Our Final Survey

Primeval Essay

Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs the representation of gender using the following: Camera shots, angles, movement and composition, Editing, Sound and mise- en- scene.

In the opening of the extract we see some contradicting representations of gender. Firstly, we see a woman leaving the camp, this implies her fear and weakness as she’s seen to be running away. Furthermore non diegetic sound of sad music adds a melancholy atmosphere giving her absence emphasis because it means there is now only one woman left in the camp. On the other hand, the next thing we see is a high angle camera shot of a man wearing a pink t-shirt and a scarf. The colour pink connotes femininity, and the scarf is an item often associated with women. The high angle shot also portrays his weakness conveying this character atypically and feminine.

This atypical representation continues in the clip because a low angle shot of a woman sat, and controlling a JCB is used. The low angle and that fact that these diggers are big, bulky and angular and are often associated with masculinity make her character look strong. In addition the sound of the digger is loud, mechanical and robotic which also conveys masculinity. Furthermore a shot reverse shot is used to show her reaction when we hear the roar of the sabre tooth. Her facial expression isn’t scared which contrasts with the shot reverse shot used to show the man’s facial expression when finding the hand. His facial expression denotes fear which means that so far the characters are not living up to their stereotypes. When the sabre tooth arrives, the man jumps into the hole for protection, meaning he is shot from a high angle, this highlights the portrayal of a weak and inferior character which is atypical when looking at representations of gender.

This is reinforced as the clip carries on, although the man distracts the sabre tooth to save the girl, which is one of the stereotypes of a male role in a narrative, making him appear more masculine. He continues to be represented with fear and vulnerability because he is running away. He is marginalised in the frame when attracting the sabre tooth which makes him look smaller as well as implying his character is not very important. This representation of fear continues through a series of fast cuts when the man attaches himself to the zip wire because it conveys the speed at which he is trying to run away. A point of view shot and the diegetic sound of his feet on the trees reinforces this sense of rush and fear. Therefore, this represents his character atypically. Similarly, the man is again shot from a high angle due to the fact he falls on the floor making him seem vulnerable. This means that the sabre tooth is shot from a low angle to make it look bigger and stronger. As cats are often associated with femininity, this adds to the atypical representation of gender in the extract. Furthermore, the woman then comes and shoots the sabre tooth, rescuing the man. She doesn’t fall back when doing this which adds low verisimilitude to the extract as you would expect to see her fall. Therefore, it could be argued that this is a feminist text which tries to prove women can be a strong gender.

As the extract continues more traditional ideas of gender are created. The female character is marginalised within the frame as well as being marginalised due to the fact she is the only woman. However, the camera contradicts this because all four characters are shot at eye level giving them equal status. On the other hand, men continue to dominate the scene through the editing because the female character has limited screen time over the males. Mise-en-scene can be brought into this because, we see that the woman has to present herself atypically and more manly to make her look stronger. This is done through dark coloured clothes, combat trousers and short hair which are all symbolic of masculinity.

The extract ends with more traditional stereotyping of gender during the scene in the barn. Although at the start both the male and female characters are shot at eye level conveying equality, the woman then finds herself in a position of weakness and she is shot from a high angle representing this portrayal of vulnerability. The momentary use of slow motion presenting the man and dogs highlights his masculinity. In addition the diegetic sound of the gun shot and the dogs barking reinforces the strong stereotype of the man’s character and the power he gains from holding a gun. The woman is then saved by another male character which connotes more stereotypical representations of gender. 

Essay Feedback and Revision

Last week I got my first as level media essay back. The essay was about binary oppositions in Titanic and I was given a grade B-. I was thrilled with this because it was our first essay this year. My targets for my next essay are; to not generalise and therefore centralise my analysis, and to revise the difference between iconic and symbolic signs. So I decided to go back and revise some of the semiotics we learnt at the beginning of the year to. 

Iconic Sign: When the signifier resembles the signified e.g. a picture.

Symbolic Sign: Where the relation between the signifier and the signified is culturally specific e.g. most words.

Indexical Sign: A sign where there is a causal link between the signifier and the signified, e.g. smoke signifies fire.

Research

Evaluation on Callum's film analysis of A history of violence

Callum's second film analysis is on the film A history of violence directed by David Cronenberg.  His analysis is below:

My Evaluation

Callum has gone into detail on the different camera angles and shots used in the opening of A history of violence. This will be useful because it will help us when making our coursework as he has explained why the different camera angles and shots have been used. Callum also mentions how the editing is slow and may connote boredom. This might have been used to reinforce the dull environment the characters have been set in, and are some ideas we may want to consider when editing our coursework.

