Famous Psychological Thrillers

From watching many thriller genres, such as many seen in this video, I can see what conventions are currently used, with ranges of shots through out the films. Common mise en scenes used are knives, guns and props which link to an underlying theme of religion e.g a cross or a bible. Dark lighting and glitches within the films are seen through out to disorientate the audience by effecting one of their senses. The characters normally used are mysterious looking and never give too much away about themselves. From this the audience does not become personally attached to the character and are can never predict what they are going to do next, making them even more dark feeling.

From looking at different best selling psychological thrillers we can see what conventions and mise en scenes they use, to include them within Doctor 6:19 to get the right effect.

Rhianna Henson-Smith

Shutter Island Opening

Shutter Island Opening Sequence

 The first shot shows a dark, wet prison corridor with low lighting and shadows. There are no characters within this yet there appears to be a figure laying face down on the floor in a cell. This could link with a crime/ horror sub-genre as the audience is unaware if the figure is alive or not.  The music is mysterious and dramatic, while the corridor zooms in with water dipping down and lights fading out into darkness. The director Martin Scorsese, famous for thriller films, gives the audience a feel of what type of storyline it will be. 

 This scene shows a dark lit room with only a small window for light and a caged door slightly open. Water is shown dipping down to create a sense of mystery, usually associated with the thriller genre. There appears to be a cannon in the corner of the room, relating to themes of violence. The low lighting  effects the audiences senses creating a tension of what could happen.

 This features a close up of a mans hand, portraying that he is leaning down to uncover something under the floor by removing a floor board. This makes the audience contemplate what could be hidden under there and why it was hidden from others in the first place. The director has used a close up so the characters face, location and figure is not seen, creating a mystery of who it could be. 

 This shows four security guards dressed in their uniform opening wide two sets of metal gates to a location that is seen to be of high importance, closely monitoring who enters. In the distance there is a big building with small windows being blocked out of view by trees. The scene zooms closer to the second set of gates making it seem like you’re in a car driving in.

This is a close up of a high raised arm chair which blocks the focus so the audience cannot see who the character is that is sat on it.  The location is not shown giving mystery as to what could be going on. The actor “Ben Kingsley” is credited as he is clearly an important character within the film and promotes him in other previous roles.

This scene shows a mans black shoe resting on a shiny silver gun symbolising violence, relating to a sub-genre of crime and themes of murder  that are suggested to occur throughout. Yet again the director has chosen to use a close-up to not give the character away, so the audience continues to contemplate. Furthermore another very famous actor is credited  “Leonardo DiCaprio” who frequently appears in crime films. 

Simple text is used to not take the attention away from the scenes that are appearing and fading in and out in the background. Rain is commonly used within thriller genres as it creates a dark eerie mood, along with the low lighting throughout the opening.  

 This shows a prison looking location with little lighting, featuring chains and hand cuffs, portraying a theme of violence.

Yet again the character's face and figure is not shown making the audience wonder who it is. The lighting of the match shows that the scene is dark and there must be low lighting.

This is an establishing shot showing an Island that appears to only have a few buildings. As the title is "Shutter Island" it is apparent that this is where the majority of the film will be set, the lighting is dark still with low clouds making the island look even more mysterious.

By Rhianna Henson-Smith

Evaluating the Preliminary Task

For our preliminary task, we were asked to film and edit a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. The task also had to demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.

So for our story line, we had Sara walk down a school corridor and open a door to a study room, where Rhianna was sitting (listening to music). Sara then sits down opposite Rhianna and begins to ask her where she was during history (to which Rhianna explains she "thought she didn't have a lesson") and Sara than tells Rhianna that she has a detention.

My role during this task was camera man, I filmed each scene/ shot. This meant that it was my job to capture match on action, which can be seen as Sara walks through the door (the camera shows one side of the door and jumps to the other side ).

I also captured shot/ reverse shot (the back and forth shots of Rhianna and Sara talking). I used this type of shot, because it was a simple way to display the conversation between the characters.

And I captured the 180- degree rule (at the end I turned from Rhianna's face to Sara's). I used this shot, to display where each character was set in proportion to each other.

