The Wedding scene.

Here are some images of the wedding scene costumes. I feel the costumes help to give the film a feel of realism. The above images show the bride, the groom, the priest and the brisemaids. i am very happy with the way the shots came out, it expressed a happy day. I almost felt as if i was a witness to a real wedding, dispite being filmed in my back garden!!

development of filming:

I began filming my Thriller on Saturday 20th March, and had completed filming all of my scenes by sunday. I experimented with angles and techniques to ensure i was getting the best out of my short film. I believe because the film is only going to be two minutes long, each scene must be impresssionable, and pull the audience it. On Saturday I filmed the Eye Scene, The Scar and The Leaving scenewith my co-worker Rebecca, and on Sunday we filmed the Scolding scene, the wedding scene and the park scene. I was very satisfied with the scenes we had filmed. However returning to the editing suite i was not impressed with two of the scenes we have filmed. These scenes are going to be retaken someday in the week so that we can have more time to edit the Thriller.

My Co-worker and I were not happy with the scolding scene and wedding scene because the lighting was not correct for the filming of the scenes, the impression I wanted to give was not being portrayed. Furthermore, on the scolding scene we were meant to get an affect of fear and it did not seem as if the actor was convincing enough. Furthermore, I am aware that we do not get marks for acting skills, but i feel the rest of the acting was very convincing throughout so i didnt want the movie to look poor because of one scene. Furthermore, with the wedding/glass scene one of the actors looked at the camera during filming and I did not notice, I feel this ruined the illusion of the film.

All that i and rebecca have filmed so far is in the process of being edited, so far I have cut the scenes and placed them into the asscending order. I have made sure the shots are smooth and there are no jolts or inperfections. Once I have re-filmed the last two scenes i will put the shots in asscending order and edit the whole film together so that it flows.

The Target Audience:

After much consideration to what my movie was going to be about i had to decide on a target audience. I achieved this by thinking about who the storyline related to the most.

I conclude that the appropriate age group for my movie (the Target Audience) is 16-19year olds. This is because the youngest a person can get married in the UK is 16, with their parents permission and into the twenties the young marriage title doesn't' really exist. I want to use my movie as a learning curve for teenagers, to teach them that they have a whole life ahead of them, and rushing into such a grand commitment without truly knowing a person is a unforgiving thing to do.

I have made a Questionnaire which only sixteen to nineteen year olds will be required to answer to ensure they are the correct age group for my film... This Questionnaire can be found below

My Survey Results:

This is a question i asked my target audience. I feel this is an appropriate question because observing how often a person goes to the cinema allows you to have an insight on how media affects the average adolescent. As can be seen from my results, a vast percentage of adolescence visit the cinema between 3 to 5 times a month.

My second question was to see if my target audience would go the the cinema to see a thriller. As you can from my graph a massive percentage (99.2%) to be exact voted that they would go to the cinema to see a Thriller.

The next question i asked my audience was, what type of Thrillers they enjoyed. From the results it can be seen that Mystery, Action and Realist are the most popular types of film inside the Thriller genre. When making my film i will make sure to add some of these factors, to ensure the movie is successful to the appropriate age range.












I asked the audience if they were particularly fond of Thrillers. I asked this question because if a vast percentage of my audience did not enjoy Thrillers, then they would not be the correct age range for my Thriller. From my results it can be seen my audience are overall, very keen on Thrillers. At least 3/4 were highly fond of thrillers. Observing my other answers i found many were fond of Thrillers but some people enjoyed Thrillers but not as much as some other Genres. This is why i am going to make my Thriller different, exciting and mesmerising, so that the audience cannot break away from my Thriller, and will be left wanting more.











My very last and what i consider my most important question is asking the audience would they watch a realist thriller. i found from my results that (even though there were more people wanting to see a realist Thriller, then those who didn't') the audience hadn't' been 100% convinced by the idea. For this reason my Thriller will be based on Realism, but it will have an edge, there will be extreme amounts of dramatic scenes, which will express true life incidents, but with an added kick. i Feel the audiences views on Realism are based on everyday situations, and this is why they aren't fully convinced so i am going to make it my goal to open eyes with a new perspective of realism.

Questionaire for my Thriller

Click here to take survey

I have made a questionaire in an attempt to find out what is the audiences main interests in the Thriller genre. I will use the feedback from my questionaire to make my movie more appropriate for the target audience.

