Who would be your audience for your media product?

Our target audience is males and females aged 15+, The younger adult audience are generally the people who are likely to enjoy watching thrillers of this sort (due to the ages of the actors involved, they can relate to them to a greater extent). Examples of 15 rated thrillers are: crime (The Fugutive), psychological (Paranormal activity) and Action (The Bourne Series).


The BBFC

The BBFC is the British Board of Film Classification, it is an independent, non-governmental body. It has classified cinema films since it was set up in 1912, and videos since the passing of the Video Recordings Act in 1984. Statutory powers on film remain with the local councils, which may overrule some of Board's decisions, passing films they reject, banning films they have passed, and even waiving cuts, instituting new ones, or altering categories for films exhibited under their own licensing jurisdiction.

In 1984 Parliament passed the Video Recordings Act. This act stated that video recordings offered for sale or hire commercially in the UK must be classified by an authority designated by the Secretary of State. The President and Vice Presidents of the BBFC were so designated, and charged with applying the new test of 'suitability for viewing in the home'. At this point the Board's title was changed to British Board of Film Classification to reflect the fact that classification plays a far larger part in the Board's work than censorship.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Our thriller was aiming to represent women as vulnerable whilst men being strong, domineering characters: frightening to the female. In our film, the female character, due to circumstances becomes isolated, therefore helpless to the dangers within the forest without her ‘male protector’. Alfred Hitchcock's: Psycho mirrors this female vulnerability theme very effectively as a classic example of a conventional thriller. The male character (the stalker), in our opening, is wearing very dark clothing, so along with the high contrast, the stalker is an all round dark character, in his personality and appearance. Although his clothing is dark, he is still in the usual modern clothing of today, rather than the long black coat and hat in which we previously intended for him. I feel this was to give the thriller a more modern, up-to-date angle, rather than the generic 'old fashioned' thriller in the woods. We decided for the stalker to behave as stalkers usually do: watching a certain person from afar. He watches her through the branches of a tree so it seems as if he is trying not to be noticed. We also decided for the stalker to make no actual physical contact with the victim, therefore not revealing too much about what is to come, only that he is an obvious threat to the female character. The threatening feeling we recieve from him is from both the music and the dark clothing, not particularly from his actions.

Feedback From T1 - 26

Rebecca Hewings And Annabelle Monks have come to an agreement that we really liked your thiller opening and feel that you have listened to the feedback you were given by the other groups and have changed your thriller in a good way.

The music really suited the atmopshere of your thriller narrative and worked really well together. We thought the way your credits appeared and disappeared suited the genre perfectly also.

Overall we thought this was very very good and is a very good example of a thriller opening.

Well Done. :)

Final Version

Evaluation

Overall we feel we have created a reasonably good thriller opening considering the lack of time we had to make it (due to circumstances). However, because of this we have had to make compromises with some of the features we were hoping to include e.g. the flasing images and flickering. Another part we feel could have been better was the dietetic soundtrack as it is very broken up, making it amateur sounding and lacking in continuity. Through we were very pleased with how the titles look (the font and how they fade in and out). We have met all our aims in the plan of the time making for the film.

example of soundtrack

Silent Hill:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU2URHwzrNo

Class Feedback

Bear in mind we had one lesson to upload all our footage from filming and put it in order, and do a small amount of editing so some parts may not sound/look as good as they could be. But then this is only the rough cut version.

We did an exercise where by the whole class looked at each others work and wrote down good and bad points about our work. Below are some of the comments we receieved.
Sound:

-When Alice is walking on her own the sound of heavy breathing was really effective and was a good way to create creepy atmosphere.

-Good natural sounds of the forest-sound would be good, can hear the sound of voices at very start.

Editing:
-Some shots could be shorter

-Tiles will go well in multiple shots
lower some of the levels of sound to make the background clearer

Mise en Sene:

-Realistic (likes bob marley)

-Location is effective as it is a thriller

Camerawork:
-Different style of camerawork, worked well, gave a sense of atmosphere.

-Hand held worked well, made viewers feel more like you were the characters.

