Target Audience Results - Miss Miller

My research was carried out so that I know what audience my thriller opening scene will appeal to and what they expect a new thriller film to have in its contents and what they have seen in previous thriller films that they have seen. This research will help me to create my opening scene by taking into the consideration the audiences appeals and to include the expect conventions they want to or have previously seen so that I have an effective, engaging opening. In this analysis I will be analyzing the results from the 40 people that my group ask the questions (closed and open) to and including the video footage of my Vox Pops that I completed as well.  

Questionnaire
1.     How old are you?

0-10    11-20     21-30    31-40    41-50      51-Other

2.     What is your gender?

Male      Female

3.     What type of age certificates do you enjoy watching?

U     PG      12A     15      18

4.     What types of storyline interests you in watching a thriller?

5.     What types of conventions do you expect to see in thrillers films?

6.     After watching the first film do you want to find out what happens next if it ends on a cliff-hanger straight away?

Yes          No

7.     What typical sounds can you remember from previous thriller films that you have seen?

8.     What is your favourite character from previous thriller films?

9.     What type of actors do you enjoy watching in thrillers?

10.                        What is a typical setting of a previous thriller film that you have seen? Secluded House     Forest       City        Industrial Estate        Other

11.                        What is your favourite thriller sub-genre?

Conspiracy    Crime    Psychological   Supernatural   Other

12.                        What storyline would you like to see in a new thriller film?

13.                        What would you see the main purpose of a thriller film to be?   

Suspense     Shock    Terror    Other 

Question 1 How old are you?

It is important to find out results for How old are you? This is because it will show me what the main age range of my target audience will be. From this I can then go and decide on what certificate film I need to follow the guidelines for in the production of my film so it applies to that age group. The results for this question show that a massive amount of the population are between the ages of 11-20 of age. This result shows that the target audience that I should be aiming towards is one that feels the age certificates of 12A, 15 and  18 as they all fit into this age category. I should probably aim my thriller opening genre around the 15 as it is the middle category and as most thriller films come under this genre as 18's are too gory and most likely to be horrors. This also shows that our narrative is likely to be more conventional as the younger audience will be able to keep up with a fast paced sometimes confusing narrative.  

Question 2 What is your gender?

By asking my target audience there genre I can identify what gender I want my opening scene to specifically be for. The results are nearly equal for this question as the results show that people asked in this question males were the majority by six. This could suggest that our thriller opening scene will follow a more typical thriller narrative with typical conventions as it will be in balance between the two genders. I state this because men are more likely to follow the thriller genre and are more likely to see over repetitiveness the typical conventions/narrative or one as well. Therefore following the same narrative as previous thriller films appealing to an audience that likes thriller films as a whole and not a wide audience if it didn't follow the normality of a thriller film.

Question 3 After watching the first film do you want to find out what happens next if it ends on a cliff-hanger straight away?

This question basically questions whether or not audience expects a cliff hanger at the end of a film under the thriller genre and whether or no they enjoy the fact they don't know the ending or have to wait for the next film in the series. The results clearly suggest that the audience does enjoy the used of the cliff-hanger so therefore when planning the narrative of my narrative I should plan considering the fact that I end on a cliff hanger so the audience will still be engaged in the scene even after it has ended. I think our opening scene is most likely to end on a cliff hanger as it is only an opening scene and the plot has to continue after, so in a way it is quite fitting that the questionnaire results reflect this.  

Question 4- What is a typical setting of a previous thriller film you have seen?

From this I will be able to conclude what setting the target audience wishes the setting should be for our opening scene. The setting of a narrative is very important to the audience. The narrative's location should always consider the audiences appeal so that they can relate to it and therefore be more engaged and bonding with the characters because they can relate to that setting in real life. The results suggest that the most popular setting that the audience fines terrifying or in some way can relate to is an industrial estate. Therefore I should consider this setting to appeal to my target audience and a wider audience as it is a less convention setting. But also the second result could be used as well because is more a conventional setting rather than the first option as it is commonly used in most thriller films. I think it would be better to used the industrial estate setting as it not commonly used and would be a new setting that would be conventional to the thriller genre as it quite a relateable setting, with lots of dangers, it is secluded and lonely and it has lots of lampposts which would create low key lighting.   

Question 5- What is you're favourite thriller sub-genre?

From this I can decide if the rest of my results will fit under one of the following thriller sub genres. The favourite thriller sub genre is Psychological by my questioned sample with over half of the sample asked agreeing on the question. This sub-genre contains such films as Se7en and Shutter Island which are very successful, popular films. Because this is my most popular by a massive percentage I should consider using this sub-genre in my narrative so that it appeals to my target audience which specifically enjoys this sub-genre. I think this is the most popular sub-genre as my target audience will find this type of thriller more interesting rather than a supernatural or crime thriller. So I need to, considering results of the other questions and then decide on micro elements that will make that sub genre.  

Open Questions Results
The open question results gave a wide range of answers from the sampled amount as nearly all of there answers had completely different answers but some did have close answers that were alike. For example Question 5 - What types of conventions do you expect to see in thriller films? The most popular answer for this question was either blood, knife or masked killer. Also in Question 7 What typical sounds can you remember from previous thriller films that you have seen? The most popular answer was the sound of the knife this is probably because it is one of the typical conventions as well and the audience understands that without the sound the purpose of the knife is not as scary than without the sound.

Summary of Results
I found a substantial amount of information from my questionnaire results. I found out what m target audience is and what that audience expects to see in a new thriller film depend on there like and interests of other thriller films. With these results I will take all information on board when planning my opening scene. I will take the audiences results into account so that our opening appeals to that audience so that therefore I will have an effective, engaging opening scene. If I were to do my research again I would change the structure of my questions as some of the keywords that were used were not understood by the sample. For example when I was asking question 5 some did not understand what the word "convention" and I had to re-word the question so it could be answered to "typical things you see". Also some of my questions are quite long and could be altered to short so they get to the point and make the interviewing process more faster. And finally I would ask more closed questions as I would then get a more direct response to the question.

