Preliminary Task - 6 Ways To Kill Your Husband

This is the interrogation scene of our Thriller. I (Chris) star as the investigator "Kevin Smith", in attempt to piece together the reason why (Maisy Osborn) "Cecilia Fiennes", murdered her husband "Laurence Fiennes". This sequence uses a range of camera shots, of which create suspense. 
In this task, I assumed the role of editing the shots on Final Cut Pro. Special thanks to Maisy Osborn who specialises in the composition of the shots.
I hope you enjoy watching it. 

Certificate Ratings w/ Maisy, Joe and Chris

For our research, we looked at the Certificate ratings of films, and also the most suitable for our Thriller film. As you know, Certificate ratings vary from U, PG, 12A/12, 15 and 18. In this video, these ratings are explained. Please take the time to watch.

6 Ways to Kill Your Husband (Or Wife) - Script

For our Film noir interrogation scene, we produced a script, of which consists of the dialogue in our scene. Here is our script of which took a lot of time to craft, and hopefully works out as planned.

For other pieces of work from my group, please visit Maisy Osborn and Jeni Hatt's blog.

Lock, Stock Poker - 9 Frame Remake (Chris, Maisy and Jeni)

After analysing the film Lock, Stock Poker, we took 9 Frames, and created a remake of Still Frames, Myself, Maisy Osbon and Jeni Hatt. Here are the 9 Frames we took of the scene, in order of sequence:

After carefully analysing each Frame, we recreated each frame, carefully noting the use of the 180 degree rule, Shot Reverse Shot and other shots. Here is our final outcome of the scene:

1. Research - Typical Synopsis

Thrillers. They come in all shapes and sizes. There is a whole universe of Thriller film, each as unique as the next. However, each Thriller follows along the same rule of what to include. 
They all follow a pattern, a trait of some sort. I am going to research into the concept of a Typical Thriller Synopsis, to gather an understanding of what to look out for and how to make an effective Thriller for my opening scene. 
To do so, i am going to look at:

• What characteristics are there in Thriller?
• What Sub-genres of a Thriller are there?
• A typical Thriller Synopsis for each Sub-genre(story/character/theme)

In Thrillers, there is always a certain "rule" that directors follow. It is not necessary to follow the aspects in this rule, however, the most effective ones tend to include a majority of these elements. In Thriller, there are a selection of characteristics, such as the setting/location(s), story/theme, characters, mood, mystery and visuals/effects. 

The setting of a Thriller tends to be city/suburb based; somewhere where you can hide and evade capture...or better still, to carry out your deeds. In most Thrillers, the setting tends to be dark, with a hint of rain/thunderstorm. There are Thrillers that also take place in the past, present and future, therefore the setting can change, depending on the genre of Thriller you are watching/making. 

With the story/theme, usually focus on psychotic issues, or even issues that threaten us in the real world, such as terrorism, mass murder, politics, etc. For example, a film based on a real life event could be World Trade Centre(2006), a film directed by Oliver Stone and starring Nicholas Cage, Michael Peña and Maria Bello. 

The characters that are created are also a vital part of a typical Thriller. For example, there is always a villain and a hero/heroine, of which the hero/heroine is caught in a serious of events, but yet survives throughout the film through, what in real life, would seem impossible. At the end of the film, the hero/heroine would defeat the villain and earn a reward of some kind. Along with the usual comic characters, the intellectual characters and the strong/hard characters, all of which go hand in hand to create a typical Thriller film. 

Within a Thriller, there are different Sub-genres that specify the type of story line it will follow. For example, most common Thriller Sub-genres include:

Action/Adventure - One of the hardest Sub-genres to create, due to all the action. This Sub-genre uses a story of discovery and exploring as well as fast paced, hardcore action and stunts. This is most probably the most common Sub-genre in the film industry, as films can afford all of the extras and that to make it as action packed as possible. An example of this Sub-genre could be the Die Hard films (1988).

Disaster - This type of Thriller is usually about a natural disaster, or even man-made. It often portrays the worst things that can happen to us and this planet, using a very convincing plot and characters, along with visuals. It always shows us the effect it has on the characters and even their families. A good example would be The Day After Tomorrow(2004), a film of which covers survival strategies as well. 

Medical - There are not many of this type of Thriller, but in medical Thrillers, it usually has a medical hero who fights against time and all other possible threats in order to solve a medical condition or problem. For example, Awake(2007).

