Group Narrative - Miss Georgiou

In my thriller production, my group members are myslef. Bettie Cooper and Kane Faulkner-Wild. We plan to use other people as side characters in the background.


Group member 1 (Me)-

In this opening sequence, it would start by showing the setting of where the scene is set by displaying a panning of the forest. The lighting that would be shown would be a low key lighting as it would create more suspense and enigma which is conventional for the thriller genre as it would also help the audience to engage more within the sequence. After the setting is displayed, the frame would then display a slow zooming in into the two characters, a male and female walking their dog so that we see a rough image of what the two characters look like and hear a typical conversation they would be having to represent their personalities. This would help the audience build their first impressions of the characters and be the base of what type of relationship is to be built. After this is displayed, it would be cut so immediately the focus is on the dog once it starts to sense that the bad omen is nearby and runs off. I would like to use a slow editing at this point so that it builds up more tension. As the dog is running off, it will then cut straight into one of the characters point of view angle so that as the audience we can see what they are viewing and can see everything from their perspective to add more suspense to the atmosphere. The camera angle will then change into a extreme long shot so that the audience can see the two characters split up and go different directions while we also see the focus on the background showing that they are isolated and have no one to help them adding more tension to the sequence as they could be in danger. After the two characters have shown their two different departures would then change into the dogs point of view perspective and would slowly starting zooming in towards the back of the antagonist once the dog discovers that the female character is a cannibal and is eating the other characters. At this point I would then show her turning round to face the dogs perspective with her face covered in blood in a slow editing to add more suspense and shock towards the sequence and to add enigma and to display what she has done.  Furthermore, I would then add a loud, shocking sound on top of this to raise the tension. After this the sequence would slowly fade out to leave the audience in shock and leave them with an untold enigma and would also show a zooming out to raise the suspense.

I found that some of the advantages were that the narrative of the sequence was unique as it was an unusual thriller story line therefore would help the audience to be more interested and engaged. Furthermore, the sequence contains a lot of thriller conventions which would help to make the sequence more successful. To also contribute, the sequence contains a dogs perspective which is not seen often so would engage the audience more as it would be something they haven't seen before. I also found that using a female antagonist would benefit the audience impact more as it would be something they don't usually see and would give them the ability to build a better relationship, especially with Bettie.

On the other hand, I also found some disadvantages; I found that the narrative needs to be more creative so that more of the key conventions (suspense, surprise, shock, tension) can be created so that the sequence can be more successful. Furthermore, I also noticed that the narrative could be slightly confusing and this would cause the audience to become less engage as they would just be confused. In addition, the ending of the sequence is quite plain and non creative therefore would cause any built up tension to drop its levels. I also noticed that the sequence was too short as there is no real introduction to what is going on as at the very start the dog immediately runs away so this would lose the focus within the audience and make the sequence less successful.  


Group member 2  (Bettie) -

" The narrative I've come up with is the theme of cannibalism. This is when people eat other people. I think this is an unusual narrative an the idea is quite mysterious and disturbing. I think this would surprise people which is an element of thriller. Two characters are walking in the forest when they discover something isn't right and they are not alone. They could be walking their dog and when it runs off and goes missing they have to split up to look for it by themselves. This could be where something starts to go wrong and things start to become suspicious. My idea of a good setting for my short thriller sequence is in the forest at night time. I think this would be a good setting because it is automatically associated with frightening themes at night time. The iconography that we could use would be masks. This could be to show a hidden identity and make the murderer seem more mysterious and unknown. The use of masks makes sure that the audience can build a relationship with the characters and it makes them anticipate what they may be like and what their intentions are. A good use of iconography would be weapons to use in my short thriller sequence. These weapons could include things such as a knife, a gun or perhaps a bat. This is because it is conventional to the thriller genre because the antagonist usually uses weapons to assist their attacks but also because it makes the audience feel more frightened and it creates suspense to what the weapons will be used for which always leads to death, pain or brutality.I think the weather should be cold, muggy and dull. This is because it is conventional to the thriller genre as it immediately gives a negative and cold feel to it, it makes the audience feel as if something bad is about to happen. and it gives them a sense of foreboding. "

I found that this was a good narrative. It contains an unusual story line as the idea of a cannibal is unique so would help to attract and engage more audiences. Furthermore, it include a big range of various different thriller conventions so this would benefit the thriller genre as it would impact the audience more as it would help them too build better relationships. Furthermore, she has explained well the use of different mese en scene elements such as lighting and fully analysed how it would impact the audience.

Although this is a good narrative, I am not keen on the use of a mask being used for a hidden identity as I find that it makes the sequence less appealing and will make the sequence more boring and find that it would make the audience lose interest and that would make the sequence less successful. Furthermore, I don't like the idea of the particular time that the sequence is being set in. I find the sequence being set at nighttime would be difficult to film as the lighting would be too dark to see any of the characters. I am also curious about why iconography weapons such as bats, knives, guns etc are being included if the antagonist is a cannibal and the two character are walking a dog. The use of this iconography would be unnecessary and irrelevant. 

Group member 3 (Kane) -

My Film is going located in the forest. It will consist of a group of friends that take a stroll into the forest, they have an argument and one of the characters walks a head of the group (female), what no one noticed is that they was being stalked by a two men in white masks. once the girl is far enough ahead of the group the two stalkers show themselves. The group who are remaining split up to try and find the girl not knowing that she is now with the two masked men. The group then meet back up after not finding their missing friend, but now there is another missing in the group.The group decide to stick together and leave the forest assuming the other two must be together. The group then see one of their friends laying dead in the bushes. They then panic and try and run out the forest and they bump into the two men. The mise en scene will be set in the forest. Iconography - The white masks.There will be cinematography, a range of different camera angles to make the killers scary.Our target audience will be 15 plus, mainly between 15-20 but aimed at the mass market as it the thriller genre is watched by all ages.

I find that this was an effective narrative. I find the good use of thriller conventions were spread out over the whole narrative which is a good advantage. Furthermore, I find that a forest is a good place for the sequence to be set as it's conventional towards the thriller genre as it would be isolated and raise the suspense and tension. Furthermore, I find that the use of hidden identity is good as it would build up more suspense within the sequence which is ideal for a thriller genre. 

Some of the disadvantages I noticed where that there wasn't enough involvement of other characters. I find that this was a weak point as the audience would want the tension to build up from the use of hidden identity so if other character are not contributing then this would give it away which will ruin the shock/surprise.  Furthermore, I find that involving more characters would engage the audience more. Also, I find including a cliff hanger at the end of the sequence would be more efficient as it would create an enigma.

Group Narrative  :


Characters;

Kane
Bettie
Stacey
Billy
Maisy
Kanes Friend

This narrative was based on a group idea; we used my idea about the untold enigma theme, mine and Bettie's idea's of cannibalism and Kane's idea of a chase scene. We used a collection of all three of our idea's to create idea's for this sequence.

