Question 2: Screencast

Question 2: Slide Rocket

Directors Commentary

Final Draft: Final Amnesis

7. Looking back at your preliminary task what do you think you have learnt in progression from it to the full product?

My preliminary task consisted of Lindsay and I having a short conversation in the common room about a piece of homework that was due in the following day. For our preliminary task we had to create a piece that consisted of the 180 degree rule, shot reverse shot and match on action. The task was successful in showing all of these things and didn't break any of the continuity editing rules. However, I have developed since doing the preliminary task and there is evidence of this in my Opening Sequence.

Firstly, in my preliminary task we see me walking into the room and then round the table so that I could sit down (see below), this is an example of continuity editing because it is smooth and follows the rules. The conversation we then go on to have also follows the 180 degree rule because it is filmed from an angle which makes the set up/situation seem as natural as possible.
 

 

I have then gone on to use these camerawork skills in my Opening Sequence which we see when Jacob walks into the bathroom but we only see his feet. The continuity editing makes the film easier for the audience to watch because it seems natural and we almost expect those actions to happen as oppose to montage editing which is very rough and unpredictable. These skills have developed since my preliminary to now.

 

Furthermore, my preliminary task shows examples of match on action when you see my outside of the room about to walk in and then it cuts to me carrying on this action and actually walking in. Match on action is something else that the audience just expect because it seems natural. 

My Opening Sequence also shows match on action but in a more sophisticated and creative way. Match on action is when an action commenced in shot A is carried on and completed in shot B and is shown in my sequence when Jacob is sitting on his bed and then goes to pick up his glasses and then continues in the next shot to actually put them on. 

 

We have used things in our Opening Sequence that would have been too sophisticated for our preliminary task. An example of this is a focus pull when Jacob and Toni are walking across the bridge, the effect that we intended to create here was to make their appearances obscured and make it more mysterious for the audience, we can see this below. I like the affect this creates because it adheres with the genre and makes the storyline more gripping for the audience.
 

 

The final thing I will be discussing is how my creativity and teamwork has developed throughout this year's Media course. I have learnt important skills such as how to communicate and share tasks with a variety of people and the importance of sharing the workload. I have also gained an insight into how to make my work both more sophisticated and creative and why this important to not only me, but the audience.

Feedback questionnaire results

5. How did you attract/address your audience?

Our target audience for our Opening Sequence was males and females aged 16 to 24. We needed to find out what they would expect to see in a Thriller Opening Sequence so we carried out a series of questionairres (which we gave to people within this age bracket)  and analysed the results that we got. The questions that we asked are as follows:

- How old are you?
- Are you male or female?
- What types of characters are expected?
- What do you expect to see in the first 20 seconds of a Thriller film?
- What sounds/music are expected?

The results that we recieved were viewed as very stereotypical approaches, as the majority of people (and the most popular answers) expected to see a 'damsel in distress' as a character, to hear what we described as 'eerie and creepy music' and to be introduced to the main characters in the first 20 seconds of the actual programme.



Final Pie Charts

Analysing My Genre Through Vox Pops.

Alongside the questionairre analysis, we also created Vox Pops which included us asking a different series of people various questions about the conventions of the Thriller Genre and what they would expect to see. These Vox Pops gave us various ideas and creative inspiration for when we went on to actually plan our Opening Sequence and then film it. Looking back on our Vox Pops, we have challenged some of the stereotypes but also adhered to some of them as well, this will help us address our audience and target the JINCAR of people we were aiming to target when we started the project.

Preliminary Task

6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

What technologies have you used?

In the making of this product I have used technologies such as Blogger, the Macs, Slide Rocket, Prezi, Bubbl, Go Animate, Screen Grabbing, YouTube Annotations, Still Image cameras, a Tripod, a Go Pro camera, a HD camera, Livetype, iMovie, Final Cut, Da Font and YouTube itself. These different technologies have all had a positive impact on my final product and have helped boost my grade. They have also helped improve my creativity throughout the project.

What technologies are brand new to you?

What technologies have you developed your skills in?

I have developed my skills in camera work. I have learnt how to frame a shot properly adhering to the rule of thirds and using different techniques effectively and I have also learnt how to film using a HD camera where I have used a pan shot and a POV shot. Here are some examples of some shots I personally filmed:

 

What technologies have allowed you to produce something creative?

