notes

Todorov Theory


Ronald Barthes

Claude Levi Strauss -All stories are propelled forward by conflict that is caused by characters and event opposing each other that opposites are important to a story
Binary opposition: where texts are organised around sets of opposite values such as good and evil, light and dark poor and rich

planning

Planning and Research



The International - 15
The Bourne Identity - 12 (universal picture ltd)
The Da Vinci Code - 12A
The Fugitive - 15
Traffic - 18
Jacobs ladder - 18
Dancer upstairs - 15


The "12A" certificate is just for videos, DVDs and games
'A' stands for accompanied and advisory


when a film is rated as a 12 it means
"Exactly the same criteria are used to classify works at ‘12A’ and ‘12’. These categories are awarded where the material is suitable, in general, only for those aged 12 and over. Works classified at these categories may upset children under 12 or contain material which many parents will find unsuitable"


when a film is rated as a 18No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema. an eigtheen may include strong violence nudity& strong language 


when a film is rated as a 15 no one under the age of 15 may view it  a film rated as a 15 may contain strong language scenes of a sexual nature, & moderate violence

mood board for film opening

Mood Board

mood board with inspirations

Mood Board

thriller conventions

Thriller Conventions

mood board for the ideas of our film opening

Mood Board 2

some inspirations

The lighting in this scene and the flash backs are inspirational the dark lighting highlights his position since Bourne is a man on the run its dark and not too bright this shows that he in fact is incognito; as our main protagonist is also incognito the way this opening scene is lit, could help us with ideas of how ours can be .
The flash backs in this seen are fast and fragmented, it is not just one looong flash back this could help us with the way we either edit the flashback ,or film it
in some of the Bourne films there is audio before the visual this is creative as it not just your ordinary flash back and we don't want our film opening to be boring and ordinary ;)








The music used in the scene is very good, as it gets more dynamic in key areas of the chase scene.
In the first scene (when the officers were after him) the lighting used is very good the lighting very dark and mysterious the cross cutting between the two scenes is appropriate and essential the fast editing helps create tension; the tension is also built by the music
in our opening scene the music would need to do this so it shows that something is about to happen. When Bourne began to run the music picked up showing the audience that something is about to kick off the music would change at key areas ; when he finally escapes the music settles and becomes relaxing showing the audience that he is now safe and we don't need to worry .







in this scene we see just how clever Jason Bourne is one thing that captures an audience is if the main protagonist is clever and has moments that make you respect them as a character
in our opening scene we could use some documents or hint to the viewers that this protagonist is smarter than his pursuers . in this scene we also see how Bourne is dressed he is not in a suit he is in casual clothing; i think this is more a  realistic attire for someone who is on the run, than if he was in a suit; for our main protagonist i think it would be more suitable if he was in casual clothing  . in addition he uses gadgets in this scene to open a voice activated compartment we could consider the props we may use in our opening scene .

analysis of bourne identity film opening

long  shot 

cu shot 

the first shot is a long-shot of  man floating in a stormy ocean; this grabs the viewers attention as we  wander why he is in that condition ,or how the man got there  .We also feel that something will happen because of the setting;  we as viewers could also assume that the focus may be on the floating body as it is the opening shot .We then are introduced to some characters who are playing cards inside the boat,  the setting inside is contrasting  to the conditions outside; we get the feeling that the people on the boat are safe as  there is no commotion inside  the contrast is emphasized by the cross cutting that takes place in the editing . When one of the characters that is on the boat  sees the floating body,  the camera zooms  in to the abandoned  corpse who remains in the same position as before hand; we as the audience still can assume that the corpse is dead  this is emphasized by the darkness that is sorrounding the body; in addition mystery is also created .

CU shot 

after the man who was on the boat sees him, he alerts the crew who then bring him aboard they also assume he is dead untill he reveals to us and the characters that infact he is alive the crews reactions show that this man survived an un survivable event.  Whilst this is happening the music then picks up and begins to become fast pace  and we as the audience feel that something may kick off .

Are attention is then drawn to the man who we assumed was dead .

