EVALUATION - DILYS LATHAM
1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
A good thriller consists of three things suspense, enigma and action. To create this the film must include all the conventions of a exciting thriller, it must have fast paced cuts to help create gripping action, a protagonist and an antagonist to help insure binary oppositions, interesting locations to keep the audience engrossed and a thoroughly thought out twisting plot. Once all these elements are put together, the outcome speaks for itself. A very popular thriller The Dark Knight Rises included all the key conventions and has a domestic growth of $533,345,358 since its release in 2008, making it the third most successful film ever.
The thriller opening we created uses all the conventions of a thriller to help create something gripping and exciting to watch. From the use of pathetic fallacy, to the in depth thought about mise en scene and interesting editing techniques the effect it has on the audience is outstanding, with one reviewer claiming it to be an "exciting fresh opening". We incorporated all the key themes of a thriller as well as adding a few original ideas and concepts to make the opening a modern and give it an unique twist.
The Dark Knight Rises
- SHOT 1 -The Dark Knight has an extraordinary opening it is extremely thrilling and suspense filled. The locations in the opening are very influential, the high rise buildings and wealthy bank suggest the film is going to be action packed and crime, law and order will both be themes. There is also an indication that the characters are going to be powerful and reckless because the location is a busy and intimidating place.
- SHOT 6-The iconography in the opening is very important as the key characters are all wearing masks, the masks convey an abstinence to the characters as the audience cannot see their faces, also the masks look like scary, threatening clowns, giving connotations of something evil, which is a key element to a excellent thriller.
- SHOT 5-A steady cam and tracking are both used to help involve the audience and make them feel as if they are running alongside the robbers. Throughout the sequence the cuts become quicker to fasten to help build anticipation.
- The music begins slow and then it picks up the pace to help build suspense a key ingredient to a good thriller.
Pushed To The Edge
- SHOT 3,4,5 -One of the first things we did when planning for our thriller was finding locations in which to film. We decided that the locations needed to connect to the story but also still work with the thriller theme.
- SHOT 3-The beach scenes and the ones filmed on the cliff were crucial as we needed to build a contrast between the past and the present. The beach is in the protagonist’s flashbacks, when she was younger and happier, we chose to film on a beach as it has connotations of somewhere that is fun and lively. The shots on and around the cliff are in the protagonists present and were done to show her isolation and also convey the element danger which is key in any good thriller.
- SHOT 1- When considering the mise en scene in our opening unlike the dark knight we didn’t have masks instead we took a more subtle approach and dressed our protagonist in dark clothing to reflect her mood as depressed and also reveal a little bit about her character which is that she is dark and malicious.
- At the very beginning of our opening there is a little tracking inspired by the tracking in the dark knight, we included this tracking to help involve the audience in the story from the start. We also took a big risk at challenging the forms of thrillers by including a canted shot; we wanted to convey more clearly how badly our character was traumatized and how it had left her completely disorientated and confused.
- SHOT 7-Our decision to include flashbacks was to develop the usual conventions of a thriller to help create an unusual contrast in our opening.
- Finally the choice to have restricted narration in our opening was to help the audience connect and empathize with the protagonist as she is so confused and distraught that the real world has been blotted out. It is also to help show how isolated she is.
Although a very successful thriller The Dark Knight is an example of a high-budget American thriller and therefore maybe a little too different when trying to compare it to my own opening. However John Boulting's Brighton Rock created in 1947, is a classic British thriller which shares many of the same conventions as our own.
Conventions of a thriller:
At the very start of the thriller we have a close up shot of the star of the film Pinkie Brown and whilst we view this shot thunder can be heard and his face is lit up by lightning which
suggests that his character is dangerous.
Sticking to this key convention of creating enigma in a thriller, we decided that having pathetic fallacy created by shooting on a very mundane overcast day would help present our character as depressed and isolated.
The extreme long shots of the beach and parts of Brighton in Brighton Rock are very interesting as they introduce the setting and help begin to build the narrative but also they create a great contrast to the key conventions thriller. The shots include busy days on the beach as children play and fishermen go out on their boats. This unlikely opening is not only intriguing but also unique.
In our own thriller opening we decided that we would create contrast by showing flashbacks of our characters past when she was young and having fun. As a beach suggests somewhere fun and relaxing we thought it would be the perfect contrast. We decided that we develop this convention by adding a glow effect in editing to show that her memories are distorted and distant.
The extreme close up of this newspaper article is significant as it is intriguing and begins to help to build the narrative. The decision to have it laid over a mans face we presume to be sleeping is a good example of iconography as the man looks dead and we often associate death with thrillers.
Brighton Rock challenged the usual forms of a thriller by having an opening with lively happy shots not usually connected with thrillers but which sets up a great contrast and makes the film far more interesting.