Furthermore, Callum mentions the use of binary opposition in the sound through the upbeat music against the scenarios the characters are situated in. Therefore, we might want to consider using some kind of binary opposition in our coursework ourselves for increased effects.

Callum has also gone into detail on the mise-en-scene used in the opening of this film and suggested an interesting idea of how the working class clothes represents standard citizens therefore it gives the impression it could happen to anyone, creating a spooky atmosphere. This means that, this might be an effective idea we could include into our coursework if we decide to add some horror into our opening. 

Finally, Callum talks about the fact that in this opening the font used in the titles is very small and unnoticeable . Therefore, we will have to ensure we don't make the same mistake when making our coursework, to make sure the writing is noticeable to our audience.  

Editing and Representation

In today's lesson we looked at editing and representation. We used this knowledge to develop our analytical skills because many students including myself find it easy to talk about camera angles and mise-en-scene, but struggle with going into detail about the editing and what it tells the audience. Below is some notes on different editing techniques and how they represent meaning within a media text.

Evaluation

Before today's learning I had very limited knowledge on the different styles of editing used within the media. I now have a much better understanding and would be able to use many of these techniques in my coursework with confidence to portray meaning. I have learnt about:

• Action match - highlights parralles/ contrasts between two different characters in two different situations.
• Eyeline match - Provides an insight to a character's private thoughts.
• Final shot - The last character shown in a sequence is often the character with whom the audience is expected to identify.
• Intercutting: juxtaposition - Highlights a point of difference.
• Intercutting: tension - Creates tension and increases the audience identification witha character.
• Jump cuts - Used to suggest chaos and disorder.
• Motivation - Refers to an event outside the frame, the director is then motivated to cut to show that event.
• Pace of editing - A fast pace may suggest panic or energy, whereas a slow pace may suggest a much calmer attitude
• Prevalance - How much screen time a character receives. The more time we see them in the frame, the more important their role is.
• Selection: to show or not to show -  Where a director has to choose what and what not to show in order to create the correct atmosphere.
• Shot/reverse shot - Indicates the relationship between two characters and might exaggerate their closeness or their opposition.

Therefore, this will give me a clear reference when it comes to making my coursework as to which types of editing I might see appropriate to include, as well as what effect and representations they give to an audience.

Research: Audience Survey

Overall my group and I are pleased with our second pilot survey. However we felt as though we still needed some more specific information from the audience, therefore, we decided to trial a couple more questions. The first question was:

What do you think ruins a thriller film the most?

• Gore scenes
• Sexual scenes
• Over use of violent language
• Homophobic and racial discrimination
• None

We have asked this question to determine what we should be wary of when making our opening titles. 50% of our audience answered gore, therefore this tells us we shouldn't include too much gore in our opening sequence. A further 20% answered that homophobic and racial discrimination ruined a thriller film. This means that we should try not to include much of this, in order to ensure we do not make the audience feel too uncomfortable in any way.

The second question we asked was:

Out of these popular film opening title sequences, which one do you prefer?

• James Bond
• Woman in Black
• Karthik calling Karthik
• Psycho

By asking this question we can see which title sequences are most popular with an audience, and from that, use the opening sequences to use as inspiration for us when creating our opening. Our results were tied with Woman in black, and Karthik calling Karthik, telling us aspects of horror and Bollywood seemed to be popular with our audience. This means that we might want to think about including this in our opening. 

The third question we asked related to the previous question:

Why have you chosen this film? 

• Music
• Font
• Editing
• Effects
• Camera angles/shots
• Mise-en-scene (costume, lighting, setting etc.)

We decided to include a part b to this question because it gave us more information as to why these opening title sequences were so popular. Therefore this would give us a better understanding of how we can make our opening sequence more appealing to our audience. From our previous pilot surveys we found out that music followed by mise-en-scene was important in the opening of a film. This means that I have learnt these aspects need to be chosen with great care. 

Overall, I am pleased with myself and my group for creating this survey and believe these questions should give us the information we are looking for in order to create a successful thriller film opening. Therefore, I am happy for us to now go ahead and make our final survey. 

Research: Are we on track to meet the deadline?

The picture below presents what tasks within the research section of our coursework we have completed, who has done which task, and what we still need to do. We have nine days until our deadline and from doing this task today I fully believe we are on track to completing our research on time.

Primeval: Gender

In class over the last few lessons we have been analysing a clip from Primeval and how it represents gender. I recognised a few steroetypes in this text but I also noticed that this text portrays many atypical representations of gender. Below are a few of the notes I made in class about the extract.

What Have I learnt from this?