-Angle of Alice running was very effective.

-Good shot of guy in background.



OVERALL:
We think that the film will look a lot better when there is a diagetic soundtrack and credits will make it look more professional.

Filming Delay

We were scheduled to film on the weekend of the 27th of Feb. This was postponed due to bad weather making it unable to film in such weather. We then have the chance to move are filming date to the following Wednesday where we all had a day off due to teacher training. The plan was to meet at the l0cation at around midday, but due to complications I was not able to make it.
Once we got to college on Thursday, we presented our problem to the course leader Tanya who gave us the weekend to complete filming for the filming deadline on Monday the 8th.

Filming

On the 6th of march we arrived at our location , at around 9 am. Our filming session went fairly smooth, however we did have 1 or 2 complications. The main problem we had was trying to get the dog to bark. We tried everything, but unfortunately the dog wasn't having any of it. Although, the rest of our footage was perfect, everything we had in our shot by shot list, we managed to film. And most of this footage, was of very good quality. As a group we are very happy with how our filming session went, everyone was on time, and everyone knew what role they where having to play. Everyone contributed towards our footage, and we all made a 100% effort towards it.

During this weeks lessons, we intend to upload our footage, and begin to start the editing process. We have already started to produce the music for the final piece.

Test Footage

We have filmed this rusty chain dripping, turning up the contrast to make it seem more abstract and creepy, also bring down the brightness to achieve as similar effect. fo shizzle

What is a Call Sheet?

A call sheet is chart issued to the cast and crew of a theatrical or film production, listing the production schedule. Typically, in addition to including a schedule, the call sheet also includes a list of contact information for other members of the cast and crew. Call sheets are often issued at the beginning of the week, because schedules change frequently, and trying to plan further ahead can become quite complicated. As a general rule, when a call sheet is assembled, the scheduler assumes that everyone is available at any time, unless specifically informed otherwise.

The information on a call sheet can be difficult to interpret at a glance, especially for people who are not familiar with the industry. Typically, the production schedule is listed by “call time,” as in the time at which people are expected. Call times vary, depending on whether someone is in the cast or the crew, and what is scheduled for the day. In addition to listing call times, the call sheet also includes the location of the call, and makes a note about what is being planned, so that people know what to expect.

Call Sheet

(Update)
We were unable to film on this set date due to un-fit weather conditions. We have been given one overnight camera loan to get all of our footage.

Location Report

Location:

We intend to film in the ruins of a Norman Castle in Cheveley Park stud (just outside the village of Cheveley) the castle is in a wooded area; an ideal location for the project. Fortunately, the location of our opening is reasonably close to where we all live, so will not be too much trouble to get to. One of the main features of our film is what we thought was a well, through further research we learned it was in fact an Edwardian fridge.

Permisson:

• No permission is needed for us to use the forest as the location for our thriller.
• The still images we will be using will be taken at various locations around college and at the castle

Extra Information On the Castle and its' History:

The castle building stood on a rectangular platform surrounded by a formidable V-shaped moat. The moat was probably always dry. Parts of the coarse stone in which the castle is made with still remain visible

It is thought that it originally contained a variety of timber structures, including the lord's main hall and other buildings such as a chapel, kitchens, store rooms and accommodation for guests and retainers, some of which were probably set against the inner face of the curtain wall. The ward has not been excavated or significantly disturbed, and the buried remains of these buildings are considered to survive well. Access to the interior was provided by a drawbridge across the centre of the north western arm of the moat. The castle is thought to have been built by Sir John de Pulteney, financier and four times Mayor of London, who was granted a licence to crenellate the dwelling place of his manor in Cheveley in 1341. The resulting structure, which is the only Edwardian castle in Cambridgeshire, is more likely to have served as a mark of Pulteney's status than as a military stronghold, and to have provided a prestigious hunting lodge as the centre piece of a deer park established shortly thereafter.

We feel the unique History of the castle adds something extra special to our film.

Target Audience

Our target audience is males and females aged 15+, The younger adult audience are generally the people who are likely to enjoy enjoy watching thrillers. Examples of 15 rated thrillers are: crime (The Fugutive), psychological (Memento) and Action (The Bourne Series).