Religious - This type of Thriller explores peoples beliefs and religious events. It also can be about evil possessing an individual or group. This type of Thriller is also not very common, but has made more of an appearance in recent years, for example Angels and Demons(2009).

 

Conspiracy - This is when the hero is the only character is the one that knows the truth about a certain event, and must try to convince everyone else about this information before the evil villains' plan succeeds. An excellent example would be JFK(1991)

Crime - Another common type of Thriller. Crime Thrillers are about the criminals who have recently completed a successful crime, eg. Murder, robbery, rape, etc. or even to have it fail miserably. It often shows the relationship between two or more criminals, resulting in suspense to see who is stronger and smarter to beat the other. A classical example that I have studied a lot is The Usual Suspects(1995).

Erotic - Erotic Thrillers are very uncommon nowadays. There's not much story behind these Thrillers, perhaps an affair or series of affairs? An example of an Erotic Thriller is Basic Instinct(1992).

Political - In this rare type of Thriller, the main character/hero, is out to manipulate the government/power of their country. They do so, by risking everything, and creating enormous amounts of suspense and mystery. A perfect example is Valkyrie(2008). 

Psychological - These Thrillers a particular clever and interesting, as they use the characters aspects to drive the film, rather than action, as this forces the audience to think about what's in store at the end of the film. The use of deception is common in these films and are designed to mess around with the audiences mind. An example would be Jacob's Ladder(1990).

Supernatural - Supernatural Thrillers can easily be related to horrors, however, without the amount of violence and gore. The main character of which does not matter on sides, has a super power of some kind, of which is required in a battle to save the world or city. Carrie(1976), a film about a girl suffering from many problems in her life. 

The above information was sourced from: 

http://lauren-flanagan.suite101.com/subgenres-of-the-hollywood-thriller-a121577 

“	...Thrillers provide such a rich literary feast. There are all kinds. The legal thriller, spy thriller, action-adventure thriller, medical thriller, police thriller, romantic thriller, historical thriller, political thriller, religious thriller, high-tech thriller, military thriller. The list goes on and on, with new variations constantly being invented. In fact, this openness to expansion is one of the genre's most enduring characteristics. But what gives the variety of thrillers a common ground is the intensity of emotions they create, particularly those of apprehension and exhilaration, of excitement and breathlessness, all designed to generate that all-important thrill. By definition, if a thriller doesn't thrill, it's not doing its job.	”
—James Patterson, June 2006, "Introduction," Thriller

9 Frame Analysis - Casino Royale

For my 9 Frame Analysis, I looked into the opening sequence of the 007 film, Casino Royale (2006). The action/crime film stars Daniel Craig, as James Bond, as well as Eva Green and Judi Dench. Directed by Martin Campbell.

In my 9 Frame Analysis, I'm going to decipher the techniques the director has used to tell us what the story is about.

*Frame 1*

In this first frame, we can see a man (we do not know who this is yet) picking up a gun from the floor. Our first question is "Who is he?" and also "What is he doing?" This uncertainty creates mystery right from the beginning, which is very effective.

*Frame 2*

As the mysterious man turns around, the classical "Bond" circle camera appears on 007. This signature camera shot is easy to identify and link to a bond film, as it represents the barrel of a gun, which indicates there is going to be a lot of action in the film. 

*Frame 3*

As a shot is heard, the circular camera shrinks and begins to zoom out. As this is happening, the effect of blood runs down, implying that Bond has got his victim. This is the first bit of colour in the sequence, as so far it has been shot as "Film Noir". 

*Frame 4*

This is the Title part of the sequence, of which gives us the first indication of what the film is about. The use of card symbols; diamonds, clubs, hearts and spades suggest that the film is related to gambling/poker or some sort. This looks like a very simplistic frame, but it is very effective.

*Frame 5*

This Frame has a lot of animation going on in the background. We can see a silhouette of James Bond sitting on part of the animation. This shows the effectiveness of the editing, as it is perfectly aligned.

*Frame 6*

In this frame, we can see Bond firing his gun as well as a king. The animation of a heart as a bullet is quite effective, as it could represent love and that he would kill for it, perhaps? However, the animations graceful transact into the next shots.

*Frame 7*

This Frame is a dead give away for what to expect. As the animated figure moves across the screen, the targets in the background change into roulette tables, suggesting that there is going to be conflict with Bond on his mission.

*Frame 8*

In this frame, we witness 3 figures fall to the ground with card symbols stabbed into their bodies. The use of these symbols and the composition of the bodies tells us, again, that there is going to be a lot of deaths to do with the poker game.

