This is the opening scene of the trailer, to edit this further we are going to make the editing a lot faster so that it slowly builds. We also need to add the non-diegetic sound of music to build the tension. As well as amplified sounds of children and banging on the window. This is also to build tension as the loud noises will put the audience on the edge of their seats. We also want to dim the lighting as we feel it is too bright as this is unconventional of a thriller film.
A decision has also been made that this is no longer the opening scene, as the slow pace will not be an effective opening to the trailer and we need something initially to grab the audiences attention.
We went to the Regatta Meadows Friday the 16th of December to finish the filming of our trailer before we continue with the editing and bringing it all together. Here are some images which we took to show the locations we used, and a few props as well as shots we intend to use within our trailer. We had issues whilst filming in this location as we has to avoid the noises from the wildlife surrounding, as well as any members of the public walking by. This is in addition to that of the light sensor that we had to cover up when working in the office location as it was far too bright.
We pitched our film to our class to get across our initial idea's for plot, narrative, and stereotypical trailer and genre conventions for a trailer. We also in our pitch discussed our plans and idea's for target audiences, and also asked for a title for our trailer - Which we titled 'Delirium'.
We did this pitch mainly for the feedback in which we received, in which prompted us to change our target audience to make it more relatable for viewers. We changed it to around 40. we also got crucial storyline and plot details from class mates, which we then incorporated such as certain shots types such as close ups and POV shots. We also got the idea to use fades with POV shots to give a sense of verisimilitude.
Office-We plan to film in an office where the protagonist will be working. This office will be situated in the sixth form centre of Longsands Academy on the 4th floor. We are planning to include the office in a fast montage of cuts where we see the protagonist as constantly stressed. In the office there will be a hidden bottle of whiskey which he drinks to cope with the stress. Also we plan to implement distractions into the scene to show his frustrations even further such as teenagers banging on the outside of his office window and the clock ticking. This connotes to the audience that he is in a state of psychological deterioration where he is failing to cope with everyday occurrences.
This is a wide shot of the main parts of the office with the large table where our protagonist will be working.
This shot features the office desk that is yet unused in the filming but it has conventional miscellaneous items.
The white board in this frame is where the kill board will be. The only character in our film will be shown pacing around very frantically looking at the kill board on the white board. The scene will also culminate in our character kicking the filing cabinet.
Our character will also look through these blinds in anger when he hears knocking on the side of the window. We have implemented this to show that he is frustrated and stressed with his work life which will later be shown to spill into his personal life when he repeatedly shouts at his wife. This links to my research as in the trailer for Se7en, you can see the protagonists working in an office environment to show a separate aspect to the narrative. Therefore I felt it was necessary to add this location.
House of group member- We will film the main montage of the film at this house because it is a suitable location to see the main protagonist fractured home life The montage of shots will increase in pace with the music's tempo and pitch intensifying. This synchronous sound as well as the performance will make the audience believe that something significant will happen further in the narrative because the performance of the protagonist is already disturbing for the audience. A similar location was seen in the trailer of Psycho, which showed a house environment in which we wanted to replicate. Our house is fairly different as it is not shown to be as isolated and in fact is located within an estate. Therefore I felt this created verisimilitude and linked to the realism we was trying to create within Delirium, giving the idea that this could happen anywhere, in anyone's town.
Riverside park which has tremendous natural Greenland will be ideal in foggy conditions. This is because we will use eerie diegetic music in conjunction with the on screen content. Forest environments are a stereotypical location for thrillers because people have been socially influenced to anticipate fear in dark forests due to increasing paranoia about unknown environments.
This is a pathway at Riverside park that we filmed at for the main sequence of our film. In the shot to the right is our sole actor in the film.
We have several idea's for editing that we plan to incorporate into the final trailer we use.
We decided to use fade's accompanied by our POV shots. We chose to use this as it creates a sense of realism and verisimilitude as it shows the view from our protagonist's eyes, which will emotionally invest the audience as they feel like they are there in the scene, adding tension.