As one of the men tend to the man there is a close up shot of his wounds , which appear to be bullet holes . we as viewers may assume that he is a victim of  some attack  this also accentuates the mystery that is constantly  created why is he like this who did this to him etc..

cu shot 

as the man is extracting the bullets from the stranger he observes some scars that the stranger has this tells the viewer that it his not his first time being seriously injured ad we then begin to wander about his past and what kind of person he is 

the man who was tending to the stranger notices a strange bullet and sees what it is about when he comes back to attend to the stranger he is off the operating table  we can assume that he has escaped from the boat . we are also shocked because of his condition he still managed to break away .

the final shot reveals that the stranger is the main character 
when the old man is questioning him about his identity
the lightning flashes on his face revealing his desperation and his actual features 

CU shot 

some thriller sub genres

Crime thriller: this genre is a hybrid type which incorporates both thriller and crime  it is often a suspenseful  account of a crime or failed crime  this film usually focuses on the criminal rather than the policeman  Crime thrillers usually emphasise action over psychological aspects. Central topics of these films include serial killers/murders





an example of a crime thriller trailer and poster

Psychological thriller: In which (until the often violent resolution) the conflict between the main characters is mental and emotional, rather than physical.




an example of an psychological thriller trailer and poster

the bourne series are hybrids they can be classified as / conspiracy/action/innocent on the run/mistaken identity and so on

Conspiracy Thriller
In this subgenre the protagonist must confront a large, powerful organization whose threat only he sees. Usually he /she must do so alone.












Action Thriller
Take any other thriller subgenre, give it’s defining elements a back seat, and focus on the action, and you have an action-thriller. viewers may tell that it is an action movie because of the visual appeal of explosions and violence fast editing , guns ,fighting and so on .

genre documentary

Juno remake

In class we were asked to do imitate the opening credits of juno
this is what i produced

the clips that we filmed did not match the opening entirely so  i experimented with different effects to try and replicate the cartoon effect that was on the juno  .  i liked this task because it helped with editing practice 

Bourne identity and Just go with it trailer analysis

Home Learning


Home Learning


Genre is A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.
there are certain things used in film that can help the audience /viewers identify what genre it is categorized in for e.g star association if a certain celeb is well known for sticking to a certain genre they may promote them via film posters or billboards this helps attract the celebs fans in addition the people who love the genre that the star is associated with for e.g Jennifer Aniston is usually known for her repetitive roles in rom -coms even ,even from an early stage in her career ; some of the film she has done are , just go with it , marley and me,Bruce almighty and so on if her fans see her in a film they are likely to watch it and people are also likely to recognise the genre . there are positives and negatives when it comes to being type casted the positives are if a director / producer know that you have a successful career with a particular genre and they are looking to do a film of that particular genre, then they are more likely to call you to a casting or even offer you the role; however if you have been type cast then you may not be able to expand and you will be recognised for that genre automatically for e.g Taylor Launtner has starred in the twilight trilogy he has recently been cast in an action film and has received a critcal reponse from viewers they did not take him seriously .

in films the iconography used can help the viewers/ audience identify what genre the film is categorised in for e.g in a sci-fi film or trailer you would expect to see: spaceships ,advanced technology, robots , space, futuristic landscapes and so on using this in or on a trailer or film poster would help the viewers/ audience recognise what genre the film is in.

analysis of Memento

shot 1

shot 3 

the opening scene opens with a close up shot of a polaroid of which there blood and a dead person .  the title of the film overlays on the shot  in bright blue capital letters  the non diegetic music is loud and eerie  this makes the audience feel that  something is about to take place or something terrible has happened . as the scene continues the person begins to flap around the photo as you would do normally with a polaroid however instead of the photo appearing it is disappearing this is a good use of effects and enigma as it confuses the audience because that is not what usually happens . the credits are in the centre of the shot






we later discover that everything is going backwards this confuses the audience as at first we do not realise that the clips are being rewound .

shot 4
in shot four the mans bloody face is revealed and we now see  who has been holding the camera this close up

analysis of silence of the lambs

Stry Board

shot 1

the film opens  with a C.U establishing shot of the woods and the camera remains stationary , this engages the audience as the setting is eerie and creepy  because there is fog and the trees are bare this also gives the viewer an idea of what genre the film is categorised in.  the genre is additionally emphasized  by the creepy soundtrack

shot 2

shot 3 

The credits that appear on the screen  are in the centre of the shot they are black and bold and complement the setting of the scene , this could also give the audience a clue to what the genre is ; as the titles appear on the screen the camera begins to pan downwards revealing a girl holding on to the rope and pulling herself up ; the camera is stationary and has revealed more of the setting by using an establishing shot  we can now see more of the forest and or woodland  the trees are completely bare and there is more fog and though there is natural light it still looks dim this could give the viewers the impression that something may happen to the woman this fact is also emphasized with the use of diegetic sound of the eagle calling    . its as if   the woman appeared from nowhere in a vacant place because of this  she immediately grabs the attention of  the viewers and we remain  focused on her.

