Target Audience Results - Miss Miller

This feedback from the target audience shows us that we are looking at a majority male target audience as this is who we asked most of out questions to. This could mean that we get much more conventional feedback such as an attractive female victim and chase scenes as this is more attractive to them. This also means that we may not get to see the aspects a female looks for in a thriller film.

The feedback from this closed question tells us that the majority of people we asked in this questionnaire was aged 16-18 years. This tells us that we are looking at a younger target audience and they may look for much more modern thriller conventions that have arose in the last decade, such as gruesome scenes. This may mean that we have to consider the feedback other ages gave us as well to gain ideas from different generations.

Here the majority of people we asked said that they either preferred age 15 or age 18 certificate films. This is a reflection of the majority 16-18 age group of participants in this questionnaire, as they are likely to prefer the older age certificates as they are catered for that age category. This also tells us that we may need to feature some mature content in order to appeal to the audience and make the clip a 15/18 age certificate. 

30% of participants said that they're favorite thriller film was Shutter Island and 25% said Inception, both of these films have very complicated plots and are both typical thriller films with low key lighting and many other thriller conventions. This tells us that we should create a opening scene that is complexed and leaves the audience wanting to solve the complication  Psycho, which is one of the older thriller films, only got chose by 10% of people as there favorite thriller film, this shows that it is a dated film and we need to make sure we include the modern day features of thriller films.

Here 43% of participants said that their favorite thriller sub genre is horror, this again reflects the gruesome preferences of the 16-18 age bracket. This informs us that we should include some sort of horror in our opening scene, this would be easily achieved through the use of creepy music and low key lighting. A lot of people also said that they like action as a sub genre to thriller, therefore we may include some sort of chase during our opening sequence.

Over half of the people we asked said that they are interested in a female victim, this could be because people feel like they need to help a female victim as they are much more vulnerable. This could also be because many people can relate to a female victim as they may have a Sister or Mother who they can draw connections with. This tells us to include a female victim in our opening sequence, which is also a typical convention of a thriller.

Three quarters of the people we asked said that they prefer the killer to have a hidden identity in thriller films. This tells us that a hidden identity creates suspense and fear among the audience as it is also a typical thriller convention. We are going to use this feedback to our advantage and use a clown mask to create a hidden identity for our killer. This hidden identity also links well with the horror sub genre that we are going to use in our opening sequence. 

From this question we discovered that the majority of participants said that they prefer to see 13 - 19 years old actors in a thriller clip. This could be a reflection of the fact that we asked a lot of 16-18 year olds to complete the questionnaire. This tells us that they want to see people who they can relate to as actors as they can then put themselves in the same position as the characters. Many people said that they'd like to see actors under 12, this is interesting as it tells us that although we may not usually expect to see young children in thriller films, it does interest the viewers.

Open Questions:

In our questionnaire we only asked one open question and that was "What setting do you like in thrillers?" The feedback from this question was that people like a setting that they can relate to such as a family house, but they like it to have a mysterious twist. However I feel it will be difficult to portray many of the conventions that we want to in a house, therefore we may make our setting outside.

Summary:

Overall the feedback that we have received from the questionnaire has been very helpful. It has made it clear that we need to include a horror element in this opening sequence and that we could do this through the use of hidden identity. Therefore we are going to include some sort of masked antagonist in our opening sequence and we are also going to include a female victim as this is what the majority of our target audience preferred. It has also been made clear to us that we should cast actors that are in their teens as this will create relationships between the characters and the audience. Although most of the participants said that their favorite thrillers were Shutter Island and Inception, we are going to take inspirations from the film Scream instead. 

               Vox Pops:

Group Narrative - Miss Georgiou

A narrative is any account of connected events presented to a reader or an audience. The purpose of a narrative is to engage the audience so that they have something to follow. A narrative will consist of many elements which entice the audience such as a main character whom they will look out for, an antagonist whom they will fear etc.

My Narrative idea:
My narrative will start off in an empty forest at night. A young female will be walking home from a night out with her friends, she will then feel as if she is being followed by someone. Tense music will then be played to create suspense. After attempting to reassure herself that no one is following her she hurry's on home, at this moment she hears a creepy laugh come from the darkness, she then begins to hurry home even faster until she hears footsteps behind her. (The camera will go into handheld POV mode as she attempts to escape.)

