Match on action

In a group we made a video showing different types of video techniques. This includes over the shoulder shot, extreme close up, close up, medium shot, long shot and 180 degree shot.

The video below is our final video, edited to make a short story.

After making the video we saw that there was many good and bad features about our short video. So we annotated it in a voice over.

Group Animation

From my research on the Four Narratives, The Enigma Code and Thriller Sub-Genres I created an animation in a group about them.

Narratives

There are four different types of narratives found in Thrillers; Linear, Non-linear, Restricted and Omniscient.
These four different types all have different effects on thrillers and is used to apply certain effect to different Thriller sub-genres.

Linear
-The Linear narrative is the classical, stereotypical storyline that is shown in chronological order.
-It has a beginning, middle and end, building the suspense of the Thriller as it goes.
-It is usually Paired with Omniscient
-An example of a Linear being used in a thriller is Taken.

Non-Linear

-Non-Linear is designed to throw the audience off track of the film when they finally think they are beginning to understand what is happening.
-This is usually done with flashbacks, as new information comes into light for both the Protagonist and the audience.
-Or the film could start at the end scene backtrack to the beginning to see how that all came into play.
-Non-Linear is usually paired with Restricted.
-An example of Non-Linear being used in a Thriller is Shutter Island.



Restricted
-The Restrictive narrative shows the audience only what the Protagonist knows.
-It keeps them in the dark and when something is revealed to the main character it is revealed to the
audience, building suspense.
-Also the mystery that everyone else knows more than the Protagonist.
-An example of this is the sixth sense.




Omniscient
-The Omniscient narrative is when the audiences knows everything about the characters.
-The audience knows who the killer is throughout the whole thing building the tension as the story unravels for the detectives.
-The whole thing is based around the suspense of if they find out who the real killer is or if there too late.
-An example of a film that uses Omniscient is silence of the lambs.

Conclusion

When making my Planning my Opening scene for my Thriller I will have to consider what type of narrative I will use and also if I will be pairing two together. 

The Enigma Code

The Basis of the Engima Code

-The Enigma code was created by Barthe.
-The Enigma Codes aim is to draw the audience in.
-It draws the audience in by making the audience feel as it they are discovering something throughout the duration of the film which keeps them always asking questions, which is the basis of the Enigma code; what question does the director want the audience to ask themselves?
-This builds the suspense and drama of the title sequence throughout the whole film giving the audience clues slowly drawing them in and making them come up with there own conclusions.
-Even in the films trailers the enigma code is present as the questions can only be answered when watching the film drawing in the target audience and maybe even more

The Enigma Code in Thrillers

-Enigma codes are almost always in thrillers. This is mostly because thrillers are surrounded by
 suspense and mystery, this being the perfect combination for an Enigma Code.
-An example of a commonly asked question in the Enigma Code is 'who is the murder?', with the clues and the constant mystery surround the Enigma code more questions are asked especially due to the basis of thrillers.
-The Enigma code Establishes the problem that is usually what the film is about then, it solves it based on the clues given. The solving is always a twist, especially as it is a thriller, which means all the piecing together the audience would have done throughout the entire film wouldn't mean anything.
-The audience would feel as though they have achieved something at the end of the film when the Enigma Code ends and there questions that would have popped up in the end would have been answered.

Example - Red Pill or Blue Pill

-This scene is from the first film of the Matrix trilogy.
-It is the famous scene when Morpheus and Neon have a meeting and Morpheus asks Neon to take the red or blue pill depending on if he wants to find out more about the iron curtain pulled over there eyes or continue his every day life.
-The Engima in this scene is 'what is the matrix?'.
-There is low key lighting, which builds up the suspense in this scene. The suspense builds up the Enigma.

Conclusion

This page is important as when making my Opening Scene I will have to remember to include at least one Enigma Code, to make it better and also Thriller are Enigma Code themselves so without it, it my Opening Scene wouldn't be a Thriller.

