Narrative Theory - Miss Georgiou

Narrative Theory

A narrative is an account of events that are joined in a certain order. They include a beginning, middle and end which is key for viewers to make sense of things and to create their own interpretations while watching a film. Viewers construct and understand meaning using their own experiences of reality and of previous films they have watched. Throughout a narrative there are a series of codes and conventions that are necessary to include. While watching a film the audience examine the conventions of genre, character, form and time to help develop their interpretation of the film they are watching. 

Time is an aspect that the viewers are able to understand as a convention as narratives are not a true reflection of real time. Therefore time is considered as "the time of the thing told and the time of the telling." (Christian Metz Notes Towards A Phenomenology of Narrative). The main reason the audience are able compare texts with others and understand these conventions is because they started reading narratives from a young age. 

Theory 1:

Vladimir Propp, a russian critic, active in the 1920s, was extremely interested in the narrative of folk tales. Folk tales included the same basic struggles and appeared to have stock characters. From this he created a theory about actions and characters as narrative functions and that whatever film you watch you will always be presented with a certain type of characters and actions.

According to Propp characters have a narrative function and they therefore provide the structure for a film. Characters that perform a function are;

• The Hero - a character that seeks something.
• The Villain - who opposes or actively blocks the hero's quest.
• The Doner - who provides an object with magical properties.
• The Dispatcher - who sends the hero on his/her quest via a message.
• The False Hero - who disrupts' the heros' success by making false claims.
• The Helper - who aids the hero.
• The Princess - acts as the reward for the hero and the aim of the villains' plots.
• Her Father - who acts to reward the hero for his effort. 

This theory applies to Fairy Stories and other similar narratives, not to all narratives.
 

Theory 2:

Tzvetan Todorov simplified the idea of narrative theory whilst also allowing the audience to produce a more complex interpretation of films with his theory of Equilibrium and Disequilibrium. Todorovs' theory is simply:

The ficitional environment begins with a state of equilibrium.
• It then suffers some disruption, the disequilibrium
• A new equilibrium is then produced at the end of the narrative.

However, there are five stages the narrative can progress through:

• A state of equilibrium.
• A disruption of the order by and event.
• The recognition that the disorder has taken place.
• An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.
• A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium. 

In Todorovs' theory a narrative is seen as circular structure as apposed to a linear one. The narrative is driven by attempts to restore the equilibrium, however the equilibrium obtained at the end of the narrative is not the same as the initial equilibrium. Todorov argues that a narrative involves a transformation, therefore the characters or situations are altered through the progression of the disruption.

 

Theory 3:

Aristotles' theory is that all films are based on common themes. Headings that are sometimes employed by producers and screenwriters include:

• Inciting Incident
• Dramatic Question
• Character Goal
• Antagonist/Protagonist
• Stakes
• Resolution
• Sympathy/Empathy

In our thriller opening we will use Tzvetan Todorovs' theory of equilibrium and disequilibrium. This is because our film opening will start where everything is how it should be. This is because the children we be in their own bedrooms living their normal, everyday lives. The disequilibrium will happen after the equilibrium suffers disruption. This will begin from the moment the audience are presented with the shot of Billy mixing a pill into a glass of water, and then progressing to his sisters room to give her the glass to drink. This will then lead into the nightmare that the children both share. When they wake up both of them will be affected by what they have just dreamt and therefore they will act completely different to their usual selves. Then at the end of the film, which we are not portraying, a new equilibrium would have been produced.

Our thriller opening will also have aspects of Aristotles' theory, following the inciting incident heading. This is because of our plot involving Billy giving his sister a pill which begins the incident of Billy and Evie both having the same nightmare. This aspect of the plot therefore engages the audience through the opening scene enhancing their experience while watching, and therefore leaving them on the edge of their seat as they want to witness the plot progressing. 

Group Narrative - Miss Georgiou

Group Narrative

Myself and my two group members each created our own individual narratives. We then analysed what we had wrote and produced advantages and disadvantages for each.

My individual narrative

My idea for a narrative for our thriller follows a theme of revenge and jealousy. A family, consisting of the mother, father, and two sons aged 6 and 15, move into a new suburban house. They lead a happy and normal life until the parents begin to hear talking from the younger sons room at night, because of this they go into the younger sons room to see who he is talking to and are faced with the reality that he is asleep. This shocks them. The talking at night continues but the parents are unaware of what is actually happening behind his bedroom door. The young boy is actually exposed to the on goings of the family who lived there before that were murdered by the estranged father, in their sleep. They enter the little boys bedroom every night and at first he was petrified until they possessed him so that he was on their side because of the fact they want the family out and their house back.The young boys family notice a difference with the boy when he stops eating, interacting with his family members and is always locked up in his room, so they begin to worry.

The story line comes to the climax when the murdered family tell the young boy in his sleep that he must murder his own family so that they can get their house back. The boy then wakes up in the night with the mindset that he has to murder his family and therefore progresses to their rooms. However the older brother is awake and hears the younger boys bedroom door open, and the footsteps of him moving towards the stairs. But he ignores it. The little boy then walks to the kitchen to get a knife then makes his way back upstairs to his parents bedroom. The older son then hears his footsteps again as he walks up the stairs, and peers out his bedroom to see what his brother is doing. Then he is faced with the sight of his little brother holding a knife progressing towards his parents bedroom. His brother reacts fast and tries to stop him but in the process is killed himself, the little boy then carries on into his parents room and kills them in their sleep.

The little boy then walks back into his bedroom and gets back in bed when he is awoken by a policeman who has to break the news that his family have been murdered. The little boy remembers nothing. He is then taken to an orphanage. A police investigation is carried out which lasts 5 years until they realise it was the young boy himself. However by the time they get to the orphanage the little boy had killed himself as he had been depressed and hated being so alone. He also had to live with the fact he no longer had a family, yet he did not know he was the one who killed them.

