Preliminary Task

     This is my preliminary task, I had to record a person walking into the room and start a convesation.

Evaluation

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

My film develops some conventions of other crime thrillers as it starts out with a murder as in most cases in crime thrillers. It challenges some as it focuses on the detective rather than the criminal which happens quite frequently in crime thrillers. My film also uses the music to create tension in the film to keep the audience on the edge of their seat which is used by all kinds of thriller films. Crime thrillers typically use a serial killer which I have used in my opening sequence. I had to take into account not to break some generic rules for films such as the 180 degree rule.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My film does not really represent any particular social group and mostly focuses on society as a whole. I have done this by showing the killer in a hoodie, this shows youth today, that they have become violent and a gang society. I have also show how the older generations are as a society; I have shown that they have become more violent. I have done this by showing the detective becoming aggressive after hearing the news about finding a new body.  

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? 

I think that my opening sequence looks more like a television thriller series and it would be produced by Itv who have produced many different crime thriller series. But if it was made into a film my film would probably be produced by lionsgate as they have produced thriller films and crime thrillers in the past.

Lions Gate Entertainment

·         A Canadian-American entertainment company.

·         Founded in 1995

·         First major box office success was American psycho in 2000.

Examples of lionsgate films

• Harry Brown
• The Bank Job
• The Next Three Days

What would be the audience for your media product?

My audience would be people aged 15-40 as people aged between 15-40 said they enjoyed thriller films the most in my survey. I would give my film a rating of 15 as their is some violent scenes and it has the potential to have more violent scenes later on in the film.  

How did you attract/address your audience?

I attracted my audience by having lots of action and emotional confilcts to keep them in terested in the film. I address the audience by having my film set in a regular town so they audience feel that it could happen to anyone at anytime.


What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I have learnt about editing programmes such as I-movie which i used to edit my product. I have also learnt how to use some different cameras than i am use to, I have learnt new camera techniques and how to perform different camera shots.

Looking back at your preliminary task,what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

I have learnt a lot since the preliminary task, I have learnt about the 180 degree rule and I have also learnt about shot and reaction shots to create a conversation. I have learnt about all the different kinds of shots and what effect they have. I have learnt to use editing programmes such as Imovie I used some editing such as cuts and dissolves; I used the dissolve to show time passing and cuts to get rid of the parts that I did not want.

Script

Victim: scream
Adams: Hello this is DCI Adams we've got a murder case down here, I need scenes of crimes down here now.
Croft: Hello this is superintendent croft.
Adams: Have you got the results back?
Croft: Yep that's been confirmed now we got the results back from the pathologist.
Adams: Do you know what the murder weapon was?
Croft: Strangulation, but theirs been a significant development we've found another body.
Adams: What! your joking me!
Croft: Hello....

Notes On Location

Alley-I used the alley to create a dark scene where the victim is attacked and dragged away, the alley was dark which was perfect for this scene as it created a menacing feel as she walked down the alley.

Back Garden-I used the back garden as the area the killer used to dump the first body, I used a garden as it would give a open space because most killers would hide the bodies, this killer was taunting the police by putting it in plain sight.

Shooting schedule

Date	Time	Event	Resources
7.12.10	15:45	Filming	Camera + Tripod
14.12.10	16:00	Filming	Camera

Equipment

Props

• Paperwork
• Mobile phone
• Computer

Costumes

• Victim-Regular everyday stuff.
• Killer-Hoodie, joggers scarf to hide his face.
• Detective-Leather jacket, regular casual wear.
• Head of police-suit

Locations

• Alley-Dark, small space
• Back garden-Open space, lots of room, regular back garden
• House-Typical living room

Planning

First film Idea

The film is about a police detective who after discovering two murders trys to find the killer by any means, and goes behind the polices back to catch the killer. The main character is DCI Adams who is a regular police detective but after discovering two murders he changes. The head of the police Croft trys to keep control of DCI Adams but ends up chasing Adams.

Film company research

The opening sequence I produced has a thriller genre, the film company who would most likely produce my film would be lionsgate as they have produced many thriller films in the past.

Lions Gate Entertainment

·         A Canadian-American entertainment company.

·         Founded in 1995

·         First major box office success was American psycho in 2000.

Examples of lionsgate films

• Harry Brown
• The Bank Job
• The Next Three Days

Crime thriller research

This particular genre is a hybrid type of both crime films and thrillers that offers a suspenseful account of a successful or failed crime or crimes. These films often focus on the criminal rather than a policeman. Crime thrillers usually emphasise action over psychological aspects. Central topics of these films include serial killers/murders, robberies, chases, shootouts, heists and double-crosses. These are examples of some crime thrillers:

 

Killshot (2009)

Directed by John Madden

Armored (2009)

Directed by Nimród Antal

Max Payne (2008)

Directed by John Moore

Bangkok Dangerous

Directed by the Pang Brothers (Danny Pang Fat and Oxide Pang Chun)

Sub-Genres

Crime thriller-No Country for Old Men

·         This particular genre is a hybrid type of both crime films and thrillers that offers a suspenseful account of a successful or failed crime or crimes. These films often focus on the criminal(s) rather than a policeman. Crime thrillers usually emphasise action over psychological aspects. Central topics of these films include serial killers/murders, robberies, chases, shootouts, heists and double-crosses. This film is a good example of this genre as it focuses on the criminals and is mainly action. 

Psychological thriller-Shutter Island

·         In which (until the often violent resolution) the conflict between the main characters is mental and emotional, rather than physical. This film is a perfect example of a psychological thriller as it uses dreams and hallucinations.