Our final group narrative that we have come up with is a group of friends consisting of 6 friends walking one of their dogs through a dark, lonely forest. At the start of the sequence we will show a panning of the outside of the forest to give an introduction about where the sequence is being set so that the audience can focus on the setting first. After this we will show the characters walking in however the audience will not be able to hear what the characters are talking about as we want the audience to focus on their representations. The characters would all be wearing casual clothes so that no one stand out and the audience then can start to create a relatable relationship with the characters. They are all playing with the dog by playing catch by throwing balls and sticks. On one of the throws, the dogs runs after the object, returns the object. This occurs 3 times and but the third time the dog does not return. This would help to start creating a high level of tension and suspense and no one knows where the dog has gone. As Kane is being the victim because he is the owner of the dog he takes matters into his own hands to make sure everyone is to split up and look for the dog, Bella. The group then splits up in so that Bettie and Kane are a pair and the rest of the group, Stacey, Billy, Maisy and Kane's friend are a group of 4. The camera displays all characters searching but then they hear a off screen sound of Kane screaming. At this point we then use a point of view camera shot from one of the friends who can see Kane laying on the floor and Bettie beside him kneeling down however only her back is to be show so that her face can't be seen. The friends start to call Bettie and when she doesn't respond they start to get suspicious and worried, as they slowly walk over to her a tense music sound is played in the background so the suspense starts to build up along with the tension. By the time the friends reach Bettie, one of them taps her on the shoulder to see what's wrong with her and at this point Bettie sharply turns round in a close up camera shot looking possessed with blood around her mouth which gives the audience a shock and makes them jump. This is a convention as we can clearly state that Bettie is an Antagonist. At this point we would zoom in to her face to emphasize the blood around her mouth. The friends scream as they are frightened as they turn away and try and run away from her. They run around the forest rapidly as they are scared and trying to find their other friends. This is conventional to a thriller as this is the start of a chase scene which is conventional towards a thriller as it builds up more tension and suspense. Once all the friends are gathered together they panic and try and figure out what to do and how they will escape the forest while avoiding Bettie. Whilst this scene is taking place, the audience can also see Bettie lurking in the tree's within the background as if she is planning to kill and eat another member of their group. The friends then decide that they need to escape as quickly as possible, so they start running through the forest at a fast pace as a group. As they are running they spot Bettie blocking their path in front of them which then shocks them so they turn around and run in the opposite direction hoping Bettie won't capture them. We then see a different view of Bettie slowly walking while the other characters are sprinting, we then show an over the shoulder shot from Bettie watching the characters run and then the sequence then slowly fades out to black here on a cliff hanger as an enigma is being created because no one knows what's going to happen to the character in terms of whether they are going to survive and escape or whether they will be the next victims. Furthermore, no one knows what's going to happen to Bettie either which would then raise the tension and suspense levels as it leaves the audience questionned.

I find that this was a more effective narrative than all of our individual narrative as this one combined all of the individual strengths from each of our individual ones therefore it combined all of our ideas. Furthermore, as a group we managed to analyse and correct the weaknesses from each of our works and develop them into effective strength in order to make our sequence more successful.

Narrative Theory
The theory that our narrative will be following is Aristole. Aristole narrative had to consist of an inciting incident, dramatic question, character goal, antagonist/protagonist, stakes, resolution, sympathy, empathy. Our narrative contained an inciting incident which can be sighted when we discover that Bettie is a cannibal and intentions are to eat and kill innocent victims which includes the conventions of of surprise and shock which is ideal for a thriller genre. Furthermore our scene also contains a dramatic question which is used at the end when the sequence ends with an enigma whether the predicted victims are going to escape or end up being killed by Bettie which leaves the audience with a dramatic question which creates a cliff hanger and raises the levels of suspense. The sequence also contains an Antagonist who is Bettie has she is going round being a cannibal and killing people. There would be a low resolution in the scene as the time of day would be quite late so that this builds more suspense towards the sequence. The audience should feel sympathy for Kane once they find out he has been eaten as he was an innocent character just trying to be a responsible dog owner and find his dog to make sure she is safe. This also gives the audience a shock as we did not expect this.
Our theories does not follow the other two characters because in Propp's theory it must contain a range of different types of characters and our sequence does not contain a big range therefore cannot be referred to this theory. Furthermore we cannot relate our sequence to Todorov's theory because we do not  contain a disequilibrium as it is balanced throughout and their are no disruptions. Furthermore a new equilibrium is not produced at the end of the narrative therefore cannot be related.



Our narrative is conventional to a thriller as it uses the key conventions such as shock, surprise, suspense and tension. Throughout our sequence their is tension and suspense being built up through out the entire sequence when eventually they are both released in the form of a surprise and shock when Bettie's face is revealed to the camera.  Also our sequence contains a chase scene which is a typical convention to a thriller genre as this raises the tension in the scene. Furthermore our sequence will use a low key lighting which builds up more suspense and tension in a thriller genre. The sequence also contains a vulnerable victims which is conventional as it build up the tension as it makes the audience aware that they are not capable to handle anything so puts them in a vulnerable position. This appeals to our target audience which is 15+ as the characters in the sequence are easily relatable as they are almost the same age of most of the people that would watch the sequence. This also appeals to the target audience as the sequence contains nothing harmful that could potentially damage the audience mentally. The tension and the impact of the scene will have a good effect on the audience as it will have them on the edge of their seats which is what our intentions are.  

Research into target audience - Miss Miller

Research into target audience 

I have carried out this research so that I know and have a better understanding of the target audience that is suitable for the thriller sequence that we are going to create and who this sequence should be aimed at. We asked 40 different people so that we could have a wide range of variety of the different idea's contributed to a thriller genre that impacts on the audience. The results that we collected will be used to create our sequence as we now know what idea's linked to the thriller genre that people enjoy to see. Furthermore, we know have a good understanding of the age range that should be used for a target audience and who we are aiming our sequence to. To also contribute, we now know what techniques and idea's that the audience enjoy and what could impact them so  this would also increase the popularity of our sequence.

These were the questions that we used to ask a variety of different people and also the questions that were included in the vox plots. The questionnaire consist of 3 open questions and 7 closed questions.



We created pie charts for each individual question so that we can have a clear display for the different results in a clear image of the results, and have a clear understanding of what the audience is to expect and what information we could gather from this to include in our final production in which we will create.

From this pie chart, I have an understanding that the majority of the participants are aged between 16-25. This is relevant to the thriller sequence that we are going to create because this is the target audience that we are aiming for so this is key for our sequence. I will take on board that the age rating would be at a 15, so that we could use the conventions ideal for the this age rating so that it would be suitable and no potential harm could be done to the audience that are watching the film. In the sequence that I am going to create  I will use the conventions that would be suited to a 15 and a low 18 rated film so that there would be no problems when it comes to any harm to the audience. This is important for the audience as we want the sequence to be approiate and suited towards the targeted audience.

This pie chart displays to me that the majority of audiences are male. From this result I will take on board the conventions that male audiences prefer to watch and use more of them in my final production. In a thriller genre, female audiences may find certain moments unappealing and disgusting and would not be able to handle the element whereas male audiences will be able to handle them and take them in. This is key for our final production, as the result display that there are more male audiences we can use more conventions that female audience would find inappropriate and dis-approve which would then have a bigger impact on the audience as it makes the production more thrilling and keeps the audience satisfied. Furthermore we do not want there to be a sexiest contrast between the two genders.

The third question that we asked the audience was what thriller films they enjoy and why. 37% of the audience said that they like "The Shining" the most because it's more exciting and thrilling and impacts on the audience as it keeps them on the edge of their seat. As part of the production team, we would have to have a good understanding of the different thriller films that the audience like as this is vital because different films consist of different narrative and a contrast in all the films as the contain different conventions, such as music, camera shots and angles, iconography etc. I will watch clips from "The Shinning" and note the different conventions and effects towards the audience and use some of them in my final production as clearly these conventions and effects make the film more exciting and thrilling as this could have a bigger impact on the audiences that watch our final sequence.

The next question we asked was based on was types of sub genres the audience like to see. The most popular choice was sci-fi. This question was asked as there are different types of a particular genre, in this case thriller in which could determine and contribute towards the final narrative. Clearly, this sub genres has an impact on the audience and tends to be more popular than the other. Based on these results, we could include the use of sci-fi in our final production as that would be more popular towards our audiences and in which could keep them more entertained. Furthermore, sci-fi sub genres would tend to have a slightly more different narrative than other sub genres so this may be key in which what we need to include in our final production and this would keep the audience more appealed.




