Thriller Opening - My Ideas

1) The film opens with two characters in car parked in a suburban street at night. The driver is wearing a navy blue suit while the passenger wears light grey - both are wearing 60s style knitted ties. The film starts near the end of a conversation they have, and what they are saying seems ambiguous and is for the moment unexplained - they frequently refer to the time of someone arriving somewhere and 'whether a door will be left open'. They both observe a third man walking down the road, to which the driver points out that 'he is the one'. As the walking man turns a corner to walk down a long, dark driveway with gothic style gates, the passenger gets out and places a mask over his face - it is haloween, though the man intends to use it for other reasons. As he approaches his target - the two men are assassins - he bumps into a woman in the street, though she is unsuspicious of him due to the haloween context. He turns round the corner and the driver takes the car to the top of the driveway so as to block it from view, opening the passengers door as he arrives there. As he opens it, a shot of gunfire is heard from down the driveway. Following this, the passenger runs back in - it is implied that he has killed the man. As the passenger gets in, the driver asks if he has picked up his empty shell, and the passenger realises his mistake - evidence is lying with the dead victim. As he places his hand on the doorhandle to retrieve the shell, another set of headlights from the bottom of the driveway flicker on, revealing the entire crime scene.

2) Over a blank screen, muffled voices can be heard for three or four seconds. Eventually, they crescendo into a scream - at this point, the film cuts in to a man waking up on the DLR wearing a denim jacket. The man sat next to him - who has just arrived - asks him if he is alright, to which the man - who is the main character - responds that he is fine. We then establish the location of the DLR with a wide shot of Canary Wharf. Without any further conversation, the second man leaves, while the main character stays seated. The character notices a book the other man left behind, though instead of calling out to him, he picks it up and opens it to a page where a note is concealed. It reads a place and a time, 'Deptford Bridge, 5:10'. The character looks at his watch and sees that it is this time, then looks at the station. It is Deptford, and the man hurries off. We then cut to a street by the station where a taller man is standing. It is getting dark at this point. The main chararcter arrives to meet this man from the station, to which they have a conversation. The main character tells the taller man that he needs the information the man has about a frind of his, to which the taller man replies, asking for the money the main character was supposed to give him. The main character tells them that 'money wasn't part of the deal'. After a painful pause, the taller man asks the main character to come with him, and leads him into the night.

Sam's 1st idea - an interesting, involving plot with some good locations. The potential to have an ensemble cast is exciting, though it may also be a problem with the casting and direction of the scene. The suggestion that it should be raining is also interesting, but subsequently difficult to pull off, especially with regard to keeping the cameras working.

Sam's 2nd idea - though also having a number of different locations which may or may not be difficult to film, the concept would be easy enough to execute, and is certainly very tense. Ideas such as having the man assemble the camera and having an ambiguous gunshot noise at the end are very clever, and would be interesting to film.

Kayleigh's 1st idea - it has a set piece feeling, with some tense moments. This makes it both an interesting idea and easy to film, with some simple locations.

Kayleigh's 2nd idea - this has some very clever concepts, particularly the idea of masks. It would be very interesting to film and cast, and has easy locations. I particularly like the idea of ambiguities brought up with the involvement of masks, which would be very interesting to film.

Film Audience Questionnaire

1) Do you like films?

Yes.  30

No.       0

It is clear from this that films are appreciated by almost all people of all age ranges. 

2) Where do you watch your films?

Cinema 17

DVD/Blu-Ray 17

Television 12

Online/iTunes 17

The cinema, DVDs and online downloads are the most popular here - television is less popular, perhaps because it does not offer the experience of the cinema or because it does not give audiences freedom to watch what they want unlike DVDs and online film websites do.

3) How many times per week do you watch films?

Once a week 16

Twice a week 8

Three times a week 5

Four plus times a week 1

The majority of people watch films one time a week, above twice a week seems to be rare.

4) Which cinemas do you go to?

Arthouse 16

Multiplex 20

West End cinemas 2

City centre cinema 4

Most people attend arthouse or multiplex cinemas. It is likely to be the case because they are more accessible to people living in suburban areas, more so than city centre or West End cinemas are.

5) What food/drink do you get when you go to the cinema?