We have also decided to use fast-paced editing to build suspense and tension. We plan to make jump cuts in time with the music in synchronisation to mimic the heartbeat of the audience as it will invest the audience emotionally, which will make the trailer have a larger impact on them.
We have also decided to use a shot-reverse-shot for our trailer of the music building along with the repeated shot of our protagonist writing. This will build up to a climax in which our protagonist will reach his breaking point, we decided to make this reoccurring as it will show the idea of a constant cycle that our protagonist is in and will connote the idea of isolation and being trapped.
Most of the cuts in our trailer will be jump cuts - this is because we believe this to connote the idea that the situation in which the protagonist is in is unstoppable, and uncontrollable as the cuts will be very quick and abrupt.
Also when editing, we added a neutral saturation to our trailer to drain away any vibrant colours in our shots. We did this intentionally to make the world around our protagonist feel dull and very monotone. We believed it would express the harsh reality that our protagonist is living in, and would show his view on and of the world. This fits into the plot of our film as it shows the slow decay of his life, and sombre mood of the trailer.
Whilst researching thriller genre films, we often found that commonly in trailers they used large bass noises, we decided we may include this non-diegetically as we believe it to sound and mimic that of the noise of a warning siren/horn. We believed this would be effective as it connotes the idea of a hidden danger, and the low pitch we find builds tension extremely well, which is a common emotion felt when watching a thriller film. We found this apparent in the trailer of Inception, in which we found this extremely effective.
Other sound we plan to include is slowly building non-diegetic sound which will add to the overall suspense, and excitement which the audience feel as they are watching our trailer. This will improve the overall impact that the trailer has on the audience as they will get a larger emotional investment. We also wanted to the use of dialogue to further plot points and narratives, as this is the most effective way to do so, we found in a trailer as it is such a limited amount of time, without using to many intertitles. We did not want to use too many intertitles as we found when researching that it takes away from the impact of the film slightly.
we also wanted to use amplified diegetic sound such as footsteps, heavy breathing and speech synchronously to build suspense and tension within our audience. Footsteps and heavy breathing connote the thought of the unknown, and we found this to be a common convention of the thriller genre. Such as mystery characters, or antagonists which we found apparent when researching into Se7en & Psycho. We also wanted this to be synchronous as it will allow the trailer to flow easily, which will match that (hopefully) of the audiences heart rates/energy levels as the trailer continues to build.
We believe that the use of a sound bridge would also be very effective in our trailer as it connotes the idea of a chronological order in which these events are happening and they all lead in to each other. We believed it to be a sufficient metaphor for the slow breakdown of his life as the previous events are effecting his current events, and it shows the deterioration of his personal self. We decided this would be carried out by the use of dialogue which may be repeated or pro-longed, as well as the bass noises, and diegetic sounds.
Initial Sound Effects -
Clock ticking - synchronous - diegetic - amplified - Audience inside the characters head - sensitive to sound
Heavy Breathing - Diegetic - amplified - All in his head, Connotes his stress and build up of aggravation
Footsteps in leaves - diegetic - amplified - sound created by him, he is in his own world - personal - suggests his body language and his sluggish character - may suggest or indicate someone is following him, this could symbolise his inner turmoil.
Pen Scribbling - diegetic - amplified - Creates chaos and stress within himself.
Phone Ringing - Turning point of Todorov's Narrative theory = Disruption.
Background noise - (loud conversations) Links to his inner turmoil and could imply that he's hearing all of these sounds which is conflicting in his head as he's delirious.
slamming paper - Shows his stress within the work place.
We plan to include a lot of layered sound effects to show his mental instability and how he's lost within himself. We represent this as his mentality and character deteriorates as the trailer progresses.
Here are some images our storyboard's. We decided to use post-it notes as it enabled us to mix and match our shots for our montages so we could produce different orders and work out which one would flow and look better. We included the shot type, sound and setting of he shot. We also have a picture of Josh completing the final post-it note as evidence of this.
