Week 3 Homework

Thrillers:

Psychological

A psychological thriller is a genre of film that really focusses on the delusional or sensitive psychological and emotional states of the characters in the film. Most psychological thrillers aim to make the audience able to feel the characters' paranoia through the screen.  Many directors try to include the consistent theme of trying to dissolve the sense of reality for the characters, and the audience watches it unfold as their mind tries to understand what movie world the filmmakers are trying to create. A technique that a lot of directors use to make psychological thrillers is by making multi-layered realities that create an uncomfortable atmosphere. A few of the conventions that are used include distorting reality, mental illness and crime. An example of methods that these effects are achieved is through is an editing transition technique that focusses the camera on the forehead and moves the camera close, almost pulling the camera into the mind of the character. This technique is most commonly used to show flashbacks and visions. 

Movies- The silence of the Lambs, Get out, Black swan, American psycho, Gone girl

Horror

A horror-thriller is a genre of film that focusses on instilling fear in the audience as it is conveyed through the fear that the characters feel. A consistent theme of horror thrillers is the idea of highlighting anything that may be of suspicion, these things are generally not considered to be of concern however the context of the film makes the audience and characters feel suspicious of everyday items. A technique that is used to make horror thrillers is making the entire film recorded from the point of view of the character. This is so that the audience can feel as though they are in the same situation as the character, this makes it harder to separate reality from the film and this makes the audience feel more fearful as though they are in the world of the movie themselves. This also allows the audience to connect better with the character in the film which overall heightens the emotional involvement with the film. Conventions that are used with horror thrillers include death, nightmares and vulnerability. Methods that are used to achieve the effect is by having a mystery character that is either masked or is just a shadow for a majority of the movie, this allows the audience to be more on the edge when watching the film as fear of the unknown is scarier than fear of what is known.

Movies- Midommer, Death note, Birdbox, Hush, Don't breathe 

Action 

An action-thriller is a genre of film that focusses on keeping the audience on the edge, trying to keep the audience entertained through means of the plot twists and storylines. A theme used commonly is having the plot as not entirely unbelievable and unrealistic, the director takes everyday life and adds small changes to separate it from reality, however, the audience will feel an internal feeling of questioning what would happen if this was real life. A technique that is used is having the typical antagonist, protagonist and shots that a fast-moving, trying to replicate the tense feeling in the situation, as well as shaky camera as if the audience is part of the scene (used commonly in fight scenes). Common conventions used in action thrillers include fighting scenes, violence and massacre. Methods that are used to achieve the desired effect is by having the antagonist endure a series of unfortunate events and situations that make the audience question their survival. This is so that the audience always has something to be on the edge about, thinking if they will survive this time, next time or the next after that.

Movies- The Bourne Identity, Taken, Mission impossible, James Bond, inception 

Sci-fi

A sci-fi thriller is a genre of film that focusses on including the aspect of science into the film, having the audience question the limits of science and what they are. A theme that is commonly used is having the character be disappointed by human error or incapabilities, and them turning to science to fix what others could not, or to prevent what happened to them from happening to others, that too by force. This is seen especially in spider-man where the antagonist is disappointed in the doctors being unable to help his death from seizing, so he turns to science even at the expense of others. A technique that is used is lighting being backlit, used when introducing a potential threat such as an alien, this makes whatever is being introduced look more mysterious, adding to the suspense of the movie. F-X make-up and CGI is used mainly in these kinds of films as they are portraying an unnatural character that could not be shown otherwise. Common conventions include the idea of experiments, trial and error, the character thinking they found the perfect solution then later on finding out the downsides and long-term effects this "solution" has, as well as supernatural beings and ideas. Methods that are used to achieve this is by having less light in fight scenes, these types of movies are generally situated at night as night-time is correlated with mystery. 

Movies- Alien, Blade Runner, The Matrix, Interstellar, Passengers

Man vs. Nature 

Man vs. Nature films (disaster films) are films that focus on emphasising the connection between both the animal world and the human world, showing the significance of both living in peace by one another. A theme that is commonly used is having there be a character who has one bad encounter with an animal per se and decides that they are unwanted, this is very common in coming of age films as it relates to how animals are treated in today's world. A technique that is used is taking advantage of primordial fears such as the fear of bees, apes or dogs. This allows the audience to feel unsettled and be more invested in the film as it relates to their own outlook towards certain aspects. Conventions that are used in these types of films include natural disaster, animals and beast form. Methods that are used to achieve this is by having used  CGI to create the world of the movie that would otherwise be difficult to recreate. Another method that is used is using fast pace music, as the animals that are commonly used in these types of films such as apes, lions and so on are connected to the idea of being fast and aggressive themselves, so generally, the music is used in a way that correlates with that.  