Vox Pops
Here are a few of the Vox pops that I did to my sample. They are two students from my school and do  not to the media course.
Vox Pop One

Vox Pops Two

Group Narrative

Group Narrative
The purpose of a narrative is to create an engaging entertaining experience for the viewer that will grab the viewer attention some narratives are used for different purposes and used on different themes in particular ways. They contain various characters, dialogue and also descriptive language. The narrative method comes into 5 main categories Plot (whats going to happen),  Setting (where it will take place), Characterisation (main characters), Structure (how the scene will start) and finally the theme (genre of the narrative and message trying to be broadcasted. 

My Idea     
A secluded location away from the outside world, which is out of the way from help from anyone. Female Victim most likely to be blonde as in my research from conventions they are portrayed as weak because of stereotypes. The female and the masked killer will be around Low Key Lighting as it creates shadows and suspense. Killer can be seen in the distance following the victim but barely seen so that it is not obvious to the victim. Killer comes into focus under a light to create a sudden shock to the audience and disappears quickly again. To create this light from lamppost can be used as they are a light source and shadows to hide the killer. It becomes apparent to the audience what is going to happen as they can see the killer gaining on the victim. The victim can be killed or just knocked out as the killer maybe torturing victims so either a knife to kill or some form of cloth with some liquid to knock the victim out when en-haled. In addition the victim doesn't need to be killed as the ending of the scene could just be a reaction shot. Although its typical of most thriller films for the victim to be killed.

I like my idea because it follows the conventional narrative of the thriller genre of a antagonist and and protagonist with stereotypical characters under each of the roles. My narrative follows such thrillers such as Scream or Halloween. I have also used various conventions such as LKL, hidden identity, knife and also conventional uses of editing such as a reaction shot. 

Luke Durrance Narrative
In a empty are at night time the longshot shows a group of teenagers that are trying to hurt an old man thats on his own, the camera then shows a close up of the 'villain' in a mask, he is angry at what he is seeing happen to the old man, so as he comes out of the shadows he shouts over to the group of teenagers to stop. The camera shows the reaction of the old man as he is on the floor with tears rolling down his face, the camera then cuts to the leader of the group who is laughing at the 'villain' who is walking slowly towards them. As the man gets to the group there is silence until the 'villain' shouts at the group of teenagers who are standing there surprised at what is happening, the villain then helps the old man stand up, he then tells him to leave, the man is seen to be limping home as he is holding is arm in pain. Some of the teenagers begin to walk away as they are laughing but the leader of the group stays and the masked villain then whispers to him, 'there will be consequences . That is all that is said, he looks scared and he turns away and sprints off, the rest of the group follow him shortly after. There is a longshot that focuses on the masked villain standing on his own in the middle of the street in darkness. The next shot is of an abandoned warehouse, where the masked villain is sitting alone sharpening his saw, the shot after is of the group of teenagers from the previous night, they are all laid on the floor with their mouthes taped shut and their legs and arms tied together, one or two of them are crying. The final shot is of the masked villIan slowly walking in their direction, and he whispers in the same teenagers ear, 'what did I tell you'.

I do like the idea that Luke has, but I don't think it follows a conventional plot of a thriller scene as it seems to follow the conventional plot of a horror. It seems to complex for the audiences understanding as many events are taking place during the opening scene such as the sudden change of the setting and no apparent reason why or how each of the teenagers were in the warehouse with the killer. If I were to consider using this plot as part of our final opening scene idea I would deal with the situation of the teenagers and exclude them from the scene and just use the plot of the old man and the villian. Also I would maybe exchange the old man for a blonde female victim of some sort as it is conventional to the genre. Along with this I would start to consider other conventions such as the killing weapon, lighting, sound , camera angles etc.  

Hannah Mahoney Narrative
Its late at night and a little girl around 10 years old is playing with her dolly's in her bedroom. The lighting is low key and her room is set in an old fashion room. She hears someone singing downstairs so she goes downstairs to see what it is. We see a close up of her face and see her slowly walking down the stairs and see how nervous she is as she is trembly. Scary non diagetic soundtrack playing in the background as she is walking down the stairs to create suspense and build tension. As she reaches the bottom of the stairs we see the hallway and the chandelier is swinging. We hear the diagetic sound of her footsteps and the floor squeaking as she walks along. The sound of someone singing varys in sound goes loud and quiet. She walks into the kitchen and in the corner of her eye sees a scary little girl in a white long night gown who is quite dirty and is singing and crying. She slowly walks over to the little girl and the background soundtrack starts to get faster and louder. As she reaches the crying female actress she puts her hand out to touch her. As she does the music stops and the crying girl looks up and we see an extreme close up of her face as she screams.

I really like Hannah's idea as it is conventional to the thriller genre. It has a blonde female victim and she has started to consider the sounds that should be used as different stages during the narrative. I like how it is in an ordinary setting that the audience can easily relate to themselves. I think that the used of two girls is a bit unconventional as it is rarely seen two girls without a male in a scene, as males are seen more authoritative over females. I would consider using a male as it would make the scene more contracting between genders, making both male and females to be able to relate back to the scene. 
 
Group Narrative

After we all reviewed each others individual narratives we decided to collaborate micro-elements from each of our narratives that we all decided were fitting and were conventional to the the thriller genre.  We combined them in a spider diagram and selected some that fit and created a narrative from that with some additional out of the box thinking about switching the role of the blonde female to be the killer, as we decided she should be a child. It would still be conventional to the thriller genre as it would be similar to the plot of the opening scene of Halloween that we have analysed. This is what we collectively came up  with. 

A young girl covered in blood is walking along an industrial estate at night in ragged clothes stained with blood. She walks lonely and fragile in pain as something has happened to her and she appears too be cold and injured. She is walking along with her phone with its bright light illuminating her face. She walks under the deem shawdowed light source of the lamposts, with just the wind brushing past her making her colder. She is encounterned by a man in this distance shouting out to her. He comes face to face with her and asked if she is "okay" he can see by her appearence that she is hurt and in need of help. He turns away for a brief period of time to call help for her and turns back to see her disappered. In shock he hangs up on the phone and looks in the distance in search of the girl. He calls out and looks around but he cannot find her. He walks off trying to forget the situation when out of nowhere the girl appears behind him with a knife and a unseen face and screams out to disappear as he turns around. It keeps happening until she is in front of him and starts to run at him.

