Narrative theory - Miss Georgiou

The three theories that were proposed are by three men Vladmir Propp, Tzvetan Todorov and Aristotle. Propp was a Russian critic who was around in the 1920's who published his Morphology of the folk tale. When the soviet cinema was producing many films that were receiving many views Propp was interested in the narrative of folk tales. He believed that every film contains these principal characters:

•The Hero – a character that seeks something

•The Villain – who opposes or actively blocks the hero’s quest

•The Donor – 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 hero’s success by making false claims

•The Helper – who aids the hero

•The Princess – acts as the reward for the hero and the object of the villain’s plots

•Her Father – who acts to reward the hero for his effort

His theory of narrative seemed to be mainly based in a male orientated environment and some critics would often dismiss the theory when regarding to films. Some critics may argue that Propp's strict and restrictive order of events may be an false representation of the film. They also suggest that their are many more character types than mentioned. Propp's idea would suggest that he thought characters within a film are the most important aspect. 

Tzvetan Todorov theory simplified the idea of narrative theory whilst also allowing a more complex interpretation of film texts with his theory of Equilibrium and Disequilibrium. A simplified list of his theory is this:

The fictional environment begins with a state of equilibrium (everything normal, how it should be)

Then it would suffer some disruption (example of disequilibrium)

New equilibrium is produced at the end of the narrative. 

There are five main stages that the narrative progresses through:

1. A state of equilibrium.

2. A disruption of that order by an event.

3. A recognition that the disorder has occurred.

4. An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.

5. A return or restoration of a new equilibrium.

The narrative is driven by attempts to restore the equilibrium. However, the equilibrium attained at the end of the story is not identical to the initial equilibrium. Todorov argues that narrative involves a transformation. The characters or the situations are transformed through the progress of the disruption.

Finally Aristotle observed that all films have a beginning, middle and an end. He also believed in stages in film and they were:

• Exposition - Setting a scene and introducing characters.
• Development - situation develops, more characters introduced.
• Complication - An event takes place which would disturb the life of the characters.
• Climax - Involves high amounts of suspense and decisive moment reached.
• Resolution - Matters are resolved and satisfactory end is reached.

Our narrative shall follow the theory of Aristotle because there is a sense of hidden identity within our clip which would mean that our thriller clip follows that specific proposed theory. Also it builds inigma amongst the audience as they're unknown about who is behind the camera.
  

Group narrative - Miss Georgiou

My idea - The idea for my opening sequence is to be set in an urban area unlike many other opening scenes mainly because otherwise I think it will just be a stereotypical thriller film and will be boring for the audience. The plot I was thinking of a house in the city at night, they're experiencing a power cut so the lights are out. The parents are asleep and one teenage boy is still awake watching TV on the sofa, he keeps hearing movement that he can't see. He ignores it and tries to sleep on the sofa. He hears a constant peculiar knocking so goes to the back door looks out in the garden and then he sees a young girl dressed in a white gown, then she screams and it ends… The conventions that i would aim to have within my clip would be shock and tension that will continue to build throughout the progression of the clip. The advantages of my idea is that it would keep the audience in 

Harry - My narrative idea is three school children go back up to school (Media class) when the students enter the class and go on the computers all the computers will switch off and start fuzzing - there will be a high angle shot of this to make the students look smaller and vulnerable. When the door shuts I will use a close up shot to show the emotion of one of the student to show they are scared which will make the audience feel sorry for them. I will keep using high angle shots on one of the students more than the others to make him look more vulnerable and suggest to the audience he is in the most danger. I want to include a establishing shot in my thriller film to show the view from the camera to give a perspective of what will follow as there will be a man outside the window wearing a mask creating mystery. When the lights turn off and on it will create tension as you expect something to appear and scare the audience, but i want to add a false sense of security to my thriller film by not having anything appear so when the audience become calm after watching the lights turn off and on and nothing happens then i will scare them by having a hand covered in blood slam against the window. Also i want to include handheld camera movements for chase scenes to create jerky images which will produce a sense of urgency and chaos making the audience know they are in danger and running for their lives.

