Feedback from other groups

• I like the use of split screens. I like the close ups
• I dont understand the start of the flim or how it connects with the rest. I think it could end better and show more of the plot as i dont really understand.

• I like the editing skills at the very beginnning , it creates a sense of mystery
• I don't really understand the main plot of the film

• It is good how the clips play side by side as it shows how he repeats his days.
• The thriller doesn't really have a plot to it and i can't understand which genre it is.

• I really like the use of close up shots used, and the colours at the beginning changing from dark to light to show their mood. I think its more like a film being quite long and i didn't understand it and what the plot was about.

• The main title at 1:02 is good as it looks like it's on the table.
• The lighting in certain shots was quite dull. (improvement) - lighting during filming or add  brightness in Final Cut.

• The use of a parralell shot around 1:20 and 2:00 was very good camerawork and editing skills.
• The storyline wasn't very clear, didn't understand.

• I liked the close up shots in the kitchen.
• Area of improvement: The story line is left a little ambiguous  

• The editing is very good, i now know how to make an omelet 
• The storyline is a bit unclear 

• It should have more flashbacks of the dream every time he goes back to sleep to show the beginning scene is actually a dream. 
• The use of the continual radio throughout the shot changes gives the scene great continuity 
• The editing where you made him coming home at night time is effective, shows he's had a long day at work.

• I liked the use of the sound of the mug hitting the table to draw attention to the name of the thriller.
• Improvements: The name titles are hard to read because of the font/ effect on it. Maybe change the font to make it easier to read.

• I really like the over lapping fades where we see where we see the girl in the playground. I believe these are used well and are different to conventional fades to black used in traditional fades. 
• One thing that could be improved is the voice overs used. They are a really good idea and are used well to show the connections and the relationships, but in order to show what sort of relationship it is, i would advise delivering them with more emotion. 

• I really like the effects at the beginning and the use of all the different colours overlapping. I also like the use of voice overs however they could be a bit clearer. 
• An improvement could be making the voice overs clearer and the titles more effective. 

Thriller Window Pane

1.  lighting
2. location
3. props
4. Costumes
5. camera work
6.Camera work
7. thriller conventions
7. thriller conventions
7. thriller conventions

Rough cut

VERY rough. with no soundtrack.

Sounds

The first 20 seconds of this song is the type of sound we would like to recreate as it builds up live recorded loops to create a layers rhythmical sound. This would fit in nicely with the over-emphasised sounds of the father getting ready in the morning as we hope to use these sounds within a rhythm.

Playing with noises

This scene involves the father remembering his daughter in a dream. The electronic noises that fade in and out are intended to block out outside noise and give the viewer a spacey and detached feel, as you would feel in a dream. When using these noises I was aiming to create a similar experience to listening to white noise, but without the scratchy, high pitched din that some people are annoyed by. 






















The effects used are spacey effects and stingers.



























Rachel - 'I've learnt your names.'
Will - 'What's my name then?'
Rachel - 'Tom.'
Will - '...'

opening credit research

Traffic Warden - Donald Rice




The opening credits for 'Traffic Warden' are creative and unconventional. Although it's not a thriller the laid back style would be appropriate to apply to our dream sequence.



Se7en - Credits Director: Kyle Cooper





Iconic thriller credits. Scratchy, ghosty feel. It could be applied to our sequence and fit in quite well as the daughter is dead. It would add to the feel that something is not right with the images of her playing.


Leon - Luc Besson





The actual credits are basic. I chose this example for the first footage of leon and a gang leader. All shots are close-ups. This gives a claustrophobic feel and the sense the this conversation is very private. The most interesting part is the use of emphasised diagetic sound. We aim to use a similar effect using a series of short close-ups with the diagetic sound of each action the father is doing emphasised.

This is the font we will be using for our thriller opening sequence. We found it on www.dafont.com called senza cuore, we tested it against our thriller title to see if it worked.