Treatment for the Thriller (Fairytale Wedding)

Outline of ideasThe film is based on abuse. It flashes back to their 'Fairytale wedding' when everything was going right. This contrasts between then and now and the regret will be souly focused on. I will also focus on how a decision is very had to go back on. Divorce may not always be an option when feeling are involved. Both parts may have different inputs.

What resources will you need?

Actors: Priest, Groom, Bride, Bridesmaid(s)

Settings: Garden, Park, Kitchen, Hall way (stairs) and shower

Props: Saucepan, Flowers (Bouquets) and Bag(suitcase)

Justification of ideas in relation genre

I feel our film will have a relation to the genre (Thriller) because there is plenty of action involved when concerning the 'chase' of emotions and the 'chase' of escaping a disastrous marriage. The film will be thrilling because the full story will not ever entirely be revealed but as part of the puzzle connects, the audience will the will be in suspense of the true ending, leaving them wanting more.

Health and Safety Risk Assessment

A health and safety risk assessement is important when making my thriller because highlighting the risks will make me more precautionate when filming and therefore less errors will occur.

• No filming in inappropriate locations
• Check safety of locations, for example roads
• Minimise risk of theft of equipment
• When filming on location make sure the teacher or the adult responsible knows where you are and have a telephone number and the time you will return
• Check all equipment is working before you leave
• Ensure you have permission for filming if necessary
• Always film with at least one other person
• Ensure you have the permission of those you are filming

Thriller conventions

• A crime at the core of the narrative (often murder, but not necessarily)
• A complex narrative structure with false paths, clues and resolutions
• A narrative pattern of establishing enigmas which the viewer expects to be revolved
• A protagonist who is systematically dis-empowered and drawn into a complex web of intrigue by the antagonist
• Extraordinary events happening in ordinary situations
• Themes of identity
• Themes of mirroring
• Themes of voyeurism
• Protagonist with a 'flaw' which is exploited by the antagonist
• Titles of reflect an aspect of the pro/antagonists psychological state
• There is often a scene near the end of the film in which the protagonist is in peril
• MISE-EN-SCENE which echoes/mirrors the protagonists plight

Thriller Storyboard/ Animatic

This is my Thriller Storyboard/ animatic, it discusses the main stages of which will be in my short Thriller. i am now going to annotate the stages above so it can be fully understood what my Thriller is going to be about:

Picture one: This is a zoomed in shot of the Actors eye, of which will be streaming with tears. This will confuse the audience, what i feel an effective opening scene. Suspense will start to build up at this point, the beginning of the story, which is related to abuse and misery.

Picture two: The next shot is a flashback, a wedding. This will allow the audience to comprehend the distraught persons life, but not enough to fully understand what is happening. At this stage, the relationship will appear to be loving, so the audience will not assume the reason the person is upset is because of their marital partner.

Picture three: The next scene will be of another flashback, of where the couple are happily joking and messing around freely with their friends. The first image will be ticking in the audiences head at this point because they will be confused about why the last two scenes are happy and upbeat. This may cause them to assume the partner of this woman has passed away and she misses him grandly.

Picture four: The story will slowly fall into place when this next image is seen, it will be of a husband and wife, having an argument over a boiling stove. The audience will begin to see that cracks are showing in the marriage and that the possible problem is linked to one of the partners reaching their limit and hurting the other. I feel at this point my film may prove effective, because the audience will be wondering if the woman attacked her husband and this is why she is so distraught or whether her husband physically abused her. There will also be the distraction of the pot boiling on the stove, tensity will begin to build up.

Picture five: The audience will then follow the woman running into the garden in a fit of anger, wanting to escape the argument, there will then be a flashback of the couple walking down the isle together, contradicting what was once a happy relationship.

Picture six: The Next image will help sum up what is happening, the audience will see the husband in the relationship take the boiling pot and releasing the steaming liquid over his wives arm. This shot will be effective due to mixed emotions, shock, anger, fear, revenge.

Picture seven: The Audience will then be lead back to the first image of the eye, but this time, something extra will be revealed. The reason for the woman's streaming eyes. A tracking shot will be used which will follow from the woman's eye to her arm, where a scar will be revealed.

Picture eight: The very last scene will be of the woman trying to escape the domestic violence she has silently suffered, running down the stairs, the audiences attention will follow the woman's relieved face as the walks towards the door, ready to escape.

