Final Post

After around 6 months I have finally reached the end of project of my coursework for the OCR AS Media Studies course. From my initial research to the evaluation I have really enjoyed the whole project and am extremely satisfied with the end result of my main artefact. As explained more thoroughly in Question 7 I have learnt lots from the entirety of this project, especially about the use of editing software which I had not used at all before.

I put all my different edits on YouTube to show to my target audience and also my teacher for constant feedback and thus far I have received over 160 views in total across all edits, which I am very surprised and pleased about. I hope I have inspired other people to attempt at making their own!

Whilst doing my evaluation question 5, I decided to make a quick sample of what I would imagine the DVD cover to be for my film, basing it around the graphics I made for the titles at the start of my opening sequence. After playing around with photoshop for a little while I managed to come up with a simple design that I was very proud of, especially since I do not have any knowledge of graphic design at all. I decided to keep the design simple, and used a screen shot from one of the many different angles of Daisy walking round the tree to make the silhouette of her, as obviously I did not have any time to do a proper photoshoot with the actress who played Daisy. I then took a screenshot of the graphic 'Hostage' and put it altogether. The main point of making it was to show how the use of that graphic really stands out and could be transferable into many different means of marketing and establish an easily recognisable brand. I also included the '15' certificate, for reasons which I explained in my evaluation question 4.

My blog is in the style of a conventional blog so the latest posts are the most recent, to get the the start of my portfolio simple click 'older posts' at the bottom of the page until you reach my first post entitled 'Introduction'. I feel rather sad finishing this portfolio, but I look forward to doing others in the near future, using my new found skills and hopefully developing and building on them too!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and watch my artefacts!

Love Sophie xxx

Final Preliminary Task

Once again I have submitted this on DVD, but in case of any problems viewing it this is a backup version that is probably not as good quality but still perfectly fine to watch!

Enjoy!

Final Product - Hostage

Here is my final product. For purposes of marking I have handed in a copy on DVD which of course is much better quality than the version on YouTube which I am posting on here. But if there are any problems with the DVDs this of course is another means of watching it.

I hope you enjoy it, I'm certainly very pleased with my finished opening sequence!

 

Evaluation - Question Seven

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

I think that I have made significant progress from producing my preliminary task to my main artefact. Firstly, in use of the camera. For my preliminary task, my camera shots and technique was very basic; using simply a tripod and pressing the record button. In my main artefact I was much more adventurous when filming. I experimented with canted shots, close-up shots, and used a harness that you can attach the camera to, to get some unusual shots of the victim. In addition to this, when editing my preliminary task I found that my clips were very short as I started recording and stopped recording where I wanted the edit. When filming my main task I kept the camera rolling for longer so the editing process was a lot easier, and I had more time to work with. I also made sure that I had several takes for each shot, for my main task. In my preliminary, I only took a couple and in some cases there were problems that I had not noticed at time of filming.

From my preliminary task to my main task, I updated the editing software that I was using. Originally, I started with Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 7.0. I found this software relatively easy to use but it was rather unreliable and kept crashing losing my work on a couple of occasion. When I upgraded my software to Sony Movie Studio Platinum 12.0 I did not have this problem and found that I had a lot more resources in terms of transitions and effects to use. When I first started editing, everything I did was done to long way, by the time I did my main task I learnt all of the short cuts to make my editing a lot easier and quicker. In my preliminary task I did not use any transitions of effects, just simple cuts. However, to add style to my main film and make it look more professional I added in cross fades, for the titles and also used a filter on most of the scene filmed in the woods to make it more dull and sinister.


There was no music used on my preliminary task, which made the whole thing appear rather boring. For my main piece, I carefully chose a piece of music that would definitely not make my sequence appear boring. The music I chose was from a copyright free thriller music CD. It gradually built up the tension to a climax where the music change pitch and speed which was perfect for my film.

Watching my preliminary task after I thought I had finished the edit, I noticed that there were a lot of issues with inconsistency of sound and also disruptions in the background. In hindsight, my organisation for the task was not very good. I chose to shoot my preliminary task at my sister's flat at university and I did not take into account the fact that the location would be in use by other people at the same time as I was filming. The filming also coincided with a football match so all of the boys living in the flat were watching that, resulting in a lot of background noise during the filming. To make sure I did not encounter too much unwanted sound I chose my primary location for my main task very carefully. I used a woods that is not very busy and made sure that I did not film when there were likely to be a lot of people about. I also made sure I did research into the weather to make sure it was not too sunny and was not raining. In addition to this, I researched heavily the opening sequences of thriller films; this gave me a key idea of all the codes and conventions that I should use in my own thriller.