Through analysing this extract I have learnt that it could be argued that this is a feminist text which tries to prove women can also be strong. This is shown through the female character Abbey, who is represented in a masculine way through mise-en-scene (her hair, clothes, and her character being set in a digger) as well as a few low angle camera shots. Furthermore the sabre tooth was represented as strong by being shot from a low angle. Due to the fact cats are often associated with femininity, this highlights the atypical representations of gender portrayed in the extract. This is reinforced through making a male character seem much smaller, vulnerable and weaker through many high camera angles. Alternatively I've also learnt that this extract presents some stereotypical representations of gender during the scene in the barn. The woman is placed in a position of weakness, where the man is in control. I have learnt that due to the fact she is shot from a high angle, this conveys her weakness. As well as this, I have learnt that the editing that shows the slow motion highlights the masculinity of the male character.

Research

Evaluation of Callum's analysis on Psycho

Callum's first analysis was on the film Psycho. It could be argued that it is either a horror thriller or a psychological thriller.





My Evaluation

Music/ Sound

Only a non-diegetic soundtrack is used in this opening of Psycho. It is loud, iconic and connotes horror, as well as this, it grabs the audience's attention. Therefore my group and I may want to use this technique in our coursework to draw the audience in and keep them on the edge of their seat.

Titles

Callum's analysis has highlighted the importance of any sound used in the title sequence of a film. Due to the fact font and colour make the opening seem spooky, by adding the correct music it can allow you to completelty change the atmosphere of an opening,  to make the audience feel what you want them to. Therefore, my group and I must pick our soundtrack with care as this proves how much of a difference it can make.

Lighting

In addition this analysis highlights the importance of lighting. The darkness used connotes death and crime which relates to the rest of the film. This means that my group and I must chose our lighting carefully to ensure we create the correct atmosphere.

Camera/Editing

Even though this opening sequence only shows one shot, we can see how it can make a big difference. This means that when chosing our locations and camera angles we should be careful becasue when critically analysed they can tell you a lot about the film as a whole.

Research: Pilot Survey 2

Me and my group have decided to make a second pilot survey as we feel that the first survey we made needed a few improvements. This time we put it online so that people can easily fill it out from their homes. Also, by doing it online it helps us by making it much neater and is easier to collect the data. We decided to keep question one, two and three the same as we feel they are giving us the basic information we need. However, we have expanded and adjusted most of the other questions.

Firstly, we made a big mistake on the first question as we only asked people if they were 15 or 18. This was bad of us as we did not get enough age variation in our answers. When we make our final survey I will make sure that we correct this by asking if they are between the ages of 15-17 or 18+. However, half way through the survey we managed to change it meaning we then got more accurate responses. 

The fourth question we asked was: Would you rather watch a film with an age rating of 15 or 18?
We got many different responses. One response was that the reason they preferred 18's is because they are more scary. This tells us as a group that when we make our thriller opening sequence, If we make the age rating 18 we will have to make it scary otherwise we are not following the audiences expectation. A few other people responded that they didn't mind whether it was a 15 or 18. This tells us that there is not too much difference between the age ratings. 

Asking the question 'what part of the title sequence they preferred' helped us as a group as we can see which part of the title sequence we should focus on. 67% said that they preferred the music in the title sequence. This told us that music is very important because it's what creates a tone and atmosphere in the sequence and it has a large effect on the audience. However, animation and font were also chosen which shows me and my group that we will also have to carefully think about which fonts we should use and if we are going to include any type of animation. 

The next question we asked was "Which type of opening do you prefer? Why is this?"

As you can see, we have added on a second part to this question as before we did not feel the survey gave us enough information. A lot of the answers were different. Here are some examples:
"I prefer slow openings as they create tension"
- This tells us that slow openings are successful in creating tension.

"For a thriller film, I'd like a lot of action, intense music as well as cool fonts (James Bond title sequences are a good example"
- This tells us that audiences expect to see action and would preferably like to hear intense music. The person that answered this question gave us a good example of a successful thriller film (James Bond). Therefore, I shall look at the James Bond opening sequence for inspiration on music, fonts and the aspects of action used in the opening.

Personally I believe asking the audience "What is your favorite sub-genre thriller?" helped us see the most popular sub genre. The most popular three were Crime, Psychological and Conspiracy. This means that this question helped me and my group as we can now see the most popular sub genres. It also helps us choose what we might want to include as a sub genre because they seem to be popular with the audience that filled out the survey.