*Frame 9*

This final frame, to me, sums the aspect of the film up. First of all, we see a card(s), which represents a game of some sort. The target and bullet holes represent that there is action involved, and the the use of 2 bullet holes beside the "7" to say "007"  is a pretty effective way to end the title sequence.

This here is my Thriller Mood Board. I carefully chose my composition of pictures, each with an aspect of what I associate with a Thriller. I chose dark pictures, as it is mostly dark during Thriller films, the moon of which represents the darkness. There is usually a lot of fog/smoke whenever there is something suspicious. The evil character usually has a disguise of some sort, hence the mask. I chose a range of locations, city life because its crawling with life, and woodland, because its hidden and quiet. 

Media Studies 22/09/11 - Story & Theme

So, todays lesson was based around the Story and Themes incorporated into a Thriller film to make it successful. We also studied the program "Final Cut Pro" and pieced together our very own title sequence. 


We also looked at the opening titles for Rear Window, a film created by Alfred Hitchcock in 1954, and studied the 4 aspects used to create an effective opening: Sound, Camera, Editing and Mise-en-scene.


Sound: Throughout the titles, there is loud orchestral instruments, such as trumpets, drums, violins, etc. This gives a classical dramatic opening. 
The tempo is upbeat and cheerful, which just goes to show that although there is mystery, it is not necessarily a dark story line. 
Camera: To start with, we can see a still shot looking out a window (point of view)  as the credits appear on screen. 
It then turns into an extreme long shot, which establishes the setting/scene, whilst including the whole scene in one shot, showing us other peoples apartments in the city scene.
Editing: Starts with one shot, then continues into another. Camera shot, after whole scene shot, fades as a transition. 
The credits had been edited, as in almost every film, the text has to be added though editing. 
Mise-en-scene: The opening shows us the surrounding suburban lifestyle, as we can see how all the neighbours live and what they do, for example a women exercising like a dancer. 
We also see what the inside of the main characters apartment is like, with magazines on the floor and posters on the walls, suggesting that he is a photographer. 


Story & Themes

The narrative for most Thrillers usually involves an investigation of some sort, not necessarily a murder, but is often based around a psychological incident. 

• Aspects of a Story (typical synopsis, characters, plot, key events associated with a Thriller)
• Themes (psychological, criminal, sexuality, morality - right/wrong, society values)

I have learnt a fair bit in this session. I have learnt about the story and themes, and what types of stories thrillers are usually about. This will help when designing a story line to go on for producing my Thriller opening. I have also grasped how to use the software Final Cut Pro, in which I have created a 30 sec Thriller opening, of which I will upload a little later. I have also formed a group with Maisy Osbon and Jeni Hatt, of which we will carry out research and compose a final Thriller opening.

Thank you for reading

Chris T Rizzi

Media Studies 19/09/11 - Thriller Opening Titles

Hello again


Today's lesson was primarily focused around the Title Sequences of Thrillers and also about "The Art Of The Title". During the lesson, I analysed the opening titles of 3 films: Taxi Driver, Se7en and Departed. 

In the film Taxi Driver, I took note of many different aspects that made the opening credits pretty convincing. During the opening credits, the names of the actors were displayed all over the screen, not just positioned in one area of the screen throughout the duration. This forces the audience to follow the text as it cleverly trails around the whole of the screen, making us aware of what is happening. As we can see during the titles, the film starts off in a Taxi, as the camera shot shows a taxi driving around a corner in what appears a city environment. The camera then changes shot, to a close up of a mans face, we do not know who this is yet, but we assume he's the taxi driver, as the camera alternates in shots, from the mans face to the window, of which there is an atmospheric mist/condensation building up on the window. We can see through the window to reveal bright neon lights. The busyness tells us that its a well populated city area, most probably New York. The lights indicates that it is night time. Also, as the film starts, the music starts off rather intense, but as it progress to inside the taxi, the mood changes to slow jazz, which usually represents something romantic. So already, to me, the film is probably about action and love. 


I also looked at the relevance of a title sequence:
What are title sequences and why are they so important?
What is their role/function?
-Title sequences are used so that we can see who is involved in the film/production. It is important because not only can we see who is in it and look out for it during the film, but it also gives an insight into what might happen, which is key in Thrillers.
-The role is to create an image to the audience, whether or not it is straightforward or illusive, in order to make the audience think about what the film may be about.