Moodboard - Individual Collage of Iconography

Dexter Opening Scene - Analysis and Remake

With my group we remade the opening scene for Dexter.
But in order to do this we first analyzed the original opening scene, prepared for it with;planning, props, actors etc.
This is in preparation for our final piece to show us how preparation will be better for the final piece.



In order to understand the Dexter opening scene further, I have analyzed the original opening scene -

What does it tell you about the character?
- the character looks like can average man but things that made you suspicious

-Not normal man,but sadistic 

What symbolism in the sequence?

-They looked like different ways for people to die, e.g;
 -Strangling
 -Chocking
 -Banging someone across the head
 -Cutting someones neck
 -Stabbing someone
 -Suffocation
 -Cutting someone up

-Twisted way of a normal routine.

-Mystery and suspense in the title sequence as it makes you wonder if he has ever done it before but also is he doing it now?

-Is the character a murder? Who has he murdered? is the Enigma Code

Dexter Opening Scene Remake

This is our Final Remake Video. It has been edited, and added to youtube.
The making of the video went very well, we found that some parts were hard to do though. The blood dripping into the sink either came out like lines or didn't get in the camera view and as it was a closeup we couldn't zoom out but that was resolved. Also are extreme close ups turned into just normal closeups otherwise the camera turned out too blurry.
When it came to editing we found that we came to a few dilemmas. The clips had to be shortened dramatically as they were too long and the music wouldn't go in sync. When shortening the clips and figuring out timing we found that everything we in sync, but others slightly out of sync but it is only quick and isn't noticed easily.
If I had to do this again I would say that I would make sure the shots were closer in order to make the effect more dramatic much like the original opening sequence.

Conclusion

This page will be helpful further on, as when looking back onto it I will remember the importance of extreme closeups and making sure everything stayed in sync.

Saul Bass

Saul Bass was a famous graphic designer in the 20th Century. He was also well know for his title sequences, film posters and corporate logos. Some of his most famous work in title sequences is 'Anatomy of a Murder', 'The Man with the Golden Arm' and many Alfred Hitchcock films

This title sequence is a good as it makes the audience think about the film as it gives away enough, but not too much, giving it the mystery effect that you find in thrillers right away. But more importantly it keeps the audience thinking about what they are seeing. He created his title sequences so that they matched the film but also had alot more depth to them. He was said to be a innovative, dynamic, legendary and revolutionary designer. His work can still be seen today as his title sequences have inspired other films in the modern age, for example; 'Catch me if you can' and 'X-men First Class'. Here are a few example of his work -

Moodboard - Conventions of the Genre

Edited Se7en Video

After watching and analysis the Se7en opening sequence I made and edited my own one -

This consists of Images and videos that show everyday violence and mystery. Along with titles the same as the ones that in my 'The Birds' time line.

Se7en Analysis

How does the trailer make 'Se7en' a thriller?
Music
-The music started slow then got faster towards the end, this also builds suspense.
-Metronome
  -It has diegetic sound of a clock ticking then it turns to non-diegtic sound.
    -The sound meant to represent time making the audience think that time is running out for the
     detectives.
Mystery
-Who is the killer? Why is he killing these people?
Suspense
-Who is he going to kill next? Are they going to catch him in time? One of the detectives looks likes he
  knows something but what?
Plot
-The clips are fast making the viewer constantly think about what is happening.
-The viewer gets the sense that something awful has happened but they don't know what it is also there
  is a sense that something awful is going to keep happening.
-The viewer gets a sense for the basis of the plot and this builds more mystery and suspense.

'Se7en' Opening Scene Notes
Music
-Music sounds like a beating heart.
-Things are being rubbed together that makes an unnatural sound that sounds like screaming.
-It speeds up when the clips get shorter.
-Heart beat sounds morphs into techno.
Visual
-Lots of iconic images.
-Frustrates audience because it keeps flicking to something that they cant see.
-Some taking notes on different things that either relate to the Seven Sins to God.
-Drowned in red, that could relate to a darkroom.
-The man who you can't look like a surgeon, especially with there skills and precision.
-Title are like celluloid films.