Our last question was 'What do you expect to see in a thriller film?'.
Our last question helped us as a group to see what the audience expected to see in the opening of a thriller film. We got a lot of useful answers in this. This tells me that this was a successful question to ask and we should include it when making our final survey. Here are some examples of answers we were given:

"I expect to see ominous figures that raise suspicion"

"Flashing lights, horror, blood"

Overall, I think this survey has been mostly successful as most of the answers that we received were very relevant.  When making this survey we tried to write examples under the questions so the audience would see the example and hopefully understand what the question was asking them. I still think as a group we could expand some of the questions. However, I am content with this survey and I think as a group we have worked well in creating the survey. When making our final survey, as a group,we will need to make sure that we are pleased with the questions that we want to ask. I still feel as if we should be asking more questions as I do not think we are gathering enough information.  

Research

Evaluation on Jess's analysis: Karthik Calling Karthik

Jess' third and final analysis was on another Bollywood film called, Karthik calling Karthik. However, this differed to the previous one as it was a Bollywood psychological thriller. Below is her analysis.

My Evaluation

Jess has commented on the contrast between the music in the opening of this film. It starts with a thrilling tone, then a calming voice starts singing, changing the tone completely to make it soothing and light-hearted. This juxtaposition draws the audience into the film, and is a clever technique we should consider when making our coursework. Jess has also talked about the significance of the dialogue in the opening. This is very important because dialogue that has been placed in an opening is usually limited and there for a very good reason. Therefore if we decide to include any dialogue in our opening we should think about it very carefully.

Jess also comments many times on the importance of camera angles, and shots portraying characters within a film. I agree this is a key concept when creating the opening of a film because it gives the audience a chance to make a first impression on the characters, even if these judgements end up becoming false. For example, in this film high camera angles, a birds eyes view, and a shot of a man alone in a big space, all portray a weak, lonely, and isolated character. This means that when making our coursework we should chose our camera angles with care and thought.

From reading Jess' analysis, I have learnt that lighting also plays an important part in setting the atmosphere and tone of a film. For example, in her analysis Jess mentions how even though the protagonist is isolated, bright lighting creates a positive atmosphere and a sense of hope.

The most important part of the titles is to give the audience an insight into the film, without giving too much away. Hence, the director can chose a few key aspects to show the audience and imply what the film is about. Such as, he displays pictures of phones, presenting to the audience that they must be a key theme throughout the film. In addition, the director chose to show pictures that do not show the characters face properly adding suspense and a sense of mystery because the audience can't workout too much about the characters. Therefore, I have learnt giving the audience some information about the film to make assumptions is important. However, you must attempt to leave a sense of mystery at the same time. This means that, deciding how much we reveal to the audience in the opening is something my group and I shall have to think about in great detail.

Research

Evaluation of Jess' film analysis: Frozen

The second thriller film analysis Jess did that I shall evaluate, is on a film called 'Frozen'. It's a horror thriller about a group of people who get stranded on a ski lift. Below is Jess' analysis on the film Frozen.

My Evaluation

Thunder and lightening sounds occur at the start of the film, Frozen. This is a popular convention in horror films because it's scary for the audience. The film then changes to upbeat, fast non diegetic sound, creating an optimistic tone to the opening. Having this change so early on in the film and so quick, is significant because it's exciting and thrilling for the audience. If my group decides to make a horror thriller then these are a few techniques I've learnt that I shall keep in mind to possibly use. 

From reading this analysis, I have learnt ways in which a director can create an ominous tone to an opening. Along with sound, various close ups of action and dark lighting might all be used to reinforce a sinister tone into the opening of a film. Therefore, if I find it relevant, I too could use these techniques. Furthermore, I have learnt that how you introduce the characters is a vital aspect of the opening sequence of a film. In Frozen, close ups of each of the three protagonists at eye level assures the audience each of these characters are as important as each other. Therefore, this is something I should remember when creating my coursework. 

Natural light in the second scene juxtaposes the dark light in the first. The natural light then helps the director achieve a realistic setting. Costume in this film consists of ski jackets, snow boots, etc. This is what the audience will expect to see because the film is set in a ski resort. Therefore, when making my coursework I must ensure that my costumes relates to the scene and setting to increase the verisimilitude of the film.

The title sequence is similar to some of the other films I have analysed. It's simple and uses a black and white colour scheme. It might be argued that the fact that it only uses the colours black and white has been used to add a depressing tone to the opening. However, the serif font makes the text appear sophisticated and professional. This means that when making the title sequence for my coursework, I should remember that simple is effective and colours and fonts are very important for portraying the rest of the film. 

Research

Evaluation of Jess' film analysis of Gupt: The Hidden Truth

Due to the fact, in my group we decided to all research different types of thriller films to broaden our research and make it more useful to us when making our coursework. Jess decided to analyse a Bollywood thriller film called 'Gupt: The Hidden Truth' a successful Bollywood mystery suspense thriller film made in 1997. Below is Jess' analysis of this film.