 

Using the Go Pro camera to film the underwater shots was creative because it created an obscured effect which emphasised the fact that it was a flashback (during the Opening Sequence) rather than in present time. Reversing a shot in iMovie was also creative because it completely changed the meaning and the mood of what the shot was supposed to mean, which was simple yet effective at the same time and fitted in with our editing better.

 

What technologies have allowed you to display your work in a creative way?



What technologies need careful use or planning?

Livetype needs careful planning because you must know the font, placing/positioning of the title, the timing of the titles etc because going ahead to do what you are doing. Final Cut is also fiddly and needs some kind of knowledge before you use it. We used Final Cut to create our Production Logo ‘Invisible Ink’ and layered the filming we took of image on top of the landscape and then added font afterwards.

Were there any times you had to do something again because you hadn’t used the technology correctly?

The Go Pro shot needing redoing because we didn’t frame it correctly and therefore could have been confusing to the audience. I also re done a Prezi before because I didn’t realise you were able to add images and illustrations and just needed time to get used to the fact that it was a new technology. Here are some screen grabs of shots that we took using the Go Pro camera:

 

What have new technologies allowed you to do that old ones wouldn't?

Technologies such as the Macs and iMovie have allowed us to push our creativity to the next level because for example, even if your shot has gone completely wrong or you feel like something is too dark or too bright, iMovie allows you to immediately change this. Another thing people tend to forget about are the thousands of websites such as Da Font and Garage Band which adhere with the Macs and also allow us to take risks and oppurtunities that we couldn't of done before.

4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

I think a generalised age group that our media product targets are 17-25. Even though I feel that both males and females could enjoy our media product, I think it is mainly (and stereotypically) aimed at males because they would be seen to enjoy this kind of storyline and would perhaps be able to relate to it as well. When I think about the kind of person that would watch our media product, I have a certain and idealised character in mind. This person would probably be a student, and they would be interested in media and film. Their geographical location would definitely be within the United Kingdom (meaning that they, also, would be British), however they would be at University it could be based anywhere in the country.  The fact that they are at University means that they must have had a decent education and are motivated to do well. They should belong to the middle class ‘JICNAR’. The interest they have in media and film would drive them to watch other TV programmes that adhere to the Crime Drama and Thriller genre, such as Criminal Minds, CSI, Wallander and films such as The Sixth Sense, The Pact and Unborn. This person would have hobbies such as going to the Pub, going to the cinema and generally socialising with friends. However, students are the most well-known stereotypical group for budgeting their money so this person’s hobbies would be dependent on how much disposable income they have at any specific time. This person would visit websites such as Facebook and Twitter in order to keep in contact with their friends; they would also visit websites such as Vimeo and Blogger to keep up with their media and film interests. They would read books occasionally but would also read magazines about current affairs, films, the media, music and fashion. They would listen to Rock and Indie music; wear dark and very simplistic clothing which they have brought from shops such as ‘Urban Outfitters’ and ‘Size?’. They would be categorised within the ‘Indie’ subculture because of their appearance, personality and their interests. All of these things add up to be the demographic of my audience.

This person (alongside the others in my audience) would have other personal interests such as creative writing, cinematography and shopping. They would have good values which have lead them to live a good lifestyle, including being healthy and drinking appropriate amounts of alcohol. Their behaviour would be good and they would have behaved reasonably throughout their school lives in order to get to where they are today. However, they would have been easily distracted, leading them into their interest in media and film. Other popular media products that they may consume would include Fight Club, Scream and the other products that I previously mentioned. These things all add up to be the psychographic of my audience.

Draft 2

Question 3 presented supervisually

3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

As a group, we have chosen Miramax Films to be our distributor as we felt it would suit the mood and genre of our opening sequence and the idea that it conveys. Miramax is a leading worldwide film and television studio. Known for distributing either foreign or independent films, Miramax was founded in 1979 by two brothers, Bob and Harvey Weinstein and was based in both New York City and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Miramax Films is a unique kind of Distribution Company because they sell directly and license globally through strategic partnerships such as Lionsgate, Hulu and StudioCanal. This is unusual because most Distribution companies do not sell directly, and this is part of the reason why we decided to choose them. Miramax have a name for distributing films that have had previous rejections from larger and more prestigious companies such as Paramount. These films would generally have a reasonable budget. However, Paramount focus more on pleasing wider range of audiences such as families, and our film doesn’t fit this criteria and our target audience is quite narrow and niche, therefore we thought that Miramax would suit us and our general style, better.