I planned my main task a lot more thoroughly, making sure that the shots that I used would provide a sense of continuity when I edited them together. The location of my preliminary task was rather dull, so I made sure that I used locations that were a lot more exciting and interesting to look at. I also did not plan any costumes for my preliminary task so it was not obvious whether the characters were innocent and in danger or were the villain of the story. Moreover, none of the camera shots gave an indication of the role that the two would play in the film. To rectify both these mistakes in my main task, I carefully chose the costumes: placing my victim in white, portraying innocence and making my villain wear black to show danger and mystery. In terms of the camera angles, I made sure that I included a variety of shots that could suggest the role that the character plays in my film.

Evaluation - Question Six

What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Evaluation - Question Five

How did you attract/address your audience?

I attracted and addressed my audience of teenagers and young adults using several codes and conventions. Each one was used in a particular way to attract my target audience, and keep them interested in watching the remainder of the film, so it continue after the opening sequence.

Conventions:

Character: Firstly, I used a teenage girl as my main stock character. Heather is the exact age that my target audience would be so this means that the audience can identify with her easily and can relate to the story well. The other characters I used were two men, that look like someone you could pass in the street. I think this adds to the idea that anyone could be taken and anyone could take you, once again making it easier to relate for the audience. 

 


Costume: I chose Heather's costume very carefully. Firstly, I chose contemporary clothes, that would be worn by my target audience, once again allowing them to relate to her. The colour of her top is also significant in that, the white depicts her innocence, making the audience feel pity towards her and wanting to carry on watching the film to find out her fate.

Props: The props (a book, headphones, nail varnish etc) that Heather tips out of her bag also help my audience relate to the film. These everyday items, show the normality and innocence of her, and that she is not a super spy from America, that they would not be able to relate too. In addition to the victim's props, the props used for the abductor also help to attract and address audience in that alcoholism is fairly well recognised in society and there is a suggestion that the abductor is a drunk. Some of the audience may be able to relate to this character as it is possible that they know someone or can imagine someone being in that state.

Setting: The setting also helps to attract and address my audience. By using a mysterious setting of a woods the audience is captivated by what could be round the corner for the victim. The woods is very secluded which also builds tension and a sense of mystery since, there appears to be no-one around to help the victim out and no other witnesses accept the abductor and the audience to the chase. The use of the bedroom, shows how this unusual event is occurring in everyday life circumstances. When you imagine it happening to you or someone you know it seems surreal, but seeing it played out on the screen in front of you, makes it hit home and makes you more interested in the film.

Stock Characters: When an audience watches a film with a specified genre they expect to see certain characters. If I had chosen to just simply have to school children and their parents, but none of the were a victim or a villain then my target audience would not be attracted. It would not interest them to watch a thriller film that had none of the characters they were expecting to see. Therefore, in my product, I have included a victim (of the same age as my target audience, with whom they can identify to. A villain  who at first not much about him is given away, inviting

the audience to stay and watch the end of the film to find out who he is. Finally, I used a professional news presenter. When a tragedy occurs, the first thing most people think to do it to watch the news, by using a real news presenter the authenticity of my product is heightened, enticing the audience through status and also through the stock character which he plays.

Stock Events: The reasons for using stock events to attract my audience are very similar to those of using stock characters. By using a chase, a news report and a hostage situation, the audience is provided with material that follows their expectations when they watch a thriller film.

Codes:

This is a quick version of how I would envisage the front cover of
the DVD, using the original graphics from the title sequence.

Graphics: I chose the title 'Hostage' specifically to attract my audience. I found through my research that titles appear to be short and catchy like 'Se7en', which immediately intrigues the audience as to what the film is about. 'Hostage' presents the same mystery that makes the audience once to get involved. I feel if I had chosen a long title, it would not capture the audience's attention as well, and most would not bother to read it. I used the colour red for the title, which has the obvious connotations of danger. The red on the black stands out and once again, the black adds to the sense of danger and mystery. These will appeal to my target audience as young people are particularly inquisitive and like the rush of adrenaline you get from films about danger and mystery. I also made the credits move about on the screen. The erratic nature of the them once again makes it appear more dramatic and appropriate for the genre. I chose a particular unusual, 'thriller' style font, to make the title really stand out and portray the thriller genre. This means if a front cover for the DVD was to be made, the title would clearly stand out in red, on the front attracting attention from potential viewers. I used the same jittery movements for the other graphics in my title sequence once again to establish drama and tension right from the start.

Sound: The style of the graphics of my opening sequence really contrasts the sound of the birds tweeting that I have placed with it. I have done this once again because it will intrigue and grip the audience. The innocence of the birds placed with the blood red and the tension filled 'boom' suggests a psychotic side to the film, that will make the audience want to find out the conclusion of the film and if there is any meaning behind the bird noises.