My narrative follows Aristotle's theory as it focuses on themes used throughout. For example we have an inciting incident at the beginning and also sympathy for the victim. The opening sequence also contains some of Todorov's theory, as we have an disequilibrium as she is kidnapped. 


Advantages:

• Has a female victim.
• Low key lighting can be portrayed.
• The antagonist is a clown so hidden identity is used.

Disadvantages:

• No ending so far.
• May be a bit short.

Joe's narrative:

Young (12 years) Boy walking through posh estate at night, face is shadowed and a series of high angle shots of him walking his way down the path with eery music playing as he goes. The opening credits flash in and out of the screen, moving and flashing slightly to imitate the impression of mystery, suspense and fear, much like the opening credits in Seven which is seen bellow. Out of nowhere several people wearing masks appear and begin to chase him. He is forced to run into the forest where he falls over and hears laughter come from several directions. He screams loud and then the screen blacks out.

Advantages:

• Has hidden identity.
• Has a chase scene.
• Has tense music.

Disadvantages:

• Does not follow any theories that well.
• Audience is not connected to the victim. 

Reggie's narrative:

A young blonde female wakes up in a basement and sees the door open and she walks upstairs, while exploring the house that she has never seen before a series of different angles and camera movements are used to create suspense and fear. She hears more and more eerie, strange noises around the house, she tries to exit through the front door but it is locked. As she looks around for another way out she walks into a room to find a man wearing a hoodie and holding a knife sitting on the bed, without saying anything the man stands up and begins to walk towards her, she turns round to run away and in the chaos while suspenseful music is playing, she runs into a room and slams the door. The screen goes black and all sound stops.

Advantages:

• A conventional female victim.
• There is a hidden identity.
• Low key lighting can be incorporated.
• Iconography - knife.

Disadvantages:

• Does not closely associate itself with any theories.
• No audience-character relationship is built

Group Narrative:

A young female is saying goodbye to her friends after a night out on Halloween. She is walking on her lonely walk home and tells her Mum that she will be home soon. On her way home she is hearing creepy noises from the darkness. As she passes through the underground car park a out of focus figure comes into shot. Then she turns around but nothing is there, she then starts to hear the creepy laughter of a clown, this is when tense and creepy music comes on. She then turns around to see a person standing with a clown mask on and holding a knife. At this point she begins to run and the camera goes into handheld. Then the screaming stops and we see her being dragged into a bush. This is when the film title comes up. This narrative would appeal to my target audience as it features a young female victim whom they can relate to.

Theory:

Vladimir Propp was a russian film critic who came to the conclusion that characters and function are the most important features in a narrative, such as a hero, a villain, a falso hero etc.

Todorov suggested that a narrative has five structural stages,

1. a state of equilibrium at the outset
2. a disruption of equilibrium
3. a recognition of this disruption
4. an attempt to repair this disruption
5. back to the equilibrium

Aristotle used unities of time, place and action to describe his narrative theory. He basically concluded that a tragedy would include, an inciting incident, dramatic question, character goal, resolution and goal. 

Our group narrative is based on Aristotles narrative theory as it has an inciting incident, this is when the girl begins to be chased by the antagonist, this is something that entices the audience. There is also a dramatic question in our group narrative, this is as to who the antagonist is and why he's kidnapped her.

Opening Scene Analysis - Miss Georgiou

Conventions are the typical things which feature in a film to make it belong to a certain genre. Typical conventions of a thriller genre are suspense, enigma, low key lighting etc. The opening scene of a film has to have loads of different conventions to engage the audience and encourage them to continue watching the film. The opening scene of Halloween features a variety of conventions of a thriller film. I am going to discuss how the audience are informed of the thriller genre through the conventions used in the opening sequence of Halloween.

The first notable convention the audience see in this opening scene is low key lighting, this is linked in with the setting as it is night time. The use of low key lighting in this here informs the audience that the film is a thriller as it creates some sort of suspense and builds an erry atmosphere. This erry atmosphere is created because low key lighting disallows the viewers to see what may be lurking in the darkness, thus creating fear among the audience.