Miramax are neither large nor small, and I wouldn’t say they were ‘indie’ or ‘well-known’ which is another reason why we picked them as although our film is mainly ‘Thriller’ is would contain elements of horror, action and espionage. So like the distributor, it is varied. Some films that Miramax have distributed are Scream, Hellraiser, Pulp Fiction and The English Patient. All of which have been very successful, not just in America but all over the globe. Being successful has been the route which many of Miramax’s films have taken, however it hasn’t necessarily been the route that all of their films have taken.

Miramax Films use similar advertising techniques to many other films when they are first released. This will include billboard advertisements, television, radio, magazines, newspapers, etc. The scale on which this is done however, will be different according to both the film itself (whether it is suitable for advertisement) and the budget that it actually has. The kind of audience that we are targeting is male and female, aged from 16 to 30 year olds.

Evaluation 1 and 2



1)      In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

 

There are nine conventions of an Opening Sequence that the majority of television companies choose to follow. These include titles, extreme close ups, clues for the audience, an establishing shot, an equilibrium (or a disequilibrium), production/distribution logos, soundtrack, establishing the mood/theme and something that prompts the audience to ask questions. These conventions are used for various reasons. Titles are used to inform the audience of the actors and actresses within the programme. The name of the programme is also often put in using titles. Some examples of titles being used in real media texts are present in Sixth Sense and Bridget Jones’ Diary.  Extreme close ups are a vital convention of Opening Sequences because they are ambiguous and make the audience ask questions. This is because the shot is not allowing us to see anything else apart from the one thing it is focusing on, therefore our natural instinct is to wonder what is being hidden. An example of this in a real media text is seen in Spiderwick Chronicles. Clues for the audience are also important because without them, the audience wouldn’t be drawn to the programme and they would lose interest before it even started. An example of this is seen in the Opening Sequence of Brick. An establishing shot allows the audience to get an insight into the location of the programme, even if they aren’t completely aware of it. An example of this is seen in Wallander. An equilibrium or disequilibrium is present in every Opening Sequence even if we don’t notice it, this is either something good or something bad that happens to throw the audience off course and make them again, want to carry on watching to find out what happens. An example of a disequilibrium is seen in Memento. Production and distribution logos are conventional because they are recognisable by the audience, for example if we saw Nickelodeon as the distribution logo before a film, we would stereotypically assume that it was a film with a child based target audience. Production logos are used in Sixth Sense and Spiderwick Chronicles. Having a soundtrack is also important because it helps to both build up tension and tell the story of what is happening on screen. A good example of a soundtrack in a real media text is present in Wallander as it builds tension in all the correct places. Furthermore, establishing the mood/theme is something that needs to be done as early on as the Opening Sequence because the genre of the film is important to the audience. This is seen in Bridget Jones’ Diary automatically due to the soundtrack, mise en scene, cinematography and editing. Finally, prompting the audience to ask questions is important because some elements of the programme should be kept secret in order to drag the audience in and keep them watching from episode to episode. The audience is prompted to ask many different questions in Sixth Sense because we are constantly wondering what is going to happen next. So far, our group has used six out of nine of these conventions. We have used extreme close ups of certain things such as the hand turning on the tap and picking up the pair of glasses, however we need to add more of these close ups to add to the idea of them being mysterious. We have used a disequilibrium because the audience do not know anything about the man as of yet, but they will assume that he is the antagonistic character because of the way he acts around the young girl. We have also created clues that hint to the audience when we see the situation with the park, and the man’s personality previously. This is a stereotypical assumption but is still one that we naturally make. A production logo has been added however we are yet to create our own distribution logo. We have also established the mood/theme of the programme to a certain extent because we could guess the genre from the Opening Sequence. Finally, we have added in sections to prompt questions which are always good when it comes to having a mysterious element because if there are no questions to ask, there is nothing to be revealed.

