Storyboard of thriller opening.

Script For Thriller Opening

(Setting is on normal road in the middle of a simple town. Everything is calm and normal life continues)

1st shot: Close-up of mans shoes. 

(man walks focused, quickly.)

2nd shot: We cut back to the anonymous woman in the kitchen.

(medium shot, woman cooking)

3rd Shot: Close-up of mans shoes. 

(man walks focused, quickly)

4th Shot: Back to the woman cooking

5th Shot: Long Shot of the man walking down the street holding a box, and walks towards a house where the box is placed on the floor.

(man seems tense and wary of the surroundings)

6th Shot: Returns to the woman in the kitchen, where she hears a knock and leaves the room. 

7th Shot: Back to man, he is leaving the house in a rush looking back to the door 

8th Shot: Man walking down the road off in the distance 

9th shot: Women opens the door, collects the box with suspicion of no one there, then walks to the end of the drive 

10th Shot: Close-up of the woman looking down the road to see if anyone is there

11th Shot:  Long shot of woman walks back into the house holding the box 

(we end with a scream over the end title) 

Final Thriller Opening Piece- Express delivery

Looking back at your preliminary task (the continuity editing task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

Our knowledge of ways to edit and also our camera skills have improved imensley. We have learnt how to use the program 'Final cut pro' To a standard that can makes our video look proffesional and clear to the audience. We have learnt how to make sucsessfull transistions between shots that make the film flow. Our skills on the program 'Garage Band' Have improved imensly. We were able to use this program to create a sucsessfull score of music throughout the film opening. We were also able to add an artificial scream with our knowledge of garage band. Our knowledge of films and there openings has improved imensly and we now understand films as media students not as simple people in the audience.

Results for thriller

Results for thriller

Results for thriller

Results for thriller

Results for thriller

Results for thriller

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

We have learnt how to use editing equipment, the editing equipment being, final cut pro by using this we have been able to develop our preliminary task an our thriller opening in which we are hoping to achieve a good grade that we deserve. Garage band was used to create the music which is used in our thriller opening which we wrote ourselves. Also we used live text edit to create a title sequence that catches the audiences attention.

How did you attract you audience?

The age of our audience are male teenagers and young men. To attract this audience we had a female victim and a male unkown character. It is key in thrillers to attract men that the victim is female. Are thriller is not scary but leaves a sense of ambiguety with the viewer. A key scene in which the audience is left thinking is when we have the scream at the end because people do not know what has happened. Also with the man's shoes we don't know who he is or what he is going to do. We then used a close up/ high angle shots to show just his shoes in the scene so the audience dont see his face and make them think about who he is. This make the audience edgy about what is happening and thinking about what is going to happen in the film.Our title is very different to most thrillers as you have some sort of idea what is going to happen. This may not intrest people as much but at the same time the story is very different.The male character is a mysterious man that doesnt speak and intrests people because there is a sense of ambiguity about him. The women attracts men that want to watch the fim and also gives a sense of peril to the film.

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The audience would mainly be made up of men of various ages, from aged 16-30. We think that men are more likely to watch thrillers than women. However women do watch thrillers and would also be from the ages 16-30. Younger people are unlikely to watch them due the age rating, and elderly people are less likely because they are less interested in thrillers. 

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

It would not be a film produced by a major hollywood distributor, it would be most probably the european distrubutor 'Pathe'. It is more likely also to be a tv film or an art house film because it is not a major film production so would be for limited viewers. It does offer the oppertunity of a franchise or fan groups using web 2.0,there could be catchphrases and key scenes that would always be remembered. 

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The age of the girl is around 20 and she is represented as quite oblivious to the package. She owns her own house and is clearly the owner of the house. She has a very large house so is clearly from some sort of rich family. The man is around the same age and is quite well dressed and is clearly a self made man. Men have the power but not to begin with the woman has the money and the house but after he has the power.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

There is a clear uncertainty to the storyline and the view has no idea on what is going on or why things are happening. This is clear in the scene when the woman is in the kitchen doing general cooking. Unlike many thrillers it is in a very subtle area and it is not in a big city area lke many thrillers. Our film is clearly a thriller but there could be a sub-genre of crime but it is unknown to the audience. An example of a thriller that can be related to our thriller is 'Children of men' it has the same sort of shots and also has a level of uncertainty.

How Characters Are Introduced.

We are introduced to the man with an extreme close-up of his feet, the audience do not know who the man is and haven't even seen his face. This leaves the audience questioning who this man is. We then see the man reading a piece of paper telling him to deliver the package. This gives the impression that he is not the man he seems to be.

How The Opening Suggests The Genre.