Sweets 13

Popcorn 16

Fizzy drinks 8

Nothing 6

Hot food 0

This shows that popcorn is particularly popular, suggesting that it is still typical to buy, whereas hot food seems to be very unpopular.

6) What persuades you to see a particular film?

Word of mouth 21

Critical reception 15

Advertising 14

Favourite actors 19

Favourite directors 9

The word of mouth is the most common reason why people see a film. This may be because the 15-25 age bracket, who are responsible for the majority of film ticket sales, are the most outgoing. However, many people seem to be persuaded to see films if their favourite actors are involved, as the use of some actors often assures audiences that a film will be good or successful. Around a third of participates said that their favourite directors convince them to see a film, suggesting that a fair few people take an interest into the film industry.

7) What kinds of films do you prefer?

Rom-com 17

Science fiction 16

Thriller 24

Musicals 8

Horror 10

War 16

Drama 15

Comedy 23

 Thrillers, comedies and romantic comedies are the most popular here, perhaps because they do not require as much effort to watch as, for example, hard-hitting war films would do. Few seem to like horror films or musicals, suggesting that the quality of these films is either in decline or not appealing to a younger age range (the age range which most people asked in this questionnaire belonged to).

8) What do you like about thrillers? 

Fast paced, clever, suspense, action, realism, escapism, plot twists, thought provoking, ambiguous, interesting, exciting, stylish.

There seem to be several reasons why people enjoy thrillers here, though the main reason seems to be because they offer a mixture of visual excitement i.e. realism, style and action, and thought provoking excitement i.e. plot twists, ambiguity and suspense. 

9) Do you have any favourite actors? If so, which ones?

Blake Lively, Tom Hardy x5, John Cusack x2, Megan Fox, James Franco, Leighton Meester, Beyonce, Ashton Kutcher, Ryan Gosling x4, Robert de Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Kirsten Dunst, Sofia Coppola, Christian Bale x2, Gene Hackman, Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman, Tom Selleck x12, David Lynch, Daniel Day Lewis, Chris Tucker x2, Malcolm McDowell, Britney Spears, Jack Nicholson, Tom Sizemore x2, Mark Ruffalo, David Cross, Clint Eastwood, Mark Paul Gosselar, Val Kilmer, Jim Caviezel, Nick Nolte x2, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Paul Rudd, Steve Coogan, Bill Hader, Michael Cera, Jesse Eisenberg, Anton Yelchin, Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson x3, Steve Carrel,  Tom Cruise, Zoe Saldana, Robert Downey Jr, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jake Gyllenhaal, James Caan, Michael Fassbender x2, Benedict Cumberbatch.

There seems to be a wide range of favourite in this list, from comedians such as Seth Rogen to veteran actors such as James Caan. Among the 15-20 age range, which made up the majority of the questionnaire, younger actors seem to be the most popular, whether it is the 'eye candy' female actors or charismatic, talented younger actors such as Ryan Gosling, Tom Hardy or Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Prelim - Evaluation

My preliminary task was to show someone walking through a corridor, entering a room and walking through it to sit down and talk to another person within it.

My tast opened with a long shot of my first actor walking down the corridor facing the camera. I had originally intended to produce a shot-reverse shot, though unfortunately, the camera picked up movement from another student from within the room I would be filming in. The lesson to be learned from this is clearly to take greater care in preparing my shots. My match on action was of the actor opening the door and walking through - I felt this went fairly smoothly, only more experience in the editing process could improve it. The dialogue editing was smooth and there are no major criticisms of it that I can make.

The sound editing was less satisfactory - there was a a humming of ambient noise in the background of the shot, though this was because I was using an in-camera microphone. I intend to use one that is not an in camera microphone in future so as to gain better audio quality.