 

This is an example of titles in our own Opening Sequence for these titles we had to think about the font, timings and placings.

This is an example of titles within Bridget Jones' diary which is a real media text.

 

 

This is an example of the disequilibrium in our Opening Sequence. A disequilibrium is where the event in the film starts off negative and is then solved.

  

 

This is an example of a disequilibrium in Memento, a real media text which I have previously analysed.

2)      How does your media product represent particular social groups?

In our Opening Sequence, we have decided to challenge teenagers and young adults which hard and sometimes traumatic upbringings/pasts, of which, these traumatic events have caused them to make incorrect decisions in order for a stable and ‘bright’ future. We have chosen to represent this age/gender because it is near to our age (and matches our genders) and will be easy to show correctly. The two main characters in our Opening Sequence and therefore the rest of the programme are the male (who is the young adult) and the female (who is an older teenager and almost a young adult). We have incorporated stereotypical views into our work by making the female the protagonist and making the male the antagonist.  We are introduced to the male character before we are introduced to the female character. The things that we see (and the domesticity and everyday routine that is made prominent) allows us to make assumptions about this man’s personality, however, the event that then goes on to take place with the girl challenges this in a different way because in a matter of seconds, we are no longer viewing him as having a ‘problem’ that is affecting him physically, but now emotionally and mentally as well. Because we decided to create an Opening Sequence that adhered with the Thriller genre, it is expected that a storyline such as the one that we have created will take place, however, we plan to challenge this later on and our use of Media Language will show that. Furthermore, representations that we have already shown in our work are very stereotypical and we want to change this, not much, but enough so that we are not seen as ‘conventional’ of the genre.

11. Titles

9. Character Descriptions

 Age: 16

Gender: Female

Occupation: Student 

Looks: Blonde hair and blue eyes. Stereotypical young girl.

Personality: Not outspoken nor shy. Enjoys shopping, spending time with friends and family and a dedicated student. She is the innocent character (protagonist) who was what we believe to be murdered by the Main Character.  Also known as the victim.

 Age: 24

Gender: Male 

Occupation: International Sales Executive

Looks: Average height, brown hair. Very stereotypical male of his age, however, we do not yet know about his past that haunts him. 

Personality: Dropped out of university and now works in Sales. He seems very quiet and shy however as i said before we do not yet know about his past actions that have chosen his future. We know that he has a mental illness however we do not actually see this develop in the opening sequence. Also known as the Main Character.

Age: 17

Gender: Female

Occupation: Student

Looks: Brown hair, green eyes. Very sporty and friendly and fashionable.

Personality: Outspoken and popular. Also a dedicated student but is very focused on spending time with friends and going to parties, etc. She looks at the main character when walking down the street and is the one that causes him to be paranoid. Also known as the schoolgirl.

10. Casting

The Main Character

We decided to cast Jacob as our main character because we felt that it would be better if this character was male. We made this decision because stereotypically, male characters are the antagonists in Thriller films. We also thought about the fact that females are generally seen as weaker and more vulnerable, so the character that plays 'The Victim' will be female. Furthermore, Jacob is the main character because we thought that a male dominant Opening Sequence would challenge other stereotypes of Thriller film. 

The Victim

We decided that I should play the part of the victim because we felt it would be better if this character was female. We also thought about the way that the characters had to be dressed in order to enhance our marks when it comes to Mise en Scene, and this decision fit the best. 

The Schoolgirl

Finally, we decided that Toni should play the part of the schoolgirl(passer by) that we see in the middle of the Opening Sequence and who sends the Main Character into a spiral of thought about his previous decisions. We made this decision based on filming timings, and Mise en Scene (when it comes to both characters and settings).



8. Shooting Schedule

This is our Shooting Schedule. A Shooting Schedule is a Schedule created to break down the filming that we do and organise where and when it will take place. We created a Shooting Schedule because we thought that it would help us use our time effectively and it also tells us what we need to be doing, so if we happen to fall behind, we have the opportunity to catch up. I think a Shooting Schedule is vital in any filming that happens over a period of time.

3. Shot Ideas

This is one of the only extreme close up's that we are going to use because our storyline needs to be set in and around  open spaces and settings. However, we know that they are important because of how conventional they are of Opening Sequences.

