Tuesday, 2 December 2008
Section 1: Task 3: Film Synopsis
The central character is a teenage girl. She was brought up by her father, after her mother died in mysterious circumstances when she was fairly young. The relationship with her father is very strained and almost hostile. It is obvious the effects of such: she is introverted and 'just another face in the crowd'. However, the diary helps her to provoke this other side to her: the cheerful, optimistic side to her. In this diary, she collects pictures of her mother, and writes accounts to her, as if it was a normal conversation. In a usual trip to the library to look through old personal family history, she stumbles across a newspaper account: her father was a suspect in the disappearance of her mother. This disregards any remaining trust and love she had for her father, and in an insecure state, runs away from home; taking shelter at night outside the library. However, the darkness, an insecure state of mind, and her imagination play a part in her somehow being admitted to hospital. From there, her father finds her, and takes her back home. (this scene will be made to look like he has hunted her down, and very provocative). When they finally get home, he has her cornered in the room, and she confronts him about her findings, screaming at him in hysterics: only to be faced with the fact that she was actually the killer ...
Section 3: Brainstorm of Content
Idea 1:
Possible names: The Diary, March 13th.
Overview: A teenage girl from a single parent family; her dad is hostile to her, and her mother was murdered when she was young. She has never been told about what has happened to her mum, and wonders/ suspects why her dad is being hostile and secretive. The diary is a way for her to keep the memory of her mum alive, and the only thing in life that she feels happy and safe with. One day, she finds something out about her dad when she is researching/ finding pictures of her mothers death. She suspects that her dad was the killer in her mother's murder. The twist in the story is that she is in fact the killer.
There will be a linear narrative; the film starts with her childhood, then jumps to her life as a teenager, in the present.
Idea 2: An alternative to idea 1
Possible names: The Diary, March 13th
Overview: A teenage girl, because of some traumatic past, is 'gifted' with premenissions of seeing peoples murders before they happen. However, people think that this is because of the traumatic event that she is turning mental (to a lesser extent), and so for the best, she is admitted to a mental institution. From there, she keeps a diary, and writes down all her premenitions and feelings; telling every person that will listen to her. The detectives investigating the strange murders find out about the girl, and get her to help save the victims before they are killed. The twist is that she is the killer, fixing all of the murders beforehand, and in taking the kiler to the new murder victims, the detectives are condemning them. The film ends with her being killed herself: including the morality factor, because she is in effect only a kid, but has the capability to murder tens of people.
There will be a linear narrative.
Idea 3:
Possible names: Candle light, Wick
Overview: A man's candle company is being phased out by the introduction of gas and electricity. He cannot afford to keep the business alive, and so in retalliation to the thought that he may have to lose his business, he murders people who are mainly linked with this, using the fat and blood from their bodies to make the candles. After he murders the victims and makes the candles, he sadistically keeps one candle as a memoire of his 'good work' in the backroom of his shop. When he is finally caught by a relative of one of his victims, they find the back room, and the thousands of candles inside.
There will be a linear narrative.
We have chosen to film idea 1, as we feel that the opening to this will be easiest to film in context with the overview.
Possible names: The Diary, March 13th.
Overview: A teenage girl from a single parent family; her dad is hostile to her, and her mother was murdered when she was young. She has never been told about what has happened to her mum, and wonders/ suspects why her dad is being hostile and secretive. The diary is a way for her to keep the memory of her mum alive, and the only thing in life that she feels happy and safe with. One day, she finds something out about her dad when she is researching/ finding pictures of her mothers death. She suspects that her dad was the killer in her mother's murder. The twist in the story is that she is in fact the killer.
There will be a linear narrative; the film starts with her childhood, then jumps to her life as a teenager, in the present.
Idea 2: An alternative to idea 1
Possible names: The Diary, March 13th
Overview: A teenage girl, because of some traumatic past, is 'gifted' with premenissions of seeing peoples murders before they happen. However, people think that this is because of the traumatic event that she is turning mental (to a lesser extent), and so for the best, she is admitted to a mental institution. From there, she keeps a diary, and writes down all her premenitions and feelings; telling every person that will listen to her. The detectives investigating the strange murders find out about the girl, and get her to help save the victims before they are killed. The twist is that she is the killer, fixing all of the murders beforehand, and in taking the kiler to the new murder victims, the detectives are condemning them. The film ends with her being killed herself: including the morality factor, because she is in effect only a kid, but has the capability to murder tens of people.