A 15 rated film literally means, no one under the age of 15 can watch the film, whether it is at the cinema or at home. If below the age of 15, it is not legal to buy or rent a film rated 15 or above. As a group, we decided to give our thriller a 15 rating, based on the fact it is unsuitable for a younger audience yet beholds many factors attractive to a teenage audience: the actors are teenagers therefore enabling the teenage audience to relate to the characters more effectively.

Analysis of "Kill Bill" Action Thriller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo8ZM7PyRzU




kill Bill is a Quentin Tarentino film, released 2003 and starred uma thurman.
The films uses a lot of other influences such as such as martial arts films , Japanese chanbara films, exploitation films and Italian spaghetti westerns; an extensive use of popular music and pop culture references. it also uses a lot of directing techniques such as black and white used in the scene where uma is buried alive and animation is used in the sequence in which one of the characters background is explained.

Conventions Of A Thriller

It is difficult to state a clear definition of a thriller as they cross over many genres, however the single most characteristic of a thriller is the obvious one, it "thrills" the audience. The plots are scary, the characters are at great risk and the films are constructed in a manner that makes the watcher really want to know what happens next. There is no formula for a thriller, other that that most thrillers follow one of a few common narrative structures.Thrillers can be divided into countless categories, i.e., action thrillers, psychological thrillers,millitary thrillers, spy thrillers, and the list goes on. It's easier to recognise a thriller than to describe it.

Some other conventions could include:

• Mystery to the spectator.
• Suspense, which is key to a thriller.
• Micro elements - musical score, use of distorted, hand-held camerawork. Adds to suspense/tension.
• Low lighting, which adds to mystery and suspense.
• Protagonist in the form of the main character
• Antagonist in the form of a villain or enemy.

Examples that may "thrill" you are see below. "Scream" and "Paranormal Activity"

Examples Of Thrillers

As you can see each cover art uses a lot of dark colours, mixed with reds and whites to make it stand out. This gives you an idea as to the main storyline, that its going to be a dark film that may or may not be scary.

Film Roles

Director: A film director, or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making and/or the production of a film. A film director is a person who visualizes the screenplay, controlling a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of his or her vision.

Tom



Actors: An actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre or radio in that capacity.

Luke and Alice




Cameraman: A camera operator is a person that operates a film or video camera for the purpose of recording a production to film, video or a computer storage medium. A camera operator serving in an official capacity in the process of filmmaking may also be known variously as a cameraman, television camera operator, video camera operator, or videographer, depending on the context and technology involved.

Ryan




Editor: Editing is the process of selecting and preparing language, images, sound, video or film through processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications in various media. A person who edits is called an editor.

Ryan and Luke




Composer of Music: A composer is a person who creates music, usually by musical notation for interpretation and performance.

Tom

Inspiration

Props And Equipment List

Props:

• The Dog
• 2 Dog leads
• Dog collar
• 2 torches
• Bag
• Speakers
• Ipod
• Phone

Equipment:

• Camera
• Tripod
• Map ( Just In Case )

Costume List

Character 1 (female)
Stereotypical teenager ; skinny jeans, hoodie, coat, boots

Character 2 (male)
yet again similar clothes ; Jeans, hoodie, coat, Trainers and a beanie hat.

Character 3 (stalker)
All clothes must be dark. Long black coat, dark colored jeans, trainers.

Job titles

SAUL BASS (1920-1996)
was not only one of the great graphic designers of the mid-20th century but the undisputed master of film title design thanks to his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock, Otto Preminger and Martin Scorsese. When the reels of film for Otto Preminger’s controversial new drugs movie, The Man with the Golden Arm, arrived at US movie theatres in 1955, a note was stuck on the cans - "Projectionists – pull curtain before titles".

Until then, the lists of cast and crew members which passed for movie titles were so dull that projectionists only pulled back the curtains to reveal the screen once they’d finished. But Preminger wanted his audience to see The Man with the Golden Arm’s titles as an integral part of the film.

