Research

Genre conventions mind map
In order for me to make a successful opening sequence to a thriller film, I need to research the typical codes and conventions included into a thriller. For this I did my own analysis of thriller films, as well as researching thriller conventions on the internet. I need to research typical story lines, character types, settings, themes and editing techniques. Below are my findings;







In each film I analysed there were typical characters. Innocent victims are typically included for example in the films '2012' and 'In Time'. In mostly every thriller film there is a hero, who is often an ex detective, for example, in the film 'Taken' the lead hero character is an ex detective. Themes often include obsession, mystery and crime. However, in a lot of thriller films romance is a theme giving the film a light hearted feel, this also gives it a wider audience by varying the subject matter. Settings of thriller films are typically in a foreign location. This makes the audience feel vulnerable as they are unaware of the surroundings and language spoken. 



Summary of Conventions
Romance is often included as a theme in thriller films. This may be because the overall storyline to a thriller film is quite serious, and romance brings a light hearted feel to the film, which contrasts the general darkness of the thriller. Other themes of the thrillers include murder and death. This means the story lines are typically quite sombre.
In thriller films typical story lines involve a serious topic of an investigation. This adds suspense and mystery to the storyline. Fighting for life is also included often in thriller films, this implies the story will go one of two ways. Either, hero wins, or the villain wins. This builds up suspense towards the concluding, making the audience want to want to watch the whole film until the end.
A number of editing styles are used in thriller films. An example of this is a jump cut, this disorientates the audience which adds suspense to the film. Shots are also cut at a fast pace in action events throughout thriller films. Camera movements are also quite frequent; this gives the audience a sense of vulnerability and implies something is going wrong. Suspense is normally built up before actions scenes by the camera moving slowly and steadily.
Towns and cities are a main setting in thriller films. This gives a sense of business and urgency to the storyline. Areas of business are also included which implies the topic of the film is quite serious. Foreign cities are sometimes used as a location for a thriller film setting. This is to make the audience feel out of place, and unknowing. However, contracting the previous settings mentioned, isolated settings are sometimes used, adding mystery and suspense towards the audience.
Common sound uses in a thriller film include non-diegetic music. This is when the music builds up tension in the scene in the lead up to an event. Music then begins to get faster paced as more action begins to happen. This also creates atmosphere within a scene. However, silence is frequently included in thriller films which is thought provoking for the audience and builds up tension in a shot.
A common type of character used in a thriller film is a hero. They are usually male, as males are seen as powerful and strong. They often have the role of a detective, which gives the audience a sense of mystery towards the character. Criminals/villains are also included frequently in thriller films. These characters are often quite unpleasant looking, implying that they will inflict unhappiness somewhere within the film.


Analysis of leading characters 

Hero leading character, Dominic Cobb - Inception

Dominic wears a suit throughout the thriller film. This is to highlight his importance in the film and to add seriousness to the genre. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the character Dominic. This is because he is popular in the film industry. Heroes in thriller films are typically male and middle aged, these are both characteristics in which Leonardo DiCaprio fits within. The audience view him as an endearing character as he has had a troubled past. However, he does not share his mental state with others in the film for a considerable time, this adds suspense and mystery as to how the film will progress. The camera movements that surround him are mostly quick and jumpy, this includes the audience in the action taking place. Although, steady movements of the camera are used to exaggerate the serious feel to the film, this also builds up tension and suspense. Lots of weapons such as guns surround Dominic in the film. This is good use of mise en scene as it implies he is a powerful character and capable of causing damage.


