Further audeince research of trailers of the best stalker, thriller movies

We have decided to identify elements of the top stalker, thriller movies that we could incorporate into our own opening.

Fatal attraction (1987)

-The use of dark/bright lighting.

-The use of fast-paced editing.

-The use digetic sound - the phone ringing, the screaming; to build tension.

-The voice over - someone who is not partial from within the film. Narrating the action and building more tension.

Scream (1996)

-A close-up of writing, using thrilling and foreshadowing language. Depicting key themes within the film.

-Point of view shots to build tension and fear.

-Voice over, from an outsider or in relation to our oipening the victims persepctive.

-Ordinary costumes and characters, creating the idea of normal people and making the audience more fearful as they can relate it to themselves.

Se7en (1995)

-The use of sountrack overpowering all digetic sound. Creating tension.

-The use of a stong orchestral soundtrack, with a drum symbolizing change of shots and highlighting important themes/objscts to the film.

-The idea of words symoblizing plots being intertwinted with the opening credit and name of the film.

The fan (1996)

-The use of thriller conventions and themes. Violence - the knife.

-The use of newspaper articles covering the wall. We could use this, withg photos instead.

-Close-up of binoculars.

-The use of a creepy loud digetic laugh.

Research of thriller conventions

Here I researched the main thriller conventions, concerning mise-en-sene, camera angles, editing and sound.

Thriller conventions

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Preliminary task

Treatment for our thriller opening - THE STALKER.

We based our audience research on the treatment we had previously written, to see if our concept was viable.

Betsy stepped off the plane , the harsh London air brushing her brown hair. She could taste blood, or maybe it was just her intense craving, the  of the task that lay ahead gave her a deep sense of pleasure.

Betsy was raised in the small town of Ackerly in Texas. After being abused throughout her childhood by her grandfather, she was put into foster care. The small town reveled in the gossip of Betsy after her traumatic childhood experience that lead to an addiction in alcohol i her early teenage years. This caused her to become a recluse. With no friends or relationships, Betsy started to find solace in immersing herself in the online world, where she had 'real' friends - a 'real' life. Betsy became attached to one girl in particular, Louise. She began logging online to search for every detail of Louise's life, concealing her obsession with casual and light hearted conversation. As Louise became involved with a relationship with Damien, Betsy's jealousy sprouted. How could her 'best friend' betray her in this malicious way? Betsy couldn't handle her overpowering emotions and with her violet outbursts becoming more common, she fled the unnecessary social workers. She boarded a plane to finally rejoin her best friend, her plan being simple. She would kill Damien. But would Betsy's goals go to plan? Would she gain the friend she was so longing to have? All that was sure is she was willing to go to any lengths to dominate all of Louise's affection...

Texas, Ackerly ; Population 225.

Shutter Island (2010)

Director: Martin Scorsese 


Writers : Laeta Kalogridis (screenplay) and Dennis Lehane (novel)


Stars : Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Mortimer and Mark Ruffalo.




The film starts off with its title sequence which has been presented in a black background with dull grey typography this sets the mood as being depressing as there’s no colour within the audiences view.  Also as the title sequence is being shown, the music which has been chose to be played in the background is a draining, high pitch sound which can make the viewers feel on edge and disorientate them.  This is a good thing because it means that the audience can focus and be intrigued early on in the film as they are wondering what’s going to happen.

Straight after the title sequence, the audience are shown what area and what year the film is being set in, this allows the audience to connect with the film as the director wants to set the scene and make the audience feel as if they’re as well.

It begins with a boat appearing out of the fog after a few seconds of just showing a blank foggy screen. The location is set in an isolated area which automatically unease's the audience mind. Also because the weather's dull and miserable, it reflects on what the audience should be feeling. Moments later the audience are introduced to the one of the star characters who is played by Leonardo DiCaprio, our first moments of the film are shown by his saying to himself "pull yourself together", this suggests that something has already happened therefore we feel a sense of his emotions as he has been shown in a state. 

As the scene progresses onwards, they arrive to the island and a soundtrack in the background arises and begins to become continuous, however as time goes by the musics level of pitch increases as they're get closer to their destination. This suggests that they're destination is not a desirable place and that perhaps something bad might be happening their. 


Overall the beginning of this film consists of many conventions that makes up a thriller film, as its tense and doesn't reveal anything straight away as there's a lot of mystery towards it. Its a psychological thriller which make the audience having to think a lot and plays around with their mind. 

Product Research - Inception

Inception

Mis-en-scene

The setting of an ocean in daylight is used. To create the sense of openness and safety, this lulls the audience into a false sense of security. As it presents the scene as initially peaceful and impervious. When the scene abruptly changes to a closed room, this emphasis the sense of isolation and entrapment, unsettling the audience.

Leonardo Dicaprio is dressed in a suit, which is considered as smart, normal clothing. This creates the impression of sophistication, education and thereby a trust worthy personality. The conventionalism of the clothes makes it easy for the audience to identify with him. We instantly see him as someone who will take us through the journey of the film with a clear and real view of events, this emphasis the subsequent hysteria of his own mind being unstable and troubled.

