In order to see what my possible audience feel about my thriller I asked several people their opinions. In addition to this our whole media class watched each others thrillers and told us their opinions on it.
Ellis Baker: I really enjoyed it, I thought the use of colours in the dream sequence was effective in showing her on drugs. Also, the fast cuts at the end showed a good portrayal of the lead character's life.
Lewis Bayley : I thought the long tracking shot at the beginning was effectively done. Also, the incorporation of a large variety of shots was good. The acting throughout was very believable, and I feel that it was a successful film.
Olivia Haggar: I feel that the choice of music, although unusual for a thriller, was effectively chosen and matched what was on screen.
James Perry : This is a really good piece of work for AS,really good use of the effects off I-Movie
Lucy Carter :I think the music works really well because it's not your typical eerie sounding music, but it still has an anxious feel about it. Also, the editing where the girl has been taking drugs is really effective and shows a lot of skill'
When we first showed our piece i wasnt sure how rpeople would react to what we had done , but after we showed it everyone had positive feedback , they were impressed with the effects that we used (beth on trampoline) and said that it was clear what we were trying to get across, another aspect of the film that they were impressed iwth was the unusual use of music that we used through out because it is not convay the usual music used but they found it effective and thought that it went with the film very well.The only criticsim that was giving was about the width of a "cocaine" line which when were were filming we didnt really consider the width it was menat to be . overall i am impressed with the comments that we recieved , obviously there is always room for improvment but i am pleased with what we have produced.
Monday 3 May 2010
Evalution
In what way does your media product use. develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My thriller does conform to some of the conventions found in thrillers. It is set in 2 different locations which are accessible , which is usually the case in thrillers. The characters involved in my thriller are average high school students to create the idea of normality. They are just everyday people as in the case of most thrillers. Also, I carefully selected the actors to play the roles. I feel that they convincingly played their roles to the best of their ability to portray the characters they were meant to convey, which can be an issue when producing a film without professional actors.
However It does challenge several features of traditional thrillers. The music is used to create suspense throughout the entire film but is not your typical eary sound that often alot of thrillers have . I have used music to develop the character and to an extent to narrate what is happening on the screen for the opening scene. Also, I have used music with lyrics, which is unusual but I wanted the lead character to be seen as though she was listening to the music herself (diagetic music). It is only when I reach the dream sequence that music is used to create suspense. Instead of building up to something happening. I have used the opening to disorientate the audience as what is going on. some of these elements are not usually found in your typical
thriller and that is why i chose some of these aspects to challenge the typical genre.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Our film has a clear representation of youth. In our thriller, the youth are represented in a very negative light,which often occurs within society where they are shown as being involved in drugs, alcohol, smoking and they has our thriller progresses somehow linked to the murder. Some of these activities such as drinking, are often associated with the youth of today, so my thriller has conformed to the stereotypical representation of youth. However, it has been taken to the extreme and as thrillers do take an unexpected turn .
what kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why ?
I feel that alot of media institutions would distribute our product , mainly I aim for the obvious film industry , and would also like to use trailers and possibly a premiere that would help with the development and the progression of our film and would be an effective way of promotion, considering a trailer has a limited amount of time to reach out to its target market, i would have to ensure that in that short time the clip that i would distribute would be to a high quality but to mostly interact the watching audience so that they would want to watch the film has a whole. Film premieres allow the film to be publicized around the globe, not only giving actors publicity but also the film company itself. meaning that the company would be able to grow and progress.
who would your audience for your media product?
Our film is aimed towards ages 15 and above, and possibly no older than 30 as some of the content maybe frowned upon by older generations. The reason I feel that our thriller would be aimed towards people over the age of 15 is because of the reference to drugs and alcohol, which would be persistent throughout the film. Due to this content I would classify the film as a 15.
