Preliminary Film

Preliminary

Preliminary Behind the Scenes

Preliminary Planning and Storyboard

Initial Planning

Final Preliminary Storyboards

Thriller Analysis: Fight Club

Thriller Analysis: Fight Club

Preliminary Practice Filming and Editing

Preliminary Practice Filming and Editing

Unfortunately, my group (Me, Dom & Lucy) had technical difficulties when uploading our video footage and so we've had to edit Connie and Kiara's footage instead; nonetheless they still created all three of the shots my group tried to achieve. The basic storyline involved Kiara's character misplacing her keys and discovering that Connie had taken them; Kiara then chases her as Connie tries to steal her car. It all ties up with a somewhat comic ending when Kiara punches Connie leaving her knocked out on the floor.

My group edited the footage to create a smooth finished product; adding in sound effects to highlight the slightly slapstick element of the film. This included a light-hearted, jazzy number as Kiara is introduced; and then later on, sounds that were meant to appear diagetic such as the punch noise (in order to enhance the finished film). The camera work, done by Connie and Kiara, but much like our original footage, involved match-on-action shots (when Kiara cannot find the keys in her pocket), various panning shots, and shot/reverse/shots (like the first confrontation) which applied the 180 degree rule.

Preliminary Film Analysis

Preliminary Film Analysis

Continuity Editing

Continuity Editing

180 Degree Rule:

A rule created by Levi Wigglesworth which means that two characters should always have the same left and right relationship to each other. (If the camera crosses the invisible 'axis' connecting the two subjects it is called 'crossing the line'. The shot remains within a 180 degree radius and if the camera crosses the line it creates confusion for the film viewers, because it makes it look like the two characters have switched places in the scene. 

Shot reverse shot:

A shot reverse shot is a film technique where one character is shown looking at another character, and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character. It is often used in conversation between two characters, and much like the 180 degree rule it is used to retain continuity by not distorting the audience's sense of location of the subjects within the shot.

Match-on-action shot:

This refers to a film editing technique where the editor cuts from one shot to another view that matches the first shot's action. It creates a sense of continuity in the film and is used to highlight certain actions. The 'visual bridge' where the action carries through draws the viewers attention away from slight cutting or continuity issues.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Title Sequence Timeline

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Title Sequence Timeline

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) — Art of the Title

By analysing the Captain America Title Sequence I now have a better understanding on the conventions of a title sequence.

                                                                        One thing that became clear is the importance of someone within the production dictates their appearance in the titles: For example, the director comes first and then this is followed by the screenplay and then the producer etc. The last member of the production team to be show is the casting director, who is then followed by the actors. 

They too follow the same pattern with prominence in the film dictating their order - the main actors come first, followed by less key characters. The minor characters are also often listed in groups, which from my research appears to be common. Finally the title of the film appears. (Having said this, it is also common for all this to be in reverse: i.e. title first, then actors, then production team. It is either this way or the order that Captain America has followed that title sequences seem to appear.)

The title sequence also highlighted the significance of music, graphics and typography. It has shown that the genre and theme of the movie determines how these features pan out. Captain America was initially a MARVEL comic and the transition graphics and typography are done in a style that is somewhat comic-like. The music too follows the pattern of the genre: Captain America is an American hero and the diagetic music that accompanies the sequence feels very patriotic. The three factors: music, graphics and typography are all used to continue the theme of the movie.

Psycho Analysis

Skyfall Opening Title Sequence

Skyfall Opening Title Sequence

Skyfall is the latest installment of the James Bond legacy. The charismatic spy films are known for their intense, non stop action, their attractive women, and their charming British style; however they are also well known for their opening title sequences:

James Bond title sequences follow a few general guidelines: a dramatic theme tune, girls dancing, and 007 strutting his stuff; and the Skyfall sequence doesn't disappoint.

It begins with 007 being pulled underwater and then being engulfed by the sand at the bottom. Then various "scenes" join together via clever editing. The scenes appear random; however, they become apparent as the film progresses. For example, the Chinese dragons seem to have no relevance with the other scenes in the title sequence (which are mainly to do with grave yards and being underwater) however, later in the film there is a scene in which Mr Bond goes to a Chinese Casino. 

This dragon scene is then followed by an array of fire related effects and, having seen the film, it is then possible to see that this fire following the dragon links to a scene involving explosions following on from the Chinese casino scene in the main feature. The title sequence is used almost as a summary of the films future events, foreshadowing what is to come.

The editing attempts (and succeeds) to create the usual smooth and somewhat enticing title sequence that usually precedes James Bond features. The story line summary is interwoven with the classic women dancing and silhouettes of guns using blends of colors and shapes. One of the ways this is achieved is by the camera zooming into an object in the scene and then emerging from the object in a new scene. We can see this below where the camera has zoomed in on the eye and then emerged in a gloomy building.

The music also plays a crucial role in the sequence. James Bond films are known for their big ballads in which singers belt our a seductive and powerful melody. This is the case once more in Skyfall with Adele being backed by a full orchestra to create the iconic 007 tunes. The musics main role is to add drama and glamour to the sequence; along with the dazzling effects it builds up the iconic image of 007. The lighting and 'set' are fairly dark and somewhat sinister with the occasional splash of color. Unlike previous 007 films, the Daniel Craig films have been darker and less tongue and cheek and so I feel this is an effective way of addressing that the film is a perhaps more mature and serious take on the original films.

The typography plays a fairly minor role in the titles. It's kept modern, but quite discreet to perhaps address the sophistication and class of the film. It remains white throughout and fades in and out of various points on the screen; nevertheless, it still merges with the rest of the sequence as it has the same style as the animations within the sequence.

Thriller Genre Conventions

Thriller Genre Conventions

The thriller genre contains various codes and conventions that allow films within the genre to become instantly recognizable to the viewer. Their main purpose is to.. well thrill, and various techniques allow this to be achieved. As you will see below, the thriller genre is further split into sub-genres, each with there own slant on the genre but still all with same aim - to excite and entertain.

Sub Genres:

Conspiracy Thrillers: These thrillers tend to have a protagonist, often a member of the public, who gets involved in an attempt to take down a large organisation. The thrillers usually highlight corruption and often play on the fact that the protagonist is alone against a large network of people. An example of this is the Bourne series, where Jason Bourne tries to take down a secret government agency whilst they try to kill him - often the tension comes from the fact that, as the opposition is so great, there is often no one he can trust, or nowhere he is safe.

Mystery/Crime Thrillers: Mystery and crime thrillers go hand in hand; both tending to have a good guy (usually someone who enforces the law, e.g. a detective) trying to stop a criminal. Crime thrillers on their own often focus on the criminal and the criminal acts, whereas mystery thrillers often follow the protagonist and discover information as the 'hero' does. Mysteries tend to be a lot more psychological and play on the audiences minds, unlike crime thrillers which can often focus more on the action itself; however, the two are often blended to create a film full of both suspense and action.

Disaster Thriller: Disaster thrillers normally focus on groups or persons who are attempting to survive natural or artificial events. These can sometimes be natural disasters such as tsunamis, or man made issues (e.g. nuclear explosions). They sometimes reinact disasters that have happened; but often create artificial disasters and play with the concept of "what if this will actually happen in the future?!" - and use this idea as the main way to cause a reaction from the viewers.

Psychological/Religious Thrillers: Psychological thrillers are commonly associated with mystery thrillers as they tend to try and get a reaction from the audience, often using enigmas to question the viewers. However they also link in with religious thrillers, a smaller sub genre of thrillers. Religious thrillers tend to be joined to other sub genres (e.g. 'The Da Vinci Code' where the protagonist is trying to solve a mystery which is linked to the catholic faith.) Religious thrillers, like psychological thrillers, often put questions in the viewers minds and, in particular, highlight the positives but primarily the negatives within religion. 

Techno/Supernatural Thrillers: These thrillers usually provide a otherworldly element when being viewed. Supernatural thrillers usually focus on a powerful force, perhaps from a higher power, and so can be linked to religious thrillers. The protagonist is usually involved in fighting the supernatural power, often having supernatural power themselves. Techno thrillers are not dissimilar as they usually involve a protagonist trying to stop powers from the future; often ideas such as robots/aliens taking over the planet are played with.

Narrative Conventions:

Thrillers tend to follow, by and large, a fairly similar story line. Usually the underlying thread of the movie is a mystery or investigation to solve; with the protagonist tending to be the only person who can actually solve the mystery. The film usually contains enigmas which, throughout the showing, often place doubt and another level of mystery and danger into the story line. 
Thriller films also normally have a "goodie and badie" with them often sharing similar personality traits - and the climax of the film usually involves the protagonist in a dangerous situation that leads to the conclusion of the investigation or issue. Violence, or some form of danger, is central to all thrillers as it this that is used to create both tension and suspense, but also it often questions the viewers perceptions on certain topics. 

In terms of lighting, it is usually low key to add a darker element to the thriller and the music adds to this (whether modern or old) normally creates suspense - it tends to start of slow and then build up to add drama to the scenes. 

Character archetypes:

Characters in thrillers vary depending on the sub-genre; however, there are various traits that are common amongst thriller characters. There is always a protagonist(s) and normally an antagonist within the plot and the 'hero' is involved in solving a crime or mystery or surviving an event (etc). Stereotypical characters often include: an isolated hero who is always morally right, the good/ bad guy sharing various traits.. and so on. 

What is media/ Why do I like it?

What is media to me?

To me, Media Studies is becoming an increasingly important and interesting subject. Even more so as we progress into an ever increasing media based world.

 I personally enjoy the whole film/documentary making process (as you can see below in the trailer below which I created for Ten Tors) but also have a great interest in the media as a whole: e.g. how it is used in some cases for entertainment, but then others for propaganda and influence. 

What media am i interested in?

I wouldn't say I have a specific genre that I enjoy over others. Different films appeal to me for different reasons. For example, one of my favorite films is Cool Runnings, which is primarily a comedy, but then I also love films such as Battle Los Angeles which certainly isn't. I tend to stray away from really cheesy films, and (despite being a teenage boy) don't really like crude humor either. Often a film with a potent meaning is one I like; a film that is relatable but even if not it can still create an emotion. I don't have many favorite actors; I often prefer the unknown ones as I feel it creates a more real experience. However, I'm a fan of people such as Morgan/Martin Freeman and prefer them to the stereotypical chiseled cheek bone types such as Zac Elfron.