Another convention of a thriller film we see in this opening sequence is the use of hidden identity, this is when the young boy puts on the clown mask. Again this convention is used to strike fear among the audience as they know who is behind the mask but the victim is unaware. This convention makes it clear that the film is a thriller as it is a type of enigma, a mystery to the character as to who is behind the mask, and a mystery to the audience as to why the young innocent boy has become so evil.

Iconography is used in this clip to inform the audience that the film is a thriller. As the boy is approaching his sisters room he picks up a knife, this knife is used to connote what is about to occur; a murder, which happens to be a convention of the thriller genre. This use of iconography is also used to build suspense because it makes the young innocent boy become so dangerous and the audience become aware of what he is about to do.

Research into sound - Miss Miller

In the thriller genre, sound is often referred to as one of the most important aspects, it is used to set the scene, create suspense, tension and also to portray certain emotions across to the audience. There are many different sound techniques that are used in thriller films, in this blog I am going to analyse the sound techniques used in the following clip:

The use of dialogue in this scene is used to create an affect. The dialogue used by the man on the phone (Scream) is somewhat calm and relaxed compared to the victim. This is called non diegetic sound as it is from out of the film. The effect of this use of non diegetic sound is that it makes the antagonist look superior compared to the victim, as he is so calm and not phased by the fact he is about to murder someone, this tells the audience that he may be a stone cold killer. Also the non diegetic sound used in this scene is hidden behind a phone (we cant see the source of the voice) this creates a sense of mystery amongst the audience as they are curious as to whom the voice belongs to, thus then relates back to the thriller genre as an enigma has been created.

There is further non diegetic sound used in this clip, this is when the antagonist tells the victim to turn on the patio lights, here the audience hears a loud and sudden sound repeated. This piece of non diegetic sound is used to represent the fear that has just struck the victim and also to represent her heartbeat, this non diegetic sound has also been used to shock the audience as they are not expecting it. The effect on the audience is that their attention is drawn to the screen because the sound is so sudden and loud and it also strikes fear into them aswell as the character. This non diegetic sound is relatable to the thriller genre as it builds suspense amongst the audience as it shocks them.

Parallel sound is used in this clip when the victim is rushing to lock her doors. The parallel sound used here is very fast, loud and chaotic. This sound is parallel to the scene as it is what the audience would expect to hear; the victim is in a state of panic as she rushes to lock her doors, and this sudden chaotic sound is representing her emotions. This parallel sound also allows a relationship to be made between the audience and the victim as it strikes a sense of panic into the audience and they can now relate to how the victim is feeling. Parallel sound is a strong feature of the thriller genre as it makes the sequence seem much more realistic to the audience, this makes it seem more scary to them.

Diegetic sound is used in this clip, we hear this through the victims dialogue, when she is on the phone to the antagonist. This sound technique is used here to engage the audience with the character, as they can hear her voice and therefore relate to her more easily. This is also used to show how scared the victim is, her voice is the main way in which the audience can tell that she is in a state of distress. Diegetic sound is one of the main sound techniques used in the thriller genre as it involves dialogue, and that is one of the main ways of connecting characters with the audience.

Another sound technique that is used throughout this opening scene is silence, this is when there is absolutely no sound used. We see this technique used during the phone call and when the victim is looking for the killer. The absence of sound is used to create tension as the audience are allowed to focus on what is happening visually and they are anticipating the appearance of the killer. The contrast of silence and the non diegetic sound that is used when the killer appears shocks the audience and puts them in a similar position to the characters. Silence is often used in the thriller genre as it is a way of building tension and drawing the audience to the visual elements of the scene.

The way in which sound has been used throughout this clip has highlighted how important it is in the thriller genre and how effective it is in terms of engaging the audience to what is happening. I have noticed that diegetic and non diegetic sounds are the most prominent in the thriller genre as they include tense music and dialogue. I have also seen that the absence of sound is an important feature of the thriller genre and is also an alternative way of building tension. This research has helped me to understand what types of sound I will need to consider to use in my thriller clip.