shot 4 

shot 5 

as the girl begins to jog  the camera switches to a medium shot whilst slowly tracking behind  her  as she is moving the scenery stays rather consistent except there is an increase in fog  the eerie music is still consistent.
While the girl is jogging the camera switches to a C.U medium shot of her the camera is placed in front of her and is retreating at the same pace that she is running   the background is now masked by the over powering fog there is no major story at the moment for now it seems that a girl is taking her morning jog in the woods alone .

shot 6 

the woman now speeds up and begins to jog as she is jogging the camera is speedily tracking her  from a side c.u medium shot as she is running the camera does not avoid the tree stumps from being in the shot ,this is good as it does not seem like the camera is pursuing her but rather the audience/viewers.    the soundtrack's volume has increased slightly and so has the girls breathing rate  as she is running faster .

shot 7

while she is running it is revealed to the audience  /viewers that she is  on  some sort of training ground or agility course as she is approaching a climbing net  the shot is a c.u  medium shot  it also foreshadows that she is going to climb the net  there is still a mixture of non diegetic and diegetic sound .

as she climbs the net the camera pans quickly  around the  equipment to show her coming down the net . so far no other  story has been revealed our main focus is on her running through the woods/ obstacle course . after she successfully climbed the net she runs off again but this time the camera is not pursuing her but is staying stationary  this gives the audience hope that  her run has finished and she has remained safe .

shot 8

shot 9

after her run she is told to head to see Crawford  when she is heading to the base more of the story is revealed we also are aware of the character's name   with an establishing shot we now know that it was a training ground and she is training or is a trainee for the FBI  the scenery  changed dramatically  the trees had more life and  there is now grass instead of those foggy eerie woods .The soundtrack additionally changed it was less eerie .

shot 10

when Darlene has entered the building she continues to make her way towards Crawford as she is approaching her destination  the camera uses a discovery shot to reveal that she in actual fact is heading towards  the behavioural sciences department . in addition the background music has stopped playing there is just diegetic sound

shot 11

when Darlene enters Crawford office she scans the room as she notices something shocking the there is a P.O.V shot so the audience can see why her facial expression changed  the audience is showed a wall filled with pictures of murder scenes . as she views them the non diegetic sound begins to play again to emphasize the horrific images .

shot 12

we them meet J. Crawford  and he is impressed with Darlene because of her achievements so far the camera is using shot reverse shot to show the conversation between the two the story has built up significantly from when he was running in the woods .

Editing to build tension in the enemy of state

1. What is the point of this sequence? Describe briefly how tension is created through the editing.

cross cutting shot 

There are many techniques used here to build up tension for e.g. , they use a  parallel shots to show that  the antagonists are approaching the protagonists, this builds up tension because it  makes us feel that they may be caught.
The tension is also emphasized with  the close ups used to show the protagonists faces.

revealing shot 

When the camera is focused on the antagonist approaching them, a revealing shot is used to show that they are holding guns / weapons; not only does this prove that these men are the antagonists but it also reveals their intentions  this builds tension as it makes us feel that  the protagonists are in danger .
2. Look at the use of CU or Medium CU. Why are they primarily used here? Refer to specific shots (screengrab them) and embed them within your post. In this scene of the enemy of the state a variation of shots are used

medium head shot 

This shot is effective is effective as the fence (or whatever it is covering the man's face )  replicates a cage as if they / he is trapped or jailed or they/he are/is doing  something that is illegal  this helps emphasize the situation that they are in .