He was regarded as a industry expert in title sequences.

in regards to are own opening credits, we will be using inspriation from the film "Six Feet Under"

Storyboard

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

analysis of 'lord of war' political thriller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d0d6qgsvTw&feature=related

the movie follows Yuri Orlov, an arms dealer supplying weapons to Liberia. Pursued by an Interpol agent he begins to question he morality of his work.

The movie uses a LOT of narration to tell the story at hand. this makes the viewer feel more involved as it seems that the main character is talking to the viewer and makes you feel almost in place with this man. there is very also very little music in the movie which further adds to the sence of realism. there are also a lot of long shots (for instance the opening sequence camera) which means that the viewer isn't alienated by to many camera angles.

analysis of 'colateral' crime thriller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5M_Ttstbgs
taken from IMDB:
"A cab driver finds himself the hostage of an engaging contract killer as he makes his rounds from hit to hit during one night in LA. He must find a way to save both himself and one last victim"


the cinematography of collateral is its strongest element. it uses a lot of point of interest shots (for instance the coyote scene) which imply more than they seem and makes good use of the night to create a dark and dreamy atmosphere. the music also plays and integral part of telling the story and always its in with the action on screen. there is also very little orchestrated music, most of the music being mainstream music such as audioslave and groove armada.

Analysis of 'memento' psyclogical thriller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vS0E9bBSL0


Memento chronicles the story of Leonard, an ex-insurance investigator who can no longer build new memories, as he attempts to find the murderer of his wife, which is the last thing he remembers. the narrative of the movie is crucially important as the story is told backwards with the beginning of one scene being the end of the next. this means the viewer must remember the previous scene for the next scene to make sense and there are also scenes in Leonard's bedroom which reveal the story up to the beginning (if you are talking about the movie chronologically). its a clever psychological trick which draws the viewer in and makes the viewer sympathize with the main character.

Details of Filming

Here are some pictures I took from the location of our film, the top left is where the shot at the beginning of it, as we walk towards the castle. I have also taken a picture of the well from close-up and far away.


We intend to film in the Cheveley park stud which is just outside the village of Cheveley. We intend to be filming at around 4 on both evenings. We have arranged to meet at Cheveley primary school, which is fairly near where we intend to film. Luke is responsible for bring the dog, and all necessary items, such as the lead for the dog, treats etc. Alice will be in charge of the camera equipment and for bringing it to the filming location and also the speakers in which the characters which will be playing music out of: "Don't Worry" by Bob Marley. This music will actas a contrapuntal device.
We have all exchanged telephone numbers to arrange a meeting location. From there we will walk to the location.

Analysis of Action Thriller "Casino Royale"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfc9GLxlhEw&feature=related

the opening sequence of casino royale conforms to the tradition of previous bond movies and uses a specially composed piece of music "you know my name" by Chris Cornell. the opening sequence is abstact and uses casino cards and roulette tables to hint at the narritive. it also coveys what genre the movie is.

Shot by Shot Plan

0.00-0.05: 180 degree pan to establish the location at eye level.
0.05-0.07: A still long shot of the well
0.07-0.09: A still mid-shot of the well
0.09-0.11: A still close-up of the well
0.11-0.26: A long shot of the dog walkers coming closer
0.26- 0.29: A mid-shot of the two walkers in mid conversation.
0.29 - 0.34: The dog starts to play up
0.34-0.36: Over the shoulder shot of owners Reaction as he wonders why the dog is playing up.
0.36-0.39: Dog still remains to play up
0.39-0.43: Close-up of owner dropping lead (this will later be made into slow motion)
0.43-0.45: close-up of owners face
0.45-0.52: High angled long shot of the two characters as owner of dog run off to find dog
0.52- 1.00: Slow zoom on vulnerable female. Whilst we zoom in the diegetic music will fade out.
1.00- 1.06: Close-up of half her face and half the background of forest with strange figure in background.
1.06- 1.16: Changes to hand held camera as character walks to find her friend and looks through the forest as leaves rustle etc.
1.16- 1.24: Put camera on floor as she runs past after hearing dog barking from a distance.
1.24- 1.39: point of view shot from the stalker through the leaves of the trees, as the vulnerable girl stumbles across the well.
1.39- 1.47: Hand held view of the female character, as she looks around the well.
1.47- 1.51: Character looks down the well
1.51- 2.01: Flashing images of close-ups
2.01- 2.06: Long shot of stranger on hill, dark silhouette

'Why "thrillers" thrive.'