My Evaluation

Firstly, by playing calm music at the start of the film and then cutting to a scream, followed by mysterious music the director has successfully grabbed the audiences' attention, which is very important when making the opening of a film. The film also sets an ambiguous tone which makes the audience want to know what's going on and find out more information. This is another way the director has engaged the audience. Therefore, this may be a technique we decide to use as we will want to grab the audiences attention right from the start. 

In addition, I have learnt that using continuous panning to establish the location of where the film is set would be excellent to use in our coursework as it sets the scene for the rest of the opening and the film, making it rather essential. Furthermore, I have also learnt that we might also chose to use different camera angles to establish power and status within the characters of our opening. 

Through analysing these films I have gained an understanding that directors like to use natural light to create a sense of realism within a text. This is reinforced due to the fact that, through reading Jess' analysis, she has also commented on how the director has used natural sunlight to display a realistic shot. This then helps the plot and story line come across to the audience as more believable. In addition, juxtaposition of setting has also been used within this film to contrast masculinity against femininity. This idea may also be helpful to us when making our coursework. 

Finally, the title sequence of this film is very different to any others I've analysed, highlighting how this film may differ from some of the regular conventions of a thriller movie. This title sequence has a strong link to the Hindu religion by presenting a number of key gods, and a famous gold coin. Therefore, I have learnt that if we decide to create a Bollywood thriller we could use some of these techniques to make it authentic and realistic. 

Evaluation of The Taking Of Pelham 123 analysis

Through analysing this film I have learnt some new techniques and conventions of thriller films in general, as well as crime thrillers. Unlike the other films I have analysed this one had a much quicker pace, and contained a lot more action. This made the opening seem very hectic as there were no real pauses.

The use of many fast cuts helped increase the pace of the opening, establishing to the audience that the film will be full of action. Furthermore, I found it interesting that due to the nature of the film, if the director felt it necessary to zoom in, one fluid motion was not used. Instead a series of LS, MS and CU shots were cut together to create a disjointed and jerky scene. Therefore, I have learnt that if it relates to the themes and pace of the rest of the film it would be an interesting and effective technique to use myself.

The music in the opening was upbeat adding to the pace of the film, and didn’t fade in and out when necessary, instead it was just stopped which differs to the other films I have analysed and highlights the difference in pace of the opening of this film.  Furthermore the use of train sound effects was effective because it reinforced the main theme within the film.

The setting and costumes used in the opening all contrasted with one another which reinforces the differences in characters and locations. This technique of contrast and juxtaposition is one I have learnt and may be able to use in my coursework if any of my characters have substantially different personalities. Or, if I want to show juxtaposition through two locations I’m filming in.

Finally the most interesting and effective concept used in this opening were the rectangular blocks that appeared throughout the title sequence. These represented the trains in the film and taught me how you can take the most significant theme in a film and use it in the opening to create effect and add relevant animation. I have also learnt that you can use the  font used for the actors, producers, and directors names to effect. For example, in this opening, the writing seemed as though it was moving even if it was still. This highlighted how continual movement was used throughout the opening giving it a fast pace, and suggesting the film would be action-packed. 

Thriller Film Analysis: THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123

THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123: Crime Thriller

Director: Tony Scott
Camera/editing

The opening of this film sets a fast paced, tense thriller through the use of continuity editing which involves many fast paced cuts to increase the pace of the film. As well as the use of LS, MS and CU shots of characters. All scenes are moving, if the camera isn’t itself then words may appear across the screen in both directions, or sometimes black rectangles do the same. This gives the effect that there is continual movement similar to trains. Most scenes are fast paced, fast forwarded, or out of focus which may connote that no one fully understands what’s happening or why, in the situation later on in the film. It may also represent how when a train drives past you at a platform it seems blurry because it’s moving so fast. A very fast pan of New York City, and a zoom in on a fast forwarded street scene sets a busy atmosphere to the film. The whole time actors names appear across the frame. The first character the audience is introduced to is Ryder. We see a CU shot of his face and due to the fact it’s centralised in the frame we gain the impression he must be a significant character in the narrative. We continue to see shots of the setting and a variety of LS, MS and CU shots of the other ‘gang’ members. This is all through a series of fast cuts, and no sense of fluid motion. The scene cuts to a black backdrop and the title is revealed in the centre of the frame. The transition from each scene involves one leaving off one side and the other entering from the opposite side therefore reinforcing the idea of trains moving across the screen. The next setting we see is the rail control centre, where we’re introduced to our second significant character through a CU shot of his face (Garber). During the scene of him talking to another character, people continue to walk around the office, some in front of the camera others behind the main action highlighting the movement and pace of the opening. We see each member of the gang board the train, individually from different platforms, as well as CU shots of some of the characters which will be held hostage on the train later on in the film. The pace is slowed slightly and cuts back to the rail control centre where we see Garber stood, whilst everyone remains seated, this connotes he is a more significant character in the film. A high angle shot of the platform cuts to a black screen displaying the time ‘1:58’ which changes to ‘1:59’ showing a progression in time. This cuts back to a MS the platform and Ryder, then the same shot but through a CCTV camera increasing the verisimilitude of the scene. The pace is slowed through slow motion shots of the train doors closing, then the train leaving the platform. Overall the opening includes mainly eye-level camera shots until then end of the title sequence where the gang members are in control of the train and a low angle shot is used to show the power they hold.