Music: The music I used is very dramatic. It slowly builds up the tension to a climax, making the audience feel anticipation, and tension throughout the sequence. Young people love adrenaline, so this music will really appeal to them as it winds them up and captures there attention, whilst carrying them through the chase.

Example of one of the fades.

Editing: The editing of the sequence coincides very much with the music I have used. I know that, my target audience do not like long complicated scenes and shots. To avoid them losing interest, the pace of the editing is very fast and works with the rhythm of the music. Short shots keep the audience engaged and on the edge of their seat not giving them too much time to notice everything in the shot. The fades at the beginning completely contrast the quick short abrupt cuts of the main sequence. This attracts the audience as the sudden contrast between the two parts captures their attention. The slower editing at the end works with the dull lighting, so because it is so difficult to see the shots give the audience time to try and take in the scenes and gather information about the abductor, once again intriguing them and making them want to find out more about him.

POV: The POV shots used in the chase sequence once again entice the audience because it

makes them feel as if they are chasing the victim. By involving them more, they are more likely to be attracted and want to stay and finished the film.

Cinematography: The different ranges and angles used also add to attract the audience and keeping them interested. In conjunction, with the audience not liking long shots, they also do not like shots that look to be the same. To ensure this did not happen I made sure that I used a range of different shots and angles. 

Through all of these codes and conventions, the audience is presented with a film that follows the expectations of the drama providing them with the tension, mystery and drama that they want too see and also using subtle feature such as sound and editing to really engage all their senses in the film.

Evaluation - Question Four

Who would be the audience for your media product?

Rough script:
My target audience for my thriller opening sequence is people aged 15-20 years old. However, when getting feedback on my first and second edits I found that people in the range of 35-50 years old also enjoyed watching it. This indicates that there is potential to expand my target audience, if the film was to be made in full. 64% of the respondents to my questionnaire were aged 17-20, this suggests that they would be the most interested in watching a thriller movie. It is also significant because I took those views and ideas into account when planning and making my product so it is likely to be more geared towards what people in that age range would want to see.

Moreover, my main character is a 16 year old girl. This is an aspect that would attract my desired target audience as they would be able to relate to her better and would be more interested in watching a film about a girl of their age than perhaps an older person would be. The story also links into my target audience in that, it is something that would interest them. Teenagers are always interested in drama, action and mystery and my thriller provides them with this. It is very unlikely that they would be interested in a highly political film, which would be likely to attract an older audience. So the adrenaline produced my thrillers is often the biggest attraction for young audiences who like to be scared and like to be kept on their toes wondering what will happen next and whether the 'hostage' will survive or what will be made of her.  

I imagine the BBFC would rate the film 15, due to the moderate levels of violence, but not overly strong. In addition, later scenes in the film would be likely to include moderate to strong levels of  bad language once again placing it in the category of a 15 rated film. 

Taken from the BBFC official guidelines. 

Evaluation - Question Three

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?


I think my media product has the potential to be distributed by a range of different media institutions. All of the films that I researched where produced by American companies and the British film industry is not known for producing thriller films of high quality. Therefore if it was to be distributed on a large scale, it would be more appropriate for it to be distributed by an American company as they would be able to attract the correct target audience with an expectation for it to be good quality. New Line Cinema distributed 'Se7en' amongst around 500 other films, making it a perfect distributor for my film, due to having vast amounts of experience in the thriller genre. 

As a low budget film I also think it would be appropriate for a small independent company to distribute it in a smaller area, as without the added benefit of well-known actors it could be difficult to get it widely recognised. However, as it includes Stewart White who is know across the whole of East Anglia, it could be successful if it was to be distributed by a small regional company.

In addition to this, there is a lot of focus on new technologies and the rise of the influence of social networking. In the past few years we have seen the rise of 'YouTube Stars' such as Alex

Day, Charlie McDonnell and Carrie Fletcher. These people are among a rising number of people who are currently making a living by making short videos or 'vlogs' for YouTube. Due to this I think that, YouTube would be a great place for my product to be distributed on a large scale all over the world.

Evaluation - Question Two

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My media product particularly represents the social group of teenagers and in particular teenage girls. In addition to this, the newsreader Stewart White represents the social group of the vast majority and law abiding citizens of society. The abductor in my media product, completely contrasts this character representing the minority group in society of people on the edge of society who would be viewed as abnormal and criminal. The code of camera angles and more significantly conventions that I used have helped to represent each group.

Conventions:

Stock Characters:
I chose my friend Heather to play the part of Daisy. It is commonly thought that women are the weaker sex. Teenage girls specifically, are depicted as vulnerable and innocent, and this is how I have represented her in my thriller. Another reason that I have used a teenage girl as my main focus, is that she is the same age as my target audience. By doing this, it is easier for my target audience to relate to the film and the situation as if it could happen to them. Therefore the storyline and the characters used represents the social group of my target audience.
The abductor was a white male. The empty beer and wine bottles show the mature nature of the  man, whilst also suggesting an erratic and uncontrolled side. Antagonists are often white males, also seen in 'Se7en' so by using the actor this particular social group is represented in my film too. 
Stewart White representing the social group of law abiding adults completely contrasts the abductor. His daily, shows the authority and normality opposed to the erratic nature of the contrasting character. 