The students are going to be wearing school clothes and as used in other conventions of a thriller film, i will include girls to be the victims as generally they are to victims in films. The costume will indicate who the bad guy is as he will be wearing a scary clown mask with blood stains on it, the bad guy will also be holding a knife dripping with blood which will show the audience what is about to follow. The colours used will be dark and create distinct shadows which will create tension throughout.

Robyn - My idea of the opening scene is that this young six year old girl gets bullied at school or at home as a result she tries to murder the person therefore she ends up in  a mental home. A month later she escapes and comes back to haunt the family/school and ends up killing the whole year/family. Advantages- Easy to film. Disadvantages- There will be dialogue, Take long to edit, time consuming.


The idea that we have ultimately come up with is a 'Halloween' night and two young children are out trick or treating and then they come across a strange house left unattended and then they get kidnapped and wake up attached to chairs. We plan to do quite a lot of editing because there would need to be low key lighting and a mixture of effects which would make the house seem 'haunted' and derelict. We would also like to use other conventions such as contrapuntal music, which could be used when the small children are knocking on the door and ‘happy’ music is playing this would create an contradictory mood amongst the audience.

Opening scene from halloween

In this post I will be talking about how the opening sequence of 'Halloween' would inform the audience of the conventions of a thriller film. Many different techniques are used to create various different feelings/emotions at the audience.

Within the opening sequence of Halloween we see several conventions that are typical to a thriller which would inform the audience that it is a thriller film. For example we see an example of lighting techniques when ‘low key lighting’ is used at the start when there is an eerie feel surrounding the character looking in on the house. The use of this specific lighting would emphasise the brightness inside of the house and the significance of the characters. The low lighting would add to the suspensions of the narrative as the audience build a sense of suspense as they’re anticipating something to happen, as the lighting would suggest fear and danger. This is a typical convention of a thriller because it would create suspense and shock amongst the audience. It would add to our relationship between the characters as it makes them seem more venerable under the dark lighting.

Another technique used in the opening scene would be hidden identity this is used when we are looking through the window alongside the villain. We see furthermore an example of both point of view shots and hidden identity this is used when we are taken through the house in perspective of the killer. The fact that we are taken through the house only seeing what the killer is would limit the view as the mask restricts the eye of sight. This would create tension as the audience are building with suspense as they’re taken through the route of the killer and therefore can predict/see what is going to happen. The hidden identity would build suspense within the audience as they’re unsure of who eyes they’re following. This would relate to the conventions of a thriller because it builds suspense amongst the audience, making them more engaged.

Thirdly sound techniques are used throughout to create different perspectives of what is going on. Contrapuntal sound technique is used when the killer is walking up the stairs and there is a sense of tension and suspense within the audience, the victim is singing and contradicts the mood/atmosphere. The effect of the good mood that the women has, creates tension within the audience as they’re confused and therefore expect something unexpected to happen. It would also make the audience feel a sense suspense as they're unaware of the dangers involved, which would eventually add to the shock. This would add to the relationship between both the characters and the audience as it would add to the sympathy in which we feel towards the inoccent girl.

From watching this clip it would reinforce the ideas that we had for our own thriller clip, and also introduce some new ideas such as contrapuntal sound because I think it is good when trying to create more than one type of atmosphere.

Research into sound - Ms Miller

In this post I will be talking about sound and how it is used within the thriller genre for different purposes, it is used throughout clips to create a sense of shock, surprise and anticipation amongst the audience. The clip that I have chosen to base my analysis on was ‘Taken 2’ mainly because it had various examples of different sound terminologies.