Glamorous women, Sylvia Weis - In Time

Sylvia is a wealthy women in the film who wears expensive looking clothes. This shows that her wealth gives her power and credibility  within the film. Amanda Seyfried is the actress that plays Sylvia. She is well known in the film industry. Amanda is also a young actress therefore she fits the part of the glamorous women well. When we are first introduced to her in the film she is seen as quite a negative character. She acts as if she is of most importance but as the film progresses she is establishes that other roles in society are of equal importance, and she rebels against what she is used to. She wears expensive jewellery to highlight her power throughout and the film. High key lighting is used when we are first introduced to her in the film, which represents her brilliant lifestyle. As she begins to rebel, low key lighting is used to represent the fact that she is changing her ways and her lifestyle is becoming more difficult. In action scenes. Quick cuts and fast camera movements have been used in action scenes she is involved in. This adds vulnerability to her has a character, as the audience are involved in the action and is unaware as to what the outcome will be.

Villain/Psychotic individual, The Joker - The Dark Knight Rises


The Joker is typically a man of average height possessing a skinny frame. He contrasts the leading character of Batman, as Batman is large and muscular. The Joker has an intimidating and unpleasant appearance. He is portrayed in this way as it matches his unpleasant personality. The Joker also has a melted cliche clown face, this is ironic as his characters is most definitely not funny and in fact quite horrible. The Joke is played by Heath Ledger who is popular in the film industry. He also fits the conventions of a villain in a thriller film as they are typically male. The Joker behaves unpredictably in which he does things according to his own twisted sense of logic. He also shows no moral attachment to anybody, implying he is incapable of getting close to anyone. Fast paced hand-held camera movement, to exaggerate the circumstances in which The Joker is involved in. The use of make-up on The Joker is striking to the audience, the dirty, and scary looks caused by the make up has a strong effect on the audience's perspective of the character; being very apprehensive towards The Jokers motive.I think that the use of make-up makes the character seem unnatural which emphasises to the audience the type of insane and rare character he is.
Summary of leading characters
Each of these groups are represented differently in thriller films. The leading character is represented with an outfit which highlights power, in my example the leading character wears a suit. The glamorous women in a thriller films wears expensive clothes and has a feisty attitude highlighting her wealth and good lifestyle. Lastly, the villain of a thriller film is normally unpleasant looking which matches with their personality. However, in different films each of these types of characters may be represented in slightly different ways. But the examples I used fit most thriller films. Other representations may include a less obvious looking villain, wearing more subtle make up and clothing, however the unpleasant look of the villain character still remains in most thriller films, this is so the character can be easily established by the audience. 
History of genre timeline

In this task I will explain how the thriller film genre has developed over time. Throughout my research I will identify key directors and films who have shaped the development of thriller genre films. Each of the films I find I will relate back to the Christian Metz's Genre theory. This theory consists if four stages within the genre development. Firstly, the experimental stage is where the codes and conventions of a thriller film is established with different types of scenery's and scenarios.The second stage is classical. Classical is the stage where most popular films are created and follow guidelines created in the experimental stage. The third stage is the parody stage. These are films which mock the genre which has been created. It is where films incorporate comedic effects watering down expectations of the film. The last stage if genre development is deconstruction. The is where a film contains original codes and conventions and refreshes them. This evolves the genre into a stage where hybrids are evident.


To view my tikitoki time line click on the picture below  



Institutional Research

In this task I will use a variety of sources and carry out a market analysis of the thriller genre for the year 2012. I will aim to find out how many thriller films were released in this period, how profitable the genre is, which films were most successful in 2012 and what the characteristics of the audience for this genre are.

How many thriller films were released in this period?

The thriller genre was ranked 4th regarding how many films have been released this year according to genre. So far, 56 films in the thriller genre have been released.


Below shows the popularity of each genre:


How profitable is the thriller genre?


Each genre profits more from its released. In my research I have found out that the thriller genre is 4th most profitable in the film industry, coming below adventure, comedy and action.

Below is a bar chart showing the overall profit of each of the genres in 2012:





Which films were most successful in 2012 and why? 



The Hunger Games ranked the most popular thriller film in 2012 so far, selling 52,108,645 tickets and making over $408,010,692. This may be because it is part of a series of films. Another reason for it's success is that the film is an adaptation of a book, attracting the readers to see the film as well. The Hunger Games may have been advertised very well, using billboards, buses, and TV adverts.This particular film may have made a higher income than other thriller films because the rating of the film was PG. This enables younger age groups to be able to watch the film in a cinema, contributing to its box office sales.
 