The next question was based on what the audience would expect to see in a typical thriller film. Thriller films always have more of an effect and impact if the audience see the unexpected and it gives more of a shock and surprise which are vital conventions. From the results, we state that the audience are expected to see death the most and expected to see a chase scene the least. From this conclusion we compromise not use a easily stated death as it would give a shock to the audience and have an impact on them. In our final production we need to deliver the unexpected so that they is a bigger impact on the audience and would keep them on edge. We will take on board that a chase scene and "other" is the least percentages in the results so we would try and use these in our results so that the audience are given a surprise as it would be unexpected.




The next question was based on what types of music would be typical and expected in a thriller film. More than half of the participants of the questionnaire said that they would expect eery music. The second highest choice was jumpy music. These were expected responses to the question as both of them are typical conventions towards a thriller genre as both of them create a thrilling effect towards the audiences and keep them more on edge. This is ideal for this particular genre.  From these results I will take on board the more popular answers, as these are what creates the effects that have an impact on the audience in a thriller genre. Furthermore these create more tension and suspense within the sequence and this is ideal for the film.



The next question to be asked was what a good narrative for a thriller film would be. From these results we can conclude that the most popular narrative would be a "psychopath on the loose". This is ideal and well contributed towards our final production as now we know what audience would like to see within our sequence and what would keep them intrigued. In addition the second most popular narrative was a possessed child and "other". These could contribute towards our sequence as we know that also the idea of a possessed child would be ideal for a thriller film and keep the audience captivated. We will take on board these results by using either the most popular or second most popular narrative and including them into our final sequence. Furthermore we could also create a combination of the two narratives together which would keep the audience more interested.



The next questions was what iconography weapons the audience prefer to be used within the film. The most popular answer was knife which was 45% of the votes. The second most popular option was the use of a gun. From these results we could determine that a use of a knife is a typical convention of a thriller genre and obviously keeps the audience more attracted to the film. We will take on board the use of iconography by trying to include the use of a knife or either a gun so that the audience are more attracted to the sequence and would have a bigger impact on them as they would be keen to know who the weapon is to be used on which would then build up suspense through the sequence, then finally when the weapon is use, the conventions of surprise and shock would be present in this moment and would be ideal for this type of genre.





In this question, we asked the participants what a typical setting in a thriller genre would be. The majority of the participants answered  that the forest would be the most common. From this we can indicate that a forest would build up more suspense and tension as there are no nearby resources  so would make the characters more vulnerable and would have a great impact on the audience. We will take this result on board and use the idea of having a forest setting in our final sequence as it build up more suspense and it is more dangerous for activities to occur within. Furthermore, this makes the setting conventional towards the thriller genre which is what we need as we need to link every aspect to the thriller genre. We want to captivate our audience by making them feel eery that something bad is going to occur, so when the moment occurs this would create surprise which is a key convention for a thriller genre.


The next question to be asked was what gender the audience expected the killer (antagonist). This was asked as in a thriller genre, is is part of the production teams role to deliver the unexpected to the audience. So, this question was asked so that we could see what is the most likely gender of the killer to be or whether it would even be human. The majority of the participants suggested that the killer/antagonist is more likely to be male than a female or other. The results display that 67% assume the killer would be male. The least popular option was the killer to be "other" so a killer that may not be human e.g monster, possessed doll. From these results we will take on board that the least popular option was "other" so try and include a species that is neither genders so that audience receive the unexpected. Furthermore we could also combine this with the second least popular option of the female killer. This is because, in most thriller films the female is more likely to be the victim so in our sequence we can add a twist so that this makes the audience more shocked and surprised which is two key elements in  a thriller genre.

To gather evidence for our questionnaire and gain reliability, we created vox plots. Vox plots are
interviews with the members of public either via radio or television. We created our vox plots by filming members of the public and asking them our questions from our questionnaire. There are three people in our group, so we decided to film 3 vox plots each so that combined we have a total of 9 vox plots between the group. This means that we would have a variety of different people that would have different views and opinions. These will be our sources that we refer back to to gain ideas for our final production so that we know what the audience would like to see and how we could give them a shock and surprise:

To conclude, I found the different opinions useful in this research. This was because we asked 40 people different questions based on thriller genres so by this we get a variety of what people want and expect in a thriller genre. This is vital when we refer back to our target audience as we need to make sure that all different types of audiences are just as interested and eager towards our production. We want to create a sequence that all audiences would enjoy and keep them on the edge of their seat. So, by this I found this research as I got an opportunity to gather information from a variety of people so that my final production is more likely to please all audiences. I will incorporate these results in to my sequence, as now I have the basic idea of what the audience would like to see and what they would typically expect. So using these results, I will deliver them what they want to see within a thriller film and give them the unexpected so that they receive that shock that a thriller film should have. If I was to carry out this research again, I would ask the participants less open questions and give them less choices as this would give me more personal answers with regards to the question. This would give me a better understanding of what they want in the film and again give me the opportunity to give them the unexpected.

Opening sequence analysis - Miss Georgiou

Opening Sequence Analysis

The purpose of an opening sequence is to give the audience a taste of what is to be expected in the film that they are about to see. The opening sequence would give a rough glimpse of the basic narrative of the film so that the audience have a rough idea of what is expected. However only little detail would be revealed, as if too much detail is released then the audience will know what is going to happen in the film. In a thriller film, it is conventional for a suspense to be built up, so if little detail is revealed the audience will not know what to expect and will keep the mood mysterious and the audience on the edge of their seats. By this, suspense, shock, surprise and tension would be built up throughout the opening. Furthermore the audience can easily identify the location of where the film is being set. In addition, in the opening the audience will get a brief introduction of the main characters so that the relationship can be built up from this point. As a summary, it would set the general scene within the film.

To contribute to this research, I have used the opening sequence to the film 'Halloween (1978)' as it uses a variety of different techniques that could help inspire me in my own sequence such as;

Cinematography

Firstly, a high angle is being used to reveal the location. This is evident from where the isolated house is being displayed including the general setting of the scene is being set. The purpose of this is display where the scene is being set and to give a small hint towards the audience so that they have a rough idea what is to be happening. Furthermore, this also displays that the house itself and anyone within the house is clearly vulnerable as there are no nearby people or facilities to help them if anything bad was to happen to them. If there is an isolated, haunted-looking house in the dark with no surroundings, the general impression would be quite nerve-racking and mysterious. By this, the suspense would start to build up along with the tension. This is conventional to a thriller film as the suspense and tension is already starting to build up while creating a haunting, oblivious atmosphere which ideal for a thriller film. This builds a relationship with the audience as the suspense builds up they tend to get more paranoid and panic as we can observe by the lack of surroundings that if any danger was to occur then there would be no one to help the characters.

The second cinematography to be used is the POV. This can be seen from where we see from the characters perspective of when they are picking up the iconography used (knife). The purpose of this is to exaggerate the use of the weapons and iconography so that we get a clear perspective of what is going to be used to kill the female character. Furthermore, we see the weapon from this perspective so that the tension is built up towards the audience as the sense of danger is occurring. This is conventional to a thriller genre as the use of a knife is ideal for a thriller as it it is what is being used to killed someone which is also linked to the thriller genre as the idea of death/murder is a convention. This builds a relationship with the audience as the tension increases, as at this point we do not know what is going to happen, who they are going to kill and general idea of what is to be seen. This builds a high level of tension and suspense towards the audience making them more nervous, paranoid and sympathetic which is ideal for a thriller genre.