Picture nine: The very last image will be of the woman opening the door, just when the audience thinks she has escaped an all to familiar face will come into focus. the shot will end on the mans angry unforgiving face and the woman's fearful expression. A uncertain ending, what will happen, will she escape, will he get his revenge?

Alfred Hitchcock

Who is Alfred Hitchcock?

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980)was an English Filmaker and producer who created many techniques in the suspense and the way Thrillers played in a persons mind. After a successful career in his native United Kingdom in both Silent Films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood.

Hitchcock directed more than fifty feature films in a career spanning six decades! Hitchcock was often seen as the greatest British filmmaker.

Hitchcock came first in the 2007 poll of film critics in Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper-
which said: "Unquestionably the greatest filmmaker to emerge from these islands, Hitchcock did more than any director to shape modern cinema, which would be utterly different without him. His flair was for narrative, cruelly withholding crucial information (from his characters and from us) and engaging the emotions of the audience like no one else."

I Feel Alfred Hitchcock made a mark in the film industry, so i have decided to watch one of his films named "Shadow of a doubt-1943". I will discuss techniques that Alfred has used and input my own opinion.

The opening of "Shadow of a doubt" strikes me as very effective. Beginning the film with the Waltz contradicts many Thrillers, and striaght away grabs my attention. The persons in the scene Waltz to The merry Widow song, this proves significant as the film revolves around a Merry widow muderer. The film will be about a man who marrys widows and then kills them for their deceased husbands fortune. From the Waltz, the type of shot changes from general (long shot) to a particular (close-intimate shot). This allows me to see a closer inspection of what is happening in the scene, costumes and props will be alot more visable allowing me to be aware of the type of setting and time the film is presented in.

Uncle Charlie, the main focus, is then introduced in a very unique way. The shot Distances from the Waltz onto a grubby looking location, unclean children roam the streets, polluted rivers surround the area. Suddenly, an image of money comes into focus, i am then directed towards a frail looking figure on the bed. The Mysterious person seems quite wealthy due to the large amounts of money surrounding him, however, he seems unphased by they money due to it being on the floor. another sign of the mans wealth is due to his immaculate complection, his hair is neatly gelled backwards, and he appears to be wearing a tailored suit. At this stage i begin to see that this man contradicts the scene.

Right from the point when Uncle Charlie is introduced i begin to realise Hitchcock he has a unique approach. Alfred expresses who the characters are visually instead of through dialogue. I feel this is an effective way of portraying a film as it allows me to gain my own perspective of the film. I am not being told what is happening, i am being directed. For this reason the film will be more indepth and allows me to be interactive with whats happening in the scenes.

When the maid pulls the blinds shut in Uncle Charlies room he seems to come to life, this symbolises that he is a dark and mysterious person, im being kept in the dark and do not fully know or can trust this man. Uncle Charlie then smashes a glass against the wall, this represents that he has bottled up violence and untamed anger.

Uncle Charlie soon decides to leave his home, as he walks past two men, they begin to follow him. I begin to see how clever charlie is when he escapes the men tracking his movements with a gun. I begin to see without Charlie even speaking how smart, sharp, quick and clever he is, but also begin to see that there is a dark side to this man, and wonder is he as inocent as he appears?

I begin to see a Softer side of Uncle Charlie when Little Charlie is introduced, straight away i could see how fond Uncle charlie was of his niece. This could be seen through the phone call Uncle charlie had to his sister, asking to give little charlie some kisses from him. Little Charlies location contradacts her uncles, she lives in Santa Rosa- california, a location considered to be the perfect american small city. However this is where the differences end. We are introduced to small charlie with a graphic match, she is laying on her bed exactly as her uncle was, mirroring who he is, showing their simularities and that she will be a main focus in this Thriller alongside Uncle Charlie.

AS CourseWork:- Thriller

-(The Brief)-

-My Task is to make a new fiction film in the Thriller genre to last a maximum of 2minutes.

The Thriller will be worth 50% of my Overall Mark for year 12. My maximum group size will be four however, i may have as many actors as i want, as long as i have their permission to be in the film.

-The production will be worth 60% of the filming mark, and my blog will be worth 40% of the mark.

-The other percentage of the marks are:

*20marks Planning research

*60marks Construction

*20marks Evaluation

- Each candidate must have thier own Blog, and a storyboard and animatic are the only information that can be shared amugst a group.

