target audience results- miss miller

We carried out this research to help us see what would be best to include in our opening scence and what would appeal most for our audience. From questioning 40 people it has come to the conclusion of what people prefer in a thriller and what they do not, this helps me create my opening scence as i know now what to include for it to appeal to a wider audience of people and what bests suits the age range I have chosen my thriller to be for.

We asked a range of people ages 12 to 18 plus how old they are. Most people who we questioned were in the age range of 18 and higher as this is whom our opening scence is going to be created for, so we thought it was best we knew their thoughts on films.

Secondly we asked more males then females, this is because males are sterotypical to prefer watching a thriller film, so typcially they would know what is best to have which would appeal to a wider audience. Although we also asked females as they tend to watch thrillers less we wanted to see what they do and do not like about it, so we could include more into our scnece which would encourage females to watch it too.

Seeing as the majorty of the people we asked were age 18 and above, the prefered age ceritifcate to watch was age 18. Although 14 people liked watched aged 15 and 5 prefered certificate 12, age 18 came out best with 21. This is because the people questioned explained how films of a higher certificate are more endepth and intrige the viewer to watch further and find out more. The people asked who prefered a certificate of 12 and 15 said it was because it was easier to watch and less of a narrative behind it, so they didnt find it confusing.

From our results we found that what people liked to see in a typical thriller was an hidden identity being used. Which has influenced us further to include a hidden identity in our own opening scence as this would appeal to those we have questioned and help create tension and suprise, which is sterotypical to a good thriller, linking onto this i found that they also expected to see a murder or kidnap in a thriller, which i will try to use in my opening scence linking the hidden idenitiy together so it appeals to the audience more.

We found out that most of the 40 people questioned like a sequel to the film, if it was interesting and carried on from the previous film, from this we also found that the audience liked to see a cliff hanger, this would help the director create more money as the audience would go see the sequel. Which is why in my opening scence i am going to end on a cliff hanger, as this would cause the audience to pay more attetion because they want to know whats going to happen.

For our opening sequence we wanted to include sounds as this helps create tension and builds atmosphere making the opening scene more indepth and making the fear factor increase.When we asked the 40 people what they would prefer to hear the majorty said that they like to here tension building sounds such as a ringing or heartbeat as this helps them relate to the victim and makes them more vunreable.

Following on from this from our results we found that most people prefered to see people of a similar age to them and random people being the main focus on screen rather then a celebrity, as this helps them relate more to the film and helps them build a relationship with the character. This helps us as when we make our opening scence we will include people who are of age as the film is setted for so it will be open for a wider audience. This then linked with the question 'what characters do you like to see' we found that most people prefered victims. This may be because the audience will have a more emotional bond with them because they can see the pain their going through, also that it would make a film more intense when more killings are included, as this relates close to the thriller range.

In my opening scence I will set it in a dark location as this is what the majorty of people voted for as this helps create tension and uses the theme of hidden identity well, which also will help relate it to a typical thriller.

Although the majorty of people asked were male and the questionaire was based on thrillers, a range of people said they would prefer to see other sub genres included, such as horror, crime, romcom, sci-fi,gangsta and others. This may be because it will help add a better narrative and appeal to the wider audience, also helping the audience relate to the narrative more as it will include other narratives.

The main purpose most people found they prefered in a film was for it to either scare you or entertain you. Which is why in my own film I want to base it on creating a higher fear factor but also including a story line.

From doing this research i found it helped me alot and influenced me on including a range of factors into my own opening scence, helping me create a higher fear factor and having a wider audience who would enjoy it.

opening scene anaylsis-Miss georgiou

How does the opening sequence of Halloween, inform the audience of the codes and conventions of a thriller film?”

 

 

 

The purpose of an opening sequence to a thriller film is that it builds up tension for the audience, and gives the audience an insite of what the main bases of the film is about. It would give the audience an idea of the narrative by usually showing what has happened, which is where genre is introduced. The opening scence has to be packed filled with things to interest the audience, otherwise they wouldent continue watching, usually mise en scnece is a main point. Followed by creating enigma and introducing the characters.