This point of view shot is planned to be used right at the beginning of our Opening Sequence and is simple yet effective because even though we can see the character, we are still waiting to be introduced to his face. Which adds a feel of mystery to the sequence.

Again, this has been drawn so we do not see the main characters face. This is because we want him to remain ambiguous so the audience want to watch the programme, instead of revealing too much in just the Opening Sequence. It is a long shot so we get a feel of the eerie setting.

5. Storyboards

This is a short animation that we created in iMovie that we thought would give a feel of how our real opening sequence would look like. Creating this has given us a clearer view on timing, framing and the order of our shots. This is beneficial because it will save us valuable time when filming, and was also an opportunity to get to grips with iMovie.

6. Prop, Costume and Location Ideas

Ideas for Props:

- A mobile phone will be needed (because the main character is looking for it at the beggining).
- A set of keys will be needed for when he locks up his house.
- Day to day utensils will be needed for the background of the shot in his house. This will include objects like: A sofa, a coffee table, a kitchen, etc.
- Some paperwork would add to the mystery of what the character is rummaging through.
- Weapons will be needed for when the character is having flashbacks. These will be things like: A knife, some fake blood, perhaps a gun, some water (as he previously drowned someone) etc.

Ideas for Costumes:

- The main character should be wearing shaped clothing (which is effective for silhouettes). The shaped clothing should include, a large, dark coloured coat, trousers and boots. It should be a cold day outside so before he puts a coat on, he should be wearing a t-shirt, so he isn't completely smart, but not completely casual either.
- The female characters that stare at this man along the road should also be wearing coats, (perhaps with school uniform underneath, dependant on age choice). They should also be wearing casual shoes.
- The victims that we see in the flashbacks should be dressed as if it is Summer, even though it is Winter, this makes them seen stereotypically vulnerable.

Ideas for Locations:

- We should be introduced into the title sequence with the main character in the living room of his house (or an area he feels comfortable in).
- We should leave the house and be on a main road where he immediately feels vulnerable and scared of his surroundings, this is where the people stare at him.
- The flashbacks should be filmed in locations with neutral colour. This may be a place such as a classroom at school, or in a park where it is isolated.
- We would also like to include part of our filming in a graveyard. Perhaps the main character has recently lost a close friend or relative?

4. Sound Research

I really enjoyed this piece of music and feel that is perfectly created tension, and could have the possibility of making our Title Sequence simple yet effective. However, it does not have lyrics which is something that could be crucial.

I think this piece of music is perfect for the Thriller genre because it has a high pitch, high volume and varies in tone. This could work well if we could film our shots to match the music as it changes in these specific areas.

This piece of music is very different from the previous two, but could be a unique approach because it is slower, calmer and challenges what is actually happening on the screen in our Title Sequence which is based on the Thriller genre. I also think that this piece would work well because it has deep and meaningful lyrics, and our main character is suffering from a mental illness, so there is a strong link.

12. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Analysis

The Editing in this clip is conventional of the Thriller genre because it is fast paced throughout (which also links to the genre of Action/Adventure) however, cross fades are used to go from shot to shot so it doesn't actually seem as fast as it is. The fast paced editing also suggests the action that is going to come during the rest of the film. The screenshot that we see is the process of a cross fade between two different shots.

 

The Mise en Scene in this opening sequence is unusual due to the objects that we see. For example, one of the first things that we see in dragon skin, then straight after this we see water droplets. This is strange because these two things have nothing in common and prompts the audience to ask questions. We also see, lips, tyres, wires and small metal balls during the sequence. The screenshot that I have taken is of fire, I chose to take a screenshot of this because it is the only thing that we see in the whole sequence that isn't black or white. The constant low key lighting emphasises again, the genre of the film and the monochrome colours connotate the contrast between purity and death.

 

When I heard the Soundtrack to this opening sequence I was shocked because it is not at all what you would expect of a film like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The music is non-diegetic, fast paced, low pitched and very loud. There seems to be a female singing and the song reminded me of one people may exercise to in order to give them motivation. The music has a Dubstep genre which is non conventional when putting into consideration what kind of music is used in films such as 'Se7en' and 'Brick', both of which are also Thrillers.  The Soundtrack however, does adhere to the Narrative on screen, which is very conventional of opening sequences in general.