Analysis of the Opening Scene
Sound
-Starts out slow and gets faster, eventually morphing with techno.
-Non-digetic sounds of things being forced to make unnatural, some of which sounds like
 screaming.
Editing
-Short clips that flicker from one to the other.
-Dark or red contrast with the white writing.
Effects
-The flickering make the audience thinks that they are missing something.
-The red makes the audience unconsciously thinks about blood and its not until concentration do they
 associate it with anything else.
-The celluloid film effect gives the film an old feel, almost like the murder isn't up to date with modern
 technology but also it gives it this sense of mystery that goes with the music.
Expectations
-Its not how you would expect the opening sequence to be, you would expect to either see a murder
 taking place with the killer in the shadows or masked so that the audience doesn't see his face or
 someone finding a body and the police getting involved.
Titles
-The title were white that go in contrast with the dark background as white represents purity.
-The flickering titles are handwritten with no precision unlike the murder that is very accurate and
 precise, giving it the sense that they are rushed
Concept/ Idea
-I think that the idea of the opening sequence was to draw the audience in as it makes them ask
 themselves many questions as the whole things although it shows alot is mysterious.

Spoiler Review for 'Skyfall'

,Skyfall is about the infamous James Bond the films Protagonist. In this film Bond doesn't have his usual way, the whole beginning is suspense in the build up to James Bonds Death. Months later after his 'resurrection' Bond is back on the job with the job of finding the mysterious Antagonist that is threatening M, the mystery about the Antagonist is 'No one knows who he is'. Eventually they catch him and it is a race to the final battle where at 'Skyfall' Bond's family resident ensues. This film is full of suspense and mystery and more famous in the James Bond film series iconography.

In Istanbul, Bond and Moneypenny are in a race in order to find a brief case that contains the names and locations of undercover agents in terrorists organisations. In a fight on a train involving diggers, cars, guns and hand in hand combat Bond and the mercenary fight on top of a train for the briefcase. Moneypenny takes a shot in hopes of hitting the mercenary but ends up hitting Bond making the audience ask the biggest questions in the beginning of the film when Bond goes gets hit 'What happened and will he come back' also 'is the end of the film at the beginning?' but most of all 'Is James Bond dead?'.

After Bonds death M is finding herself a target of the faceless and nameless Antagonist that has already released names of the undercover agents and a bomb that has been detonated in her office moments before she was due to arrive there. Seeing the chaos ensuing on the news around M, Bond decides its time for a 'resurrection' along with a visit to M. This answers the audiences questions. 1. He isn't dead. 2.That the death of Bond isn't at the beginning of the film. 3.He decided that he was bored of the life of the secret agent.

M unconvinced that Bond is stable enough to be in the secret service again accept his help on the terms that he takes a test that he fails miserably. But M ignoring the results and allows James back into the field, his first assignment back, find the employer of the mercenary and get the names of the undercover agents back before anymore information can be released or before M is hurt.

Bond follows the mercenary to Shanghai where in a fight the mercenary falls off a skyscraper. But, Bond finds a clue in a gambling chip. This Chip leads him to a Casino in Macau and to Séverine who offers to lead him to her employer in return for Bond killing him. Following her onto a boat that leads onto a abandoned island of the coast of Macau where Bond meets the faceless Antagonist. This builds the suspense for the moment that the audience has been for as he reveals himself to be ex-MI6 agent Raoul Silva. Bond being the ever sneaky agent alerts MI6 to his location and takes Silva into custody. 


