Our Media Prelim;

Filming a prelim for the first time was very exciting as well as interesting, as you have to learn how to use the film equipment. Along with you also have to learn what to do to create certain angles or shots that you need to use within your prelim. Learning all these new skills and techniques will hopefully give me the knowledge to make our next task 'opening to a thriller movie' more profesional. Along with better editing, as all members of our group will already have some knowledge as to what needs to be done using the editing equipment iMovie 09.

As a group, I think all our members contributed equally and fairly, and we were all aware of what each of us should have been doing to speed along the whole film making process including editing. There was no disagreements or arguments and we all bounced off each others ideas, to come to a final idea that worked extrememly well. We all knew the time limit we had to film, along with editing and we all worked together to make sure we got every task done in the time set.

Plan for Prelim:

Starring; Kingston Capes (Agent Capes)
              Henry Louth (The Don)
Camera and Filming: Jessica Cooke & Hannah Phillips

• Mission impossible theme tune from start of prelim.
• Long shot of Agent Capes walking up the sweeping staircase
• Freeze frame of Agent Capes where writing will come across the screen saying 'Agent Capes' for a duration of one second
• Transition to mid shot of Agent Capes walking towards the camera from roughly four steps down from the top of the stairs.
• Close up of Agents Capes's feet walking across the stairway towards the door.
• Mid shot of Agent Capes opening the door
• Transition to mid shot from other side of the door
• Mid shot of Agent Capes walking towards the camera
• Long shot (CCTV style) of Agent Capes walking from one end of the corridor to the other
• Mission impossible music stops
• Midshot of Agent capes walking towards a door
• Close up of his hand placed on the door handle
• Close up of sign 'meeting in progress'
• Mid shot of door opening from the other side and Agent Capes walking into the room
• Over the shoulder shot (FREEZE FRAME) of The don for a duration of one second.
• Over the shoulder shot of the don speaking; 'ah kingston, i've been expecting you'
• VERY IMPORTANT TO STICK TO ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DEGREE RULE
• Over the shoulder shot of Agent Capes putting his hand in blazer and picking out a letter
• Extreme close up of Agent Capes's eyes
• Extreme close up of the dons eyes
• Close up of both characters hands exchanging a letter
• Mid shot of the don recieving the letter and reading it and then speaking; 'what is this?!' to then go on to say 'i'm dissapointed kinsgton..'
• Mid shot of Agent Capes saying; 'its not my job anymore'
• High angled shot of the don saying i'm disappointed and reaching his hand to somewhere under the table
• Screen goes black
• GUN SOUND OCCURS.

Trailer for phsycological thriller; 'Dream House' (2011)

The start of this thriller shows representation, and the mise-en-scene of the film portrays realism. The scene is realistic, as its an everyday typical family of  a married couple and there dependant children living in what they call there 'dream house'. The non digetic sound added to the start of the trailer is a peaceful and content backing sound with digetic sound of laughter and playful cries, which connote a positive and happy atmosphere, which instantly sets a positive vibe. However, the non digetic sound that almost sounds like a piano playing, builds up and the music gets louder and faster rapidly as the scenes change and tension is increased as the story starts to un-fold. The non digetic sound thats in the main male characters head within the film, is a repetition of a certain persons name being 'peter moore', which makes the reader confused as to why this character is so important, what does he have to do with the story?

The effects used within the film are of black flashes on screen that are used between scenes, which build up the atmopshere along with the black on white effect used for the subtitles, which makes the words stand out and seem more powerful. This catches the readers eyes more and makes them pay more attention.

The image above is extremely relevant and an important image, as throughout the trailer there is repetition of the words 'once upon a time, there were two little girls they lived in a house..'. The idea that the film is called the dream house, and after watching the whole of the trailer, its clear to see the house has connotations of murder, pain, screams, cries and upset. It is clear to see the house of horrors as you could call it, is far from a dream house.

