Equipment and software I will be using

This is a program installed on the apple macs called Final cut pro this will allow me to upload the filming that I will record on the camcorder and rearrange shots, putting effects on them such as dissolve, fade in/ out and much more. It will also help with fading out the music, it is relevant in my opening for the editing phase.


















This is also a program installed on the apple mac, called Live Type; this will help me in the editing phase, it will allow me to create title scenes to draw the audiences attention to the opening and have a selection of moving fonts to make it look professional and creative.

















This is the Apple mac that has the software needed to create my opening, it helped me with the research and uploading of various you tube clips, without equipment like this then making my opening would not be possible.





This is a Tripod this will be used within filming to get steady shots, and make the camcorder stable, this makes it look professional, it also helps when panning for it allows the camcorder to move on a pivot and still keep it steady, this is effective when panning and zooming in.



















Lastly was the camcorder, this will be used to record the shots needed, I do not have to make it sequential for when it comes to the editing I can rearrange the shots/filming.

Filming arrangements

Characters:


Unknown male figure played by Ben
Margaret playing the distressed mother/ lawyer
picture of a girl played by Sarah

Locations:

Latham road, Bexleyheath- shows an ordinary street/ surrounding in a suburban area.

Interior of a house- homely, fire is on, the sitting room, dining room and hall way are the only rooms that are filmed.

Costumes:


Unknown male figure is wearing jeans with smart shoes and a formal coat on, although his face is never shown. This gives a air of mystery as he looks professional in what he does.

Lawyer is wearing a smart suit, she is still dressed from work.

Props:

Unknown figure is carrying an envelope in one hand and a briefcase in the other.

lawyer is holding a laptop, she also has glasses on and a cup of tea next to her; all the sitting room layout is part of the props as well. This makes it look homely and shows she is in a natural setting therefore builds suspense.

Lighting:

natural lighting outside, quite dark gives an erie feeling. Although I may make it darker when editing to create a more sinister effect, depending on how it comes out.

Interior of home is warm as a fire is going, I will make sure only warn tones are predominant to show the warmth of the home.

Storyboard

Working script

The Price of Justice

EXT: Establishing shot of lawyer leaving the court. Background music starts.

INT: Cut to lawyer in her study working at her computer (over the shoulder shot). Non diegetic sound of keys on the computer being tapped, this follows the beat of the background music.

EXT: series of low body shots of man slowly walking along a street, the sound of keys tapping stops, to be replaced by the sound of steady footsteps. Background music stays the same.

INT: Cut to close up of lawyer on computer, non diegetic sound of keys on the computer returns, following the beat of the background music.

EXT: Tracking shot of the man from behind as he approaches the door. Close up of his hand pushing the envelope through the door. The sound of the keys tapping stops, to be replaced by the sound of steady footsteps which stop when he reaches the door. sound of letterbox shutting is heard.

INT: Cut to a close up of lawyer swiftly moving her head in the direction of the door, with a slight frown, as she hears the letter box open and shut. Tracking shot of her walking towards the front door and picking up a brown envelope from the mat. The beat of the background music quickens and gradually gets louder.
Over the shoulder shot of her opening the letter revealing a zoom in of a photograph, with a note attached (The words are cut and pasted from newspapers).
The note says "Are you wiling to pay the price? Wait for further instructions. Do not contact the police!
Music stops abruptly when the contents of the envelope are revealed.

My Final Idea

For my final idea for my opening I will choose to involve a lawyer in which her daughter is kidnapped, this is because I feel it allowed me to show the conventions of a thriller as early as the first minute into my opening. This is because it will allow me to create tension by showing the contrast of the lawyer in home 'safe' and the footsteps of the concealed identity of the antagonist, making his way towards the door. This will create tension because as he gets nearer to the door the music will get louder and her tapping on the computer will get faster. This also shows conventions of a thriller for a crime has taken place which is the kidnapping of the judges daughter. It also suggests what the film may be about for with the ransom note and title which will be 'The price of Justice' suggests that she has to save her daughter by letting someone go free, therefore implying justice has not been served. This I feel is a simple idea that will grab the audiences attention and build tension, leading to a intriguing end to an opening to a thriller.

My ideas

further research

What is a Genre?
Genres are vague categories with no fixed boundaries, they are formed by sets of conventions, and many works cross into multiple genres by way of borrowing and recombining these conventions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genre).
There are many different types of Genres within film these include romance, horror, sci-fi and thrillers. To identify a genre conventions will be shown throughout, therefore with my opening I will have to introduce some of these conventions early.

What is a hybrid?
A hybrid is were these different types of genres come together that two or more conventions from each category is apparent. This can be maybe a horror/thriller as it may show conventions of both these genres, or a comedy romance. This maybe used to attract a wider range of audiences to the film, to satisfy both needs of the target audiences or maybe just may be the story and was coincidently that it contained more than one genre.