There will be a linear narrative.
Idea 3:
Possible names: Candle light, Wick
Overview: A man's candle company is being phased out by the introduction of gas and electricity. He cannot afford to keep the business alive, and so in retalliation to the thought that he may have to lose his business, he murders people who are mainly linked with this, using the fat and blood from their bodies to make the candles. After he murders the victims and makes the candles, he sadistically keeps one candle as a memoire of his 'good work' in the backroom of his shop. When he is finally caught by a relative of one of his victims, they find the back room, and the thousands of candles inside.
There will be a linear narrative.
We have chosen to film idea 1, as we feel that the opening to this will be easiest to film in context with the overview.
Section 1: Task 3: Film Characters
Section 1: Task 3: Film Characters
Character 1
Name: Sophie Wilson
Age: 16
Sex: Female
Costume: Ordinary clothes eg. jeans and a hoodie/ t-shirt (following the theory set by GK.Chesterson, that a thriller has an ordinary, everyday hero in). Clothes change to show the passing of time, and also change to slightly 'scruffier' and more worn clothing when the character has ran away from home.
Props: Diary, bagback
Character background: She is from a single parent family, and has obviously suffered from the lack of mother-figure in her life. Low self-esteem, and a very tempremental/ emotional state. Has a very hostile and unloving relationship with her father, and does not know why. Often very quiet and goes un-noticed in the household, and throughout life, but a completely different side comes to light when she has the diary (where she feels safe to be herself and express feelings and problems she has, all of which is addressed to her mother, whom she collects and keeps pictures of in the diary). This will hint to the audience that she has a split personality, but not give away the plot.
Character 2:
Name: Terry Wilson
Age: 40
Sex: Male
Relationship to character 1: Father
Costume: Ordinary clothes, again conforming to GK.Chesterson's theory - eg. jumper and trousers (to show the obvious age difference between the 2 characters)
Props: -
Character background: Cynical and worn down by life: has been such since the death of his wife. Is hostile with the daughter, often not wanting to be around her and feeling uncomfortable in her presence, but feels like he has to bring her up through life, and this attitude shows in his relations and interactions he has with her. In a dead end job and feeling trapped - constantly living his life in the past with his wife whom he truely loved.
Character 1
Name: Sophie Wilson
Age: 16
Sex: Female
Costume: Ordinary clothes eg. jeans and a hoodie/ t-shirt (following the theory set by GK.Chesterson, that a thriller has an ordinary, everyday hero in). Clothes change to show the passing of time, and also change to slightly 'scruffier' and more worn clothing when the character has ran away from home.
Props: Diary, bagback
Character background: She is from a single parent family, and has obviously suffered from the lack of mother-figure in her life. Low self-esteem, and a very tempremental/ emotional state. Has a very hostile and unloving relationship with her father, and does not know why. Often very quiet and goes un-noticed in the household, and throughout life, but a completely different side comes to light when she has the diary (where she feels safe to be herself and express feelings and problems she has, all of which is addressed to her mother, whom she collects and keeps pictures of in the diary). This will hint to the audience that she has a split personality, but not give away the plot.
Character 2:
Name: Terry Wilson
Age: 40
Sex: Male
Relationship to character 1: Father
Costume: Ordinary clothes, again conforming to GK.Chesterson's theory - eg. jumper and trousers (to show the obvious age difference between the 2 characters)
Props: -
Character background: Cynical and worn down by life: has been such since the death of his wife. Is hostile with the daughter, often not wanting to be around her and feeling uncomfortable in her presence, but feels like he has to bring her up through life, and this attitude shows in his relations and interactions he has with her. In a dead end job and feeling trapped - constantly living his life in the past with his wife whom he truely loved.
Section 5: Treatment
HOUSE
Starts off in the family house; flashbacks to her childhood and her life as it is now. This location establishes (in present time) the hostility between dad and daughter, and the lack of mother figure.
HOUSE (Time passes)
Same location but older actor(s). Establishes the passing of time, and moves the story on: she wants to find out who killed her mum. See her cutting up and sticking down photos of her mum, which represents her wanting to keep the memory of her mum alive, and therefore her love.
LIBRARY
Researching into her mothers death. Looking through old newspaper archaives, and discovers that her dad has been a suspect in her mothers murder.
