Tuesday 15 October 2013
Thursday 10 October 2013
Preproduction Proposal
Narrative:
- - Although I am unsure of a definite story, I like
the style of Film Noir so I think the narrative could take a general pattern
similar to this;
- - I would like some kind of establishing shots of
setting, preferably with some atmospheric music and camerawork.
- - Man in dark clothing, leaning against wall in
some kind of corridor or alleyway. Close ups of profile and establishing shots.
- - Begins to walk down alley or corridor, maybe
with some enhanced footstep sounds. Pan to follow him.
- Character walks around location, shot from various angles, with a sense of purpose and perhaps urgency.
- Character walks around location, shot from various angles, with a sense of purpose and perhaps urgency.
- - Stops in doorway, possibly silhouetted in doorway, or leaning on door frame. Pulls out weapon, shot or
shots fired, but not seen. Possibly silhouetted in doorway, or leaning on door frame.
- - Some kind of reliving of memories or establishing of story in
a voiceover throughout the scene, ie as the character walks around setting
Style and Tone:
The overall tone of the opening should be suspenseful, dramatic and dark. This keeps it within the thriller genre and incorporates areas of both modern thrillers and Film Noir, if it is done correctly.
The overall tone of the opening should be suspenseful, dramatic and dark. This keeps it within the thriller genre and incorporates areas of both modern thrillers and Film Noir, if it is done correctly.
In terms of lighting, I like the idea of using fairly high key and dramatic lighting, with a strong use of shadows. Lighting is one way in which the opening could be made to look more professional and fit the genre better. Examples of this kind of lighting can be found in films by Quentin Tarantino, and Film Noir. Tarantino brings the dramatic lighting and use of shadow into more modern settings, such as the city in 'Kill Bill Vol. 1', this is something I am keen on attempting as I feel that it can be very effective. The lighting may need to be slightly lower key than that of Tarantino films, in order to preserve the feeling of tension.
-
The music should be extremely atmospheric and
uphold the feeling of suspense that is associated with the thriller genre. Good
soundtracks that fit this criteria are the soundtrack from ‘LA Noire’, and the
soundtrack from ‘Zodiac’. The two main way to go with the sound in the scene are to either go very Film Noir, such as with 'LA Noire', or go more orchestral and modern, such as in the 'Zodiac' soundtrack. Given the suggested narrative of the scene it would also be possible to be extremely minimal with the soundtrack and enhance the sound of footsteps
Location and Setting:Although I have no specific location ideas, I feel that the scene ought to either be set in an empty, potentially derelict building such as a church or industrial site, or in a narrow alleyway. These types of locations are conducive to the feeling of suspense and danger that is the focal point of a thriller, and also make for interesting and engaging establishing shots. A hard floor in the location used would be nice, as it would allow the sound of the footsteps, which I think would be a nice build up, especially if on marble or another particularly hard surface.
Character:
The main character should be a tall man in dark clothing, possibly with a long coat. The inspiration for this character comes from numerous coated, mysterious, dangerous men in thriller, action, and horror films and television shows. The costume of the character will vary depending on the period in which the film is set, a film set in the 40s or 50s, or even earlier, will have a character dressed in the traditional 'gangster' style, ie pinstripe suit, fedora hat and suspenders. A more modern film could have a protagonist who dresses more in the style of Benedict Cumberbatch in 'Sherlock' or Mark Sheppard in 'Supernatural'. The character himself should be an 'average man', as is traditional in the thriller genre, and appear as such. This means that he will have a fairly modest haircut and general appearance, and no particular flair in dress sense. He may also appear disheveled or tired, presuming that some of the film's major events have taken place chronologically before the opening.
Titles:
The graphics used in the opening should be fairly minimal, but also striking and aesthetically effective. Presuming the scene is shot in a dark area, it may be possible to simply put bold words in white or yellow over the actual footage, such as in many older thrillers such as 'Bullitt'. Another option is to lay text over an aspect of the setting, such as in Hitchcock's 'North by Northwest'. It would be effective to have the titles sweep in smoothly, but a simple fade or cut would also work well enough.