In our storyboard we decided to use a range of shots
Introductory slow pace montage of him at work with small distractions e.g. people talking in the background, books placed on his desk etc and his home life: drinking alcohol, shouting at his wife. This all builds with a white noise sound effect going back and forth with him writing with a pencil. The breaking point is when he breaks the tip of his pencil and the white noise stops just before along with a phone ringing that links to the next scene.
The protagonist wakes up (As if it was a dream) but he was woken up by a phone call.
He picks up the phone and answers the call.
Protagonist: What do you want?
Ex wife: I'm sorry to say this but your brother has died.
Protagonist comes to realisation and drops the phone on the floor with a zoom in shot of his face.
Panning shot of him looking at the bloody shirt and knife on the floor.
Fast pace montage of protagonist drinking whisky, at work, shouting at the camera, looking at a kill board
Inter title: Was he framed?
Inter title: Or a murderer?
Ex wife: Well you must know where you were that night!
Protagonist: I was drunk! I can't remember.
Title appears on screen 'Delirium'
Final shot of protagonist looking at the camera with a knife in his hand.
Close-Ups regularly used; This connotes higher intensity and intertwined with camera movements such as zooms, it will result in the audience feeling much more involved in the situation and will result in them feeling a lot more psychologically uncomfortable.
These shots will involve;
Intertwined 'work life' and 'home life' (abrupt quick shots)
paper slamming against table, pencil scribbling on paper (cross cutting back, increasing the pace and intensity every time it's shown), drink falling over and water spilling, quick laptop typing.
Smashing bottle at home, arguing with wife, pills falling over/no pills left in container, sitting alone, away from family.
These shots could be pivotal in the beginning of the trailer as they could establish more pace and discomfort in the editing and beginning to leave the audience uneasy.
The connotations of these shots could be vital as they connote to the audience the beginning of the deterioration of the protagonists life - showing his psychological collapse and growing alcoholism.
The increasing speed alongside the continuing chaos of the pencil writing close up, emphasises the stress and mentality collapsing within the protagonist and the shot type heightens extremity of the situation. This has an effect on the audience helping them establish the plot within the non-chronological montage, and leaving them in suspense of what is to happen.
Dis-Equilibrium
Montage of shots (non-chronological);
*Phone Ringing* distorted editing of mid-shots and close-ups establishing the protagonists mental collapse as the diegetic voice over indicates his brother has been murdered.
This allows the trailer to show the audience his rage, mixed with sadness, and establishes his seek for vengeance as he has nothing left to live for.
Resolution
Montage of Shots;
close-ups and mid shots of kill-board, investigating onto his suspects.
connotations of murder scene, body bags, police tape etc.
more shots increasing damaged mentality, cross cutting with the work life
continued work life and home life.
Ending
Cliff hangar of conversation;
"why didn't you meet him that night?"..... "I was out, I was drunk"
Extreme close up as protagonist says he was out.
Throughout
Jumpshot back to the scribbling pencil as it gets harder, each shot continues to get closer and closer until the pencil snaps and the title appears.
Our production company name is ‘Mortem’. We chose this name because it means ‘death’ in Latin. This is appropriate for the Thriller genre because death and danger is a common theme of the thriller genre as it is full of action and mystery. We also chose this word as it shows simplicity which would make it easier for the audience to remember, which could also help with the word of mouth.
Colours & Font:
We chose the colour red because it stereotypically conveys danger, death and blood. These are all common conventions/themes associated with the thriller genre. As these all denote very clear narrative devices.
We decided to make the word ‘Productions’ the colour grey because this contrasts the red colouring of the devil. The effect of this conveys darkness and shadows, which are commonly seen throughout thriller films as a common conventions is the idea of silhouettes which also links with the mystery in thriller films.
We made the logo sharp and edgy, in a 'lemon/milk' font. This made the title threatening as it is bold. We added the devil above the text, This is because the devil is associated with the colours red and black, death and evil. Therefore it fits our production logo’s theme perfectly.
we have added other props to our list which we intend to use when we are filming our trailer. these include our protagonists personal belongings, such as his phone, wallet and keys. We decided to use these as it connotes that he has fully lost it, and his personal belongings are no longer worth anything. This is a metaphor for our protagonist being past all help, and he cannot go back. We have used this at the end of the trailer, as it leaves mystery as to what has happened to him.