Religious thriller-The Da Vinci Code

·         In which the plot is closely connected to religious objects, institutions and questions. While suspense stories have always shown a significant affinity for religion and philosophical issues. This is a great example of a religious thriller as it uses many artifacts.

Technological thriller-I Robot

·         A suspense film in which the manipulation of sophisticated technology plays a prominent part.

Supernatural thriller-Signs

·         In which the film brings in an otherworldly element mixed with tension, suspense and plot twists. Sometimes the hero and/or villain has some psychic ability.

Rape and Revenge-I Spit On Your Grave

·         Out of the sub-genres of exploitation film, this focuses more on the thriller elements such as suspense, tension, some action and fast-pacing rather than scares and the supernatural.

Conspiracy thriller-Edge of Darkness

·         In which the hero/heroine confronts a large, powerful group of enemies whose true extent only he/she recognizes.

Disaster thriller-2012

·         In which the main conflict is due to some sort of natural or artificial disaster, such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes, etc., or nuclear disasters as an artificial disaster.

Legal thriller-Michael Clayton

·         In which the lawyer-heroes/heroines confront enemies outside, as well as inside, the courtroom and are in danger of losing not only their cases but their lives.

Medical thriller

·         In which the hero/heroine are medical doctors/personnel working to solve an expanding medical problem.

Mystery thriller-Angels & Demons

·         Suspense films where characters attempt solving, or involved in, a mystery.

Political thriller-The contender

·         In which the hero/heroine must ensure the stability of the government that employs them.

Questionnaire

What age range are you in?

0-11

12-17

18+

What genre of film do you mostly watch?

Action

Adventure

Comedy

Crime and Gangster

Drama

Epics/Historical

Horror

Musicals/Dance

Science Fiction

War

Westerns

Thrillers

Why did you choose that genre?

Research Into Opening Sequences

I watched five different films from some different genres to get an idea of the generic codes and conventions for an opening sequence of a film.

Napoleon Dynamite

·         Genre: Comedy.

·         The character dresses oddly to make him look stupid.

·         The film uses very few tracking shots; they mostly use still shots with lots of cuts.

·         The film uses upbeat music from the start; this gives it a light hearted mood.

·         Its target audience is people aged 13-30.

·         They use a plain stupid character.

·         The film has a little bit of editing where it has cuts from scene to scene.

28 Days Later

·         Genre: Horror.

·         It uses a CCTV shot at the beginning to make it look like it’s a news report. The film uses tracking shots to follow the action; it also uses a little montage sequence at the beginning.

·         The film uses lots of cuts to change between scene or view.

·         Props used: riot gear, police uniforms, hospital uniforms and equipment.

·         The film uses digetic sound in the starting sequence; they also use quick paced music to match with the action when it happens.

·         Its target audience is people age 18-30

Donnie Darko

·         Genre: Thriller

·         It uses slow music at the beginning it then gets quicker and more upbeat a little way into the film.

·         Editing-uses slow motion, cuts and a voice over.

·         Its target audience is people aged 15-30

40 Year Old Virgin

·         Genre: Comedy.

·         Upbeat music from the start to give it a light hearted mood.

·         Editing-it uses cuts and writing on top of image (credits).

·         The target audience is people aged 15-40.

·         The film uses the stereotypical nerd dress.

·         They use a plain character.

Harry Brown

·         Genre: Thriller

·         The film uses digetic sound (a radio) at the start.

·         Editing-It uses cuts and blurs the image at the start.

·         Its target audience is people aged 18-40.

·         It uses hoodies, guns and knifes to show the stereotypical estate gangs.

·         It uses a quick mobile phone filmed part in the opening sequence.



  

Research

I have researched into the different genres of film to get an idea of what is needed to make a film and what the genre mainly cantered around.   

War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles. Their stories may be fiction, based on history, docudrama, biographical, or even alternate history fiction. An example of a war film is:

Saving Private Ryan (1998)-War film

Directed by Steven SpielbergWritten by Robert Rodat

Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes are thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases. Story and character development are generally secondary to explosions, fist fights, gunplay and car chases. The genre is closely linked with the thriller and adventure film genres, and it may sometimes have elements of spy fiction and espionage.  An example of an action film is:

Transformers (2007)-Action

Directed by Michael Bay

Produced by Steven Spielberg

Thriller is a genre of literature, film and television that uses suspense, tension and excitement as the main elements. Thrillers are mostly characterised by an atmosphere of menace, violence, crime and murder by showing society as dark, corrupt and dangerous, though they often feature a happy ending in which the villains are killed or arrested. Thrillers heavily promote on literary devices such as plot twists, red herrings and cliffhangers. They also promote on moods, such as a high level of anticipation, adrenaline rush, arousal, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, anxiety and sometimes even terror. An example of a thriller film is:

Shooter (2007)-Thriller

Directed by Antoine Fuqua

Based on a novel by Stephen Hunter

Horror films are unsettling movies that strive to create the emotions of fear, disgust and horror from viewers. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, which means it is frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres. Horrors also frequently overlap with the thriller genre. An example of a horror film is:

The Ring (2002)-Horror

Directed by Gore Verbinski

Based on a novel by Kôji Suzuki's

A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, crime and corruption put the characters in conflict with themselves, others, society and even natural phenomena. An example of a drama film is:

The Last Samurai (2003)-Epic Drama

Directed by Edward Zwick