The second highest ranking thriller film is Safe House. It managed to make $126,181,630 selling around 16,115,150 tickets.  It is possible that Safe House was so high in box office sales because of how it was advertised. It appeared on TV adverts and billboards, making sure the film was displayed to all potential audiences. However, it did considerably well considering it was a rating R which means there is strong violence throughout the film. This would have limited the audience however it was still the 2nd ranking film in the thriller genre in 2012.


What are the characteristics of the audience for the thriller genre?


Thrillers are mainly the most popular for people under 25. Typically the audience of thriller films are predominantly male. This may be because thriller films tend to include a lot of action and some violence, interesting a male audience rather than female. However, thrillers do attract females also. Because of the typical age group that thrillers attract this means that the social class in the demographic  profile that would be targeted would grade C1 and C2. This is because people aged between 16 and 25 tend to be studying or not maintaining a career yet, therefore their income would be low, however, students tend to follow the same socio-economic group as their parents, and parents tend to have jobs which are fairly well paid, which means they have the disposable income required to fund cinema trips for their children. This also means that the general target audience for thrillers would be those who have lower incomes as they are unable to work for themselves yet.

Throughout this research task I have found out that thriller films are one of the most popular and profitable genres in the box office. The most successful thriller films this year have been films that have been advertised well. The rating has also been quite low therefore I will apply this to my film to make sure it gets a large audience to view it. I will aim my thriller film at an audience between 16 and 25. This is because my research shows thriller films appeals to the younger half of the population.


References to sources 
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/
http://www.the-numbers.com/
http://bfi.org.uk/education-research/film-industry-statistics-research

Film Studio Research

In this task my aim is to research into different film studios and compare them. When the task is completed I would have decided which film studio I would like to distribute my film and why I have chosen them. For each of the film studios there are reasons their films have been successful. This will be taken into consideration when choosing the film studio I would like to use.



 After researching some film studios I decided that Twentieth Century Fox would be the most useful for my film. This is because it has been the longest running film studio I have researched, and have produced globally successful thriller films themselves. These are films such as 'Taken' and '127 Hours', which have both been huge box office hits. The best actors and actresses have also starred in Twentieth Century films. There have been stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The stars in the films are key to the success of the film, drawing in audiences for not only the story lines, but for the well known actors and actresses as well. Therefore, I feel Twentieth Century Fox is the best option for my own film.




Film Funding Research

When putting together a short film, there are a number of ways to provide funding for it. I will research into film funding and then later decide what type of funding is most appropriate for my own thriller film. Funding options include;




 In conclusion, I think I wouldn't ask a local council to fund for my film. Although the council would be interested in promoting the area, when faced with funding cuts they are unlikely to provide the funding to source a fictional film. Individual funding would not be appropriate as in order for  someone to fund a film they need to be certain of the success of the film, in which you cannot guarantee from a small film maker. The BFI would not supply funding for the film I am producing as they usually fund films for productions relatively well known to guarantee the profit the film will make.  I think the UK film council are most likely to agree to funding for my film. This is because they tend to supply funding for short UK films with potential success and profit. 

References to sources
http://www.bfi.org.uk/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/filmmaking/guide/before-you-start/funding


BFFC Guidelines research

In this research I will summarise the guidelines for both 15 and 18 rated films and decide why this is helpful to identifying a target audience for my own thriller film.

