Media Studies- The Evaluation

Before we created the actual thriller piece, we were to carry out a preliminary (prelim) task. The task given was that we made a one minute clip on a short conversation of some sort. It can be in any situation as long as we kept to 180 degree rule. This is where we have to keep to one side of the action. If we do have to go the other side then we would have to make it clear to the audience that this is what we are doing. For this we would have to have a shot of panning around the other side of the action. We also have to remember about shot reverse shot which is where you have in a conversation; the shot would go to whoever is talking. It can also be an over the over the shoulder shot.

Kidnap

This is one of the freeze frames we used to introduce the characters in the short clip. We thought this was one of the best ‘movie style’ ways to show it the names. We thought that a medium shot from the character would be appropriate so the audience can see what sort of clothes he’s wearing to give the audience first impressions on what this will be about. For example: whether it is formal or informal. With the shirt and tie it is suggesting that it will be formal.
We also gave each character a different colour on each freeze frame to add a bit of personality and variety so it separates them from each other.

 

In this shot, the camera zooms right into the watch in that scene and then zooms out of a different watch in a different setting with another character.
The first thing I notice in this screen shot is the lighting on the hand. One side of the watch is dark and the other is clearly visible so when doing my thriller I would have to think about this.
Camera shot wise this is going from a close up to an extreme close up to a close up to a medium shot over the shoulder.
This now gives us the impression than two characters have some sort of meeting, gradually bringing up tension as the camera shots are quite quick. Also being with the girl brings the mystery up a bit more.

 

This shot shows one character pulling another along the corridor. It is a cross between a long shot and a medium shot to showing the majority of their bodies and the corridor.
The lighting in the shot makes it clear to us what’s happening. The lights in the corridor also add effect as it looks like it goes on forever.

 

We thought a CCTV camera look would be appropriate for this kind of scene as it gets straight to the action and you would expect action to be taken from CCTV. This shot is the first bit of important that is given to us telling what’s going on. We used a long shot so it gets both of the characters in as well as the setting.

Over all I think we used a variety of shots. We used a lot of medium shots and which changed in between each other especially when the female and male characters were walking up the corridor. Taking in feedback from our class mates who reviewed it, we were told that at one point the 180 degree rule was broken when the male character worked into the meeting room. After having a closer look we did see the problem so this would be something to look out for when creating the thriller clip. But in context on shots, we did use medium shots, long shots, close ups, extreme close ups, over-the-shoulder shots and we also had shot reverse shot which was one of the elements we had to include. As well as the type of shots, we also used a varied amount of angles, from in the middle to high angled shots. However, there wasn’t any from the floor facing up wards so we should think on that in our thriller as this would show more authority over characters. We also used match on action when we switched from looking at the watch, zooming out of the watch in the different room. We thought that zooming into it and out was very effective because as an audience, we wouldn’t expect it. I thought our titles were also quite effective, very film like, because we made the shot freeze whilst we read the titles so we didn’t miss anything. Also at the end, we thought that when we were closing the extract, the music started before the credits started.

We didn’t have too many problems with the lighting over the shots because they were simply natural lights. However we could have had a bit more neutral lighting on the characters when they are talking. Maybe stage lanterns would be the most appropriate at about 50%. This would just add a little bit more clarity and effect. Also, we should check shadows on the little things for example, the watch shot where half of the hand was dark.

I have learnt many things doing this preliminary task. I have learnt all about match on action and shot reverse shot. I also knew nothing about the 180 degree rule. The prelim gave us a chance to explore lots of different shots than what we knew about. It also made us think about how much planning is necessary so we know what we’re doing on the day where we start filming. Planning meaning not just story line but sound, camera angles and shots.

I think the main things I will need to improve on for the thriller is keeping an eye on the 180 degree rule, using more shot reverse shot and add a bit more lighting to where is needed just to create that extra effectiveness.

Thriller conventions

Camera work

Typical shots

Establishing shots to show location

Mid shots to introduce character

Close ups disorientate the audience

Composition

Key props

Framing

Create suspense

Movement

High and low angles to show power and status

Perspective

1^st person = empathy

Editing

Typical transition

Dual narrative shows complex narrative? Tension when the narratives come together

Strait cuts are at high speed to create tension

Flashbacks pick out key connections to create more questions

Thriller openings

Drama, tension, use of music

Titles name of film   actors   directors   company ident

Has to make you ask questions and make it a little bit confusing

Has to have atmosphere

Sound

Using ambient sounds => music/noises fade in or out= atmosphere

Voice over to create back story avoid dialogue

Mise-en-scene

Setting eerie realistic and isolated

Costume realistic and believable

Actor’s male often cast as protagonist/antagonist women are usually victims

Props weapons are everyday not usually used in everyday life as a weapon

Lighting low key lighting shadows and darkness

Narratives

Enter half way through an even to disorientate and to make the audience ask questions

Chronological? or flashback?

