My Questionnaire Results

My Questionnaire Results

From Graph 1 I found that my main target market is 16-20 year olds. This information will help me to rate my opening which is now a 15+ also it will help me to market my film as I can know set my marketing techniques to suit this particular age group. These marketing techniques include advertising on posters and placing them in areas such as shopping centers and train stations. This is because these places are the most popular for this age group and so it will be seen a large majority of people.

Graph 2

From Graph 2 I have found that my main target market is mostly female rather than male. Again, this will help me to market my film as I can know advertise it in female magazines. Furthermore, this means that I can change the plot and synopsis of the opening to suit mainly female viewers, however there is only a small amount of difference between the two genders so I will not make a large change as I also have male viewers too.

Graph 3

From the 3rd Graph I found that the most popular thriller sub-genres are psychological, supernatural and mystery. From this information I now know the most popular thriller sub-genres that audiences like. Fortunately my film opening has a psychological and mystery theme so audiences will enjoy it

Graph 4

From the 4^th Graph I have discovered that many people prefer the production to be set in a haunted hospital, house or mental asylum. However a forest or the woods are much less popular. Luckily for me my opening is set in a hospital so audiences will like the production as it is set in a location they prefer.

Graph 5

From Graph 5 I found that a very large majority of people found that 3 minutes is a suitable length for an opening. From this information I can now set my opening at the most preferred and popular time which is 3 minutes. By doing this audiences will enjoy the opening more. It is important for the opening not to be too short or too long. If it is too short then the audience might not understand what is happening, whereas if the opening is too long audiences may get bored. Fortunately for me my film opening is at least 3 minutes which shows that I have taken my audience into consideration.  

Graph 6     

       In Graph 6 I have discovered that the preferred villains are Escaped Conflicts, Demons and Psychiatric Patients. Fortunately for me my main protagonist is in fact a psychiatric patient. This means that viewers will be pleased with the production as one of the most popular villains feature in it and it will show that I have taken my audiences thoughts and opinions into consideration.

                                                                         Graph 7

      In Graph 7 I found that a large majority of people find that music is an important aspect in an opening. This will help me as now I know that audiences will prefer music in the opening and so I too will add thriller music so audiences are pleased. Furthermore it will create both tension and suspense in my opening which will thrill the audience and keep them on the edge of their seats.

                                                                                Graph 8      

      From Graph 8 I found that many people find dialogue very important in an opening. This could be so they can understand the plot and what is going on. This is why I have added slight dialogue to my opening so audiences can understand what is going on and to also portray the characters thoughts and feelings.

Graph 9

       From Graph 9 I discovered that there is an equal amount of people who prefer the opening to be set at night time and day time. Since my opening is set at day time and as the day progresses the location gets darker. This makes the opening more eerie and mysterious and will also keep the audience more on edge.

Graph 10   

       From the final Graph 10 I found that viewers tend to prefer the title of the film come after the opening. From this information I discovered I will now place my movie title directly after the opening, this is so viewers prefer this and also so the title will stay in their minds as the film progresses. Therefore from all of these questions and graph I have mostly taken into consideration my audiences opinions and tastes so they will enjoy the opening and also shows that I have made my opening from my audience perspective.

Synopsis Planning

Synopsis Planning

Characters

Emma:

Antagonist

Lives in a mental hospital

schizophrenic

murderer

mentally disturbed

loves to paint and draw

has a very creative side

Nurse:

Victim of Emma

nurses uniform

normal/stereotypical female nurse

Nurses Friend:

Seen only briefly

casual

Props Needed

Fake Knife

Fake Blood

Stethoscope

Nurses Hat

Lab Coat

Themes

Thriller

Psychological Thriller

Anger

Hatred

Jealousy

Crime and Mystery

Murder, torture and death

Entrapment

Need of freedom

Imprisonment

Setting and Location

St Johns Mental Hospital
St Marys Hospital


Nurses Death Ideas

Dragged down a corridor, into a room and stabbed
Locked inside a room and stabbed

Filming schedule

Filming Schedule 

5/3/12: Start filming scene 1 (nurse and friend), scene 2 (blood red hand) and scene 3 (the open door)

6/3/12: film scenes 4 (emma) and 5 (door slam) and scene 6 which is dragging down the corridor

8/3/12: film scene dragging part 2 and finally emmas painting.

My Questionnaire

My Questionnaire 

1) Age?

—2) Gender?

3) What type of thriller do you most prefer?


4) What is your preferred location for a thriller opening? 


5) How long do you think an opening should be?


6) Who/what is your preferred villain?


7) Do you find music important in an opening?


8) Do you find dialogue important to an opening?


9) Should the opening be set at day time or night time?


