Costume/ Prop list - Actors

The theme of our opening is Tracking. Therefore the image we are going for is slick, sophisticated business men. Therefore their attire and props will have to reflect that image upon the audience. To do this we are going to use the following actors in the following attire.

Protagonist:

Jacob Grimshaw - Black trousers, White Shirt, Black tie, Long Black coat and a bowlers hat.

- Jacob has the perfect image for the lead role. He has sleek black hair and is of a tall skinny build. He also happens to suit the business image perfectly and looks convincingly professional in his given attire.

Trackers:

------------- - Black trousers, Black tie, White shirt.

We have chosen this costume to help portray the sleek business man look we are aiming for with all three trackers.

Shop Keeper:

Sara Cracknall - Black skirt, White shirt, Name badge, high heels.

We have chosen this look to make sure that Sara blends in as a genuine shopkeeper whilst maintaing a business like look. We chose to use Sara for this role as she is an actual shop keeper for WH smiths on the weekends so was able to gain us access and  play the role convincingly. 

Amended shot list

Shot List

Tracker

Person A: Protagonist
Person B C D: Antagonists
Person X: Computer Guy and Voice of Caller

Basic Profile Stats to include:
Name:
Age:
Skills:
Years known to be active:
Evidence Against:
Missions Failed:

• Production company
• Black screen
• Tracker appears typed in, Central in stereotypical thriller font.
• Zoom in from behind a Person X using a high tech laptop
• Person X POV of the screen
• Clicking a file to open
• File loads
• Search comes up
• Types in T R A C K E R S
• Person Bs Profile opens
• Jump shot to Person B buying a newspaper
• Pause as he exits the store and folds the newspaper under his arm.

Actors Name Appears across screen

• Jump shot back to Person X POV of computer screen

Hear him press Spacebar

• Person Cs Profile Opens
• Jump shot to Person C Clearing Table outside a Café.
• Pause shot as Person C looks up towards the camera

Actors name appears across the screen

• Jump Shot Back to Person X POV of computer screen.

Hear him press Spacebar

• Person Ds Profile Opens
• Jump shot to Person D down a street smoking.
• Drops cigarette on the floor.
• Pause shot as Person D stamps it out and looks up.

Actor name appears across the screen

• Jump shot Back to Person X POV of computer screen.

See him Click the logo in the top left corner of the screen

• Search comes up
• Types in T A R G E T
• Clicks Search
• Profile appears
• Instructions are typed across the middle of the entire screen – DESTROY
• Zoom back to shot of the back of Person X head.
• CU of Person X reaching for his phone.

CUT TO

• Panning Shot of street

Person B,C and D all in Shot - LS

• Panning stops at a shot of Mans Feet.
• Tilt Shot from Person A’s feet up to torso
• Person A POV of watch

Actors name appears as watch make

• Person A’s phone Rings – Cutting all background music.
• CU of Person A taking phone from his inside Jacket Pocket
• CU of person A’s face answering phone

‘RUN’

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This is The amended version of our shot list. we decided to re-do our shot list after discussing our initial ideas with our subject teacher. He suggested that our filming intent was far too ambitious and virtually impossible to do well with the size of our production team and the equipment available to us. After taking his comments into consideration and examining our shot list thoroughly we agreed that not only was it ambitious, but was quickly forming the demeanor of an action movie as opposed to a thriller. Taking all point into account we concluded that it would be most effective to keep our opening as the ending and incorporate more technical features and imagery typical to that of a thriller and finally to cut out the chase scene altogether.

Location

Audience Research

Thriller Opening - Brainstorm

Certificate Rating - BBFC

The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) is the organization responsible for the classification of film, dvd and some music/video games within the united kingdom. Under the Video recordings act 1984, all videos must be classified. All videos and games rated by the BBFC receive an official and legally binding certificate, along with "consumer advice" detailing references to sex, violence and coarse language. If a certificate specifies that a film or video game is not suitable for someone under a certain age, then only people of an appropriate age may buy it. The difference in ratings is directly relevant to the themes and content of the media.'Bad', 'strong' language and sexual content can earn a film a more restrictive certificate, though BBFC policy states that there are no constraints on language use in films awarded an 18 certificate.