-Thrillers are successful as they give the audience thrills during the film, resulting in them jumping and kept on the edge of their seat, keeping their full attention on the screen.

-A thriller gives the audience an experience called ‘shake-ups’ that gets your heart racing and full attention.

-Audiences pay to see thrillers as they are able to give the viewer an adrenaline rush, which some people are addicted to as it gets their heart racing.

-Thrillers are able to give the audience an experience that no other film can give you.

-They are so unpredictable that viewer doesn’t know what’s going to happen next, they are glued to their seat dazzled by the screen itching to find out how it’s going to plan out.

-Thrillers use a special technique where they use a vulnerable character that they make the audience fall in love with and become attached too, before they become endangered. They then make you feel like you are a part of that person so you put yourself in their shoes. This gives the viewer a real sense of danger, even though they are in fact just sitting in a chair.

-Thrillers are good at showing you what’s going to happen without giving it away, this is when the unexpected appears and shocks you.

-The big screen is really clever at making the thriller seem like we are in great danger as we feel we’re a part of the film. However our subconscious kicks in and we are aware that we are sitting in an arm chair, safe and secure.

Analysis of a previous Longroad thriller

It begins with an establishing shot of both characters and the location, the creepy music also establishing the genre. We see a point of view shot of the murderer looking in on the girl undressing through the window. It then becomes obvious to the audience that the man is aiming to make contact with the girl, this highlights her vulnerability, playing the cliche female role. There is then a classic match on action shot as the girl opens the door. It then follows her actions as she gets ready to get in the shower, as she switches on the radio, a gentle background diegetic sound is added to the creepy non-diegetic music playing throughout. The fact she is in the shower also portrays vulnerability and sexualises her as a female character. It then cuts to a hand held camera outside the bathroom door as the murderer draws closer to her, it appears she has heard something as it cuts to a reaction, close-up shot of her in the shower. As the murderer shuts off the power, the soundtrack mirrors the darkness by turning silent as she breaths heavily to build a sense of disorientation for the audience. The darkness is then relieved by a candle being lit as she looks frightened and confused, the murderer comes up behind her wearing a mask to ass mystery. As she screams, the light flickers on the murderer. It then fades to her in the bath with blood all over her.

Criticisms:

-In the reaction shot as the murderer comes closer to the door, there is bad continuity in the shot after the reaction shot as she seems to have forgotten anything happened.

-Also, I feel as she looks around the room with the candle, it is unrealistic for her to be standing by the mirror for such a long time, a better way of doing this would be her walking past the mirror and perhaps a glimpse of the murderer in the mirror as she walks past so the suspense is all the more effective.

-I feel too much happens and not enough mystery is with held. The murderers physical form should remain hidden in the opening and also, it is ineffective to kill off the main character right at the beginning.

Taking lives soundtrack

the music for the opening sequence was made to try and sound 'acoustic' and 'folky' which bodes well with the setting of the opening sequence. the orchestral sound implies suspense and mischief. the sound fades out when the characters speak so dialog can be heard.

Pitch Feedback from Andrea

Some of your locations sound like they have a lot of cinematic potential and I think it will be important to take photographs of it whilst you are filming.
I think my overall feedback would be that your idea needs fleshing out a little more and you need to think about how you will visually communicate the genre in which you are working.
Start off with looking through the list of thriller generic conventions and think about which ones you want to explore and how you intend to do this. It might help you to focus your ideas.

Remember that the point of a thriller is not to terrify but to draw your viewer into the narrative subtly.

Good work so far, keep going.

Shot list

Establishing Shot: At the beginning we will use an establishing shot to introduce our characters and location. The camera will then pan round the forest at an 80 degree angle to reveal the location in which the thriller set.