Movies- Maze Runner, Dawn of the planet of the apes, Jaws, Godzilla, All is lost

Spy 

Spy thrillers are films that focus on the theme of watching or being watched. A technique that is used when creating these types of films is having the camera be shown in a way that looks as though we as the audience is looking through the binoculars, this is a technique used commonly to make the audience feel more involved in the film, feelings as though they are put in the shoes of the characters. This allows the audience to be more likely to feel what the characters are feeling, creating a stronger connection between the two. Conventions that are used include the idea of spy gadgets, high-tech tools, governments, politics and conspiracy. Methods that are used to achieve this is by having the characters constantly in the dark as dark is correlated with suspicion and mystery and most likely the spy in these movies is suspicious to the other characters. Always having the spy in hiding, when in playing sight the director makes the spy fit in instead of hiding like the other times. 

Movies- Spy kids, Mission impossible, Allied, Salt, North by Northwest.

week 2 homework

 

1. Who do you introduce character-wise and why?

The middle-aged deranged man - He is introduced as a normal citizen so that he does not come off as initially suspicious. This also allows the audience to see the storyline play out the same way as the alleged victim. The effect it has on the audience is that makes them more emotionally invested in the story and builds suspense.

2. Where do you set your film scene, why?

The film is set originally at the park, the alleged stalker is building an image of being a regular guy and in order for him to be able to do that, he has to take part in everyday activities to go unnoticed. The park is a classic example of a place of fun and is a part of a lot of peoples everyday life. This way the man can also be lead to meeting "friends" who may, later on, be shown to be the victims.

3. What iconography and symbolism will you include?

A form of symbolism that will be used is the colour red. The man drives a red car, initially, this would not come off as a problem, however considering the type of man the victim is dealing with, this is quite a significant part of the storyline as it is almost like a warning for the girl. This puts the idea in the back of the audiences head that something bad is about to happen or that danger is near. 

Explanation of storyboard 

The main character is a deranged man who is trying to come off as normal in the eyes of those around him in order to be able to efficiently and stealthy stalk his victim. The antagonist goes to the park first to get to meet new people and find out what the people that live around the park generally do. He sees a girl in the distance standing by a tree and this is shown through an over the shoulder shot. This is so that the audience can see both what he is seeing and what it looks like to fellow bystanders so that the full idea can be seen.  A two-shot is used to show that both these characters are meeting, showing that they are conversing casually. It allows the audience to see the emotions and facial expressions of both characters simultaneously, it shows connection and relation. When showing the home of the stalker, the camera shoots a wide-shot, showing three houses stood side by side, in the layout of a townhouse. It allows us to see the kind of lifestyle this character lives, as it reflects in his simplistic and intriguing looking home. Once this man has gotten to know his victim, he begins to plan on how he may prey on this girl, and in order for that to happen, he figures out what that person does in their spare time and just throughout the day, this is where the true stalking takes place. The man follows the girl and finds out she takes yoga classes and this is portrayed through a mid-shot. The mid-shot shows the man standing outside the door with his workout mat, looking into the class as the girl. This man now makes it seem like a coincidence by just walking in shamelessly and beginning to take part in the yoga class, seated right next to the girl he is stalking. The shot being a mid-shot allows the viewers to see her facial expressions which show that she is quite happy to see this man rather than being creeped out by him. This lets viewers see that nothing is wrong, or so they assume as we have portrayed it to be that way, we have shown this situation to be wholesome and just. We have shown this friendship as nothing that should be of concern so that we can slowly build up the suspense and tension as we reveal the man’s true intentions, as the story goes on. To show that this friendship is going well, the characters are said to take a trip to an ice-cream parlour together, this is shown through a wide shot, showing the ice-cream parlour and the two characters. Yet slowly it begins to unveil the true intentions of the man as he carefully collects more and more information about his victim as the storyline moves on. He is seen to be keeping an eye on her work and keeping up with her life, all meanwhile she assumes he is just a regular folk that wants to be friends/have friends. 

