Wednesday, 28 April 2010

Thriller Evaluation: The Neurotic

Friday, 2 April 2010

Conclusion to research

After constructing two different questionnaires I discovered allot about what the audience expected from a thriller opening, mainstream or independent. I used two different interviewees with two interviews with different questions. The second interview I did was far more successful as I used longer and more detailed questions I also provided examples of a mainstream thriller and an independent thriller so the interviewee could gain a better understanding of what differentiates the two. Also so I could gather the relevant information for developing my personal thriller, and what style would be easier to achieve. I chose to go for an independent styled thriller opening. 

Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs representation of gender in the extract from: East Enders live episode

I am analysing a 4 minuet extract from the east Enders live 25th anniversary episode, unfortunately I cannot find the original YouTube video I watched so I cannot embed the clip 



The extract opens with a three shot featuring two male characters and one female. Note rule of three and character positioning, the female is in the far left of the shot which implies significance however the two male characters are in the centre and the right of the shot, this opening shot is very male dominated as two thirds of the frame are male. The woman is wearing a large white coat which connotes innocence and purity this idea stems from marriage tradition. In the background a row of lights are stringed up along a market stall however because of the camera angle the lights appear to be hovering above the women like a halo, this further emphasises the idea of innocence. The male characters in this scene are wearing dark black suits which imply wealth or a high end job. The dark colours also introduce negativity or darkness to the characters. The voices of the characters have strong east London accents to make the location more obvious. The men’s voices are very deep making them seem very masculine comparatively the woman’s voice is shrill and high pitch. The characters voices are very traditional and are what we would expect from these characters.  The second shot is an over shoulder shot from the women’s point of view this reveals another male character, this mid three shot has the same layout as the opening shot same rule of three with male dominance. The 180 degree rule is used here keeping the women on the left side of the shot making it easy to assess the action within the scene. The shots are joined with quick cuts; this gives the extract high energy and helps the viewer understand the mood of the extract, which I assumed was panicky and exciting. A close up is used to show what we assume the main character, to show fear and anxiety. The lighting non ambient but very simple, a small amount of soft focus light is thrown over the character we are supposed to be focusing on. A low angle long shot then introduces two female characters. The low angle makes these characters appear powerful and important. The dress of these characters is very interesting and helps with depicting and retrieving extra information about these characters. The first character is wearing a smart suit showing she is controlling or powerful, the second character is dressed very much like a femme fatale this gives us the impression that she uses her looks to get what she wants. Both of these women are blonde and wearing a lot of make-up, this shows us they are possibly insecure or uncomfortable with their natural beauty. This is the first female dominated scene which connotes independence. The two characters seem very strong and appear to be able to take care of themselves, without needing a man to care for them. The dialogue in this scene is joint together using sequential over shoulder shots this makes the viewer feel like part of the conversation. A jump cut leads us to a packed traditional pub where a further two characters are introduced.

 A large bald headed man violently grabbing a young girl. The girl appears too young to be buying alcohol in a pub however she is wearing a very revealing top; using her body as a device of persuasion this connotes social and moral issues. The male character grabs the girl and spins her round very roughly majorly inappropriate, the violence shown by this character raises ideas of abuse and raises a very delicate social issue. The pub scene continues to a mid three shot featuring a second female dominated scene following the rule of three. The first character we are drawn to is a red headed woman in a wedding dress, thus keeping with tradition she is wearing white. However her mannerisms are totally opposite of what we would expect from a ‘blushing bride’ as she is being very mouth towards other women in the pub. The mouthy women is associated with alcohol or binge drinking as this is a huge problem in Britain and this theory is demonstrated in the extract. In this short scene a man stands helplessly in between the two women, this generates the idea he isn’t in control and that perhaps he is the insignificant person in the relationship. The background noise is very subtle and hardly audible which draws the viewer’s concentration to the central action. A long shot is then used placed waist height amongst the crowded pub focusing on a female character clearly distraught, this shot makes her appear isolated or trapped amongst the other pub goers, this woman is portrayed to be alone and in dismay. The quick jump cut takes us to a small corner shop where the two blonde characters from the previous scene are arguing. When watching this scene I didn’t notice at first the woman in the background working a lower end job stacking shelves in the shop, this didn’t seem significant however when noticing this I realised that all the women we see working are either bar staff or small low paid jobs. The action is then taken outside but to keep the audience involved in the scene a dual shot and an over shoulder shot is used to keep us close to the action. The lighting is once again non ambient but very subtle and made to look like street lamps, this reinforces the idea of being in London city.
This clip from east Enders cleverly constructs stereotypical representation of gender and also elaborates on more unusual gender ideas. The women in this clip are generally stereotypical representations of women. The biggest clarification of gender representation is in the mise-en-scene, the producers and director have cleverly chosen appropriate costume and lighting to set up the correct mood and tone of characters. The males of this extract all seem to be wealthy and in executive positions however all seem to be troubled to a certain extent for example: the newlywed husband in the pub seems to have a considerable amount of trouble staying in control, or the large man who violently grabs the young girl. The characters portrayal also engages various social and moral issues for example abuse and binge drinking. East Enders has followed basic criteria for characterisation and produced characters so that the audience can relate to them to a certain degree; this is a very wise and safe move in making a popular soap opera. 