In our own thriller we challenged the usual forms by including a canted shot to show our characters disorientation and hopefully help the audience connect with the character as they will also feel confused once seeing this shot.
Brighton Rock begins with very dramatic eerie music which builds suspense and also opens the film with emphatic force, as the shots become of a sunny seaside the music becomes light hearted and fun which helps create a contrast with the rest of the thriller. In our opening we decided to have a very melancholic piece of music playing in the background which connects to the mood we want in the opening.
Feedback I got from one viewer of our target audience on was that our thriller opening was 'spooky and the rural locations gave me a empty feeling'.
Conventions of a thriller:
At the very start of the thriller we have a close up shot of the star of the film Pinkie Brown and whilst we view this shot thunder can be heard and his face is lit up by lightning which
suggests that his character is dangerous.
The extreme long shots of the beach and parts of Brighton in Brighton Rock are very interesting as they introduce the setting and help begin to build the narrative but also they create a great contrast to the key conventions thriller. The shots include busy days on the beach as children play and fishermen go out on their boats. This unlikely opening is not only intriguing but also unique. 
Brighton Rock begins with very dramatic eerie music which builds suspense and also opens the film with emphatic force, as the shots become of a sunny seaside the music becomes light hearted and fun which helps create a contrast with the rest of the thriller. In our opening we decided to have a very melancholic piece of music playing in the background which connects to the mood we want in the opening.
Feedback I got from one viewer of our target audience on was that our thriller opening was 'spooky and the rural locations gave me a empty feeling'.
2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Our thriller opening is a teen drama and it was very important for us to convey our characters social backgrounds and ages as it helps to show the contrast in the opening. It also has significance as one of the key themes is betrayal and it was important for us to show how similar the characters were in age, gender and social class so the betrayal would have a big effect on the audience later in the film.
On of our key targets with the thriller opening was to show that the teenage girls were from not the richest working class backgrounds, where they are bored and seek excitement in their lives.
Social Class:
- We decided to convey this by having the girls playing on the beach this is a free activity which suggests that unlike most girls who would spend their Saturday at the shops or at the cinema our characters are doing something which is free. I think this clearly shows that the girls aren't from the richest backgrounds and have to create fun things for themselves to do.
- The fact that the girls are also simply eating chips, a not very high end food, probably costing them a pound also helps to convey their working class background and age as chips tend to be the most popular food with teenagers.
- The protagonist in our opening is the young girl Chantelle who is quite an interesting character with dark secrets. When planning how to present her we went with quite a stereotypical look, she is wearing dark colours and as she's wearing jeans and a coat it suggests she's doing something involving alot of movement and perhaps something dirty.
- We also decided that we would have a range of shots of the protagonist but no close up's of her face, we chose to keep her identity hidden until the very end as to make the opening more unique and intriguing. However because of this the presentation of social class was hard to convey in the opening.
Gender:
- The flashbacks in our opening were crucial as they presented the how the girls used to be before all the action. We have them dressed in blue skirts and denim jackets to help show that they dress very girlish and that they take pride in their appearance as they have carefully picked out matching outfits.
- We decided it was important to have the girls in very similar outfits in the flashbacks as it helps to portray their ages, young teenage girls are they wear the same clothes, it shows they are still relying on each other, rather then having individualistic style.
Age:
- I think that age is represented in our opening through our choice of location in it we have the two main characters playing on the beach. The seaside is often associated with families and children and in our sequence the girls are racing and mucking about which shows they are young and having fun.
- Age is also presented through our decisions on costume for our characters. Denim jackets are very popular among teenagers and short skirts don't tend to be worn by anyone over the age of 25.
We chose to present our protagonist (Chantelle) as being dark and mysterious to help convey her characters characteristics. To show that she is grieving and on the brink of despair. We used the rain as pathetic fallacy and her un-enthusiastic walk to help show how depressed she is.
We decided that we didn't want the later in the film when she betrays her friend so we took the audience on her journey in the opening, let them see her flashbacks so they felt her pain and so empathized with her.
Our film is targeted at teenagers and young adults as the characters are of those ages so hopefully the audience will be able to connect with them.
Having evaluated our thriller I think we should of included more ways to present their ages, perhaps through different camera shots to show their smaller physiques.
Having evaluated our thriller I think we should of included more ways to present their ages, perhaps through different camera shots to show their smaller physiques.
3.What kind of media institute might distribute your media product and why?
After all the planning, filming and post-production is finished, a film can be distributed. There are two main ways a film can be distributed one is the cinema release, where the film goes straight to national chain cinema to be shown to the mainstream audiences. The other route is home viewing where the movie can be bought on DVD/BluRay or downloaded from places like NetFlix and Itunes.