Research into the history of thriller films - Miss Georgiou

The thriller genre is a very famous one that uses suspense and tension as the main elements. Thrillers thrive off of the audiences anticipation to what is going to happen and use this to keep them interested in the film. Thrillers will often use hidden identities to create a mysterious atmosphere. Common sub genres are psychological thrillers, crime thrillers and mystery thrillers. I will take a look back at the history of thrillers in this blog.

Thriller timeline:

1920s/30s:
The famous Alfred Hitchcock created his third silent thriller film called 'The Lodger', this was based on Jack The Ripper and was filled with suspense. In 1929 he then released the first thriller film which contained sound, this was called 'Blackmail', and also created history as it was the first sound film that was produced in Britain. Many other directors created thriller films in this time period such as Walter Forde who made nine thriller films.

1940s:
In the 40s Alfred Hitchcock continued to create more thriller films in this era, such as 'Foreign Correspondant' and 'Rebecca'. In 1946 films about peoplem being terrorised began to be released.

1950s:
These were the years when Alfred Hitchcock fluorished most and were the high points of his career, he released his most noteable films such as 'Strangers on a train' and 'Rear Window'. Other directors such as Charles Loughton and Henry Hathaway began to release thriller films.

1960s:
Possibly the most famous thriller of all time was released in 1961, Psycho, it was certainly Alfred Hitchcocks most well known creation and it was also labelled as the film which saved his career. This film was shocking and engrossing and featured things the thriller genre had never before seen.

1970s/80s:
The decade saw a violent start in the thriller genre, with Frenzy (1972), Hitchcock's first British film in almost two decades, being given an R rating for its vicious and explicit strangulation scene. Steven Speilberg's low-budget early TV movie Duel (1971), which got a cult following, was about road rage between a hapless traveling salesman and the unseen, relentless driver of a truck. Spy and conspiracy films were scattered throughout the two decades.

1990s - Present:
The decade started with a film called Misery by Rob Reiner, this was based on a book by Stephen King. Notable films of the 90s included Silence of the Lambs and Se7en, which both did very well. Obsession in thrillers was a common theme in the 90s, as well as detectives hunting down serial killers, which features in the two films i just mentioned. Until today, thrillers do borrow themes and elements from those in the past decades. However, to cut the repetitiveness, there are a number of recent thrillers that maintain the aspects of the horror genre; having more gore/sadistic violence, brutality, terror and body counts. Films such as Eden Lake and The Last House on the Left took this approach.

The audience are extremely important in the history of thrillers, they have enabled the genre to come so far as they have been watching the films over the years. The audience have also changed over the years, this mirrors how the genre has changed and modernised to what it is today.


Notable Thriller Actors:
Janet Leigh - She was the main character in one of the most famous thriller films, Psycho and she was involved in the most memorable scene in film history. Her career spans right through from the 40s all the way to the 00s. She also featured in A Touch of Evil.

Leonardo DiCaprio - DiCaprio has been in many of the best thriller films over the last two decades, including The Departed, Inception and Shutter Island. 

Famous Thriller Directors:
Alfred Hitchcock - He was the king of the thriller genre and for sure the most prominent individual in the history the thriller genre. His career spanned through from the 20s to the 70s. However it wasn't always so good for Hitchcock and at one point it looked as though his career would go down the drain. But he created many classic films including Psycho, Rear Window and Vertigo.

Christopher Nolan - One of the more recent famous thriller directors, Nolan has created many of the most famous thriller films of the past decade, including Batman The Dark Knight, Inception, Memento and Insomnia.  He is best known for his cerebral, often non-linear storytelling.

Notable Narratives:
Psycho - 1961 (Hitchcock) 
Pulp Fiction - 1994 (Tarantino)
Se7en - 1995 (David Fincher)


This research of the thriller genre will be very helpful in the planning for my narrative, this is because it has allowed me to see the different aspects needed to go into a thriller that have featured throughout the last century. It has also allowed me to see the prominent narratives in the thriller genre and I can use features of these narratives to help build mine. 