The 15 symbol means no one under the age of 15 can view the film at the cinema. A 15 rated film means that;

  • It cannot include any discriminatory language or behaviour.
  • Drug taking may be shown but cannot encourage.
  • Strong threat and menace can be included but not if sadistic or sexual.
  • Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied.
  • There may be frequent use of strong language. The strongest terms may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.
  • Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context. 
  • Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail. There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour, but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context. Works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable.
  • No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate for 15 year olds.
  • Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and have a strong contextual justification.
The symbol 18 means that no one under the age of 18 can view the film at a cinema or rent the film. These guidelines were made because adults should be free to choose their own entertainment. However, there are some exceptions;


  • Where the material is in breach of the criminal law, or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence
  • Where material or treatment appears to the BBFC to risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society – for example, any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which may cause harm to public health or morals. This may include portrayals of sexual or sexualised violence which might, for example, eroticise or endorse sexual assault. 
  • Where there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by context. Such images may be appropriate in ‘R18’ works, and in ‘sex works’ would normally be confined to that category.
I have decided that my film is going to be rated '15'. This is because I can work within the guidelines easily and by giving it this rating it fits within my audience profile giving it the biggest possible opportunity of success. If I were to rate my film '18' this would mean that 2 years of my target audience would not even be able to view the film as my target audience are aged between 16 and 25 years of age.


References to sources
http://www.bbfc.co.uk/classification/guidelines/18-2/





Creating an audience profile
For this part of the research section I looked in to what type of target audience I was going to aim my film at. I did research as to why I would choose this group and why it would benefit the film I am going to make. I looked at things such as age, gender, uses for media and socio-economic groups. After deciding what category my target audience fit within, I can now establish what to include in my film.




In conclusion to this task, I have decided my target group will be between 16 and 25. These are going to categorise in the C1 and C2 group in the socio-economic profile as students tend to be categorised to the household they share. However, they are likely to have a disposable income from monthly allowances or student loans. Because my target audience tend to be known for socialising it means that the film will be a success as socialising usually consists on cinema outings.




Conducting primary research into the wants/needs of my target audience
To find out the wants and needs of my target audience I need to produce my own findings using the most appropriate research methods. Firstly, I need to decide which research methods I will use for this, by evaluating the advantages and disadvantages for each.
Evaluation of types of primary research:

 Questionnaires 
Advantages: Relatively quick to collect information. Questionnaires are gathered in a standardised way which means they are quite objective. They are practical and large amounts of information can be collected. The data collected can be quantified, it can be used to compare and contrast other research.
Disadvantages: Time consuming to design and it can also take a long time to analyse the information gathered. Not all people who take a questionnaire complete them. Answers may not be accurate if especially if the questionnaire takes a long time to complete. The respondent may be forgetful or untruthful giving you false results.

Focus Groups
Advantages: Discover how different groups think and feel about a topic and why they hold certain opinions.Focus groups can deepen understanding and explain statistical data. They can also verify or clarify the results from surveys. They can provide a broader range of information. They provide detailed information about personal or group feelings, perceptions and opinions.
Disadvantages: There can be disagreements in discussions and can also be hard to control and manage. Some participants may find a focus group situation intimidating or off-putting; participants may feel under pressure to agree with the dominant view as they are self-selecting, they may not be representative of non-users.

 Interviews
Advantages: They allow more detailed questions to be asked which triggers are more detailed response. Interviewees are not influenced by others in a group. 
Disadvantages: They can be very time consuming with setting up, interviewing, analysing etc. 

 Face to face surveys
Advantages: Good way to get detailed insights from an individual. Questions can also be adapted if necessary and any doubt can be clarified.
Disadvantages: Respondents may be in a hurry therefore the feedback collected may be rushed and not reliable.

 My primary research will be done through questionnaires and focus groups. I have chosen to use questionnaires as I can present my findings easily using bar charts and graphs. Secondly I have chosen a focus as a type of my primary research because it will allow more detailed answers from specific people.
Below is an example of one of my filled out questionnaires:








This is my focus group:


Secondary Research

I have decided to to some secondary research as well as primary into the wants and needs of my target audience. For this I will use reliable internet websites.


I have found some research conducted by website called 'We Are Social'. From the graph I can see that my target audience use most of their media consumption watching TV or using the Internet. This is a good point to take into consideration when advertising my film. I now know that if I want to target my intended audience specifically, I need to advertise using TV adverts or adverts over the Internet.