Certificate 15: suitable for people ages 15 years and older. Can contain, horror, violence and strong language but only in moderation and when it can be justified by the text. Controversial issues such as child abuse and rape, are also acceptable but only when they are represented suggestively. Also nudity is acceptable for use within a sex scene but has to be limited concerning content. finally it can contain strong language and heavy violence.

Certificate 18: suitable for people aged 18 years or older. It is basically recognized that all persons of 18 years and older have the right to view any form of content in any volume. However exceptions include the promotion of dangerous acts and in some cases portrayal of sexual assault which could endorse assault. Finally all sexual scenes must be justified within the text.

Our group have decided to base our opening around the certificate 15 rating. This will enable us to appeal to a far less restricted audience. Also our group are all of the age where our primary viewing is of the certificate 15 genre. This means that we will be able to relate and recognize the codes and conventions with far more ease and accuracy that with that of an 18 certificate.

Continuity Task

For this area of the coursework i was unable to partake in the filming with the group due to illness. As a result it was unfair for me to take any credit for their work. Luckily a friend of mine had a similar situation with her group so we decided to team up for this section and film our own continuity task.

Firstly we had to write up our shot list. This had to include a number of specific shots given to us by our teacher. Once we had finalized our shots and checked that the piece flowed we had to cast our actors. For this we chose two drama/media students form the year above. This benefited us in two ways as it meant that the acting would be professional, they would know how to take direction and they would also be able to assist us if needed. After casting we then needed to clear with them their schedules to make a decision on when to film. once we had our actors and filming time in place we needed to book out the appropriate equipment and decide upon a location that would fit our shot list. Finally before filming could commence we needed to gain permission to film in our chosen location, and once we overcame that final hurdle we were able to start filming.

Filming ran relatively smoothly, with an excellent level of communication between both me and Jade and our actors. The good chemistry allowed us to film in a comfortable and relaxed environment, this feeling was reflected then in our work,thus resulting in a final set of footage that we were all happy with.

After we had wrapped up the filming we then had the exciting task of editing. This was good as we got to see our first bit of lengthy footage come together. The process of eliminating the dodgy shots and making sure we used the best footage to its full potential was satisfying, exciting, and due to the content extremely amusing. Therefore i feel that the group dynamic for this task was perfect and would be my first choice every time in any future endeavors where by i am given the option.

Practice Filming

For this area of the coursework we had to film a conversation between two people. We were given a shot list to work from and all the recording equipment needed. During class Mr. Michie gave us all a brief tutorial as to how the equipment was set up, do's and don'ts etcetera. This proved extremely helpful once we were left to our own devices.  Our group chose to film in a vacant english classroom and once we had gained permission for the use, we set up camp. We chose ryan and helen to act and myself and Sophie took charge of filming. However, due to the intent of the session being to 'practice filming', in areas where the actors were not used they each had a go at the filming. I think the dynamic of the group work well and the overall task ran smoothly. The final section of the task, editing, went OK but we did have a few recurring problems with the motion and sound being in sync. However, by working as a team and enlisting help from our subject teacher we were able to overcome those issues and also feel more prepared for next time.  

Charlotte.

Conclusion - Thriller Openings

After analysing all 5 thriller opening i noticed that they all had several common factors. They adopted a common colour scheme of black, red and white. The first two were used to connote danger with the latter implemented to add an element of innocence and purity. They also all used parallel sound to create the narrative and used a sinister tone to build tension. The most common shot used was a CU. This is to add emphasis on the key aspects of the opening. However the main variation was the amount of CGI they used. This largely depended on their time period of release. For example, Casino royal is relatively new so was predominantly CGI however Psycho was created back in the 60s so the only evidence of CGI was the titles, and those in themselves were extremely simplistic. 