As our film's plot follows the life of a 40 year old man, we decided that our target audience does in theory need to be higher than the 15-25 bracket. This is because we want our target audience to be able to relate to the characters experiences throughout the film and feel sympathy and empathy towards him. Therefore we have decided to raise it to 25-40 year olds as these are the ones who will relate as they will have/ may be going through marriage/divorce. We also will still somewhat target the 15 age bracket to 25 as these are the ones with the most disposable income who can take time to visit the cinema.
I recently watched and analysed the trailer for 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' and i found it to be very interesting. The fast paced editing became vital for the creation of suspense, and the timing of the intertitles were extremely effective at creating response within me, and the audience watching. I analysed this trailer for most micro elements.
0:00-0:10: Police men and police can be seen - diegetic sound of the sirens can be heard to immediately connote danger immediately - A establishing shot is used to suggest a city environment - dangers of the city
0:10-0:14: A dolly shot can be seen moving down the road - shows the chaos of the scene and connotes that something very bad has happened -
0:14-0:16: the voice-over gives plot details - a mid two shot can be seen of the 2 main characters - the women is seen wearing red - this mise-en-scene costume suggests she is in danger - and connotes the idea of blood
0:16-0:26: The shot used is very slowly edited with little cuts - this is to build suspense as the audience are taking in what is being said - a non-diegetic screeching sound can be heard building to create an eerie atmosphere amongst the audience - this makes them very tense
0:31-0:33: The production company logo is seen to build star power and show the audience who created - features the idea of an inherited audience who already like the genre
0:35-0:37: The action flashes back in to catch the audiences attention and drop them straight into the action with no time to think - a longshot of a red balloon - the colour red connotes danger, which is juxtaposed to that of the balloon as it is associated with innocent children
0:39: A shadow of the child can be seen which is a common convention of the thriller genre - this puts the audience on the edge as they are drawn to the threat space - creating tension
0:39-0:46: A two shot can be seen of the two characters - this is used to emphasise the mothers distress for the child - this is used so the audience can empathise - creating a suspense feeling - there is a focus on amplified diegetic sound - this is used as somewhat of a jumpscare - to get the audiences heart beat going
0:53: A slow motion zoom can be seen on the main character of the little boy - this is effective as it focuses on the emotions in which he is feeling - this is also very widely shot - to show him as weak and powerless in comparison to the events around him
0:53-1:00: There is a slow motion montage of lots of small clips which starts a non-diegetic heart beat sound which mimics the audiences - this is to build suspense as it is slowly building a tense atmosphere - this scene also uses low key lighting to connote the tone of the film as being associated with dark, and eerie themes - this fades to black often - almost as if the audience is there and blinking - making them feel more involved
1:03: A shot of a graveyard can be seen - this is a longshot for half a second - it is used to connote death and darkness - this is because grave yards are associated with bad happenings and ghosts this idea will play on the audiences minds - causing tension and excitement
1:04- common colours of red - connote danger - blood - and death
1:04-1:15: There is another montage which slowly becomes more quickly edited together - fast paced editing connotes panic - as well as excites the audience as it is often associated with action - the non-diegetic heartbeat sound also increases - as well as the fades to black - this creates an emotive response - what is happening? - cliff hangers
1:16-1:18: lots of close ups are also used - focus on the emotions of the characters for empathy - long shots - to show characters as weak and vulnerable
1:19- a location of a church is shown using a establishing shot - this shows a symbolic code of religion and the thought of the after life - this is effective as it uses bathes symbolic code to provide narrative - as well as relate religious connotations
1:21-1:25: the use of silence is extremely effective - the audience are waiting for something to happen - exhilaration and on the edge of their seats - waiting for a jumpscare
