a
criminal offence
• where material or treatment appears to the BBFC to
risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour,
to society – for example, any detailed portrayal of
violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use,
which may cause harm to public health or morals.
This may include portrayals of sexual or sexualised
violence which might, for example, eroticise or
endorse sexual assault
• where there are more explicit images of sexual
activity which cannot be justified by context. Such
images may be appropriate in ‘R18’ works, and in
‘sex works’ (see below) would normally be confined
to that category.

Certification Research

(Taken from BBFC Website) "Consumer Advice" -

"Consumer Advice indicates the strength of individual issues by using the terms ‘mild’, ‘moderate’, ‘strong’ and ‘very strong’, across the categories. For example, language at ‘U’ and ‘PG’ is likely to be ‘mild’ while at ‘15’ and ‘18’ language can be ‘strong’ and ‘very strong’. Where relevant, the frequency with which the issue appears in the work is also indicated".

There are many factors that influence a classification decision at any level when work lies between the borderline of two categories:

1) Context - The following factors, may be taken into account when dealing with context: the expectations of the public in general, the work’s genre (for example, a realistic approach may intensify the effect or a historical, fantasy setting or comic presentation, may soften the effect), the manner in which an issue is presented (for example, language used aggressively), the intention of the film maker (for examplewhether it is for educational purposes or not.

2) Tone and Impact - While the presentation of specific issues, such as sex and violence, may not be problematic at a particular category, if the work has a generally dark or unsettling tone that may disturb the audience.

3) Release Format - Classification decisions may be stricter on video games than on film. This is based on the increased possibility of under-age viewing or game playing recognised in the Video Recordings Act.

Location Scouting

1) Where can you get to readily by foot, train, car or bus?

As I live in a small village it is virtually impossible to get anywhere by foot, so car or a train would be the best options. I can reach Stansted, Bishops Stortford, Newport, Saffron Walden by car (driven by parents) quite easily. I can also get to cambridge by train quite easily as well. I have asked my parents and they seem fine about helping me with transport and travel wherever the location(s) for our coursework is going to be (within reason).

2) Are your parents willing to let you film at your house? What alterations can be made/tolerated?

I have told my parents about the requirements for our coursework and what it would entail. They seem happy to let us film in the house and pretty they will move furniture if needed and we can us lamps if needed as well. Overall, they seemed okay with the idea and would do anything to help really.

3)Where are the atmospheric places in your local area?

There is a farmtrack nearby that could be used (with permission) and it has fields that could be used to run through (like a chase scene) and at night time it has a eerie effect. Also, this set would be plenty big enough to accomodate a camera crew with all the equipment.

4) Sources of power/lighting?

Obviously if we go a certain distance away from the house, battery power will be required for the camera equipment. Natural lighting is not the only lighting that could be used, I have some powerful torches that could be used to create interesting lighting effects. Also, lamps are another source of lighting that could be used, the lamp could be altered to create different effects in the film such as: dimmed lighting or shadowy effects.

Character Codes - Phonebooth

At the beginning of the sequence the characters are shown in a large busy street and there are many different types.

These are as follows:

Dancers

Someone playing basket ball

Gangs of people

Gangs.

These are all shown through the way that they are acting and what they are doing. 

The main man is a rich business man and this is shown by his use of dialogue and the fact that he has a PA. He is well known as he has many clients he is chatting with and also has a friend who is a police officer.

Silence of the Lambs analysis

We agree with many of the points made by Grace in both films. 

We want to add to the her views made about 'Silence of the Lambs', I felt the opening sequence was very ineffective when it used the big blocky credits, this in my opinion took the focus away from the story line. I thought the running through the forest lead no where and just confused viewers watching, as to why she was doing it. We also felt the music disturbed the effect of the clip as it was too loud and too bold.