10) Do you prefer to see the film title before or after the opening?

Nine frame structure analysis of thriller film opening

Nine frame structure analysis of thriller film opening

Se7en

in the first frame a rather old and ruffled book is shown and the production company 'New Line Cinema'. the font and typography used is distorted and white, the white could be to portray innocence, perhaps the innocence of the victims in the plot. the distorted font could be there to suggest a rather eccentric and probably slightly mentally disturbed character. 


in the next frame a pair of old hands are seen and who the film is by (David Fincher). the hands are positioned in a unusual gesture which could be to suggest to the audience that something strange and unusual is happening. it could also be used to portray the character as highly disturbed and rather mad. 


in the third frame the audience see fingers holding an unknown object, this could be to represent hidden secrets. the fingers seem old and dirty showing that the character is a hard worker and is quite unhygienic. furthermore there is not text in this frame which means that they want you to focus on the characters hands and the object of which he is holding rather then be distracted by reading. 


the next frame shows an old box and the title of the film 'Se7en'. again the lighting and colours used are dark and dull giving the opening a sense of mystery. furthermore in this frame there is not much to notice or take in, this could be so the audience can simply focus mainly on the title of the film and so it will stand out more. 


in the fifth frame same hands we saw previously are now writing. however the vision in slightly blurred and an actors name is revealed. the blurred hand could be there to portray the character the audience are seeing as unclear and unrecognizable. this is because the film is mainly about crime and so because the protagonist in unsure of the villain so is the audience. 


the next frame shows the casting and also a picture of a man whose eyes are scribbled out with a black marker. this could be to create enigmas in the audiences minds and also gives our audience a hint that maybe our character is some sort of murderer or criminal. the darkness surrounding the image makes the picture stand out and also gives a sense of mystery. 


in the next frame the hands return and are shown writing alongside the producers name. we notice that some of the fingertips are covered in plasters, this could be to suggest that he has been handling rather dangerous and possibly sharp objects. furthermore throughout the opening we see that the hands keep changing tasks, this could be to show that the character is very busy and also shows that he is up to something which no one else knows about. 


the eight frame shows the hands once again but this time they are sowing what looks like a piece of paper, notice how we only seen the hands of the character and no other part of the body. this could be to represent the mystery and to hide his identity to both the audience and also the protagonist. 


the ninth and final frame is probably most important, here the audience can see an American dollar bill, showing that the films location is in America. but also we see the character cutting out the word GOD from the dollar bill. this can be to foreshadow the plot of the film and also the characters religious views. furthermore the word GOD is filmed upside down, this can be to portray that maybe the protagonists whole world has turned upside down and that the catholic religion has been completely turned around. 

Photographs of locations

Photographs of locations

in this location i filmed Emma sitting in the end of the staircase and also the nurse walking down them 

in this location i filmed the nurse walking down the corridor.

it is in this location which i filmed the nurse running down the corridor and also being dragged down it. the door is also where the blood red hand appears.

Editing Schedule

My Editing Schedule

30/3/12- First editing sesion to get used to the editing software, decide and choose appropriate scenes and edit my first scene.

6/4/2012- Finish off first scene and start to edit the second scene and put first and second scene together

12/4/12- Add third scene and start on fourth

20/4/12 -Edit another scene, and try to add suitable music to the scenes to amtch the genrema

24/4/12- Finish off editing and add the music to it

26/4/12- Make any final changes and finishing touches and add music making sure it goes in time with the opening.

Alterations made along the way

Alterations made along the way

During my planning and filming i made a few changes along the way. One of these changes is the amount of actors i will use. Due to limited time i had to cut down on my actors and make due with 3 instead of 5. Another alteration is that i slightly adjusted the original script. This is because of pacing and timing issues; also because some of my actors decided to add a small bit of improvisation, i kept this as it made the opening seem more realistic. Another alteration is that i had to change the location of where i would place my handprint. Originally i was going to have the nurse walk by a window and as she walked by a blood red handprint appeared on the window. However i was forced to change it to the nurse walking down a corridor and walk out of the frame revealing a handprint on the door she had just entered because of the location i was filming in.

Health and Safety Information

Hazards


Falling/sliding on wet floor : This may harm my actors and crew. however all actors and actresses to be aware of their surroundings and walk slowly on wet floors and when filming actors and actresses are told to stand in a safe area.

Getting hurt while being dragged: This my harm my main actress, however she is to be aware that she will be dragged at a fast pace down a corridor, she should prepare for it before hand. Also the floor should be cleared of any objects that may harm the actress. furthermor Before shooting someone is told to clear and sweep the floor so that no small sharp items (such as glass) can harm the actress.