Stuart hall - Representation 

Representation Theory: 

Representation is a tool directors/filmmakers use to convey an idea to audiences through techniques such as lighting techniques and camera angles and costume. The way a character is represented is what tells the audience generally if they’re the antagonist, protagonist or even just a regular by-stander. Representation helps the audience decode messages and ideas. 

Dominant reading:

The audience decodes the message as exactly how the director pleases and intends. This allows for generally most people to have a similar reaction, sharing similar emotions and experiences with the movie. This is done by showcasing universally recognisable symbols and themes to show how the character should be portrayed, an example of this is where the superhero generally wears a cool cape and is shown from a low angle, this makes the character look a lot more powerful and important. An example where this is especially in the Batman movie. This suggests a majority of viewers see it as what it is meant to be.  

Negotiated reading: 

You understand the meaning and connotations of the film however you conform it to your own beliefs and theories. Basically leaving the film up for interpretation. An example of renegotiated reading is in the film ‘The Platform’, the movie leaves up for discussion what the purpose of the platform system is, it suggests ideas of issues in today’s society, yet shows it in an interesting yet grim way. Some people see the movie as a way of bringing attention to social greed and others view this movie as a means of showcasing flaws in today’s justice system. 

Oppositional reading: 

This is where the audience rejects the producer’s message despite understanding the connotative meanings. This means the audience is able to identify elements, yet when putting together the pieces they can decide how to perceive the full picture, based on internal readings. An example of oppositional reading is with the game ‘grand theft auto’, the movie is very clearly shown as gruesome and vile, however many people choose to ignore the underlying effects of being consistently involved with such an influential game and decide to continue playing it as a means of fun, without grasping onto any other factors. This is because the way each person views the game is dependant on the thought processes and outlooks they have on both the themes in the game and life overall and more importantly, how they connect the two.

Todorov's Theory: 

Todorov’s theory is where throughout the film there is a consistent theme of balance and equilibrium. There are 5 stages in Todorov’s Theory. 

1. Equilibrium - this is where everything is in perfect harmony and there aren’t really any major issues that would disrupt the peace

2. Disruption- this is when the audience gets more captivated, this is how the director keeps the audience entertained and on the edge of their seats. Here a problem will occur, a problem that would disrupt the peace and equilibrium previously set and established. 

3. Recognition repair- where now the antagonist must work in a means through which they may identify the issue as well as find a liable solution. This is where there comes a realisation that something is wrong and needs to be fixed as soon as possible so that equilibrium can be restored 

4. Restored order - this is when the problem has been solved and things are slowly but surely settling back into place as it should and would be originally before all the chaos and problems. 

5. Equilibrium- once the problem has been fixed and nothing is bothering the peace, this would mean equilibrium would’ve been restored. This is where everything is back the way it was, in peace and harmony. 

Laura Mulvey

Laura Mulvey is a feminist film theorist. She breaks down different ideas and stereotypes in films that may be insensitive of females. Laura Mulvey speaks on the male gaze being a huge thing as part of the film industry even today, although it isn’t as heavily portrayed as when it was in older times. The male gaze is where females are mostly seen as objects, being sexualised as well as being belittled in various ways. For example, Marilyn Monroe was a significant victim of the male gaze, this is as her entire career was based on her being sexualised and being used for nothing but her looks, her talent only took her so far, yet it was the male gaze that truly elevated her career.  The male gaze steers heavily away from women in films being seen as anything close to masculine, this is because the male gaze is something that has stemmed from heterosexual men who have implemented and forced their ideologies and views onto the film industry and the world in general as the film industry is a very influential outlet.

