Alternative Sequence Ideas

Alternative Idea 1

Opening close up shot of a scruffy looking man sat with his head down leaning forward tapping his heels nervously with clearly audible band music. The shot zooms out to reveal him in a bar with his guitar surrounded by people looking to a stage. The woman sat beside him comforts him reassuringly, kisses his cheek, they exchange a glance and he joins in watching the stage looking somewhat calmer. There is a faint sound of the bar door opening and he peers over.

Next, a low angle, medium long shot of bar door as two burly, aggressive looking men in matching suits and black leather jackets stand at the bar entrance looking around, searching for someone.

Another close up shot of the man’s face looking shocked which cuts to a medium shot of him quickly finishing his drink, grabbing his bag, whispering in the woman’s ear, kissing her goodbye and swiftly moving off camera.

Then a high angle long shot of the bar, as if perceived from a corner or CCTV camera, of the man making his way through the crowd to the back exit avoiding the men searching through the other end of it.

A long shot of the exit corridor as the man, whilst trying to move down the corridor, reaches in his bag, kicks off his shoes, pulls off his jeans to reveal a pair of trousers, changes his shoes, removes his shirt to reveal a different t-shirt beneath and puts on a suit jacket from his bag.

A medium close up shot from the side of the bar back exit door as it opens and the character pokes out his head to look around. He then steps out, the camera panning to follow him and slowly zooming out to medium shot as he looks around further and spot some nearby bins which he throws his bag in. He then reaches into his inner pocket, pulls out a wig, puts it on, pulls out a pair of glasses, puts these on and walks off camera.

The man walks around the corner and smirks as he passes the unknowing, confused looking, burly men outside the bar. He turns into a nearby alleyway and just begins to jog away as he hears a scream. He swiftly presses himself against the wall and peers around the corner just in time to see the men dragging the woman he was with at the bar into the back of a van and it driving away.

The man’s phone rings, he looks at it horrified for a little while until eventually silently answering and pressing it to his ear to hear a sinister voice saying “Clearly you didn’t take our first threat very seriously, sir. And now look what’s happened.” followed by the woman’s voice crying out “Get off me!”, “Help!” etc. until it is muffled out. The sinister voice then continues; “And so it appears I have something of yours and you something of mine, so why not let’s make a trade, eh? I wouldn’t take too long deciding though if I were you, or else maybe your little ‘friend’ might have some kind of ‘accident’. She certainly seems like the clumsy type to me... You’ve got 12 hours.”

End Scene.

Preliminary Task

To get a feel for a camera and get used to filming we were asked to write up a storyboard of a short, approximately 30second long, Continuity Piece on whatever we wanted so long as we concentrated on sticking to the 180degree rule and the piece contained a match on action and to film it. The filming being the trickier part of this task, as we were not allowed to edit the footage in any way but instead had to use a precise stop/start recording method between all shots used and had to get the timing just right in order for the piece to flow well, which proved to be difficult, but also taught a valuable lesson of not wasting screen time and making each shot more efficient. I chose to not have dialogue in my script, partly because it was easier, partly because I dislike the birmingham accent on film but mostly because it just seemed really unnecessary.

(Storyboard not yet uploaded but has been scanned, is just on home desktop so have not yet had chance to access the file)

Cinema Box Office Grosses for Thrillers

This here is a list of the Top 25 bestselling Thriller films of all time and how much they made in their time at the box office. From these listings I can gather what sort of thriller films appeal to the majority of the population of the audience the best and what style of thriller film people enjoy most.