During the beginning of my thriller film it will be set in a suburban house. I will use low key lighting when the little boy is in bed. I will also use a close up shot of his face to show his expressions which portrays to the audience that he is asleep. As well as when the little boy is in bed I will use low key lighting when he is communicating with the murdered family to evoke the sense of mystery and fright upon the audience, and to also distort their identities. When the little boy begins to change his behaviour I will use dark make up around his eyes to convey the lack of sleep he is having.

During the build up to the climax and the actual climax of the film I will use angled shots to show the state of power the characters have. When the child is being possessed I will use a low angle shot to convey that the family have more power over the little boy. Then when the little boy progresses to kill his family I will use a another low angle shot but to show that he now has a high level of power over his family who will become the victims. I will include iconography into my film as the little boy will carry a knife, the knife I would use would be reasonable big and therefore the audience will feel uncomfortable and will expect the occurrence of death. The little boy will then kill his brother and parents so the viewers would be presented with the sight of blood and in result their experience will be extremely realistic.

Towards the end of the film the setting will change to an orphanage where the little boy has been taken. I will use high angle shots to show that he no longer has any power and that he is now alone and vulnerable. In my film I wont allow the audience to witness the little boy killing himself, instead I will use a high angle zooming in shot of his body once the police reach the orphanage to surprise the audience and shock them with will increase their suspense as to what will happen now.

One advantage of my individual narrative is that the narrative I have chosen is conventional to a thriller film, and I have included generic conventions that I would employ into it. Another advantage is that most aspects of my narrative are realistic to include in our opening, for example, the setting of the house and being able to obtain the different range of characters. One disadvantage of my narrative however is that the setting I have chosen is typical to a thriller film, however I believe it would still create an impact on the audience as from our questionnaire we found that a house was the most popular location for a thriller film to take place.

Danniellas' Individual Narrative

My idea for a narrative for our thriller is about two teenage girls who have lost a friend in a car crash and after a year anniversary of her death and mysterious paranormal activity happening to them they both realize she is haunting them both and maybe blaming them for her death, the girls also see flashbacks of how she was killed even though they weren't there to witness it. Eventually one of the girls is possessed by their late friends spirit. During these scenes there will be shadows and low key lighting to create a suspense atmosphere which is conventional to a Thriller film.

Setting:

There will be three different settings throughout the Thriller, they are an isolated school, a deserted forest and the friends house. When the girls find out they are both witnessing spooky paranormal activity it will be set in an isolated school toilets. Their friend was killed in a deserted forest lane and there was no trace of anything happening which creates mystery and shocks the audience as to why there is no trace of a murder and if there ever was an accident? The girls end up in their friends house where they experience some paranormal activity which leaves the audience tense as to what is going to happen. 

Beginning:

The Thriller will begin with a flashback of the car crash in a spooky, deserted and dark forest lane (low key lighting) which left a teenage girl dead, it will then cut to a split scene with two other teenage girls waking up in fear as they've had a nightmare which is the vision of their friend being killed. During this opening scene there will be low key lighting which will create an effect of a dim, creepy atmosphere, the non-diegetic sound of noises that come from the forest to add a dramatic effect within the audience and also diegetic sound of heavy breathing when the girls are having a nightmare and screams when they wake up in shock and fear this will create a tension within the audience and also are generic conventions towards a thriller.

Middle:

The middle of the Thriller will consist of two different settings, the school toilets and the forest. During the middle of the Thriller there will be a scene in the isolated school toilets where the two girls start talking about their paranormal experiences and tell each other about the occurring nightmare they both keep having which is a flashback of their friends murder even though they weren't there to witness the accident which has made them more scared. There will be close up shots during these scenes to see the fear and shock in the girls faces which will create suspense within the audience. They end up agreeing they should visit the forest lane where their friend got killed which creates a tension within the audience in itself as they're visiting the scene of a murder which is conventional towards a Thriller as something bad would usually happen.

The girls are in the forest trying to find the spot where their friend was killed; they hear noises (non diegetic) and they decide to see where the noise is coming from, this creates a suspension. The sound they hear leads them to the lane where their friend was killed and then their friends ghost appears and says shes been blaming them for her death and that is why shes been haunting them through their dreams and if they don't find her killer she threatens them by showing them she'll hurt their family, (there will be faded shots and split scenes and close ups to show the audience the scene from the characters point of view).

End:

The end of the Thriller the spirit of the girl possesses both of the friends which will make the audience uncomfortable, one of the girls who was possessed then dies which is conventional to a Thriller as there's always a murder. Meanwhile, the other friend was left in the forest on her own and was never seen again, this will be shown in the credits at the end.

An advantage of Danniellas' individual narrative is the use of the female characters. This is typical of a thriller film and therefore portrays how females are seen as the innocent, vulnerable victims. Also the use of three different locations provides a variation for the audience and may frighten them as they will be led to believe paranormal happenings can occur in these normal locations. A disadvantage of her narrative is that it would be hard to locate and film a car crash happening. Therefore this is a very unrealistic aspect of a thriller opening that we would of hoped to create.

Daisys' Individual Narrative

Narrative background

A group of 3 girls who have known each other since they were little meet after not seeing each other for 5 years after leaving school. However, they were not always friends. Kate and Louise sometimes played tricks on Beth which made her want to get revenge on them. Beth was diagnosed with schizophrenia and the voices in her head told her to torture them both then kill them and hide the evidence...

The beginning

We first see flashbacks of Kate and Louise bullying Beth when they were small. Beth was very sensitive and was badly effected by it. Makes us feel sympathetic towards her. They all left school on good terms as they apologised if they had ever upset her. We then see Beth diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 18, after she had lost contact with Kate and Louise. After, (3 years later on her 21st birthday) we see an extreme close-up of Beth's eye after waking up in the middle of the night. We then hear the voices she is hearing in her head, telling her she should never have forgiven the girls for the damage they had caused. The voices say they wouldn't be there if it wasn't for Kate and Louise. Beth decides to organise to see them both... she wants revenge. They meet in a club that night to celebrate her birthday and decide to go on to another after having a good time. But then, whilst waiting for a cab Beth offers Kate and Louise the drug Perteniam which she says would make them feel good. Beth does not take any but pretends she does disguising another tablet for one. Kate and Louise begin to hallucinate and as the audience we can witness how they feel with out-of-focus camera shots (inspiration from Saw) The cab comes and Kate and Louise stumble in, unaware that their next destination is not a club but an abandoned house. 