Collateral - Opening

Director Michael Mann himself has stated that he sees the film Collateral as, effectively, a ‘third act’ and climax to a grand crime story of a contract killer at the top of his game and the taxi driver he will meet while sent out to perform his assassinations in Los Angeles – however, the first and second acts he only came up with in his head. Important, then, is the opening to the film – as a character study of two seemingly alike but wholly different people, it is important to provide exposition to these characters while putting the audience in the middle of the situation. If there is one director who can achieve this by setting the tone of the film before it effectively begins, it is Michael Mann. Like Mann’s masterpiece Heat, an audio track is heard over the opening studio logo – here, there are sounds of a plane’s landing and a busy commotion in an unknown location – however, the only sounds with any clarity are the sounds of controlled, deliberate footsteps. Furthermore, the Dreamworks Studios logo itself is characterised in black and white – through this, we are already introduced to the dark atmosphere and mood of the film, giving the film it’s intended feeling of starting in the middle of the story. After the title cards have finished, the film’s lead character is introduced – Vincent (masterfully played in an against-type performance by Tom Cruise) – the shot, of his character, with grey hair and a plain grey suit, mirrors the curious opening sounds – there is an immense depth of field to the shot, meaning Vincent, like the opening audio, is the only character in focus, creating a feeling of distance between him and the others around him. The next shot sees an unnamed character played in a cameo role by Jason Statham also walking through a busy, indoor location. We see the two walking through this area, casually surveying the passing people Deliberately looking in other directions to each other, the two characters collide and drop their briefcases. The two exchange some dialogue – though seemingly unsuspicious, the audience knows that there is more to this than meets the eye, as Vincent picks up the briefcase carried by the other man, and vice versa. Vincent finally walks away, not looking back.

We then move to a taxi depot, where drivers are seen doing crosswords, watching football, and on the phone to their families. Again, there is only one character focused on in the midst of this crowded location – Max, the film’s second lead who will become the Vincent’s cab driver for the night. While other cab drivers are busy putting their cars together, fixing their engines and chatting to each other, Max’s taxi seems perfectly neat. There is an underlying sense of fate explored within these two characters. Somehow, they will collide during the events of the film, though the circumstances are almost unimaginable – Vincent is in fact a hit man, sent to Los Angeles to perform five assassinations in one night, and Max will end up driving him to the locations in his cab.

Through the look and feel of the characters and their locations, the similarities of Max and Vincent are explored in the opening scene. Vincent’s look – a plain grey suit and tie with a white shirt – and Tom Cruise’s acting – precise, deliberate, sparing covert looks at the surrounding crowds though never straying from his goal – show his deliberate, controlled nature. Meanwhile, Max seems totally in control of his world – the only adjustment he needs to make to his taxi is cleaning the windscreen. However, their weaknesses are represented so subtly, only auteur Michael Mann, who went as far to invent character’s parents and backgrounds in preparation, could demonstrate them. Vincent, though dressed to look anonymous, feels ironically out of place when we compare him to the areas of Los Angeles seen in the various exploits of Max in the film’s opening as he drives an arguing couple and a lawyer (Jada Pinkett Smith) round the city – L.A. is one of the most multicultural and diverse cities in the world, and the plain, cold look and feel of Vincent seems most natural when compared to the design of the city itself as opposed to the people within it. It is here that Michael Mann’s use of digital cameras pays off. Though the natural colour scheme of the film has a grey, cold tone, the Sony High Definition cameras capture the depth of field and colour seen within Los Angeles during Max’s cab rides in the opening, allowing the city’s unique blend of architecture, lights and people to shine through.

Studying Thriller Openings

Leon

Ø  Swooping, aerial shots over New York open the film, establishing the location but creating mystery at the same time.

Ø  The music which plays over the opening is peaceful, yet slightly menacing.

Ø  A tracking shot moves into the interior of a café which is cast in shadow and totally dark. It instantly feels ominous to the viewer.

Ø  The conversation is made out of close ups of the two characters who are both obscured, making them feel mysterious to the viewer.

Ø  The lighting switches from bright to dark and to bright again as it cuts between the different locations, which creates excitement and provides stark contrasts which add to the thrills.

Ø  The action is mainly focused on the victims – the killer is obscured from view, which heightens the fear and tension as he becomes part of the unknown to the viewer.

Ø  High and low angle shots of the staircase make the location feel larger and more dangerous to the viewer.

Ø  A shootout is not seen, only heard. Bullet holes go through a screen wall, establishing the danger without giving the action away to the audience.

Ø  Leon is shown either in shadow or through holes in the walls, making him feel more like a demonic presence.

Ø  When the camera follows the victim, it makes sure to get the corridors and pillars around him in the shot, establishing the vastness of the location and making him seem more vulnerable to the audience.