In conclusion i found that the majority of thriller opening all follow the same basic formula but each have their own unique twist to make it fresh, exciting and to set it apart from the others.

Psycho - 1960

Directors: Alfred Hitchcock
Certificate: 15

Camera:

– CUs
– Jump shots

Editing

– Fast paced editing – mirrors sound
– Slow paced editing creates curiosity and builds tension
– Short bursts of narrative – element of mystery

Sound

– Parallel sound
– Sinister backing sound
– Non-digetic sound - radio – continues once out of shot – adds continuity to the scene.

Mise en scene

– Black signifying danger
– White representing purity
– Knife signifies danger - deaths
– Cigarette – lighter – fire – danger - death
– Pink and white cake – innocent – sweet
– Clock – time – running out of time
– Blood washing down the plughole – injury - death

Special effects

– Black and white titles

Casino Royale - 2006

Directors: Martin Campbell
Certificate: 15

Camera:

– Signature gun barrel shot
– Little camera movement

Editing

– Slow paced editing

Sound

– Parallel sound
– calm soundtrack playing

Mise en scene

– Red blood – danger – death
– bond is in stereotypical attire – sets him apart from everything else
– Bond is black and white – stands out

Special effects

– Red blood against black and white background
– Simplistic font for the titles
– Casino imagery such as card symbols spiralling.
– Colourful background – mirrors title narrative
– Cartoon simulation of a fight scene

Se7en - 1995

Directors: David Fincher
Certificate: 18

Camera:

– CU
– Jump Shots

The scene opens with a CU of a book laid vertically. This suggests that research of some sort has taken place. There are then several jump shots throughout the opening to black screens with only titles written on them. This not only introduces the actors but it also breaks up the opening into fragments. This is done to eliminate any fluency of the scene. The director has primarily used CU throughout the entire opening. No characters identities are revealed, and very little of the narrative itself is revealed either. This is done to create and build tension. It also invites a sense of curiosity from the audience and allows them to see everything in minute detail throughout.

Editing:

– Fast paced

The editing throughout the opening is fast paced and jumpy. This makes it difficult for the audience to grasp what is going on. There is also a high sense of realism and verisimilitude in the shot chosen and the sense of narrative portrayed. The fast paced editing also creates and builds a lot of tension, keeping the audience guessing at all times.

Sound:

– Sinister
– Strong, slow heartbeat
– Parallel sound

The sound used is very sinister. It opens with the sound of a strong, slow heartbeat. This suggest that the owner of this heartbeat is powerful, calm and in control. The sound is also parallel to the shots, with the continuous sound of creaking and fuzzy noises. This could be representing a squeaky chair, or old rusty equipment. The fuzzy sounds could also be that of an old radio out of signal. All these items are typical of those, which you may find in the office/lab type surroundings outlined in the opening.

Mise en scene:

– Books - research
– Red – blood
– Blacks/greys – sinister – dull
– Old school equipment – stuck in his ways – experienced
– Razor blade – removing fingerprints – removing identity
– Slow actions – contrast editing
– Precision – perfectionist – threads needle first time – expert

The frequent occurrence of books suggests that there has been a lot of research undertaken concerning the project being displayed. The red along the middle of the book represents blood. Blood signifies pain and anguish. Blacks and greys dominate the opening. These colours are dull and sinister and really help to set the sinister tone and narrative of the opening. The CU of the razorblade shaving off fingerprints represents shaving away his identity. The old school equipment and the characters precision of everything suggest that he is a perfectionist, an experienced expert who is stuck in his ways. This is then highlighted with a CU of the character threading a needle in one clean swoop.

Special effects:

– Titles

Minimal special effects are used throughout this opening. This creates a strong sense of realism and takes away any affiliation with fantasy. This suggests that it is aimed at an intelligent audience, with fast minds and those who like puzzles. However there has been CGI used where the titles are concerned. This does not take away any of the verisimilitude as they are already an unnatural aspect but the CG allows them to blend with the narrative.