Narrative Theory
There are three main narrative theory's. Vladimir Propp theory is that every narrative has to have a specfic list of characters as they have a narrative funtion and they provide a structure for the text. This list of characters the theory suggests is The Hero, The Villain, The Donor, The Dispatcher Messager, The False Hero, The Helper,The Princess and Her Father.

Tzvetan Todorov theory is based on the idea of Equilibruim (a state in which opposing forces or influences are balanced) and Disequlibiam (a loss or lack of equilibrium or stability) The theory follows a cycle of equlilibrium - disequlilbruim - New disequlibruim.

Finally Aristotle suggests in his theory should have a Heading, Imctitng Incident, Dramatic Question, Character Goals, Antagonist/Protagenist, Stakes, Resoloution and Sympathy/Empathy.
  
The theory that we will be using will be is Todorov this is as our narrative follows his theory of a Equilibrium at the start where all things are equal at the start then the plot follows on to a Disequilibrium as the girl disappears. As the new Disequilibrium as the girl reappears and kills the teenager.   

Inspirations for Opening Scene - Miss Miller

Inspirations for Opening Scene

Over the time of all of the blogs that I have create I have seen various clips from a variety of thriller films. I have seen different camera angles, characters and various sounds throughout the whole of the time of creating my blogs from different films such as The Uninvited, Scream 2, Shutter Island.

My current idea is typical of most thriller films such as Scream, The Strangers and films alike. A secluded location away from the outside world, which is out of the way from help from anyone. Female Victim most likely to be blonde as in my research from conventions they are portrayed as weak because of stereotypes. The female and the masked killer will be around Low Key Lighting as it creates shadows and suspense. Killer can be seen in the distance following the victim but barely seen so that it is not obvious to the victim. Killer comes into focus under a light to create a sudden shock to the audience and disappears quickly again. To create this light from lamppost can be used as they are a light source and shadows to hide the killer. It becomes apparent to the audience what is going to happen as they can see the killer gaining on the victim. The victim can be killed or just knocked out as the killer maybe torturing victims so either a knife to kill or some form of cloth with some liquid to knock the victim out when en-haled. In addition the victim doesn't need to be killed as the ending of the scene could just be a reaction shot. Although its typical of most thriller films for the victim to be killed.

The Uninvited

In The Uninvited I have gained many inspirations from watching the clips from the scenes that I have seen, I have taken in the fact that intense eerie sounds that engage the viewer in the scene can have a dramatic and prolonged effect on the audience giving them suspenseful feeling and then can give them a shock feeling when they hear a sound which is out of the ordinary (not like the scenes mood) making them feel uncomfortable because they cannot relate to that specific sound at that given time.  

I also like the way that this film doesn't have a stereotypical blonde female victim as she is a brunette she comes off to the audience as a more clever and powerful character and gets the audience thinking whether she is close to her death or not as she seems less vulnerable than a blonde female victim. 

One final thing that I have taken inspiration from is the high angle that is used to show the character vulnerability to the killer as they are more distant from the viewer. I like the way it creates an emotional distance from the character as if the audience are out of range of help from the viewer, but also the way that it shows a large amount of the setting so the audience can relate even further. 

Scream 2 Cici's Death Scene

On the other hand this film does use the stereotypical blonde female victim. This is not a bad thing as its a common convention of many thriller films. I like the way the audience is immediately drawn to this character as she is secluded in her own household she is portrayed to the viewer as a dumb, weak, innocent character that will be killed off the film within the next few minutes. This can be seen as a strong inspiration on me as this is one of the things I have included in my first idea. 

Masked Killer/Hidden Identity is another character that is to be strongly consider in my opening scene as without it wouldn't be a scene typical of the thriller genre. The masked killer from Scream is an iconic figure that the audience of any thriller genre can relate to. The masked killer adds an element of mystery to the scene adding to the shock the viewer first gets when they first see it. I should strongly consider using this as taking the personally out of the killer makes the scene more typical of the thriller genre. 

Shutter Island

From shutter island scene I have used in my blog I can take away the inspiration of Low Key Lighting. In this scene it shows very clearly how the changing of lighting from High to Low can have a powerful effect on the audience. The mood of the scene is transported from a average mood to a deeply depressing mood mainly due to the sudden change of lighting. So taking inspiration from this I should consider having a sudden change in lighting even more sudden than the one in the scene so I have a more thrilling effect on the audience. 

Also from this scene I can see how import the role of the Close Up camera angle is specific to the thriller genre is and the emotional impact it has on the audience as emphasizes on the character faces showing all emotions that the audience can relate to which should be widely considered to be used as I want my audience to create a bond with the character in my scene. 

Last House of the Street

From this film that I have watched have taken inspiration from one of the characters in this film. In this film is a character which I feel is a conventional character and one that I would like to include in my opening scene. The character is portrayed as the killer in this film. But in my scene I would like to reverse this and portray the girl as a victim although she is the killer. I think this would manipulate the audience and make them able to relate further to the characters. 

Looking at these various clips from my blogs and from my thrillers that I have watched outside at home I have taken much inspiration. This inspiration that I have gather will help me collaborate ideas from different films together to create a conventional thriller opening scene that will be easy for the audience to relate to. I have taken ideas for different camera angles, characters, sounds, conventions and thriller elements. Through this I can have a more conventional narrative that is typical of the thriller genre and I will be able make the audience feel more involved as they will be able to reflect on emotions and connect through the different camera angles and sounds they will see and hear.     
    

How does the opening sequence of 'Halloween' inform the audience of the conventions of a thriller film? - Miss Georgiou

How does the opening sequence of 'Halloween' inform the audience of the conventions of a thriller film?

