Q5: How did you attract/address your audience?

As our target is young adult males, we included things that the stereotype would like to see in a film. These included props such as guns, as well as vehicles to suit the action sub-genre. Having a young protagonist might also attract the target audience because it makes the film more relatable to them.

These shots contain the aforementioned conventions that our audience would look for in a film and so would attract them. The editing of the shots is fast-paced as well, thus creating an air of tension and excitement which might also be something that an audience such as ours would deem desirable.

 

The results of our vox pop suggested that most of our audience enjoy thrillers that feature intrigue, excitement, suspense and suchlike, so by having these in our opening we fulfilled their expectations. We received mainly positive feedback from our audience, who said they liked the plot and the fast-paced editing, as well as how it created tension and suspense.

Q3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Production companies have many different roles during the production and distribution of films. Firstly, they provide the funding, which is acquired through parent companies, partners, or private investors. They also handle the budget, scheduling, scripting, casting, organisation of staff, the actual production itself, post-production, distribution, and marketing. Our production company is Burton Productions and our ident can be seen below (left). We drew the inspiration for the logo from other production companies such as Universal, whose ident (below right) also features a globe, suggesting their work has the ability to achieve a global reach.

  

The company we would select to distribute our media product would be EON (Everything or Nothing) Productions, who are best known for producing the James Bond film series. Although these films are more likely regarded as action films, the sub-genre of our opening is action thriller so we could incorporate some of the action-based experience of the company into our film. They also recently signed a deal with Columbia Pictures to develop thriller films outside the Bond franchise with budgets of up to £40 million to help establish more British writers, which is a good opportunity for new filmmakers such as ourselves. Another bonus of this production company is that it is based in the UK (London's Piccadilly, as well as operating from Pinewood Studios), which you could say is more convenient for both parties.

As we are not part of a large production company with a high budget, we would have to rely on outside investment to fund the production of a film such as ours. This could come from community donations or sponsors.

To decide who to name in the titles we researched the opening titles of some existing thriller films (such as Se7en), and decided upon this timeline:

 

The production/distribution companies were named first, as this is usually the case for most films, followed by the director and then the main actors. The main contributors to the mise-en-scene and editing process are named next, with the main title concluding the opening.  

Q4: Who would be the audience for your media product?

We identified young adults aged 15/16+, mainly males, as our target audience because the product leans towards the action genre slightly. In terms of the ethnicity and socio-economic class, there is not really a specific target but as it is aimed at young adults, they are likely to be categorised in C₁-E as these are the most common groups among this age range. Despite this, there is no reason to suggest people outside of the age range or from higher socio-economic class categories will not like the product. Other films, such as the James Bond series, most likely have a target audience, but are easily accessible by a wide range of people.

Although it is sometimes hard to say exactly who will come and a watch a certain film as everyone has their own tastes, these might be typical audience members for a film such as ours. They would probably enjoy action films and other action thrillers, listen to music of a similar style to our soundtrack and maybe play action/adventure or FPS (First Person Shooter) video games.

To research our audience we conducted a ‘vox pop’. Vox pops are used to provide an overall viewpoint on a particular subject by randomly selecting people of various ages, gender, classes and communities so a balanced and fair response is received. An effective vox pop would consist of: 

• Short, quick interviews (approximately 30 seconds). 
• The camera focused on the interviewee (who would be on the right- more comfortable for the viewer and follows the rule of thirds). 
• The interviewee's gaze towards interviewer rather than the camera. 
• Passers-by in the background (shot in a public place). 
• Name, age and occupation shown when each interviewee first appears. 
• Interviewer not heard- only the answers to their questions.

The questions we asked our audience included ‘What is your favourite type of thriller?’, ’Why do you like thriller films?’ and ‘What is your favourite thriller film?’. By asking these questions, we discovered that our audience favoured action/crime in thrillers and so that is why we decided to fulfil this expectation by creating an action-based thriller.

In terms of our opening, the BBFC age rating it would probably receive is a 12, but when considering it as a whole film it is more likely to be classed as a 15 because of the use of props such as guns and the sustained sense of threat. The full guidelines for a movie to get this rating are as follows:  

15 – Suitable only for 15 years and over. 

No one younger than 15 may see a 15 film in a cinema. No one younger than 15 may rent or buy a 15 rated video work. 