Sound/Music

The beginning of the opening consists of non-diegetic sound effects of trains moving, as rectangles move across the frame, this connotes the idea of trains moving across the screen. On the third rectangle we hear the noise of a train braking. The pace then dramatically increases whilst ‘rock’ styled music starts playing. A man starts rapping in the song when we are introduced to Ryder which connotes his tough character. Train sounds are continuously added over the top of scenes as non-diegetic sounds as well as diegetic sounds in scenes located at the platforms showing how the film is strongly related to trains. The music stops when the title appears, and a beat is played when the numbers ‘1’, ’2’ and ‘3’ appear emphasising their importance because that is the train that most of the film is set on. Mostly diegetic sound is used in the rail control centre and all music stops, the music then begins to play again when showing shots of the setting. The music stops again when showing the time, and instead we hear the sound of a clock when the time changes. Many zooming in and out sound effects are also used when names appear and disappear throughout the title sequence. Finally, tense music starts to play as the gang members take control of the train which adds tension, and then the music stops and a final zoom sound effect plays as the directors name disappears.

Mise-en-scene

Setting/lighting

The opening starts with a shot of the sun rising over New York City, the setting is displayed as very busy and chaotic and contains symbolic signs of the yellow taxis. Compared to the dull/ grey lighting at the platforms which highlights how dirty, well-used and old they are. Therefore, this contrasts with the rail control centre which is clean, and high tech. Furthermore, it also contains lighter lighting than the platforms suggesting a higher key lighting system has been used.

Costume

Ryder wears all dark or black clothing, sunglasses, hat, leather jacket, and has a tattoo, this all connotes a tough, dangerous character. Other members of the gang wear glasses and dark clothing too, however they all differ to show how they all have different personalities or characters. Garber on the other hand is dressed smartly in a brown shirt and jumper, and a tie, all these connote the idea he is at his place of work, however, he wears a silver ear ring in one ear which suggests there may be something less innocent about his character we might find out later on in the film.

Titles

Black rectangles move across the screen at the beginning of the opening revealing company names in capital, bold, black writing. Conversely, names of actors, directors, producers etc. are in slightly smaller, light blue capital letters. Surnames are bigger than Christian names and words appear as though they are flashing/ flickering or as if blue light is carrying them on and off. This continues the idea that everything moves in a similar way to trains i.e. in straight lines. A black backdrop appears and the beginning of the title appears in the same way as the actors, and producers names did. ‘the taking of pelham’ is first to appear, with the word ‘pelham’ displayed bigger than the other words, followed by the numbers ‘1’, ’2’ and ‘3’ appearing individually. In the next scene a transparent grey box compared to the black boxes displayed earlier on, then appears with the words ‘rail control centre- midtown’ written on, this may show that these characters are ‘good’ not dark and dangerous. Black boxes then begin to appear again with names on. A Black screen with the time displayed in white contrasts with each other which may connote the good and bad characters in this film. Finally, the director’s name disappears off the screen attached to the train which connotes how once on that train there’s no escape.  

Camera and Sound

In one of our lessons we started learning about how camera and sound are used in the media. I believe this to be very useful for my coursework because it means I will be able to use a variety of angles and shots, and sounds to create a better opening.

Camera

We learnt there were 3 main points about camera:

• Distance
• Angle
• Movement

Distance

XLS (Extra Long Shot) - This gives information to the viewer about where the action is to take place. It often sets the atmosphere of a film.

LS (Long Shot) - This allows the viewer to understand the relationship between the characters and their environment.

MLS (Medium Long Shot) - Places the object in context.

MS (Medium Shot) - This allows you to get to know the character more closely by viewing their facial expressions and body language.

MCU (Medium Close Up) - Good for conversation between two characters.

CU (Close Up) - This is used to introduce a character and allows the character to show emotions. It can be used to heighten tension.

BCU (Big Close Up) - This shows the detail of a characters face.

XCU (Extra Close Up) - To make the viewer aware of some specific detail in the film. It can be used to heighten tension.