Editing 
Firstly, there is a slow editing being used in the scene. This can be evidently seen where the antagonist is walking through the house. The purpose of this is to emphasize the suspense that it being built up to create more tension towards the audience and within the characters. Furthermore, the slow pace of the editing allows the audience to capture the small details within the frame as it gives them more time. If it was fast, the audience could miss out on small details which could of had an impact on them. This is conventional to a thriller as it provides a high level of suspense and tension towards the audience keeping them tensed and on the edge of their seat. In addition, it creates a more haunted and mysterious mood which is ideal for a thriller genre. This techniques allows the audience to build a relationship with the characters as it makes the audience more paranoid and tense as the only option for the audience is for them to sense that some sort of dangerous action is going to happen to the characters which could potentially harm them or even kill them.

The second editing technique that is being used is the fade technique. This can be observed at the very end of the scene where it fades out to end the sequence. The purpose of this technique is to create a high level of suspense and it creates a mysterious atmosphere which has an impact on the audience as it makes them paranoid as what is to happen next so they tend to panic. This technique is conventional to the thriller genre as the levels of suspense are rising, the levels of tension are also rising. Furthermore, as this technique is the ending of when the killer reveals their identity as a little boy which surprises, this technique is developing from that shock so also makes the ending more dramatic which is ideal for a thriller genre. By this technique, the audience can build a relationship with the characters, as they know start to feel fear and terror towards particularly the killer as the shock of him being just a little boy makes the audience more cautious as we can clearly see how over-powering and manipulative such a little boy can be. Furthermore, the audience also feel confused and shocked at the characteristics of the killer as he is so young and this is something the audience wouldn't expect. The audience then start to build a sympathetic relationship towards the remaining characters as we fear that something devastating is bound to happen to them as we have already seen how fearful the killer is.



Soundtrack
The first technique of the soundtrack is the silence. This can be heard and identified at the beginning of the scene with the panning and zoom. The purpose of this sound technique is to create more suspense towards the audience as during the silence the tension is also building up because we are waiting for the unexpected to happen and give as a little surprise and shock. As the suspense, mysterious atmosphere is gradually building up this makes the audience feel cautious and anxious as the silence is making the scene and moment more nerve-racking as the audiences mind is giving a feeling that danger is approaching the characters way.  This sound technique is conventional towards a thriller genre as it mainly builds up a lot of tension as we know the unexpected is about to give us a shock which is ideal for a thriller genre. By this sound technique, the audience can build a relationship with the characters as the audience start to feel nervous as they get a bad feeling that there is a bad omen approaching their way and is out to hurt them.

The second sound technique to be used in the soundtrack is the non-diagetic sound. This can be heard and identified where after the panning at the start of the scene, they camera puts the shot on the bedroom where the two vulnerable characters are and shows the lights being turned off and then this non diagetic sound is played parallel to this action. The purpose of this is to emphasize the danger that is about to happen and to give the audience a warning in the form of a sound effect. Furthermore this technique is also used to give the audience a sudden shock as it has just developed from the silence. This technique makes the audience feel a sudden terror as it's a loud, dramatic noise and sounds similar to a scream which is a warning towards the audience that danger is approaching the characters. This technique is conventional to a thriller as the sudden shock/surprise is ideal for the thriller genre as it keeps the audience nervous and anxious while keeping them on the edge of their seats. By this technique, the audience can build a relationship with the characters as the audience have an immediate impact when the sound effect is played as it's an instant reaction to something bad that's going to happen. The audience are on the edge of their seats as immediately we know danger is already within the buildings so the audience predict death is not far.


The codes and conventions of a thriller


The first convention of a thriller to be used and identified in the the sequence is the slow filming of shots. This can be seen through the start of the scene as all of this section is being filmed at a slow pace. The purpose of this convention is to exaggerate and create suspense as to whether the victim will escape. Furthermore this convention technique adds tension to the atmosphere as it keeps the audience entertained and paranoid to think whether the victim as got a chance to escape from being killed. This makes the audience feel cautious of what is to happen next and keep them on the edge of their seats. In addition it makes the audience aware that something bad is about to occur so they know what to expect. This is conventional to a thriller genre as the suspense in the sequence is ideal for creating the common mysterious atmosphere used in thriller genres. By this technique, the audience are able to build a relationship with the characters within the sequence as it makes the audience more paranoid towards the characters as the audience know that danger is only round the corridor however the audience tend to think that maybe the victim will be able to escape in time before the killer catches her which is why the filming of this is at a slow pace.

The second convention to be used in the sequence is the use of isolation. This can be evidently identified when the isolated house is displayed in the frame. The purpose of this is too show the empty surroundings of the house and to make the audience aware that if anything bad was too occur then there would be no one to help rescue any victims. Furthermore, this is used to make the audience vigilant and attentive that there is no form of rescue so this is also a sign that something bad is going to happen as it is a slight coincidence that there is no surrounding and a lot of suspense being built up. This makes the audience feel alert and on the edge as we are now expecting that villain to pop out and give us that surprise. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the use of isolation creates a more haunted, peculiar atmosphere as we are expecting the danger to approach. Furthermore the isolation displays that the house and area is clearly unsafe which is ideal for the thriller genre. By this technique, the audience can build a relationship with the characters as the isolation makes the audience fear for the characters as we now that they are in a dangerous situation and that there is a bad omen approaching them.

Representation of the characters
In this sequence, the main character who is the antagonist has used the technique of hidden identity until the end in which it is then revealed. At the start we do not see who's perspective we are viewing as we only see that we are in the view of one of the characters who has picked up a Halloween clown masked and placed it over their face so that their identity is hidden. This technique is used to create suspense and enigma as the audience are then engaged into the sequence and want to know who the antagonist behind this clown mask is. Furthermore the hidden identity is used so that the enigma is rising and so that the audience are kept alerted throughout as they want to know who's face is behind the mask. This is conventional to a thriller as the suspense and tension is building up as the killer is unknown until the end of the opening where it is finally revealed and then creates a shock as we find out that it was the victims little brother. In addition the enigma is also building up as we are viewing the hidden identities perspective which makes the audience more alerted and aware. This technique allows the audience to build a relationship with the characters by the audience feelings more frightened of this hidden identity. Furthermore this is because we have no idea who is wearing this mask and we are also viewing their every move at a slow pace which is building up the suspense making the audience more wary.

Moreover at the point where the killer meets the victim in her bedroom we hear that she knows his identity. This is evident we see her look at the killer and say 'Michael !!'. The purpose of this is to increase the enigma as we now find out the the victim knows the killer which makes the audience more suspicious and confused as they question this. In addition this is an unusual technique as the killer is usual unknown to the victim. From the sequence, when the victim first sees the killer we notice that she is not scared and is just embarrassed that she is naked at that point. She only fears when the killer displays the knife and starts to attack her. This is unusual as we assume that the victim and killer tend to have a relationship/friendship in this scenario as there are no fears being shown which suggest that the victim feels comfortable around the killer. At this point the audience go from a cautious feeling to a confused feeling as we are confused of what there relationship is and how they may know each other. This is conventional to a thriller genre as at this point has now created a sudden surprise that she seems to have no fear towards this character. The use of the shock/surprised is ideal for a thriller genre as it keeps the audience more eager and alerted. This technique allows the audience to build a relationship with the characters as it now makes the audience more eager to know details about the relationship between these two characters.


Narrative
The narrative in this sequence ends using the technique of cliff hanger. During the sequence, the audience tend to believe that this is a stranger unknown to this family who is hiding their identity so that they do not get caught once they have committed the murder however at the end the killer approaches a couple who we then assume are their next victims. In contrast the killer name gets mentioned for the second time so we know that he is known to this couple clearly. The man then pulls of his mask and as it is getting pulled off we see that our thoughts were wrong and a little boy dressed up as a clown is the killer. This gives the audience the sudden shock and surprise that needs to be included within a thriller genre. Furthermore this leaves a built up enigma and cliff hanger we are confused that it was only a little boy under the mask who was the victim's little brother as we wonder why he would want to murder his own sister. This is conventional to the thriller genre as all tension, surprise and shock are being used at this point as the identity is revealed which is the base for a thriller genre. This allows the audience to build a relationship with the characters as we know fear for who look as if it is his mum and dad as we are paranoid that they may be the next victims. Furthermore we now fear the killer himself as we spectate such a young little boy is potentially so over powering and dominant to kill other people.