Over the shoulder shot: This will be used when the dog becomes distressed and the charecters, discuss the situation.

Reaction shot: This will be used as the characters reaction to both the dog playing up and when it runs off. This will lead to the audiences realization of the troubled situation. We will also use this particular shot when the characters discover the creepy location to reiterate their frightening dilema.

Mid shot: This shot will be used regularly throughout the film to illustrate the storyline. For example: at the beginning where we zoom in on the well and of perhaps the characters.

Long shot: This shot will also be used to show the well from a distance and also when the stalkers silhouette is on the hill.

High angled shot: This will be used as the camera looks down into the creepy well to create a sense of disorientation.

Low angled shot: This will be used as we look up onto the man on the hill, this will clearly illustrate the characters vulnerability.

Point of view shot: When we look down into the well, as we look around the forest and as the dog runs off.

Close up: we will use this as we flicker from images. To build up suspense and tension.

Blog advice from Andrea

(DONE)1. Analysis of student thriller
(DONE)2. More than one detailed analysis of real thriller openings
3. Practice soundtrack for your thriller
(DONE)4. Practice soundtrack for Taking Lives intro
(DONE)5. Production company logo
6. Definition of thriller, outline of different sub-genres and hybrids.
(DONE) 7. Analysis of examples of political, psychological, action thriller and crime thriller
(DONE)8. Initial ideas post
(DONE)9. Final idea post - for pitch
(DONE)10. Influences and the thriller generic conventions you intend to explore
(DONE)11. Mood board
12. Research into other films of similar sub-genres
(DONE)13. Props list - with illustrations
(DONE)14. Details of costumes - with illustrations
(DONE)15. Location report - where you intend to film, if it is a public place then you need to consider the logistics of filming there. If it is private property you must seek permission from the owner.
(DONE)16. Complete shot list
(DONE)17. Completed storyboard
18. Test footage with a full explanation as to the technique you were testing and how successful the test was.
(DONE)19. Details of when you intend to film (dates, times and places), who is responsible for bringing what props etc, what actors are needed and who is in charge of ensuring the actors are informed of times and locations.
(DONE)20. Practise titles, consider the job titles and the names you wish to include. Do some research into titles. Look at Saul Bass as an industry expert in title sequences.

Initial Idea for our thriller.

We have decided on a creepy location in which to set our opening, it is in Cheveley Park Stud at the ruins of a castle surrounded by woodland. We have decided to split out group into two actors and two cameramen. We thought it could begin with the characters walking their dog in the woods, then upon arrival at the castle grounds, the dog starts to play up and bark. This confuses and worries the two characters as their dog is normally an animal of pleasant manor. They try to figure out whats distressing the dog, so they attempt to head back. On their journey home they begin to hear noises all around e.g. sticks breaking, leaves rustling etc. The dog becomes so frightened that it runs off, forcing the two characters to follow. The dog leads them to a creepy underground well.
We will illustrate this basic plot with flashing images of the bars of the well, branches of trees, a shadow etc. to suggest this storyline so as not to reveal too much to the audience. It will start with creepy music whilst establishing the location to portray the genre of the film, it will then go to the characters playing diegetic upbeat music through hand held speakers. then as the characters start to realise their frightening dilema, the upbeat music slowly fades into the creepy music we heard at the start.

Example of Thriller Opening

I found this to be a great example to use for the opening titles of a thriller as it fits in with the conventions of a thriller. I find it very

Logo Creation

This is the production log that we have created and edited on Photoshop and then added it into Final Cut so that we could edit it. We decided on 'storm productions' as we felt it fitted in with the thriller theme adequately.

Thriller Pitch

This is a combination of our ideas, we have put together various pictures from Google that encapsulate our thoughts and ideas for this project. We have chosen various creepy, shadowy images to portray the atmosphere. From this task we have decided on the creepy location of the ruins of a castle in Cheveley Park Stud.

Analysis Of The Shining.