In the underground hideout Chaos once again takes over as Silva planned the whole endevour in order to try and kill M and in the process take down MI6. Bond goes after Silva after he escapes in hopes of catching him before he gets to M who is in a confrence. Racing through the underground Bond looses Silva after he 'throws a train at him' giving Silva time to reach M. In a gun fight Bond manages to get M away and take her to a place where he wants the battle to end. 'Skyfall' his family home and Q leaves a trial for Silva to follow. 

Silva follows the trail and Bond, M and the caretaker soon find themselves in a battle against all odds. M gets hurts and is taken away from the action by the caretaker Machine guns, rocket missiles and the hentch man of Silva later Silva is annoyed at Bonds Evasiveness and destroys the house there fighting from unaware of the secret tunnel from the house to the cementary. Silva follows M there and try's to kill her and himself in one shot but Bond shoot him before he could. M dies soon after from her wounds. Bond returns to the headquarters in London and decides to stay a field agent.

This film is a thriller as it contains lots of suspense and mystery. The suspense being 'is Bond dead?', 'how did he survive?', 'will the employer kill M?', 'is Bond going to die again?'and finally 'after everything M has put him through, will Bond save her?'. The mystery throughout the film was the Antagonist as you questioned where he was gonna strike next? Why did he want to kill M? And Who is he? The James Bond film series is one if the biggest films that contains Iconography especially because of the advertising throughout the James Bond films. The fast cars star throughout the film are the most iconic image. But altogether the shadows, guns, knifes, the abandoned warehouse are also iconic images throughout. 

Overall I would give Skyfall -

Spoiler Review for 'Sucker Punch'

Sucker Punch is about a mentally disturbed girl called Baby Doll the Protagonist and her perception of reality in order to cope with her life.  The mental institution that she has been put into she views as a brothel, which she's trying to escape from using other realities she's created. Blue Jones is the Antagonist in this film, he runs the mental institution but in Baby Dolls eyes he runs the brothel keeping them all there against there will. During one of her realities she finds a way to get out of the institute, the story then unfold from there as Baby Doll and her new friends go on an adventure to escape from the institute.


 The film starts at Baby Dolls mums funeral, dark and dismal making the audience believe first of all that the stepfather is the Antagonist; Baby Doll is trying to comfort her sister while her stepfather is looking at her evilly like he has a plan. Later he try's to rape her. Unsuccessful he decides to turn this attention to Baby Dolls sister. She starts fighting him again and gets hold of a gun, while trying to shoot him she missed and he kills her sister and she has a break down and in order to cope her alternate realities about life start. With Baby Dolls breakdown he sends her to an institute for which Jones has been paid in order to make sure she’s been dealt with. This is where the audience starts seeing the place as a brothel. Once inside the institute or as the audience see's it the brothel Baby Doll is very withdrawn and is told that she will be sold to the High Roller who is the doctor who will preform the lobotomy on her. Forced to dance by Jones in order to see what talents she has she enters another fantasy reality. Here in a Japanese styled landscape she meets the wise man who gives her a list to help her escape; map, fire, knife, a key and an object he won't tell her about that will ‘take a deep sacrifice’ leaving a mystery for the audience. Later that night she confides in Sweet Pea, Rocket, Blondie and Amber her new friends her plan to escape. 

In order to get the map Baby Doll devises a plan so that when Jones is distracted Sweat Pea can sneak in and steal a copy of the map. This plan takes us into another reality in the World War One trenches where the Wise Man meets her giving her help once again. Fighting against the Germans the girls go through a number of obstacles in order to get the map, which they do successfully. Jones then goes into his office after the performance by Baby Doll and notices that something is wrong with the map and starts getting suspicious. It is then revealed Sweet Pea gets the map. 

The girls plan to get fire by taking the Mayors lighter. It's Amber's turn to get it while once again Baby Doll dances to distract him in a dance. During her dance another reality is entered. This time with the theme of dungeons and dragons. The Wise Man appears once again helping her by telling her how to get the fire from the dragons. Fighting Baby Doll gets the fire. The mayor upon realizing his lighter is missing complains to Jones, furious Jones confronts the girls about stealing and threatens them scaring them. 