1:26- a diegetic synchronous thud is heard - used as a jump scare - mid shot of main character - focus on his emotions so the audience can sympathise - high angle shot used to show him as weak
1:28-1:30- a longshot of the girl under the bed - plays on the under the bed childhood fear - wearing light blue - she is innocent and vulnerable also - juxtaposes the common use of red
1:38: The intertitles of 'Bruce Willis' appears to add star power - the titles contrast the back ground from black and white to add an edgy eerie feel - builds suspense
1:49: The use of the high angle on the shadow of the boy - this creates a sense of mystery common of the Thriller genre -focuses on shadows once again
1:53-1:55: fast paced editing is used - the non-diegetic sound track increases - heightens the excitement and tenseness of the audience watching - black fades also once again give no chance for the audience to process - like a POV shot - they are there
1:57-1:58: the prop of a gun is used - special FX of the bullet firing - the gun connotes danger and is commonly associated with death and dying, therefore this triggers excitement in the audience
1:58-2:01: The editing quickens one again - aswell as the transitions of fading - builds to a climax/peak - audience are on the edge of their seats - low key lighting throughout - symbolic codes of religion as well as danger
2:02: a long black screen can be seen to allow the audience to reflect - a low pitch noise can be heard which is constant - black associates with death - the constant threat throughout
2:05-2:08- dialogue of whispering can be heard to connote danger and the idea of secrecy - this is a two shot to show the power levels of the characters - ironic as it is a child and an adult - helpless, they cant do anything
2:09- The Sixth Sense appears following a non-diegetic thud - almost like a warning - the black and white font/background connotes the darkness of the scene and film's tone - as well as it appearing almost like a warning
0:00-0:04: black and white - close up montage of dead body in the shower - immediately shows a crime - non-diegetic high pitched shrieking noise - very unnerving and edgy - put the audience immediately on the edge of their seats
0:04: Close up on the antagonist's face although it is shadowed - creates a sense of mystery and the unknown - seen wielding a knife - connotes danger and darkness
0:06- Longshot of rainy motel - connotes the tone of the film to be very dark - rain is amplified - pathetic fallacy - something bad is going to happen - night time - darkness - sets the location of a small lonely town
0:10: a handheld shaky camera makes the audience feel as though they are involved - this is also POV - this connotes the idea of a stalker - or being watched - creating tension within the audience
0:11- there is a constant amplified shining noise which very minimally increases as the trailer progresses - this also builds tension as the scenes progress
0:12-0:13- A women can be seen from a low angle long shot - this connotes she is unaware and believes she is in power - she can be seen as coming from the light - in contrast to the darkness trying to break through the window - shows the female as very pure/innocent - vulnerability
0:17-0:18- a car can be seen pulling up to some houses - this builds tension as the audience are guessing who it could be? - rain signifies something bad is going to happen - no dialogue - POV shot - predatorial - creates fear in the audience
0:22-0:23: The women shown being intimate with the man - he is higher in the shot - two shot - he has power - patriarchal society - expresses 1960' views - backing track still building
0:28: 'were all in our private traps - suggests a secret agenda - isolation - links to the town - lins to the murderer - more importantly, the lady
0:30: a mid shot focuses on her facial expression looking very worried - what is she looking at? - zoom in on her face - focus on emotions - audience can sympathise
0:32-0:33: close up on a suitcase being filled - she is trying to leave - audience are supporting her - preferred reading of 'she needs to escape
0:36: Low angle shot of the house - half covered in shadow - stereotypical convention of the genre - connotes evil and darkness taking over - iconography - slow rainfall - pathetic fallacy
0:41-0:42: Zoom on the antagonist's face - the non-diegetic music slowly begins to build and editing becomes faster - this creates tension in the audience - making them feel panicked and invested