Costume:
To enhance the character, I got Heather to wear a white top and have her blond hair down, in thrillers the victims will often wear white as it portrays innocence clearly without any confusion. Her clothing is also contemporary and typical of a teenage girl, tying with represent their typical social group.  
The news reader, is clean shaven and wearing an up market pristine suit. This costume completely contrasts the unshaven, black hoodie, of the abductor. Once again representing two social groups that are on completely different ends of the scale. 

Props:
The props in Daisy's bag, represent a typical teenage girl and her innocence; once again following the idea that an abduction could happen to anyone. As mentioned before the empty beer and wine bottles point the audience towards the idea that the abductor is at the lower end of society. 

Code:

Camera Angles:
A wide range of shots used on Daisy are again high angle shots, once again working with all the other elements to portray the innocence of the social group of teenage girls. 

Evaluation - Question One

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

In my planning I analysed three thriller films in depth. Firstly, 'Se7en', directed by David Fincher and released in 1995. Secondly, 'Cloverfield' directed by Matt Reeves in 2008 and finally 'Shutter Island' which was directed by Martin Scorsese in 2010. In addition I also analysed small clip from the TV series 'Lost' which contained a typical thriller movie scene that was directly related to my own main artefact. 

Throughout the opening sequence of these films I noticed many different codes and conventions that were typical of a thriller move. Here is a list of them all an example for each from the four films that show how the conventions are used in real media products:

Conventions of Real Media Thrillers:

Props: The props used in the opening sequence of 'Se7en' play a key role in portraying the characters. Right at the very beginning we see a close-up shot of Somerset picking up his daily items. These items are laid out very specifically and we can digest that he is a very organised, precise man that likes things done properly and seen through to the end. One ideology of this film is that with age comes wisdom, therefore Somerset's specific ways of doing things, seen in the order of his props, are the most efficient and safest way of doing them. We can also assume what his job is as he picks up a gun, which is a very specific prop for a thriller film as it is unusual it would be featured in a comedy for example. In relation to Propp's narrative theory, these props help to define Somerset as the likely hero of the film.  

Costume: Somerset and Mills’ costumes are important in portraying their character as well as demonstrating the thriller genre. They both wear very smart clothes with a trench coat so we instantly know their profession, just like we could with the props that were paired with Somerset. Although we don’t see John Doe, later in the film the contrast between the costumes, of the heroes and villain, is very prominent. The colours of their costumes are important too. Mills and Somerset's suits are dark dull colours which contrast greatly with the bright orange of John Doe's costume that appears later in the film. This suggests that he is the one that creates all the drama as orange is a bright, bold, exciting colour which implies that he is the character who holds the authority and who will be centre of the ideas proposed. The dull colours of Somerset and Mills costume also represent mystery and danger, as it does not give too much away but also creates that dark eerie sense of danger associated with men in suits. 

Setting: Thrillers usually take place in isolated, run-down places. Shutter Island is consequently the perfect setting. When the detectives are approaching the island we see that it is completely alone  (once again shown by the establishing shot) with no surrounding islands and it is also thick with trees creating the perfect setting for the stock events of a thriller, like getting lost in the woods, being isolated and alone and getting confused as to where you are. 

Stock Characters: In all thriller films and any films according to Propp there are universal or stock characters that you would expect to see. Propp devised a narrative theory deeming that in every film there would be these characters:
The Hero – a character that seeks something
The Villain – who opposes or actively blocks the hero’s quest
The Donor – who provides an object potentially with magical properties
The Dispatcher – who sends the hero on his/her quest via a message
The False Hero – who disrupts the hero’s success by making false claims
The Helper – who aids the hero
The Princess – acts as the reward for the hero and the object of the villain’s plots
Her Father – who acts to reward the hero for his effort
The stock characters in Se7en follow pretty much Propp's theory. John Doe is the criminal/villain and mass murderer. There is more than one victim as Doe kills six people, the seventh being himself. Although, we do not actually see John Doe in the opening sequence or know his 'name' and see his crimes so we know of his existence. In addition Mills and Somerset play the parts of the detectives or people that are going to solve the crime so the audience would expect them to be the heroes. At the end of the film we actually find out that Mills is the false hero as he ends up succumbing to John Doe's plan by killing him.