- The Blog should include:

*The brief and research into simular media texts/ who is the target audience.

*planning the production

*Constructing the production- technical decisions/ revision (changes,reasons changes are made, shots used)

*Evaluation of finished production.

-Marks are rewarded for demonstrating excellence in the following criteria:

*Holding a steady shot (only use hand held camera if wanting a certain effect, overwise use a tripod)

*Framing a shot- Mise en scene'- what is in the scene.

*Using a variety of shot distances.

*Shooting material appropriate to the task set.

*editing- so the viewer can understand the meaning.

*Different shot transitions.

*Captions appropriate to the task set, i.e 5years later if film showing what happens further in the future as without this, audience may become very confused.

*Using sound with certain images, projects a greater understanding.

- planning process before filming:

1. organise in groups (group sheet)

2. undertake some research into the genre (research sheet)

3. prepare treatment (treatment sheet) planning of two stages

4. final stage- one per group- storyboard and animatic before making film.

(cannot make film to i have completed the above)

-Begin my thriller with the following information

* text written in Times Roman in white with a black background.

(AS media studies coursework G32, Foundation portfolio in media, Robert clack school 12127, Names: Rebecca Fenlon and Gemma House, candidate numbers: 12AS)

-Then the opening titles: The name of the film, directors, Actors etc.

-I should: Choose suitable music for the film and suitable titles.

- The sound balance shouldnt drown out the dialogue- sound should vary in volume when dialogue present.

Diagetic sound should be present, i.e. cars, footsteps.

Some websites where i can find some ideal music for my thriller:

www.mobygratis.com

www.unsigned.com

www.newgrounds.com

-I should:

* try to vary the shot types i use.

*use a mixture of long shots medium shots and close up shots.

*use the whole of the frame- dont leave heads sticking out of the bottom of the frame. should film people in the centre of the shot.

*Always use tripod, unless wanting to achieve hand held point of view such as someone running.

-i do not need a closing title, i should fade out to black.

* The film should be around two minutes in lengh, a minimum of a minute and a half and a maximum of two minutes thirty.

- I will be alocated an IMac- (Number 9)

- i will be given the password to access and upload my filming, and must not tell anyone who isnt a media student this password.

-i will edit the footage using the Imovie package.

This information will help me in making a movie which fits the appropriate requirements.

Preliminary Exercise

Whilst making my preliminary Exercise i realised that :

It is Vital to wear the same outfit and have the same hairstyle etc whilst filming. If filming takes a few days then the same outfit must be worn. I found this out when i did some filming over two days and my outfits were different, this would have been very confusing for an audience to watch. It

Another thing i realised is that you must always check the position of the camera. In a section of my filming i did not check the position of my camera on the tripod and cut the top of a persons head off. I am grateful for the preliminary exercise because when i make my thriller i will be aware of making sure the person in the shot is centred during filming.

A variety of shots must be used to convey a good film. By using different shots it allows the audience to see different perspectives of what is happening and not feel isolated to one position. Furthermore, it allows the audience to see that the camera person is skilled and aware of different types of shots. Shots portray different things, for example a tracking shot portrays action.

Furthermore the scene cuts must connect smoothly. I learnt this during my preliminary exercise as the scene was cut short too early. This made the editing look very rough. i will remember how important editing is during my thriller movie, as i feel the editing is what determines the outcome of the film.

I learnt the dialogue must be clear, the audience must be able to understand what you are saying. Nerves can make a person speak slightly fast and therefore make their speech hard to understand. i will use my preliminary exercise as an experience, and will consider ways in which i can clear my dialogue, such as speaking louder and slower.

Another problem i faced on my preliminary exercise was finding a room that was vacant for filming. during my thriller i will make sure the setting where i film is free. i had to refilm my preliminary exercise because the room i was filming in was needed for a lesson, and the next day i had the dialema of wearing a different outfit.

When scenes are seperately filmed it is vital that they must be connected exactly so that the shootings match and the filming doesnt look like it has been roughly slotted together. when i film my thriller i will be sure to make the shots connect smoothly together. my preliminary exercise taught me that alot of hidden mistakes can be made whilst filming and may not even be indentified untill the film is put together and examined. For this reason i will thoroughly check the scenes that i film before putting the film together, this will ensure a much smoother finish and overall a better film.