Angles

Low - These increase height of an object making it look bigger and stronger.

High - Camera is elevated to make subject look smaller and inferior. 

Eye Level - Neutral shot, camera is positioned as though human is observing a scene.

Birds Eye - Shows a scene from directly above. This has the ability to make people look insignificant e.g. people in a crowd. 

Canted - Camera is tilted to suggest imbalance, transition, and instability. Can also be used to suggest POV (Point Of View, when the camera becomes the 'eyes' of a character to bring audience into the diegesis).

Movement

Panning - Scans a scene horizontally. Camera operates on a stationary axis, and is often used to show a landscape or scenery.

Tracking - Camera is often used to follow a moving object which is kept in the middle of the frame.

Zoom - Changes the magnifications of an image. Can change the position of the audience very quickly or slowly, without moving the camera itself. It can also be used to distort an image or make an object appear closer together than they really are. 

Tilts - A movement which scans a scene vertically, similar to a pan.

Sound

There are two types of sound used when making a piece of media text.

1. Diegetic Sound = All the sound within the shot

2. Non - Diegetic Sound = All sound added through editing over the top of a scene. 

Evaluation

The information from my notes, as well as some background knowledge and research, is very useful to me because I now have the knowledge of a variety of skills I will be able to add to my coursework. I have also learnt the effect and purpose of many of these skills, therefore, I will be able to use them appropriately and effectively. For example, I have learnt about the many different shot sizes you can include and why you would use them, such as, using a BCU to catch the emotion on a characters face. Furthermore I have learnt about the different camera angles I might want to use such as the canted angle which can be used to suggest instability within a scene. In addition, I have learnt about the variety of camera movements and why they are used. Finally, I have learnt about the two different categories of sound I might want to use, for example, I might want to include lots of diegetic sound to make the scene have a higher verisimilitude. Therefore, I will be able to consider all of these techniques when filming my coursework. 

Research

Audience Survey

For our research we must conduct an audience survey to give us some information on what our audience wants to see in a thriller film. To do this my group decided to conduct a pilot survey before making our real survey to give us an idea on any adjustments or adaptations we may need to make. 

The questions we asked were:
1. How old are you?
15-17
18+
2. Do you prefer 15 or 18 films?
15
18
3. What genre of film do you prefer?
Action
Horror
Comedy
Romance
Thriller
Western
other
4. Do you pay attention to title sequences?
Yes
No
5. What type of opening/introduction do you prefer?
slow
quick
6. What is your favourite type of thriller?
Horror
Crime
Psychological
Drama
Romance
Action
Other
7. What do you expect to see in a thriller film?

Our pilot survey was very useful because it highlighted some of the key mistakes we made when designing it. Firstly our second question was useful for determining whether our audience would be more interested in seeing a 15 age rated film or an 18. This would then give us an idea of which age rating we should make our coursework. However our second question definitely needed to be re-worded as it didn't make sense. I don't think our third question was relevant as it had nothing to do with the thriller genre, therefore I have learnt that I will not need to include this question in my next survey. Question four will be useful for understanding whether it would worth putting most of our effort into the title sequences. However this question could gives us a 50/50 answer meaning it would not be giving us any information at all. This means that I have learnt that next time we should include space for people to explain what aspects of the titles they prefer, for example, music, font, animations. Our fifth question displayed similar problems because it also has the ability to give us a 50/50 answer, therefore I have learnt that in our next survey we should ask for reasons why they've answered yes or no. Our answers to question six were very varied which has not helped me in understanding which type of thriller the audience prefers. However we made one fundamental mistake of including sub-genres and hybrids of thriller in the same question. Therefore, I have learnt that this question needs lots of adjustments in order to make more sense. 

Our final question was useful to us because it gave us lots of ideas about what an audience expects to see in a thriller film. Alternatively, it gave us so much information it became unhelpful because the answers were very varied meaning we wouldn't be able to include every suggestion we were given. However, we will be able to use the answers from this question to structure a new question where you can chose an answer, making our results more limited and helpful.

Evaluation of BLACK SWAN analysis

From researching and analysing Black Swan, I have increased my knowledge on the conventions and codes of psychological thrillers. Firstly, the titles of this film were very simle, they involved only the colours black and white, and the words slowly faded in and out of the screen giving the film a slowly paced start. Therefore I have learnt that not all films need fancy, detailed titles and I might be able to use this idea in my coursework. In addition, the director Aronofsky used many close up shots to catch facial expressions as well as small details in the text, for example her feet when she was dancing, and the food she ate for breakfast.