Discrimination 

The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour, although there may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory themes and language.  

Drugs 

Drug taking may be shown but the work as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse (for example, through instructional detail). The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example, aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable. 

Imitable behaviour 

Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied. Whether the depiction of easily accessible weapons is acceptable will depend on factors such as realism, context and setting. 

Language 

There may be strong language. Very strong language may be permitted, depending on the manner in which it is used, who is using the language, its frequency within the work as a whole and any special contextual justification. 

Nudity 

There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context. There may be nudity in a sexual context but usually without strong detail. 

Sex 

Sexual activity may be portrayed, but usually without strong detail. There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour, but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context. Works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable. 

Threat 

There may be strong threat and horror. A sustained focus on sadistic or sexual threat is unlikely to be acceptable. 

Violence 

Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but the depiction of sexual violence must be discreet and justified by context. 

These guidelines are unlikely to impact our target audience as it is aimed at people who are at least 15, although it might reduce the audience size slightly as it makes it harder for people who are under 15 to watch it, even though they might enjoy it.  

Q2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The main character in our opening, the protagonist, is a man being pursued by a group of armed men. A similar character he could be compared to from another film is ‘The Stranger’ from the film, The Purge. This character is also on the run from a group of men so is similar to our character in that respect. Another similarity is the intrigue and mystery surrounding the two characters, as their stories are unknown, and also the sense of loneliness as they are both on their own. They are both young as well, so that particular social group is represented. The locations each are filmed in are quite messy too, suggesting they are unable to settle and beyond the point of caring for tidiness. The costume of ‘The Stranger’ is also unclean, which our character’s probably should have been to clearly show he is on the run. One difference that could be pointed out is the ethnicity of the two characters, although we did not actively try and represent this sort of social group.         

 

 

The other characters in the opening are the armed men, who could be likened to the team of mercenaries in the film, The Expendables.

 

 

Both groups are all male and wear black clothing, with some mystery surrounding each. Guns are the main props by the two groups, showing their power and threat. The use of low-angle camera shots helps reinforce this. The lighting used for the armed men in our opening is quite dark to help keep up the air of mystery, though this is not always the case in The Expendables. More differences include the size of the groups, as the group in our opening is smaller in number, as well as being younger and so it could be said they are more inexperienced. The location they are filmed in and their missions are also differences: The "Expendables" are sent to a South American island to take down a merciless dictator, whereas our characters are simply tracking a wanted man, although their motive is unknown.                

 

Q1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

The Thriller genre is one that revolves around anticipation and suspense, and aims to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats. A thriller usually consists of a battle between a protagonist character and an antagonist character which results in a series of events that create tension and suspense leading to the climax. The aim of the protagonist is to restore justice, whilst the antagonist seeks to destroy it.

There are many sub-genres within the main Thriller genre; these include crime, action, sci-fi and supernatural thrillers. The sub-genre of our thriller is crime/action because of the use of guns and chase sequences.

 

Cinematography

Lots of close-ups and extreme close-ups of the protagonist are often used to show emotions. They can also focus on props to aid the narrative. The shots of the antagonist will be cut quickly and conceal the character’s identity. For example: a shot of their back, a low key shot or a silhouette/shadow.

Sound
Music is a key element in film as it helps portray the mood and tone of a scene and its characters. In Thrillers specifically, it adds to the suspense and tension of a significant moment in the film. It will often start at a slow pace and then quicken to make a scene more dramatic for the audience.
 

 

Lighting/Colour

Lighting is mainly low key, creating harsh shadows on faces, bodies and props, which helps create a dark, mysterious and sinister atmosphere. Low key lighting is usually used during the more mysterious and sinister scenes, emphasising the suspense and tension, as well as creating an unsettling atmosphere. 

Colour is a key part of the mise-en-scene in Thrillers, as colours can connote emotions and thoughts. For example black can be used to symbolise death, immediately creating tension and leaving the audience feeling on edge. Red can be associated with blood, again linking in with death. Overall the colour and lighting link together, helping to create an appropriate mood. The characters being in dark colours can suggest that they are evil, killers etc. A dark setting can help to mask the characters and their actions as well, adding to the air of mystery.