How did you attract/address your audience?
we attracted our audience through the content of the film. My target audience often are attracted to risky behaviour so to have a film that revolves around all these types of behaviour and showing these activities would interest the targeted audience. Also, the choice of music appeals to the target audience involved but also subverts the typical music used in thrillers.
The fact that the thriller is based around drugs and alcohol mainly, would appeal to the target audience (15 and above) as they are more likely to be able to identify and be able to relate with the issues covered with in the film If the film were to be released I would try and attract them through the usual ways such as trailers, interviews, pod casts, premieres and reviews in magazines and newspapers by covering all ranges of media this would also enhance the different audiences that this may attract.
what have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I learnt how to use the programme Imovie when i had never used apple software before , after practice and trying out different things i became rather efficient when using it and found i was able to finish things quickly but to a high standard, I also learnt how different camera shots and certain editing can change the entire sequence of the film and keep the audience interacted. Finally i also learnt how to look for certain music that would fit to what was going on , on screen and how different music can effect the mood that you are trying to create.
Looking back at your preliminary task , what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Since my preliminary task, I have learnt various things not only in the production and development but learning of new skills and the use of equipment that i maybe not used to , i also realised the importance of team work and co-operation and how effects the pace and standard in which you get things completed and i feel that we as a group tackled this rather well after little adjustment. In the editing of our preliminary task some of our shots were left and held for too long. This was not the case in our thriller but i feel that there maybe could of been a bit more dialog because on the first watch some may be confused of the plot of the thriller. In order, to keep the audience interested we had to ensured that shots were not held in one spot for longer than 3 seconds so it did not drag on. In the are of editing I learnt how to add various effects and how it can change the mood of what is going on . Also, I thought that it was important to include a range of different shots that would help enhance what was going on. I feel that by planning it thoroughly we were able to complete it rather quickly and therefore had more time to edit and go back and change things if need be due to the time we had left this seemed to work very well.
My thriller does conform to some of the conventions found in thrillers. It is set in 2 different locations which are accessible , which is usually the case in thrillers. The characters involved in my thriller are average high school students to create the idea of normality. They are just everyday people as in the case of most thrillers. Also, I carefully selected the actors to play the roles. I feel that they convincingly played their roles to the best of their ability to portray the characters they were meant to convey, which can be an issue when producing a film without professional actors.
However It does challenge several features of traditional thrillers. The music is used to create suspense throughout the entire film but is not your typical eary sound that often alot of thrillers have . I have used music to develop the character and to an extent to narrate what is happening on the screen for the opening scene. Also, I have used music with lyrics, which is unusual but I wanted the lead character to be seen as though she was listening to the music herself (diagetic music). It is only when I reach the dream sequence that music is used to create suspense. Instead of building up to something happening. I have used the opening to disorientate the audience as what is going on. some of these elements are not usually found in your typical
thriller and that is why i chose some of these aspects to challenge the typical genre.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Our film has a clear representation of youth. In our thriller, the youth are represented in a very negative light,which often occurs within society where they are shown as being involved in drugs, alcohol, smoking and they has our thriller progresses somehow linked to the murder. Some of these activities such as drinking, are often associated with the youth of today, so my thriller has conformed to the stereotypical representation of youth. However, it has been taken to the extreme and as thrillers do take an unexpected turn .
what kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why ?
I feel that alot of media institutions would distribute our product , mainly I aim for the obvious film industry , and would also like to use trailers and possibly a premiere that would help with the development and the progression of our film and would be an effective way of promotion, considering a trailer has a limited amount of time to reach out to its target market, i would have to ensure that in that short time the clip that i would distribute would be to a high quality but to mostly interact the watching audience so that they would want to watch the film has a whole. Film premieres allow the film to be publicized around the globe, not only giving actors publicity but also the film company itself. meaning that the company would be able to grow and progress.
who would your audience for your media product?
Our film is aimed towards ages 15 and above, and possibly no older than 30 as some of the content maybe frowned upon by older generations. The reason I feel that our thriller would be aimed towards people over the age of 15 is because of the reference to drugs and alcohol, which would be persistent throughout the film. Due to this content I would classify the film as a 15.