Members of the general public interrupting: this can harm my actors, crew and also the film production. however the site will be closed off to the public via filming signs and other objects to help prevent any disruptions and while filming others apart from the actors and crew are told to stay in a place where the camera cannot see them.

Emergency Numbers


Fire Brigade: 999/112


Ambulance: 999/112/111


Police: 999/112/101


Coastguard: 999/112


Transport Police: 999/ 03001232299/ 0800405040

Scripting

-A nurse is seen saying goodbye to her friend-

Nurse: I'll see you tomorrow then

Friend: Ok, bye

-the nurse waves-

Nurse: Bye

-The nurse opens a door to her right and walks through it. she is next seen walking down a corridor, she hears something  but then shakes her head thinking she had imagined it. as she walks out of the frame a red hand print has appeared on the door the nurse she came from. the nurse is then seen walking down a flight of stairs, she reaches a door and reaches for the handle with her right hand when she hears a noise. she turns her head around slowly revealing a door which has opened by itself. the nurse walks over to it with a look of suspicion on her face, she then enters the room.-

-in the room Emma is seen sitting a the bottom of a flight of stairs, her knees together and head facing downwards. her face is covered by her hair. the nurse walks over to Emma and crouches beside her-


Nurse: Emma? what are you doing over there?

Emma: ....

Nurse: Stay there, im going to get someone to help you ok...

-Nurse walks towards the door when suddenly Emma slams it shut with her right arm-

Nurse: EMMA?! How did you here so fa......

-Emma raises her left hand revealing a knife, the nurse gasps in horror-

Nurse: Get away from me you freak!

-nurse opens door and runs down the corridor, she trips and falls to the ground. Emma walks up to her and drags her backwards by the feet into the room. the doors slam shut and screaming from the nurse is heard-


-End of opening-

Costume Planning

Nurses Friend

in the begining of my opening sequence a nurse says goodbye to one of her friends. i made the friend seem normal and realisitc by putting her into a leather jacket, top and jeans. this is because she only plays a small part in the opening and isnt as important as the other characters.


Nurse

for my nurse's costume i have decided to use a simple white lab coat, this is because i couldnt get my hands on an actual nurse dress so i had to make do with a lab coat. i also used a white lab coat as it represents innocence as she is a victim.i did however manage to  find some accesories such as a nurse hat and stethescope to add to the effect. black tights and simple black shoes are worn to make it easier to walk in and to make it looks realistic. for the hair i just simply tied it up with a few strands hanging aorund the sides of her face to suggest that she has been working all day and is tired.



Emma

Since Emma is are main character and lives in a physiatric hospitsal i placed her into a all in one black physiatric costume. this is to represent that she is a patient and is also highly dangerous. on her costumer both legs are rolled up revealing her tights. her sleeves however sttay down. her hair covers her face and she does not want to be exposed to early in the film. underneath her costumer she wears stripy black and white tights along with a pair of black converses. i used the colour black as it is a dark and mysterious colour and is often used to represent the villain in a film. she carries a knife in her left pocket however the audience cannot see this.

Mood Board

Iconography Collage

Youtube documentaries/programmes which give insight into thriller

Thriller (A film genre defined)

From searching on Youtube.com i managed to find a video which gives you the ins and outs of the thriller genre and gives you a clear isight of what thrillers are. in this video topics include; What is a thriller genre, thriller sub-genres, conventions of a thriller genre and even examaples of thriller productions. this video makes you understand the concept of the thriller genre clearly and easily and will teach you everything you would like to know about the thriller genre.

Still Frame Analysis

Panic Room

in this still frame the audience see Sarah Altman (left) and Meg Altman (right) crounching side by side on the floor. Megs facial expression is shocked and worried while Sarah's facial expression suggests fear and terror. in this still frame the audience can see that both characters are terrified, furthermore the fact that they are extrmely close together suggests that they only have each other for safety. this matches the thriller conventions as it puts the protagonist in danger and suspence and tension is also created.



Pshycho

In this still frame the audience can see a young woman screaming in what appears to be a shower. This still frame shows that the woman is screaming out of terror and fear suggesting that she is experiencing something unimaginable and traumatising. This makes the audience feel uncomfortable and extremely worried for the victim and also creates enigmas in the audiences mind such as “why is she screaming?” This matches the conventions of thriller perfectly as it puts the protagonist in danger, creates enigmas in the audiences mind and creates suspense and terror within the audience.

Research into typical synopsis

What is a synopsis?

A synopsis is a brief summary of either a piece of written work or a film production.

My Synopsis for my opening

A female nurse adresses her peer stating "see you tomorrow " and the other character reply with a simple "bye" or  "see ya". the nurse then walks out and closes the door behind her. she walks down a corridor, she hears a small  "THUD" sound yet she does not turn around. the nurse walks out of the shot revealing a red hand print on the door she just exited. the nurse is then seen walking down a staircase, she checks her watch and carries on walking.

