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.

-       - 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.

         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.