Media Essay

 In this series “sherlock”, the director uses a range of camera techniques to convey an underlying mood and feeling of suspense and danger. An establishing shot is shown within the first second of the clip. The camera is angled in such a way that the scene is able to be set within a single shot, in the frame we can see the pool, with darkness and emptiness flooding the atmosphere. This also foreshadows that an unpleasant event is going to occur in the narrative as the mood has been set to be ominous which adds to the suspense.   The director uses a mid-shot when showing the man strapped to a bomb, this is so that the audience can get the big picture that danger is present, the shot also allows views to see the emotions expressed through this man’s face which includes fear and a sense of worry. This also enables the audience to feel personally connected An over the shoulder shot is used to show the protagonist with a deadly weapon pointed directly at the antagonist, this angle is important as is allows the audience to see both what situation the antagonist is being threatened with as well as their reaction to it. However, in the shot, we see something unusual, the man at gunpoint is not showing even the smallest bit of fear for his life which instantly conveys the idea that he has something up his sleeve, something that both the protagonist and actual audience are unaware of, thus following the running theme of suspense. In order for the audience to see the reactions of all the characters involved in the scene, the director uses a shot/reverse shot. This is so that as the audience we can see the relations between the characters through their body language and facial expression, this is also how we know the antagonist is not in fear yet Watson is, which shows whos really in charge. Another camera technique used is ‘racking focus’, which is used to make the subject of focus change as well as shift in and out while doing so. This technique directs the audience’s attention to different aspects of the situation to push them to connect the ideas of the plot. The camera focusses on the gun and then the antagonist and back to the gun which leads us to believe the connection of the two may end lethally. A close-up shot is used to show the facial expressions shown by the characters during this crucial scene where the protagonist has the gun pointed at the bomb. The portraying of the characters’ emotions also allows tension to build-up.

 

The lighting and setting played a massive role in the mise en scene of this clip. The introductory setting is an empty leisure centre that is dark and seemingly isolated. This contrasts the atmosphere generally exuded at the pools which is light and joyous as a leisure centre’s purpose is to bring out those emotions in people rather than what is shown in the clip. This instantly tells viewers that this scene is going to be unpleasant and unusual. A pillar shot is used to add suspense by not showing the audience the full picture. with the character and pity the man, which overall betters the engagement of the audience with the film. There is an obstructed shot used when showing the antagonist, the lighting gradients across his face, with the shadow on his face getting darker across the screen, representing darkness taking over light slowly, simply meaning evil taking over good. This relates back to the audience expectations which now is that something will go wrong and that they will now be on the edge of their seats, expecting to feel the suspense through the screen. 

When the antagonist speaks, his voice echoes, which gives a more eerie sound effect and feel to the scene. Playing in on the fact that the room is also empty and that there is nowhere to run, the echoes add suspense and only emphasise the verbal entry of the character. Through the diegetic sound of the tone in the antagonist’s voice alone we can see that he has psychopathic/manipulative tendencies, the character’s voice when talking to the antagonist slowly transitions from being soft and gentle to a loud and harsh, all in one phrase. The character does this so that he can relate to the antagonist and make him believe everything is calm in the situation and will turn out okay, just so that he can tear it all down and make his point known that the antagonist should not have done what he did, he should not have tried messing with him.  As the camera flashes from scene to scene, there is a ‘swoosh’ sound aligned with the movement from changing shots, this sound tells the audience that everything in the scene is happening very fast, this adds to the suspense and unknowingness of what may happen next. The ‘swoosh’ sound slowly picks up a beat and starts moving faster with the interchanging scenes, the beat makes it more impactful. A non-diegetic sound is used in this scene, the heartbeat is added in to replicate what the viewers may be feeling as watching and experiencing the current on-screen situation. The director is trying to get the heartbeat to sync with the audiences, and since the pace of the beat is actually faster than normal, it would make the tension slowly build higher and higher, tying in with the overall anticipation and build-up of what will all this tension lead up to. That tension is broken through the ringtone of the antagonists’ phone which is ironically a song called “staying alive” this is a play on the actual turn out of the situation and the antagonists’ dilemma. This is ironic because at the end of the protagonists’ arm is a gun, something that represents death, whereas the song playing suggests life which is the complete opposite. At the same time, the music also stops in the background to really bring attention to the ringtone.

In terms of editing, there is a transition added where the establishing shot fades into dark, this is also a visual cue that this will also happen in the scene overall, tells the viewers that things are about to go rogue. During an intense part of the scene where the protagonist has a gun pointed towards the antagonist, the screen flashes, transitioning from shot to shot. The flashes of the screen are meant to replicate how the eye opens and closes so that it feels as though every time the viewers open their eyes, there is a new shot and crucial part of the scene. This makes the scene tense and shows it being heavy on the content, showing a lot happening in the little time that the characters have to make decisions. The screen flashes in combination with the ‘swoosh’ sound, leads viewers to believe and feel as though everything is happening very fast and in real-time, making them also feel as though they are in the scenario too, heightening their engagement with the film.