New technology: How is digital cinema production affecting film quality?

Digital cinema production is a term used to describe the way a film is produced filmed and eventually displayed on screen. Digital production is basically filming to a new style of media. Digital production is cheap and very easy to use; it cuts out huge amounts of time and makes replication very easy. Digital production also allows a huge amount of new techniques and innovative ideas to be practiced and developed.
Technical convergence is a key point in digital production and development. Technical convergence is the term used to describe two or more initial entities coming together for example a mobile phone which can take photographs. This is a key point in digital production because technical convergence can make a huge amount of tasks possible. The coming together of technical devices such as digital projector can not only play standard films but also 3d films and high definition (HD 1080p). Other devices which have converged to make one better device is the computer, a computer can do the tasks of editing rendering film quality and even help distribute the film online. Technical convergence makes many things possible that weren’t possible with film reel projection, High quality surround sound and there are no reel changes or cigarette burns in the reels. Due to technical convergence the whole experience of going to the cinema has changed. You can now expect a much greater quality of sound and image. Also because the production of the films is cheaper and the replication of the finished film is cheaper, going to see the film itself is cheaper. You are eventually paying less for a much higher quality film.
The digital cinema development is helping cinemas all over the UK to exhibit films in higher quality and for less money. Warp, picture house and Vue. The biggest effected cinema in my local area is cinema city owned by picture house, this is because digital cinema productions are cheaper and easier to play, this means that the smaller independent cinemas such as cinema city can acquire more films from different genres and styles and play them much more frequently meaning they can appeal to a wider audience and in the long run make a higher profit. With the lowering costs of film production cinemas can acquire films for cheaper meaning they can buy more of a varied selection, this means they can in turn appeal to a wider audience. Vue cinema is a mainstream cinema however is still benefiting from the advancing digital world being able to release two types of the same film a standard version and a 3D version. Bringing in more custom and giving people even more of a choice. The way to get a bigger audience is to be flexible. The bigger the time scale and the larger the variety of films the more people will have the chance to see the film they want when they want to see it. Technical convergence and the advancing digital production scheme are making this possible to give cinemas the power to fit around the customer.
Digital production means that the internet is very closely linked to the film’s production. This gives film distributers the power to advertise on a massive scale; almost every home in the UK has a computer connected to the internet. And a vast majority of the public are connected to the internet via social networking sites such as face book or twitter. This gives film distributers and advertisers a huge chance to sell their films to the public and get their film seen by a huge audience and entice a vast amount of the public. The internet also provides other possibilities such as renting or selling DVD’s and films. Vue are linked with an online rental shop which has proved very successful to their yearly revenue.
However technical convergence has its disadvantages, eventually there will only be one device to film edit and project a film however that is in a very distant future and the technology convergence is nowhere near that good yet. But it will slowly mean some technology companies will shut down due to them not being needed to produce any more equipment. Also due to the fact that the digital projector is a relatively new idea there are undoubtedly problems with the projecting equipment and in cases audiences’ cinema experience has been ruined due to technical problems with the equipment and the connections between devices. Also some people like the authenticity of film reels and it keeps it more of an even than just going to see a bigger screen. Also now that everything is converting to digital, it means that people can illegally download and upload it to the internet so more people can download it this is a majorly bad point as a large amount of money is lost due to pirate downloads. And illegal file sharing. With film reels this was a much harder process but as long as you have the internet you can acquire any digital media from films to computer programmes.
I personally feel that the digital switch over is a good idea as long as certain aspects are controlled such as illegal file sharing. The overall process will benefit the public as they will have cheaper and much better quality cinemas and also a much more varied selection of what and when the audience can view it. The digital production process needs a lot of improvement to be fully successful however there is a huge area for innovative ideas to improve and advance the digital production method. 