 

Costumes

The use of costume within Thrillers is important because this deems how the characters are perceived by the audience. Due to this, the style of social realism is often used to make the characters more believable to the audience. Typically in Thrillers the antagonist will wear dark clothes to enhance the mystery that surrounds them and show that they are dangerous.

 

 

 

Setting/Props

Examples of typical Thriller settings include dark alleys or an urban city. Usually only a small range of colours will be used in the setting, these predominately being blacks and greys. This can be used to show how normal and plain life is, contrasting with the villains in the film as they create a dramatic and fearful atmosphere.

 

 

 

In Thriller films props can often aid the narrative, by revealing the identity of characters for example. A range of different props are used, but weapons such as knives and guns are predominately used to reinforce the violence and fear factor.

 

 

Our opening generally followed these conventions for the most part, for example the cinematography and sound fit the aforementioned descriptions; there are close-ups of the protagonist and props, as well as quick cuts of the antagonist(s) and the music quickens in tempo as the opening reaches its climax. The setting is also quite in keeping with the usual locations of thrillers: it is situated in an urban area and features dark colours to create a dramatic and fearful atmosphere. Additionally, so are the costumes and props- the supposed antagonists wear black, military-like attire and carry guns.

 

 

Q7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Q7 by tombranch98 on GoAnimate


 As a film maker, I feel I have developed in all, or at least the majority of, areas of the planning, production and editing processes. For example, I feel my editing skills have improved and I am now more capable of effectively combining a variety of different shots together to create a desired effect. I have also furthered my understanding of camerawork and how to capture shots that are composed and framed so that they are effective for the audience.

 The most successful aspects of our preliminary tasks were the range of camera shots and the editing, to a certain extent. In terms of continuity, our piece flowed well for the most part, although there is an instance in which we could have done with an additional shot to show the movement of the character from the stairs to the corridor. Other issues we had were with lighting and sound, which were not as effective as we hoped, and making the narrative clearer. We were aware of these issues when we came to do our actual thriller and so tried to ensure that they did not come up again, although we did struggle with the lighting initially. There were no continuity issues this time however, so that is one specific skill that I have definitely developed. We also stuck to the 180° Rule and so ensured it was not disorientating for the viewer.

In order to start the planning we had to decide on which direction we wanted to take our thriller, so we brainstormed ideas. In the end, we decided upon the sub-genre of action-thriller. After we had our main idea, we looked for a location that would be appropriate by doing some location scouting. When the location was confirmed we could then proceed to think of shot ideas and so compiled a shot list and created a storyboard. We also made a filming schedule to ensure no time was wasted during filming.

I feel the main strength of our thriller is the fast-paced editing that builds up tension and suspense, along with the intrigue and mystery that is created. I feel the titles could have been better, but it was difficult to do so with the software we had access to. Also, if we were to film our opening again, we would probably be more careful of lighting issues when it comes to the actual filming.

This was the shot that had continuity issues as we did not record enough shots, but there were no such issues when we filmed our actual thriller. An example of some match on action can be seen from the screenshots below:

  

Preliminary Task: Evaluation

For our preliminary task, we had to film and edit a scene in which someone walked down a corridor, opened a door and interacted with another character.

I feel the most successful aspects of our scene were the range of camera shots and the editing, to a certain extent. In terms of continuity, our piece flowed well for the most part, although there is an instance in which we could have done with an additional shot to show the movement of the character from the stairs to the corridor. Other issues we had were with lighting and sound, which could have been better as , and making the narrative clearer- which will be of greater importance in our next task. These views are backed up by peer assessment feedback.

Judging by this, one of the most difficult tasks when shooting the scene was ensuring that we had recorded enough shots and that the piece was continuous. Although we did plan carefully, this could have been avoided by examining the footage before we began editing to make sure we had all the shots we needed.

I have acquired many new technical skills and gained lots of additional knowledge during the course of this task, specifically in regards to editing and camerawork. For example, I now know how to put together a continuous piece of film and am aware of rules such as the 180° rule.

As a result of this, I hope that our next task can be even more successful and we can improve upon some aspects that we had issues with.

In the third shot of our piece, the character can be seen walking towards the camera with a wanted poster in the foreground. The shot is composed this way to cause a bit tension and make the audience wonder what the character has done and what will happen to him as a result.











    

Preliminary Task: Feedback