Stock Events: From my research I found that it is rare to see many if any stock events in the opening sequence of a thriller film. Most start with setting the scene before any action takes place. However, some do go straight into the action before setting the scene, which I find is quite effective as it engages the audience straight from the beginning. 'Cloverfield' and 'Shutter Island' both do not present a stock event in their opening sequences, but the first murder in 'Se7en' can be seen just a few minutes into the film. Murders are very typical events to find in a thriller. They create mystery, tension and fear amongst the audience  once again making them feel on edge in addition to a sense of adrenaline. Todorov devised a narrative theory about the structure of the film which can be seen in all three of these films. The reason for a lack of action at the start of the film is explained by this as he suggests they begin with an equilibrium. This equilibrium is then broken in some way (the first murder in the case of 'Se7en') then by the end the equilibrium is restored but it is different to the first. Enigma codes are very common in horror and thriller films and this can be seen in particularly the opening sequence of 'Se7en' in the first murder. The murder brings about many questions for the audience such as 'who did this?' 'why did they do something so violent' 'why did they choose this victim'. This instant disruption to the equilibrium creates the suspense which draws in the audience making them question the film, and enticing them to stay to find out the answers which would be revealed later in the film. 

Narrative Theory: Todorov's theory about equilibrium can be applied to the start 'Cloverfield'. At the beginning, everything is as normal, there is an equilibrium, a status quo in the lives of the characters. To carry on with this theory the film must next break the status quo, have people plan to fix it, contain the 'fixing' and then finish with a similar but equal equilibrium. From the brief summary of the film it is evident that at least the next stage will occur and looks to follow this theory to the end. the development of Propp's narrative theory can be seen at the start of Shutter Island. So far the audience have been introduced to Daniels who will play the hero. Aule looks as if he will play the helper, and we know that there is a woman that has escaped who will be the villain. We don't have much more insight into any other of the main character types but it seems as if either the Deputy Warden or the Doctor they speak about could be the father figure. We are yet to find out who the donor, messenger and heroine will be, but so far it supports his theory. Levi-Strauss' theory of conflict and good vs. evil can be seen towards the end of the opening sequence of 'Cloverfield' as the disaster/monster strikes against the city. Here the city is the 'good' against this monster who is the 'bad'. In 'Se7en' Somerset and Mills are 'good' and Doe is the 'bad'. In all films there is some example of good vs. bad even if the line is blurred as conflict between two groups is presented. 

Codes of Real Media Thrillers:

Camera Range:  A series of close-ups are used on Teddy in 'Shutter Island' as he convinces himself not to be affected by the water. First we see the side of this face looking out the window then we see his hands getting water from the tap and finally his face. This all depicts his nervous mood and his expressions of his face in great detail giving us an idea of how he is feeling presenting the disjointed feel that the director is attempting to convey. The 'Male Gaze Theory of Representation' can be used as Teddy is presented using relatively close shots of just his face where the emotion and masculinity can be seen. If there were any women in this opening sequence according to the theory their whole body would be shown explicitly to show their femininity perhaps in a provocative way. With Teddy nothing like this is used as the range is close to his face purely showing his aggressive, masculine behaviour. 

Camera Angle: The personality and characteristics of Somerset and Mills in 'Se7en' is defined by the camera angles used on them. When we first see Somerset and Mills in the same shot a low camera angle is used. This portrays them both as the strong characters, not weak which would have been implied by using a high camera angle. Throughout the opening sequence

Somerset and Mills are almost always presented using a low camera angle so the idea of them being strong and respectable is carried on throughout this typical thriller opening sequence. Once again this plays in the hands of Propp's narrative theory, helping to define them as the heroes of the film.

Composition: Usually Daniels in 'Shutter Island' is placed in the centre of the shot. When the three men are walking up to one of the hospital buildings he takes up the centre place indicating that he is the main character of the film and that he is also trustworthy and perhaps the hero of the story. Right at the beginning of the film we view him from the view of the mirror as he is looking into it. Once again he in the middle of the shot indicating his role of the hero (again according to Propp's theory of characters) in this thriller film.

Editing: The editing of the opening sequence is very simple and amateur like  It uses straight cuts as it replicates the nature of watching back a home-made video, where you have recorded something, stopped recorded and then started recording something else. The director does this to create the sense of the naivety of the characters as they harmlessly record the party not knowing what is about to happen. 

POV: All of the pictures used in the first couple of minutes of 'Se7en' are taken from the point of view of the criminal. It is usual that these pictures will be of obscure angles that represent the corruption and insanity of Doe's mind. As the audience is seeing things from his POV it helps the make them feel uncomfortable and as though they are in the film and that they are the insane man planing the murders of 7 'innocent' people. The director has done this to make them feel consumed in the film, living through the fear and the tension that is created by these primary images. 