Box Office:



Seven:
The film Seven is one of the most notable thrillers over the last 20 years, as you can see it is 4th in the all time thriller box office and it has generated over $100,000,000 in its lifetime gross. The film was reeleased in 1995 and its about two detectives who hunt a mass serial killer who uses deadly sins as his modus operandi. The film is one of the more gruesome thrillers about and there as some very graphic scenes, this is what had the audience so hooked. The film stars two big hollywood actors in Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, this again being one of the things that attracted so many people to watch the film.

This is a very conventional film of the thriller genre simply because of the enigma and mystery that is created throughout; the detectives are forever chasing an unknown serial killer who is leaving clues behind.




Saw II:
This is the second film in the Saw sequel and its the one that was most successful generating over $30,000,00 in its opening in the cinema. This film is one of the more modern thrillers featuring the much more gruesome and graphic scenes that we are seeing now a days. The film was released in 2005 and is about a masked antagonist in the name of Jigsaw who enjoys playing twisted games with people. The film portrays the typical features of the thriller genre, for example the name Jigsaw represents a puzzle and a mystery. Saw is a good example as how thrillers have adapted over the years but it also how it has kept the typical original conventions of the thriller genre, such as enigma and low key lighting.







Psycho II:
Psycho II is a 1983 American psychological horror slasher film directed by Richard Franklin and written by Tom Holland. The film generated nearly $35,000,000 in its overall time in the cinema. Although its not as well known as the first Psycho, it still was a good success in terms of the box office.  Psycho II takes place 22 years after the first film; Norman Bates is released from the mental institution and returns to the house and Bates Motel to continue a normal life.

Research into conventions of the thriller genre - Miss Miller

In this essay I will research and discuss the typical conventions used in the thriller genre. Conventions are many different techniques that often appear in genres to create some sort of effect.

I will be exploring the different conventions that  are used in the following clip:

Blonde female victim:

This first noticeable convention in this clip from Disturbia is a blonde attractive female victim, this is put in place as the audience can easily relate to her as she is a very normal person and this makes it seem like it could happen to anyone. The fact she is also a woman portrays her being much more vulnerable as a victim. A blonde attractive female is very desirable to the audience and the male viewers may find her attractive; this makes the audience want her to be saved and when she is in danger they may feel more nervous. This convention is often used in thriller films as it creates a relationship between the character and the audience as they can relate to the female victim and put themself in the same situation as them, and furthermore it builds tension when the victim is in danger.

Tense music:

Tense music is also used in this clip when Shia LaBeouf is looking out the window. The effect of using tense music here is that suspense is created as the audience are waiting to see if the antagonist is going to find them. There is also an absence of music when Shia LaBeouf unties himself, this again creates suspense as there is silence and the audience are waiting to see what is going to break the silence. The convention of tense music is often used in thriller clips as it adds to the tension that is being portrayed visually. 

Low key lighting:

Low key lighting is a convention used in this clip, this is when the lights go off in the room. Low key lighting is used to create suspense as it hides objects and characters from the audience, and they are left to wonder what may be lurking in the shadows. This is relevant at this part of the clip as the two victims are being chased and the audience are therefore wondering if the antagonist is hiding.  Low key lighting is a strong convention of the thriller genre as it creates an enigma and also builds a scary setting. 

Weapons:

The convention of weapons is used in this clip, we see this through the use of a knife, which both the antagonist and protagonist has. This convention is used in the thriller genre as a symbol of confrontation; it informs the audience that a fight is taking place. The use of a weapon is used also to build tension, the audience are concerned that the protagonist may get hurt, but at the same time they are urging the protagonist to fight the antagonist off with the weapon. The weapon in this clip also changes hands a lot, this creates further suspense as the audience are hoping that the knife does not end up in the hands of the antagonist. The use of a knife makes the scene seem more realistic as a knife is an everyday object that may be used, where as if a gun for example was used it would seem less realistic. The idea of killing someone with a knife is also another way of building suspense, it would be a long drawn out death compared to a gun. The convention of a knife is often used in the thriller genre as they create tension and show that someone is going to get hurt. 