The opening of Black Swan used similiar styled classical music throughout the opening, and then adapted its volume and pace to create drama or tension when needed. Furthermore non-diegetic sound effetcs and unseen sounds in the diegesis were used giving the opening a spooky and thrilling openeing. This means that if my group decides to make a psychological thriller we will now be able to use these techniques effectively.

The lighting in the opening of this film was simple but effective, for example, in the first scene there was only a black stage and a white spotlight, and in the second scene only natural light was used, reinforcing the simpleness and purity of her character so far. This connotes the 'calm before the storm' giving the impression her character may become more complicated as the plot develops.

Finally, I have learnt that directors do not only use clothing, but also jewellery and accessories to give subtle information about characters. Therefore I will be able to use this idea in my coursework if I feel it necessary.

Thriller film analysis: BLACK SWAN

Black Swan: Psychological thriller

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Camera/editing

The clip opens with a black backdrop, and white, capital letters in serif font slowly fading in and out of the screen appearing for around 5 seconds. The title ‘Black Swan’ then appears more centralised, bigger and bolder. We then see a Long shot of Nina centralised on a dark stage which gives the impression she is an important character. One spotlight shines on her, and we see a close up shot of her feet as she starts to dance. This is followed by a medium shot whilst she sits on the floor, and finally a long shot to show a man walking onto the stage towards her. Aronofsky uses a close up of her face to show her facial expression, this is scared and square-on to the camera. The camera spins around them as they dance which connotes how twisted the film becomes, we then see a medium shot of the man as he spins and changes costume, she does the same and turns into the white swan. The camera then zooms out as she walks away from the camera on point. This scene fades into a black backdrop, and then fades into the second scene. It starts with a close up shot of Nina’s face in her bed where we see her happy facial expression. Aronofsky then uses a close up shot of her feet to show her cracking her toes. The clip then cuts to a long shot of Nina stretching, followed by a close up of her warming up her feet which tracks up to her face as she speaks about her dream. We then see a variety of close up shots such as of her breakfast which consists of half a grapefruit and a poached egg representing her lifestyle and her and her mums face as they talk. Finally we see a side shot of Nina which highlights how unhealthily skinny she is, therefore reinforcing the idea of her being a dancer.

Sound/music

Classical swan lake music plays quietly in the background as the titles appear, and as the title ‘Black Swan’ appears, we hear a very quiet evil laugh. The music then increases volume when Nina starts dancing. When the man walks on the music quietens and becomes tenser as we are unsure who this man is. You hear Nina’s breathing which connotes her fear, as well as non-diegetic sound of a swan flapping its wings, occurring as they dance. There are sound effects as he changes costume, and the music becomes louder, more dramatic and increases pace. The music stays loud when she changes but slows and starts to fade as she walks away from the camera. In the second scene there’s silence until you hear the noise of the curtains opening in the diegesis. We hear the cracking of her neck and toes which may be viewed as slightly disturbing.  Non-diegetic, very quiet, classical music plays in the background whilst she talks about her dream, then when she mentions the man casting a spell in her dream, something in the diegesis falls to the floor, but we don’t see what it is. When Nina is in the kitchen the music cuts out and we hear diegetic sound of kitchen noises and dialog.

Mise-en-scene

Setting/lighting

The clip starts by showing only a black stage and a single spotlight throughout the entire first scene. During the second scene natural light is used from when the curtains are pulled back. We see her pink, flowery sheets which are linked to girls and may be viewed as childish. We then see her stretching in front of three mirrors. This may connote the different sides of her personality or character.

Costume

At the beginning of the clip we see Nina in a white ballet dress that reaches below her knees. The colour white connotes her purity and innocence. She is also wearing satin ballet shoes with ribbon and wears her hair gelled into a bun, this gives the audience an insight of her character that seems very professional. The man in the first scene wears black which connotes danger or mystery. He then changes into wearing a black feathery costume with a large nose and horns which may be seen as monstrous and scary. On the other hand Nina changes into wearing a white, feathery, tutu as the white swan continuing the idea of Nina being a pure character. In the second scene she wears a pink pyjama top, then a pink ballet leotard which again connotes femininity. However her mum wears black which contrasts with Nina and may present the differences between their characters. Alternatively Nina and her mum both wear matching silver necklaces, and similar silver ear rings suggesting there may be more special bonds between the characters when looked at in more detail.

Titles

The titles start with a black back drop which contrasts with the white, capital letters of the writing. The writing is in serif font which is slim and tall and looks very feminine.  The words fade slowly in and out, and words such as ‘presents’ are written smaller than company names. The title ‘Black Swan’ then appears in the centre of the frame, bigger and bolder compared to the previous writing, however it is still in serif font. Overall, the whole title sequence is very simple and sets a slow pace to the start of the film.