The middle

They arrive at the house in an eerie forest and Beth pays the concerned driver then drags her sleepy friends out. The cab pulls away and Beth makes sure it is gone before blindfolding them and tying up their arms together whilst they are asleep. She drags the attatched bodies into the house but they wake up and notice that they are restricted. They begin to scream. Beth tells them to be quiet and follow her instructions or she will kill them in the most painful way possible. Beth stabs Kate several times and makes Louise watch. Sadistic method. Beth gets pleasure from seeing Kate in physical pain and Louise mentally distressed.  Louise manages to get the knife off of Beth and stabs her then escapes from the house whilst Beth is slowly dieng next to Kate's dead body.

The end

Louise tries to find her way home but the house is abandoned and in a seclusive and rural location. No phone signal. No way of communicating to anyone for help. She gives up hope but then a cab pulls up beside her and the man acts as if he will help her and take her home. After Louise gets in the cab, the audience find out that the man who claims he will help her is actually the man who took them to the house in the first place and is in with the act with Beth! He locks her in the boot of the cab after tying her hands and feet together so she cannot escape. The cab driver then drives back to the house to find Kate and Beth's corpse on the blood stained floorboards. He panics and calls the police, forgetting that he has Louise in his car boot! The police arrive and find no evidence that he was involved in the murders of the girls... but then they find Louise. It ends on a cliff-hanger with the cab driver and Louise in court. A split-screen of a close-up of their faces. Voiceover of the court judge sentencing speech. The audience decides what happens for themselves.

Advantages about Daisys' individual narrative are that it is typical of the thriller genre and has iconography that is easy to obtain. However, definite disadvantages of her narrative is the locations would be difficult to source, the actors would be challenging to find and particular scenes would be hard to edit. My group have taken all of this into account and it has made us think about how we can take aspects of each of our individual narratives to influence our groups final narrative. 

We than had a group discussion to decide a final narrative for our thriller film opening. We chose different aspects of each others narratives and joined them together to create our final group narrative. From my own narrative we took the base idea of the nightmare and the fact the character was a young child. The use of this character is conventional to a thriller as a young child in danger feels realistic to the audience and therefore increases their experience while watching. Additionally, from Daisys' narrative we have used the idea of a character taking a pill which causes drastic side effects. The use of this idea is not a typical aspect of a thriller film and therefore we are exploring different ideas. Lastly, from Danniellas' narrative we have used the locations of the forest and house. This is because through our research we found that these were the two most popular locations and therefore including them in our opening would also enhance the viewers experience.

Our thriller film opening will start with there being two children, a brother and sister in the location of their home. The brother, who has schizophrenia, gives his sister an unknown pill to take before they go to bed. This portrays the convention of a vulnerable, young girl being the victim and therefore creates suspense upon the audience. A split screen shot of the brother and sister asleep in their separate beds, in separate rooms, from a high angle, is then employed. The two shots will then zoom in, in sync, to their eyes. A dissolving shot will then be used on both characters to show how the audience are being taken into their dreams. The dissolving shot will be of their eyes and the nightmare together, and the audience are presented with the fact both characters are experiencing the same nightmare.

The nightmare will be set in a forest where the young girl is being chased by her brother, but at the start she is unaware it is him as he is wearing a mask. Low key lighting will be employed here and the use of diegetic sound, when the audience hear the crunching of their footsteps as they run through the forest across the leaves, and the screams of the young girl. We also will use fast-paced editing and a number of straight cuts to provide the audience with a chaotic atmosphere. As well as this we will incorporate a handheld shot to convey to the audience the young girls point of view when running through the forest, and therefore the audience will feel frightened as the event feels extremely realistic to them. The brother, who is wearing a mask, manages to catch up with the sister and the audience are provided with a close up shot of the knife he is carrying. He then restrains his sister and repeatedly attempts to stab her but she constantly tries to pull herself away. In result her brother ends up stabbing her in the cheek. At this point of the nightmare we will flash back to a split screen of the children in bed, showing their reaction during the event.

Once the audience are returned to the nightmare they are shown a high angle shot of the young girl lying on the floor covered in blood with her brother standing over her. We will then employ a point of view shot of the girl which will be out of focus as she drops in and out of consciousness. The brother believes she is dead and therefore removes his mask, however she manages to make out his identity and at this point they both awake from their dream. The young girl immediately looks in the mirror and still witnesses the horrific gash on her face, and therefore this causes her to throw up. She then looks back again but this time it is gone. The nightmare impacts on both children as she is scared for her life, and because the brother is schizophrenic, he panics and easily becomes possessed by the nightmare he experienced. Because of this, we will add dark make-up around the boys eyes to portray how he is not himself and therefore the audience will suspect this, which in result will raise their suspense and anticipation levels.

An advantage of our group narrative is the use of different camera shots and generic conventions which are conventional to the thriller genre. Also the use of the female victim and how we incorporated out questionnaire results into choosing our location. A disadvantage of our narrative however, is that we have not explored any new ideas and have not broke any conventions to make our thriller opening unique.





Analysis of Questionnaires and Target Audience Research - Mrs Frisender

Analysis of Questionnaires and Target Audience Research

My group created a questionnaire which we asked 20 people to complete so we would find out different opinions people of different ages had about thriller films. We asked certain questions which would help us when it comes to creating our thriller opening.