Family home:

This scene is set in a family home, this is a convention that is used in a lot of thriller films. The fact that what is happening is in a ordinary location makes it seem much more realistic to the audience as it is a location that they can relate to. This also means that they will be much more scared as they will feel although this could happen in their family home. This is a convention that we are seeing used much more frequently in modern day thrillers, this is because its an alternative way of building suspense and is a change from the usual deserted locations which we used to see in thriller films. 

To conclude, a lot of the usual conventions are used in this thriller clip, this is what makes it such a tense scene. Analysing the conventions that have been used in this thriller have allowed me to see why each convention is used and what type of effect it has on the audience, this will enable me to chose the relevant conventions that I need to use in my opening sequence. I have also noticed the significance of a female victim, they allow the audience to relate to the victim, thus building much more tension when the victim is in trouble. For this reason I plan to use this convention in my opening sequence.

Research into age certificates and the BBFC - Miss Georgiou

The BBFC is the British Board of Film Classification that was set up in 1912 and its requirement is to put films into classification such as; U, PG, 12A, 15, 18. The BBFC is important to the film industry because it creates teh boundaries between what is and what isnt ok for certain age groups to watch, and it also gives film makers a rough idea of what is and is not allowed into films to make it qualify for each age category.


Example, The Smurphs.
The Universal age category is for all ages, and means that the film contains suitable content for children. The age category will only feature mild bad language such as 'Damn'. There are no sexual scenes in these films but characters may be seen kissing. There will not be references to drugs as this is not suitable for children, however if they are unlikely to register with children then they may be featured.

Example, Wreck It Ralph.
PG stands for Parental Guidance This means a film is suitable for general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for younger children. A PG film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. Parents should consider whether the content might upset younger or more sensitive children. Children below the age of eight should be accompanied by an adult. However not all PG films are aimed for child audiences. There may be mild bad language and references to sex are acceptable in this category. There should be no detail of violence in a PG work, so while there might be some blood, we would not see how the injury was inflicted in strong detail.

Example, Les Miserables (12), Iron Man 3 (12A).

The 12A category means that abnyone who is 12 and over can go and see the film on their own but if you are under 12 you have to be accompanied by someone over the age of 12. This certificate is for films at the cinema only. Strong language is features in this category and so is sexual scenes, but they have to be discreetly portrayed. Moderate violence is featured in this category but it is not to be dwelled on too much. The 12 category means that only people who are 12 or above can watch the film, and these films may feature more detailed violence compared to the 12A certificate.

Example, Mama.
Only those who are 15 years and above can be admitted. This category is much more explicit than the 12 certificate as it features strong language, more detailed sexual scenes, strong violence and drug taking. Many horror films are rated 15. At 15 there can be strong threat and menace (as long as it is not sadistic or sexualised), although the strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. ?
At 15 drug taking may be shown but the work as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse.

 Example, Django Unchained.
This certificate is for people aged over 18 only. The themes tackled in these films may be offensive to some viewers and at times could be contraversial. It will contain the same features as the 15 category such as strong language and violence but 18 films tend to be much more gory and explict than the 15 category. There may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory language at 18, and the work could explore themes relating to this.


My film would be a 15 certificate as I am aiming for a 15-23 target audience, and I want the film to feature disturbing scenes however I would not go into gory detail which would mnake it an 18. I also want the film to feature some violence and bad language as I feel the target audience may be able to relate with this sort of thing.

Individual Ideas For a Narrative - Miss Georgiou

Inspirations from other films:
Characters wearing a mask to hide their identity, this will create suspense as the audience are unaware of the antagonists true appearance - The Strangers.
Have a random ringing phone from an unknown number, this would also create suspense as the audience would want to know who is ringing and why - When a Stranger Calls.
Handheld camera - Have the use of a handheld camera, to create a sense of unease and chaos - Sinister.

Opening scene idea:
The scene is set in an abandoned shed at night as this matches the creepy conventions often used in a thriller clip.
The camera pans round to show the shed and then a handheld camera is used as it approaches the shed and a creepy soundtrack is used.
As the camera opens the shed a young girl dressed in all white is sitting there with her hair covering her face.
Behind her is blood smeared all over the walls.
Then there is loud scream and the camera zooms into the girls face.