How did you attract/address your audience?
we attracted our audience through the content of the film. My target audience often are attracted to risky behaviour so to have a film that revolves around all these types of behaviour and showing these activities would interest the targeted audience. Also, the choice of music appeals to the target audience involved but also subverts the typical music used in thrillers.
The fact that the thriller is based around drugs and alcohol mainly, would appeal to the target audience (15 and above) as they are more likely to be able to identify and be able to relate with the issues covered with in the film If the film were to be released I would try and attract them through the usual ways such as trailers, interviews, pod casts, premieres and reviews in magazines and newspapers by covering all ranges of media this would also enhance the different audiences that this may attract.
what have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I learnt how to use the programme Imovie when i had never used apple software before , after practice and trying out different things i became rather efficient when using it and found i was able to finish things quickly but to a high standard, I also learnt how different camera shots and certain editing can change the entire sequence of the film and keep the audience interacted. Finally i also learnt how to look for certain music that would fit to what was going on , on screen and how different music can effect the mood that you are trying to create.
Looking back at your preliminary task , what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Since my preliminary task, I have learnt various things not only in the production and development but learning of new skills and the use of equipment that i maybe not used to , i also realised the importance of team work and co-operation and how effects the pace and standard in which you get things completed and i feel that we as a group tackled this rather well after little adjustment. In the editing of our preliminary task some of our shots were left and held for too long. This was not the case in our thriller but i feel that there maybe could of been a bit more dialog because on the first watch some may be confused of the plot of the thriller. In order, to keep the audience interested we had to ensured that shots were not held in one spot for longer than 3 seconds so it did not drag on. In the are of editing I learnt how to add various effects and how it can change the mood of what is going on . Also, I thought that it was important to include a range of different shots that would help enhance what was going on. I feel that by planning it thoroughly we were able to complete it rather quickly and therefore had more time to edit and go back and change things if need be due to the time we had left this seemed to work very well.
Research into thriller genres
We decided to research into the thriller genre with more detail, looking for a type of thriller that we could draw inspiration from, and we found that there were many different types of sub-genre, which can also combine together to create a very diverse film.
This is the research we found;
Action thriller: In which the work often features a race against the clock, contains lots of violence, and an obvious antagonist. These films usually contain large amounts of guns, explosions, and large elaborate set pieces for the action to take place. These films often have elements of mystery films and crime films but these elements take a backseat to action. Notable examples are the James Bond Films, The Transporter, and the Jason Bourne novels and films.
Conspiracy Thriller: In which the hero/heroine confronts a large, powerful group of enemies whose true extent only he/she recognizes. The Chancellor Manuscript and The Aquitane Progression by Robert Ludlom fall into this category, as do films such as Three Days of the Condor, Capricorn One, and JFK.
Crime thriller: This particular genre is a hybrid type of both crime films and thrillers that offers a suspenseful account of a successful or failed crime or crimes. These films often focus on the criminal(s) rather than a policeman. Crime thrillers usually emphasize action over psychological aspects. Central topics of these films include murders, robberies, chases, shootouts, and double-crosses are central ingredients. Some examples include The Killing, Seven and The Godfather.
Disaster thriller: In which the main conflict is due to some sort of natural or artificial disaster, such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes, etc., or nuclear disasters as an artificial disaster. Examples include Stormy Weather by Carl Hiassen, Tremor by Winston Graham, and the 1974 film Earthquake.
Drama thriller: In which the story consists of the elements of a thriller and drama film. These films are usually slower paced and involves a great deal of character development along with plot twists. Examples include The Illusionist, The Interpreter and The Prestige.