She reaches the door and is about to open in when she hears a sound, the nurse turns her hed slowly around and the camera pans across to reveal a door open by itself.
the nurse, having witnesses such a strange ordeal, walks into the rooom nervously. the room empty. except for a young Emma crouching at the bottom of some stairs, her face covered by her long black hair. the nurse walks towards her slowly and crouches beside Emma. she speaks softly to her and then gets up, turns around and starts heading back to the door of which she just entered. all of a sudden she hears a noise and so turns her head around, she sees Emma, now standing, much closer to the door. her face is hidden by her black hair and she is wearing her all in one black pychiatirc outfit. the nurse, with a look of worry on her face stands there un sure of what to do and puzzling of how Emma had reached her so fast. tnext Emma raises her hand and reveals a small sharp knife and smiles evilly at the nurse. the nurse then pushes Emma backwards shouting "get away from me you  freak", slams open the door and runs down the corridor. however she trips and falls to the ground. Emma walks over to her slowly and starts to drag her backwards down the hallway, the nurse screams and cries for help but no one comes. then the nurse gets dragged into the room and the door slams shut. there are screams from behind the door and then they suddenly stop. the scene then cuts to the a Emma is painting on, on it is shows the words Emma painted in red liquid (blood).

Production Company name/Profile

Production Company Name


My production name is Dark Horse Productions. i have chosen this name because it suits the genre of my film (psychological thriller) and because it sounds rather dark and mysterious.


Production Profile


My production company will be situated in Central London. i have chosen this location as it is very popular and also easy to get to so fans and tourists will be able to visit it. furthermore, by using many different advertising methods i will be able to attract a lot of audiences to it. my production company will be very popular however it will not be as popular as other production companies such as Paramount or Universal. my production company will distribute mainly films of the thriller genre, but will also distribute sub genres such as mystery thriller and psychological thriller, will be the head manager of the company as i created the production company and also one of its films was produced by me.

Production Logo

Production Logo


i have chosen two pictures to represent my production company. i chose the first picture because it is simple and it matches my production name, it shows just a back horse with hair covering its right eye. it also matches my film genre as it is dark and mysterious. the shading surrounding it almost acts as a fog covering the body of the animal portraying it as hidden and mysterious. furthermore it is facing towards the audience and is almost like its dark black eyes are staring at you creating a rather uneasy look before the film.


i chose the second image as it also matches my production name, also it seems rather unusual and almost human like. the hair covering both the horses eyes make it seem unattached to the world and the horse looking down suggests a sad and even quite frighting emotion.

Camera Movements

There are many types of Camera Movements used in a film production. just some of these movements include:

Pan: this is when the camera moves across a scene horizontally., it is done by placing the camera on a Tripod. it is often used to  follow a character or moving object.


Zoom In: this is simply when the camera zooms in on an object or character. it is used to portray the facial expressions of a character and creates a dramatic scene.



Zoom Out:  this is when a camera simply zooms out from either an object or character, revealing the surroundings and background.


Tracking Shot: this is when the camera is placed on usually a moving vehicle at the side of the action. it is used to follow a moving object or character  or to show a long journey.


Hand Held Shot: this is when the camera is actually carried by hand and follows the character, it is very often used in television documentries and is given a very shaky camera effect. it usually gives a sense of realism and makes the film seem realistic.


Crane Shot: this is when the camera is placed on a tall crane. it is often used to follow an object that is too far away to film by hand. it can also be used to swoop in or out on any action that may occur in the film and is operated by one camera man/woman.  


Aerial Shot: this is when a shot is taken from usually a helicopter, it is often used in the openings of films to to portray the surroundings and location.

Camera Angles

Camera angles arevery important in a production, some of these camera angles include:

Birds Eye View Shot: As the name suggests this angle makes you feel as though you are a bird flying over a certain location, it is when the camera shows a scene from overhead showing a lot of the location and making the audience feel more superior as they are above the action. it is often used in a lot of Hitchcock movies.

High Angle: the camera is placed on a crane and is shot above the action. it is often used to make an object seem smaller. it is also used to make a character seem insignificant and of low status.

Low Angle: the camera is placed below a character or object to make it seem taller and superior. it usually makes the audience feel powerless and insecure. it is often used to portray the high class or authority of a character.

Eye Level: this is when the camera is at eye level with its surroundings and other characters. it is used to make a shot seem neutral.
Slanted: this is when the camera is slighlty tilted to one side, it is often used to represent a loss of balance i.e the character could be drunk.