PARK
In shock, she runs away; too scared to go home as she is convinced that her dad is the killer (the audience will also be led to think this through the way in which they interact, especially important in establishing this aspect of the film in the house when she is a teenager/older).
LIBRARY PORCH
Pathetic falacy used to create a intimidating and lonesome environment: she has ran away and is now living on the streets (her first night alone).
STREET
Something scares her in the shadows of the library, or somewhere around her: so she runs into the street, where she is hit by a car. The audience do not see this, but it will be implied.
HOSPITAL
This helps to imply that she was hit by the car.
STREET
Her dad's perspective: he is trying to look for her after he realises his daughter is missing. The camera swaps between the hospital and the street (when she was on the streets) to create the feeling that her dad is 'hunting her down'.
CAR
The dad finds the daugher in hospital, and takes her home. Most of the shots will be through the mirror to again, create the sense of distance between them: because they have to speak through the mirror, not directly to eachother. Also, the shot of the dad will create a sense of intimidation again, adding to the effect that he has 'hunted her down' and therefore adding to the suspense of the story: what will he do to her? Will he kill her?
HOUSE
They both get out of the car, and walk into the house. Here, she confronts him about the murder after being backed into a corner by her dad. She is screaming at him and hysterical. The camera shows that the dad is losing patience with the daughter. He then reveals that she is the one that has killed her mother: her split personality.
This will have been hinted at through the film, as we plan to use different shots of her, different lighting, mirror shots etc.
Starts off in the family house; flashbacks to her childhood and her life as it is now. This location establishes (in present time) the hostility between dad and daughter, and the lack of mother figure.
HOUSE (Time passes)
Same location but older actor(s). Establishes the passing of time, and moves the story on: she wants to find out who killed her mum. See her cutting up and sticking down photos of her mum, which represents her wanting to keep the memory of her mum alive, and therefore her love.
LIBRARY
Researching into her mothers death. Looking through old newspaper archaives, and discovers that her dad has been a suspect in her mothers murder.
PARK
In shock, she runs away; too scared to go home as she is convinced that her dad is the killer (the audience will also be led to think this through the way in which they interact, especially important in establishing this aspect of the film in the house when she is a teenager/older).
LIBRARY PORCH
Pathetic falacy used to create a intimidating and lonesome environment: she has ran away and is now living on the streets (her first night alone).
STREET
Something scares her in the shadows of the library, or somewhere around her: so she runs into the street, where she is hit by a car. The audience do not see this, but it will be implied.
HOSPITAL
This helps to imply that she was hit by the car.
STREET
Her dad's perspective: he is trying to look for her after he realises his daughter is missing. The camera swaps between the hospital and the street (when she was on the streets) to create the feeling that her dad is 'hunting her down'.
CAR
The dad finds the daugher in hospital, and takes her home. Most of the shots will be through the mirror to again, create the sense of distance between them: because they have to speak through the mirror, not directly to eachother. Also, the shot of the dad will create a sense of intimidation again, adding to the effect that he has 'hunted her down' and therefore adding to the suspense of the story: what will he do to her? Will he kill her?
HOUSE
They both get out of the car, and walk into the house. Here, she confronts him about the murder after being backed into a corner by her dad. She is screaming at him and hysterical. The camera shows that the dad is losing patience with the daughter. He then reveals that she is the one that has killed her mother: her split personality.
This will have been hinted at through the film, as we plan to use different shots of her, different lighting, mirror shots etc.
Section 4: Audience Research Results
We found in our results the following data:
How old are you ?
15 or under 0%
16 60%
17 20%
18 20%
19 0%
20 0%
Gender?
Male 50%
Female 50%
How often do you go to the cinema or watch a film on average?
Never 0%
Once 50%
Twice 30%
Once a week 20%
Everyday 0%
Most days 0%
How do you define the thriller genre?
Smart, scary and action 50%
Psychological, suspenceful and clever plots 30%
Cheesy 20%
Do you like thrillers?
Yes 70%
No 30%
What do you think makes a good thriller?
Plot 60%
Empathy 10%
Fire 10%
Violence action 20%
Gory or psychological?
Gory 10%
Psychological 90%
In your oppinion what is the difference between a certificate 18 and a certificate 15?
More sex, violence and gore 100%
Which do you prefer?
15 60%
18 40%
In conclusion, we have decided from these results that we will be doing a pyschological thriller with a certificate of 15. We believe that as people watch thriller for the pyschological aspect of the film, the film will not have to be an 18.