CU Shot 

here Will Smith is covering his face in a close up shot again the fence  is shown he looks defeated and saddened about something that has gone on .
3. Choose 15-20 seconds from anywhere in the sequence and describe each shot in detail, explaining its effect / function for the audience, as well as commenting on how the cuts (the editing) add to the meaning.

shot 1

shot 2

shot one is a close up  revealing shot it shows that the antagonist is about to enter the protagonist's premises shot to is also a close up revealing shot  showing that they are armed and willing to use the weapon in shot3  a close up shot of the computer screen is displayed  this shows the audience that something important has been discovered .Shot 4 is a close up shot of the main protagonist after discovering something important he is devastated this close up shot emphasizes it with hi hands on his head and the fence showing which could suggest that he is caged in .

shot 3

shot 4

4. How far does the editing of this sequence fit in with the genre of the thriller? Justify your opinion.
I think the editing fits in with the genre of a thriller; because of the fast editing this helps create tension and provoke other emotions because it is fast pace

PRELIMINARY TASK final CUT

1. Discuss how your group came up with the idea for the script. How efficient was the discussion? What key decisions were made? Embed your script.
in class we were  collaborating ideas and we came up with the idea of two students who were bad mouthing off a subject and a teacher   the teacher then appears and one of the students sucks up to the teacher like they are the perfect student  and becomes a hypocrite 

the discussion in class was fluent we came up with the idea quickly and agreed a substantial amount on everything that should happen .
 the decisions that were made were  : who was going to be filming and directing in a sense and who was going to be taking part in the film . we also came up with where it would be filmed props  how we would adjust the lighting  and who would be saying what and when; in addition we ordered and numbered the shots we would use in the preliminary task

2. Reflect on the planning / storyboarding stage and upload the storyboard.
when planning and drawing the story board we had to think of  the specific shots we would use  and when we would use them we  also positioned where the characters would be in the shots  we used a total of 9 frames and we did our best to film all of them 














3. How efficient was the shoot?
the shoot  went well there was no confusion on who was doing what or how we were to film it we got  straight down to business and filmed following the shot list the story board and the script and we were satisfied with the footage we collected  we manage to get shots of both of us talking we filmed it twice from  different sides of the room .  to make sure we got the shot, reverse shot  and when doing the match on match action we had to make sure that the hand i used to open the door was the same on the other side 




4. What were the key elements from the brief you had to demonstrate and how well did you handle each one? Did you make any mistake? What are you most pleased with and why?

walking across hallway

match on match

match on match action 

shot  then reverse shot 

shot  then reverse shot 

when it came down to editing we had some footage needed to perform the task set  using the technique of erasing some of the audio I was able to make this more effective and increase the continuity in the task
i was pleased with the shot reverse shot as it actually looked like it flowed 
i was pleased with the way the storyline flowed as well. however when editing the the prelim task i did not realise that a piece of unwanted footage was still on the time line this caused the video to be twice as long as expected and a randomn clip showed at the end
5. What did you learn during the course of this production? What did you learn to do or do better with Final Cut?
during this I learned how to adjust the audio how to make it louder or quieter this is good because from now on I will be able to change the dynamic of footage by adjusting the sound . I learned names of different shots furthermore i learned how to remove the audio when needed effectively in addition I also learned how to overlay clips without it being joulty
- Finally embed another student's sequence and offer some peer-assessment:
What is most successful and why?
Are there any mistakes and where?
What could you suggest for further improvement?

 i think the walking down the hall way was really effective also the match on match action
i think it is pretty consistent all the way through besides some fumbling over the lines
for some improvement maybe they could improve the script

example of the PRELIMINARY TASK final CUT

last year example of thriller openings

Music Timeline

PRELIMINARY TASK ROUGH CUT

story board h/l

Story Board x



the first shot is the brand name fans can recognise that bat man is associated with the Dc comics
the second shot is a long establishing shot it is showing us the robbers target
the third shot is of the window exploding this shows that something has happened but it has not given away what
fourth shot is a long shot  showing the joker holding his mask however his identity is revealed later on when he removes it
the fifth shot  is of the robbers evading the bank the camera is tracking them as they are running
the sixth shot is a close up shot of the vault showing  the robbers number one target
the seventh shot is  a close up shot of the robber giving  the hostages / hostage  a weapon threatening their lives the camera remains focused on this particular robber
the eighth shot is  a mid shot of the bank manager defending the bank
 in the ninth the bank manager is shot by the main antagonist in this scene the shot is a mid shot
the tenth  shot is of the two robbers turning on each other following the jokers message  this is a two shot over the shoulder shot
the eleventh  shot is of  the joker when he reveals his identity to the bank manager it is a close up shot this shot shows his character it also reveals who will be the main antagonist of the dark knight
the  12 th  and has left the bank manager gassed  it is a long shot

snippets from my favourite thriller films