References to sources http://wearesocial.net/blog/2010/08/uks-media-consumption-habits/


Analysing my audience feedback

From my target audience feedback I have been able to conclude what my they want and how to achieve it. I know my target audience are able to afford seeing my film as all of them have access to money in some way, for example from parents or a part-time job. Much of the feedback suggested that my idea for a thriller film was good. This means that I will progress in making my idea fit with the typical conventions of thriller films. My opening scene will hold suspense which is frequently used in thriller films, and typically the main hero character will be a male, as most of the films named in my feedback that have been favourite thriller films have included a male main character. However after my feedback was collected I could see that some improvements could be made to my opening sequence idea. Suggested ideas included more mysterious characters to add suspense, and more violence as it grips the audience. This will be taken into consideration when progressing and adapting my idea and fitting it into the typical does and conventions for a thriller. My focus group answers were similar to my questionnaire results. However, it was suggested that we meet the female character in the opening sequence, which we have decided would be a good idea therefore the character of 'Lucy' will appear in a flash back.
Title sequence time line 

Opening sequences are often used to give people credit for their part in the making of a film for example; producers, costume designers, visual effects supervisor etc.

For task 10 I used the opening sequence for 'James Bond: Die Another Day' that I found on youtube. I used this to look into what is usually expected from an opening sequence of a thriller film. In this particular opening sequence the it included footage from the film as well as animations surrounding it. There was also a soundtrack in the background which related to the title of the film. This song was 'Die Another Day' by Madonna. Below the opening sequence video is the time line I created for this opening sequence showing the changes in credits throughout. 






My opening sequence time line for 'James Bond: Die Another Day'



0.01 – 0.04
0.06 – 0.09
0.11 – 0.14
0.16 – 0.19
0.20 – 0.22
0.23 – 0.29
0.23 – 0.26
0.26 – 0.28
0.29 – 0.32
0.39 – 0.42
0.44 – 0.47
0.48 – 0.49
0.50 – 0.54
0.54 – 0.59
1.04 – 1.09
1.12 – 1.15
1.16 – 1.21
1.29 – 1.32
1.35 – 1.38
1.39 – 1.42
1.45 – 1.48
1.54 – 1.57
2.01 – 2.03
2.11 – 2.15
2.16 – 2.20
2.24 – 2.27
2.38 – 2.41
2.42 – 2.47
2.49 – 2.51
2.56 – 3.00
3.03 – 3.07
3.10 – 3.13

3.17 – 3.20

From breaking down and analysing the opening from 'James Bond' I can see how titles are broken down and what kind of titles should be ideally included in an opening sequence. These include titles from the director, cast, music, written by and produced by. The most important titles I will include in my own opening sequence. After analysis I now have an understanding to the length of each titles on screen, as well as the transitions between each title. The titles seem to appear for as long as it takes for the audience to read and the transitions seem to be quite simple. I liked the simple transition as it doesn't take focus away from what is being shown in the scene. This particular opening sequence introduced the main character well but still included other characters appearing in the film as well. I thought this was another good idea as it focused on the lead role without giving away any predictable storyline. 


Analysing multiple title sequences and creating my own title list

'Casino Royale' title sequence - ACTION ADVENTURE





'Superbad' title sequence - COMEDY
'The Notebook' opening sequence - ROMANCE





'Seven' opening sequence - PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER




The title sequence for 'Casino Royale' and the title sequence for 'Superbad' both have animations and visual effects within them. All of my chosen title sequences have a soundtrack playing in the background. Each of the chosen music relates back to the film genre. For example the music played through the title sequence of 'Superbad' is light hearted and happy sounding, this fits into the genre of comedy well as it starts the film on a light hearted note and gives you an idea as to the feel of the film to come. 'Superbad' opening sequence includes the silhouettes of the characters dancing, this brings fun to the film which also relates back to the genre. Again the aspect of fitting music applies to 'The Notebook'. This a romance films and the title sequence for this includes classical slow music giving it a romantic feel. The colours in this opening sequence are also quite low, this gives another idea as to what the film will hold, implying that although it's going to be romantic there is also an element of seriousness to the film. The shots in the opening sequence to the film 'Seven' are quite quick changing, making it seems like the film to come is going to be quite action packed and enticing. 