Our frames during the task showed both characters clearly, however the quality of each frame needed to be improved. For instance, frames are blurred in most places and a little bit shaky. To improve these factors, I needed to use a tripod more and adjust the camera lens. The positioning of the actors on the screen was alright, however they needed to avoid eye contact with the camera and relax their body language a bit more and stop swizzling on their chairs. This would've created a better sense of normality, as these factors lead the audience to see they were acting.

In conclusion, the final result needed to be improved in terms of editing. For instance the scenes weren't very fluid, so in future we needed to film each cross-over more carefully (make sure everything is identical, when we change the shot). Also, in some clips the editing cut a scene during dialogue. So next time we need to be more precise when cutting scenes. However, when filming the match on action, I feel that the distance between the subject and the camera was just right. This is due to the fact that when I did change from one side of the door to the other, Sara remained the proportion size. On the other hand, when I filmed the shot/ reverse shot the camera focused on the other subject's shoulder rather than the subject talking and the 180- degree rule was a bit shaky. Another factor that I feel could be improved, was the dialogue not being appropriate with the shot/ reverse shot. This is because shot/ reverse shot is for a tense dramatic scene and getting a detention isn't very dramatic, however it is more dramatic than other possible discussions.

Overall as a group, I feel that we worked well. This can be backed up by the fact that we managed to complete the task and planned the story line out successfully, our communication during production was good as well (as we discussed what should be said and how it should be shot). However, when editing we failed to meet up until last minute (so our time- management needs to be improved) and when planning our story line, we failed to equally share out the drawing. 

A target for next time is the fact that I need to improve my confidence when using the camera and Final Cut Express. This is due to the fact that when remembering different settings and techniques, I find it hard. So I need to revise my notes and practice using them more often.    

By Maddy Fox

Understanding continuity principles for preliminary task

By Rhianna Henson-Smith

Evaluating the Perliminary Task

Evaluating the Preliminary Task

We were asked to make a video, approximately 30 seconds long, demonstrating how to use shot reverse shot, 180 degrees shot and match on action. These are commonly used in different films and certainly the thriller genre that we are focusing on. In shooting these different types of camera angles we were asked to focus on the certain rules that follow them. We watched a short clip of each being demonstrated within a film and learnt the ways to safely film each. For example with the 180 degrees shot the camera man would have to stay one side of a‘line’ and not cross it or it would be breaking the shot. However if the camera shows the line being broken the effect doesn’t drop and the viewer does not get confused. By watching the videos and learning how an effective shot is used we could thereby start putting our knowledge into action and start filming.

Before we started filming our 30 ish seconds long story we each practiced filming at least one of the three shots we had to include. In filming the 180 degrees shot I and a fellow media student sat on a bench at either side facing each other while our other partner used the camera along an imaginary line so we would always be in the same position on the screen while having a conversation and the audience would not be confused. After we demonstrated the camera moving from along the line and then breaking the line which appeared to mix up the positions of the two people and confuse the audience. We did this so that we therefore knew how to film the shot in the right way so we could use it properly within our story we would produce.

In knowing how to portray the shots effectively and understanding how they work and are used within films we could get to work on producing our story board.  Our story consisted of 2 characters which would both be students in a school. One character (my-self) was a rebellious student who didn’t attend a history lesson and blamed her absents on not knowing her timetable. The other (Sara) was a student who was her friend who enjoyed school and attended the lesson, so told me that I had a detention, while Maddy filmed.

We included different types of cinematography, including close-ups, long shots, match on action, 180 degree rule, medium close-ups and shot reverse shots. Using these we could portray our understanding of each through our film. For example our shot reverse shot featured I and Sara sat down at a table and showed over the shoulder shots of our conversation. Whenever I spoke the frame would show the back of me and Sara’s facial expression to what I was saying and then the other way round skipping back and forth with the dialogue. We included a close up when Sara opened the door handle which then followed with match on action when the next shot she was already in the room without being shown to come in the door.

Finally when done filming we began editing. I believe our final result demonstrated that we know the key concepts of filming and using different camera shots, however our editing should have been completed fully to the best of our ability as there are scenes that do not flow through from one another so more cutting should have been done. The storyline was clear throughout and the dialogue used made the audience aware of what was happening but the camera work needed to be more slick. There are parts that appear to look burly to the audience, so could have maybe been sharpened during editing or re-filmed. For the shot reverse shot our characters were in a good position on screen and the shot was appropriate for the scene. I think we could have included more cinematography such as an establishing shot of the school and low and high angles of filming.