In our questionnaire we asked a number of quantitative questions to provide us with quantitative data. One of the questions was, 'Out of these conventional forms of iconography which do you find most effective?' The options we gave were; lamp, knife, mirror, rope, gun, dolls and mask. Our findings for this question was that knife, mirror, dolls and mask were the only options chosen, with mask being the favourite and mirror coming in close second. The results that have come out of the quantitative questions allows us to be more aware of what viewers enjoy seeing, and therefore we can include this in our thriller opening to enhance their experience while watching. 

Another question we asked was 'What is your preferred location for a thriller film?' The options we provided for this question was; prison cell, forest, garage, house, orphanage, rural/urban place, dark alley or other where they were asked to specify. Our findings showed that everyone that filled out the questionnaire chose one of the locations we provided and not their own preference. The most popular options were house and orphanage, with house being the favourite of the two. This illustrates to us that people prefer the film to feel realistic to them as their home is usual there comfort zone, and therefore we can also include this in our thriller opening to enhance their experience throughout.

In our questionnaire we also asked qualitative questions to produce qualitative data. From these questions we found out that the most popular thriller film amongst the viewers was The Strangers. This provides us with the information that the viewers are fans of shock, suspense and surprise and like the antagonist to have a hidden identity. This links to the fact that the viewers also answered that they enjoy the suspense, enigma and unexpected twists within thriller films, and also that they prefer the antagonist to have a hidden identity. We also found out that the most popular sub-genres were crime thriller, horror thriller and psychological thriller which will help us to produce a suitable storyline for our opening. 

From our questionnaire results we also found out that thriller audiences like for a murder or a chase to take place within the opening to keep them watching. This provides us with the information we need to create a gripping thriller opening where we can include popular aspects into it. We also established that the viewers believe that the use of sound helps to build up to the climax and keeps them on the edge of their seat. This allows us to be aware of what sound we should include to create a certain kind of effect upon the audience within our opening. 

Individual Narrative - Miss Georgiou

Individual Narrative

My idea for a narrative for our thriller follows a theme of revenge and jealousy. A family, consisting of the mother, father, and two sons aged 6 and 15, move into a new suburban house. They lead a happy and normal life until the parents begin to hear talking from the younger sons room at night, because of this they go into the younger sons room to see who he is talking to and are faced with the reality that he is asleep. This shocks them. The talking at night continues but the parents are unaware of what is actually happening behind his bedroom door. The young boy is actually exposed to the on goings of the family who lived there before that were murdered by the estranged father, in their sleep. They enter the little boys bedroom every night and at first he was petrified until they possessed him so that he was on their side because of the fact they want the family out and their house back.The young boys family notice a difference with the boy when he stops eating, interacting with his family members and is always locked up in his room, so they begin to worry.

The story line comes to the climax when the murdered family tell the young boy in his sleep that he must murder his own family so that they can get their house back. The boy then wakes up in the night with the mindset that he has to murder his family and therefore progresses to their rooms. However the older brother is awake and hears the younger boys bedroom door open, and the footsteps of him moving towards the stairs. But he ignores it. The little boy then walks to the kitchen to get a knife then makes his way back upstairs to his parents bedroom. The older son then hears his footsteps again as he walks up the stairs, and peers out his bedroom to see what his brother is doing. Then he is faced with the sight of his little brother holding a knife progressing towards his parents bedroom. His brother reacts fast and tries to stop him but in the process is killed himself, the little boy then carries on into his parents room and kills them in their sleep.

The little boy then walks back into his bedroom and gets back in bed when he is awoken by a policeman who has to break the news that his family have been murdered. The little boy remembers nothing. He is then taken to an orphanage. A police investigation is carried out which lasts 5 years until they realise it was the young boy himself. However by the time they get to the orphanage the little boy had killed himself as he had been depressed and hated being so alone. He also had to live with the fact he no longer had a family, yet he did not know he was the one who killed them.

During the beginning of my thriller film it will be set in a suburban house. I will use low key lighting when the little boy is in bed. I will also use a close up shot of his face to show his expressions which portrays to the audience that he is asleep. As well as when the little boy is in bed I will use low key lighting when he is communicating with the murdered family to evoke the sense of mystery and fright upon the audience, and to also distort their identities. When the little boy begins to change his behaviour I will use dark make up around his eyes to convey the lack of sleep he is having.

During the build up to the climax and the actual climax of the film I will use angled shots to show the state of power the characters have. When the child is being possessed I will use a low angle shot to convey that the family have more power over the little boy. Then when the little boy progresses to kill his family I will use a another low angle shot but to show that he now has a high level of power over his family who will become the victims. I will include iconography into my film as the little boy will carry a knife, the knife I would use would be reasonable big and therefore the audience will feel uncomfortable and will expect the occurrence of death. The little boy will then kill his brother and parents so the viewers would be presented with the sight of blood and in result their experience will be extremely realistic.

Towards the end of the film the setting will change to an orphanage where the little boy has been taken. I will use high angle shots to show that he no longer has any power and that he is now alone and vulnerable. In my film I wont allow the audience to witness the little boy killing himself, instead I will use a high angle zooming in shot of his body once the police reach the orphanage to surprise the audience and shock them with will increase their suspense as to what will happen now.

One advantage of my individual narrative is that the narrative I have chosen is conventional to a thriller film and I have included generic conventions that I would employ into it. Another advantage is that most aspects of my narrative are realistic to include in our opening, for example, the setting of the house and   being able to obtain the different range of characters. One disadvantage of my narrative however is that the setting I have chosen is typical to a thriller film, however I believe it would still create an impact on the audience as from our questionnaire we found that a house was the most popular location for a thriller film to take place. 

My individual narrative is conventional to a thriller film as the victim is a young child which is typical of a thriller film. Also if the audience members have children they will be able to relate to the film more, and their thrill will therefore be enhanced. My narrative is also set in a house which is a conventional location for a thriller film, and I have incorporated the iconography of a knife, which is a conventional weapon seen in thriller films. Within my narrative I would also use a vast amount of low-key lighting which is conventional to a thriller film as it creates an eerie, frightening atmosphere. This would therefore also enhance the viewers experience while watching the film. Throughout my narrative I will also employ a number of high angle and low angle shots to convey to the audience the state of power of the characters in the particular scene. This is conventional as these shots are incorporated into thriller films to help the audience understand the film in more detail and so they are aware of the role of the characters. At the end of my narrative it will be set in an orphanage which is another conventional location seen in thriller films. It is a location where children are staying and therefore increases the audiences suspense levels and will feel realistic to them. 