Erotic Thriller: In which the protagonist must avert or rectify an environmental or biological calamity_often in addition to dealing with the usual types of enemies or obstacles present in other thriller genres. This environmental component often forms a central message or theme of the story. Examples include Nicholas Evans's The Loop, C. George Muller's Echoes in the Blue, and Wilbur Smith's Elephant Song, all of which highlight real-life environmental issues.
In which it consists of erotica and thriller. It has become popular since the 1980s and the rise of VCR market penetration. The genre includes such films as Basic Instinct, Dressed to Kill, Colour of Night, Eyes Wide Shut, Fatal Attraction, Looking for Mr.Goodbar and In the Cut.
Horror thriller: In which conflict between the main characters are mental, emotional, and physical. Two recent examples of this include the Saw Series of films and the Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later. What sets the horror thriller apart is the main element of fear throughout the story. The main character(s) is not only up against a superior force, but they are or will soon become the victims themselves and directly feel the fear that comes by attracting the monster's attention. Other well-known examples are Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Thomas Harris's The Silence of the Lambs.
Legal thriller: In which the lawyer-heroes/heroines confront enemies outside, as well as inside, the courtroom and are in danger of losing not only their cases but their lives. The Innocent Man by John Grisham is a well known example of the type.
Medical thriller: In which the hero/heroine are medical doctors/personnel working to solve an expanding medical problem. Robin Cook, Tess Gerritsen, Michael Crichton, and Gary Braver are well-known authors of this subgenre. Nonfiction medical thrillers are also a subcategory, comprising works like The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. Films such as Awake are other examples of medical thrillers.
Political thriller: In which the hero/heroine must ensure the stability of the government that employs him. The success of Seven Days in May (1962) by Fletcher Knebel, The Day of the Jackal (1971) by Frederick Forsyth, and The Manchurian Candidate (1959) by Richard Condon established this subgenre. A more recent example is the 1980 film Agency.
Psychological thriller: In which (until the often violent resolution) the conflict between the main characters is mental and emotional, rather than physical. The Alfred Hitchcock films Suspicion, Shadow of a Doubt, and Strangers on a Train and David Lynch's bizarre and influential Blue Velvet are notable examples of the type, as is The Sixth Sense by M. Night Shyamalan and The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith (who also wrote Strangers).
Spy thriller (also a subgenre of spy fiction): In which the hero is generally a government agent who must take violent action against agents of a rival government or (in recent years) terrorists. Examples include From Russia with Love by Ian Fleming, The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum, and television series such as Mission: Impossible and 24 (the latter demonstrating a break from the norm by Robert Ludlum, as it is as much a psychological thriller as a spy thriller).
Supernatural thriller: In which the conflict is between main characters, usually one of which has supernatural powers. Carrie by Stephen King, Unbreakable by M. Night Shyamalan, and Torchwood are notable examples of this genre. This type of thriller combines tension of the regular thriller with such basic horror oriented ingredients as ghosts, the occult, and psychic phenomenon; the supernatural thriller combines these with a frightening but often restrained film. They also generally eschew the more graphic elements of the horror film in favor of sustaining a mood of menace and unpredictability; supernatural thrillers often find the protagonists either battling a malevolent paranormal force or trapped in a situation seemingly influenced or controlled by an other-worldly entity beyond their comprehension.
Techno-thriller: A work that usually focuses upon military action, in which technology (usually military technology) is described in detail and made essential to the reader's/viewer's understanding of the plot. Tom Clancy defined and popularized the genre with his The Hunt for Red October, and is considered to be the "Father of the Technothriller".
Most thrillers are formed in some combination of the above, with horror, conspiracy, and psychological tricks used most commonly to heighten tension.
This is the research we found;
Action thriller: In which the work often features a race against the clock, contains lots of violence, and an obvious antagonist. These films usually contain large amounts of guns, explosions, and large elaborate set pieces for the action to take place. These films often have elements of mystery films and crime films but these elements take a backseat to action. Notable examples are the James Bond Films, The Transporter, and the Jason Bourne novels and films.