At the start of the clip we see two characters talking to each other which then get into the car, both of their voices are rose which would create a sense of danger as their voices would convey the emotions and feelings they’re experiencing. As they start the car we see an example of diegetic sound when we hear the sound of the car starting up, the main reason for adding this in particular could be that it reminds the audience of the reality of the situation and also allows the audience to relate to the situation as they have heard that sound before. Another example of diegetic sounds within the clip is when we hear the sound of the wheels spinning as the car is racing round corners. The sound of the wheels spinning would imply that they’re in a hurry as the car is racing to escape. The sound of the wheels would also create suspense as the audience are excited and are expecting something to happen next. This would relate to the typical conventions of a thriller as the clip puts the audience on suspense.

Another sound technique used in the clip is non diegetic this is apparent when they enter the car and the soft consistent music starts to play, it has a regular beat which would suggest that they’re not in danger at all and that all is ok. Then suddenly the music increases to a more dramatic upbeat, intense sound this is non diegetic because it is not natural sounds you would expect from the scene and therefore must have been edited in after. The fact that the music goes more extreme and louder would suggest that there is an chase or sense of danger and would also build a relationship between both the characters and the audiences as the audience begin to feel the desperation and panic of the characters within the film. This is typical feature that you expect in a thriller because it creates a sense of anticipation and suspense. The main reason for its use is to add excitement and suspense within the audience, ultimately it would create suspense as there is a sense of danger and death.

When the chase happening we start seeing more examples of non diegetic sounds and parallel sounds for example when Lee Nelson is firing his gun out of the back window we hear loud shooting noises coming from his gun which would suggest a sense of suspense as a weapon which bestows such great power can create suspense as the audience know what damage it can do. The parallel sound which complements the gun shots are the cracking and crumbling of objects for example at 0.50 of the clip we hear the sound of the window being smashed by the gun this creates shock and surprise amongst the audience as we knew that the guns were firing at each other but when the bullet hits it takes the audience by surprise. It is a parallel sound because the audience would expect to hear the result of the gun shots and therefore the smashing of the window complements the sound of the gun. This would relate to the typical conventions of a thriller as they make the audience feel shock and suspense which occurs within thriller films a lot.

Finally off screen sound is used at the end of the clip when the car if edited in slow motion to make it more dramatic and also a quiet sound is played when the car is about to crash. This would make the whole scene seem more dramatic as they are more shocked when they hear the sound of the car crashing against the ground. The off screen sound can make it more dramatic as the audience also anticipates the storyline more, it also makes sense as the car wouldn't make any noise when in the air so therefore it adds a sense of excitement and anticipation. This once again would relate to a thriller film because it would suspend the audience a they're waiting for something to happen next.

In conclusion I think that the research into sound will help me when I produce my own clip because it can be used to create different emotions and feelings to the audience. A sound technique that wasn't used in the clip which I want to use in my own clip would be 'silence' mainly because I think effective when trying to create tension and suspense amongst the audience.




  

Research into the history of thriller films - Miss Georgiou

A thriller film is genre within films that is designed to create suspense this gives the viewers a feeling of pleasurable fascination and excitement along with apprehension, anticipation, tension, and anxiety created form a sense of mysterious and suspense. The aim of a thriller film is to keep people on the edge of their seats, and engaged in the film that they are watching. Within the film may be evidence of blood and violence because these are typical characteristics of a thriller film.

During 1920s - 1930s a film which would shape modern day thriller films was produced 'The Lodger' produced by Alfred Hichcock. This film was a Jack the Ripper type film full of suspense and excitement. It uses very simple and basic editing techniques becasue the equipment was very basic. It was a black and white film slient film and was rated a 12 certificate. The 12 certificate may suggest that it is not that scary and thrilling but this may have been due to the lack technological equipment involved. Another film during this era was 'Blackmail' again produced by Alfred Hichcock and was noturiously known for being Hitchcocks and Britians first sound film. This film crosses both the crime category and thriller, but mainly due to the storyline falls under a thriller film.