How old are you ?
15 or under 0%
16 60%
17 20%
18 20%
19 0%
20 0%
Gender?
Male 50%
Female 50%
How often do you go to the cinema or watch a film on average?
Never 0%
Once 50%
Twice 30%
Once a week 20%
Everyday 0%
Most days 0%
How do you define the thriller genre?
Smart, scary and action 50%
Psychological, suspenceful and clever plots 30%
Cheesy 20%
Do you like thrillers?
Yes 70%
No 30%
What do you think makes a good thriller?
Plot 60%
Empathy 10%
Fire 10%
Violence action 20%
Gory or psychological?
Gory 10%
Psychological 90%
In your oppinion what is the difference between a certificate 18 and a certificate 15?
More sex, violence and gore 100%
Which do you prefer?
15 60%
18 40%
In conclusion, we have decided from these results that we will be doing a pyschological thriller with a certificate of 15. We believe that as people watch thriller for the pyschological aspect of the film, the film will not have to be an 18.
Monday, 1 December 2008
Location for the film
location:Appleton Thorn
contact:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
photo:
Fire exits: the allocated exits are the front door, the two rear doors and the groud floor widows that will be unlocked.
contact:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
photo:
Fire exits: the allocated exits are the front door, the two rear doors and the groud floor widows that will be unlocked.
Friday, 28 November 2008
Section 1: Task 3: Questionnaire
Media Questionnaire :)
The aim of this questionnaire is to gather research for media coursework about the thriller genre, and people's opinions on it. Please answer all the questions, and thank you in advance for taking the time to fill in this questionnaire.
How old are you?
◘ 15 and below ◘ 16 ◘ 17 ◘ 18 ◘ 19 ◘ 20 and above
Gender?
◘ Male ◘ Female
How often do you go to the cinema, or watch a fim, on average each month?
◘ Never ◘ Once ◘ Twice ◘ Once a week ◘ Every day ◘ Most weeks
How would you define the thriller genre?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Do you like the thriller genre?
◘ Yes ◘ No
Why?
____________________________________________
What do you think makes a good thriller?
Do you prefer gory or psychological thrillers more?
◘ Gory ◘ Psychological
In your opinion, what is the difference between a certificate 15 thriller, and a certificate 18 thriller?
_____________________________________________
Which do you prefer?
◘ 15 ◘ 18
Media Questionnaire :)
The aim of this questionnaire is to gather research for media coursework about the thriller genre, and people's opinions on it. Please answer all the questions, and thank you in advance for taking the time to fill in this questionnaire.
How old are you?
◘ 15 and below ◘ 16 ◘ 17 ◘ 18 ◘ 19 ◘ 20 and above
Gender?
◘ Male ◘ Female
How often do you go to the cinema, or watch a fim, on average each month?
◘ Never ◘ Once ◘ Twice ◘ Once a week ◘ Every day ◘ Most weeks
How would you define the thriller genre?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Do you like the thriller genre?
◘ Yes ◘ No
Why?
____________________________________________
What do you think makes a good thriller?
Do you prefer gory or psychological thrillers more?
◘ Gory ◘ Psychological
In your opinion, what is the difference between a certificate 15 thriller, and a certificate 18 thriller?
_____________________________________________
Which do you prefer?
◘ 15 ◘ 18
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Section 1: Task 3: Film Certificate
We have chosen to make a certificate 15 film.
This is because:
- There is a bigger target market for 15 films, as from our research we know that there is a significant market for 15 - 17 year olds especially, and cutting this market out would damage the viewings of our film.
- The difference between a certificate 15 and a certificate 18 is the amount of gore, violence and sex in the film. Choosing a 15 film meant that we could cut out the amount of gore and violence, which would both make the film easier to shoot, and still keep the storyline effective, but also turn our film into a psychological thriller moreso, which from our research we know that the target audience want, in comparison to a gory thriller.
We have chosen to make a certificate 15 film.
This is because:
- There is a bigger target market for 15 films, as from our research we know that there is a significant market for 15 - 17 year olds especially, and cutting this market out would damage the viewings of our film.
- The difference between a certificate 15 and a certificate 18 is the amount of gore, violence and sex in the film. Choosing a 15 film meant that we could cut out the amount of gore and violence, which would both make the film easier to shoot, and still keep the storyline effective, but also turn our film into a psychological thriller moreso, which from our research we know that the target audience want, in comparison to a gory thriller.