  1. Airport -$100, 489, 150
  2. Rear Window - $27, 559, 601
  3. Sixth Sense - $293, 506, 292
  4. The Fugative - $183, 875, 760
  5. Signs - $227, 965, 690
  6. Fatal Attraction - $156, 645, 693
  7. The Firm - $158, 340, 892
  8. The DaVinci Code - $217, 536, 138
  9. Wht Lies Beneath - $155, 464, 351
  10. The Silence of the Lambs - $130, 726, 716
  11. The Hunt for Red October - $120, 709, 866
  12. The Bodygaurd - $121, 945, 720
  13. Basic Instinct - $117, 727, 224
  14. Airport 1975 - $47, 285, 142
  15. In the Line of Fire - $102, 243, 874
  16. War Games - $74, 433, 837
  17. Se7en - $100, 125, 643
  18. Sleeping with the Enemy - $101, 599, 005
  19. Taken - $145, 000, 989
  20. Presumed Innocent - $86, 303, 188
  21. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle - $88, 036, 683
  22. Angels & Demons - $133, 375, 846
  23. Witness - $65, 532, 576
  24. The Village - $114, 197, 520
  25. Vanilla Sky - $100, 614, 858
From this information I've been able to gather that people appear to thouroughly enjoy a Thriller containing some sort of a conspiracy (eg. The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, The Village, Signs, The Sixth Sense, Se7en) so I will strive to include this into my own piece. It is also apparent people enjoy thrillers to possess some of the aspects of Horrors without having the full set of fearmongering, bloodcurdling artillery they have but to still have a certain element of the shock factor and to be sinister and dark so I feel this may also be a useful component to add.

Codes & Conventions

Codes are a system of signs and symbols, usually organised in sequences, to create a message or meaning. Conventions are the accepted ways of doing things and could be seen as being almost ritual. They are also genre specific as each genre has it's own set of codes and conventions that it adheres to, otherwise the genres would not be individual or distinguishable from one another in any way. Codes and Conventions of Media can be divided into three groups:
  • Technical -In which camera techniques and shots are used in order to put across or amplify certain emotional influences eg. A shakey handheld camera being used in horror to amplify fear or a low angle shot being used to display a person as a figure of authority/power.
  • Symbolic - In which clothing, setting, props, colours and other visual stimulus are used in order to influence the viewers feelings and opinions eg. dark, greyscale shots used for a more morbid tone or brightly coloured clothing and props being used to appear more upbeat.
  • Written & Audio - In which the scripted text and sounds (diegetic or non) used will effect the audience's response eg. Quick, sharp, high pitched sounds in thriller and horror movies that will jolt and suprise them or the scripting itself of what must be said and in what way, the body language and actions being used.
Codes and Conventions of Romantic Comedy (or Rom Com):
  • Appeals to mass audiences of those in love or wishing to be.
  • Shows an obvious couple who and put through some sort of testing or series of misfortunate adventures designed to keep them apart until the happy ending, which is usually marriage.
  • Characters in love are probably going to behave in strange or odd ways - Comedic value.
  • Typical Male-Female heterosexual relationships.
  • Attractive protagonists, especially usually the female.
  • A lot of flirting involved.
  • Very cliché in their ideas of what 'Love' is.
  • Scenes of nudity, sex and intimacy.
  • Colour use - Red is a colour of love, sexuality and passion, White is purity and innocence, Pink is love, intimacy and femininity.
  • Male protagonists will make a first few failed attempts to impress the female protagonist, which provides more comedic value.
  • Characters start out as strangers and seperate storylines until their paths meet.
  • Soft, Romantic or catchy music used throughout.
  • Usually known for being 'Chick Flicks' as they tend to have more female than male fans and followers.
Codes and Conventions of Horror:
  • Lots of Sharp, quick, singular, high-pitched or disturbing noises.
  • Lots of darkness and shadows to hide the unknown.
  • Designed to create fear, panic, alarm and dread.
  • Invokes our hidden worst fears.
  • Captivates the audience enough so that they are still interested in watching and seeing what happens next regardless of all the fear and shock induced.
  • Usually build suspense towards concluding in some grand shocking Finale.
  • Commonly known to attack human fears of: Alienation, Vulnerability, Nightmares, The Unknown, Death, Sexuality and Loss of Identity.
  • There is always a protagonist who may not be, at first, apparent to the audience but will inevitably survive to the end scenes.
  • The antagonist(s) will always follow a trait or certain way of doing things which is specific to them eg. The way they kill.
  • Will usually involved murder, maiming and gore.
  • Seen as a battle of good and evil where good will often stand victorious even after times have seemed darkest and most inescapable.
Codes and Convention of Thriller:
  • Involves lots of cut shots and different angles used.
  • Music that can be calm or tension building when needed.
  • Harsh and abrasive sounds
  • Uses a lot of darkness and shadows in lighting.
  • Blurred, flickered, distorted or faded shots.
  • Psychological; keeps the audience thinking and guessing and so keeps the audience's attention.
  • Involves ordinary characters in extraordinary situations.
  • Clues laced into the plot/script throughout the film, sometimes focused on in a grand flashback montage in the final scene, an epiphany.
  • There is often a twist at the dénouement of the text.
  • Audience gets to view itself as detectives - trying to work out what will happen and where the plot is leading to.
  • Explores the darker sides of human emotion - Revenge, obsession, hatred, greed, regret, concealment, escapism, passion etc.
  • The tone of the piece is usually a Dark or Sinister one, giving a feeling on the whole of being mysterious, cold or bleak.
  • Involves a protagonist or two facing a great challenge at high costs, which will usually be at the cost of someone's life, in a short or limited time.
  • Should open with revealing some of the significant theme/a later, intense scene from the text and/or a character introduction, but making sure not to reveal too much or any crucial information.
  • Physical violence and obscenity and usage of prop weaponry eg. guns and knives.
  • Should seek to indulge the audience into the world of the film and encapsulate them in it.
  • Plot must grip audience attention and entice them into wanting to watch the story unfold and wait, hesitantly, for the final outcome.
  • Usually given higher age approvals of 15 or 18 as are directed more at an adult audience than children; delves into the darker depths of the human psyche.
  • Opening Titles/Credits - Bold, Deep Colours with a block or fragmented font, with some sort of distortion or aggression about them.
  • Begins with Protagonist introduction (Victim/Hero/Villain)
  • Villain is usually male due to a sexist view of power and dominance and a stereotype of a killer/evil being. Victim is usually female, or a child, or both (Commando) as they are seen as being more helpless, innocent and vulnerable.
  • Storyline not necessarily in chronological order.
  • Dark costume; represents evil, sinister, dark side of a character.