What is the purpose of an opening sequence?

The purpose of an opening sequence is to present the title of the film and cast the members in the film both at once using visuals and sounds. It can also show the audience location, plot, themes and genre. The opening sequence is very basic so the viewer is not confused and is engaged in the film rather than taken away.    

Codes and Conventions
There are many different conventions in the opening scene of Halloween. These typical conventions are a blonde female victim, hidden identity (masked killer), deep shadows because of the dark night setting at which the opening takes place. The blonde female victim is one of the most stereotypical victims as they are portrayed as weak and dumb so the audience relates to them as the audience can tell this is the character something is most likely to happen to first, this can be proved as this is what directly happens in the opening scene. The audience creates a bond with the character as they can see that the characters life expectancy has been lowered dramatically.  This convention is typical of the thriller genre as blondes are always left on there own in vulnerable settings because they are an inferior victim. Another convention that is seen is hidden identity the mask adds an element of mystery to the film, this can be seen as the film becomes more intense for the viewer when Michael puts the mask on. The mask takes away the identity of the killer and is not obvious that the killer is a child until the blonde female victim says his name.This is typical of the thriller genre as it takes away personally of the killer and makes them feel to the audience more violent.       

Cinematography
In the opening of Halloween there are only two different camera angles which are used throughout the the whole of the opening scene. The first camera angle is Point of View, which is conventional to the genre because it used used to display the characters vision which the audience can empathized and also show the body language of the character as well. This camera angles is used to show what the child/killer is seeing and his side of the scene. We see him creeping around the outside of the house and what he does all the way up to the end of the scene. (Picking up the knife, putting on the mask and killing his sister.) This camera angle is typical of the thriller genre as it shows the true sight of the character and also the characters thoughts and feelings. Although this one of the conventional angles it is most commonly used on the victim and not the killer as the killer is usually hiding away from the sight of the victim. The last camera angle is the High Angle which zooms out, this is conventional to the thriller genre as it makes the characters look smaller and more vulnerable to the audience. As everything is still while this is taking place it has a dramatic effect on the audience as it creates an emotional distance with the character also this is typical of the thriller genre as shows a large amount of the background to give the audience clues about the following events of the film. The cinematography used in this film is very conventional as high angle and close ups which are very convential in the other thriller films that I have seen as the high angle shows vunerablity and the close up shows facial expressions which are a key element of mise-en-scene.  

Sound
In the opening scene there are a mixture of familiar and sounds aimed at the audience for the purpose to engage them and to create a connection with character. One of the first sounds that engages the viewer is high pitched, which is conventional to the thriller genre as it gives the audience a sudden rush of feelings, the sound takes place when the teenagers go upstairs and turn the light out. This is a non-diegetic sound as it is not part of the film and is only there for the purpose of the effect on the viewer, although off-screen it relates to the scene and makes sense. One of the sounds when the killer is making his way up the stairs is the sound of the clock. This sound could be seen as conventional if it has been interpreted by the audience as foreshadowing the events of the girl's death will take place soon. The sound is diegetic as it is meant to be part of the film although the source of the sound cannot be seen. One sound that is constant just before and after the killing is the soundtrack (Non-Diegetic) the soundtrack which is conventional as it resembles the emotions and the pace of a heartbeat which is relevant to the scene and thrillers, as a death occurs. It peaks at the killing becoming more high pitched and intense for the audience and is parallel sound as it matches the events that are taking place in the sense, hence the peak. The sounds are convential to the thriller genre as they are used to engage the audience in with what they are watching with pace, sudden shock of emotions, and sounds which are familiar with the audience so they can relate to the setting and characters.    

Characters
There are a mixture of conventional characters in the opening scene. The list of characters are a child, teenagers and parents.  The child who is the killer is typical walking around the house like he is planning out how he is going to kill his sister although to the audience he may seem like he is only trying to scare them until he pulls out the knife. He is a typical child on Halloween night in a scary costumes back home from collecting sweets which makes him seem harmless. The teenagers are also very stereotypical as they are in love cuddling and kissing on the sofa and then go upstairs. They are seen as being forgetful as they leave the back door opening allowing anyone access to the house. When the girl teenager is upstairs she has no protection as her boyfriend has gone home showing her vulnerability. Finally the last two characters are the parents witch are briefly seen at the end of the scene  starring at the child as they can see what he has done. This is the typical average family as there are four apparent characters in the family and typical to the thriller genre as this is an average family (in most thriller films killer is after a group of people usually a family) which is vulnerable in a suburban area which they live. This is a conventional set of character in the thriller genre as the audience can easily relate to a family because the audience will have alike family members in the film. For example a younger brother.    

Narrative
The narrative is set in a conventional setting as it can be easily related to by most individuals, is a suburban american neighborhood with an average family becoming split with a child killing his sister from his point of view and his parents coming home to find devastation. The narrative contains various conventions such a typical blonde female victim, which is naked when she is about be killed which increases her vulnerability even more than before adding to the fact she hasn't got the protection of her boyfriend anymore. She is killed by her brother and the scene ends with her parents coming home to discover the events which have taken place. This is a typical narrative which most of the audience can relate to in one way and relates to the thriller genre because most narratives of this genre are based on vulnerable families in suburban settings.  

Editing
In the opening scene there are only a few editing techniques used as there are not a variety of camera angles used as it is mostly shot from one view. There is a use of continuity editing. Its the editing process at which shots between transitions run smoothly for effect as most films are edited in this way it also gives the impression that edits are motivated by the events in the reality on screen. Also the timing of the shots, some shots are either edited slower or quicker ,which is conventional as they are used to add emotional impact or to create suspense and change according to the events of the opening scene, which are the main elements of a film under the thriller genre. When the killer is killing the scene becomes more fast paced for effect on the audience as there feelings are at the same pace as the scene and slower when he pulls out the knife from the drawer as it apparent to the audience what is going to happen and so they clear see what the character is doing. These types of editing are typical to thrillers as they are used to create suspense and shock for the audience to feel.     

Conclusion
The opening sequence of the thriller inform the audience of the conventions of a thriller as it is slow paced it shows in detail in stages what the conventions are. The sequence starts off with a house in a suburban area and shows the audience the typical characters that would live in that setting. Then as the scene progresses we can see that the knife and mask are also conventions as they are highly focused on, the knife is slowly pulled out and the mask restricts the sight of the killer lastly the last convention seen is the blonde female victim which is highly focused on soon after the killers identity has been hidden with the conventional mask. The female is seen as a convention as she is alone all on her own without protection. Also the audience can see the typical camera angles they are expect to see in the thriller genre and the effect they have on themselves in relation to the character in addition the typical sounds they hear which suddenly are imposed with a wave of emotions.  From these the audience can speculate what the conventional narrative of a thriller film would be.

Summary
This analysis of the opening scene from Halloween will help me in planning my own thriller in the way that I have seen the main aspects of an opening scene and what typical conventions are in an opening and also the structure and follow of scene. I have also gained an idea of what camera angles I should start to take into consideration, characters, sounds and the narrative of my opening scene as well. I have a scene which I can take certain aspects and ideas from and change to suit my opening scene that I will be creating. Also I have gain from the research that I should use a typical setting that the audience can easily relate to such as a house and attempt to use the whole of the setting so that the audience are familiar with the setting of the film and can relate even further because of different aspects of the setting they see. In addition I can see the effects that eerie ,intense sounds have on the audience sending them into a sudden sense of shock and nerves as they are made sounds they will not recognize as they have been made and are really high pitched. Also I should consider using sounds that foreshadow the events of the film like the clock in the scene which shows that time is running out. I could use a heartbeat which could also foreshadow death of a character.
In addition I have also taken some inspiration for my thriller opening scene as I have seen the conventional character set of a thriller. I particularly like the idea of a child killer as it is different from other thrillers such as it is different from other thrillers such as Hannibal. This is as I find it more disturbing that a grown up killer.
Also I like the way that the audience doesn't know the killer is a child until the end of the scene when the camera is zooming out to display the child still looking into the distance. I would like to find a way to collaborate these two inspirations into my opening thriller scene.
The last inspiration that I have taken from this research is the used of the knife in this scene, I like the way it stands out and glimmers in the light and is used violently in the attack on the killers sister and I would also like to use this in my scene as the knife is a conventional weapon used across the whole of the genre.     

Research into the History of Thriller Films - Miss Georgiou

Research into the History of Thriller Films

Introduction

The thriller genre is created by the using suspence, tension and shock as the main elements. Thrillers get the audience involved by making the audience bond with the characters. Thriller films tend to be fast-paced, surprising, and unexpected. Thriller films provide a sudden rush of emotions to the audience for example, excitement and exhilaration. Thriller films aim to keep the audience on the edge of their seats as the plot peaks towards a climax. Under the thriller genre fall sub-genres such as psychological thriller, crime thrillers and mystery thriller. Thriller films usually contain a protagonist attempting to get away from a antagonist.

1920's-1930's
This is the first time period where thriller films appeared. Alfred Hitchcock's first thriller film was The Lodger. This was a thriller film made from a silent film and its plot followed a plot along the lines of a Jack the Ripper story. Alfred Hitchcock made vast amount of thriller films in this period also including The Man Who Knew Too Much, The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes. There was also various other directors in this film period such as George Cukors, Walter Forde and Michael Powell.  

This is a picture from Alfred Hitchcock's The Lodger. This film is a black and white silent film and straight away as the audience we can tell that this is a conventional thriller film as it shows a possible female victim and a tall, half masked killer. The film contained actors such as Ivor Novello who starred as the main character The Lodger. But also a mix of other character who had appeared  in other silence films during the era such as Marie Ault and many others. The narrative had been successful as it followed the real life events of what happened in London.  

1940's
Hitchcock's films continued into the next era directing Foreign Correspondent but also the Oscar Award Winning Rebecca. It follows the narrative of the romance between young women and a rich widow which is seen by a housekeeper whom is the killer who tries to convince the young women to commit suicide to taunt her husband in the memory of  his first wife hence the title Rebecca.

In the picture above it shows the young woman being convinced by the killer to commit suicide. The killer looks like a terrifying, sinister person who puts evil thoughts into her mind which is conventional to the thriller genre. We can still see that into the era of the 1940's black and white films were still being made but no longer silent ones and this film had dialogue within it.

1950's
Hitchcock's Films in the 1950's started to be involved with technicolour because of this films became more life like. Hitchcock started to employ more glamorous stars. His first technicolour film was Strangers on the Train. The plot of his earliest film in the 1950's involved two strangers on a train, hence the title, trying to plot against each other and murder each other.

This was different from Hitchcock's other narratives that usually involved one killer against a hopeless victim, whereas this film involved to killers battling against each other. This film involved two high profile actors Farley Granger (who had been in another Hitchcock's film called Rope) and Robert Walker (whom starred in comedy films and other various genres he also had illnesses previous to the making of Strangers on a Train. 

1960's
This was the era when the modern thriller was born. The most famous thriller of them all and the most recognized scene as well. Hitchcock struck again with Psycho. After Hitchcock's classic thrillers of the previous decades he produced a shocking and engrossing thriller Psycho which narrative involves a motel owner and a taxidermist. The film starred such actors such as Anthony Perkins (who starred in romantic comedy's and other genres and was also nominated for a Tony Award for his role Look Homeward.) ,Janet Leigh (who was killed off early in the movie but won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in her role in a movie.)

One of the most famous thriller film scenes was in Psycho. Was where the shadowy mother figure brandishes a knife towards the camera killing the woman in the shower. The narrative of this film carries on to the present day of a masked killer killing innocent victims and has become a convention of the modern thriller movie.

1970's and 1980's
After the twist of the thriller films in the 1960's this era saw the films of the genre become even more violent and also sparked more directors with even more extreme and more exciting narratives. This would be the last era that the father of thriller films, Hitchcock would be involved in.