0:47: a car can be seen sinking - how has this happened? - why has it happened? - it leaves the audience questioning - they are optimistic and want to know more
0:51-0:57: a low angle shot is used to show the power of the murderer - in comparison to the lifeless body of the victim - the murderer is shadowed - mystery and ominous - this is extended - makes the audience focus on it
0:55- 'Alfred Hitchcock presents' - this is somewhat star power - very well known director - makes the audience want to see it - edgy writing - makes the audience uncomfortable - etched into the screen
0:58: The use of Police uniform and car - Mise-en-Scene - connotes a crime thriller - inadequate law enforcement - she is isolated - empathy from the audience - no one can help her - trapped
1:02-1:03: birds eye view shot of the women being carried - innocence - weak and vulnerable
1:07-1:08: A high angle shot of the protagonist behind stairs - the stairs look like jail cell bars - metaphor for her being trapped - she is confined - low key lighting expresses the tone of the film - something bad is going to happen
1:10-1:12: non-diegetic orchestral music comes to a peak/climax - it is very animalistic - he is getting closer - predator/prey - his shadow can be seen approaching - creates suspense in the audience - he is in the threat space - over the shoulder shot - she is vulnerable - naked - back turned - helpless
1:14-1:16: shot-reverse-shot - close up on facial expressions - close up on her looking scared - realisation - close up on him - menacing - piercing - the audience feel tension - they know shes in danger
1:16-1:22: the pace of the music mimics that of the audiences heartbeat - amplified and fast editing - creates excitement - as well as tension within - this gives a larger impact - due to emotional investment
1:22: a mid shot can be seen of a knife in an unknown person's hand - connotes danger and violence - as well as action - stereotype of a crime thriller - editing increases - followed by a tied up lady - why is she there? - what happened? - she is physically trapped - sympathy created
1:27: A extreme close up on the protagonists eye is used to contrast the earlier window scene - she is now fully engulfed in the darkness - she is trapped -confined - claustrophobia - the light trying to get in
1:28- Music peaks before coming to a biblical female voice singing - a jump cut to silence - larger impact - leaves the audience to think upon what they've just seen - cliffhanger -
1:30: 'Psycho' appears in white - a broken font is used which is not inline and eerie - blood splatters appear - connoting death and killing - this is followed by an old ladies voice - 'She wouldn't even harm a fly' - she is innocent - trapped - inevitability
0:00-0:04: 'Orion Pictures' company logo appears - shortly followed by an abrupt close up of a man looking directly into the camera - staring at the audience - creates an emotional response - a non-diegetic crash can be heard - edgy - puts the audience on edge immediately.
0:04-0:07- close up on both protagonist and man - talking directly to the audience - emotional investment - larger impact as they feel involved
0:08-0:015: The setting of a prison - connotes isolation and danger - audience questioning - why is she in there? - diegetic dialogue - 'Ill be watching' - triggers fear in the audience as it gives a predator/prey tone - amplified jail cell - confinement/trapped - claustrophobia.
0:19-0:21: Zoom on newspapers creates verisimilitude - the word terror can be seen in bold - suggests a crime/incident - reminiscent of a 'target wall' - who's is it? - constant quick jumps cuts - very abrupt - minor scares - synchronous non-diegetic sound is heard building - mimicking the heartbeat of the viewer
0:26: shows the locations of the dungeon/jail block - constant reminder of confinement
0:31: close up of hands with tattoo's - connotes villain/antagonist - scissors are sharp - suggests danger and stabbings - bare skin shows vulnerability of supposed girl - adds to the predator/prey theme.
0:35- non-diegetic shrieks can be heard - very edging and unnerving - quick cuts show a montage of objects - too quick for the audience to recognise - no time to focus on it - audience uncomfortable - unorthodox cuts build suspense - no fluidity
0:39-0:41: mid shot of an antagonist in the threat space - turns to reveal himself - seen wearing grey - is he good? is he bad? grey connotes a balance between the two - has his back to the camera - very ominous - followed by fire - danger and burning - associated with the devil - devil connotations.
0:42-0:43: Antagonist seen in the reflection - mirror/reflection theme shown - mystery - connotes a moral dilemma - looking at her reflection.