Textual Analysis 4 - Commando

Commando
The film starts with a prelude to the introduction set in a typical American suburb. It begins with a fade opening of a long shot of a garbage truck driving towards the camera. The garbage truck is followed through the area by the camera shots until the scene cuts to a couple waking up in bed alerted to the sound of the truck approaching. The man carries the garbage outside to be collected. The tone of the scene begins to change as the expressions of the garbage men turn sinister. The man says “I was worried you’d miss me” to which he is replied “don’t worry, we won’t.” His man changes to a look of horror as the men produce semi-automatic weapons and gun him down. This sets the tone of the film and introduces the audience to our antagonists. Two more scenes of this nature follow with the same men killing two other nameless victims in different urban scenarios.
The tone of the film is suddenly changed as the scene fades to a close up shot of a man’s feet walking through a forest accompanied by dramatic non-diegetic score. Extreme close ups follow of a chainsaw and biceps until it finally rests on the face of the main protagonist, none other than the mighty Arnold Schwarzenegger. The camera follows him as his carries a log atop his shoulder and chainsaw in his hand through a forest. The music suggests he is about to engage in some kind of challenging task. The camera is low, pointing up towards his face with the sun over his shoulder, displaying him as a figure of power. As he begins chopping the wood, upon arrival at his home, a shadowy figure is seen to approach him from behind. He glances at the reflection in his axe and smiles, this leads the audience to believe that he is in danger whoever is approaching him is no challenge to him. As he turns around intensely it is shown to be his daughter. This is reaffirmed when she calls to him “Oh, daddy!” and the musical score changes to an uplifting friendly tone. This is then followed by a montage of our protagonist alone with his daughter being paternal. It is clearly displayed that they are close. This time is used to display the cast and crew credits which is in a bold blue font which connotes to the feelings of an action thriller.

