Thriller Target Audience Research

Production Company Ident Plan

GREENLIT STUDIOS

This is our production company ident plan for Greenlit Studios. We have chosen a circular outline with a green candle in the centre which will flicker when the name of our company appears. It represents our genre of a thriller with the electric sound used during the flickering of the candle and also the way the writing appears, can be used to create a tense atmosphere.

Thriller Survey Questions

We have created a survey on our genre, thriller, because we want to find out what people would like to see in the opening sequence of a thriller film. We hope to find out, what props people most associate with a thriller, what characters would they like too see, who's perspective would they like to see the opening sequence from, etc. 
Thriller Questions Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ZLZ8YN3

Conventions Of Thriller Films

Catch Me If You Can Titles Analysis

Silence Of The Lambs Opening Sequence Analysis - Thriller

Legally Blonde Opening Sequence Analysis

Introduction:
In this opening sequence analysis, i am going to explain how useful mise-en-scene, editing, camera work and sound is in the Legally Blonde opening.

Mise-En-Scene:
The use of pink credits and titles suggest it is a romantic genre and stereotypically targeted at girls because of the colour of the font and the way it is presented which is in a bubble-like font.
Likewise, the use of props in the opening also suggest a typical girl as it shows perfume and a hair brush which is normally used to represent a girl character. Also as she is brushing her hair, it suggest a Barbie-like character and that she cares about her appearance. 
The location of the film is set at a soroity house which normally includes partying etc, which is what stereotypically teenage girls get up to. Also with the use of costume such as high heels etc, is also what girls wear and suggests the film is targeted to the teenage girls audience.
Lastly, the use of high key lighting in the opening suggests fun which is also backed up by the partying and games going on etc, which is what a typical teenage girl would get up to in their spare time.

Editing:
The use of slow motion when the girl picks up the letter could be used to let the viewer take in the scenery around her which is typically for a girl as there is pink walls, make-up etc. Alternatively, the use of slow motion creates a dream-like scene of happiness and suggest its not reality.
Cross-cutting is also used between Elle and the letter to show the connection between the two and also suggests Elle's importance and popularity as every girl is taking the time to sign the letter.
The use of an action match when the letter goes under the door, keeps the continuity of the scene which makes the audience more likely to want to watch on and find out what the letter says.

Camera Work:
Camera work is used in legally blonde to give the audience more information about the rest of the film For example, close ups are used of the letter to show its importance and wants the audience to follow the letter, which puts questions, such as what does the letter say, in the audience's mind. Also another close up is used of Elle's hair which suggest to the audience a Barbie-like appearance which is what a stereotypical girl would grow up wanting to be. Lastly, a birds eye view shot is used when someone is walking up the stairs, which shows us where it is set and suggest the wealth of the girls as it looks like a quite expensive place to live.


Sound:
The music used during the opening of the sequence is quite girly and catchy which makes the audience more engaged with the song and the representation of females.
Likewise, the tone of voice at the end of the sequence is high pitched and girly which also represents teenage girls as stereotypically they like singing.
Also the use of a catchy song creates the impression that everything is perfect and the used of dialogue in the song, such as shopping, represents a typical girl and the wealth they have.

Wallander Opening Sequence Analysis

Introduction:
I am going to explain why Wallander is a good opening sequence through the areas of mise-en-scene, editing, camera work and sound. A opening sequence normally consists of continuity editing; credits and titles; introduction to setting, characters and events which is all used to make the audience want to watch on.

Mise-En-Scene:

Firstly, the use of low key lighting when the girls are in the police car gives the audience the assumption that the girls are evil/immoral because the rest of the scene is high key lighting. Furthermore, because of what the girls have done, by killing the innocent man, it makes the audience feel even worse as the girls show no emotion towards their actions. 
Another way mise-en-scene is used is through the use of costume which for the older girl is all black and she has a red highlight in her hair. The black could represent her personality of being evil and immortal, and the red highlight could show she is dangerous, shown by how she murdered the man. 
The use of props also helps the audience understand what type of person the girl is as she has a razor blade around her neck and a knife in her hand which are both lethal weapons. This could represent her personality as she is very rebellious which is shown by her killing the man. 
Lastly, location is used to contradict what happens because as it is in the countryside, it is stereotyped to be peaceful which isn't what happens in the opening scene as a murder is involved.