To conclude the audience that are targeted to watch the sequence, they will able to identify the different conventions that are being used in the sequence as there is a clear, wide variety of conventions and has a typical narrative with a twist at the end. Some of the emotions that the audience may feel towards certain characters is that the audience may tend to feel sympathetic for the parents as clearly their child is having major problems and isn't normal as someone his age should not be acting like this. Furthermore, the audience may build a great amount of fear towards the little boy himself as we have no seen what he is capable of and clearly what his intentions are so we fear of who his next victims may be. We also question his role whether he himself is doing these task or whether someone is assigning him to do these.

Overall, the sequence informs the audience about the conventions used in a thriller genre because the sequence produces different feelings and emotions throughout and produces different impacts on the audience so the audience can recognize the key elements that are being produced to make them able to create these feelings e.g scared, upset. If they are able to identify what is being used to create their feelings and emotions and the general atmosphere that the sequence is creating, then they will easily be able to identify the conventions that have been included within the sequence.

To summarize, this analysis will help assist me within my own sequence as being part of the audience to watch this sequence, I am able to identify the different conventions that are being included just within a few minutes of the film. I know the impact that the different conventions have on the audience such as what feelings and emotions they produce so I will know when and where to include these conventions. Moreover, I have learned that not all details are revealed within the first few minutes of a film which is why the audience are more eager to continue watching as they want to know the details that haven't been revealed yet. I have been influenced as I want to have different emotions impacting the audience and I find that building up the enigma is key as it varies the audience's feelings and builds up more suspense which is ideal for the thriller genre. In my own sequence I will only reveal small details and create an enigma so that they audience would be more eager to continue watching after the opening sequence.

Individual Narrative Idea's - Miss Georgiou

In a thriller sequence, a narrative is important because the audience need to understand the base line of the sequence. However not too much should be revealed as it would spoil the narrative for the audience as they will know what is going to happen whereas if only little detail is revealed then the suspense would be built up and keep the audience on the edge of their seats while the tension builds up.


Narrative:
The sequence would be set in a forest, two characters ( a boy and a girl) are having a romantic walk by walking their dog. The lighting would be quite dark as it would be set in at night time. The dog senses an unknown presence and starts barking and then runs runs off. The 2 characters then split up to look for the dog, but one character doesn't realise that the other character is possessed. We then reveal that one character has died and then shows the dog discovering the body. When the dog discovers the dead body it shows the possessed characters with blood all over her face so that the cannibalism is obvious to the audience. This leaves the audience shock as the twist was meant to be the other way round making the audience feel questioned.  This would be conventional to a thriller as it creates suspense which is ideal for a thriller film as it creates tension towards the audience.

The target audience for this particular sequence idea would be at a 15 age rating. This is because the use of blood and cannibalism would not be suitable for younger ages however there would be no use of bad, harmful language that could harm any audience so does not need to be restricted for an 18 aged rating.


In this opening sequence, it would start by showing the setting of where the scene is set by displaying a panning of the forest. The lighting that would be show would be at a low key as it would create more suspense and enigma which is conventional for the thriller genre. After the setting is displayed, the frame would then display a slow zooming in into the two characters walking their dog so that we see a rough image of what the two characters look like and hear a typical conversation they would be having to represent their personalities. After this is displayed, it would be cut so immediately the focus is on the dog once it starts to sense that the bad omen is nearby and runs off. As the dog is running off, it will then cut straight into one of the characters point of view angle so that as the audience we can see what they are viewing and can see everything from their perspective to add more suspense. The camera angle will then change into a extreme long shot so that the audience can see the two characters split up and go different directions while we also see the focus on the background showing that they are isolated and have no one to help them adding more tension to the sequence. After the two characters have shown their two different departures would then change into the dogs point of view perspective and would slowly starting zooming in towards the back of the antagonist once the dog discovers that she is a cannibal and is eating the other characters. At this point we would then show her turning round to face the dogs perspective with her face covered in blood in a slow editing to add more suspense and shock towards the sequence and to add enigma and to display what she has done. After this the sequence would slowly fade out to leave the audience in shock and leave them with an untold enigma. We will set the target audience for this sequence by corresponding the conventions with the suitable audience so that no harm is done to anyone that watches our sequence. We will make sure the targeted audience are suited towards our sequence in order to prevent damage.

I will share my idea's with my group by sitting down together and discussing our different ideas of narratives that we have. Out of all of us we will then pick the best one to use as the final piece, if not we will link all of our ideas together to create one developed idea. If we was to use one persons idea, we would continue to develop their idea to have a bigger impact on the audience and to add more conventions wherever possible to emphasize the sequence. We will choose not only the best narrative but the idea which is the most effective and has the bigger impact and uses more conventions.

Inspirations - Miss Georgiou

Inspirations 

Firstly, we need inspiration from other film's and clips before we can create our sequence because it helps us with our films by giving us idea's of different convention technique that could create effects in our films and have an impact towards the audience that are watching the film. Within this research we can take inspiration from other clips from thriller films and elaborate on the techniques that are being used. In relation to this thriller project I have taken inspiration from different clips from thriller films from youtube.


I have researched different sequences within different research areas such as; Mise-en-scene, Cinematography, Sound, conventions and editing.


Mise-En-Scene
In this part of my research, I analysed the clip 'Saw V (The Pendulum) to contribute within my research. From this clip we have used the inspirations of the facial expressions and the lighting:

The facial expressions that are being used in this clip, is a distressed which is what we have included towards the end of the sequence when Bettie is involved in the chase scene at the end where all the remaining characters are distressed that they might not survive and are panicking. This was inspiring because it would help us develop our key elements such as tension which is vital within a thriller genre which then impacts on audience because it makes them eager to watch the rest of the sequence and also makes the audience more engaged within the sequence so gives them the ability to create stronger relationships with the characters. I will try to incorporate this idea in my opening sequence when the chase scene is happening towards the end of the sequence between Bettie and the remaining characters so the audience are able to see the intricate details within their facial expressions and create a stronger connection with the characters. This will help within my sequence as it will create more tension and raise the intensity within the sequence so would help contribute in building stronger relationships with the characters.

Furthermore, from this sequence I have also used the inspiration of the lighting from the same clip I researched. The lighting that it is being included within this research is a low key lighting. I have decided to use this as an inspiration to include within my own sequence because it creates a bigger impact on the audience as it raise's their thoughts and curiosity. This technique is inspiring because it creates a mysterious atmosphere and creates a lot of suspense and tension because the dark lighting is alerting towards the audience as the dark lighting makes the characters more vulnerable and increases the level of danger that the characters are in because they danger could approach them from anywhere and the characters would be unaware the whole time. I will try to incorporate this idea in my opening sequence by using low key lighting throughout the sequence so the audience are knowledgeable that the danger is following the group members and also it will give the impression that the danger lies within the group. This will be conventional towards a thriller genre because it would raise the tension and suspense levels as it would keep the audience more engaged within the film and give them the ability to build stronger relationships with the characters by keeping the audience more paranoid.
                                                                                 


Cinematography 

In my research in cinematography post, I analysed the film "The last house on the left" to help contribute with my research. From this clip, I used the inspirations of POV (point of view), slow moving panning and zooming in.