In the film Se7en, the way the titles are presented speak volumes as to what the film is going to be about. The titles alternate between text and imagery, of which it shows someone working on a secret document, however we do not know what it is, which in term creates suspense and mystery. During the titles, it has a light brown/sepia and grain effect to it, to make it appear old, as well as a variation of slow and fast motion transitions. The titles (credits) jump from side to side, with the font changing in size and focus, as it tends to blur. The music as well is deep and at certain points, distorted from a natural rhythm, which comes across as psychotic. It has a spooky vibe to it, which makes us think about the story line. At the end of the titles, we see a number of words/numbers flash up for a split second, with no relevance, which again creates suspense.


Design Elements
What elements are involved in the design of these sequences?

• Images
• Style (colour)
• Visual Effects
• Font
• Animation(s)
• Editing 

I then looked into the opening of Departed. The titles are rather simple, as it contains no real life, just a series of text, images and animations. It has one background image throughout, with a monochrome (black + white) theme, using red as a distinctive colour to represent blood. There are bullet holes that appear beside actors names, this gives the indication there are guns involved and violence is certain. The jumpy grain effect gives an impression that it is old. To keep the titles flowing, an animation that links each name to the next is used, noting that the credits flow down with the colour red showing us where to follow. This is a very effective title sequence, as it keeps us glued to the screen to follow this one red line.

From todays lesson, I have learnt about the effectiveness that the title sequence gives about the film in general. Without thinking about it, we the audience make assumptions based on what we think the film is about just be watching the titles. I will remember this for when I create my Thriller opening.

Chris T Rizzi

Media Studies 15/09/11 - Lights! Camera Shots! Action!

Hi again


During todays lesson, the main focus was Camera Shots and the affect they give to the opening of a Thriller film and Mystery and Suspense (The two are linked!). We looked at an example of an opening, and discussed about the effectiveness of it. This was without knowing about the specific shots. 


When looking at the use of the camera, it is essential to recognize the following:
- Camera Variety
- Steadiness
- Control
- Framing
- How does it create mystery and suspense?
- What is the most often used shot?


Here is a list of the camera shots and their description:
>Extreme Long Shot = The establishing shot. Sets the time and location at the start of the production. This is an important shot, as it allows the audience to think about what could happen.
>Long Shot = This shot is about the character, showing us the figure (head to toe) This shot is to show us the relationship the character has with their surrounding, whether they are familiar or lost.
>Mid Shot = Focusing on half of the character, eg legs and feet/torso and head, to show their body language/actions. (often facial expressions)
>Two Shot = Includes 2 characters in the same shot, may not be in same location.
>Close Up = Shows the character (head + shoulders) used to show their emotions. Note: this shot has no backdrop.
>Point Of View = Shows what the character sees, as if through their eyes.
>Extreme Close Up = Focuses on the characters gestures (eyes, lips, nose, hands, etc) or an object of significance.


There are also different angles of a camera:
- High angle: Above them
- Low angle: Below them
- Contend angle: Slanted


To create the mystery and suspense, Mise-en-scene is used, which includes things such as locations, lighting, costume, props, choice of actor and performance, all of which are elements to the film.


Camera Shots are used to show a wider insight into the characters and the environment, portraying their significance to the Thriller and building the plot/story through mystery and suspense. I have created a voiceover analysis of the opening Thriller "The Usual Suspects" that talks about the different elements and shots, feel free to view it. 


I have learnt a lot, and been able to put my skills to use this lesson, which I found enjoyable. I look forward to creating my Thriller opening even more so now. Thank you for reading.


Chris T Rizzi

Media Studies 12/09/11 - What Is A Thriller?

Today was my first Media Studies lesson, and I must say, I found it rather interesting! I learnt about the difference between a Thriller and a Horror, the elements included in a Thriller film and reflected on my knowledge of Thriller films. I also learnt how to use the internet site "http://bubbl.us/", of which my Thriller Mind Map was created on.


The difference between a Thriller and Horror is that Horrors are designed to be more graphical about blood and gore, whereas a Thriller has less gore, and focuses on psychological themes. This is something new i have learnt about Thrillers, and will remember it when creating my Thriller opening. 


The elements included in a Thriller are:
- Mood + Atmosphere
- Visual elements/Icronography
- Events/Character


I have learnt a lot this lesson, and hope to continue with my studies in Media, as I feel I could create a convincing Thriller!


Chris T Rizzi

Chris Rizzi's Usual Suspects Analysis (w/Sophie Daniels)

Chris Rizzi's Thriller Mind Map