Introduction
The brief was to make an opening sequence for a thriller film using the general codes and conventions of that genre of film. A Scary and a “on the edge of your seat” plot were needed to grab the audience’s attention and entice them to watch the film. Our group had to think about particular camera angles and sound that are usually found within thrillers to make the film work well and appeal to the target audience. The target audience for our film was teenagers aged 15-18.
Before our group even thought about going out to film we decided on what the plot would be, if we were going to use costumes and make-up and then we also created a shooting script and shot list which would guide us in the filming process.
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
Within all films there are conventions that are often unique to that genre of film. There are many conventions in the thriller genre which include; Music, lighting, use of suspense, use of tension .etc. When used effectively they can dramatically increase the quality of the film and grab the audience’s attention which is the main goal for any film. Thrillers use these techniques in an opening sequence to “set the scene” and maybe add physiological twists and tricks to heighten the tension and create suspense. My Opening sequence uses these conventions and creates a successful base for the plot of the story and adds the sense of tension and suspense like all good thrillers. Cliff-hangers are used frequently in the thriller genre which is why my group decided to end the title sequence on one to entice the audience into watching more of the film; it also builds suspense which is an added bonus. Low-level lighting was used to give the film a darkened barely coloured look, which created an eerie and almost uncertain atmosphere, the darkness carries on all the way through the opening sequence and is symbolic of fear and mystery.
The film is set in the present day and the establishing shot is of a spooky looking church opposite a castle (coity castle). The camera then pans to the right and stops, then you see a man sitting on a bench looking distressed. After this there’s a close up of the man’s hand and you see he’s holding flowers whilst picking the petals off and dropping them on the floor. A white transition then appears and you see a girl walking while on her phone and at this point you can sense that something bad is about or going to happen.
Our groups opening sequence challenges forms and conventions of media products by being unconventional in the way the plot is set out and the roles of the characters, as the female character is the antagonist which is rarely found in thrillers because the stereotype places them in the more vulnerable roles. The plot of the opening sequence creates an air of mystery and suspense which is what an opening sequence needs because the purpose of an opening sequence is to set the scene and make the audience want to watch the rest of the film. Big budget thrillers are often filmed in glamorous locations and have a lot of high end technology behind them but as we were on a budget of practically nothing the setting we used of a castle was the best option as it would give an eerie feel to the film and is perfect for the night time scenes.
How does your media product represent particular socials groups?
In my opening sequence there are only two characters one male and one female. If I had to identify them as a social group, I would say they were typical teenagers. We decided to represent the female character in an un-stereotypical way. She is not the victim or the one that’s in danger for much of the time despite the fact she gets run over in the film. In my thriller opening sequence the roles have reversed and it’s the male character that falls victim to the un-stereotypical female antagonist. The opening sequence represents the average teenage social group in the way they dress (Hoodies, tracksuit bottoms etc.). The teenagers within the film are represented stereotypically with mobile phones and technology, the mobile phone is the main cause of what happens in the rest of the film. We chose to reverse the stereotypes as it would be something different to a lot of thrillers and this is clearly outlined when you see the male and the fear and expressions he makes when he’s being tormented by the un-stereotypical female. The male within the film comes across as powerless against the female antagonist and you can see this when he’s running and stumbling to the floor in fear of what’s going to happen because he’s being chased by a ghost.
What kind of media institution might distribute your product and why?
Me and my group decided that our film would be posted on the internet on sites such as YouTube, Facebook or maybe even make it to TV on one of the BBC channels. Our film is a clear representation of the usual thriller film and has all the regular codes and conventions found within them which Is why I think it could make it to the big screen (Cinema). We didn’t have the usual big budget that Hollywood productions have and we were limited on the amount of technology we had at our disposal but the end result looks professional which all that matters when trying to market a film.
When marketing and distributing a film it’s important to consider which companies you want to market and distribute your film and which ones actually will as big companies such as Universal, Fox etc. Normally deal with blockbuster films not independent ones. Me and my group decided to market our film to “Film4 Productions” as they have produced and made a lot of independent films like the one me and my group have made so we have more of a chance at getting the film out there to the audience, It’s also a British based company which may come as an advantage.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
My audience for my project is 15-18 year olds and my group decided on this age of audience from the survey we created to gather data on the type of audience that watch thrillers and what they think the typical codes and conventions are. We handed out the survey to everyone in the school including teachers so that there would be a broader range of results and ages. Due to the content contained in the film e.g. blood, gore, murder etc. The film would have to correspond with the rules and regulations put in place by the BBFC (British Board of Film Censors) as they certify films and give them their age certificates. If we set our target audience to anyone under 15 and the film contains strong violence it would be unsuitable for them to watch and intern render the film pointless, so the BBFC is put in place to insure all films are suitable for their audiences
The results concluded that the younger generation (14-18 year olds) preferred thrillers and horror films whilst the older generations preferred drama, musicals and comedies. Our group specifically wanted to target the audience of 15 to 18 year olds as almost all thrillers are certified either 15 or 18 so they wouldn’t be suitable for a younger audience. My group could have targeted a younger audience by limiting the amount of violence or unsuitable scenes but we felt that doing this would take away from the purpose of a thriller film which is to scare the audience and keep them on the edge of their seats.
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
Whilst taking part in this project I have gained knowledge in how to use Apple Macs, how to efficiently use video cameras and the website ‘Blogger.com’. I also used the programme iMovie but I already knew how to use this editing software so there was no learning curve involved. Within this product I created the mood board for the group which helped develop ideas for the plot of the film and It was created using Adobe Photoshop. During the process of constructing the product I also helped with the editing and use of titles sequences. When editing the film with iMovie we had to think about what editing techniques we should use as there are flashbacks within the film which would need clever and innovative . Photo Booth on the Apple Macs was also used as my group had to evaluate the other group’s production and film it then export it to our blogger.com online blog.
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Whilst doing the preliminary task me and my group learnt about how to keep the film simple when editing, not using any transitions or music and it only had to last a mere 45 seconds. When filming the preliminary sequence our group had to consider the continuity of every shot and make sure there weren’t any continuity mistakes e.g. in one shot a car could be in the background and the next it could have disappeared, this has an effect on the quality and realism of the film and could draw the audience’s attention away from the story. We encountered a few problems including things such as people not knowing their roles within the group so some people were wasting crucial time that could have been used to edit or film. To stop this from happening when making our opening sequence my group had a discussion and agreed on who would do the editing, filming, plot, shooting script and other important tasks. This avoided confusing within the group and everyone knew what to do so they could get on with their role effectively. The continuity task helped tremendously because all the problems were highlighted and could be avoided when it came to producing the opening sequence, it was a good learning curve and offered a good starting point for me and my group.
Conclusion
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