 The titles I am going to include in my opening sequence are; 

  • Writers of my film
  • Directors of my film
  • Producers of my film
  • Actors and actresses that play a part in my film
  • The institution logo (Twentieth Century Fox) 
  • The BFI logo (funding the film)


Opening sequence analysis

An opening sequence is an introduction to a film. It introduces the film title plus many other aspects of the film such as cast members, producers, writers and costume designers. An opening sequence also sets the scene of the film and gives you an idea as to what the film is going to hold without giving away the entire film. The opening sequence to a film is normally displayed using sound and visual special effects. 


This is my analysis using 'Prezi':



How are the key characters introduced and represented?

The main character in 'Taken' has a deep voice and has a rough appearance  This gives him a strong looking appearance and exaggerates his importance in the film. His daughter who is another key character in the film is quite a slim, pretty character which shows as being innocent and fragile.

The main character in '2012' is a strong male character. He is built quite broadly which shows he may display some heroic actions later on in the film. Once again there is a typical damsel in distress in this film who is pretty and slim exaggerating her vulnerability and innocence. This also applies to the last main character in the film who is a child. They have a small build and a sweet sounding voice, it makes the audience feel sympathy for the character.

Lastly, the main character in 'Inception' is a strong looking male, he wears a suit therefore is portrayed as important and official. The villains in this film also wear suits so the audience know that they also have a lot of power and will do throughout the film.

 How to the elements of the film create meaning?

 The film 'Inception' uses a element in the film which is called a 'totem'. This is used throughout the film by the main character 'Dominic'. It is used to see whether he is in his subconscious (dreams) or whether he is in reality. This is seen as a very important element in the film and it helps establish his position throughout the film.
Elements of 'Taken' include lots of intense fight scenes and suspense holding moments throughout. This creates a sense of vulnerability to the audience and helps to conclude the genre of the film, which is a thriller.
In the film '2012' the main elements in the film include lots of dramatic occurrences. The dramatic events in the film help to exaggerate the vulnerability of human life and the typical independent person.

References to sources
Techniques I like

I think a non-linear narrative is a good way of laying out a thriller film, this is because they help to establish an opinion of a character or certain situation by using past events or thoughts. However, if not very well done a non-linear character can cause confusion for the audience. I will not be using a non-linear narrative for my opening sequence as it is just a short extract from my film and I'd like to keep it simple but effective. Another idea I like the idea of is an end clip of the film being shown at the beginning. I think this is effective as if the scene is interesting enough, the audience will want to watch the whole of the film to see how it has been concluded in the way it has been shown. It is an intriguing method  of holding an audience. A camera shot I really like is an establishing shot. This is because it gives the audience an idea as to where the film is set and what is it going to be about from the location or environment displayed. I really like the idea of low key lighting when the villain characters arise in the film. The low key lighting adds to the potential threat of the character and the seriousness of the situation. An example of this is in 'Inception' and displayed below;


One of the techniques I am planning on using is a camera angle used in the opening sequence 'Seven'. This is displayed in the 'Seven' opening sequence in task 11. The piece I would like to recreate is the part where the character is writing down something. It is a shot to show specifically his hands and to emphasise what he is doing with them.




This is something I will be able to include quite easily in my opening sequence. In this scene it will be convenient to put titles over it and it would be easy to film. Below is my my attempt of the shot my group decided we wanted to include. We put two clips together and changed the contrast and brightness to exaggerate the seriousness of the scene. For our actual opening sequence shot we will use low key lighting and pay attention to detail. After my first attempt of the shot, I would still like to include it.







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