One of his last films Frenzy, followed the story line of a serial killer based in London which follows the killer raping women and then strangling them with neckties. Barry Foster plays the serial killer in the movie, whom has previously played a dutch detective in his previous film. So had been on the opposite sides of the law over the course of the two movies.

Also in this era Steven Spielberg broke into the film industry with his low budget film Duel.

The plot involved a battle between a traveling salesman and a unseen truck driver which was unconventional to the thriller genre as the killer was killed as the end of the film leaving the traveling salesman (Dennis Weaver) to carry on with his life. It was unconventional in the way that killer's in previous films had always killed their victims without any problems being involved.     

1990's to the present day
This era started with Misery which was based on the book by Stephen King and directed by Rob Reiner.  But arguably one of the most famous thriller films in this decade was Silence of the Lambs by  Jonathan Demme. Its plot involves a young FBI trainee is after a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill by the advice of the fictional character Dr. Lecter.

This film contained a star cast of Jodie Foster (whom has been nominated and won countless awards), Anthony Hopkins (played Dr.Lector) and Scott Glenn (as the killer). 

Se7en is a classic example of the modern day conventional thriller film involving a serial killer reenacting the seven deadly sins hence the title. being hunted down by detectives Brad Pitt and Morgan Freemen. Two iconic actors at their peak at the present time and nowdays.

Films from the naughtes onwards add all the elements of the previous eras before together to bring the best out of the thriller genre as its peak as it is better than ever before nowdays. Because thriller films contain near to the same plot as each other, Thrillers tend to borrow some elements from the horror genre to make them more realistic and gory so the audience can relate to them because they are more modern. Examples of these films are Eden Lake and The Last House of the Left. 

Top Thriller Films of all time

Hannibal - Hannibal is the highest grossing thriller film of all time which grossed $165,092,268 in 2.292 theaters. Release in 2001 it made $58,003,121 on its opening release. The film is set ten years after the film The Silence of the Lambs and the main plot is Staring attempts to catch Lecter before his surviving victim captures and kills him. The film revolves around these two characters played by Anthony Hopkins and Julianne Moore. This film was set at the target audience was teenagers upwards because the film was massive portrayed in the media which brought significant attention towards the films release. The purpose of this narrative it to show obsession to the audience as Starling is left trying to catch Dr. Lecter after a drug raid that he is connected to after finding his surviving victim.

The Silence of the Lambs - This is the second most highest grossing film of all time grossing in at $130,742,922. And on release date in 1991 earned $13,766,814. The film is a prequel to Hannibal but made before as Hannibal continues the story. This is perhaps why it grossed more as The Silence of the Lambs was a particularity interesting movie that the target audience want to see more of. The plot follows the story line that a U.S trainee, seeks the advice of Dr. Lecter to imprison a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill. Dr. Lecter again played by Anthony Hopkins, this shows that he is one of the most popular thriller actors being in the two highest grossing thriller films. The target audience for this film is the same as Hannibal. The purpose of this narrative is to show the audience a modern and never seen before type of thriller film that involves a cannibal. It also shows the division between right and wrong as the main  characters involve a serial killer that has captured a girl and a US. Trainee in search of the serial killer.

Saw II, III and IV - This films series together grossed on average $70,000,000 but collectively accumulated $230,612,748 and are all placed in the thriller top tens. On its release dates it was seen in around 3000 cinemas. This film series is based around a killer called jigsaw placing people in traps to teach them lessons in life in what they have done wrong. The serial killer is played by Tobin Bell. And victims played by various casting actors. (As there are so many of them.) Saws target audience is around 18 upward this is because of its high violent scenes the the younger ages crave. This is what makes it a popular film and therefore is why its series is the highest grossing thriller series of all time. The purpose of this narrative "according to the serial killer" is to teach the general public lessons for there wrong doing, this is why they have been placed within a series of traps that they have to complete to survive and maintain their lives. As a result they are either brutally mutilated  or rarely escape unharmed. By this they are cleared of their sins and will not commit to any mistakes in the future.

 Summary
My research into the whole of the history of the thriller genre has made me see how the course of the genre has changed over a massive period of time. It has changed from a silent black and white film, slowly to technicolor and then onto massive budget productions with famous cast lined up for key roles. I have seen how the narrative of thriller genres has changed over the course of different eras and what the conventions of thrillers are and there expected narratives are. I have realized that Alfred Hitchcock has had a massive influence over the genre creating the modern plot of thrillers and having made one of the most iconic films and scenes over the course of five decades and how different directors have broken into the genre under the shadow of the master himself.

Narratives have changed as they have become more extreme as over the years the audience has asked for more as some of the stereotypical story lines have been used time over time again. In the early days of the genre story lines involving one killer and many victims were used such as the lodger. This typical narrative can be seen today in films such as scream. But the audience over the years of progression have asked for more gore and guts this can be seen in some decades after the first thriller film, Se7en was launched which showed the audience for a first time extreme scenes of demoralized bodies and death.

Conventions have changed over the time period of the thriller genre as well. In the early days of the genre female victims were used as they were seen as weak by superior men in the early 1930's for example they didn't have the same right to vote etc. Whereas in the modern eras as times have changed and women have equal rights to men more men have been used as victims in thrillers. For example in Duel and Se7en the main victims are men. But in addition men and women are used in equal proportions this can be seen by the modern thriller Saw where men and women are used in the traps set by jigsaw. Also the way that victims have been killed have changed for example in the early days of the genre knifes and physical strength have been used to nowdays various complex traps have been used as they are more violent and gory for the audience.  

 My research has helped me realize what the thriller genre's objectives are and what is the conventional plot and conventions to be followed when creating a film. This will help me when I am considering the narrative of my scene that I will be creating as I have taken inspiration from famous directors and the films that they have made which I have seen a few.  

    

        

Research into Sound within the Thriller Genre - Miss Miller

Sound is a very important element in film specific to the thriller genre as without it the audience wouldn't feel the emotions that the film aims to give them when experiencing/watching the film. It's used to create an understanding for the audience and to create a response from the audience and
engage them with what they are watching.