Tuesday, 30 March 2010

Thrillers that influenced our thriller

Se7en



The thriller Se7en influenced our thriller a great deal through the opening scene alone. Se7en has a very eerie opening and uses clever editing and shot types to create this effect. We used the technique of short close ups linked together very quickly to keep an energetic and exciting feel maintained through the title sequence. The titles of this thriller are also very successful, as they are slightly animated and seem to vibrate, there are no black screens either the titles are super imposed over the top of the action to ensure that the opening isn’t to boring or lacking interest. By using the short shots of various items and movements of the characters, enigma is implied about the characters featured and gets the audience to keep guessing as to whom the mysterious character is and his connection with the story. The high contrast editing styles also bring high detail to the shots and create an even more sinister feel. Se7en has a soundtrack placed over the action this provides a mood enhancer and develops the dark and eerie feel. However we didn’t use a soundtrack we used a voice over this links to the thriller opening from the film Layer Cake.



Layer cake


Layer cake uses a voice over to tell the background of drugs. Drugs being the main theme of this film. We took the idea of a voice over and adapted it to fit our thriller opening scene. The voice over is a useful method of describing the plot background of the characters or in our case describe the action loosely. The voice over is a very difficult method as the voice has to be correct to match the character and tone of the thriller. In our case the voice over wasn’t planned particularly well and the voice wasn’t of the right tone to the action therefore making it less effective. On the other hand the voice over we decided to use wasn’t the generic mainstream style an audience would have expected thus making it independent and making the opening more effective in a sense, so long as the audience is expecting an independent style thriller.



L’homme Du Train


L’homme Du Train is a French thriller which heavily features trains, as obvious as this seems. This particular thriller is particularly useful as our opening scene uses trains as a form of escape. L’homme Du Train also has a very intelligent subtle way of defining characters. We choose to use this film opening and took ideas from it simple because it established the main character very early on very effectively. By using extreme close ups of items the character had for example a small box of medial pills. We could use the same technique to develop our characters. We used extreme close ups of items both of our characters had either on their person or in their vicinity. The girl on the train had a glossy magazine telling the audience she is in touch with the social life and very much like any other teenage girl e.g. she is just an average teenage girl, this means that the general young female population can relate to this girl and become closer to the action.



Strangers on a Train


Strangers on a train is a dated thriller in black and white. We chose to use several aspects of this thriller to enhance our own. The black and white style inspired us to use a monochrome tone in certain aspects to add a sinister effect to certain shots and sequences. Strangers on a Train also uses a very effect low angle close up of two characters walking, we took this idea and used it to show two characters walking in different locations but the feet appear to be walking towards one another to give the impression they are being drawn together. The footwear in strangers on a train is also a significant factor in characterisation and tells the audience a lot about the characters wealth and style. In our thriller we used very cheap and common shoes in the youthful population. This tells the audience the characters are young it is also an indication to the target market and who the thriller is aimed at. The low angle close ups of feet are very effective and give out a lot of implications toward meanings and characters

Tuesday, 23 March 2010

Mainstream and independent interview

D ROAD







DISTRICT 9




Audience research: Main stream or independent interview



Which Film would you prefer to view at the cinema?

I would rather see district 9.



Why would you rather see district 9?

I would rather see district 9 because the animations look really good and the story line looks allot more interesting.



What doesn’t appeal to you about red road?

It looks to boring and slow paced, I don’t really like the way its shot.



What doesn’t appeal to you about the camera work?

It just seems to grey and dull, and I would prefer to see a fast paced action film.



Why would you rather see an exciting film?

When I go to the cinema I want to see an exciting film which is highly entertaining because I want to escape reality for 2 hours, Red road seems to realistic which I find boring.



What would you fundamentally expect from an independent film?

Unknown actors, more controversial and in depth story lines, usually the have less or no computer generated images.



What would you fundamentally expect from a mainstream film?

Well known and highly regarded actors. Highly developed computer generated images.



Why do you think that mainstream films are so popular?

I think that they are popular because they don’t do anything unexpected they are a very safe film choice and the audience knows what to expect.



Do you think independent films are successful?

They can be however it all depends on the story and camera skills because some films tend to use unusual camera work which reduces a films success.



Could you tell the difference between the two film trailers?

Yes I found it easy to tell the difference between the two simple by looking at everything in the picture (or mise en scene) an independent film wouldn’t have high quality C.G.I or interesting abroad locations because these two factors are very expensive.



Why do you think there is such a difference between the quality of editing and camera work and shots?

Well the main difference is down to funding and how much money is pumped into the production of the film a film with a higher budget can afford to use expensive computers and use foreign locations. Also the actual production company will help a films quality due to having a large reputation and drawing in the best actors and production crew.



What do you think is the biggest aspect that affects each film’s quality?

I would say the money that is put into the films is the largest factor that affects all aspects of the films. Budgeting is a big deal in the film industry and a lack of money can severely restrict what can be done in a film. District 9 clearly had a huge amount of funding as high quality effects and C.G.I is used to produce unimaginable scenes.