Music/Sound: the music is fundamentally erie. it contains sound effects that are reminiscent of people screeching which indicates there is a horror style element to the movie, and a trumpet sounds. there is also a "pingy" sound effect throughout the sequence which further adds to the atmosphere.

Camera Work: the sequence starts with a flyover camera angle of a lake which fades to a overhead sequence of a car driving down a road in the forest.

The actual opening sequence does not introduce any main characters as such, but does introduce the location of the mountains. This can be seen as being far away from everything, where anything can happen. And judging by the music, things aren't all happy. We see and follow this car as it goes in and out of this mountain pass, through the valleys, with this amazing back drops of massive mountains and cliff edges, which also adds to the feeling of being away from most life.

Editing: The way in which the credits roll up is very classic as the names scroll from the bottom of the screen right up to the top. This is all happening while the live action following the car is going on. This is a typical way of showing the credits as it conforms to normal conventions of film.

Vertigo Analysis

It begins with a close-up of a heavily made up womans eyes, then her lips, this illustrates, how Hitchock is objectifying her as not a whole person, but a broken up Voyeurism. The music also portrays the mystery of what is to come. As the camera goes back up to her eyes and is tinted red, you immediately want to know why her expression has changed and why she looks so scared. The mysterious spirals coming out from her eyes add yet more mystery and gives an 'edge of the seat' effect.

The next part of the opening reflects on the title of the film as it is all shot at a height. This scene is obviously where the protagonist' fear of heights originated.

Vertigo, opening example

Deadlines of project

-rough-cut deadline, end of lesson Monday the 1st of March
-Shooting deadline, February 24th, second lesson
-Final cut deadline, End of lesson, Monday the 8th of March
-Draft writing deadline, end of lesson Monday the 15th of March
-Final writing deadline, March the 22nd

Conventions of a thriller

Some of the conventions of a thriller are:

-Location (familiar places create a false sense of security e.g. an abandoned building)
-Lighting (shadowy, Dark lighting, film noir/ neo-noir)
-Complex narrative (flashbacks, not Linear, the speeding up and slowing down of time)
-Mystery (enigma, web of intrigue)
-Voyeurism (objectification of women, pleasure of looking)
-Suspense (music, sound and silence, edge of seat)
-Fear of the unknown (This is what seperates the horror genre from the thriller, the villian often wears a mask or make-up to create mystery)
-Identity (no identity, stolen/ mistaken, obsession, doppleganger)
- Potagonist (flawed hero, in danger, fear in which is exploited by villian)

A classical thriller depicted women as an object of pleasure and as vulnerable 'damsels in distress'. Nowadays, women are seen as more powerful strong figures who are occasionally the flawed hero which is traditionally the role of the male.
Suspense and the fear of the unknown are some of the most important factors to a thriller as this is what makes it exciting to watch.

Preliminary task

Definitions of Key Terms

Establishing Shot: An establishing shot sets up, or "establishes", a scene's setting and/or its participants. Typically it is a shot at the beginning (or, occasionally, end) of a scene indicating where, and sometimes when, the remainder of the scene takes place.


Close up shot:a close-up tightly frames a person or an object. Close-ups are one of the standard shots used regularly in television and film.


Match on Action: Is when you cut during action to another camera angle but showing the action from the same point in time that you left it from the previous shot, this is important to continue the flow of the scene.















Reaction Shot: Reaction shot is a term used in motion picture production and cinematography referring to a basic unit of film grammar. It is a shot which cuts away from the main scene in order to show the reaction of a character to it.


Long Shot: A long shot shows both characters in the location. This informs the audience of the characters positions relative both to one another and their surroundings.


Shot reverse Shot: Shot reverse shot is where one character is shown looking at another character, this other character is often not in the screen, the shot will then move to the other character who will be facing in the opposite direction, as both characters are represented as looking in the opposite directions it gives the impression to the viewer that both characters are both looking at each other.










This is often used to represent a conversation, and is used during continuity editing. it then draws away from the emphasis of the transitions and is represented in a linear, chronological and logical match, this is known as an eye line match and is used to give the viewer the impression of carrying on the conversation.