Within the analysed clip, the technique of point of view is being included. This was identified at the moment where one of the characters is looking out of their window. I find that this technique is inspiring because it makes it easier for the audience to relate to characters because it gives the impression that the audience are in the characters shoes. Also, I find because of this it engages with the audience more because they can find it more relatable and give them the ability to witness the movements from their very own perspective instead of viewing it from another characters view point. I will try to incorporate this idea within my own sequence at the point where one of the characters sights Bettie crouching on the floor next to a body and the character starts walking towards her. As the character is walking towards her, the audience will be able to observe her movements from the characters perspective. I believe that this will create more suspense within the sequence because the cautious movement's in the characters perspective would make the audience more paranoid.

The analysed clip also includes the technique of slow moving panning. Within the sequence, this can be identified when one of the characters is swimming away trying to escape and results in getting shot on the back of her neck. I find this technique inspiring as the slow moving panning emphasizes the character trying to escape by building up the tension as the audience don't know whether she is going to escape or not. I also find that it's inspiring because it's a unique technique and also helps make the sequence more related towards a thriller genre as it build more suspense and tension because the motion is slower than normal. I will try to incorporate this idea into my own sequence at the point where Bettie is walking after the characters after they have discovered her true identity. I believe that this will impact the audience more by emphasizing her courage and dominance as it will clearly show that she is more overpowering than any other character. Furthermore, it will display that she hasn't got any fears and that she will go after anyone that stands in her way.

I also identified the technique of zooming in being included within the. This was identified at the point where one of the female characters was trying to escape and eventually got caught and as these movements were occurring, the camera was zooming in on her. I find that this technique was inspiring because it create's a drastic amount of tension as it emphasizes the moment and activity more. I also find that it was inspiring because it exaggerates the scenario and build up the intensity as the audience don't know whether she going to get caught or not. I will try to incorporate this idea into my own sequence by including a zooming in technique when Bettie's identity is revealed and shown to the camera with blood all around her mouth. I would like to include this technique at this particular point because it will emphasize her role as the antagonist and give the audience a better understanding. It would also help within my sequence as it would reveal her true identity and help the relationship between her and the audience become stronger. The zooming in will help impact by making her role stand out more so that she would now be the main focus.

Sound

For my research into sounds, I have analysed the film "Halloween H20: 20 years later" in order to help contribute towards my research. I have identified different inspiring sounds such as non-diegetic, and diegetic sound.

With regards to the non diegetic sounds, this could be identified where the female characters discovers the first dead body. When this occurs, a loud, alerting sound is created on top of this. I find that this technique has been included at this particular point to give a sudden shock to the audience and notify them that the scenario is bad. This was inspiring because it helps create a sudden shock which is a key element and which does not happen to occur that often through my sequence therefore it gives my the chance to include one of the uncommon elements therefore making my sequence more successful. I will try and incorporate this idea into my own sequence when Bettie's face is revealed to the audience and creates that sudden shock.

Also I identified that the use of diegetic sound was being included within the analysed clip. This could be displayed when the character picks up the knife and an exaggerated knife sound is heard. I found that this sound was inspiring because it exaggerates the use of the iconography while making the scene more realistic. Also, I find that the technique was inspiring at it creates more tension as it immediately alerts the audience of the weapon use. I will try to incorporate this idea within my own sequence by including this technique at there points where the stick is being thrown. I have decided this so that it would exaggerate the use of iconography and make the sequence more realistic and then makes my sequence more successful.


Conventions

Within this research, I picked the clip ( Caption: Insidious Chapter 2 - "Did You Believe Him" ) to analyse the conventions. I identified different convention inspirations to use within my sequence such as; low key lighting and antagonist.

The first inspiration that I identified was the use of low-key lighting. This technique could be seen through the majority of the clip. I find that this technique was inspiring because it sets the atmosphere to a mysterious mood which then helps create a more intense scenario therefore making the suspense levels rise. I also find it inspiring because it helps the audience become more engaged within the film because it helps the audience build a stronger relationship with the characters. Furthermore, I also find that it's an inspiring technique because it's a key convention to build up a lot of tension which is vital towards a thriller genre as it impacts the audience more as it engages them more giving them the ability to build a better relationship. I will try and incorporate this inspiration within my sequence by including it throughout my sequence as it will give the impression that the danger is consistently following the characters which would then help build up then tension. Also, the characters would be standing in the dark constantly which will give the idea that there is a death upon the group as dark colour's such as black symbolize death.

I have also taken the inspiration of the use of antagonist from the analysed clip. This was identified within the sequence as there was a killer with a hidden identity as the sequence did not reveal who the murderer was.  I found this technique inspiring because it impacts the narrative more which then leads to engaging with the audience more giving them the ability to build stronger relationships with the audience. Furthermore, I also find it inspiring because it raises the tension as it leaves the audience questioning each individual character as they don't know who the killer which also impacts the relationship between the characters and the audience as it raises immediate tension. I will try and incorporate this idea into my own sequence by displaying Bettie has the antagonist with the hidden identity however I will reveal her identity towards the end of the sequence so that it gives the ability for the audience to become more engaged within the sequence as there would be a clear contrast in the protagonist and antagonists. I have done this so that I am not completing copying the idea but incorporating it so that it's displayed as an inspiration yet still my own idea.


Editing
With regards to my research in the 'editing' area, I have analysed the clip "Carrie 2013" to help contribute towards my research. Within this researched I identified elements such as slow editing, reaction shot and linking shot.

The first inspiration that I identified was the use of slow editing. This technique could be identified  after Carrie attacks the vehicle and the slow editing is used to show the damage that is being caused on to the characters. I find this technique inspiring because it creates a sudden use of suspense and engages the audience within the moment because the intricate detail of the damage is being shown to the audience so it helps them build a better relationship with the characters. Also, I find it inspiring because it helps build depth within the narrative as it shows the clear contrast of the two different people which would then emotional impact the audience. It also raises the tension as the audience become more on the edge of their seats as they pay more attention automatically. I will try and incorporate this idea into my own idea by including the use of slow editing when one of the characters is walking up behind Bettie when she is crouching on the floor so that this builds up the suspense and engages the audience more making them eager and on the edge of their seats.

The second technique that I had identified was the reaction shot. This was seen to be used when the female character discovers that her male companion had died. I found that this technique is inspiring because it create's more sympathy towards the characters as the audience can have a clear display of the character emotions which then gives the audience the ability to create an emotional bond with the characters which then help create a better overall relationship. Furthermore, I find it inspiring because it makes the sequence more realistic because it's a realistic so makes it easier for the audience to relate to the character and build a better relationship. I will try and incorporate them into my own sequence by including this technique at the point where the characters realize that Bettie is a cannibal and the camera frame displays the characters reaction using a close up camera shot. I find that this will be effective so that the frame display's the same shock that the audience are experiencing so that this will make it more relatable making the audience engage more within the sequence while building up the suspense and tension at the same time.

The third technique that I had identified was the linking shot. This was identified when Carrie facial expression and the female characters facial expression after the incident has just happened. I find that this technique was inspiring as the audience can have a clear display of the contrast in the two characters and how they both have different reactions as they both have different mindsets. I will try and incorporate this idea within my own sequence by linking Bettie's face when her identity is revealed and the characters reaction. This will help be effective towards the audience as they will be able to see the terror and fear that the characters have towards Bettie which would create more tension and help build a better relationship. Furthermore, it will help raise the tension as we don't know how the characters are going to react to Bettie's behavior and also  the fear within their faces will help build a emotional bridge between the characters and the audience.