I have chosen a clip from The Uninvited as it is a familiar film which as a variety of different types of sounds. The clip I have chosen from the film is below.

Sound of Wind 0.00-0.19

The sound of wind is at the very start of the clip as it Diegetic Sound that is off screen as the source of the wind cannot be seen but it can be seen that the curtains are moving showing that the sound is meant to be there and therefore makes sense to the movie. The sound is very terrifying sound as it sends a sense of coldness down the viewers spine as its a familiar sound that they can relate to if or not in the same situation as the character in the scene. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is a commonly used sound as it creates suspense and tension as it is a quite sound that is soft and slow, as the wind is a recognizable sound that the audience can relate to and can be deemed as eerie and scary as the sounds are quite violent and chilling. The sound slowly picks up pace as the sound becomes faster and louder therefore more tense for the audience making them create a connection with the character as it starts to resemble the sound of a heartbeat when accompanied by the non-diagetic sound of ticking. This sound has been used to give the audience a sense of normally, the sound it quite light as it barely herd but its mainly used as a basis for more negative and disturbing sounds to occur. As a result the audience become more engaged in the scene as they feel a negative feeling occur as the sound gives off a chilling sensation.  

A Sinister Sound 0.10-0.17    

The sound of the wind is followed by a high paced sinister sound, the sound gets faster and faster and suddenly stops when the girl drops the glass of milk for a sudden reaction from the audience. The sound is a non-diegetic because it is not part of the film and it only there for effect on the viewer, it is off screen sound as the source of the sound cannot be heard. The sound builds up incredible tension for the viewer as it is suddenly placed apon them it builds up there heartbeat as they are scared for the character and themselves as they prepare for a sudden shock which they expect to see in the near future of the scene. This is conventional to a film specific to the thriller genre as some sounds are designed for the audience in mind to engage themselves in the scene. It is a sudden sound which scares the viewer as it is eerie and is made therefore they haven't heard a sound like that before. The sound is usually loud to send the audience into a sudden sense of shock, this is why it is typical to the thriller genre. This sound is specifically used in the build up of suspense for the audience, as a result of this they are left with an uneasy feeling and wondering when the sound is going to end and what will happen next.

Blood and Water Dripping 0.13-0.16

This sound is accompanied by the sinister sound which makes the experience even more intense for the viewer. The sound is a Diegetic Sound as it is meant to be part of the seen as the source of both of the blood and water can be seen in the image with the sound. The blood is coming from the door handle from the keyhole and the water dripping onto the wooden surface therefore because we can see it is on screen sound. The sound builds up tension and suspense for the viewer as they can relate to both of the sound that they are hearing from everyday use of water and personal experience as they have probably cut themselves before but not heard that intense sound of dripping before so therefore building tension up even further as they are not used to that amount of noise. This sounds are conventional to a film in the thriller genre as they are expected sounds  the viewer expects to hear as blood is one of the main recurring symbols in thriller films and without the noise it would have the same effect on the viewer. It creates a bond with the character as the sound of blood could resemble the character at the moment or later on in the scene. The sound of blood moving is more disturbing that of water as it sounds more thicker as it is oozing out of the keyhole, this is because it drips slower that water. This is used in the scene to create the element of shock as the mood of the sound has only just changed from, chilling to disturbing, this sound is used to complement the sinister sound and is just suddenly herd by the audience rather than a gradual build up ,alike the complemented sound. As a result the are left slightly distracted from the build up of tension as the sound is not similar to the sinister sound, but understand as blood is a convention of the thriller genre that it has some relation to the plot of the narrative.

Soundtrack 1.09- End of the Scene

This sound is accompanied by dialogue within the scene. The soundtrack starts off very quite and peaks at certain points to create tension and prepare the audience for the next event of the scene. As the scene progresses the soundtrack becomes more fast paced as the events become more scary as the victim is freaked out by her boyfriends back becoming broken and as he starts to move closer towards her. The sound is non-diegetic as the sound cannot be seen and therefore is off screen. Also soundtrack is parallel sound as it matches the events which are taking place in the scene. This sound is conventional to the thriller genre as without this type of sound the scene wouldn't have the effect that is meant to gain through the use of it, which would be to create suspense for the audience and draw them into what they are watching and also create that bond which they are expected to make with the character as they can hear that the circumstances of the scene has changed from one of which is calm as she is being comforted by her boyfriend. Then from her discovering something is wrong/out of the ordinary with him. The sound is mainly used to keep the audience engaged in the scene, as the scene would not continue to have the element of suspense without this sound. As a result the audience alike the sinister sound are left wondering what the forthcoming events of the scene are, making them feel anxious for the characters in the scene.

Evaluation  
My research into sound specific to the thriller genre has made me see how important of an element this is in thriller films. I have been shown how without sound how it takes away the want feel of the scene which means that the feelings that the audience are meant to feel with not be felt not giving them the expected experience the directors want them to feel. Each sound that his heard by the audience has an objective to effect on the audience in the way that they will be prepare for future events and also engage them in the scene of witch they are watching. All the sounds that I have recognized and analysed are effective in creating suspense as they start slow and pick up pace engaging the viewer and making their heartbeat raise and match the tempo of the sound as if they are the character and experiencing what the character feels as well through the sounds heard. There are some sounds which make the audience panic as they are sudden placed apon them which sends them into a sense of shock. The clip has inspired me in the way that I have learnt the importance of sound in a scene and how it massively impacts the audience as a whole and without sound the thriller doesn't feel like a thriller at all.



Research into Age Certificates and The BB - Miss Georgiou

Research into Age Certificates and The BBFC

I researched my evidence for Age certificates and the BBFC from the BBFC website or   http://www.bbfc.co.uk/ all relevant evidence for each of the age certificates was on this website and no other sources were used. 

BBFC is the British Board of Film Classification. The British Board of Film Classification is an independent, non-governmental body which has classified cinema films since it was set up in 1912 and videos/ DVDs since the Video Recordings Act was passed in 1984. It is important to the film industry in the way that it prevents the public from watching films that are not suppose to be watched by them depending on there age and suitable content for there age group. 