Sunday 6 October 2013
Looper - Company Credits
Endgame Entertainment (Production Company)
Endgame Entertainment are an independent production company, who have produced films such as 'Lord of War' and 'Hotel Rwanda', in addition to 'Looper'. Endgame have the trend of producing character based films, with smaller budgets.
DMG Entertainment (Production and Distribution Company)
DMG are a China-based Production and Distribution company who produced and distributed 'Iron Man 3' as well as joint producing 'Looper', and distributing the film in China.
FilmDistrict (Production and Distribution Company)
FilmDistrict are a relatively new Production, Distribution and Financing company. They have produced films such as 'Insidious: Chapter 2', 'Evil Dead', and 'Red Dawn', and distributed films including 'The Rum Diary', 'Olympus Has Fallen', and 'Playing For Keeps'. They acted as both a producer and distributor on 'Looper'.
Entertainment One (Distribution Company)
Entertainment One were responsible for the theatrical distribution of 'Looper' in the UK. They have also acted as the UK distributor on films such as 'Warm Bodies', 'Now You See Me', 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower', and 'Man On A Ledge'.
TriStar Pictures (Distribution Company)
TriStar Pictures were the theatrical distributors of 'Looper' in the US. Other films that TriStar has distributed include 'Total Recall', 'Chaplin', 'Jumanji', 'Matilda', 'Donny Brasco', 'Godzilla', and 'Evil Dead'. This is in addition to producing films such as 'District 9' and 'Labyrinth'.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (Distribution Company)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment distributed 'Looper' to the US, in DVD form. They also did this for a staggering number of other films, including 'Zero Dark Thirty', 'Seven Psychopaths', 'The Amazing Spiderman', 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo', 'The Social Network', and 'Casino Royale'. They have also acted as distributors for many TV DVDs, including 'Breaking Bad'.
Thursday 3 October 2013
The Usual Suspects - Thriller Opening
- Low key, moody lighting throughout the scene gives a dark and slightly melancholy feel to the scene.
- Slow, quiet orchestral soundtrack also contributes to the melancholic feel.
- A lot of ambient sound; running water, lighting matches, rocking boats etc, gives an involved feel.
- Use of shadow; keeps Keyser anonymous and gives him a threatening air of mystery.
- Long shots and slow panning give the scene a slow pace, and suggests that it is the aftermath of something.
- Many establishing shots, which set up the scene throughout the events, even during the gunshots.
- In terms of mise en scene, there are a lot of nautical props, which help to establish the scene. Keyser's clothing accentuates his air of danger and mystery.
- Low speaking voices, sounds intimidating on Keyser, but exhausted on his victim.
- Slow, quiet orchestral soundtrack also contributes to the melancholic feel.
- A lot of ambient sound; running water, lighting matches, rocking boats etc, gives an involved feel.
- Use of shadow; keeps Keyser anonymous and gives him a threatening air of mystery.
- Long shots and slow panning give the scene a slow pace, and suggests that it is the aftermath of something.
- Many establishing shots, which set up the scene throughout the events, even during the gunshots.
- In terms of mise en scene, there are a lot of nautical props, which help to establish the scene. Keyser's clothing accentuates his air of danger and mystery.
- Low speaking voices, sounds intimidating on Keyser, but exhausted on his victim.
No Country For Old Men - Thriller Opening
- Static shots of Southern USA landscapes, lack of movement indicates emptiness, but highlights the areas as important places.
- Natural lighting and lack of soundtrack give the voice over an air of truth, no concealment.
- Only non-diegetic sound used is voice over, adds to emphasis of words and suggestion of truth.
- Voice over is low and slow, with a regional accent that gives it some kind of authority or knowledge on the shots of the country.
- Long shots coupled with the pace of the voice over give an air of anticipation, but no tension; very matter of fact.
- Natural lighting and lack of soundtrack give the voice over an air of truth, no concealment.
- Only non-diegetic sound used is voice over, adds to emphasis of words and suggestion of truth.
- Voice over is low and slow, with a regional accent that gives it some kind of authority or knowledge on the shots of the country.
- Long shots coupled with the pace of the voice over give an air of anticipation, but no tension; very matter of fact.
Inception - Thriller Opening
- Fairly natural lighting in first few shots, creates realism and makes the audience feel more involved.
- Muffled ambient sound contributes to feeling of discombobulation and involves the audience yet more, as they get DiCaprio's point of view.
- Low angle shots to begin with, keeping with the point of view approach.
- Boom beginning indoor scenes, sharpens focus, keeping the audience up to date with DiCaprio's state.
- Lighting change in indoor scenes; more low key and artificial, a yellow tint suggests dreaminess and opulence.
- Slow shots inside the building create tension and a feeling of imminent danger.
- Setting is perfect, feels too perfect and dreamlike.
- Soundtrack is low and ominous throughout, heightening at cuts between scenes.
- With each scene, the sound gets louder and voices slightly higher, as though slowly easing the viewer into the film.
- Muffled ambient sound contributes to feeling of discombobulation and involves the audience yet more, as they get DiCaprio's point of view.
- Low angle shots to begin with, keeping with the point of view approach.
- Boom beginning indoor scenes, sharpens focus, keeping the audience up to date with DiCaprio's state.
- Lighting change in indoor scenes; more low key and artificial, a yellow tint suggests dreaminess and opulence.
- Slow shots inside the building create tension and a feeling of imminent danger.
- Setting is perfect, feels too perfect and dreamlike.
- Soundtrack is low and ominous throughout, heightening at cuts between scenes.
- With each scene, the sound gets louder and voices slightly higher, as though slowly easing the viewer into the film.
Watchmen - Thriller Opening
- The soundtrack to this scene is extremely contrapuntal, the classical music clashing with the fairly violent fighting in the scene, giving a darkly comical feel.
- The scene is tinted blue, with many shadows and areas of darkness, which contribute to the futuristic, comic book feel.
- During the actual fight, there are many cuts, which contributes to the fast paced feel of the scene.
- There is a lot of use of slow motion in the scene, as the speed is constantly changing, which shows the pace of the fight and makes it more dynamic.
- Much of the scene is enhanced with CGI, which adds to the dynamism and stylisation.
- The attacker is seen from the point of view of the victim, which means that many low angle shots are used, highlighting the strength and foreboding of the attacker.
- Other than soundtrack, most of the sound is diegetic, which gives the scene some realism and makes the comical feel that much darker.
- The scene is tinted blue, with many shadows and areas of darkness, which contribute to the futuristic, comic book feel.
- During the actual fight, there are many cuts, which contributes to the fast paced feel of the scene.
- There is a lot of use of slow motion in the scene, as the speed is constantly changing, which shows the pace of the fight and makes it more dynamic.
- Much of the scene is enhanced with CGI, which adds to the dynamism and stylisation.
- The attacker is seen from the point of view of the victim, which means that many low angle shots are used, highlighting the strength and foreboding of the attacker.
- Other than soundtrack, most of the sound is diegetic, which gives the scene some realism and makes the comical feel that much darker.
Book of Eli - Thriller Opening
- Soundtrack is ominous and low, creating a feeling of desolation and suspense. This heightens, building up to the sudden silence just before the arrow is fired, which sharpens the viewer's focus on the events onscreen.
- Sound bridge to start the scene is reminiscent of a war zone, causing the flash of light that opens the scene to be reminiscent of a bomb or flash bang going off.
- The camera begins by slowly panning, establishing the scene of the forest, and giving it an empty, quiet feel.
- In terms of mise en scene, the weapon and clothing of the corpse appear makeshift and ragged, suggesting that he is some kind of marauder or survivor.
- The first shot is extremely long, establishing the scene and making it more immediate and suspenseful to the audience.
- The fast pan following the arrow has been enhanced with CGI, which allows the shot to be more exciting and fast paced.
- The masked figure is shown from a low angle when he stands up, which correlates with the earlier POV shots from the cat. This establishes the character as threatening and imposing.
- The lighting in the scene is fairly high key, and the scene ends with a flash of the grey sky.
- The entire scene is tinted green/grey, giving it an unnatural, cold feel.
- Sound bridge to start the scene is reminiscent of a war zone, causing the flash of light that opens the scene to be reminiscent of a bomb or flash bang going off.
- The camera begins by slowly panning, establishing the scene of the forest, and giving it an empty, quiet feel.
- In terms of mise en scene, the weapon and clothing of the corpse appear makeshift and ragged, suggesting that he is some kind of marauder or survivor.
- The first shot is extremely long, establishing the scene and making it more immediate and suspenseful to the audience.
- The fast pan following the arrow has been enhanced with CGI, which allows the shot to be more exciting and fast paced.
- The masked figure is shown from a low angle when he stands up, which correlates with the earlier POV shots from the cat. This establishes the character as threatening and imposing.
- The lighting in the scene is fairly high key, and the scene ends with a flash of the grey sky.
- The entire scene is tinted green/grey, giving it an unnatural, cold feel.
Collateral - Thriller Opening
- Scene brought in with sound bridge, airport ambient sound.
- Scene is established with close-ups
- Sound is enhanced, which brings the audience into the scene
- Tropes such as the briefcase drop used, intertextuality
- Scene and setting established by montage of close-ups on surroundings
- Typical thriller music, creates tension and a sense of urgency
- Characterization of main character through use of close-up and mise en scene
- City setting established by sudden use of wide shots and high angles, as apposed to the rest of the opening - Soundtrack also serves to characterize the city as multicultural and diverse
How many different ways can you 'consume' a film on the internet?
The website for the movie Skyfall contains many different ways to consume the film. There are details of screenings, in order to go and see the film, and links to iTunes so that consumers can download the film or soundtrack there. In addition to this, there is more downloadable content in the forms of wallpapers and social media skins. There is a gallery of high resolution screenshots from the film and the soundtrack is available to stream for free. In terms of video, the website is fairly comprehensive as it has trailers, video blogs, interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and actual clips from the movie. There is a page devoted to 'Partners', in which all the associated brands are listed, another way in which the consumer can engage with the film. The site's design is aesthetically very pleasing, and the layout easy to use, and not overly complicated.
Scott Pilgrim vs The World is very different to Skyfall, stylistically, which is evident in the website. The website is very animated and engaging, with many small details added for whimsy's sake (such as the 'click' animation that pops up when you click anywhere on the site). The site contains pages for each of the main characters, containing some information on that character, and downloadable content such as wallpapers and social media skins. There is also a navigation bar, on which there are more pages containing character bios, a synopsis of the film, an avatar creator, and a videos page with trailers, behind-the-scenes footage, and clips. Overall, this site seems less geared towards selling the product than the Skyfall site, and more geared toward improving the user experience and giving more context to the film.
There are three official websites for the film Looper, each on leading into the next. The first is very functional; you can watch the trailer, buy the movie, or 'enter the site'. Clicking this will take you to the next site, on which you can watch the trailer or clips, play games related to the film, buy or download the film, or 'visit the theatrical site'. This second site feels a little more for entertainment purposes, but still very much geared towards pedaling the product. Clicking the 'theatrical site' button takes you to a Flash site, with background on the film and all the content from the previous two websites, this site is more geared in the direction of entertainment. With this three-site system, all bases have been covered, albeit in a rather counterproductive way.
Definition of a Thriller
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