 

Firstly, in the opening scence of halloween, editing is used when the camera is outside the house. The shot changes quickly from a shot of the upstairs bedroom window, where the girl and boy are, to the bottem of the house. Which then the camera pans around the house, this isfirstly a monatga eeffect which then leads to panning. The montage creates excitment as the fast shots of the house allows the audience to interprete that the person behind the camera is going to go upstairs. Also tension builds when the camera is panned round the lower of the house as the audience wonder weather the person is going to enter the house, this also helps the audience understand the setting. Timing of shots is used when thepace of the film slows down before the death of the sister, this adds emotional impact as the audience are then aware of what is going to happen, but also creates suspense as there is still a chance the sister could make an escape. Lastly continuity editing is used throughout as this gives the impressions that the edits are really whats happerning on screen and makes the film more realistic.

 

Sound is also a big factor which is used when creating the opening scence. We see in halloween that contributing sound is used when the girl is humming and singing while she is doing her hair, this juxtaposes the killer as this shows that the girl is happy and content, where as we see from the killers point of view that he isnt, building tension for the audience. Off screen sound is used when the clock is ticking when the killer enters the house, this creates a countdown to the girls death and creates a fear factor for the audience as the sound of the clock stands out, another source of off screen sound is used when a high pitch noise is used while the camera is outside, and then a lower pitch when the killer enters the house, allowing the audience to think that something bad is going to happen.

 

Conventions are used to help increase the fear factor of the film and to relate it back to a typical thriller. Loud fast music is used while the killer is outside the house and when he enters, this helps the audience relate to the victim and also raise there heart beat as the music is fast so they can feel like the victim is, in a vunerable postion. The film relates to a typical thriller as the theme of obsseion is used when the camera shots are based of the sister, where ever she is in the house. This shows that she will be the main point of the storyline. Also sterotypical to a thriller film there is a blonde victim, this is the little boy outside when the mask is taken off him although the audience are lead to belive he is the killer, he is blonde showing his innocents and vunerablity.

 

Cinematography is used when there is the zooming out of the house once the killing has taken place.The camera zooms out from the little boy and his parents, for the audince to see the characters. Zooming out shows the huse to be small, showing that a vunerable death had taken place and it allows the audience to see which characters were involved. Also the lighting around the house is dim and there is a light on the house, showing that the house is a main point to the scence and showing that it is not good.

 

The narrative of the opening scence allows the audience to understand what the film is going to be about, although in halloween it confuses trhe audience making them unsure who the killer is. The house is in a american suburn location, giving off a flase sence of security as you would believe it is safe but the killing juxaposes this. In the narrative we hear the kill asking where her little brother is, and the killer is seen to be tall a man like while he follows the sister to her deathy, although when outside and the killer is unmasked we see that is a yound boy, sterotypically in a clown suit at halloween showing how young he is. A mask is used to change the killers idenitity, which could link to the killer as it could of been a man once the mask is put on but then a child is framed to be the killer.

 

Lastly the representation of characters allow the audience to interpret what they belived to have happened. We see after the killing and the child is unmasked, the parents are confused to why he is outside holding a knife and wearing the mask, causing the audience to be unaware if he is the actuall killer. We then see the teenagers as being a sterotypical couple as they are oblivous to there surroundings, and the mystery man as we see when the boyfriend is living he looks at the killer, but contiues to leave, leaving the audience to belive it is the little brother as the boyfriend does not hesistate.

 

The target audience to watch halloween would be anyone interseted in a thriller film, as this s a typical thriller because of the types of conventions used. The sequence informs the audience of conventions of a thriller as it has the 5 main things all thrillers need and builds tension throughout, even once the murder has taken place as the audience are still unaware of who the killer is

 

From anaysising Halloween it has allowed me to look further into what i will want to do for my own thriller and if i would like to base it on this. I like the idea of the hidden identity and the audience being unaware if the killer is an man or yound child as this builds tension and causes the audience to be interested further into the film.

research into sound- miss miller

http://www.youtube.com/w
tch?v=J0dWZfhn3es

In thriller clips, sound plays a vital role as this helps create build tension. Sound is used in films on screen and off, this is so vital parts of the scence are more emphised by editing sounds in, creating the scary parts of the film to stand out more, and to enhance the fear factor. For this I am going to anaylse a clip from wrong turn 4.