0:46-0:49: Prop of an ambulance can be seen - as well as guns/police - shows panic and crime - quick paced editing - builds tension within the audience - happens at night - darkness and the unknown - followed by fire once again - cannot be put out - close up on her face surrounded by flames - she is being engulfed by the flame - enigmatic codes
0:49-0:51: a fast paced montage of the antagonist - located behind bars in a white t-shirt - connotes h is evil and bad - behind bars - he is dangerous - he is also trapped - a close up on his face again - invests the audience throughout as it is abrupt and very piercing - preferred reading - to be scared
1:00: a sound bridge of the antagonists voice over a zoom on the protagonist's face - shows he is in control - he is in her head - connotes psychological thriller - He is also once again located behind bars
1:00-1;10: non-diegetic backing track slowly builds as editing pace also does - mimics the heartbeat - creates tension in the audience - props of handcuffs can be seen - once again reinforces the theme of confinement and being trapped - Panning shot of antagonist - he is in control - focus on him - powerful and in control - close up on protagonists face - she is scared - audience can sympathise - also seen with a gun - panic
1:13: a POV shot using night vision is seen - this connotes the vulnerability of the girl as she is seen from behind - this builds tension in the audience - dramatic irony - the audience know he's there large impact on the audience - emotional investment - fear
1:16-1:17: handheld slow motion shaky cam of the protagonist wielding a gun - builds suspense in the audience as well as excitement - the gun connotes danger and action - the slow motion is used to capture the expression on the protagonists face - she is on the floor - she is weak - powerless
1:18: fire appears once again - followed by the word silence written in a serif font - coloured red - red connotes blood and danger - the word 'silence' suggests death - and vulnerability
1:19-1:23: An extreme close up on the antagonist is seen - this appears to be addressing the audience - this invests them into the movie - they feel like he is talking to them - eye contact makes them feel uncomfortable- music falls silent
1:24: 'The Silence of The Lambs' appears - shows the title - contrasts the black background - the word 'Lamb' connotes innocence and new life - 'silence' in red connotes death - juxtaposing idea's - left on a cliff hanger
This is followed by intertitles of actors names - this is to add star power - this also leaves the audience pondering on what they've just watched - no sound is heard - greater impact. (this goes on for 20 seconds)
0:00-0:02: 'New Line Cinema' logo appears to show highly popular production company - may entice fans of this particular company to watch. (Fades Out) 0:02-0.04: Close up on the protagonists face - he is cut and bruised - shadowy silhouette of supposed antagonist- stereotypical of the genre to give a mysterious tone. - Brad Pitt - Star power 0:04-0.06: Mise-en-scene of the detective costume - connotes a crime thriller - non-diegetic music is constant and underlying - builds and creates tension. 0:08-0:09: A flash montage of certain props give narrative and plot support - red light connotes danger - Low-key lighting present throughout - shows the tone as being very dark and sinister. 0:12-0:14: Police cars can be seen and also connotes crime thriller - as well as a red Christian cross used as one of bathes symbolic codes - suggests religious references - red connotes danger - heavy religious props. 0:17: a diegetic ticking noise begins and suggests a time limit or deadline for an event - builds suspense as audience are wondering as to what this could be - mystery/ominous tone
0:18-0:22: Male American voiceover - explains narrative - patriarchal society - 'Detective William Somerset - low angle shows power and control - shown as the protagonist - 'Looking for a way out' - Semi explanatory - makes you question as to why? 0:26-0:30: Todorov's theory of equilibrium - Family style equilibrium. 0:31: Police cars - Rain - pathetic fallacy - something bad has happened - 'Looking for a way in' - two contrasting stories - mid shot of Detective David Mills - shows location - costume connotes detective. 0:37: Yellow warning tape connotes danger and crime - tracking cam follows protagonist - he is in control - continues narrative - disequilibrium 0:40;43: David Mills kicks in a red door - theme of red contrasting monotone colours - hidden danger - shows protagonists strength - action - common convention of the Thriller genre - Guns also shown - danger and stereotypical convention - non diegetic sound - slowly building - creates excitement and tension in the audience.