Conspiracy Thriller: In which the hero/heroine confronts a large, powerful group of enemies whose true extent only he/she recognizes. The Chancellor Manuscript and The Aquitane Progression by Robert Ludlom fall into this category, as do films such as Three Days of the Condor, Capricorn One, and JFK.
Crime thriller: This particular genre is a hybrid type of both crime films and thrillers that offers a suspenseful account of a successful or failed crime or crimes. These films often focus on the criminal(s) rather than a policeman. Crime thrillers usually emphasize action over psychological aspects. Central topics of these films include murders, robberies, chases, shootouts, and double-crosses are central ingredients. Some examples include The Killing, Seven and The Godfather.
Disaster thriller: In which the main conflict is due to some sort of natural or artificial disaster, such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes, etc., or nuclear disasters as an artificial disaster. Examples include Stormy Weather by Carl Hiassen, Tremor by Winston Graham, and the 1974 film Earthquake.
Drama thriller: In which the story consists of the elements of a thriller and drama film. These films are usually slower paced and involves a great deal of character development along with plot twists. Examples include The Illusionist, The Interpreter and The Prestige.
Erotic Thriller: In which the protagonist must avert or rectify an environmental or biological calamity_often in addition to dealing with the usual types of enemies or obstacles present in other thriller genres. This environmental component often forms a central message or theme of the story. Examples include Nicholas Evans's The Loop, C. George Muller's Echoes in the Blue, and Wilbur Smith's Elephant Song, all of which highlight real-life environmental issues.
In which it consists of erotica and thriller. It has become popular since the 1980s and the rise of VCR market penetration. The genre includes such films as Basic Instinct, Dressed to Kill, Colour of Night, Eyes Wide Shut, Fatal Attraction, Looking for Mr.Goodbar and In the Cut.
Horror thriller: In which conflict between the main characters are mental, emotional, and physical. Two recent examples of this include the Saw Series of films and the Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later. What sets the horror thriller apart is the main element of fear throughout the story. The main character(s) is not only up against a superior force, but they are or will soon become the victims themselves and directly feel the fear that comes by attracting the monster's attention. Other well-known examples are Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Thomas Harris's The Silence of the Lambs.
Legal thriller: In which the lawyer-heroes/heroines confront enemies outside, as well as inside, the courtroom and are in danger of losing not only their cases but their lives. The Innocent Man by John Grisham is a well known example of the type.
Medical thriller: In which the hero/heroine are medical doctors/personnel working to solve an expanding medical problem. Robin Cook, Tess Gerritsen, Michael Crichton, and Gary Braver are well-known authors of this subgenre. Nonfiction medical thrillers are also a subcategory, comprising works like The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. Films such as Awake are other examples of medical thrillers.
Political thriller: In which the hero/heroine must ensure the stability of the government that employs him. The success of Seven Days in May (1962) by Fletcher Knebel, The Day of the Jackal (1971) by Frederick Forsyth, and The Manchurian Candidate (1959) by Richard Condon established this subgenre. A more recent example is the 1980 film Agency.
Psychological thriller: In which (until the often violent resolution) the conflict between the main characters is mental and emotional, rather than physical. The Alfred Hitchcock films Suspicion, Shadow of a Doubt, and Strangers on a Train and David Lynch's bizarre and influential Blue Velvet are notable examples of the type, as is The Sixth Sense by M. Night Shyamalan and The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith (who also wrote Strangers).
Spy thriller (also a subgenre of spy fiction): In which the hero is generally a government agent who must take violent action against agents of a rival government or (in recent years) terrorists. Examples include From Russia with Love by Ian Fleming, The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum, and television series such as Mission: Impossible and 24 (the latter demonstrating a break from the norm by Robert Ludlum, as it is as much a psychological thriller as a spy thriller).