At the start of the clip until 0:15 seconds in, a rattle like noise gradually gets louder while the paitents are escapping there cells, untill all of them have desending.

From then onwards contrapuntal sound is used. A classical upbeat tune is played which creates a contrast as it allows the audience to see although the clip is meant to be upsetting, and have a have a fear factor, it is juxaposed with happy music to allow the audience to see that the people are mental. The music is played throughout to show that the people involed are mental and help sets the setting as its in a asylum.

In this clip there are also on screen sound used as a variety of screams are heard which come from the doctors of who the mental people have captured although they are drowned out by the music. This causes the audience to see how the mental people are seen as superior to the doctors at that current time, and how there tKing over which allows the audience to interpret what is goi g to happen.

At 1:13 into the clip non-diagetic sound is used when the lady is being eletricuted. The buzzing noise of her being electrocuted had been edited in after to emphasise what was happerning. This helps the audience relate to her, as they would beable to imahine the pain she would be in. While this happens the song in the background is still playing, but is less upbeat so the audience can connect further into what is happerning without getting distracted but the film still keeping the theme.

From analysing this its made me want to edit sounds into my own thriller when I make it, and use contrapuntal sound as I think this intizes the audience in to the film as its a contrast to whats going on, and not a typical thriller. Also editing sounds in enhances the vital parts of the film, and make parts stand out further which is why I would use both of these techniques.

research into the history of thriller films-Miss Georgiou

A thriller Film is a genre that revolves around anticipation and suspense. The aim for Thrillers is to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats. The core of this film is usually a problem for example an escape, a mission, or a mystery.  The tension with the problem is built on throughout the film and leads to a highly stressful climax.

The Third Man-1949

            director-Carol Reed

            

Strangers on a train-1951

              director-Alfred hitchcock

Physco-1960
             director- Alfred hitchock

Silence of the lambs-1991
            director- Robert Ebert

Sinister-2012
            director- Scott Derrickson

Above is a timeline of 5 thriller films over the decade. From looking at 'The third man' which was released in 1949 compared to 'Sinister' released in 2012, we see the drastic changes which have took place to enhance the fear factor in thriller films. 
Firstly the third man is in black and white, which currently is very rare for someone of this time to watch. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=rhRZZZu2Swc

From this clip we see that the film is not in continuous shots, so the audience are able to see the cut shots, and that the film is in a very slow pace, causing not much tension to be built up. Compared to the clip from sinister below, where we see a continous shot, showing how the film links to eachother. Also low key lighting is used, to help create tension, and build suspense, where as the third leg could not do that as it was filmed in black and white.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVIAUS5WuJ4 

Conventions of a thriller-miss miller

The clip i choose was from the film Mama, and was the 'whats under the bed scence'. Within this clip she is confronted with her daughter appearing out of nowhere, and something under the bed. I have analysed this clip to find the conventions involved which make this clip a thriller. Conventions are the elements which reflect a specific group or category.

From the start of the clip a element of suspense is raised, as the women is fidgeting in bed and breathing rather heavily, creating a sense of fear or venerability, as she seems to be nervous. However the audience are unaware of what is wrong because she is laying in bed, like a usual person would at night, which also would cause the audience to think for themselves and wonder what will happen next, as this would create anticipation as she seems to be worried even though she is in a normal setting.

This then leads to another convention, sound. While the lady is laying in bed she is breathing heavily which would build suspense, causing the audience to watch carefully as they are unknown what is wrong and what is about to happen. Then suddenly there is a loud noise, which would usually be associated in a thriller film, usually before someone is killed. As this loud noise is unexpected it would cause the audience to feel surprised, as the little girl appears staring at her mother. There then appears to be a crackling noise, along with the mothers heavy breathing which would cause the audience to be unsure of whats going on as this background noise would cause them to wonder as it was not in the clip before.

