Sound

Sound

For our thriller we are going to have music over the top and we aren't going to include a lot of diegetic sound. However, if we do include diegetic sound it will be the sound of the car and footsteps.

Music
The music that we use will be slow and quiet at the start but it will increase in pace when the vehicle appears. The music will remain at a fast pace until the soldiers enter the room and find it empty, in which the music will slow down slightly. The music volume will also follow this pattern of quiet to loud to quiet again.

The music will consist of mostly string instruments throughout and drums when the speed builds up. We will not have any vocals over the top of it. There will be a mixing of pitch with the string instruments which fits the typical thriller conventions of music because
it creates an unsettling atmosphere.

The violins will create a high pitch screeching noise which will be unpleasant to the audience and it will create the effect that something bad is about to happen. The drums will be loud beats and they will start off slow, then get faster and then go slow again. This also creates the effect that something bad is going to happen and it also emphasises the power in the soldiers when they move through the building.

The music that we are going to use is going to made by our friend who has experience in making music.

Music -

Diegetic Sound
There will be very little diegetic sound throughout our titles. This is because we don't want the audience to feel like it is part of the actual film and not the titles. The diegetic sound that we will include will be the sound of the car pulling up to the building and also when the soldiers are moving through the building. We are doing this because it will immerse the audience in the scene more. If we do include this sound, we will make it quiet and only have it every so often.

Location scouting

Location scouting  

Actor contract

Actor Contract

This is the contract that we will give to our actors before we start filming.

This is so that we have proof that they are willing to star in our film.

Props, costume and location

Props, Costume and Location

Props

·         Pistol

-The pistol is a G18 airsoft gun.

-It will be used by the man who is hiding, however, he will not fire it. It will be on the floor up  until the point that the car arrives and he will pick it up when he gets up against the wall.

-It is a typical thriller prop because most [crime/action] thrillers involve guns and weapons. It is also usually used by someone who is on the run.

-The gun signifies that the man isn't homeless but he is on the run and most likely dangerous. It could also give a clue as to what he did beforehand.

·         Assault Rifles

-They are black machine guns.

-They will be used by the men who show up on the car, but they will also not be fired.
-They are also a typical thriller prop because they are usually used by government agencies or the police.
-The rifles show the difference in power between the men carrying them and the man hiding. They are bigger and more powerful than his pistol. This also creates the effect that he is strong if they need all of that to take him down.

·         The Sleeping Bag

-It is just a basic fold away sleeping bag.
-It will be placed beside the man hiding out.
-It isn't a very typical thriller prop but it will aid the story line.
-The sleeping bag will create the effect that the man does not have a permanent place to live and that he is on the run.

·         Rucksack

-It is a big, expedition size bag.
-It will be place beside the man and his gear.
-A backpack of some sort is a common prop in crime thrillers where someone is on the run.
-The bag will help to create the effect that he is on the run.

·         Canned Food and Water

-These props are cans of tinned food and there are some bottles of water.

-They will be in a pile around him.
-These are usually typical props in thrillers similar to ours, where there is someone hiding out or trying to survive.
-They will help make the protagonist appear that he is on the run and hiding out.

·         Family Photo

-This is a photo of the man and his wife and daughter. The photo will be folded over on him.

-The photo will be on the floor and it will be picked up by the man in the suit at the end.
-This type of prop is usually used in thrillers to show that the protagonist has a family.
-The photo will make the protagonist appear as if he has a family to lose so he is going to fight hard and strong. However, it could also imply that they are already dead so he has nothing to lose.

·         Litter/Newspapers

-It is food wrappers and scrunched up newspapers on the floor.

-They will be used to make the building look abandoned and like it is a dump.
-They are used in some types of thrillers where a building or area is shown to be abandoned or deserted.
-They make the setting appear abandoned and will make it appear like a good place for him to hide out.

Costume

• Wanted Man- Walking trousers, t-shirt, coat, boots

This character's costume shows that he is on the run and follows the style of social realism, which is the typical style of the mise-en-scene in thriller films.

• Military/Government Agency Personnel- Black clothing, e.g. boots, gloves, balaclavas, assault vests.

This costume has been selected because the colour adds an air of mystery to the armed group of men, and suits the typical mise-en-scene conventions in thriller films.

• Suited Man- Suit, smart shoes

The suit creates an air of importance and also mystery as to why he is there and what he wants. This sense of mystery will help add to the tension, which is a key part of the thriller genre.

• Driver- Black clothing (e.g. hat, jacket, boots), sunglasses

This costume was decided upon for similar reasons to the armed men- it creates mystery and surrounds the character with suspicion.