Textual Analysis 3 - Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction
The film begins with a dictionary definition of the film title. There is no music and the text is plain and white on a black background. This once again draws attention to what the words have to say instead of the words themselves. The diegetic sound of the scene fades in fades in before the footage itself appears on screen at the moment of the man beginning to speak. This gently sets the scene without the audience becoming consciously aware of it. The use of taboo language and the subject matter of the opening few lines connotes that they are criminals, or at least not the average citizens. The fact they are talking in this way in the middle of a busy diner shows their disregard for the opinions of those around them and a feeling of confidence. The prop of a cigarette is used to instil the ideology that the man is an unsavoury character. The woman’s giggling at what he has to say shows she clearly does not fear his exterior and knows him very well. Her playful teasing of him shows there are mutual feelings of affection shared between them. The tone of conversation of the man is very business-like compared to the woman’s cheerful banter. It shows their relaxed attitude towards crime. When the waitress arrives to serve them coffee they break conversation to attempt to appear normal citizens, showing that there is some severity to the supposed joking of their conversation. It is clear that the man is the leader of their operations as the woman asks him a lot of questions and he is the answer provider – he is clearly the brains of the operation – and appears to become slightly annoyed by her barrage of questioning. The mise-en-scène of the shot displays that they are small time criminals as they are in a cheap restaurant in cheap clothes eating cheap food discussing their robberies of liquor stores. The man is clearly quite intelligent because although his use of language is that of a stereotypical common criminal what he has to say is very clever and detailed. He then reveals to the woman his plan to rob the coffee shop they are sat in which gives the film it’s first sense of danger thus far and first stereotypical thriller plotline. As the excitement builds between them at this new idea the tension builds along with it culminating with a medium close up of the two kissing over the table and preparing their guns. It should be noted how just before all this anarchy should be unleashed there is an exchange of “I love you”s between the two, providing comic relief and also affirms to the audience that they are not completely confident with their plans and cannot be sure of what will happen to them. The man, very much the same as the character we were introduced to, stands up on his seat and announces the robbery – triggering the woman to change character completely into a screaming threatening gun-wielding maniac. The scene ends with a freeze frame medium/close up shot of the two looking very serious aiming their guns around off camera.

Textual Analysis 2 - Scarface

Scarface
The introduction to this film begins in a realm of the unknown with a pitch black background and some ominous non-diegetic music; this builds a hugely tense atmosphere for the audience but does not yet clue them in on what is going to happen. By doing so from the get-go it immediately encapsulates the reoccurring themes of a thriller film which gives the audience some idea of what to expect. We are shortly exposed to plain white text detailing the historic events in Cuba in 1980, giving the audience some insight into the prior events relating to the plot. The lack of style to the text allows our attention to be captured by what it has to say instead of the text itself. It then leads into footage from a Fidel Castro speech being given to the Cuban people and focuses on the repeated phrase “We don’t want them!” which shows the audience what kind of people were being taken over to America and their own people’s opinions of them.
The tone of the film is then flipped on it’s head and begins to play some non-diegetic upbeat 80’s funk music coupled with a mixture of historic footage and studio filmed shots of immigrants entering into Florida by boat. It makes sure to show the variety of people who were emigrating from Cuba – old, young, male and female alike. One of the ways it does this is showing a close up of an old woman leaving one of the boats. It can also be noted that the shots used display how bad living conditions on these boats were and by doing so displaying the ideology of what these people were willing to go through to get away from Cuba and the revolution. A protrusive shot used is that of a medium close up of a man holding his crying child and beckoning it to look at something off camera he is pointing at followed up by a close up shot of an American flag waving in the wave which fills the entire screen. This shows the audience that the Cubans are looking to America hopefully, their heads full of ideas of living the ‘American Dream’. These messages are reinforced by a medium shot taken from the viewpoint of one of the boats looking to the pier surrounding by the cheering people as they arrive in their new home. Another prominent shot used is that of an old woman being carried off the boat by stretcher, this goes against the usual connotations of this shot of sadness and loss as she has a smile on her face which connotes that the gruelling journey was worth their eventual arrival. This is at once contracted by a shot of two young men being searched by military police upon their arrivals; this reaffirms the ideoloy of what the Cuban immigrants are like. The introduction to the film ends with bird’s eye shots of the living conditions of the immigrants and close up shots of their faces, their expressions showing that their arrivals in America have not lived up to their expectations of a better quality of life. If they want a better quality of life in this country then they must take it for themselves, and one man is willing to do so...