My individual narrative will appeal to my target audience of 15 and over because of the conventions I have used throughout. The use of the young boy character is easily relatable for audience members and therefore their thrill will be enhanced, which will in result make them want to watch the film. My narrative will also be appealing for this age group as rather than including a lot of blood, gore and explicit violence I will incorporate more shock, surprise and suspense. Therefore if the viewers are of the younger age of the target audience, what they witness will be suitable and will not harm them in any way. 

Film Classifications - Mrs Frisender

Film Classifications

BBFC - British Board of Film Classification 

The British Board of Film Classification are the highly expert and experienced regulator of the moving image. They serve a social function to advise and protect viewers from moving images by analysing films and then deciding what certificate they are depending on the content included in the film. They provide public information that empowers them to make appropriate viewing decisions for all different ages of people. Therefore they protect vulnerable viewers and society from effects of viewing content that could be potentially harmful or unsuitable for people of a certain age, but also while respecting adults freedom of choice. 

People argue whether adults should be free to choose what films they wish to watch, however the BBFC believe adults should not have a choice for these three reasons: 

• If the film has broken a law when filming. 
• Where material appears to risk harm to individuals, e.g. illegal drug use or if a film endorses sexual assault.
• If explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by context are incorporated.

However I believe that at the age of 18 adults should have the right to decide what they wish to watch. It should be down to them if they are caused any psychological harm while watching a film. Also at the age of 18 I believe people are mature enough to sit and watch a film and enjoy it and not get any ideas from the explicit things they might see.

Before The Spiderman movie was released in 2002 a fighting scene in the film had to be cut several times so it was be appropriate for a 12A certificate. However people still argued that it was still not suitable for that age group of people, being too explicit for children under the age of 12. To be rated a 12A the film would be able to contain moderate violence providing it was not sustained. However the fight in Spiderman lasts the duration of the 4 minute scene. This means the audience are exposed to a sustained view of violence. Therefore this could influence the younger generation to imitate what the characters do if for example they idolise them and want to be like them.

On the other hand children as young as 12 and under would not pay close attention to details. They would sit and enjoy the film and not dwell on the fact there is violence involved. During the scene injuries and blood are not emphasised therefore not scaring the children or notifying them of the extremes of the fight. The scene is also justified by the context and fits perfectly well with the scene so the children would not be shocked to witness what happens.

However in the scene, Spiderman and the antagonist use weapons and dramatic effect is used during the fighting. This could be dangerous for children as they could pick up the fact their favourite superhero is using a weapon, such as a knife, and think it is acceptable to do so too. This could increase their chances of becoming violent in the future as they have been exposed to it at such a young age and the weapons seem almost glamourised by the characters.  

Conversely the Spiderman film is fiction and is about a superhero, therefore the film is very unrealistic. The iconography used during this fighting scene is unusual. They do not use typical weapons such as knifes, so the children would be unfamiliar with what they are using and consequently it would then not stick in their minds. This therefore would mean that they are able to watch the film without the worry of them potentially copying the characters actions and becoming dangerous.

The certificate for my thriller opening will be a 15 because my opening will not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour. I will be able to use strong threat and menace as long as it is not sadistic and sexualised, and I can also include dangerous behaviour as long as it does not dwell on the details. A 15 certificate is also suitable for my thriller opening as I will include more shock surprise and suspense rather then blood, gore and explicit violence.

Scream Opening Analysis - Mrs Frisender

Scream Opening - Thriller Conventions

Cinematography is used in thriller films to convey different points of view to the audience. The audience are able to see occurrences from different angles and therefore their experience becomes enhanced for them. Close up shots are generally used in thriller films to portray someone's emotions or to show the significance of a certain item in the film. Angled shots are used to show a characters state of authority, whether they have the most power or the least.

During the opening scene a close up shot of Drew Barrymores face is used to show the audience her facial expressions. From the shot the audience witness how she looks petrified and therefore they relate to how she is feeling. This increases the viewers suspense and anticipation levels as they put themselves in her position. This therefore also enhances their thrill while watching the film as it becomes extremely realistic for them. The shot adds to the suspense already created and the audience are left anticipating the final outcome. This shot is conventional to a thriller film as it is employed to inform the audience of the significance of what is in the shot or to further their understanding of what they are being shown.  

A handheld camera shot is incorporated into the scene when the woman is looking out of the window. The audience are presented with the outdoor surroundings as she looks out for the antagonist. The use of the shot allows the audience to feel as though they are the victim and they are therefore left frightened as they await a shock they predict is going to happen. The scene becomes even more realistic to them and an eerie atmosphere is brought upon them as they believe the antagonist is outside in the dark location. Handheld shots are conventional to a thriller film as it allows the audience to believe they are in the film which will therefore enhance the effect the film has on them. 

At the end of the scene after the climax a zooming in shot is used. The audience witness the camera zoom from the front door towards the woman's body, which is hanging from the tree. The shot presents the audience with an element of surprise and they therefore respond by feeling extremely shocked and uncomfortable. In the shot the audience can see that she is covered in blood and therefore realise she was brutally murdered by the masked person. This may scare the audience and leave them guessing who the killer is and why the woman was murdered.

The use of the camera shots means the audience are able to feel as though they are part of the film and their experience is therefore extremely enhanced. Through my thriller opening I will create I will include all of the 3 camera shots as I believe they work extremely well with certain parts of the thriller films and therefore the viewers will enjoy and understand my opening.

Psycho Shower Scene - Mrs Frisender

How is editing used to enhance the conventions in the Psycho Shower Scene?