Editing:
The use of editing in the opening sequence of Wallander, such as how the credits fade in and out creates a tense atmosphere. This is done to keep the audience wanting to watch on, as it makes the audience asking questions, for example, what happens to the girls? Etc.
Cross-cutting is also used between the man in the car and the two girls, this is done too show the three characters are connected which leads to questions being asked by the audience and making them wanting to watch on. For example, the audience could be wondering why they killed the man. Also creates a shocking effect as we don't expect the girls to have killed him, which also makes the audience want to keep watching, to see why they did it.
Also the use of an eye line match from the police man to the two girls in the police car shows us who he is talking about and suggest to us they are now trapped and creates the sense of disgust as you wouldn't normally expect two teenage girls to murder a man for money.
Lastly, the slow pace editing of shots in the opening sequence suggest that because of their actions it will have a long-lasting effect on the rest of their lives, and also the man's family lives etc. Also shows the brutality of what they have done, which makes the audience feel even more disgusted towards the girls.

Sound:

The use of music when the credits appear is soft and emotional which is contrasting the event and could make the audience more intrigued.
Also the use of a fast sinister sound when zooming into the girls could represent the murder as they haven't really thought about their actions over a little bit of money. Also makes the audience more alert straight away as the sound creates a tense atmosphere. The use of another sharp, sinister sound is used when the girl drops the knife, this could make the audience feel uncomfortable and suggest the importance of the knife because its a dangerous weapon.
Lastly, the soft music in the car when showing the man being murdered, contradicts the scene but also suggests to us the man's personality and how cold-blooded the girls were towards him.

Camera Work:
The use of an establishing shot at the beginning of the sequence shows the audience the location and where it is set, but contradicts the murder as the country side is normally seen as a peaceful and quiet place.
Furthermore, the use of a close up to the girls face shows us they have no emotion towards the murder they have just committed and suggests to the audience their personality of being brutal and cold blooded.
Lastly, another close up was used of the man's chain and keyring which could suggest his importance as he has a well paid job but also his innocence as he did nothing wrong.

Sixth Sense Opening Analysis

Opening Sequence

An opening sequence is the start of a film or a TV show that gives the audience an introduction to the setting of the film, the characters involved and the key events. A opening sequence often uses continuity editing, without any cuts, to give the audience knowledge about what the film is about, such as the genre of the film, which will make the audience want to watch on. Likewise, it will pose a lot of questions during the opening sequence which will also make the audience want to watch on and find out what happens to them. It often shows the titles of the characters involved and the credits etc.

FIRST EXAMPLE:

One example of a good opening sequence is the film 'Se7en' as it brings the audience in and makes them want to watch on by the use of suspense and the unknown for the actors. By the use of sound, the music used gives the audience a suggestion of the genre thriller/drama, also gives suspense as the music sounds like it is leading up too something, making the audience want to watch on. Also the use of credits and titles used in the opening sequence creates a spooky atmosphere, and might suggest to the audience something that will happen later on in the film. The way the credits appear on the screen also gives the audience an impression of danger, as well as introducing the characters involved and where the film might be set.

SECOND EXAMPLE:
Another example of a good opening sequence is The Original Halloween made in 1978. It uses continuity editing which means there are no cuts. This makes the audience alert throughout and makes them want to watch on because it brings them closer in with the characters. It introduces the upcoming events by the use of sound effects and the way it causes suspense to bring the audience closer to the characters. It makes the audience want to watch on as it allows questions to be asked by the audience, such as, why he killed her? and where did the husband go? etc.

THIRD EXAMPLE:

Lastly, another example of a good opening sequence is the film Clueless. It uses montage editing, which shows a lot of short clips in a short amount of time. It lets the audience see the main characters, main events and introduces them to the setting while putting questions in their ahead as well as making them want to watch on. Also has a catchy song to introduce the show which lets the audience find out what the film is about, such as the genre of the film is a comedy.

The Brief

I have to research, plan, create and evaluate the opening sequence and titles to a new fiction film that lasts no longer than 2 minutes.

Preliminary Project

During the preliminary project, we had to design a short opening sequence which consists of a match of action, shot reverse shot and had to oblige to the 180 degree rule. During the short clip we also had to include somebody walking through a door, having a short conversation and then leaving again.

WWWs:

• We had a match on action during the clip, when I throw the rubber.
•  We have a shot reverse shot during the conversation, between me and Michael.
•  We oblige to the 180 degree rule, only going across the line when the camera shows the movement.

EBIs:

• We could have included an eyeline match, during the conversation. 
• When I walk through the door, the continuity breaks, as we don't include a shot once i have entered the room which was a continuity error.
• Also breaks the continuity when there is two shots of Michael, could have done it all during one take. this takes place during the conversation of the two characters.

Introduction

Hello, my name is Samuel Witheridge, I am 16 years old and I am taking A Level Media Studies at Glenthorne high school. I chose Media to study at A Level because it seems a very interesting subject, that could help me in what i want to achieve in the future. The different areas of media also interested me, such as video games, TV drama which I wanted to learn more in depth.