They then go after the knife. Once again dancing, Baby Doll distracts the cook while Rocket gets the Knife. In the final alternate reality the girls are on a train ride to a city. Something goes wrong and the cook realizes he's being fooled and kills Rocket. Jones locks away Sweet Pea, kills Amber and Blondie and tries to rape Baby Doll. Baby Doll stabs Jones and takes his master key. Using fire she frees Sweet Pea and the map to navigate around the guards. Baby Doll sacrifices herself so that Sweet Pea can escape answering the mystery that was ‘what is this deep sacrifice?’. The next question is what will happen to baby doll? Who is now in the hands of the high roller or doctor about to preform the lobotomy on her and ‘is she going to get out?’. She doesn’t leaving the viewers believing that all she wanted was peace from the paradise that the high roller promised her. 


This film is a thriller as it contains lots of suspense about if they will get the five items and what will happen to Baby Doll. The suspense increases especially at the end when practically all the girls die and you watch Baby Doll sacrifice herself for Sweet Pea, everyone thinks that being the Protagonist she will leave the institute happy but she only leaves it as she has being doing throughout the whole film, in her mental paradise that has always been the brothel. The film contains lots of iconic images through out most being weapons and shadows. The mystery of the thriller is the 'will they get out the mental institute?’ The music throughout creates suspense as well as it is very subtle but when the fighting scenes come along it starts speeding up becoming louder helping build the scene and suspense.

Overall I would give Sucker Punch-

Spoiler Review for 'Olympus has fallen'

The film Olympus Has Fallen revolves around the head of the President of the United States security Mike Banning, the protagonist. It's basis is around how the 'disgraced' former body guard, still loyal to the president, is the only man standing against a group of 'well trained', 'well organised' and ruthless Korean rebellion group led by one of the worlds most wanted men Kang this thrillers Antagonist. With constant questions revolving around the audience throughout, but the most important question to all is, 'can he save the President?', which is the main suspense throughout the film.

The film starts showing a close relationship between Banning and the President at the relaxed start of the film.

The film quickly takes a turn, when driving from Camp David (the presidents holiday home) to a Christmas party, when the front car swerves of the bridge and the one carrying the President and the First Lady is half hanging off the bridge. Forced to make a choice between saving the President and the First Lady Banning saves the President just as the car completely falls all the way into the river taking the First Lady with it.

The scene then takes us to 18 months later. Banning is in a depressive state after the accident and now works for the treasury after being dismissed by the President. Then the scene changes again to the President who is having a meeting with the South Korean PrimeMinister, which quickly turn into a evacuation when a plane heading for the White house ignores military threats, takes down two planes and shoots innocent civilians. This sets up the main plot of the film. Seeing the plane Banning heads to the White House. The President now thought to be safely secure in his bunker has been taken hostage by the South Korean Prime Minister's aide and his associates. Now back to Banning the White house is being attacked from the outside by people once assumed to be tourists, unprepared for the attack the secret service and the police are quickly taken down by this team of specialists. Banning seeing regular fight quickly steps up to the challenge and starts taking down the attackers eventually working his way into the White House.

Now finding himself the only man left standing against the Koreans, Banning cuts off there visual and begins cutting down the Koreans. The South Korean aide is now making demands after having killed the prime minister is threatening to kill the other hostages if there not met, when the connection cuts he communicates with people outside saying there next goal is getting the president son Conor in order to get the Presidents code a program that allows the aide to control the US's nuclear weapons. Banning has made communicating with the secret service director and the acting President saying that he needs to get Conor. Banning finds Conor quickly knowing him well and gets him out.