Introduce the main characters that maybe one or two at the most

Sub-genre

Action thrillers

Crime thriller

Psychological thrillers

Conspiracy thrillers

Religious thriller

Disaster thriller

Dystopia thriller

Medical thriller

No Country for Old Men

This introduces the setting by use of a montage. It is showing that it is a baron wasteland. There isn’t any movement apart from the fading. The frames are still as if it was a photo. This shows to the audience that the setting of the film is going to be a little bit wired. The fact that there are no people in the shots makes us feel as if there is no witnesses to what is about to happen. This makes the feeling of venerability and danger. With the narration over the top of this it makes the audience confused as if we have missed a bit of the story. This is where it drops you in the middle of the action.

 

This is an establishing shot showing the landscape this is very similar to the montage but this pans across which the others didn’t. This is also showing the land in which the sheriff is talking about. The baron waste land makes the sheriff look like he has a hard job having to keep such a large area under control. The shots that have been on the screen previously show no people this indicates to the audience that there would be no witnesses to a crime that may happen in the land and would make the sheriffs job all that much harder.

This is a long shot after panning round from the previous shot. This is the part in which the audience ask questions such as: What is going on? Or Who are these characters? We can see immediately that one of the characters is a main part in the story but at the moment we are unsure. We knew a sheriff was speaking but we are unsure whether the man in the police attire is the man who was narrating. The man that is all in black is strange as the police man is in short sleeves and the man in black is in a coat. The characters are only taking up a small part of the shot, this is done this way to reinforce the fact of it being a desert and there being no witnesses.

The close up of the ‘captive bolt’ and ‘canister’ adds another element of mystery to the film. I had to look up what the apparatus was because if you are not a farmer you probably wouldn’t know what it was. This is obviously a key part to the story and we don’t know what it is used for at this moment in  time this is making us as the audience sus out that the man In black probably is the main character.  

This is an effective shot because the police man is reaching into his car and he is lit up and we still can’t see his face at the moment. And the bad guy is in the back in darkness and we cannot see his face either this makes us conclude that the man in the back is a bad guy and he is shady.This tells the audience that there is going to be an element of mystery to him throughout the film.

Kidnap Prelim

Analysis of ‘Psycho’ shower scene, explore how film techniques are used to create effects.’

The predominant shot that is used throughout the shower sequence are close ups.  An example of this is when she is washing herself we are very close to her. This is to give the impression there isn’t much space in the bathroom. This is used so we can see, the actress who gets stabbed, emotion also the closeness gives us a sense of claustrophobia from being in such a small space. This could make the audience uncomfortable because she is also naked and create suspense because we can’t really see much of the room. Mostly the shots once she is in the shower are point of view; these are used so you feel like you are the character. This is so the audience can feel sympathy towards her when she is completely helpless and cannot prevent what is coming. Towards the beginning of the sequence low angle shots are being used as a POV of the woman showing that she is helpless it also shows that the shower is going right into her eyes and this could be blinding her thus making the attack easy. The speed of editing is quite normal to start with as if it was a normal day and she was just getting in the shower. This may deceive the audience into believing that nothing is going to happen while she is in the shower. Then the camera moves as the killer enters the room the movement is slow to give a slow realization to the audience. Once the shower curtain has been pulled back the length between changes in shot diminishes and it becomes very quick and this disorientates the audience by having two different POV shots and then 3^rd person shots. There is a graphic match where the plug whole fades into the lady’s eye and then rotates round following the motion of the water down the plug whole this also makes the audience disorientated and not know which way is up.

The diegetic sounds such as the water from the shower are to show that the lady in the shower is not expecting a thing when the killer walks in, because the audience can only hear the water we assume that the lady can only hear the water very loudly. The lady’s scream is loud high pitched scream showing that she is very scared this helps to build tension in the few seconds before she gets stabbed.  At the point in which she is being stabbed the thumping of the knife in her make the audience know she has been stabbed several times and with quite a force this shows the audience that the killer is a ‘psycho’ and fitting in with the tittle of the film. Towards the end of the sequence we have a fade from the water flowing to crickets showing that there was nobody around and it was late at night, and also that the killer may have got away with it because there were no witnesses.  The non-diegetic sound of the music is the big tension builder by having the mysterious bass line and the high screeching of the violins that really contrast each other.

 

This is a point of view of the shower head that shows the audience that the lady in the shower is most likely blinded by it. The brightness in the shot shows that the person who is going to kill he must know the surrounding and when to strike. The cleanliness of the place makes us believe that the lady must have paid a lot to be in this hotel and that the owner looks after it very well. This isn’t really a typical thriller shot so I believe it is used to throw people off the scent of the lady dyeing abut it also starts the POV’s off so we aren’t so disorientated when the stabbing occurs.

This shot is a POV close up of the killer who is dressed up as a woman this shows us everything that we would see if we were in her position and to show there is no escape.. The water is covering her face so the identity is shielded and this makes the audience believe the killer is someone else. The costume is a normal shirt that women like that would wear. The knife is a normal everyday kitchen knife this makes the killer be more realistic as if they have just picked it up and gone to stab the lady. The fact that the sleeve is rolled up may show to the audience that the killer means business.

 

This shot that flashes to the sky and the thunder storm happening that this is pathetic fallacy. The weather is showing the mood of the weather is like the mood in the bathroom. The sky shows rainy and scary weather. Some people are scared of lightning and most people will be scared when the lady is being stabbed.