Test Footage

SONIC MOODBOARD

Locations of Filming

(it is a house now)

These are the two locations where we will be filming our opening sequence. The first part of the opening sequence will be shot in the park where the daughter character will be playing (dream sequence). The over half will be filmed at Rachel's house where the focus point is on the father character.

Planning the Shooting Stage

Before the Filming Day

• Choose relevant location and plan route around the setting.
• Check for permission if needed around the setting.
• Do a run through without camera to see if the setting is relevant to the story and how it would work with the filming.
• Make a date for filming.
• Choose and tell the actors went the date for filming.
• Choose costumes relevant to the opening sequence.
• Get props ready for the shooting date.
• Check weather report and if it could be a issues.

The Filming Day

• Check props and costumes are ready and available.
• Check we have the camera, tripod and other equipment if needed.
• Go to location and set up.
• Ask permission if anyone is at the location to warn that you will be filming.

Character Analysis (Father)

The father character within our thriller 'Broken Silence' the father is suffering from the loss of his daughter (grieving) His grieve consists of him wanting things to be repaired and go back to normal as quickly as possible with a routine to keep him and his mind busy with no time to think/grieve causing him pain and anger. We show this within our thriller opening sequence by repeating this morning routine to show how he copes with life after the death of his daughter.

Character Analysis (Daughter)

The character of the daughter role within our thriller 'Broken Silence' has autism which is a spectrum disorder. This disorder consists of a broad range of symptoms such a difficulty with social communication this includes eye contact, conversations and taking another's perspective. It also effects the understanding and relating to other people and taking part in everyday family and social life. This disorder also makes it hard for suffers to make sense of places, events and people this can cause them considerable anxiety.


The daughter character suffers from autism and her way of understanding the world around her is to take photographs of everything she see's to relate back to the pictures.

Broken Silence: Script

Scene 1 Memory Dream (shrooms)

EXT

A girl is playing in a play park, picks up her camera and takes photos of random things. She runs towards us, stops and looks sad, then walks away. We hear a voice telling here to come back.

(We establish the significance of the camera and the importance of the relationship between the daughter and the man.)

Scene 2 A day in the life 


EXT & INT

A man wakes up in bed, has breakfast, goes to work, then comes back home. Next day he picks out a different tie, has breakfast, goes to work, then comes back home. He has the same routine everyday.
Its dinner and he breaks down. Supported by his arms on the table he cries, his wife tries to comfort him.

(Establishes that he is getting on with his life, despite the huge loss but there is still something missing)

Scene 3 Photographs 


INT


He his sitting in a darkly lit room at a desk. The desk is scattered with photographs and there are boxes on the floor. He is looking through the photographs which are photos which his daughter took. He specifically takes some photos and puts them in to an album.

Scene 4 


INT

Flash back. Inside an unknown room, it is dark and dreary. We see the girl walking around with her camera on her own in this room. She hears hurried male voices coming from the next room, she peeks around the door frame and takes a photo. The people inside are quiet as they suspect someone is there.

Amar's talk (Good points)

Taking pictures of the location, so we can see the area of our filming. (digital storyboard)

Using google maps to show a Birdseye view of the location or the street view to show a surround with out going to the location.

Location recce

Planning times of shoots, To know when everyone is free and able to get there. 

Travel arrangements to get to the location. Times of the locations being open. etc.. 

Test shoots; get used to props, locations and shot types. 

Idea Pitch Feedback

Good detail of idea, need to solidify shot ideas as opposed to having several different ones.
- Story board, Shot list

Need to get permission from R.A.F Upwood to film on training grounds.




A more final idea, that we just thought of:

Scene 1.

SHOT: Morning, mans face asleep, alarm goes off, opens his eyes and wakes up. Non-diagetic soundtrack starts as his eyes open (still)

SHOT: Hand picking out tie (still)

SHOT: Hand holding newspaper at breakfast table. (still)

SHOT: Sip of coffee, close up (still)

SHOT: Coffee mug bang on table, close up (still)

SHOT: Key locking door (still)

SHOT: Inside car, in perspective of passenger seat, mans elbow on window sill, head resting on his hand waiting for traffic lights to change, looks up at traffic light (still)

SHOT: Perspective of just outside car, from drivers window of lights changing to green (still)

SHOT: Inside car, passenger seat, car accelerates away (still)

To Be Continued...