Supernatural thriller: In which the conflict is between main characters, usually one of which has supernatural powers. Carrie by Stephen King, Unbreakable by M. Night Shyamalan, and Torchwood are notable examples of this genre. This type of thriller combines tension of the regular thriller with such basic horror oriented ingredients as ghosts, the occult, and psychic phenomenon; the supernatural thriller combines these with a frightening but often restrained film. They also generally eschew the more graphic elements of the horror film in favor of sustaining a mood of menace and unpredictability; supernatural thrillers often find the protagonists either battling a malevolent paranormal force or trapped in a situation seemingly influenced or controlled by an other-worldly entity beyond their comprehension.
Techno-thriller: A work that usually focuses upon military action, in which technology (usually military technology) is described in detail and made essential to the reader's/viewer's understanding of the plot. Tom Clancy defined and popularized the genre with his The Hunt for Red October, and is considered to be the "Father of the Technothriller".
Most thrillers are formed in some combination of the above, with horror, conspiracy, and psychological tricks used most commonly to heighten tension.
Synopsis for ''Addicted''
The aim for the opening of this thriller is to disorientate the viewer and to introduce the main characters. In this the audience are introduced to a blonde girl in a rural setting played by Beth Walton, who is obviously involved in drugs (which is one of the main themes within the film), Robin, who is her friend is murdered, and Beth’s alter ego, Hannah Fyfe (this however remains unknown in the rest of the film). In the credits it shows the audience clips of drugs, alcohol and smoking; 3 things that are associated with today’s youth. The drugs and the alcohol are the main focus of the film.
In the rest of the film you see how the lead character has been introduced into the way of life and the psychological effects it has on her. At the end it turns out she has developed schizophrenia and has an alter ego, which kills Robin.
In the rest of the film you see how the lead character has been introduced into the way of life and the psychological effects it has on her. At the end it turns out she has developed schizophrenia and has an alter ego, which kills Robin.
Thursday 29 April 2010
Wednesday 28 April 2010
Plan for filming
Day 1: Milford
Location: Milford Common
Props Needed: Bike, Over The Shoulder Bag, Headphones, Mobile Phone, Small Bag of Icing Sugar and a Bottle of Vodka.
Equipment Needed: Car (for tracking shot), Tripod, Dolly, Ply sheets (for Vertigo Shot) and Camera
Actors required: Beth Walton and Robin Mountford
Day 2: Dream Sequence and Death
Location: Hills of Dundee, Canal and the Woods
Props Needed: Knife, Phone and Red Food Dye
Equipment Needed: Camera, Dolly, Tripod, Ply Sheets for smooth Tracking shots
Actors Required: Beth Walton, Robin Mountford and Hannah Fyfe
Day 3: Credits
Location: Hannah’s House and Outside
Props Needed: Pint Glasses, Shot Glasses, A collection of alcohol, Icing Sugar, Credit Card, Make Up, House Keys, Cup Of Soup and a Cigarette
Equipment Needed: Camera and Tripod
Actors Required: Hannah Fyfe and Matt Marlow
Location: Milford Common
Props Needed: Bike, Over The Shoulder Bag, Headphones, Mobile Phone, Small Bag of Icing Sugar and a Bottle of Vodka.
Equipment Needed: Car (for tracking shot), Tripod, Dolly, Ply sheets (for Vertigo Shot) and Camera
Actors required: Beth Walton and Robin Mountford
Day 2: Dream Sequence and Death
Location: Hills of Dundee, Canal and the Woods
Props Needed: Knife, Phone and Red Food Dye
Equipment Needed: Camera, Dolly, Tripod, Ply Sheets for smooth Tracking shots
Actors Required: Beth Walton, Robin Mountford and Hannah Fyfe
Day 3: Credits
Location: Hannah’s House and Outside
Props Needed: Pint Glasses, Shot Glasses, A collection of alcohol, Icing Sugar, Credit Card, Make Up, House Keys, Cup Of Soup and a Cigarette
Equipment Needed: Camera and Tripod
Actors Required: Hannah Fyfe and Matt Marlow
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