 

The cinematography in this opening sequence is very conventional as it continuously uses Extreme Close Up's to show great detail of certain objects but hides everything else. This is almost giving the audience clues which makes the film seem personal. The unusual framing of the objects (like the flowers and the hands on the face, towards the end of the sequence) adhere to the Thriller genre because they disorientate the audience. Also, the flower is the most natural thing that we see throughout the whole sequence  yet even that, we do not get a clear view of, which is also mysterious.

 

The Titles in this opening sequence are not very conventional of the Thriller genre. The font used is very serious, but also very small. The fact that it is White font on a Black background highlights (as I said before) the thin line between purity and death. Also, there is not much attention drawn to the Titles, because the main focus, is the objects on the screen. This is similar to The Sixth Sense in the fact that the Titles are kept simple but effective. The fact that more than one person's name is one screen in the screenshot to the left suggests that they are of low importance in the film, because usually, the Main Actor or the Director, would have the screen to themselves.



Vox Pops

Analyzing My Genre Through Vox Pops.

Crating these Vox Pops allowed us to get an idea of what people (our age especially) wanted from a Thriller film. They also told us what people expected (so what is conventional and non-conventional) therefore we can decide whether we want to challenge that. The Vox Pops also gave us ideas and inspiration.

16. Audience Research Explanation

The first pie chart that we see shows the age of the people answering out questionnaire, as we can see, everyone was between the ages of 16 and 24. This could work as a disadvantage because the answers could be seen as biased, however this age group are proven watch Thriller films the most so it wasn't all bad.

The next pie chart that we see tells us whether the interviewee was either Male or Female. It is important to have a mix of genders because stereotypically we view Males as being 'braver' and more likely to watch Thriller films, however the answers we received challenged this and shows the wide range of people that do enjoy watching Thriller films.

Furthermore, the next pie chart that we see answers the question 'What types of characters are expected in a Thriller film?'. We got a wide range of answers but can see that A Damsel in Distress was the most popular. This answer definitely adheres to stereotype because in contrast to Males, Females are seen to be the weaker sex. Other popular answers we received were 'Someone of Danger' and a 'Scary Male' who would be the antagonist.

The next pie chart shows what our interviewees thought of the Music in Thriller films. We can see that Eerie/creepy music was the most popular which is very conventional and is always expected in films like Thrillers and Horrors, however, because of this convention and again 'stereotype', we hope to challenge this is our Opening Sequence.

Finally, the last pie chart we see shows the opinions of the general things expected in an Opening Sequence for a Thriller film. These are the things that are present in the majority of Opening Sequences and our most popular answer was the main characters to be introduced, however the way in which we do this is planned to be unique and individual.

16. Audience Research 2

Final Pie Charts

1. Initial Ideas

14. Location Research

These are the grounds of a small, old church. I thought this would be a good possible location for us to film our Opening Sequence because it is isolated, eerie and could give an insight into the main characters life (perhaps he has chosen to adhere to the rules of Religion after committing so many sins). A church would also be an unusual setting for a Thriller which would be a unique approach.

This a derelict piece of land of the top of a hill that would be a perfect location for filming the opening sequence to a Thriller. I think this because not only is the top of a hill a good place for someone in our characters state to harm themselves, but the view from the hill could show challenge the fact that our main character is all alone because we can see the rest of the World getting on with their everyday lives.

This photograph was taken on an Industrial Estate, where there are not many people, but a lot of buildings and factory like structures that could look harsh and threatening if filmed in the correct way. I chose to photograph this turning in the Industrial Estate because it looks old and unused (it is right next to an empty building) however, just along the road there are people working and carrying out everyday tasks. This could be the place our character comes to think things over whilst feeling violated and paranoid at the same time.

My final photograph and the favourite of all of my possible locations is a Graveyard. This is a good place to film because it matches all the criteria of being a good setting for someone in a bad mental state. They could be thinking 'I wish I was dead' or perhaps visiting a friend or relative who they miss and feel this is the only way to contact them. Because we are only filming an opening sequence we do not need to give away all of the hints, which works in our favour as it makes the mood  more mysterious and ambiguous.

