Group Post: Concept Development

Concept and Genre Development

• Our group decided to go with the genre of horror, with a sub-genre of psychological thriller.
• This is because from the film research of ;Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Liebesman, 2006); The Shining (Kubrick, 1980); The Ring (Verbinski, 2002), Se7en (Fincher, 1995) we decided techniques from each could be replicated. As well as this as a group we decided we all enjoy horror and could use our a opinion to create a tense title sequence creating climaxes and thrills for the audience.
• During the discussion we decided that we would use a psychopathic killer to be the main villain of our feature. One maybe resembling the murderer from 'Se7en'. Therefore our antagonist will not be a crazed killer yet a disturbed man who kills who victims with strategy in mind and makes it look like a suicide. The character will be played by a young male, but will be made to look older.
• We have already decided the location of our title sequence, an abandoned shed in Hever surrounded by woods. We feel this will be perfect for the genre and would create verisimilitude in the title sequence as it links effectively to the theme.
• We have decided on the plot, and the establishing shots will include shots of the surrounding area of the location and the abandoned shed. The title sequence will introduce the antagonist and where he lives, however his face will remain out of shot in order to create mystery and tension. Past victims will flash on screen and will be accompanied by a radio broadcast of police reports throughout. As well as this there will be panning shots of the equipment (chainsaw, work tools and poster board). We thought this would be a good idea for the genre as it gives a wide variety of information to the audience without revealing the antagonists identity, we found this to be common in our research (an example being 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre')

Group Post: Preliminary Task

Brief

• The preliminary task needs to use continuity editing which involves the a variety of distances, angles, pans, steadicam, handicam and cutaways.
• It should also follow the 180º rule to avoid disorientation for the viewer. Over the shoulder shot and shot reverse shot can be used to avoid disorientation as long as the cameras stay to one side of the line of action.
• The preliminary task should contain two lines of dialogue.
• Finally it should also contain a shot of an opening door

We decided upon a simple story line which involved an exchange of goods. We incorporated continuity editing showing changes in camera angle and distance. We also included a zoom and pan showing movement in our shots. We also followed the 180º rule and avoided disorientation. We used over three over the shoulder shots, to stay on the same side of action, and a POV shot which creates verisimilitude.

We also used many fade to black transitions which made our cutting look smooth. We used fade to black 3 times and a dissolve once to make our cutting not only look smooth but more interesting to the audience.

I believe the camera angles we used were creative and made our clip more enjoyable for the audience. Our story line was not the most exciting but it allowed us to use a range of techniques and still entertained the audience with a unpredictable storyline. The best shot we believe was the corridor shot with the slight zoom, this is a technique we should use in our opening sequence production. Our location was not planned and was chosen as we filmed it therefore meant our editing had to be precise to avoid confusion for the audience. Therefore for our opening sequence production must have a well planned location to make our clip realistic .

TH: Conventions of Horror and Thriller

Horror

The Shining (Kubrick, 1980)

• In the establishing shot the audience are panning over a lake, in a very open space. Ultimately I feel there is a sense of irony as we follow a car travel across an empty road as if all where normal.
• However juxtaposes this idea is the heavy soundtrack playing over the top, it is stereo typically scary with harsh tones and powerful instruments such as a tuba.
• I like how throughout the title sequence we as the audience are following a car, panning across rural country side. Again ironic, when thinking about the genre of the film.

Thriller

Vantage Point (Travis, 2008)

• In the establishing shot, we see distant shots of somewhere rural in foreign country, however what immediately highlights this as being a thriller is the heavy base in the sound track to accompany the visuals. 
• Another technique highlighting the genre is the high cutting rate and fast paced transitions between each scene. An example being the cars driving past and a sharpish change to the scenes of the crowds chanting.
• As well as this freeze frames are used on particular things to create tension. An example being  when the scene freezes on the sign of a cross through USA.

TH: Film Openings - research

TH: Film Openings - research

Casino Royale (Campbell, 2006)
http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/casino-royale/

• Like all bond films from the famous franchise the title sequence starts with bond twisting and shooting at the audience. Here we are introduced to the newest bond Daniel Craig. 
• Immediately after the shot, heavy music starts to play creating an atmosphere within the audience. As the song plays out we gather the bond like aspects to the soundtrack with bluesy instruments used, such as trumpet and piano. This creates the suave theme everyone Bond fan expects from the franchise.
• As the title sequence emerges we as the audience are transported into an animated land, where we see spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs are flying across the screen hence promoting the card-game based film. 
• The silhouette of Daniel Craig is the only glimpse the audience get of their protagonist, he is dressed in the classic suit and tie. Mise en Scene is used to highlight the heritage of the franchise. 

TH: Film Openings- research

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TH: Film Openings- research

Domino (Scott, 2005)
http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/domino/

• From the first second of the title sequence we are introduced to the protagonist, a bankable star also Keira Knightley (Pirates of the Carribean).
• We are immediately thrown into a fast paced thriller, with the dialogue seeming stressful and racing. From the outset we can tell this film is going to thriller, which is fast paced and full of action.
• However I like how the music of the title sequence juxtaposes the previous idea, as it is slow and chilled hip hop giving the film an urban edge.
• Another technique that adds to the unique and urban sense of the film is the transitions used in the title sequence, where we the audience are flipped between different pictures and shown the diverse cast, for example Mickey Rourke a famous action actor, whereas Keira Knightley is know for her intense dramas.

JT:Conventions of Horror and Thriller

Thriller 

Batman Dark Knight (Nolan, 2008)

• At the beginning of the clip there is an establishing shot, which displays the bank and the inner city location and then zooms into the robbers and into the action. 
• Tense music while they are robbing the bank shows the pressure of the job. Orchestral music re-enforces the hero theme of the film.
• There is also a relatively slow cutting rate to begin, which speeds up as the clip reaches the height of action.
• Throughout the clip the audience are positioned with the bank robbers, making the scene more tense.
• There are lots of props including guns used in the clip connoting death, gangs and law breakers.
• The way in which 'The Joker' robs the bank without doing a lot of the work and gets all the money to himself in the end, shows that he is an intelligent villain, has his own style of doing things
• 'The Joker' very iconic character, and a notorious villain. Audience are familiar with him    

Horror

The Ring (Verbinski, 2002)

• Dark and gloomy opening. The use of selective sound promotes the sound of rain and can be linked to pathetic fallacy.
• Very slow cutting rate, and slow zoom in on characters watching t.v.
• Low key lighting of the room, with just the lamp and the light coming from the t.v lighting up the room.
• No music used when the girl is explaining the video tape, again just the rain is heard. She is speaking very slowly and quietly creating tension. 
• Camera techniques are used to make the audience expect something to make them jump come. For example when she shuts the fridge door, the audience expect something to be there when shutting it.
• Sounds like wind are made louder, selective sound.
• Very slow cutting rate.

RS: Conventions of Horror and Thriller

Batman (Burton 1989)

Thriller

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (Liebesman 2006)

Horror

• Both thriller and horror film openings have a dark, gloomy theme to them.
• They both have a slow cutting rate creating tension. The mysterious mood grabs the attention of the audience.
• The two present the binary oposition of good vs evil.
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (Liebesman 2006) clip has a much darker evil mood, the non digetic sound that is used is dismembered and creates a psychopathic atmosphere.
• The Batman (burton 1989) clip has orchestrial music which creates a heroic, determined feel to the clip which reinforces the hero theme of the film.
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (Liebesman 2006) clip includes many dirty, horrible looking instruments, rooms and body parts which represent the inhumane, disturbed lifestyle of the evil character in the film.
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (Liebesman 2006) clip also includes many dead animals implying the theme of death will be present throughout the film.
• Common subgenres are psychological thrillers, crime thrillers and mystery thrillers. Where as horror involves the Monster scare, psychological thrillers and slasher.

Horror and thriller films share the common conventions of the following:

• Target audience of between 16-24
• 15 to 18 certification
Uses and Gratifications (active audiences) theory can apply.
Slow pace of Editing, builds tension. Long takes
Predictable narrative content (follows format)
Clear binary oppositions e.g. good v evil
Use of low key lighting
Dominant, hegemomic representation of gender: The Female Victim
Extensive use of close up
Incidental non-diegetic sound
Distorted diegetic sound
Extensive use of narrative off-screen space
Young/teenage characters
Use of hand-held camera: audience identification/realism
Both are villain driven plots
Stimulate the viewer's moods giving them a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and/or terror.
Point of view shots
Low angle shots

RS: Film Openings - Research

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (McKay 2004)

• This opening scene shows the audience the main charcter throughout. The audience get an insite into what the character will be like throughout the film which is information in which I may use in my film opening.
• The visuals are placed in a square box on the screne whilst the titles are clearly shown next to it on a black background so they are clear and easy to read.
• The box in whichg the visual is placed is replication an old fashoined square television screen. This relates to the theme of the film which is all about broadcasting news in the 1970s.
• The dialogue is very random and split up which may confuse the audinece. It suggests there is not a story or event continuously happening but instead the character is entertainng the audience during the titles.

RS: Film Openings - Research

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Fincher 2011)

• The opening of the clip is a black screen with intense, attention grabbing music. The visuals of the clip gradually come in with a flashing technique in time to the bass of the music. When experiencing this technique it made me want to pay attention and keep watching, it therefore would be a technique I would like to use in my opening sequence.
• The clip also shows computer equipment coming to life through the use of CGI, I would not be able to use this in my opening sequence but I do like this effect.
• The entire clip is filmed in the same theme, which is black paint or oil, which makes the the clip look unique. Fire is the only bright image seen in the clip which relates to the title of the film and creates a sudden sense of action and power in the clip.
• The clip is also restricted in content, the audience does not know exactly what the film will contain but keeps the audience intrested.