The BBFC play a massive role in the film industry as they are the decide on which rating the films should be before released into the cinema or on DVD. They do this by a special process for both of the release markets of films. 

Cinema - They were first set up to bring classification of film nationally in the cinema. They have the powers but they are restricted by local councils as they have the right of veto. Councils can pass films that the BBFC reject or ban films that the BBFC pass or even alter categories. Releases are classified by two or more examiners using the guidelines of the BBFC, they classified  films by looking at there issues such as discrimination, drugs, horror, imitable behavior, language, nudity, sex, sexual violence. Also they consider context and the impact of the work before making a decision on its certificate. 

Video - All video recordings offered for sale or by hire must be classified by the BBFC under the 1984 Video Recording Act. DVD releases are classified by one examiner following the same guidelines as above.  

In addition the BBFC are a non-profit organization, this is as they do not receive subsidies from the film industry or the government.      

U- Universal Rating

Universal rating films are suitable for ages 4 and above, they contain very mild language such as the word "Damn" or "Hell". Characters are allowed to kiss and hug there is strictly no sexual content as it is not suitable for this specific age group, aloud to explore most themes as long as the theme is suitable for a young audience. There messages contain positive morals and are completely anti-drugs. An example film of this age rating would be Cars 2 as it is a fun adventure movie which fills all of the category's of a U rated films. It contains funny jokes, positive messages and no uses of drugs.But also friendships. Other examples of U rated films by the BBFC would be The Smurfs and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  

PG-Parental Guidance

They are films that are for general viewing and have been made for a young audience in mind but also are not generally for younger audience. They don't have to follow any particular themes but they can challenge particular things such as domestic violence, cannot contain illegal or anti social behavior also no smoking or drinking are not promoted to the audience or any other negative messages should not be apparent. Some bad language is allowed such as the word "shit". Sex references are acceptable if they are in a comic form. Weak violence is allowed but blood and how injury is created cannot be seen by the viewer. Jumpy Moments allowed with no threats. No ideas that can be potentially dangerous such as playing with electricity nor any showing easily acceptable weapons aren't over shown and only passing references to illegal drugs. An example of a PG rated film would be Johnny English which is a comic family film with very weak violence with not showing how injury is created has guns but they do not show shots going into people or blood. Other example of PG rated films would be Night at the Museum and Evan Almighty. 

 12 or 12A   

12 are for the viewing of anyone over the age of 12 and therefore do not need to be accompanied by an adult but are only used as a rating on DVDs. Whereas 12A are for under 12 who need to be accompanied by adult for viewing, which is the cinema rating. They are not recommended for very young children and is up to the adults judgement for whether it is suitable for a member of the younger audience to view. The 12A rating may contain strong language, very brief sexual scenes with some mild nudity that does not display detail and is discrete. Violence is allowed but no detail to be seen alike weapons easily available to members of the 12A viewing cannot be seen. Sexual Violence is allowed but once again must be brief and be justified. Horrors are allowed at this film rating but under strict conditions must be mild and no disturbing all allowed as they could be damaging to the audience viewing. But dangerous behavior is permitted such as committing suicide if reasoned and maybe sight of drugs that are not glamorized. An example of a 12/12A rated film would be The Woman In Black the film comes under the thriller genre and at this certificate would be the lowest for that particular genre it shows no threat to the audience that would be damaging but does show 3 girls committing suicide by jumping out of the window. No injury are shown just a loud shrewish from a woman. Other examples of 12A rated films would be GI Joe and After Earth.

15 Certificate

No one under the age of 15 is allowed to view this certificate film. 15's can include a variety of things such as strong violence, strong language  partial sexual activity, verbal references to sex, some nudity, brief scenes of sexual violence, some discriminating language, and some drug taking. Sexual Activity Portrayed must have no detail, the scene can be long in length and can have movement with strong references. Violence is allowed but should not consider or show pain or injury created by showing gory images. Sexual Violence allowed and can be detailed and also weapons easily accessible not glamorized. Most Horror films are rated at 15 Certificate they are allowed to have a strong threat and violence but no gory images are allowed. Alike self harming allowed but not in detail. Drug taking may be shown but not to encourage use or misuse. Substances easily available not shown. An example of a 15 certificate would be I Am Legend. This is as it contains strong violence pain or close ups of gory are not seen. Also contains some disturbing scenes throughout the film such as the zombie dog seen that may upset underage viewers. Other examples of 15 rated films would be The Dark Knight and Die Hard.

18 Certificate

Not for the viewing of anyone under the age of 18. It is a a leap from 15 as it lets go of all boundaries. 18's can show very strong violence, very frequent strong language, strong sexual activity, scenes of sexual violence, strong horror, strong blood and gore, real sex and finally discriminatory behavior and language. Strong language used can be aggressive with use of racist, homophobic comments that can be made by main characters. Full Nudity is allowed with real sex although it has to be justified. Clear uncensored images can be shown with detail with strong flesh materiel. In addition sex education films are allowed as well. Strong Violence can show gore and pain. Strong horrors are usually placed in this category usually ones that pass the boundaries of 15's. Drug Taking can be shown but cannot be promoted. And lastly self harm can be shown but criminal behavior that could cause harm to audience is cut. An example of an 18 rated film would be Saw as it shows very strong violence with very gore scenes also in come cases drug taking is shown with the aid of self harm due to certain traps. Other examples of 18 rated films would be Wanted and Sinister. 

My Narrative Rating

Considering the narrative of my idea of a female victim being killed by a household objects which are easily accessible by younger audiences but also showing strong violence with pain an blood I would have to rate my narrative at a 18 Certificate as the lower boundary 15 is not allowed to show pain and how injury was created by the killer. My narrative would be suitable for the above 18 audience as they can easily understand what is happening and would not replicate it in real life whereas if I were to place it at a 15 certificate they may see the weapon as an easily accessible weapon and may not be old enough to understand the damages that such an offensive weapon can create and also maybe disturbed by the images they are viewing.