Brainstorming Thriller Opening Sequence Ideas

Words/ Ideas 

• Hit men
• Mobsters
• Gangsters
• Private Detective
• Mentally Unstable characters
• Highly Skilled thief's 
• Lossing Control.

Ideas 

1. 

     The titles / credits are hand written flickering on a projector zooming out slowly showing an 'over the shoulder shot' of a dark figure sitting in a chair watching a old black and white film (at this point the character is unknown). Once at the point of this (image below)

Theres a scream with a close up of a figure which is followed with a slamming of a door. (created with fast jump shots). The scene then changes to an alleyway 

Image taken from 'google images'

Where detectives are dark figure not showing there faces or any indication to who they are with blood on there hands with a close up of there hands jumping from each characters hands scrubbing there hands washing the blood off. This opening sequence is showing the convention of 'A protagonist who is systematically dis-empowered and drawn into a complex web of intrigue by the antagonist.' (Taken from the long road media thriller blog)

Idea 2.

Photographs - collection of seemingly random photographs

1. panning/close ups over photographs

2. still shot over fathers hands putting photos in an album/box

Story: mentally unstable daughter (who takes pictures of everything) commits suicide. Story of father trying to find out why by devoting all his time towards finding answers, finds it was murder because of the photographs she took and remembering vital information piecing the facts together finding that she was framed as suicide due to her condition.

Characters


Characters that are involved within the opening sequence would be the :-
.Father
.Teenage daughter (the dead one).

Characters that appear late in the thriller would be the :-
.Father
.Teenage Daughter
.Mother
.Sister

Crime thrillers

CRIME THRILLERS

• Various characters including gangs. Usual characters within gangs are the dopey sidekick and the eccentric. A duo usually has a dopey sidekick too. 
• Central topics: murder, kidnap, robbery, crime in general - usually involves police or special forces
• Narrative follows planning of crimes or execution of crimes - not always successful.
• The protagonists often have the qualities of the antagonist or is an outsider.
• Motivation is usually tragedy
• Lines between right and wrong are often blurred as protagonist often has antagonist qualities.

Memento

     The opening of Memento consists of many psychological thriller conventions including technical flashback devices, an unreliable narrator, loss of memory theme and dual identity. These elements combine to produce an very confusing, subtly tense opening by using the flashback as a disruption in continuity.

     The first shot shows the use of the loss of memory convention. It does this by showing us a polaroid photograph of a murder being shaken. At a first glance it is not certain why he has this photo but the fading of it gives the impression that the memory of this is fading.
      All main characters of thriller have a fault and in this case, his fault is that he cannot collect new memories. However, we see that he has found an alternative way to overcome this by tattooing new information onto his skin. In the screen grab you are just able to see the end of a word on his hand.

    
We are straight away invited to see things from his perspective as there are many point of view shots showing us around an unknown room. The use of black and white in the in scene where he is sat on the bed in a hotel room implies that it is an old memory. The voice over is used as a stream of consciousness  which gives us an insight into the confusing he faces on a daily basis

Psychological Thillers

Central Theme of Identity
This consists of mistaken identity, stolen identity, dual identity, doppelgangers, confused identity and amnesia.

Perception and Reality
Seeing from the narrative of the perspective of the multiple characters. A character having a different perspective of what is and isn't real compared to the norm establishes in the film.

Memory
The torture of an individual with a traumatic memory. The trauma of a specific last memory.

Stream of Consciousness
This is a device often used in psychological thillers to give an insight into the psycho of a particular character usually the main protagonist.

Unreliable Narrator
Psychological thillers often play on the idea of the inherent trust placed in the narrator or the central character that the narrative follows.

Technical Devices
Flashbacks and repetition in editing.

Imagery
Eyes are frequency motif.