Sin City - 2005

Directors: Frank Miller
Robert Rodriguez
Certificate: 18

Camera

– Mid-Shot.
– Cu combined with an LS
– No movement
– Close ups
– OTS shots
– SRS of OTS
– Focus on cigarette being lit
– BEV Zoom out

The scene opens with an establishing shot of the lady in red. This encourages the audience to make judgements of the character on face value. CU and OTS shots then dominate the scene signifying closeness between the two characters. The CU and focus on the cigarette exchange stands out to me in particular as cigarettes carry numerous connotations. In this case I believe they are used to project a sexual and seductive image of the female. It also strikes me when the man, having been the one who offered the cigarette, does not proceed to take one himself, indicating that he needs both his hands to be unrestricted. The scene culminates with a BEV Zoom out of the woman on the floor being held close by the man. This denotes that the male character had a genuine connection to the female despite his drastic actions. The director has chosen this array of shots to allow the audience to connect to the characters beyond surface level by allowing them to draw conclusions based on the facial expressions and body language exchanged between them.

Editing

– Dress and lipstick only colour n the scene
– Cut to black and white cartoon still of the scene
– Primarily shot in black and white
– Windows left lit up
– Eyes flash between green and black and white
– Eyes in central frame
– Woman is primarily in central frame
– Slow paced editing

Slow paced editing has been used throughout to create suspense whilst putting forth a sense of calm and innocent intent. The scene is shot primarily in black and white, with only splashes of colour such as the red dress and lipstick. This colour is used for the sexual and passionate connotations attached. It also assists in the portrayal of both the man’s feelings and visions of the woman. The windows in the building are left brightly lit alerting the audience of the presences nearby. This induces anticipation at the knowledge that this zealous scene could be interrupted at any time. The woman’s eyes at one point in the scene also flash between their usual monochromic appearance and a vibrant green colour. There are many derivatives of the colour green but in this case it has been used, I believe, to symbolize bad spirits or omens within. They are also centrally framed which helps enforce their importance within the scene.

Sound

– Brief bursts of the same mysterious melody
– Non-digetic sound - narrative voiceover
– Digetic sound – gunshot

Throughout the scene there are frequent bursts of the same saxophone melody. This is used to create a romantic and calm atmosphere, setting the scene and encouraging assumptions of the young couples association and how the scene will pan out.
There is also non-digetic sound of the male narrative voice. This is used to establish the location, with a distinctive American accent attached to the voiceover. There is also non-digetic sound when the gun is fired, this adds to the verisimilitude of the action.

Mise en scene

– Red Dress, Red Lipstick
– Stood close
– He lights her cigarette – trust
– Formal attire – posh party
– Roof terrace – view of city – expensive area

Part way through the scene the woman allows the man to light her cigarette. this suggests a feeling of trust and also implicates vulnerability on her part. The colour red, used for both the woman’s dress and lipstick, is used to symbolise love, passion and blood and to make seemingly mundane aspects stand out and become of overpowering importance to the scene. Love and passion is used to connect the emotions expressed and exchanged between the characters. The denotation of blood is made relevant at the end of the scene, suggesting that the red dress will not only disguise her wound but also reflect how she feels within. By linking the dress to her facial expressions throughout connotes that she is broken inside and bleeding metaphorically within. Finally the formal attire and the large roof terrace overlooking the city suggests that they are at a posh party in an expensive area of the city.

Special effects

– Cartoon stills
– Cartoon motion of scene

CGI is used on several occasions when the scene cut to the cartoon stills and on one occasion a animated motion sequence of the scene. This flowed perfectly throughout and had the feel of a flipbook that had been created, with each scene being acted out immaculately. Also the black and white theme throughout creates a very sinister feel with the red connoting danger, both typical aspects of a thriller.