To summarise, my research was useful in terms of getting ideas for my narrative because it gave me the opportunity to go back to each of my research's and identify what technique and conventions I could include within my own sequence to make it more successful. Furthermore, it also was useful as the research that I had already done with each analysed clip shows how each technique is conventional and how they give the ability for a relationship to be built which would make my sequence more effective. Various inspirations have made my sequence better by giving the ability for a stronger relationship to be built and also have made my sequence more conventional as each inspiration would build up more key elements e.g  tension, surprise.

Research into editing - Miss Miller

Research into editing 

In this research I will be researching the editing that is used within films. In the making of films, editing is part of the creative-production process of film making. Film editing is from the traditional process of working with films, how ever now in modern days it consists of digital technology to have a bigger impact towards the film and the audience. Editing is important and vital in the productions of films as it can make the film/narrative more clear and display intricate details. Editing also is important as it smoothly includes all the elements of a film clearly. Films need to be edited for enhancement and include all vital elements.

I have chosen a clip from Carrie (2013) and is the scene where the death of Billy and Chris takes place. This clip was chosen because there are various editing techniques that I could use to research about, with the knowledge I find out, I can use this to help contribute to my research when it comes to making my own film as I can use idea's of the different conventions that have been used in this scene.

The first editing that has been identified in the clip is 'slow editing' which is when clips are juxtaposed together at a slower paste to create more suspense towards the scenes. This can be evidently seen when Carrie prevents the car from running her over so she uses her intense power to bring the car to a stop and this is shown in slower motion. Once the car is stopping in slow motion, we can also see the intricate details of when one characters is hitting his face again the steering wheel and can spectate the motion of the blood coming the character's face. The purpose of this is to exaggerate Carrie's evil power and the slow editing shows the intricate detail of how powerful she is with all the damage/harm she can cause and to show the motion of the death and exaggerate the damage being caused. Furthermore, the slow editing is used to make the motion more dramatic as this is the point where Carrie is expressing the power that she contains. This helps the audience to engage more within the sequence as they can see more details within the sequence so this helps them to keep interested and gives the ability to create a better relationship with both the antagonist and the victims. This is conventional to a thriller film because not only are we witnessing two deaths but also seeing the slow motion of the bloods coming out of both bodies in slow motion. In addition Carrie is also covered in blood and this is a popular convention to a thriller film. Furthermore, this is conventional as it raises a high level of tension as the use of blood is being exaggerated. This builds a relationship with the audience as the audience can now see how evil and powerful she is so automatically fear Carrie. The audience can also see the contrast in dominance and power between the two different sets of characters therefore they feel more afraid of Carrie. Furthermore the audience feel sympathetic as they witness two innocent deaths in a lot of detail.



The second editing that has been identified is the 'reaction shot' which is when any shot (often used as a cutaway) in which a subject reacts to a previous shot. This can be evidently seen where we see her reaction when she discovers that the sudden stop has killed Billy. The purpose of this is to reveal her emotions once she discovers that an evil species has killed her partner. From this, we can see how she's feeling as she does not realize immediately that he has died as it takes a little bit time for her to acknowledge that he has died. When she then finds out, she looks straight away at Carrie and we see that she has an angry reaction which is then when she attempts to kill Carrie as she wants to get revenge. From this we can tell that the two character's have a special relationship as clearly she has a shocking, heart-broken reaction when she sees that the male character has died. This is conventional to a thriller as we see a reaction of someone that is determined to kill other people, and death is one of the main conventions for a thriller genre. Furthermore, the male character has blood around his face and blood is key thriller convention. This builds a nervous, panicking relationship towards the audience as Chris is determined to kill Carrie but we fear that Carrie over powers her so we are paranoid that Chris is going to lose this match against Carrie so then the audience feel sympathetic with Chris and Billy. Also, the audience see that the female character is affected by what Carrie has done to her male companion therefore the audience become paranoid in which they don't know how the female character is going to react to Carrie therefore the audience become narrative. As well as this, the audience also feel scared in which Carrie could attack the female character next.

The third editing technique that can be identified is the 'linking shot' which is where a number of shots are linked together to add emotional impact towards the audience. This can be seen between the links of the two female characters as they both have two different facial expression. This is evidently notified when the female character displays her angry facial expression towards Carrie, and Carrie returns a powerful look back at the female character. The purpose of this is to show the contrast of the two facial expressions; Chris has an angry, fuming expression once she notices that Carrie's power has killed Billy, and Carrie has an intimidating expression in which she uses so that she looks more powerful than Chris and so that the audience can clearly see this contrast. As Chris is trying to look powerful and frightening, Carrie exchanges a look in which she displays that she is not the slightest bit scared and not intimated at all as she is fearless. This is conventional to a thriller as we see two different reactions as they are both determined to kill each other in  two different ways so the convention of death is linked to this editing technique. Furthermore, this is conventional as both character's are displaying a facial expression by using the element of power. Also, this raises the tension within the atmosphere as the audience want to know who is going to be defeated. This builds an intense relationship between the characters and the audience as the anxiety builds up because we can see from their reactions and expressions that they both want to kill each other but we do not know who would win and who would end up being the one to die. Furthermore, the audience become more scared and fearful for Chris as they see that Carrie is intimidating her showing that she has more power.



The fourth editing technique to be identified is the 'shot reverse shot' which is mostly used in films where a conversation is taking place and it is when one shot quickly follows another. This can be evidently seen where there are links between the characters in the car trying to avoid Carrie, then linked to the outside location, then linking to Carrie. The purpose of this is to set the suspense atmosphere as we view the two vulnerable characters in the car, then viewing the isolated, empty streets making the setting more haunted and more full of suspense, then we lastly see the intimidating, powerful Carrie who we fear. The links together set the general atmosphere as from just three views we straight away notice the danger that the characters are in. From these links, the audience can straight away acknowledge that Carrie is going to harm the characters within the given location. This is conventional to a thriller as the haunted atmosphere is ideal for a thriller genre as it raises the suspense levels. Furthermore the isolated setting links to a thriller genre, as a typical thriller genre would have a isolated setting making it more dangerous and putting the characters at a higher vulnerability. Furthermore, this also increases the tension level's as the dangerous setting is engaging the audience more as they want to see what danger the characters are going to be put in. This creates a shocked, distilled relationship with the audience as we link the three images together we are then scared of what will happen to the characters as we automatically know something bad is going to happen to them just by the general atmosphere that is being created.  In addition, this makes the audience more paranoid for the victims as they fear that Carrie is going to kill the characters and the use of the isolation shows that there is no one to help them if anything was to happen therefore making the audience feel more sympathetic.



From this research I have learnt different techniques in which is ideal to create various atmospheres ideal for thriller genres in which I could use within my own sequence to make it more successful. The sequence that I have researched has successfully created surprise, suspense and shock & tension as each individual technique can create at least one of these successful and impact the audience. This has helped me with my research as I now know how to create different atmospheres used for thriller genres and now know what relationships these would build with the audience. In my film that I am going to create, I plan to use some of these techniques such as slow editing as it clearly shows the small intricate details which then adds to the relationships with the audience and the atmosphere created. Also I plan to use reaction shots as it makes the audience more aware of the situation because we can see their clear expressions and feeling and then can build the relationship with the audience then contributing to the general atmosphere making a bigger impact on the film itself. I also believe that this technique would help to engage the audience more and give the audience the ability to build a better relationship with the characters.

Research into conventions - Miss Georgiou

Firstly, conventional is conforming or adhering to accepted standards. In films the conventions are the elements that are common within different film genres - patterns that can be seen/used in different films from the same category. In a thriller genre, there are many different conventions such as; shock, surprise, suspense, tension, death, isolation, weapons, blood, enigma, suspense etc.