I think we worked well as a group, all agreeing on our storyline and what shots we were including, we each decided what character we would be and who was filming very quickly and we edited it together as a group. Next time I would make sure our editing is better and if we run out of time to stay behind after school and see that it is up to standard. In using the camera I am confident at filming different shots and in using final cut express I am figuring different features out and know I can either research or ask my group members if I am unsure.

By Rhianna Henson-Smith

Evaluating preliminary task

To start our preliminary tasck we have used an establishing shot of the corridor and for give the sensation to enter in the room a close-up of the hand on the door, so a match on action of sitting on the chair and then the start of the dialogue.

In our preliminary tasck we have filmed the 180° rules, for the dialougue with an over the shoulder shot, in filmmaking, the continuity is a big part of filmmaking. If you're shooting a short film or interview, it's important to set the scene and establish your characters in space and time in order for the viewer to follow the action. One of the most basic continuity rules is the 180 Degree Rule.

The 180 Degree Rule states that two characters in a scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other. If you don't follow the 180 Degree Rule, or break it intentionally, it disrupts the scene disorients the audience. When you break the 180 line, a person who was originally facing left in a scene is all of the sudden facing right.

By Sara Campeggi

Our Preliminary Task

             

By Maddy Fox, Rhianna and Sara

Preliminary Task Storyboard

Gone Girl official website and facebook page

Gone Girl

Plot:

Director: David Fincher

This film unearths the secrets at the heart of a modern marriage. On the occasion of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne reports that his beautiful wife, Amy, has gone missing. Under pressure from the police and a growing media frenzy, Nick's portrait of a blissful union begins to more »crumble. Soon his lies, deceits and strange behaviour have everyone asking the same dark question: Did Nick Dunne kill his wife?

   This is the film Gone Girls official website, where the film is portrayed as a 'live news' article on tv showing a girl who has disappears. It is a good idea for every movie to have a website so it can promote the film and attract audiences. People can buy tickets through the website to see the film and see what cinemas it will feature in.

This is their official facebook page which shows their trailer on the left hand corner and features pictures/snap shots form the film. This is a good way of advertising a new movie as social media sites can attract many different audiences and promote the film, where people can also read reviews on what others who have seen it thought.

 

By Rhianna Henson-Smith

Initial planning ideas

Gone Girl Poster

Gone Girl talks about a missing person and all the story that develop after her disappearance; the poster let us see a little bit the plot, indeed Ben Afflek is in the middle of the picture and the bottom part of it is blurred and it is connected with the missing of his wife in the film. we can also notice is attitude that is scared, stressed, yes for the missing of his wife but also because he is put under a big pressure by the mass media, this influence his already bad character, making him always more stressed and stressed.

Concluding the font used is really basic and hide in part from the clouds, this

accentuates even more the film's plot which is full of intrigue and twist.

                            
Sara Campeggi

Gone Girl (Trailer)

This is the trailer to a thriller film called Gone Girl; where on the occasion of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne reports that his wife, Amy, has gone missing. Under pressure from the police and a growing media frenzy, Nick's portrait of a blissful union begins to crumble. Soon his lies, deceits and strange behaviour have everyone asking the same dark question: Did Nick Dunne kill his wife?


               


From this trailer, we learn the title of the film, when it'll be released and it also hints what the story line might be like. For example, there are a lot of voice-over's used (each discussing murder), this leads us to believe that the film will be a crime-thriller. The trailer also uses flashbacks to try and give a bit of story to the film, without giving the plot away. For example, there are flashbacks of a couple, however in one flashback the couple are arguing. This is important as it leads the audience to think they could be the main disruption of the film. (We know that there will be disruption, as the music in the trailer is calming, whereas the images in the trailer are violent.) From this trailer we know that there will be a missing girl (hence the title and the thumbnail showing a missing poster), however the trailer is already telling the audience who probably did it (as the suspect is shown to be her husband), we know this as we repeatedly hear/ see him being accused.

By Maddy Fox

Audience Research

To find out what films are the current best-selling films, we went online to our closest cinema (The Odeon) and searched for what was currently on. The results shown to us explained that the top five films were as shown below:

By Maddy Fox