Psycho, directed by Alfred Hitchcock was one of the first films to use generic conventions to enhance the audiences experience while watching the film. Low key lighting is used in the scene to create shadows. The use of shadows creates a sense of darkness and mystery upon the viewers. The audience are therefore left to feel on edge and eerie as they prepare for the big shock of the scene. Also in the scene the antagonists identity is hidden from the audience. The audience are presented with a silhouette of the antagonist behind the curtain which also evokes a sense of mystery. The audience respond by feeling frightened and nervous as they put themselves in the woman's position.

At the end of the scene a close up shot of the woman's eye is used to convey to the audience that she is dead. The effect of the shot means the viewers feel as though they are in the room with the woman. Heightening the shock that the woman has just been killed. This allows the audience to feel part of the scene and the whole aspect becomes extremely realistic for them.  They therefore feel shocked and uncomfortable after just witnessing the unexpected murder of the innocent female victim.

During the climax of the scene non-diegetic music is used to enhance the atmosphere created. The audience hear the high pitched ambient soundtrack which is at its highest peak during the murder of the innocent female. As the soundtrack is in sync with the sequence the audience are presented with it heightens the viewers suspense levels as their experience is enhanced and the scene feels all too realistic for them. They respond by feeling frightened and shocked of the occurrence that just happened and are left anticipating the outcome of the film. They also feel anxious and uneasy as the victim was murdered in her own home, as the viewers usually feel safe and secure in the comfort of their homes.

Alfred Hitchcock was the first director to use such explicit shots within Psycho. When the antagonist enters the room the audience see he is holding a knife. This immediately notifies them that something dangerous is going to happen. They therefore are on the edge of their seats and their suspense levels are sky high as they sit back and anticipate the outcome to be over.  After opening the curtain the antagonist begins to repeatedly stab the innocent woman. The audience are presented with shots of blood streaming down the bath which was extremely unusual for that era. The viewers are therefore surprised and disgusted at what they are witnessing and are left frightened and feeling uncomfortable of having to watch the murder of this woman. However the use of these explicit shots heightens the audiences thrill and experience as they enjoy the thriller.

What Is A Thriller Film? - Miss Georgiou

What is a thriller film?

Throughout thriller films various codes and conventions are employed to help portray the story line of the film and to create a great impact on the viewers. Low key lighting which is used to create shadows and isolated settings are both included to evoke a mysterious feel upon the viewer and to enhance their experience while watching the film. Fast cuts and face pace editing is used to create chaos and panic within the film where as slow pace editing is used to extend the scene and to drag out the audiences suspense and anticipation. Different shots are used to show different angles of a scene. Close up shots are used to portray a characters emotions to the audience or to show the significance of a particular object. High angle and low angle shots are used to exploit the supremacy of a particular character which helps the viewers to pinpoint the protagonist and the antagonist. A general theme for thrillers is that males are the antagonists as they are seen as the stronger gender whereas females are usually the victims as they are more innocent and vulnerable. The sounds in a thriller are there to create added effect upon the audience. Natural sounds are employed so that the viewers feel as though they are in the scene which increases their suspense levels, this also happens when silence is used as the viewers are left anticipating the outcome. The main target audience for a thriller film is people aged 15 and over and is generalised to the male population more than the females.

At the beginning of the opening of Saw low key lighting is used when the man is in the bath. This means the audience are not introduced to the character or the setting immediately which leaves them curious as to what is happening and where it is happening. Once the camera zooms out the audience are provided with a shot of the surroundings but are left feeling on edge as they are unaware of the location. The low key lighting also creates an eerie and mysterious atmosphere which is increased by the fact the man also doesn't know where he is. In result this leaves the audience anticipating for the lights to go on and for the location to be revealed.

Also at the beginning of the scene natural sounds are used when the audience hear the water in the bath. This makes the experience for the audience more realistic as they feel as though they are also in the same situation as the man. This means their suspense levels are increased and they are anticipating for the next sequence of events to begin so that they are returned to their comfort zone. Along with the natural sounds, non-diegetic sounds of an ambient soundtrack are edited on top, creating an eerie atmosphere and the audience begin to panic as they feel as though they are in danger and with the realistic atmosphere become frightened and await the reassurance that they are safe.

Close up shots are employed once the men realise there is a dead body in the room. There is a close up shot of the dead mans head then cassette player and then finally the gun, both that he is holding. These shots are combined by fast straight cuts and are used to portray to the viewers the significance of each item. The fast pace editing of the three shots causes the audience to panic and feel cautious as to what their significance is. They therefore anticipate the following sequence of events and are shocked at what they have been presented with.

The position of the dead man laying in the middle of the room means the audience are unaware of his identity. All they are presented with is a body that is covered in blood and that is holding a cassette player and gun. This therefore intrigues the viewers as they are curious as to who the person is and why he has those certain items. It also allows the audience to feel more involved in the film and have a more hands on role as they are left guessing the reasons that he is there.

The opening sequence of the film helps to define the genre because of the specific codes and conventions used. This allows the audience to know exactly what they are watching. I can use the Saw film to help me plan my own thriller film as I can use some of the codes and conventions employed and produce ideas from the narrative.

In the opening scene of The Woman In Black there are three female children who are playing with their toys. They are dressed in old fashioned, lightly coloured dresses which gives the audience the impression that they are angelic. The children are told what to do by the woman and therefore have no authority, so they are represented as the innocent victims who have a lower level of power than the woman. This makes the audience feel uncomfortable as the children are the victims which they see as immoral and therefore the whole experience unfortunately feels realistic to them. This then increases their anticipation and provides them with a great shock as the children then jump out the window. The antagonist is dressed in all black which creates a mysterious atmosphere upon the viewers. They become curious to find out who the woman is as they believe she is dangerous. In this scene the woman is also higher up than the children who were playing on the floor, which clarifies her higher state of power. The audience therefore feel disgusted at the fact that someone of that level of maturity has committed something so dissolute. This is conventional to a thriller film as innocent females are usually the victims and the antagonists identity is not yet revealed at this point of a film.