                                                          

The Last King of Scotland

Ø  Opening titles announce ‘This film is inspired by real people and events’. Sets audience up for brutal realism and creates a sense of anticipation for what is to come.

Ø  Unexpected shouting is heard over the opening titles of someone counting down, which puts the audience on the edge of their seat and makes them look forward to the context of the voices.

Ø  The opening is harshly over lit, which contrasts to the titles over a black screen – the contrast between the two creates an edgy feel.

Ø  Much of the opening is shot with a handheld camera, meaning the film feels intense from the start.

Ø  Shots of the open water create a sense of vastness in scale, giving the audience a feel of vulnerability.

Ø  The main character remains silent throughout the dinner table until he is seen unexpectedly shouting in his bedroom, suggesting to the audience that he is troubled. Immediately, through the edginess of the protagonist, the audience feels slightly uneasy.

Ø  A shot of the globe spinning played in slight slow motion with amplified sound effects makes the viewer await the location the main character will travel to.

Ø  There is a contrast between both the lighting and pace of the coach trip in Uganda to the opening in Scotland, establishing the frenetic atmosphere of the location.

Dirty Pretty Things

Ø  Ambient sounds are heard over the title cards, putting the audience in the film’s situation.

Ø  The film begins in the middle of the main character’s actions, instantly establishing a sense of movement.

Ø  All the opening shots are tightly framed, which denote claustrophobia to the audience.

Ø  The character drives through a mixture of light and dark locations, making it more aesthetically exciting.

Ø  A handheld camera follows the characters, putting the audience in with the characters and immerses them in the location.

Ø  The lighting scheme changes frequently as the character travels through his different jobs, from red, to yellow, to blue, which gives the audience a sense of frenetic movement and action.

Ø  The character is filmed from some wide angle, long shots in the lobby of the hotel, making him feel isolated and small in comparison to the hotel.

Ø  A neon lit, totally symmetrical shot of a clock feels striking and somewhat sinister.

Ø  The music is quiet and slow pace, with an expectant feeling that makes the scene in the lobby feel more suspenseful.

Part 1 - General Introduction Questions

Q1) Why is convergence both a blessing and a curse for the UK film industry?

Convergence in the UK film industry can lead to greater and more broad opportunities for UK film makers to have their work seen, e.g. by uploading them onto websites such as YouTube. Convergence can also help film companies have greater control over the marketing, as film producers and audiences can become associated through the Internet. The internet and convergence can offer consumers more ways to view media, which leads to some diversity within media and the film industry. However, it can also mean that traditional methods of marketing have been made redundant - independent projects with less money behind them can become more successful than films produced on a larger scale, due to the fact that the a film's success is, due to convergence, determined by how it is consumed by viewers.

Q2) How has the Internet allowed film makers to find and attract audiences in different ways?

The Internet has meant that all works of media and data can be viewed worldwide - importantly, they can now be consumed in different formats by different consumers. Social networking groups based around the media creates awareness and support from the general public, while trailers can be viewed on a number of different websites including YouTube and Apple Trailers. The producers can also have websites created on the Internet which promote the film and provide information about it.

How to Make an Intelligent Blockbuster...

What I've learnt about the film industry.

From Mark Kermode's 'How to Make an Intelligent Blockbuster and not Alienate People', it is clear that, while he takes a subjective slant on contemporary blockbusters - stating it as a fact that 'No one enjoyed Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End', he makes it clear that modern cinemagoers, who have been taught to believe that the blockbuster genre cannot give them a masterpiece though a series of unimpressive yet big budget films, have diminished their expectations for cinema events. He describes it as 'unfashionable' for a critically successful director such as Christopher Nolan to treat audiences as intelligent, demonstrating how a trend has begun within big-budget directors to diminish audience's expectations.

He elaborates on the idea of big budget films becoming financial hits, despite poor quality, explaining how a budget can be used as a form of marketing, saying that the success of the film Inception did not come from an intellectually challenging script, but a list of three things: 'a) an A-list star. b) eye popping special effects. c) a newsworthy budget'. Through this, he seems to suggest that cinema is being dumbed-down, and that people will happily pay for a film with a big budget, no matter how good or bad it is 'they'll flock to see films that are rubbish, and which they don't actually enjoy. Like Pearl Harbor'. This explains his concept of diminished expectations.