TH: Film Openings - research

TH: Film Openings - research

I, Robot (Proyas, 2004)

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/i-robot/

• Sound effects are used to create an underwater affect for the title sequence. This creates a sense mystery. As well as this it plays into the futuristic theme.
• There is a close up to finish of Will Smith who fits the action genre, this close up shows his ruggedness and powerful presence. By using the close up it gives the audience a closer look at the films protagonist. As well as this we can see a bankable star is used in the film.
• There are special effects throughout the sequence which shows straight away the genre is a futuristic sci-fi/ action feature. The effetcs shown are is if the audience are under water and bubbles are filling the screen. This promotes a the futuristic theme, whereby there has been a change. An example of this is the three laws of robots which are projected onto the water; 'A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.'
• Another techniques used is the way in which the audience is moved through the titles, a pan shot as if the camera is swimming through the bubbley water, I think this is clever as it may denote the bubbley attitudes of society at the time.

RS: Film Openings - Research

Se7en (Fincher 1995)

• The title opening has no dialogue making the audience focus more on the visuals in the clip.
• The clip begings with the sound of metronome creating an eerie mood, then a mix of sound effects and guitar is played creating a mood that links with the psychopathic theme of the film, the current sound playing is then mixed with a more intense music which builds intenisty of the non diegetic sound.
• The title sequence involves mainly close up of a mans hands performing tasks. This implies to the audience that hes a busy man yet his identity is kept anonymous.
• When titles where shown, such as actors, the background would fade to black or become darker so the white writing could easily be seen whilst maintaining the dark theme to the clip.

JT: Film Openings - research

JT: Film Openings - research
Avengers Assemble (Whedon, 2012)

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/the-avengers/

• Orchestral music is used in the clip, this creates tension and build up. It also backs up the heroic theme of the film as it sounds very dramatic and almost 'epic' connoting the importance of the heroes giving them a big presence.
• The close ups of the rugged, damaged armour creates a very masculine feel and promotes how heroic the characters are by showing close injuries that they could have incured during protecting others.
• The close ups give the audience a more in depth look at the characters and parts of their suit and armour that they have never seen before, giving a more personal feel and also promoting the level of thought and work gone into the creation of the characters by showing these details
• In the film opening they put the names of the bankable stars next to the props that they perform with or inside (suit), the audience are then able to make the link from the star to this. For example Robert Downey Jr.'s name is put next to the Iron Man suit.

JT: Film Openings - research

JT: Film Openings - research

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/this-is-england/
This Is England (Meadows, 2006)

• The old grainy clips show that the film is representing a past time in history, it is made clear that it is around the 80's with the clips of Margret Thatcher who is very recognisable and significant to that period of time. The use of real clips sets the date clearly and creates verisimilitude.
• The clips represent the culture and the way people lived at the time for example the clip of the rock/punk band shows the fashion at the time.
• The 80's classic, chilled music represents a laid back and relaxed time period. This is also displayed by the low cutting rate, creating a mellow feel to the clip
• Furthermore the clips establish that the films story is clearly based in England with patriotic scenes such as the queens jubilee and real clips of Princess Diana. Moreover there are also clips of working class Britain showing how the living conditions of the majority of people in the country live.

JT: Film Openings - research



21 Jump Street

JT: Film openings - research

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/21-jump-street/
21 Jumps Street (Lord&Miller, 2012)

Techniques - 

•  Fast, high cutting rate of different clips in the opening credits set the action, fasted paced theme of the film. 
• Diegetic sound such as the hip hop/pop backing music and the use of sound effects for each different cut gives a more lively feel such as gun shots and explosions.
• The way the credits incorperate what is going on in the scene by the use of motion tracking or pans looks good and is also easy to read.
• All of the the different clips in the opening scene are entertaining, making the credits easier to watch and it also sets the theme of the film immediatly.

Group Post: Preliminary Task Story Board

Group Post: Preliminary Task

Brief

• The preliminary task needs to use continuity editing which involves the a variety of distances, angles, pans, steadicam, handicam and cutaways.
• It should also follow the 180º rule to avoid disorientation for the viewer. Over the shoulder shot and shot reverse shot can be used to avoid disorientation as long as the cameras stay to one side of the line of action.
• The preliminary task should contain two lines of dialogue.
• Finally it should also contain a shot of an opening door

Ideas/Discussion ideas

• A variety of themes were mention in the discussion including a chase seen, an interview and a buying and selling deal. We chose the buying and selling deal.
• We discussed what item would be bought and sold and weather or not there was a twist to the story.
• We decided upon selling a computer game which is highly popular in modern society so it could relate to the audience.
• We also decided upon adding a twist to the story line to add drama.