What are the conventions of a thriller?
A thriller consists of many conventions, therefore to make my opening target my audience and inform them that it is a thriller, then I must include some of these:

Research into Openings

These are several opening to thrillers that we used in the research phase to help with our main task. We have used Vertigo (1958), Panic Room (2002), The Chainsaw Massacre (2003) and Pulp Fiction (1994)



Analysis of Vertigo:

The purpose of an opening sequence is to establish the film and the mood it creates and a visual feeling of the characters. Also to introduce the audience to elements like setting, plot, themes and genre. The opening to Vertigo is in 2 parts, part one is mainly graphics and action it introduces the character of Madeleine; it was designed by Saul bass, he is considered to be a pioneer of modern title design. The Bass' style is unique and individual, the conventions are clearly introduced through the first part of the opening through the female character, the conventions are anxiety, paranoia from the notion of looking because being watched and being seen watching another person are also conventions of thrillers. The second part is live action, it begins the narrative, this is directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the second part introduces a character John 'scottie' Ferguson and the location (San Francisco), the live action in the second part of the opening inspired me to create a opening to a thriller that would cause tension, anxiety or paranoia. This made me think whether I might add a roof top chase scene into my opening to give the audience the same feeling. The chase sequence ends with Scottie (introduced in the second part of the opening) being left suspended from the roof top this builds up a fear of a fatal doom in Scotties interest and feel of realism that he is completely powerless. This although shows a twist for the person we feel will fall does not and it is the policeman that plummets, this would cause tension and shock the audience with a opening. This also I feel is symbolic of the opening graphics for the twirls and almost hypnotizing movement represents what he is currently feeling like. During the opening credits there is a series of graphical geometrics shapes this is a visual metaphor into the complex layers to persons identity. The opening has no dialogue which creates tensions and anticipation therefore we decided not to have any dialogue to create the same mood and feeling to vertigo. So in conclusions the opening sequence successfully sets the mood for the rest of the film and brings themes of identity and obsession forward and generic conventions such as vulnerable females which I may use as a main theme because it is these aspects that shows the genre of an opening an entices the audience, it helps to echo the characters state of mind.




Analysis of The Panic room:

This starts with a series of long shots that establish were the film will take place, this contrasts with the actual film for after the opening the rest of the film is filmed in a confined space, and mainly one room 'The Panic Room'. This creates tension and suspense that is the conventions of a thriller for the non diegetic music changes the mood of the environment and adds mystery and anxiety to the opening. In my thriller I will use non diegetic soundtrack to add to the suspense as this is a key characteristic of the triller theme. The Panic room opening mainly just consists of these long shots although the music does quicken and we zoom in to target the main character to establish and get the idea that she is buying a new house, that will inevitably be a burden on them. This although does consists of thriller conventions as it shows places such as the city, to show natural surroundings and many thrillers are based in normal settings, so that it creates a feeling of unsurity within the film and tension for not even the character are safe within their own home. The series of long shots I feel helps establish the setting although also creates an eerie for it lingers on each shot and shadows and darkness is shown in each, somehow foreshadowing that something dark and unnerving may happen. This analysis will help me with creating my thriller opening for it shows that to use shadows and linger on certain shots can also create a dusky start to a opening, and inform the audience that it is a thriller; without the quick series of shots that are most commonly associated with it.



Analysis of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre:

The opening to Texas Chainsaw Massacre is completely in contrast to what I would want within my own opening. this is because the Texas Chainsaw Massacre is very much a Horror Thriller, whereas mine I would like to be a action thriller. The opening begins with slow fading shots of photos however there is no colour to the scene it is all shown through an editing effect, sepia. This I feel may be useful to me in the editing of my opening as using an effect like this may entice or even tell the audience of danger that may happen; you could use it to foreshadow something to come. The music I feel creates most of the suspense in the opening as it is very drum/bass like and builds a eerie uncertainty feeling throughout, the music goes hand in hand with the shots , as the shots get quicker towards the end. This conNects to the way that the musics increases its beat, and becomes louder. As the music beats are increasing this therefore makes the tension increase as well. Furthermore during the opening the audience is introduced to the notion of watching the same as the vertigo opening, this makes the audience feel like they are part of the opening and throughout the the film. In conclusion the texas chainsaw massacre is completely different to the way in which i feel I would like my thriller to open, however it creates the same tension and fear for the character and what is to become of them.



Analysis of Pulp Fiction:

The opening to Pulp Fiction gives the audience a calm and relaxed feeling, for it is two people sitting in a cafe, however the conversation strikes as a bit suspicious, as they are talking about robbery and killings. As the conversation gets more in depth and personal to the opening so does the shots. They get quicker and faster and are contrast to the slow medium shots at the very beginning, the language used tells the audience that it is not suitable for younger audiences as the language is very strong, the pace of the shots may be connected to the pace their going through, i.e robberies and killing everyday. However when the non diegetic music starts this is when the opening to Pulp Fiction becomes more upbeat, the music is used to increase the action element, that is a convention of thrillers. From this we are able to analyze that quick shots are also conventions of thrillers and therefore will be a good idea to include them within my own opening. The use of a cigarette within the opening I feel symbolizes the addiction he has to what he wants to do, nothing will stop him doing therefore I feel that within my opening props to slyly symbolize certain things such as danger would be a good idea to use within my opening, as it will help hint to the audience what may happen within the first few minutes of the opening.

Our AS Preliminary task

This is our preliminary task, this allowed us to experiment with shots associated with thrillers; it consists of the 180 degree rule, shot reverse shot and match on action. This helped us to get used to the equipment and how to upload it onto software used, as shown at the end of this sequence we used Live Type to present our names.