0:-0:45: static occurs to connote the disturbance of the equilibrium - minor scare - blue hued background with 'Help me' written - shows a struggle - denotes the use of forensics - builds on the crime thriller genre. 0:51-0:54: Black shoes can be seen - antagonist conveyed through colours - dark suggests evil and danger - followed by a cabinet of weapons - suggests danger - the power of the antagonist - low key lighting - shows the realism and dangerous situation the protagonists are in. 0:58-0:59: the editing becomes more quick paced - builds with the audiences heartbeat creating an emotive response of tension - the dark is often shown - connotes the unknown - triggers fear of the dark 1:05-1:10: Protagonist can be seen standing whilst others sitting - provides a power inbalance - shows he is in control - 7 sins spoken diegetically - connotes religious themes - use of forensic pictures - reinforces the narrative - office environment - camera pans as he walks - shows control 1:12-1:14: amplified diegetic sound of door crashing open - guns seen - builds the excitement of the audience - flashlight prop - denotes the dark of the room - connotes the bad situation the protagonists are - metaphorically they are the light in the dark. 1:17-1:19: Diegetic amplified sound of police sirens and tires screeching - signifies panic - shows action and excitement as the audience associate this with an action sequence - diegetic synchronous sound of camera's flashing links with jump cuts - abrupt - throws the audience - edgy as it is not as smooth 1:23: the music begins building and becoming more tense - audience feel suspense - protagonist seen in the car head in hands - shows disequilibrium and anger - rain creates pathetic fallacy - 1:27-1:28: antagonist shown from behind - continues the mystery of who he is? - a low angle shot shows him as very powerful - as well as the red backlight - connotes him as very dangerous - assocations with blood,
1:30: Red is a common colour throughout - almost like a warning - blood and danger - suggests someone has died. 1:32- The seven sins appear on screen as intertitles - they flick through quickly - religious enigma code - the font is bold and red - it is a warning of danger - (happens repeatedly throughout). 1:36 Non-diegetic music is built and synchronous with the action - antagonist can be seen through a longshot - red warning lights either side - constant reminder of danger - he has a gun - builds his character - Hostility shown - he shoots his gun - quick cuts - mimics heartbeat of audience. 1:39-1:40: handheld cam appears shaky - shows panic of the protagonists - they have an obstacle to overcome - audience feel involved - raises the exhilaration and excitement 1:46: extreme close up on gun - amplified diegetic sound of rounds loading - guns are associated with death - involves the audience - who is shooting? who's gun is it? - lots of unanswered questions. 1:49-1:53: names of actors spoken by the voiceover - creates star power - fan favourites - very strong actors. 1:53-1:55: Music builds over a slow mo of rain in a puddle - pathetic fallacy - reflection of 'shadow' - stereotypical thriller 'mirror' convention - creates more mystery - leaves the audience questioning - associate the antagonist with rain - unpreventable - cannot be stopped - power 1:58-2:03: Camera pans up between protagonists - shows the power balance between them - 'Have you ever seen anything like this?' creates verisimilitude -non diegetic sound falls silent - creates a tense atmosphere.
2:04- 7 tally mark appears bold in red - suggests blood - looks handwritten - very edgy and eerie - contrasts the black background as a warning - followed by religious font of biblical writing - black and white - silence - lets the audience reflect on what they've seen - creates a larger impact - audience left on a cliffhanger.
I did some research into what people are scared of, and found a varying amount from dolls to tight spaces. I can use this list of phobia's and I can implement some into my film trailer to target certain emotional responses in the audiences, such as terror and fear.
We created a mood board which we designed to include various different themes and idea's from the thriller genre. These themes include common conventions of the thriller genre such as idea's of low key lighting and mystery. The idea of the eye in on this board is to connote the sense of paranoia which our main character is feeling, and the idea of him not feeling safe within himself. The idea of the lonely isolated house is a metaphor for his internal self and how he is feeling, which also connotes darkness and isolation, as well as denoting a eerie setting in which we can work with. The gun connotes danger in is seen in almost all thriller film trailers we watched such as Se7en, the girl with the dragon tattoo and silence of the lambs. The idea of inception, seen at the bottom of the mood board is associated with the idea of cognitive thinking, and how psychological factors effects people. This links in nicely with our main character who is suffering mental deterioration and going through tough times. Police always play an influential role in most thrillers, whether for good or bad reasons so we also decided to include this.