We suggest that the film is a thriller by using  a sense of mystery throughout. People don't know what is happening or what is going to. Like a typical thriller opening we don't know what the names of the characters. 

Font For Title.

We used 'Bank Gothic' as it was forward and straight to the point and was clear to the point. 

Story And The Opening.

The main plot of our opening is a mysterious object being delivered by an unknown man.  The recipient of this package is oblivious of the man delivering the package. The man does not know what he is delivering, and we see this in the opening as he holds a piece of paper telling him where to deliver. The package is important to the recipient. 

Camera Work & Editing.

We will be editing our thriller on the program 'final cut pro.' We have decided to feature a range of different camera shots and angles. We use long shots and the most common, mid shot and many more.

Title Of Our Thriller

EXPRESS DELIVERY!

We chose this title as it related to the action and events that take place in the opening, and also we wanted a sense of mystery in the title. Nobody knows what is being delivered and nobody knows who is delivering it. 

Costume & Props

The man who delivers the package will be simply dressed smartly so he doesnt raise suspission to security as part of the thriller opening feel. The person to recive the package will be dressed normally as she is a character that little is known about. For props we are using the delivery box and will be using the computer in the office to show that she is oblivious of what is going to happen. 

Set

For our thriller we are doing it along one of our roads and using inside the house also. This shows that it is a pretty average area and there is nothing special or odd about it. This gives a sense of mystery as they dont know who or what is happening.

Script for pre-lim task

script for pre-lim task

• 1. Nicole walks down the corridor heading for the room where the accused is being held.

2. Nicole heading towards door. 

3. Nicole opens the door

4. Nicole walks into room and sits down in a chair opposite the accused male.

Nicole

Where’s the body?

  Accused

I don’t know what you mean?

 Nicole

  You Know exactly what I mean!

Comparison

Opening Sequence Of “Panic Room” and ‘SE7EN’ comparison 

Camera Shot/Angle/Movement

‘Panic Room’ uses a range of long shots and high angles t show where we are from above. It also uses wide angles to show our surroundings. Average day in the city shown with the high buildings does not show us the whole story as all it shows us is where it is set. It uses slow panning shots to show where the location is so we get a full understanding.

Where as ‘seven’ uses Close-ups helps to focus attention and stimulate the imagination to come into play,quick

 movements and a variety of erratic close-ups to create this. The angle of some shots are from above, as a sense that the viewer is overlooking someone

Sound

Low mysterious music which leads us to wonder what's going to happen and what the main story it is going to be. 

also it makes us anxious in wanting to know what is going to happen. The sound also moves with the names and s

hots on screen so it keeps a beat to the shots and editing. It also sets the scene even though we know little about the film or themes of it. It sets a Mysterious atmosphere and how things may not always be as they seem.

In the same way the sound is both Non-diegetic and diegetic sound in ‘SEVEN’. However the use of non-diegetic sound dominates. Most of the non-diegetic sound, has been generated by computers to generate scraping, alien and distorted sounds.

Editing

Editing is key to the opening scene of the film because it makes the opening flow with the music but also the shots flow one after the other. Also the names of people who are in it and producers of the film are edited over the shots of the film.

Editing is also key to seven there are a variety of cuts in the opening seque

nce which change rapidly the use of different cuts constantly challenges the audiences perspective. Unlike panic room where the cuts are slow and panning.

Mise en Scene

We do not see a lot in the opening of ‘Panic room’ but we do see the buildings and city it is set in. we are not told this but we are able to recognize the city with the buildings and also recognizable features of new york like the yellow taxis and the chrysler building which is clearly recognizable from the clip.

The opening of seven uses low key lighting which generates shadows and adds to the audiences anticipation. And unlike panic room the images are not clear to us.

Characters

There are no clear characters shown to us in the opening of ‘Panic room’ and in the same way,The opening of ‘Seven’ doesn’t clearly establish any main character, however because the focus is on the actions of the antagonist, he is quite clearly an important character. 

Locations

The location of the opening is New york this is made clear to us through the buildings which are recognizable features of new york like the taxis and streets.

However in ‘Seven’ we are Inside, hidden, unknown, Basement or cellar

Narrative/Plot

There is no clear plot as all you see is the skyline of new york and the city itself. All you can assume is that the main focus is in the city of new york itself.

in the same way in ‘Seven’ there is No clear evidence of narrative or plot is introduced into the opening, however because of the actions of the antagonist one can assume that  he is a serial killer.

Themes

There is no clear theme only the city itself where as in ‘SEVEN’ the themes of 

Murder, serial killer, pain, knifes and destruction are clearly shown to us.

Visual Style

The visual style is clear in the way it wants you to get a clear image and setting of the film. Where as in ‘Seven’ Unique, original, uses combination of credits and fast cuts to destabilize the viewer so it is the complete opposite to ‘panic room’

Genre

We cant work out the genre at all from what we see. However with the music and panning shots we can get the idea that it is a thriller as it gives us that uncertainty that we would expect from a thriller. ‘Seven’ is clearly a Thriller, psychological horror, as much as it is de-stabilized we know clearly what the aim of the film is. 

Questionnaire

 What type of thriller do you like most?

Psychological

Horror

Drama

Crime

What do you think is the most important element in thriller?

music

story-line

mise en scene

setting

What type of music do you think is the most effective in a thriller?

Orchestral

Fast beat

Slow Beat

How important is the introduction of a mystery or an enigma?

not much

quite

a lot

very much

extremely

Do you think the conventions to a thriller should be subverted?

 

Yes                     No

Do you think dialogue is important in the opening of a thriller?

Yes                     No

Saw

Opening Sequence Analysis

SAW 1

Camera Shot/Angle/Movement

Begins with title of the film, camera enters fr

om above, an blacks out after a few seconds, we only hear people talking we don’t see them, this sense of unease is enforced with a black scene for a good 30 seconds. Then, lights suddenly turn on, showing two characters, in a bathroom chain

ed separately, the camera cuts from one character

 to another. the camera is handheld, giving erratic shaky movements.

Sound

scrapping, creepy, people talking, shouting, screaming.

Editing

Many fast cuts are used and enhance the sense of tension and suspense. moving to different scenes, representing the film.

Mise en Scene

Bathroom creates an ugly background or where the victims are. 

Characters

the characters identity is not clearly identified, but because they’ve been assaulted and left in chains the audience can assume that they are the victims.

Locations

bathroom, maybe communal.

Narrative/Plot

people have been captured, and perhaps for a kidnap ransom.

Themes

revenge, sadism, death

Visual Style

the director deliberately doesn’t identify characters straight away, can only hear and guess what the characters will be.

Genre

thriller

Opening Sequence Analysis

Seven

Camera Shot/Angle/Movement

Close-ups helps to focus attention and stimulate the imagination to come into play,quick movements and a variety of erratic close-ups to create this. The angle of some shots are from above, as a sense that the viewer is overlooking someone.

Sound

The opening to seven employs both Non-diegetic and diegetic sound, however the use of non-diegetic sound dominates. Most of the non-diegetic sound, has been generated by computers to generate scraping, alien and distorted sounds.

Editing

there are a variety of cuts in the opening sequence which change rapidly the use of different cuts constantly challenges the audiences perspective. 

Mise en Scene

The opening of seven uses low key lighting which generates shadows and adds to the audiences anticipation

Characters

The opening of Seven doesn’t clearly establish any main character, however because the focus is on the actions of the antagonist, he is quite clearly an important character. 

Locations

Inside, hidden, unknown, Basement or cellar

Narrative/Plot

No clear evidence of narrative or plot is introduced into the opening, however because of the actions of the antagonist one can assume that  he is a serial killer.

Themes

Murder, serial killer, pain, destruction.

Visual Style

Unique, original, uses combination of credits and fast cuts to de-stabilise the viewer

Genre

Thriller, psychological horror

Opening Sequence Analysis

Panic Room

Camera Shot/Angle/Movement

The opening of Panic Room consist of long-shots, high angles and pans. This helps the audience appreciate the vastness of the New York City landscape, with its historical buildings and sky-scrappers. 

Sound

The opening to Panic Room uses Non-diegetic sound. the music is subtle and complements the titles graphics and titles that emerge on the screen. the pace and the tone of the music picks up giving a sense to the audience that something is about to happen.

Editing

The opening of Panic Room is made up of a series of long-shots with very little editing, this allows the audience much more time to absorb the information given to them. A series of long takes occupy the opening scene. the camera focuses on the tall buildings and sky scrappers that dominate the city.

Mise en Scene

The opening scene is shot during the day, using a combination of highlighting and modern settings. In the final scene the camera pans down to street level and focuses on two women, this informs the audience of the setting and that its set in contemporary city.

Characters

The final shot in panic room focuses on the two women walking along the street deep in conversation with each other. 

Locations

America, the city, modern time/ 21st century.

Narrative/Plot

The opening of Panic Room doesn’t give any real sense of narrative or plot.

Themes

In-Justice, Disloyal, Un-trustworthy 

Visual Style

the visual style for panic room is very interesting. the director uses a series of long shots and tall buildings to super impose the information contained in the opening sequence.

Genre

Psychological thriller,Action,Adventure