Thursday, 20 November 2008
SECTION 1 THE THRILLER GENRE
The thriller genre in general is greatly misinterpreted and not understood properly. this is mainly because there are so many opinions on what makes a thriller a thriller. Luckily a man called Martin Rubin came along and created a book that includes all thriller writers and what they had to say about what makes a thriller, so basically he just got stuff that other people had said and put it in a book (cheater), so since he didn't put much effort in to writing the book you would of though he would of put more effort into the tittle "thrillers"(wow, how did he think of that one). Anyway that's enough about Martin, he isn't the important one, its what the people inside said that counts, such as:
G K Chesterton
G K Chesterton
who said :It is a modern genre (yes well that was obvious)
Not set in the normal countryside landscape but instead set in modern urban cities
It attempts to find the poetry of modern life
Finds excitement in everyday environments (in G K's case at the buffet)
Transforms the ordinary into the extordinary
Northrop Frye
This guy (who looks uncannily like Jerry springer) basically agreed with Chesterton's theory, but added his own ideas as well, such as:The hero is often just an ordinary person
The audience is happy to believe the extraordinary situations that occur (suspended belief)
It turns the modern city into the "enchanted forest"
John Cawelti
This happy chappy combined Chesterton's and Frye's theory's, he said:The genre transforms the city from 'a modern centre of commerce, industry and science into a place of enchantment and mystery.'
He said that this was achieved by introducing 'the exotic' into the everyday world, like the board game in Jamange, or introducing a book or a ring or something that makes the character start an adventure.
W H Matthews
Now this guy was obsessed with puzzles, mazes and labyrinths, so he Incorporated this into his theory he talked about:The image of Theseus descending into the underground maze, full of twists and turns, puzzles and dead-ends.
To design a thriller narrative, add complex twists and turns so that the audience doesn't solve the problem too easily, but it should be designed so that when the audience look back they can understand why that was the outcome.
Pascal Bonitzer
This cool dude basically stole Matthews' theory and re-named it. He said:Matthews was describing "partial vision" when he advocates mazes
The audience should only see so much
What the audience doesn't see is part of the thrill
The narrative picks a way through the maze.
Lars Ole Saurberg
This person who's name i can't pronounce was interested in concealment and protraction in the thriller genre, he talks about:
- Two ways in which suspense can be added, the first
Deliberately hiding something from the audience (concealment)
delaying or protracting an expected outcome
For example in the film Apollo 13 the audience knows that the characters survive, yet they are still on the edge of their seet.
Noel Carroll
The clues are all there, white beard, chubby exterior and the name 'noel', 'Carroll' this guy is definitely Santa. Aanyway Carroll believed in the Question-answer model, he said:
it is important to create questions, which keeps the audience in suspence until they are answered.
will the hero survive?
one factor for creating suspence is a battle against the odds (the probability factor)
the moral factor also increases suspence as it may not be morrally right for the hero to survive
In conclusion the genre of thriller is extreamly hard to define, and now that all the off-shoot sub-genres have appeared, i don't think anyone ever will.
section 1 task 3
a diary- full of how people are goingg to die on the date they die.
she sees the future but knows one will believe her if she said that she new when people died
shes mental
attempted suicide
she trys to kill herself because she cant get out to save people
when she gets in to the mental asylum she starts to write the diary
she gets a split personality, she the killer but doesnt know it
Narrative structure
linear
the film rows one scene anfter another
non linear
she goes through her life then it goes back over to reveal the plot
Possible Names
Collie Smith - mentalised
Other Stuff
family members try to help
brother or dad are trying to help her
rest of family killed in car crash
shows her newspaper cuttings
certificate
15
bigger market, more people can see the film
18
less people can see
more gore
Names
May 13th
The Gift
The Diary
she sees the future but knows one will believe her if she said that she new when people died
shes mental
attempted suicide
she trys to kill herself because she cant get out to save people
when she gets in to the mental asylum she starts to write the diary
she gets a split personality, she the killer but doesnt know it
Narrative structure
linear
the film rows one scene anfter another
non linear
she goes through her life then it goes back over to reveal the plot
Possible Names
Collie Smith - mentalised
Other Stuff
family members try to help
brother or dad are trying to help her
rest of family killed in car crash
shows her newspaper cuttings
certificate
15
bigger market, more people can see the film
18
less people can see
more gore
Names
May 13th
The Gift
The Diary
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