Thriller analysis continued.. U-tube trailer for 'final destination 5'



•  There is a black on white background used for the beginning and subtitles throughout the duration of the film.
• The black and white background includes dusty and foggy grey coloured clouds, scattered around at the beginning which instantly sets a bad vibe towards the viewer.
• There is non-digetic sound being used throughout the film of a strange and eery backround noise, that builds up from slow to very fast towards the end of the film. This technique is used to create tension, as the sound builds up, the drama builds up which gets the viewers heart beat racing and more involved and captivated in the film.
• The digetic sound used is of terrified screams which connote pain, hurt and upset which builds on the drama that is already occuring.
• The mise-en-scene of the film is set at a vast number of different locations in a city, which would be normal everyday places to be, which puts everything into perspective that the event happening is so absurd and completely out of the ordinary.
• There is a vast amount of close up shots used on peoples petrified faces, and of the murder weapons that end up taking the lives of the characters in the films.
• There is also a lot of cross cutting between shots of two different types of storylines, as this technique builds tension, as the veiwer needs to concentrate more to keep up with what exactly is going on.

Deconstruction of Media Language:

Thriller; a book, film or play involving crime, mystery or drama in an atomsphere of excitment or suspense.

Genre: is a type or category of a film. It is a way of identifying something by classifying it by conventions of that type of genre.

Conventions: are a feature of main characteristics we need from that certain type of genre.

Hybrid:  meaning bringing things together 'a combination of different genres'. one example of this could be the film 'sean of the dead' which is a combination of comedy and horror.

Major Genre: a dominant important category, it should be obvious that it is one type of genre, and one type alone.

Contextualise: films need to put things into meaning to do this.

Signifiers: are the physical aspects that we see or hear within a film. We interput signifiers to create meaning.

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180 DEGREE RULE:

The 180' Degree rule is a necessary must use when film making. Its a basic guide line that represents the position of two characters and shows which one is on the left and which one is on the right side. If you cross over the imaginary line and change positions of which character is on left/right you will definately confuse the  reader which is why its so important you stick to the rule. 

RULE OF THIRDS:

Rule of thirds is used when creating a shot, if you imagine a grid on top of it, you can clearly see what is meant to stand out from everything else, along the lines of which cross. Another way of recognising this is calling it the points of interest also known as the golden mean.

 

FRAMING:

Framing means what you decide to include within the shot and what you decide not to include also. What you exclude from the shot can sometimes be very skillful as you might exclude significant things to create tension and suspense. The excluded bit of the shots can also show where the shot has been framed and give background insight of the setting.

'The happening' picture analysis continued..

This is a screen shot from near the very ending of the film where the three main characters shown above have had enough of the drama and events that have happened are almost about to give up, as they feel they are hopeless and there's nothing they can possibly do to get themselves out of the situation they find themselves in. The costumes that the characters are wearing are casual laid back everyday wear which gives realisation to the scene as you would expect the characters to wear these costumes in everyday situations. The mise-en-scene of the film is situated in a secluded room away from the realisation of whats going on around them. The look on the faces of all three show pain, upset and despair. The look in their eyes show emptiness and blankness. This really is the impact of a situation affecting the whole city that has ruined and demolished the lives of many and left scars for what could be there life time.

'The happening- picture analysis.

'The happening' is a psychological thriller thriller based on un natural events occuring and taking place. This film holds the camera angles, effetcs and use of detailed analysis to turn it into the perfect tension thriller.

This shot above shows a group of people petrified and scared for there lives as they are un-aware and un-certain of why the situation they are involved in is happening.Terrified faces connote fear which adds to the drama that is taking place already. The mise-en-scene of the film is people surrounded very close together almost packed in which could give the veiwer the idea of claustrophobia and people being able not to think as they are too packed in next to each other, which could cause confusion. However, the viewer could take it in another way such as people standing very close together could show unity and the coming together of people in difficult situations such as the situation they are in during this scene.