In this part of my research I am going to analyse the clip ' Caption: Insidious Chapter 2 - "Did You Believe Him" ' clip. I have chosen this particular clip as it contains a wide variety of different types of conventions that are typical to a thriller genre and that will help contribute to my research. Furthermore the conventions that are being used are fascinating including very impacted effects that help build relationships with the audience and are idea's that I could use within in my own thriller sequence.




The first convention that has been identified within the clip is the non-diegetic sound which can be evidently heard when the murdered woman's face appears within the frame. The purpose of this is too immediately capture the audience's attention. Furthermore, this needs to instantly grab the audiences eye as this is the base of the story line which would then help the audience acknowledge that their is a killer on the loose. The sound is played at a high level so that it will capture the audience's attention more quickly and will also emphasize the activity that it taking place. This convention creates a sudden shock and surprise towards the audience and alerts them as the audience wouldn't expect this too happen and makes them more eager to continue watching. It also creates a high level of tension as the hidden identity makes the audience more paranoid and raises the intensity. Furthermore, this convention also creates a mysterious atmosphere as there is a hidden identity within the murderer which then creates more caution between the audience, making them more paranoid as they don't know who the killer is. This is conventional within a thriller genre as the use of 'shock' is being included which is a typical thriller convention as it makes the audience feel more on the edge of their seat and also gives them a little fright to keep them more focused. In addition, the use of an unknown killer creates enigma which is conventional towards a thriller as it makes the scenario more mysterious and tense. Also, the key elements 'tension' and 'shock' are being created at a high level which are vital towards any thriller film and also make the film more conventional. This convention will give the audience the ability to create a relationship with the characters as it makes the audience feel more sympathetic and paranoid for them as they are scared that something is going to happen to one of the remaining characters. Furthermore, the audience become more cautious of the characters now that they are aware that there are murder activities taking place so the audience keep a closer watch on them as they are eager to find out who the murderer is.



The second convention to be identified within the clip is the low key lighting. This can be evidently seen through the majority of the  clip. This convention has been used to create more suspense and tension in the clip as well as keeping the audience on the edge of their seats as this now creates a more mysterious atmosphere as we sense the darkness in lighting will cause more danger towards the audience and make the scenario more dangerous for the characters. Furthermore, this lighting will also help keep the audience more focused as they spectate any hidden movements that is taking place within the darkness as they would be a typical movement within this lighting as the characters would then be more unaware which then makes them more vulnerable. This convention will create more paranoid thoughts within the audience as they know the character are more likely to be harmed in the dark. Furthermore, it creates a higher level of tension and suspense as no one knows whats going to happen and the audience get the feeling that the danger is within a close region. This is conventional to a thriller genre as the low key lighting is ideal for any thriller genre as it creates more suspense and tension as it is keeping the audience anxious and also makes the atmosphere more tense. It is also conventional as it creates a mysterious atmosphere throughout. As a result it can build relationships with the audience as it makes the audience more paranoid and anxious as they stay alerted as the darkness is a sign of danger. Furthermore, it makes the audience more aware of the characters as they have the feeling that the danger is approaching them which then increases the intensity levels.



The third convention to be identified in this clip is the use of enigma. This is evident at the end of the clip when the interviewer questions the witness "Did you believe him?" and then the clip ends. The purpose of this was to leave the audience feeling questioned and anxious as they start to wonder whether she believed him or not and what actually happened as a result. Furthermore, it has been done in order to create a cliff hanger as it leaves the audience questioning the activities. This creates a paranoid mood and anxious atmosphere as we wonder what happened and whether the man who was accused was actually guilty or innocent. It also creates a more mysterious atmosphere as the suspense builds up as the audience wonder what her answer to the question was. This is conventional to a thriller as it raises the level of tension and the anxiety levels as her answer to the question is unknown to the audience. Furthermore, it's conventional as it builds up more suspense within the audience which is a key element and vital for a thriller as it helps to build a better relationship between the audience and the characters. As a result the audience can build a relationship with the characters, especially the female character who first sighted the dead body, as well fear for her as she could be in potential danger as the murdered has not been discovered yet and she is vulnerable. This would be typical within a thriller genre as female characters tend to be more vulnerable than male characters. Furthermore, the audience can also build a better relationship as the female character looks terrified therefore the audience feel more sympathy for her.


The fourth convention to be identified in this clip is the use of exaggeration. This can be seen at (0.41) where the female characters picks up the camera and clearly sees something bad where the camera zooms in on her and the camera and also plays a exaggerated, mysterious sound effect in the background to emphasize the moment. The purpose of this is to show the complete focus on her and the image that is being shown on the camera, this also makes it evident that there is something terrifying on the camera which could be evidence for the murder which is why she looks so scared and shocked as she picks up the camera. This creates a mysterious effect as we are curious of what she is seeing as we don't see what is displayed on the camera which also makes the audience more anxious of what she is seeing as it is evidently not a good thing. Furthermore, this creates more tension as the audience are more eager and paranoid to know what this female character is seeing as it is clearly something that is horrifying. This is conventional to a thriller genre as it is more dramatic making the moment more mysterious and raising the anxiety levels of the audience. Furthermore, it is conventional as it creates a surprise and shock towards the audience as they do not expect any shocking scenes to be shown on the camera. As a result the audience build a relationship with the character as the audience feel shocked and scared for what she is seeing as her expression displays that what she is seeing is negative so the audience feel more paranoid as the murderer can be a possibility of what is being seen on the camera. Furthermore, the audience feel more sympathy for her as her facial expression is displaying that she is upset and scared so the audience create a more attached relationship with this particular character.



The fifth convention to be used in the scene is the use of a murderer. This is evident from when we discover that someone that is living in the house as been killed. The murderer is not known so therefore has a hidden identity within the clip. The purpose of this is, is to build up a high level of tension as the audience are eager and keen to know who is behind this. Also the hidden identity builds up the suspense within the clip and keeps the audience more curious and aware of the scenario. This creates a more haunted atmosphere and makes the audience more curious as the hidden identity keeps the audience tense and on the edge of their seat. Furthermore, it also creates a high level of tension as the cause and the killer is unknown to the audience which makes the scene more frustrating. It also creates a sudden shock as no one was expecting this to happen and be seen.  This is conventional to a thriller genre as the levels of suspense rise as we do not know who is the murderer and killing people. Furthermore the anxiety levels rise as the hidden identity reveals that we do not know who the murderer is and that they are still on the loose and have not been caught so keeps the audience tension levels high from this point on wards as the identity of the murderer is hidden. As a result the audience can build a relationship with the character as the audience now are curious and fear whoever is killing these people as they seem to be doing this very discretely. Furthermore the audience feel threatened as they do not know who it is and could be someone they do not expect so the audience tension levels are kept at a high level and keeps an mysterious atmosphere. In addition, it makes the audience more cautious of each individual character as the want to know who is behind this killing so they keep an open eye on each character to see if they have the ability to work it out.


The clip that I have analysed has been successful in creating a conventional sequence as the use of different conventions as has been used throughout creating different effects and having different impacts on the audience e.g suspense, surprise etc. I will take on board different conventions when it comes to creating my own sequence such as low key lighting as I find that it has an impact on the audience by keeping the sequence more thrilling and the audience on the edge of their seat as the tension rises. I find that this technique was consistently impacting the audience by keeping the tension and suspense levels high and also making them curious throughout which is a well created impact to use within my own sequence. In addition I enjoy the use of the 'hidden identity' as that keeps the levels of tension and suspense at it's best and has a huge impact on the audience as it makes the audience more paranoid of the event that take place and also make them more curious and it makes the sequence more thrilling which is clearly ideal for a thriller genre so would be a ideal convention to use within my own sequence. I also enjoy the idea of a murderer as it builds up more tension which is a good effect to have on the audience as it helps to create better relationships with the characters so I will take this on board and use it within my own sequence.