The scene begins with the children playing with their toys and having a tea party which seems completely normal to the audience until the children look directly at the camera in sync. This builds the viewers suspense as they are curious as to what the children are looking at and why. The audience are then presented with the children looking towards the window and they then stand up and progress towards it, dropping and braking their toys on the way. This shocks the audience as they are aware of how important toys are to children and in result leaves them thinking what could be leading them astray. The children then open the window which further distresses the viewer as it is an unlikely action for a young child to do. At this point the viewers are on the edge of their seats anticipating the outcome of the scene. The children then jump out the window and the audience hear a scream from their distraught mother. The audience respond by feeling shocked and confused as to what just happened and are left guessing. Viewers who have children would feel more effected and therefore the experience will feel almost too realistic for them. The death of the children is not conventional to a thriller film as the viewers do not get a glimpse of their bodies.

The non-diegetic sound of the soundtrack edited on top gets louder and more dramatic as the scene progresses. It builds up to the children jumping out the window and allows the audience to progress with them. This makes the audience feel more and more uncomfortable and the tension builds within them. The diegetic sound of the screaming shocks the audience and makes the whole experience become more realistic. They wonder why the children jumped and are astonished at the final outcome, which is the deaths. The kuleshov effect is employed when the children look at the woman, then at the window, and are possessed almost as if they are like their dolls, as they have become the woman's puppets. This makes the audience feel even more uncomfortable as they come to terms with the fact the children are possessed. The use of the effect also frightens the audience as they become emotionally distressed because of the children involved. The editing of the scene means that the children are able to see the woman when the audience can not. This leaves the audience feeling curious and nervous as to who or what is there and why they are possessing the children. The editing is conventional to a thriller film as the audience are left in the dark and do not know as much as the characters in the film.

Shock, suspense and surprise is employed throughout the opening of The Woman In Black. In the scene the children's behaviour drastically changes as they go from playing to being led astray. The audience find this unusual and therefore their suspense levels increase as they are left wondering what is yet to come. As the children progress towards the window they drop and crush their toys. This is extremely unusual as children build bonds with their toys and therefore would not intentionally brake them. This therefore surprises the viewer as they are left guessing the reasons for their actions. The music incorporated into the scene creates suspense within the viewer. The music also begins to increase in volume and as a result builds the tension. The audience are familiar with the use of music and therefore are left anticipating the shock of the scene as they are aware something will soon happen. Once the children reach the window they open it and in sync, jump out. This immediately shocks the viewer and they respond by feeling anxious and scared as to whether the children are dead and why this occurrence happened.

As the scene begins a shallow focus shot is employed of the tea set. This shot is used to grip the audiences attention to this particular object and therefore portrays its significance within the scene. The audience feel comforted as it is a shot of a children's toy and therefore do not expect the next events to occur. When the children look towards the woman a long shot is used. This allows the audience to see the children's surroundings and become familiar with the location. The room is a children's nursery and as a result the audience do not expect anything drastic to happen. The medium shot included of the children's upper body as they walk towards the window allows the audience to see their blank facial expressions. The viewers in result understand how they are now possessed and witness how they, in sync, jump out of the window.

The research I have conducted to create this post has allowed me to now be fully aware of all the components necessary to produce a thriller film. This will therefore mean that I now have the knowledge to produce my own quality thriller opening when it comes to the point when I have to. I know to include conventional components such as sound and character representation to enhance the experience the audience will be a part of when viewing my thriller opening.

Francis Ford Coppola - Mrs Frisenda

Francis Ford Coppola

Biography:

A Director, producer, writer, and businessman. Born on April 7, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan. Francis Ford Coppola emerged as one of the twentieth century’s leading directors in the 1960s. Stricken with polio as a child, he was bedridden and found creative ways to entertain himself, including producing his own puppet shows. Coppola developed an interest in film early on and studied theatre at Hofstra University in New York.
After graduating in 1960, Coppola moved to California to attend the prestigious film program at UCLA where he learned from many great instructors, including pioneering female director and screenwriter Dorothy Arzner. While in graduate school, he worked with B-movie king Roger Corman. It was Corman that gave him first shot of directing a feature film, 1963’s Dementia 13, which Coppola also wrote. While that film failed to take off, he found directorial success with the 1968 musical Finian’s Rainbow.

 

Film Style:

Coppola is fascinated by families – their members, structures, dynamics, rules and rituals. These families come in all shapes and sizes: those created by birth (The Godfather) and social forces (The Outsiders), as well as those springing from shared goals (Tucker: The Man and His Dream) and random circumstance (Apocalypse Now). Coppola is intensely interested in how people are able (or unable) to live and work together.
The most famous Coppola family is the Corleones whose history he chronicles in The Godfather trilogy – a series of movies made over a period of 18 years
(1972–1990).
Therefore it is obvious of Coppolas' auteur status of injecting his fascination of families into the films he is a part of.

Filmography:

Dementia 13 (1963) also writer

You’re A Big Boy Now (1966) also writer
Finian’s Rainbow (1968)
The Rain People (1969) also writer
The Godfather (1972) also writer
The Conversation (1974) also writer/producer
The Godfather Part II (1974) also writer/producer
Apocalypse Now (1979) also writer/producer
One From The Heart (1982) also writer/producer
The Outsiders (1983)
Rumble Fish (1983) also writer
The Cotton Club (1984) also writer
Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)
Gardens of Stone (1987) also producer
Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988)
New York Stories (segment: Life Without Zoe) (1989) also writer
The Godfather Part III (1990) also writer/producer
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) also producer
Jack (1996) also producer
The Rainmaker (1997) also writer
Apocalypse Now Redux (2001) also writer/producer
The Outsiders: The Complete Novel (2005)
Youth Without Youth (2006) also writer/producer (anticipated)

 

In the Godfather trilogy we witness Coppolas' auteur style of injecting his fascination of families into the films he is a part of. In the film we learn that Vita Corleons is the head of the Corleone Mafia family, whose youngest son Michael has returned from WWII. It is made known to the audience that the whole Corleon family are involved in the Mafia, but with Michael wanting to live a normal life. A drug dealer looking for a Mafia family to offer him protection in exchange for a profit of his drug money approaches Vita, who turns down the offer. This does not please the drug dealer, who has Vita shot down but some of his hit men. Vita barely survives sparking his son Michael to begin a violent mob war against the drug dealer tearing the Corleone family apart. Therefore it is clear of Coppolas' fascination of the structures and dynamics of families as he explores it through the characters of the Corleone family and the struggles they face.