Editing is another convention used which helps create suspense, shock and surprise. Throughout the clip the camera is angled in one position based on the women in bed, causing the audience to be able to relate as it is a usual setting for most people. Then a montage shot is used when the little girl appears, as the shot of the women in bed and the girl are quickly juxtaposed together creating excitement and surprise. This is to help the audience understand that something further is about to happen- lead on from the shock they have just received. As we see in the film after the girl appears the mutant under the bed is shown.

Lastly zooming in is used, of the women's face when she is screaming. This creates a relationship between the audience and the lady as they are unknown what she is screaming at because the camera is focused on a close up of her face. Causing the audience to believe what she is seeing his in front of her, where the audience would be sitting. This could create fear and allow the audience to connect with the film as they want to see what has frightened her.

Conventions are used in a film to help relate the film to the type of genre it is looking to be. For example a thriller would display conventions being things such as low lighting which would create shadows creating hidden identities and enigma. Dark colours such as reds and orange as the illuminate the sense of danger, as this would create shock, suspense and surprise. The three elements which all thrillers need.

research into editing styles- Miss Georgiou

saw v - cube trap



  Within this clip we see a variety of different shots of editing. Firstly we see the victim in a vunrable position when his head is trapped in the cube, the montage effect is used here when the shots are juxtaposed together showing the front of the man to side of him, flashing lights are also used and the man moves franticly creating excitement for the audience and adrenaline as they are unaware of what is happening.This relates to a thriller as many films use the montage effect to create excitement for the audience and it makes the pace of the film appear faster, building the adrenaline. Also the audience are unaware of what or will will happen to the man in the film, interesting the audience to watch the film further. 

Secondly timing of shots are used when the water is entering the cube, the speed of the clip slows down while the water is entering the cube where the mans head is, showing that the water is the main focus of the clip and this builds suspense as the the man is in a vunrable position. The clip being slowed down allows the audience to predict what will happen next.

To create emotional impact a linking shot is used when the man is drowning, the camera shows the mans body while he holds a pen. This creates tension and creates an emotional impact as the audience are unknown if he'll die, the linking shots allow the audience to like all the things happening together making them predict what will happen.

Research into age certificates and the bbfc-miss georgiou

The BBFC

The BBFC is an importatant part of the film industry as this is what decides who is allowed to watch the film. The BBFC choose the age range of who can view the film depending on the violence, sexual scences,language and events within the film. Certain ages should not be permitted to view certain scenes due to them being to young to watch, for example they may get ideas or get to frightend during the film, causing them to have a bad after effect,


U 
The U symbol stands for universal, this means the films are suitable for ages four and above.In U films there is usual no bad language, if any it would be minor. No sexual scences and would usual end in a happy ending, as these films are provided for age 4 and above it is hard to know what may upset them, so many films which are certificate U are usually a happy enjoyable film.

PG
PG stands for parental guidance, this means most children can watch them however below around eight years old have to be accompaned by an adult, and it is the adults fault if the child does not enjoy the film, for example get scared because the parent have allowed the child to watch. Usally if any negative scences are shown, for example a killing or drugs being used, the film allows the children to understand it is wrong and we see this because the example it is used in the film.There  are some use of sexual references and horror however they are not seen in the majortey of the film.

12&12A
2A films are for children 12 or over, the A stands for accompanied or advisory this means that the tweleve yhear old is allowed to watch the film is accommpanied by an adult.Films which are classified at this age have mild content in them and may have content which an parent will not feel suitable which a child of younger then tweleve to watch.

15
15 rated films are not permitted to be watched by any child under the age of 15 and an child of 15 are allowed to watch the film themseleves, not accompanied by an adult. There is a drast change from a film of a limit of a 12 and 12A to a 15, this is because there is not much limit on the amount of sexual content, nudity, strong language and violence.

18
18 films are strictly for adults of the age 18 and above, it is stressed that children below this age should not watch 18 rated movies, because many contain very servere danger or nudity or sexual scences, which could strongly effect a child of a younger age.