Location

The filming location we have chosen for use in our thriller opening is situated down Dunsby Drove. The reason for using this location is because it is a deserted place with not a lot of life within a close proximity, which is appropriate because it creates the sense of mystery that is important in our opening.

 Leading up towards the abandoned farm buildings is a dirt track that we will be able to use when the 4x4 approaches, containing the armed men. The fact that the building is abandoned shows that the person that is running away has no where safe to go because he has committed some sort of crime or done something to aggravate a certain group of people and will be punished if he is found. Obviously the man has no option to run away because of what he has done.

Character Profiles

Character Profiles

Wanted Man

• Age: Late 20s
• Occupation: Unknown
• Appearance: Dark hair, brown eyes, unshaven

Not much is known about this character, all the audience know is that he has a family and is on the run from a group of armed men. This implies he has done something to provoke a group/organisation.

Armed Men

• Ages: Mid 20s-30s
• Occupations: Henchmen for unknown group/organisation
• Appearance: Wearing black military-like attire

A group of heavily armed men suggests that the man they are chasing has either done something to aggravate someone or has something that they want, and are willing to use force to get what they want.

Suited Man

• Age: 40s
• Occupation: Unknown- involved with some sort of group/organisation
• Appearance: Suited, wearing shades

This character has an air of authority and importance showing that he is high ranking in whatever group/organisation he comes from.

Filming schedule

filming schedule

We will be filming our thriller opening on Thursday 27th November 2014.

Schedule

When we arrive at the filming location, the first thing we will do is set up the opening scene of the protagonist in the building and then film said scene.

The following scene consists of the car containing the armed men and the suited man arriving, so we film this scene next.

The penultimate scene shows the armed men moving through the building in search of their target, but without luck.

Finally, we will film the shots of the driver and the car driving off to conclude the filming.

Risk Assesment

Risk assessment

When filming our thriller opening we must be cautious of any dangers or trouble that might happen.

The Dangers

-There might be sharp objects that could cut us so we must be cautious of them. We will also take a first aid kit just in case one of us gets cut or injured.

-When we are filming with replica weapons we have to be careful of passers by. To make them aware of what we are doing we will put up signs telling them that filming is in progress and that replica guns are being used.
We might also have to inform the police that we are filming so that they know, just in case a call is made.

-We also need to make sure that the building is abandoned before the shoot day because we don't want to trespass and if it is then we will have to find a new location.

-A vehicle will be in use during filming as well, so we must be cautious when in or around it.

opening titles timeline

Opening titles timeline

Auditions

Casting

Auditions:

The first audition was by Joseph. His audition was very exaggerated and we didn't think that he would be a suitable actor for our thriller. 

The second audition was by Matthew and it was very poor and it was clear that he did not want the role. Therefore, we didn't choose him. 

Next was Sam's audition which was exaggerated but we thought that he has the capability to tone it down a little and be more serious. 

Owen's audition was also exaggerated and we did not think that he looked the part. 

Finally, Archie's audition was not serious enough and so would not be suitable for our thriller.

In the end we decided to give Sam Hargrave the role of the protagonist. Although the audition wasn't the best we chose him was because he was slightly more convincing than the rest and he has previous experience in acting, so we have faith that he can deliver when we actually come to film the opening.

Shot list

Shot list  

These are the different shots we are going to film and the shot types we will use. This will help us know what we need to film on the day so as not to waste any time, although we might film more shots if we think more effective ones could be captured.

Storyboard

This is our storyboard for the thriller task.

Lighting and Sound

Lighting

For our thriller we are mostly going to use natural lighting, but we might use torches to try and change the brightness of certain places or objects.
For the scene where the protagonist is in the building we will just have natural lighting, although if we feel it is too bright, then we will try to adjust this by covering up the windows. We might also try and make his face appear darker because this creates the effect of mystery.

 

When the car pulls up natural lighting will be in use because it is outside. We will also use the weather to our benefit as it will change the mood of the scene. It is usually foggy or raining around this time of year which will again create a sense of mystery and tension.

 

When the soldiers are moving through the building we might put small torches on their guns to shine more light into the rooms. This could allow for some more shots as we could focus the camera on the light on the walls which would create a cool effect. We might also do this because it will make the soldiers appear more official and professional.

We could also use torches to create shadows in the building which would also create a sense of mystery and fear as it might be dark.

 

Sound

Our thriller will have music over the top and some diegetic sound such as the sound of the car and footsteps.