The Strangers Analysis - Miss Frisender

"How does editing inform the audience of the generic conventions of the film and enhance the tension within the scene with the use of sound."

 

Editing in The Strangers is used in certain ways to inform the audience of  the generic conventions of the film and to enhance the tension the audience experience when watching a scene, with the use of sound. Throughout the scene slow pace editing is used to drag out the anticipation of the audience so they feel exactly how the character does. We see an example of this as the female character is walking towards the door. The slow pace editing shows that she is hesitant to open the door, which connotes she is scared. In effect this means the viewers also experience the feeling of being frightened.

Diegetic sounds are used within the scene to create suspense and tension for the viewers, an example of this is when the fire alarm goes off. The fire alarm going off gives the victim a slight fright as she is already on edge, therefore the audience experience the same shock as they are feeling the same way as the female at this moment in time. The use of the significant sound allows the audience to experience a sense of suspense also, as they are awaiting something thrilling to happen. They are then given an insight into a surprise as they are shocked by the loud sound of the alarm ringing. The suspense is increased yet again when there's a loud knock at the door as the female drops the fire alarm. The audience are aware of how scared the victim is now which is conventional to a thriller film. The sequence of these diegetic sounds are incorporated to create maximum impact on the audience which means the viewers are left on edge and anticipating the real shock of the scene. Also the incorporation of silence is key to this thriller film to leave the audience on the edge of their seats anticipating the next scene in the film, which also heightens their experience while watching.

The editing style which is most seen throughout the scene is the straight cut. The audience see this when there's a close up shot of her phone charger which then directly cuts to a close up shot of her face. The use of this editing style shows the significance of the object or person in each shot. In this particular scene it illustrates to the audience how scared the woman is and that the fact someone or something is in her home is very true. The viewers respond to her emotions by experiencing what she is feeling at that exact moment which in result makes the scene feel very realistic to them. This is conventional to a thriller film as straight cuts are used to increase suspense.

 At the end of the scene non-diegetic sounds are used when the victim reaches to look out of the window. High pitched sounds are used as she edges to move the curtain with the knife for the first time, to increase the viewers suspense levels. The sounds shock the audience into thinking something is going to be there when in actual fact she doesn't open the curtain. The sounds also prepare the viewers for when she next opens the curtain and comes face to face with someone wearing a mask. This is conventional to a thriller film as sounds are used to pre shock the viewers.  

 

No Country For Old Men - Miss Frisender

No Country For Old Men - 2007

Setting:

The opening scene of No Country For Old Men is set in a deserted, rural landscape. This means it would be hard for the victim to get help or to escape which is intimidating. The audience are therefore left feeling on edge as they anticipate the occurences of the scene. This setting is conventional to a thriller film as it is an isolated place which is unfamiliar to the victim. The opening is also set in an old fashioned police station. The police station however is not well equipped and therefore the villain is more superior than the police officer. This shocks the audience as police officer usually have a higher state of authority.
 

Camera Work:

An establishing shot of the landscape setting is used which is unusual because of how much landscape the audience are provided with. Therefore the audience are introduced to the surroundings and become familiar with the setting. The close up and high angle shots included in the opening portray to the audience the characters emotions. This allows the viewers to feel the same way as the character which means the concept of the film seems realistic to them. A close up shot is also used of the car door and oxygen tank. This it to show their significance and notifies the audience to keep those specific items in mind. When the antagonist is being arrested a low angle shot of police car is used. This is to convey to the audience the aspect that the police officer has a greater level of authority compared to the villain he arrests. This therefore informs the audience of the representation of the characters, which is conventional to a thriller film. However this interpretation is in result false as the antagonist ends up killing the police officer. The zoom shot just before the police officer is killed is crucial to the film as it focusses the audiences attention on his character as they witness the antagonist slowly creep up behind him. This therefore shocks the audience as the police officer is usually known to have a higher level of authority in contrast to the antagonist and in result enhances their experience while watching.

Editing:

At the beginning of the film a voiceover is edited over the scene. This is to give the audience a background on the antagonists life and they discover that he likes to kill people and therefore they are aware of the type of person he is. The general pace of the murders that take place are slow. This therefore drags the killings out which creates an eerie effect as the audiences anticipation increases while witness what happens. Between each shots straight cuts are used. This keeps the transition from scene to scene smooth and therefore the audience are not distracted.

Characters/Costumes:

In the opening scene the antagonist is dressed in black. This evokes a mysterious feel upon the audience and draws their attention to him which therefore increases their levels of curiosity as to who he is. The antagonist and police officer were the same height. This portrays to the audience that they therefore have the same level of authority and notifies them that something could possibly happen where the antagonist over rides the police officer. 

Sequence of Events:

The scene begins where the audience are given an insight into the landscape location which is shown with a voiceover edited on top. The audience then see the villain being arrested by the police officer who then takes him to the police station. While in the police station the antagonist out smarts the police officer and kills him with the handcuffs which is in contrast to the fact that they should be keeping him secure. He then goes and washes his wrists which are bleeding but leaves the handcuffs behind in the sink. The anatagonist then steals a police car and then follows an innocent man which he ends up murdering. During the opening sequence the audience are faced with two murders taking place by the same man which is shocking and unusual but the audience are kept gripped to the film.