There are the well-known film distributors like 'Universal' and 'Columbia' however these do tend to distribute high-budget films like Martin Campell's Casino Royale which had a budget of $150 million which was distributed by Columbia Pictures and so are unlikely to distribute a new thriller on a tiny budget. However Danny Boyle's Shallow Grave another successful British thriller had a budget of $2.5 million and the indication is that it was picked up initially by larger US and worldwide distributors Buena Vista International and Metro Gold Mayer.
Firstly a film can be distributed by being shown at cinemas nation wide, this is the most common place for a film to be first distributed to and usually takes around four months. In cinema's the film can be watched nationally by mainstream audiences from families to teenagers to pensioners to hardcore film fanatics. For our own thriller it is very action filled and exciting, its use of cinematography and quick paced cuts are perfect for the cinematic experience audiences look for. There is plenty of revenue, when considering our audience, as it is very popular with teenagers to go to the cinema with their mates and viewing it on a large screen with surround sound will give the thrillers full effect.
Great atmospheric shots like this will be incredible on a big screen as the colours will be gorgeous and will be properly enjoyed in a huge HD screen.
I think that our thriller will also be successful if our audiences got a real serial experience when they go to see it. Our target audience is teenagers and they are known for wanting to try new things, so if they got invited to go a spooky old independent art-houses like the Duke of York in Brighton and experience seeing a film in a completely new way they would jump at the chance.
Another way of distributing our thriller could be by doing a deal with independent cinemas around the UK by getting them to only use Orange Wednesdays for our film which would boost sales and publicity for our thriller.
Home Viewing could be another way to distribute our thriller, we could have the film go straight to DVD and BluRay which could prove to be successful as it will not only break into the hardcore movie fans market who will like to view the film in HD but also to those who prefer to enjoy movies from the comfort of their sofa.
I think our thriller could be most successful by being distributed by websites like NetFlix, LoveFilm and Itunes which will allow digital downloading of our product. I think this will be effective with our target audience of teenagers who are increasingly using downloading more then any other distributor of films, music and even games. Another advantage will be that out film will not only be able to watch at home on the TV but also on portable devices such as smart phones and Ipads.
Wanting an outsiders opinion i sent the video out asking my viewers where they would preferably watch the thriller, 70% replied that they would watch it at the cinema whilst 30% replied that they would wait for it to come out on DVD or TV.
4.Who would be the audience for your media product?
- Our thriller is fast, action filled and exciting therefore I think it should be aimed at the teenage market. The age range from 14-19 because of the particular themes it deals with, such as gang warfare and coming of age. The story of our thriller is based on the lives of two teenage girls as they become involved in drug dealing, gangs and living life on the edge. I think younger audiences under the age of 13 will find the film frightening as they will not be used to certain themes such as pain and isolation which could leave them scared. I think older markets like 30+ would not enjoy the film so much as a teenage audience as it will be harder for them to relate to themes.
- I think the film will be a success because of its target audience as they are not all quite old enough to go out to clubs and bars and so instead will be looking out for new ways in which to entertain themselves.
- Although the main characters in our thriller are both female I think our thriller would be aimed at females and males because it deals with themes both genders can relate to and will find exciting to watch once put into the narrative.
- I think globally the film will be popular in places like UK, USA and China, countries which are modern and advanced in technology as it will relate to the themes well and where the story-lines will not seem too far fetched for a modern day thriller.
- Following the recent success of the movie The Hunger Games which had teenagers up and down the country legging it to their closest cinema, I think our thriller would also do well as it is aimed at the same age group and is exciting and original.
The film 4.3.2.1 is a crime thriller also aimed at the same age group and gender, with very similar themes. Although the film wasn't a huge hit and had mixed reviews I believe that out film generate huge revenue if put on at the cinemas.
5.How did you attract/address your audience?
With any film the key to success is by connecting to the audience on a emotional level so they are fully engrossed into the film world, whether its laughter, anger or crying your audience must connect and be addressed by the movie. Our thriller is aimed at the teenage/adolescent market so it was key when we were planning for the thriller to include themes and conventions of a thriller that would attract our audience.
Reasons why our target audience would enjoy our thriller:
The Story:
The Story:
- The story told through the narrative in our thriller is about two girls who get involved in a gang warfare and drug dealing and the effect it has on their lives and the consequences of it. The theme of gang culture would attract the adolescent market because gangs tend to be made of teenagers and so audience will have something they can understand and maybe relate to.
- The themes in the thriller are betrayal, guilt, friendship and coming of age all of which our teenage audience will have began to witness or have it waiting for them ahead and so will find the thriller exciting and informative. I think the coming of age theme in our thriller will particularly suit well with our chosen target audience who will be also coming of age.