During the 1940s - Hitchcock produced yet another film which would hit the limelight and achieve great things, it won an oscar for its greatness. The film was produced by David O. Selznick and he won an Academy award for best picture in producing 'Rebecca'. This film was so successful because it mastered suspense and got the audience on the edge of their seats. Secondly George Cukor produced two films during the 40s which were a 'great hit' one being called 'Gaslight' which was a phycological thriller about a husband who plotted to make his own wife go insane in order to inherit her inheritance. The second film that he directed was called 'Noir' which was about a murder investigation.

During the 1950s - In the 1950s a thriller made by other than Hitchcock was 'Niagara' by Henry Hathaway this film stared the legendary Marilyn Monroe. The storyline contains the normal contents of a thriller, such as the plotting of murder who the killer happens to be Marilyn Monroe. Another film produced within this era would be by the dominant film producer at the time Hitchcock. It was
a classic film called 'stranger on a train' about two train passengers that who both staged a battle of wits and traded murderes with each other. During this era Hitchcock was in the peak of his career and has recieved many global awards, editing and camera shots were steadily progressing and getting more complex.

My research will help me with my own narrative because I am able to use some slightly older techniques used in films such as 'Phsyco' to still make the audience feel engaged and on suspense throughout my narrative clip. In the film Phsyco editing styles such as 'Low key lighting' are used to create a sense of suspense amongst the audience and also when something un suspected happened the audience would feel shocked.

Hannibal - Film had a big budget meaning that the people employed could be highly skilled resulting in a better overall film produced. In this film the location was the key filmed in both USA, and Italy where specific needs of the film were catered for. The fact that the film made over 35% of all money made in the first opening would suggest that the trailers and clips must have been affective.

Age ratings - Miss Georgiou

The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) is critical when trying to differentiate different age bands of a specific film. Some of their main aims are to protect the public from inappropriate content that may not be suitable for them, especially children and to prevent them from getting harmed. They do this to avoid getting negative feedback and complaints from parents and companies. They also are important within the film industry because they empower the public, mainly parents to make informed viewing choices. The BBFC also classes films according to the content this will stop people from viewing content which is not aimed at their specific age.

There are 6 main categories that films are grouped into U, PG, 12 and 12A. 15, and 18. They all are very different and have different characteristics, for example a:

U - The U symbol stands for Universal. A U film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. It will involve no sever bad language but some minimal language such as 'hell' because it is aimed at young children. Also there will be no sexual activity apart from cuddling and kissing between characters, also violence is permitted within U films to a certain point for example in the film 'Peter Pan' there is a scene violence but not blood is evident.

PG - PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means a film is suitable for general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for younger children. A PG film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. Parents should consider whether the content might upset younger or more sensitive children. There would be more mature images about sexual content within the film itself because the children can understand the content. Also words such as 'Bitch' are used. The behaviour cannot be to unrealistic because the children may get influenced by it and copy it. For example if a boy jumped off a bridge and survived the children may think that they will survive and will be convinced to try it. So the behaviour has to be strict.

12 and 12A - 12A means that if you are aged 12+ then you can go into the film without someone aged 18+. Although if you are lower than 12 than you must be accompanied by an adult, the A in 12A relates to 'accompanied'. The differences between the two are that 12A is only used in a cinema environment, whereas a 12 is used in videos DVDs and Blue Rays. There could be some strong language but not used frequently because it would no longer be classed as a 12 or 12A. Violence within this age group should be evident but shouldn't be put in detail, and there should be no emphasis on blood. For example 'Iron man 3' falls into the 12A classification as there is evidence of violence and infrequent use of bad language. There is proof of this in the scene when Iron man is fighting for survival and blood is seen on his face, this scene would add to the age rating as it has signs of blood and distress.