Camera

A close-up is used to emphasis the emotions of Dicaprio. As we see his diminished and broken face, the only thing driving him to strength is the long shot of children. This emphasis the main driving motivation to the storyline of the film. The close-up also emphasis his scarred face, creating the impression of violence, a key theme in thrillers. Also the impact of his red eyes are intensified, creating a demonic sense. This creates the impression of darkness and mystery, as when Dicaprio is seen dressed conventionally they are white, a sense of dual personalities or secrecy is presented.

The contrast of low and high angle shot's directly edited between Dicaprio and the military officer creates the sense of an attack. The high angle shot of Dicaprio creates the impression of vulnerability whilst the low angle shot of the military officer enforces the idea of dominance and power. This, in relation to the close-up's of the contrasting gun sizes causes the audience to fear for Dicaprio as due to his defencelessness and vulnerability he seems to not stand a chance.

The wide shot of the man's back of the head, creates a sense of mystery and danger. As the audience can't see his face, they can't identify with him. The shot also shows him sitting at the head of the table generating the sense of empowerment. This in relation to the sense of mystery and danger is unsettling.

Sound

Non - digetic orchestral music is used initially in scene one, to create tension and anticipation. Although it doesn't reach it's climax, uniquely cutting to the next scene. This abrupt change in sound and lack of an event with music to support it's climax unsettles the audience and ironically builds more tension. As the abrupt change, changes the mood and feeling of the audience.

The emphasis of digetic sound draws the audiences attention to certain aspects of the scene. Firstly the waves crashing, which normally would represent calmness. Although the intensification of the sound creates the impression of unscrupulous violence and attack, a key theme in thrillers. Secondly is the emphasis of the watch ticking, creating the impression of time running out and agitates the audience. The fastness of the scene is increased as it begins to provoke questions within the audience's minds.

Editing

Fast-paced editing is used throughout the opening building tension and disconcerting the audience

There is a montage cutting from the beach location to the location in a room. Emphasising the darkness and provoking questions in the audiences mind of how the storyline arrived here.

A flash-back memory style of editing is used to show the capabilities of Dicaprio, as he is seen to be trying to fool the man. This unsettles the reader, as previously we may of seen him as trust worthy, he now is showing a darker side. Also the characters seem in different states and clearly different ages, creating a sense of confusion and interest within the audience's minds.

Product Research - Black Swan

Black Swan

Mis-en-scene

The title sequence uses the contrasting colours of white and black. To create the sense of innocence and purity in comparison to evil and mystery. The use at the beginning in conjoining the two introduces the idea of the pure being corrupted and tainted. It foreshadows the plot of the movie.

The lighting at the start of scene 1 uses a spotlight with a dense black background. The bright light becomes more disorientating, whilst the black offers mystery and and builds anticipation as the audience doesn't know who could be hiding in the overriding darkness.

The clothing represents the perception the film is trying to enforce on the audience. Natalie Portman is seen in white throughout offering naivety and innocence. Whilst in the dancing scene a man is seen dressed in black and dominating Portman, creating the sense that evil and death will consume her, which subsequently is what occurs. It also creates the conceptualization of enforcing gender stereotypes. As the woman is instantly represented as fragile and innocent while the male controls her through movement.

Camera

A high angle shot of Natalie Portman, moments previously to the male dancer entering, presents her as vulnerable. Her positioning of the body of her small and scrunched up stance, makes her appear smaller again emphasising her vulnerability.

A handheld camera is used to create a tracking shot of the male dancer as he enters the scene.

This creates a gritty realism to the scene, as we feel as if we are there making the movements and storyline more effective. As we can't see the face of the male dancer this creates mystery and makes the audience feel unsettled. We feel a loyalty to the seemingly innocent Portman and the sense of realism make us want to help her as the danger seems so real. He is also positioned on the left hand side of the screen creating the sense he has a journey to make, the audience come to the conclusion the journey may be at the peril of Portman herself.

Close-up's are used to draw attention to Portman's feet, foreshadowing the main storyline of the film - ballet dancing. This emphasis this feature to the audience as she has woken up, creating the sense of continuity and that it wasn't unattainable and unrelated dreams.The audience is already aware of what the film will be centred around and it's primary factor into which the themes lead from.

Editing

Fast-paced editing is used at the beginning of the scene, to create tension and confusion. This emphasis the fast paced movement and developments in the dance. Subsequently slow paced editing is used instantly as Portman waked from her dream. This interests the audience and grabs their attention as the change is abrupt.

The scene which is Portman's dream cuts straight to her waking up. The lack of obscurity and low quality in her dream in relation to the editing sequence that lacks a montage, creates the sense her dream was as genuine as reality. Already the idea of merging fantasy and the minds own conceptualizations intertwined with reality is introduced

Sound

The use of a digetic soundtrack also uses the idea of fantasy and reality as one. As usually in films they begin with a non-digetic soundtrack to set the scene and mood, although Black Swan in contrast does the opposite. An orchestral soundtrack is also used, building tension and anticipation. It climaxes through the darkness and confusion, creating the sense of an obscured predominant event, foreshadowing Portman's unexpected death.