The music that we use will be slow and quiet at the start but it will increase in pace when the vehicle appears. The music will remain at a fast pace until the soldiers enter the room and find it empty, in which the music will reach a crescendo and then slow down slightly. The music volume will also follow this pattern of quiet to loud to quiet again. 

The music will consist of mostly string instruments throughout and drums when the speed builds up. There will not be any vocals over the top of it. The varying of pitch and the string instruments fit the typical thriller music style because it creates an unsettling atmosphere.
The violins will create a high pitch screeching noise which will be unpleasant to the audience and it will create the effect that something bad is about to happen. The drums will be loud beats with the pace starting slow, quickening and then slowing down again in time with the action. This also creates the effect that something bad is going to happen and it also emphasises the power in the soldiers when they move through the building. 

Target Audience

Age Ratings
Age ratings are designed to stop children from seeing or hearing unsuitable things in films. The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) give the public information about the film, like the age rating, the genre, how long the film is and what unsuitable actions are in the film that might cause the viewer to become uncomfortable. The BBFC examine films before they are published and gives them a suitable age rating.

The BBFC look at issues that children should not be subjected to, such as discrimination, sex and nudity, drugs, foul language and violence when making decisions. The more frequent these groups are in the film the higher the age rating meaning the film is only suitable for adults.


Demographics

-Age

-Gender

-Race/ethnicity

-Socio-economic class

Psychographics

-Interests

-Hobbies

Socio-economic class

A - CEO's, surgeons

B - Teachers

C1 - Nurses, accountants

C2 - Plumbers, electricians

D - Retail

E - Students, pensioners, unemployed

Timeline for our thriller

Production Company

Conventions of thrillers

Conventions - Narrative

• Thrillers are supposed to create suspense and excitement for the audience.
• The narrative resolves around the investigation of an enigma or the hero is the only person who can solve the enigma.
• They mostly involve violence.
• If often reveals the workings of particular institutions such as the police, the army or the Government.
• The thriller centres on injustice in society but solves these wrongs.
• There will be a rational rather than supernatural explanation of the puzzle.

Conventions - Setting

• A thriller can be set in an urban environment or a rural environment.
• They can be set in old abandoned buildings or new city buildings.
• They are usually set over big areas as there are usually chases.
• They can also be set in abandoned buildings and asylums.

Conventions - Characters

In a thriller there is usually:

• A Protagonist - They are usually a detective or someone on the run.
• A Antagonist - They are usually a villain or a prisoner.
• A Damsel
• Villains - They are usually English, Russian or German.
• Innocent victims/Bystanders
• Characters with dark pasts
• Psychotic people
• Terrorists
• Spies
• Special organisations (MI6 or the CIA)

Mise-en-scene

- Props

• In thrillers there are usually guns, knives and others.
• Cars are usually used for police chases or as a signal to the hero to run.
• Technology is used especially when organisations are involved.

- Costumes

• The main character tends to wear black clothing to hide their face and look inconspicuous.
• There are a lot of people wearing suits in some thrillers to show their authority.
• Police uniforms are worn in most thrillers too.

- Camerawork
Thrillers feature a lot of different camera shots.

• Long shots which allow the viewer to see the location and the setting which can make them wonder why or how they are there.
• Mid shots to focus more on a certain area.
• Close ups to capture the facial expressions of the character or to make them the centre of attention.
• Cut-Ins to show the characters hands or injuries.
• They might also have high and low shots to make the hero or villain seem more, or less powerful.
• Two-shot which usually features the boss and their aid.
• They also feature cutaway shots which takes away the attention of the main character onto something different (like a S.W.A.T team).
• They feature lots of quick cuts.

-Lighting

• The lighting in thrillers is usually dark and mysterious to compliment the story. 
• The darkness allows the characters to hide their identity.
• Lighting helps to connote emotions and thoughts             

Conventions - Sound

• Thrillers use a lot of dramatic music and face pace music.
• The music usually starts off at a slow pace and gradually speeds up which helps to create tension and build up climax.
• The sounds in thrillers change from loud to quiet depending on the pace and action. 

                 

Overall, the key elements of a thriller are to have an ongoing investigation and someone on the run from the government. It should be set in an urban environment and it must have a protagonist and antagonist. They should also contain a damsel and a villain. A thriller must contain weapons and cars to create fight and chase scenes. Police uniforms, suits and civilian clothing is another key aspect of any thriller.

There should be lots of different camera shots in a thriller that hide or show certain parts of the story. The lighting in a thriller should be low-key to create tension and the sound must be very dramatic.