The next age certificate is 15 this is when nobody under the age of 15 is allowed to view the film weather in the cinema or to rent a DVD. The main differences between 12 rated films and 15 are that they have; stronger language and they may be used more frequently. There may also be portrays of sexual activity and references to sex. Another thing which would separate it from the 12 rating would be that it may have discriminatory language or behaviour, and finally there may be scenes involving drug taking. There is usually stronger content within the 15 band because people are considered to be more mature and have a brief understanding about some of the ideas conceived within the film. Horror films can also sometimes fall into this age certificate because they have all of the features needed to fit into this band. An example of a 15 rated horror is ‘conjuring’ mainly because it has evidence of blood and gruesome scenes, which would make it suitable for people aged 15+.

The final age classification is an 18, they are only suitable for people aged no less than 18 because they have strong violence and frequent strong language, real sex and strong blood and gore. There is no cap on the use on strong language within the film because it is up to the viewer’s weather or not they decide to view the film. Very strong, crude and explicit sex references are permitted at 18 so therefore there is no specific cap on the amount of violence or language used in the film. An example of an 18 is Saw V, where there is a strong amount of violence and blood in the film when the characters are fighting for their lives and competing agaonst other humans. Also it exceeds the features of a 15 rated film.

The age certificate in which will be used in my film will be a 15 rating mainly because there will be evidence of blood and violence in the film. The film would also be aimed at people aged 15+ because I feel like they would be able to relate to it more, and understand the themes being conceived. The use of weapons and blood may also make the film classified as a 15, there will not be extensive use of bad language throughout the film but maybe the occasional use bad language to convey different emotions and feelings with the characters.

Editing styles - Miss Georgiou

'The shining, Here'e Johnny'

Editing styles are vital when producing film clips because they create different emotions and feelings amongst the audience. Generally editing is used to provide coherence and excitement to a film. The person who edits the film is called the editor. Editing just like cinamotography can be used to create more than one perspective. The film that I analysed was 'The shining' because there is evidence of different editing techniques.


For example when Johnny is waling towards the door we see and example of a timing shot. The intended effect for this shot would be that it creates tension as the isolated corridor looks peaceful but then we see Johnny casually walking down it holding a knife, it would make the audience feel tension as they know the girl is near by and that Johnny is on his way to get her. Whereas it also creates suspense because the audience are on the edge of their seats anticipating the entrance of Johnny. This would relate to the conventions of a thriller because it creates suspense and tension.
Another example of a shot used within the film is a jump shot which is a cut in film editing in which two consecutive shots of the same subject are taken from camera positions that vary only slightly. This shot is used in the film when the axe is carving its way through the door and also the camera is focusing on the power of the axe. The main reason that a jump shot was used was because it creates surprise as the audience do not expect the axe to destroy the door like that, and also the repetitive slashing and slicing down of the door would shock the audience because there are being bombarded with loud noises and dramatic scenes. Another intention of a jump cut is to make the audience tense and excited. This would relate to the conventions of a thriller as it creates and ties in with all the 3 main elements of a thriller which are; shock, surprise and suspense.

A reaction shot is used to display a specific emotion on a character away from the main scene, it is often used alongside a close up shot as it is able to display close emotions. They are also used to create a bond with the audience and character as the audience are able to see how a character responds to under different circumstances, it also allows the audience to relate it to how they would react under the situation given at a specific moment in time. Correspondingly when Johnny is smashing through the door we see the women scared and screaming with fear, the use of a reaction shot here would be used to make her seem venerable as the editing is used to precisely convey her emotions and feelings. This would relate to the typical conventions of a thriller because the audience now is more nervous for the women as she could be killed at any moment in time, it would also build our relationship with the character as we feel sorrow for her as she is potentiallyt about to die. Also the fact that she is cooped up in the corner of the room would suggest that she is scared and venerable as she has no where to go. It would make the audience feel sorry for the women as we are able to predict her future and what will happen to her. This would relate to the distinctive conventions of a thriller as it creates tension and suspense as the audience are anticipating the arrival of Johnny to the women.