How do you think an independent film would achieve its budgeting goals?

Erm I would presume they would ask companies for funding or use their own money to invest in the films; however I’m not really sure.



How do you think mainstream films acquire their funding?

Well when I watch mainstream films a large amount of titles from various companies come up at the beginning of this type of film so I presume that large production companies such as 20th century fox fund the films. Or other companies such as Sony allow companies to use their equipment a lower fee.

Interviewee: Joseph Robson

Picture house Vs. Vue screenings

Picture House


The Scouting Book for Boys
‎ - 1hr 33min‎‎ - Rated 15‎‎ - Drama/Suspense/Thriller‎‎ - English‎ - IMDb
11:00 13:30 15:40 18:00 20:20

Shutter Island
‎ - 2hr 18min‎‎ - Rated 15‎‎ - Drama/Suspense/Thriller‎‎ - English‎ - IMDb
14:20 17:20 20:20

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Man som hatar kvinnor)
‎ - 2hr 32min‎‎ - Rated 18‎‎ - Suspense/Thriller‎‎ - Swedish‎ - Trailer - IMDb
13:00 16:15 19:30

Morris: A Life with Bells On
‎ - 1hr 41min‎‎ - Rated 12A‎‎ - Comedy‎‎ - English‎ - IMDb
12:00



Four films are being exhibited at cinema city Norwich however each film is only being screened a few times a day. The scouting book for boys is being screened five times in one day on a wide variety of times. Shutter Island is only being exhibited 3 times through various times of the day. The more varied the screening times the more popular the film will be as more people will be able to fit that cinema around their lifestyles. There are four films being shown with twelve combined screenings. Three of the four films are British the remaining film is Swedish. From the screening times I can tell that shutter island is the most popular film as it is shown the most frequently.



Vue

Alice in Wonderland in Disney Digital 3D
‎ - 1hr 49min‎‎ - Rated PG‎‎ - Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Family‎‎ - English‎ - IMDb
11:40 14:10 16:50 19:20 21:50

Green Zone
‎ - 1hr 55min‎‎ - Rated 15‎‎ - Drama/War‎‎ - English‎ - Trailer - IMDb
11:10 13:40 16:15 18:50 21:15

I Love You Phillip Morris
‎ - 1hr 40min‎‎ - Rated 15‎‎ - Comedy/Drama‎‎ - English‎ - IMDb
10:40 12:50 15:10 17:20 19:40

Alice in Wonderland
‎ - 1hr 49min‎‎ - Rated PG‎‎ - Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Family‎‎ - English‎ - Trailer - IMDb
12:20 15:00 17:30 19:50

Shutter Island
‎ - 2hr 18min‎‎ - Rated 15‎‎ - Drama/Suspense/Thriller‎‎ - English‎ - IMDb
13:00 15:50 19:10 22:20

The Bounty Hunter
‎ - 1hr 46min‎‎ - Rated 12A‎‎ - Action/Adventure/Comedy/Romance‎‎ - English‎ - Trailer - IMDb
14:40 17:05 19:30 22:00

Old Dogs
‎1hr 28min‎‎ - Rated PG‎‎ - Comedy‎‎ - English‎ - Trailer - IMDb
14:50 19:00 21:20

The Spy Next Door
‎ - 1hr 32min‎‎ - Rated PG‎‎ - Action/Adventure/Comedy‎‎ - English‎ - IMDb
12:15 14:30 16:40

Hachi: A Dog's Tale‎1hr 33min‎‎ - Rated U‎‎ - Drama‎‎ - English‎ - IMDb
12:30 16:55

Leap Year
‎ - 1hr 37min‎‎ - Rated PG‎‎ - Comedy/Romance‎‎ - English‎ - Trailer - IMDb
18:40 21:00

Sherlock Holmes
‎2hr 14min‎‎ - Rated 12A‎‎ - Action/Adventure/Drama‎‎ - English‎ - Trailer - IMDb
11:00

The Crazies
‎ - 1hr 41min‎‎ - Rated 15‎‎ - Action/Adventure/Drama/Horror‎‎ - English‎ - Trailer - IMDb
22:15

The Lovely Bones
‎ - 2hr 15min‎‎ - Rated 12A‎‎ - Drama/Horror/Suspense/Thriller‎‎ - English‎ - IMDb
22:10



Vue is exhibiting 13 films in total. Alice in wonderland 3D is screened 5 times on one day on an open time scale. However the crazies is only shown once very late at night (due to the genre). 40 combined screenings are shown of the 13 exhibited films. 11 of the 13 films are Hollywood produced mainstream films when only 2 are British films. Vue shows a huge amount of different films and also screens them at a massive scale this draws in a large amount of the public as they have a wide variety of films a flexible time scale.