Music: The only music used in the opening of 'Cloverfield' is at the party, creating the party atmosphere and making it seem like a realistic event, giving the audience the impression that this could happen to any party. The music is very quiet but you can pick it out in the background, and doesn't drown out the dialogue that is taking place, just adding to the atmosphere of the scene. 

Sound: As Daniels is walking up to enter the hospital building in 'Shutter Island' he notices a lady patient doing some gardening. As he focusses on her the voice of the marshal drowns out and becomes muffled as all his attention turns to this one lady. The bird and wind can still be heard but everything else is drowned out and a disconcerting ringing sound is apparent, perhaps reflecting the mental state of the woman. This sound creates an unusual effect for the audience, making them feel uneasy and nervous, exactly the type of feeling that the director would want to be created. 

Graphics: The main titles of 'Se7en' are very typical of the thriller genre in a number of ways. First and foremost writing of the credits uses a font that is scrawny and not the neatest of fonts. The writing jitters about which could mirror the corruption of John Doe’s mind and show how he

jumps from one idea for a murder to another. As well as showing corruption it could imply the repetition and obsessive qualities of his actions. When the writing in the book is duplicated this could replicate how obsessive and repetitive he is with his research or his findings and how he writes everything down that he does, in the same writing so everything looks the same.

Lighting: The lighting throughout the opening of 'Cloverfield' is very dull. At first just a few lights in the room, provide the light as it is completely dark outside, however there are also lightings from the buildings and cars outside which provide some light too. Being filmed in the early hours of the morning enhances the idea of the city that never sleeps, showing how perfect it is and how through the night it doesn't stop, and implying that nothing can. Which will be tested later in the film as the action occurs. Dim lighting is very typical of thriller films, it creates a sense of tension and mystery making the audience feel on edge and in suspense. The directer of 'Se7en' utilises the lighting very effectively. By and large the lighting placed on all the characters is dark and creates a lot of shadows. This makes the film appear mysterious and creates a feeling of suspense amongst the audience. We don’t really see a character that is properly lit until the scene in the laboratory when Mills, Somerset and the forensic scientist are all lit well. This could indicate that there has been some light shed on the case and that Mills and Somerset now have a clearer view on the case as the audience also has a clearer view physically when watching this scene.

Mise-en-scene: All of the items placed in the shots are there for a reason. The hanging cuffs from the ceiling of the boat in 'Shutter Island' show the nature of Daniels' job and his background. It also foreshadows the cuffs that are around the patients hands and ankles in the hospital. The pictures and the record player in the flashback show the happiness of his previous life as they are the standard homely items that really make a house yours and make it more homely. The flowers in the complex are there to represent the new life that they are trying to create for the patients and also create an ironic twist in that something so beautiful and bright could be in a place where the atmosphere is so morbid. 

Ideology: The ideology presented in 'Shutter Island' is that anyone can change and everyone deserves a second chance. The hospital takes patients that can't be kept anywhere else and aims to reform them or at least help them become slightly better. Se7en presents to the audience ideas of normal family ideas and values through Mills and his new wife. After moving to a new city they plan to start a family and get on with their lives. It also presents the ideas of the dangers of religious extremist ideas as all of the murders are centred around the seven deadly sins.

I took these codes and conventions into much consideration whilst planning my main artefact, below are just some examples of how I took the ideas then used and developed them incorporating them into my own piece.

My Film Use of Conventions:

Props: Like in 'Se7en' I used items that would represent my character and indicate which role they would play according to Propp's narrative theory, especially giving the audience a better idea of who the victim was. At the start of my piece, the victim, Daisy starts with a typical, fashionable bag, when she tips everything out of her bag to find her phone the audience sees typical items that would be associated with a teenage girl including a book, lip balm, headphones etc, which also help relate to the social group of teenagers.

Setting: Similar to 'Shutter Island' my thriller took place in a very secluded and quiet area. Woods generally have the connotation of being spooky and full of mystery so I thought this

would be the perfectly place to shoot my thriller. I also made sure I shot my sequence on a 'gloomy' day mirroring the weather as the two detectives approached the 'Shutter Island'.

Costume: The costume of my characters represents their role in the film. Daisy is wearing white to portray her innocence along with jeans which indicate that she could be anyone, and this could happen to any individual. The abductor is wearing a black hoody that covers the majority of his face once again creating a sense of mystery as the audience do not know his real identity. 

Stock Events: My main stock event in my thriller in the chase of Daisy. This creates tension and suspense as well as exhilaration and excitement. I placed the chase right at the start to get the audience thoroughly engaged straight away into the action of the film. In relation to the enigma code, the chase creates the questions such as 'who is she?' 'why is she being chased' and 'who is chasing her?' this makes the audience involved and engaged as they want to discover the answers to these questions. The chase also symbolises the break in equilibrium that Todorov suggested in his narrative theory about the structure of films.