Fourthly there is a straight cut used this is when the camera changes from one place to another with very little effects just a straight cut and change in place/characters. This shot is used to construct a simple transaction of change. In the clip ‘here’s Johnny’ this type of clip is used when you see the women climbing out of the window from the perspective of the window but then you see her struggling to escape form the room with the snowy rooms next door and the quiet calm area. The fact that it’s covered in snow would suggest peacefulness and calmness. So this adds to the significance of the event because we know that a women is about to be killed and murdered in such a quiet area. The straight cut adds a sense of meaning as we can only originally see her struggling from one point but then the reality of the situation as she is dangling out of the window. This would make the audience feel tense as they’re expecting her to die any minute. This would add to the conventions of a thriller because it makes the audience feel tense and shocked. Furthermore it would add to our previous relationship with the character as we can reflect on her struggle and feel compassionate towards her.

 

From this post I have learnt the there are many different editing styles used within thrillers that I would like to use in my thriller clip. They can also create multiple meanings and emotions amongst the audience, for example diffferent cuts give different implied meanings to the audience. Finally the can concieve more than one menaing to ther audience. 

Research into Conventions of the Thriller Genre - Miss Miller

Intruder

Conventions in thrillers are techniques used that create different emotions and feelings within the audience. These give the text meaning and determine the response of the viewer. They can be used as a basis for simple text analysis. Conventions are used in thrillers to create different emotions and feelings within the audience. There are many variations of editing styles used within thriller films that are intended for different purposes. I have decided to choose the film 'Intruder' because there are many examples of a typical conventions of a thriller.

In the clip there is evidence of some conventions of a thriller, for example props are used throughout the clip. There is evidence of props in the clip when the victim is carrying the gun searching for any signs of movement or life. He carries a gun around for extra protection in case any unexpected things were to happen. The fact that a gun is used would add to the realism of the event because it gives the audience an idea of how serious it is, also the gun is being perceived as an form of iconography because the constant use of different camera angles make the gun seem bigger and therefore a lot more significant within the scene and the characters. Also the gun would help the audience build a relationship with the characters because they are able to relate to the situation more it is based at what looks to be stables, which are familiar to everyone. This would relate to the conventions of a thriller because there is evidence of violence and suspense.
Another convention of a thriller within the clip used is low key lighting. This is apparent throughout the clip, there are light in the clip but they’re almost lights just aimed to create an atmosphere. The low key lighting is apparent when the victim is looking for the intruder and discoverers the cat. The use of low key lighting creates tension amongst the audience as they do not know what to expect as the line of sight is shortened. It would also create the 3 main elements of a thriller which are shock, suspense and surprise because the lighting makes the audience feel in suspense as they are anticipating what is going to happen next because the dark lighting would indicate loneliness and a sense of mystery. It would also make the audience feel more shocked when the zombie man appears as they didn’t see it coming because of the low key lighting used. Finally it would add to the surprise factor as when any small movements occur they are heavily emphasised through the darkness as we cannot see their location. This would relate to a thriller because it creates tension and suspense within the audience.

 

Thirdly another convention used is makeup of the characters. This is evident when the guy appears from the darkness and is made up to look like a zombie. The makeup can be used within different characters to portray different messages to the audience. The use of makeup in thriller films creates many different emotions and feelings. For example the zombie make over is used by adding several cut wounds to the characters face to make it look scary and mysterious. If there was fake blood used on a characters face it would create tension as the audience is expecting a bad thing to happen soon as blood has been shed. This would relate to the conventions of a thriller because it adds to the tension building up throughout film.

 

Finally a third convention of a thriller in the clip is the use of a close up shot. There is evidence of this at 1.14 of the clip where the camera zooms up on the victims face to display and express his emotions, when he is holding his gun looking at the footsteps on the floor. The close up shot would add tensions to the clip as the audience is able to relate to the matter as the facial expressions may look recognisable and relatable.

 

In conclusion I think that they're is several conventions that I've picked up from watching this clip for example the use of props within the clip. I like the strong relevence of the gun in particular as I thought that it tied in well with the atmosphere and feel of the situation.