Test shots

     In our groups, we have started to film our thriller opening and title sequences. My group are starting to experiment with lighting in different shots. We have focused on creating silhouettes and lots of shadows to convey tension and suspicion for the audience. Low-key lighting is going to be used and we are going to experiment with different camera shots and angles.

Our Thriller Title Sequence

Ideas and Inspiration

For our thriller title sequence, my group and I have decided to do a psychological thriller. We will include lots of shadows and silhouettes to create the tense atmosphere that a thriller creates. The camera shots will we include are CUs, MCUs and some high or low angle shots. Our inspiration comes from films such as:

• Paranormal Activity
• Insidious
• Sinister
• The Woman in Black

These films include lots of shadows and silhouetttes and he music used is very atmospheric and tense, creating that edge-of-your-seat feeling. We would like to create that in our thriller title sequence by using some of the techniques used in these films.

Music

The music we would like to use isn't really music but a soundtrack of a low droning or maybe using silence to make it tense as silence can be very effective. We don't want our music to be over-powering as it would distract from what is happening on the screen.

Editing

We have decided to use slow pace editing to give the audience time to really look at the images on screen. It will be images of shadows and silhouettes because we want to make the audience feel as if there is someone/something always watching you. 

 

Lighting

In our production, we are going to use low-key lighting, as it is common in a thriller as it creates lots of tension and suspense. The low-key lighting will create lots of shadows and silhouettes which is what we want in our thriller.

Creating tension in a Thriller

Cutting:

Cutting scenes can be very important as it can be used to create suspense and tension in a thriller film. Such as when a cut is done between characters to see what each of the characters can see. This technique is used in films such as the 1920's film Nosferatu:






This editing shows that you don't have to film everything and that cutting can create tension.


Music is a very important part in creating tension and suspense in thrillers. The use of instruments such as screeching violins and/or a low droning sound creates this suspense. In Nosferatu, an organ was used, which in the early days of film, was used a lot in thrillers.

Camera sizes such as Close-up/Medium Close-up are used often and sometimes, Extreme Close-up is used. CU/MCU shots shows facial expressions and emotions which is essential in a thriller as it shows how the audience should feel at a particular moment in the film.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991):

The Silence of the Lambs is a very good example of the different techniques used in a thriller:

• Heavy breathing-makes the audience feel scared and feels as if they are actually there.
• POV shot also makes the audience feel as if they are there.
• 'Peaks and Valleys' are used in the film, which is where the music and scene builds up to a peak(crucial point in the film), such as when she opens the door to find the killer but he isn't there, which is a valley (low point in the film).
• Lots of CUs used to show emotion
• There is a scene where the camera is at the POV of the killer and it is dark, the killer is wearing night-vision goggles. This makes the audience feel on the edge-of-the-seat feeling. The thought of not being able to see in the dark is scary but the thought of someone who can see you and you can't see them is even scarier.
• No long shots were used in the extract as they are used more for setting the scene. But LS can be effective if used right. Such as in Nosferatu and for silhouettes.

Thriller Conventions and Textual analysis of title sequences and openings

Thriller conventions include;

• Blood
• A killer
• Tension
• Dim/dark, low-key lighting
• Scary atmosphere
• Jumpy
• Medium close-up, extreme close up and close up shots
• Scary, atmospheric music
• Normally set at night or in stormy weather, lightning and thunder

Films:

Leon

• Shaky camera work, hand-held:this creates realism, documentary
• CU shots, this captures the characters emotions/facial expressions
• Shot-reverse-shot, used in a conversation
• ECU shots-used to show reflection off glasses, so you can see other character, also creates tension
• High angle shots
• 180 degree rule, smoother camera work, defying the 180 degree rule would make the editing look jumpy
• Low-key lighting, lots of shadows-used a lot in thrillers to create suspense and tension
• Fade to black, fade out and in
• VLS: establishing shot, showing where film is set.
• Set in a backstreet, grimy. Feel of film.
• Reflection in glasses, showing the other person through reflection so audience can see them as well as the person actually on camera
• Music creates tense atmosphere, low droning sound, creating tension

The Machinist

Tech. Codes:

• Non-focused camera work, makes the audience concentrate on what is in focus
• MCU shots, shows facial expression as well as posture or body language
• Low angle and high angle shots
• CU shots, shows emotion
• Music creating tension, use of violins contrasting-loud to quiet etc...
• Waves crashing in background
• Camera work looks as if the audience are spying on the character, voyuerism
• Camera focuses on the window pane, not the character, this creates Sensory Deprivation, in this case, sight
• A sound bridge is used to create a smooth transition from one scene to the next
• When the film first starts, there is only sound, no picture, which makes the audience think 'what is happening?'
• Over-shoulder shot, is something going to happen behind him?
• Tracking

Lighting:

• Low-key lighting and set at night
• Dark shadows on his face, up-lighting, distortion

Mise en scene:

• Bleach:get rid of blood, did he kill the man who saw him dump the body? Insight into character and what he does
• Torch on his table
• His room is dirty and has minimal stuff, suggests he may be a killer?
• Character smoking and quite thin-shows stress
• Cuts and bruises on his face, not clean but looks like an ordinary man

Editing:

• Silver text, font is mechanic
• Slow paced opening, about 6-10 shots a minute, not many-makes audience pay attention to what's happening and all the little details
• Titles quite subtle
• Eye-line match:watching the character's face, then cutting to what he sees

The Dolly Zoom/Hitchcock Shot

The 'Dolly Zoom', or Hitchcock Shot, is an unsettling in-camera effect that appears to undermine normal visual perspective. The effect is achieved by using the setting of a zoom lens to adjust the angle of view (often referred to as field of view or FOV) while the camera dollies (or moves) towards or away from the subject in such a way as to keep the subject the same size in the frame throughout.  In its classic form, the camera angle is pulled away from a subject while the lens zooms in, or vice-versa. Therefore, during the zoom, there is a continuous perspective distortion, the most directly noticeable feature being that the background appears to change size relative to the subject.

For example:

 
The 'Dolly Zoom' has many different names:

• The "Hitchcock zoom" or the "Vertigo effect"
• "Hitchcock shot" or "Vertigo shot"
• Triple Reverse Zoom
• Reverse Tracking Shot
• Back Zoom Travelling
• Retrograde zoom
• "Smash Zoom" or "Smash Shot"
• Vertigo zoom
• A "Jaws shot"
• A "zido"
• A "zolly"
• Telescoping
• Trombone shot
• Push/pull
• The Trombone Effect
• A Stretch shot
• Reverse Pull
• More technically as forward zoom / reverse tracking or zoom in / dolly out
• Trans-trav (in Romanian), from trans-focal length operation and travelling movement
• Contra-zoom 

Textual Analysis of Shawshank Redemption 1994

 

Shawshank Redemption 1994

Tech. Codes

• Old, vintage music during titles, then sound bridges into opening scenes. This creates smooth transition into next scene------this is one of the things I would like to include in my production, as I think it would be a useful thing to have and improve my production
• Crickets in background with opening scene, adding to the music playing on the radio.
• Sound of violins and piano during present day scenes but not in flash backs.Creating tension and shows that the flash back is a separate scene.
• Diegetic sound of judge giving prison sentence , not on screen but part of the scene. Done this so the camera is on the man getting the sentence so audience can see facial expression
• Non-diegetic sound: Voice over
• CU and MCU shots to show emotion of the character-----This shots will be included in my production as they are important to a thriller
• Low angle and high angle shots, low angle shots shows someone as powerful and high angle shots shows someone as not powerful
• Medium shot used, this shows the audience where the scene is set and also the body language of a character
• Camera tracking in on character to show emotion, also feels intimidating, when man steps towards other character-------Camera tracking is an element that I could include as it could creates suspense
• Going from non-diegetic to diegetic sound
• Music on flash back, showing that it is a flash back
• Piano chords and violins soundtrack in present day to create tension, adding to atmosphere---------Sound to create an atmosphere will be needed, and violins or piano or orchestral strings are good to use in a thriller
• Orchestral strings subtly playing in background
• Low-pitched rumble on scene where the main character gets accused of crime
• Camera tracking on witnesses of main characters trial to show their facial expressions and emotion, building tension

Lighting

• Low-key lighting, shadows, creating tension for the audience----Low-key lighting will be used in my production as it is common in a thriller
• Shadows of trees projected on a character, only glimpses of character, feeling of suspense
• Present day is lighter than flash backs, natural lighting for present day, low-key lighting for flash backs, set at night, creating mystery. Makes you think what is going on?
• Can't see much in the dark, makes audience feels confined
• Up-lighting used in flash backs, distorting his face, making him look creepy and suspicious and creating shadows on his face 
• Grey and colourless
• Light from outside
• Turns light off in car, creating a silhouette-----I would like to include silhouettes and lots of shadows in my production to make the audience feel on edge and create tension

Mise en scene

• Props--alcohol, gun, gives insight into character. Drinking shows he is unhappy?----Props are very important in a production, so I will include appropriate props in my production to give the audience an insight into what it is about
• Smartly dresses in court room, formal
• Posture of lawyer, head to side, hands behind back, showing he doesn't believe the characters innocence, also authoritative
• 50's feel to film, old music playing. Gun old-fashioned
• Lady in flash back wearing red. Could signify passion or danger
• Leaning into camera, shows authority

Editing

• Vintage text, 50's feel
• Black background and white text
• Text, font = art deco. Could signify prison bars, looks like prison bars
• Slow paced shots, makes audience focus on what's happening and pay attention to all the little details. Slow paced shots also pull you in, makes you want to know what's going on-----I have decided that in my production I will use slow paced as it is more suited to my narrative

Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds is when you shoot using a grid and the subject is on either line at the side, for example:

If there is a close up shot, then the top line must be in line with the person's eyeline:
A bad example of the rule of thirds is something like this: