Target audience results - Miss Miller

Me, Cara and Joe wrote our questions in our questionnaire to help us find out what people would like to see in thriller films so that we could use the most popular conventions in our opening, and who our target audience should be.

My questionnaire results:

The most people we asked our questions to were aged 16-18 which will be our target audience. The least amount of people we asked was aged 10-12 this is because they might not be the appropriate age to see some of the violence or language that will be in thriller films.

This shows that the majority of the people we asked were male which may make the answers to the other questions slightly bias, or show that the answers are mostly what males want to see when watching thrillers as opposed to females.

This shows that people would rather watch 15 rated films as they contain more psychological thriller conventions and paranormal happenings instead of gore and sexual scenes often seen in 18 rated thrillers. The chart also shows that the people we questioned would rather watch thrillers that scare them opposed to more action typed thrillers normally seen in 12 rated films.

This shows us that the people we questioned prefer mystery compared to gore in thriller films, this helps us as we know to use more mysterious conventions in our thriller opening and not a lot of gore as it will appeal more to our target audience. The use of mysterious conventions will create suspense and enigma towards the characters and our audience.

This shows us that enigma and mystery is preferred in thrillers more than victims escaping, shock and killings. Which again helps us present our opening more towards our target audience by using mysterious conventions to create enigma.

This shows us that our target audience don't always want to see a sequel, this helps us as we know to pack in as many different conventions and characters within the opening so the audience won't have to see a sequel.

This shows that our audience prefer hearing unknown paranormal sounds in thrillers instead of screams or fight sounds, which again allows us to present our thriller more to our target audience by using unknown paranormal sounds to create enigma and tension as the audience don't know what could be making such a strange sound.

This shows us that our audience prefer to see teenagers in thriller films because they can relate to them as they are the same age and can see themselves in the same situations the characters face. This again helps us as we can use teenagers in our opening to appeal to our target audience.

Our audience said they would prefer to see possessed children most because of the suspense and mystery. Also the answers to this questions were very close which means we can use different villains such as stalkers which is more realistic than possessed children as it could happen in real life.















This shows us that an outdoor forest is preferred from our audience as it is dark and will create enigma and tension as of what could be lurking around in the forest. The second most amount of people preferred a normal house because they can relate to the characters and the storyline which will make it more scary and fearful.


[VOX POPS]


After looking through all of the results from our questionnaire, me Joe and Cara can focus more specifically on the conventions and mise-en-scene elements to put into our thriller opening so that it will appeal more to our target audience. We have found that our target audience prefer to see teenage characters so that they can relate to them, paranormal sounds to create suspense and mystery, a possessed child villain as it creates enigma, an outdoor forest setting as it will be dark and build tension and mysterious conventions opposed to gore as it will create more excitement.

Group narratives - Miss Georgiou

The purpose of a narrative is to tell the audience the story of the film. Me, Joe Waugh and Cara Gaffney discussed our ideas by sitting round a table and sharing each others narratives and merging them into one idea with aspects from each of our individual ideas.

Joe's narrative idea was:  "set in a rundown or deserted area, such as an abandoned  warehouse or a decayed urban area, similar to some of the settings from the films "Se7en" or "I Am Legend".  There would be a protagonist investigating the area, whilst exploring the protagonist would be unwittingly stalked by a masked killer, similar to the "ghost face" characters from the "Scream" films in that they are masked and play with their victim, making them feel vulnerable and at the mercy of the killer. This idea of the killer being a kind of criminal mastermind is inspired by films such as "Saw", where the victims are toyed with by a clever and sinister antagonist. The only two characters would be the protagonist explorer and the antagonist masked killer, this would help to keep the scene simple and not confuse the audience while also making the protagonist appear isolated and alone." 

Joe's idea is good because the masked killer will create mystery and make the audience scared as they wont know who the killer is which is typical of a thriller. Also the setting of an abandoned warehouse will entice the audience as to why the antagonist is there, and what will happen when there's nobody to protect him/her which will create enigma. On the other hand Joe's idea is bait unrealistic at an abandoned warehouse and there will be nobody to protect the antagonist.


Cara's narrative idea was: "It begins with a young girl aged about 5 or 6 playing in her bedroom with her toys. It's during the night time so there will be low key lighting, with only one bright lamp over the girl and her toys, this will be deliberately positioned over her, to convey to the audience that she is clearly the victim in the scene. The shots keep flashing to a fuzzy image which is taken on a hand held camera. The image is of another girl aged around 7 wearing old fashioned clothes, a long shot of the old fashioned girl on a swing from a tree, will quickly fuzz over and come back into focus with the girl gradually becoming closer towards the screen. A various amount of shots are going to be used to frighten the audience, however, there will also be non diegetic sound of the camera fuzzing over during this vision, which is conventional of a thriller film. All different shots of the old fashioned little girl will keep appearing, they're will also be a flash to the shot of a music box playing children's music, this will create tension among the audience. After all these different shots the music will come to a sharp stop, and the camera will be a close up of the normal little girls face as she appears to have just woken from a bad dream. However, suddenly the music box starts again, but this time the girl is awake and not in a nightmare, this will immediately create suspense for the audience. In the corner.of the little girls room with be sitting the other girl in the old fashioned clothes. As an opening scene it has to be scary but cannot give away too much of the story, although it will include loud of conventions of a thriller scene."

Cara's idea is very good because the use of shots described will create alot of enigma and tension within the audience. Also the use of a little girl will confuse the audience as they wouldn't expect a little girl to be so sinister, this is conventional to the thriller genre.

My idea was: "There is a little boy playing in the garden and looks up and sees someone in his bedroom window which is allow angle shot, also aloud piano sound is played. He runs (handheld camera shot) to tell his mum and she doesn't believe him fades out to night time and kids asleep upstairs and mum is watching TV alone when the door knocks. she answers but nobody is there then the camera films her face and somebody in the backdoor window is standing with a gas mask on and creepy music is played and he walked out of sight. Next morning the mum is tidying her sons room and finds the gas mask under his bed and same piano noise is played..."


In the end we all agreed on having a boy playing in the garden and seeing a little girl in a gas mask, then the scene skipping to  a baby sitter who is home alone watching TV. She then hears a knock and opens the door and the camera shows a little girl in a gas mask behind her. This is how we merged all of our ideas together to create enigma and tension.

We are using the Aristotle theory because we want to make the audience feel sympathy and empathy, also we want to use an antagonist and protagonist to allow the audience to relate to the characters as we aim our films at teenagers aged 13-15. Also the Aristotle theory will create an emotional relationship with the audience because they are aware of the situations going on in the film where as the characters do not.

How does the opening sequence of 'Halloween' inform the audience of the conventions of a thriller film? - Miss Georgiou

The purpose of an opening is to set the scene of the film, introduce the main characters and engage the audience. These features are used to entice the audience and create enigma making them want to watch the rest of the film. In the opening scene to 'Halloween' many of these conventions are used.

A female victim is used in the opening to Halloween which is typical of the thriller genre, the use of a female makes the audience see her as more vulnerable and less able to defend herself, leaving the killer an easy target. Also, the fact that the girls boyfriend leaves her alone late at night, gives the audience a sense of foreboding as we feel something bad is going to happen as she is along and defenceless late at night. This is conventional to a thriller film as the audience can relate to the character as people may feel scared when they're home alone.

Another convention used in this clip is the hidden identity of the killer, not just to the victim but to us. When the girl is about to get stabbed she shouts 'Michael' like she knows who it is, but seconds before we see the killer put of a clown mask to hide his identity, this scares us as the audience as we don't know who it could be which also makes us curious of who it is, and if it is her brother Michael, why? Also, a point of view shot is used which allows the audience to see the scene from the killers point of view, this restricts us from seeing the killer which hides their identity leaving the audience again, curious of who the killer could be.

Iconography is used in this clip with the knife, when the killer opens the draw and pulls out the knife it gives the audience an insight of what is going to happen, he is going to kill somebody. The camera purposely shows us the knife to scare the audience as it is a deadly weapon that is used to kill, just like in this clip. The use of a knife also allows the audience to relate to the film as a knife is an everyday item not meant for violence, but after seeing the death of Michael's sister the audience may feel that the same could happen to them at any time.

Low key lighting is used in this clip as it is night time, this use of low key lighting stops the audience seeing what could be in the darkness such as a killer, this creates fear and tension with in the audience linking them to the characters as they share the same feelings. Also, being the night of Halloween adds fear to the characters and audience as people will be lurking the streets in costumes which creates suspense of who the killer really is. This is typical of a thriller as it creates a mysterious atmosphere.

My research into the opening of Halloween has given me some ideas of conventions to use in my thriller opening and has also allowed me to see how different conventions convey different meanings and feelings towards the audience.

Research into Sound - Miss Miller

Sound in films are used to show different emotions for different characters, it also helps the audience relate to characters in the film during certain parts of a film. In this clip from 'Insidious chapter 2' sound is used in many different ways.

A high pitched violin noise is used at the beginning of the clip when Dalton is speaking to his mum about having a bad dream. The use of the violin sound getting louder gives a sense of foreboding, it also creates tension and suspense as the audience doesn't know what could happen next. This shows that sound can be used to give the audience an understanding of what could happen in the film which makes the audience curious which is conventional to thriller films, also tension and suspense are typical elements of the thriller genre. (0-28 seconds)

A loud, echoed, whispering sound effect is used on the grandma and Dalton's voice when he's is bed and she's talking to him. This puts us in Dalton's position as we feel like the voice is inside our head, and knowing the storyline of Insidious 1 and 2 we know that when Dalton is asleep the ghosts come to him and his family which scares the audience even more. This use of fear and horror helps the audience relate to Dalton as we hear exactly what he can and makes us think what we would do in his position. Fear and horror are typical elements used in thriller movies to involve the audience in the film. (34-40 seconds)

A strange harp or violin sound is used when the camera shows the ghost woman in Dalton's room, this sound is different from other films as it is quieter and more strange than jumpy. This is used to confuse the audience and make them think who the woman is, why she is there and how does Dalton know. The feelings of confusion and curiosity intrigue the audience as they want to find out what is going on. Curiosity and confusion are both key elements when talking about thriller films as they are feelings of the audience.

A loud whisper is used when the dad is speaking to somebody in the hall way, the use of a loud whisper makes us think that he is talking to us because we can hear him so loudly and clearly which involves the audience in the film. Also because we can't see who he is talking to, the whispering sound makes the audience scared because they're curious of who or what the dad could be talking to which is mysterious. The use of horror, fear and mystery used in this clip makes the audience think a lot and is conventional to the thriller genre as it frightens the audience. (1.00-1.11)

In my research into sound in thrillers I have noticed that sound is equally important as camera angles and views as they both evoke scary emotions and have the same mysterious effect on the audience.

Research into the history of thriller films - Miss Georgiou

Thriller films and programmes are a genre that uses elements such as excitement, tension and suspense.

1940's thriller

'Rebecca' is a thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940, the film is about a self conscious woman who is tormented by her husbands first wife who is dead, Rebecca. The use of ghosts and death is conventional to thrillers as they're mysterious and make the audience curious, these conventions are still used in modern thrillers today such as 'Paranormal activity'. Paranormal activity has a similar storyline about a ghostly presence which scares the characters in the film, and also the audience with elements of terror and shock which again, are typical of films in the thriller genre. This shows that films then, and films now both use the same thriller elements to scare the audience.

1960's thriller

'Psycho' is another thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1960. The film is about a female secretary who gets secluded in a motel and stabbed to death in the shower after stealing a large amount of money. A vulnerable woman on her own is used in this film and modern films also such as 'The strangers', these characters are used because we can see that the female character cannot defend herself against killers. Also the audience can relate to the character when they are home alone like the characters in the films. This shows that features of thriller films haven't changed over the decades.



1980's thriller

'The Hearse' is a thriller film produced in 1980 and directed by George Bowers. The film is about a girl called Jane, her aunty's ghost haunts her in a house along with other evil spirits. Ghosts are also used in modern day films such as 'The woman in black' which also uses a ghostly lady. The use of ghosts are used to make the audience curious if these supernatural characters are real which scares them as well. This again shows that films in the 1980's haven't really changed with story-lines and characters.



In my research I have found that films in the 1940's, 60's and 80's are very similar to modern films. They use ghosts, killers and vulnerable victims which are also used in modern day films which shows that the thriller genre uses specific elements that creates mystery and horror.

  

 

This list shows us the highest earning thriller films ever made from the 90's to the present day, this could be because of thriller genre being more accessible and popular as the content is appealing and relatable due to the development in technology.

Hannibal - Plot:  Hannibal Lecter is a murdering cannibal who lives in Italy and works at a museum, a man named Mason Verger plans to get revenge on Lecter after what he had done to him in the prequal (Silence of the lambs).

 Hannibal has a lot of elements conventional to a thriller film presented through the characters such as the disturbing killer which creates enigma and fear to the audience, most importantly, the fact that the cannibal is a normal person working in a museum allows the audience to create an emotional link because of the normal job he is as they sense nothing unusual. The themes that the film revolves around are gore and horror these themes evoke emotions such as fear and shock within their target audience which is teenagers.

This in comparison to Saw IV, which came 9th in the list has similar themes of gore and violence due to the horrific scenes in both films, for example the traps in Saw IV and gore related themes in Hannibal.

Despite these similar themes, Saw IV and Hannibal have contrasting narratives as the Saw saga revolves around numerous victims participating in structured and gruesome tasks to save their lives where as Hannibal follows the storyline of a previous victim seeking revenge. This also shows the difference in the prequels of the 2 films as Saw has a similar narrative as the previous films, but Hannibal changes from 'The silence of the lambs' which entices the audience as they don't know what could occur.



Individual ideas for a narrative - Miss Georgiou

My idea for my thriller opening has been inspired by films such as 'sinister' and 'insidious'.

My idea

There is a little boy playing in the garden and looks up and sees someone in his bedroom window  which is a low angle shot, also aloud piano sound is played. He runs (handheld camera shot) to tell his mum and she doesn't believe him fades out to night time and kids asleep upstairs and mum is watching TV alone when the door knocks. she answers but nobody is there then the camera films her face and somebody in the back door window is standing with a gas mask on and creepy music is played and he walked out of sight. Next morning the mum is tidying her sons room and finds the gas mask under his bed and same piano noise is played creating mystery and tension.

Research into conventions of the thriller genre - Miss Miller

Conventions of a thriller clip are features that are typical to thriller films and make them different from other genres such as action or comedy, this clip from 'The conjuring' shows many different conventions which I will analyse in this blog.

A handheld camera shot is used when the girl looks up to the wardrobe, this is used to make the evil girl seem scary because it puts the audience in her position, also because the shot starts low, it makes the little girl seem vulnerable. This is conventional to thrillers as many thriller films make audience shocked and scared, also in thrillers it is typical for the victim to seem helpless and vulnerable to any sort of attack like the evil girl in this particular clip.

Low key lighting is used in this clip in the girl's room, this lighting is used to create mystery of what could be hiding in the darkness such as an evil girl in this clip. Also it creates suspense as we can't see clearly and expect something to make us jump or very scared. Because it is night time, this automatically makes the audience on edge as most scary things are associated with night time and darkness. This use of low key lighting is typical of a thriller as it creates tension, and makes the audience curious of what is going to happen, and who is in the darkness.

A reaction shot is used when the evil girl jumps off of the wardrobe, when the evil girl is seen in the shot, loud music is played and the camera jumps to a close up of her face. This is used to shock the audience and scare them as the girl looked sinister. The element of surprise is used in thrillers to involve the audience so that they share the same emotions as the victim in the film which is also exciting for them. This is conventional to the thriller genre as directors like to involve the audience and excite them like in this clip.

In my research into conventions of thriller films I have found that many different elements are used to involve and shock the audience such as tension, suspense and surprise.

Research into the BBFC and age ratings - Miss Georgiou

U:
The U symbol stands for Universal. A U film is suitable for anybody aged four years and over. However, it is hard to know what might scare or upset a particular child. The film 'Up' is an example of a U rating film as it only contains mild threat.

PG:
PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means a film is suitable for general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for younger children. A PG film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. Parents should consider whether the content might upset younger or more sensitive children. The film 'Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone' is an example of a PG rating film Contains mild fantasy action violence.

12A and 12:
12A means that anyone aged 12 or over view the film without an adult. The A stands for 'accompanied' and 'advisory'. Children younger than 12 may see the film if they are with an adult, who must watch the film with them. The 12 certificate is for videos, DVDs and Blu-rays. 12A is for films at the cinema only. 'Spiderman' is an example of a 12A film as it contains scenes of strong violence but, originally the film was meant for younger children as spiderman was a comic, but the BBFC had to give it a 12A rating.
15:
No-one under 15 is allowed to see a 15 film at the cinema or buy ‘15’ rated DVD. 15 rated works are not suitable for children under 15 years of age because it may contain strong violence, sexual references and gore. The film 'Insidious' is an example of 15 rating as it contains strong psychological horror, violence and language.

18:
Films rated 18 are for adults. Nobody under 18 is allowed to see an 18 film at the cinema or buy/rent an 18 rated DVD. No 18 rated works are suitable for children. The film 'Texas chainsaw massacre' is an example of a 18 rating film as it contains strong, bloody violence and strong language.