Stock Characters: The victim is main character of my opening sequence is one of the 8 characters suggested by Propp in his narrative theory. The second character seen in my opening sequence is another in Propp's list is the villain - who abducts the victim, Daisy. It is unclear what role the newsreader, Stewart White, is going to play in the film however, his character could develop to be the helper or perhaps the donor, it is yet to be discovered whether he plays a larger part in the story. 

My Film Use of Codes:

Camera Range: In my thriller I incorporated all sorts of different ranges. In parts there are extreme close-ups that do not allow you to see the bigger picture, but in others I have used mid or long shots revealing slightly more information. The variation between the shots presents a sense of tension as the view for the audience is constantly changing at a fast pace. The close-ups especially really capture the emotion of fear in Daisy's face conveying it to the audience.

Camera Angles: Once again I used a variety of camera angles, including high, low and eye-level. The high angles portray Daisy's innocence and weakness just like the low angle portrayed

the strong characters of Somerset and Mills in 'Se7en'. I also used shots that were hand held, and there for extremely unsteady to help create suspense, tension and fear amongst the audience. Some shots were also canted to show the unusualness of the situation. In relation to Propp's narrative theory the high angles aid the audience to realise that Daisy is playing the victim in the film. 

Editing: My editing for the chase seen is rather fast paced. This keeps the audience on the edge of their seats as the action plays out. The chase seen that I analysed from 'Lost' used this technique very effectively conveying very much a sense of fear which I have used and developed in my own piece. 

Music: The music that I chose for this is upbeat and almost eerie. It supports the quickness of the editing and builds the tension throughout especially when the tempo and volume of the piece increases.

Sound: Whilst background sound in 'Shutter Island' is drowned out to cause effect, the background sound in my film has been enhanced. By doing this the audience is presented with a range of different things needing their attention - the birds tweeting, the footsteps, breathing, music. This combination creates a sense of chaos, and drama which increases the suspense and tension in the piece. 

Graphics: The graphics I created for my thriller 'Hostage' were stylised on the graphics of 'Se7en'. I used a rather plain, yet still had an edgy style to them, I also animated them to make them jitter about. Making them similar to those of 'Se7en' increases the authenticity and professionalism of the title sequence. 

POV: The majority of the shots I used were from the POV of the abductor or Daisy. The idea that it is changing between the two creates tension amongst the audience as they quickly see the chase developing from the POV of each character. The small insights from the abductor show just how close Daisy is to being caught and how the abductor is normally one step ahead of her as she runs aimlessly through the woods.  

Whilst planing, I decided that the aim of my opening sequence would not really challenge the forms and conventions of real media products. I thought that if I defied the normal codes and conventions my thriller would not necessarily be recognisable and also would not appeal to my target audience as in my primary audience research they all indicated that they wanted to see typical codes and conventions of thriller films. However, there is one element that on reflection challenges what I found in my research. This is the use of birds tweeting at the start of the film. The completely contrast between the following chase and the birds, in my opinion creates suspension and uncertainty, yet I do not see this in any of the films I analysed. 

Evaluation - Introduction

After researching genres then subsequently drafting a few ideas for potential I finally decided that my main product would be a thriller based around the idea of someone getting abducted. From this I used my primary  audience research to define the characters of a vulnerable teenage girl and a mystery male abductor. My supporting artefact was a simple walk through the door production including two people discussing what they should do to solve a mystery dilemma. I have always had an interest in media, due to my father working for the BBC. I also enjoy filming random things such as holidays or family events but I had no previous experience in making and editing a movie. After my research I quickly picked up what codes and conventions needed to be included to make a good thriller movie and I quickly learnt all the tricks for editing my artefacts and even editing music too!
As a career I would like to follow in my father's footsteps and become a director or a producer for the BBC, directing news shows and also working on the technical sides of things operating cameras, doing the sound, lighting, auto cue and also graphics. I find the BBC fascinating, with always something exciting going on and lots of work to keep you going. But I also love the complicated process of producing the news and all the different buttons and joysticks that each control a different element.

Extra Storyboards.

After hearing the feedback from my teacher and target audience I have made some extra storyboards for some additional shots to be added into my second edit. I have also made a rough storyboard for the titles, showing the text I have chosen to use.

One of the points that came up to be improved was the use of props. These three extra shots include Daisy, with a stylish backpack containing some daily items that would be associated with a teenage girl, including, nail varnish, perfume, a phone, headphones and also a book ironically entitled 'Girl, Missing'. 

               

Secondly, more close-ups were needed so once again, I have draw some shots of Daisy in close-up but also of the abductor. 

      

Finally I have drawn some shots that include the abductor more, to make sure that it is clear what and who Daisy is running from. 

Improving my first draft.