The South Koreans Aide, now identified as Kang, is frustrated with Banning ruining his plans so he drags the secretary out to the front of the house planning to shoot her just as she gets in full view of the camera. Banning is one step ahead of them and just before they can kill the secretary he shoots one of the men. Caught out, Kang flees the scene as Banning is caught up with fighting the others off. The secretary makes it out alive. Now over confident that the Koreans are slipping they send helicopters in to rescue the president. Banning warns them that this is a suicide mission but is ignored, all the helicopter have been shot down by the state of the art guns that Banning warned them about.

Afraid for the Presidents life after another hostage is shot they meet there demands. As insurance they take the hostages and supposedly Kang to helicopter all in the same guise with there heads covered. Upon rising the helicopter explodes leaving everyone to believe the President is dead. Unconvinced Banning goes to the
underground shelter in search of him. The President is alive and so is Kang. In a fight to the death Banning kills Kang with the President being shot in the process and also deactivates the program to activate all the nuclear bombs. Banning and the President now make it out of the White House alive although injured. The end of the film shows Banning and the President once again friends after the last day having bought them together again.    


The film is a thriller as it contains a lot of suspense  and mystery clearly shown above, the biggest suspense throughout the whole film is the question 'is the president going to get out alive?' Banning is the typical run down hero that suddenly after 18 months without training or even proper weapons can take down over 60 well trained Koreans without so much as a serious or fatal wound. There is also a lot of mystery in this film as no one knows in the beginning who the people are that have taken over the White House? And then there's the further mystery of who are they working for? The film contains lots of iconic images for example, guns and knives. Banning is dressed in dark clothing which gives him that secret agent vibe that is stereotypical for a thriller protagonist, whereas Kang is wearing a suit which gives him a sense of power especially as he is very neat and tidy, which furthers that as a man with a plan compared to president and associates that are all dirty and scruffier than the stereotypical business man making them look powerless and weak.

Overall I would give Olympus Has Fallen 

Conclusion

From this film I can see that you can associate everyday items but in order to get the effect they wanted the used the white house seen as the impenetrable building of the US. Maybe when making my video I can use a building seen or thought as, as impenetrable in order to catch the audiences attention and build suspense.

Word Analysis of 'The Birds'

The film 'The Birds' was made to be a horror film during its time of production. The title clearly shows the main basis of the film and the opening credits certifies this presumption more.

The opening credits didn't start out the normal way for horror films. It didn't have gruesome images or nerve wreaking sounds. But the opening credits built up the suspense. There was no music but the constant sound of crowing birds playing in the background gave it an eerie feel and your not sure what's to come.
The crows flying across the scene which changes the titles that appear after the birds leaves set up another suspense. This is as the birds don't seem to look like they are doing any harm but they give the sense that there about to attack, as it looks like there circling the words or diving down to catch something. This shows the genre clearly with the way that the birds are behaving.
When the names of the cast and crew appear on scene the writing is bold and simple and is easily read. But surrounded by the chaos of the birds and eerie sounds there is almost a uneasiness to it. It builds up the 'calm before the storm' idea. Making it the horror genre that it is meant to be, as people wouldn't expect it or know it was coming until it was too late.  
I think that overall the genre of horror is shown well with the opening credits, not because of the stereotypical opening credits if horror films. These opening credits add extra interest to the film as it being a horror it clearly shown by the birds, the sounds and the credits. The opening credits build up the suspense of the film as to doesn't give much away making the viewer wonder what is going to happen but as not much of the plot is revealed there is also that sense of curiosity mixed with the feelings of dread as maybe the birds at two beginning was attacking people? What were the birds doing? What if there massive? All those thoughts and more pass through the viewers mind giving the building overall the genre and the suspense of the film.    

Napoleon Dynamite Opening Credits Remake

I have remade the opening credits for the film 'Napoleon Dynamite'. It is just under 3 minuets long and includes the music from the real opening credits. Enjoy the video -

The Birds Timeline

In the following attatchment is a timeline of the opening credits of the film 'The Birds'. It contains the  information of the cast, crew and studio productions with timings. To help with this I have made keys  and colour coded the image.