Camera Work:
- The hand-held shots convey an idea that the audience are going on the journey with the character and this may appeal to teenage audiences as they are always willing to try new things. It is also good for attracting an audience as audiences like to be 'let in' to another persons life as its personal and interesting, so this will keep the audience interested.
- The movement in some of the shots like the pan on the beach make the shots more interesting and suggest a fast-paced sequence, perfect for thrillers and teenage audiences.
Mise En Scene:
- The mise en scene in the opening may also appeal to our chosen audience. The grave yard suggests something eerie and spooky and the something dangerous, all these themes are popular with teens because teens like to be scared and thrilled.
- The decision to include scenes on a beach will be effective as it a place where teenagers go to hang out with their mates so the audience will able to relate to the girls and help build a connection with the characters.
Character:
- Adolescent audiences will be addressed due to our choice of characters, both main characters are teenage girls who are wanting new experiences and are thrill seekers. Although the main characters are both girls I think the film will attract male audiences also as they will be able to relate to many of the themes.
Sounds:
- Although the only music that can heard is the slow piano piece in the background I think it is effective as it will immediately conjure up emotions in the viewer as it is slow and sad, this will make the audience wish to see why it is sad.
Overall I think our target audience will thoroughly enjoy our thriller as we addressed them by including themes and characters they can relate to but also by our decision to include fast paced action with lots of clues to the plot but without giving to much away so they are attracted to watch more.
6.What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I also learnt how to use the blogging website which has included posting pictures and embedding hyperlinks and videos, I think the presentation of my posts have improved.
7.Looking back at your preliminary task, what do feel you have learned in the progression from it to the full product?
I feel that since the preliminary I have progressed in all aspects of film, from framing and panning to match on action and restricted narration, I have learnt many techniques and developed and challenged all areas.
Use of Camera:
When I first picked up a camera for the preliminary task it is fair to say I was clueless in how to use the camera's tools to create interesting shots or to frame a character I think it is clearly reflected in the task. In shot 1 the characters feet are cut off and there are huge amounts of space to the left and right of her and above her head. I think that when it came to the thriller i knew that the framing had to be perfect in every shot, in shot 3 this is shown, our entire character is perfectly fitted in the screen and it helps to convey her isolation as she is in an empty grave yard. I think this is also clear in shot 9 where there is a big close up of our characters face.
I'm slightly disappointed with shot 6 as we have one of the characters heads cut off at the top however as they were running it was hard to estimate at what part of the screen they would accurately across at.
When filming our preliminary all our shots were quite similar and there was little room for experimentation, so when we filmed our thriller I knew it would be important to include some more interesting techniques. This meant smoothly swiveling the camera on the tripod I think the shot we got (7) is incredible.
The framing and positioning in our preliminary was very poor and for the opening we knew this time it would be crucial to get it right. I think it is clear I have learnt from this mistake by the good positioning in our thriller the progression is clear in the beach scene where the girls are the focus of the image.
Another technique I developed when doing the thriller was how to do a shallow depth of field shot and how to focus pull. I wanted to include one of the shots as I knew it would help convey the importance of the grave and our characters connection to it. To create a focus pull on a shot there was a little round button the front of the camera which allowed me to change the focus.
Mise En Scene:
The location we used in our preliminary was just an empty classroom and I knew to help construct our story and characters we were going to have to be a little more ambitious with our locations for the thriller. In the present our character is in very rural and isolated locations like the graveyard and cliff, which both suggest danger and death and then we have the flashbacks which are totally different as are on the beach where she is with her friend having fun and is where people go to have fun and play.
Sound Editing:
In our preliminary we didn't add any Learning from this mistake I knew for the thriller we had to have a piece of music that reflected the mood we wanted to generate for the opening. We found a rather slow sad piece of music which is enchanting and en-captivating I decided that it was perfect for the thriller.
In our thriller there restricted narration which means the only sounds that can be heard are the waves on the beach, a scream when the girls get soaked and Lacey's breathing when she is trapped. We thought it was very effective as it help the audience connect with Chantelle and feel how cut off she is feeling. Although only a few sounds are in the thriller I still developed my skills using GarageBand and learning how to make the sound run smoothly in shots.
Editing:
I thought that in my preliminary the cuts were alright but they were noticeable due to the bad framing in the sequence and as it was my first time using the software they were not smooth. However for the thriller cuts are much more in sync. Having read some of the feedback from my audience they wrote that they didn't notice the editing at all they well fully engrossed with what was going on on screen.
In my preliminary I only demonstrated that but in my thriller it is clear how far I have progressed as there are video filters such as the interesting dip to white and glow effect on the flash backs. The titling is also much more ambitious we the words coming in at different parts of the page and the lettering falling down almost like a Mexican wave.
Overall I am very happy with our thriller, I have learnt and developed my skills for all areas of film from planning to filming and editing and I have enjoyed the experience.