After making my first draft of my thriller opening sequence, my teacher and target audience have given me some feedback on ways to improve.

1. Shorten the running scene. At the present time the running clip is 1:21. Both my teacher and target group agreed that it was a bit too long and could be cut down.

2. I need to add in titles. My first draft did not include any titles using genre specific fonts and names for a production company and the name of the film.

3. The running scene would be more effective with some extreme close up shots to create a sense of mystery and also tension.

4. The running scene needs some props so that the audience can build a bigger picture about Heather's character, personality and vulnerability.

These are the ways in which I will take the comments into account and improve my thriller.

1. One of the reasons I think the running scene appears to be so long is partially due to the fact that there are quite a lot of long shots, so I will add in extreme close-ups in to quicked the pace of the scene and therefore giving it the illusion that it is not lasting as long.

2. For my titles, I have decided that it would not look very good to place them over the current scenes, so I am going to shoot some establishing shots of the woods which I can place titles over the top, without distracting the audience away from the main action.

3. I am also going to shoot some extra shots in which Heather is carrying a bag which when she attempts to get her phone out she drops the contents everywhere. The will show her innocence through the 'girly' props I will choose and will also give me a chance to add in more extreme close-ups. I will add this into the beginning of the sequence so that most of the running sequence will stay the same as overall I was happy with how it was edited together.

Editing - 1st Draft

Like the filming the editing took me 3 days. Within these three days I edited both my preliminary task and the first version my main thriller opening sequence. Once again, I focused on editing in three parts like I filmed in 3 parts. To do things in chronological order, I started with the running sequence.

I changed the order of the shots from my storyboards to create better continuity throughout the sequence. Some of the shots put together did not look as though they fitted together and that Heather had all of a sudden jumped from part of the wood to the other, so I took a lot of time to make sure that the shots that I placed together looked as though she was literally just running a route. Sometimes it was difficult to make this happen as she would be running along a path then it would have suddenly turned to foliage, so I put in more of the shots looking up at her face so it gave time in which she could have changed her path. One of my favourite parts is where Heather is running then looks over her right shoulder, it then cuts to a shot looking up at her face as she is looking over her right shoulder, creating great continuity between the two shots. 

The red square indicates how the shot has been cropped
with the bag in the red circle cropped out

After finishing editing the shots together there were a few extra details I had to change and make right. Some of the shots looked brighter than the others, so on a few I added a 50% black and white filter over the top to dull down the colours, so that they had the same dull effect of the others, adding to the atmosphere.
There were also a couple of shots where I had accidentally got the tripod bag in the corner, so I cropped these shots and made sure the shot was still the same size as the rest. Also, after watching it through I noticed the sound was louder in some shots than others. To rectify this, I added in sounds of extra footsteps running over leaves to some shots, so there was constantly sound like this throughout. On some of the existing shots with footsteps I lowered to sound slightly to make it fit in with the others. The sound effect I used was of footsteps running away so in some cases I used it as it was, some I reversed it so they are running towards the camera and in others I used tiny sections of them. I was very carefully when placing them as I had to make sure that they fitted with the speed that Heather was running and matched every time her foot hit the ground. This involved sometimes speeding the clip up or slowing it down. Heather cannot scream, so I had to record myself screaming and then place it over the top of her miming the scream. To do this I first attempted to use my PG57 microphone straight into the computer. However, the sound off this came with a lot of crackling possibly to do with the lead connecting the two, so I opted to use the video camera to record the scream. 

I then added on the music to my completed running sequence. The music was a bit short, so I had to edit the music to make it longer repeating some sections. I also had to move the clips about slightly to make them change on the beat of the music so that everything fitted together, including Heather's jump at the same time as the music changing in intensity and speed. 

The second part of the editing was of the news report. The main part of this was adding in the graphics. It took me a couple of hours to get these right. First I created the "BREAKING NEWS" banner, using the BBC news channel to model the font and colour on. The second part was the "LOCAL NEWS" part which was done in the same way at the previous. Finally I did the running stories banner. This involved using running credits effects. This part cause me the most trouble to try and get it in the right place and scrolling at the correct speed, but I finally managed to make it work and look as authentic as possible. I then rendered this as a loop section alone, in order to put it onto a memory stick to play off the telly for the scene with the abductor watching it. 

The final part did not take too much time for editing because it was so short. The trickiest part was getting the sound for the news item to line up with the pictures as I decided to use the sound from the real clip of the item rather than the sound that was recorded on the camera a the time. I made a separate audio track for this to make sure there was no confusion. This meant I could also put an effect on the sound to make it sound like it was coming from the TV.



 Also, at the end I re-recorded the sound of the 'shush' to make it sound more demanding. I put it on the 'sound effects' track that also has the additional footsteps on from the chase sequence.