3. Memento (Nolan, 2000, US)

2. Plot Synopsis

For our opening sequence, we are going to be adhering to the genre of a Thriller film. This is a simple overview or synopsis of the storyline of our film, and what the most important parts are (as they will be the one's that are either shown or hinted at in our sequence).

We wanted to start the sequence with a disequilibrium so to begin with, we see a man in his late teens or early twenties playing with piano, this is a memory or a dream. Then all of a sudden he is in his bed, he turns over and decided to go downstairs and he seems to be in a rush to get ready, get his belongings together and get out, although we are not aware as to why. During his rushing about the house, which is very messy and suggests the man's disorganisation. We witness him having flashbacks to previous events that adhere to the everyday routine of getting ready that he is carrying out. An example of this is when he runs the tap in the bathroom and splashs his face, he seems to remember that he had previously drowned someone. This is similar to when he gets his razor out and he then reminisces to when he slit someone's throat, which we assume leads to the victims death. We also see a chase scene, all of which are memories that he seems to be remembering.

When the man finally leaves the house, which is in a suburban and rundown environment, we learn that he is very paranoid (perhaps even suffering from a mental illness?!), and believes that everyone is judging him on the events that we have just recalled, even though they are just passers by that are blissfully unaware of them. We get a sense of both guilt and nostalgia. We see point of view shots that show members of the public looking at him strangely, but later learn this is all in his head.

When the man arrives at his destination, it is derelict, isolated and eerie. Is this his home? We are left on a cliffhanger because then he is back in bed, he turns over so the audience can't see his face, and we hear the piano droan out in the background.

10. Titles

Titles by libby_hennessy on GoAnimate

Animated Presentations - Powered by GoAnimate.

These are the names of the Production and Distribution companies that Sixth Sense were created by.

We then see who the film is 'owned by', or the Producers.

We then see 'Bruce Willis' who is the main character in the film.

Then the title of the film appears.

The less important actors then begin to appear.

We then begin to see members of the Crew. They begin being not very important.

We finish by seeing the name of the most important Crew member: the Director.



13. The conventions of a Thriller film

11. Se7en Analysis

• The cinematography in this opening sequence is very conventional as it contains a lot of Extreme Close Up's that show fine detail of various objects such as the sketches of the hands, the pen on the paper and the poloroid photographs, etc.  However,whilst these things are being showed in great detail we are unaware of what is being hidden in the background. This is very mysterious and intrigues the audience.  
• The cinematography also shows that the Director has chosen to place objects in the frame in strange and unusual places. This decision could be a reflection of what is to come later on in the film. 
• Another thing that I immediately noticed about the cinematography was the shaky camera work. We assume this has been done purposely to disorientate the audience and make us feel uneasy and on edge, which is very unusual so early on within the film. The shaky camera work also suggests that the film is going to be 'shaky' and 'full of surprises'. 
• The editing and titles in this opening sequence also hold meaning. The editing is mid-paced throughout but builds up further and further so it ends up being very fast paced at the end. We also notice very subtle cross dissolving during the mid paced cuts. 
• The split screen that we see towards the end is non conventional of opening sequence and reminds me of a video game set up. There could be various hidden meanings behind the decision to use a split screen. The layered image technique that has been used is both disorientating and 'jumpy'.
• The titles used are very simple yet very effective. We see a black (which is the predominate colour) background with small, scratched white lettering on top. The fact that the colour black takes up most of the screen is very harsh and symbolises the idea of 'death' and 'danger'. The small amount of white which usually symbolises 'birth' and 'purity' gives us a clearer idea of both the genre and narrative of the film.
• The non-diegetic sound that has been used is a Trent Renzor soundtrack. Renzor is very popular and best known for his work within the Horror/Thriller genre of film. The music holds a score which is a montage/mix-match of high pitched scratching. Another element that puts us as the audience on edge. 
• There is a point during the opening sequence where we hear very quiet and soft singing, which sounds like a choir. This is unusual in comparison to the genre and previous soundtrack that has been playing throughout the sequence. This adds an eerie feel. 
• The final and most important thing that I recognised about the Soundtrack was that it matches not only the narrative, but the movements of objects and cuts on screen. This is effective because it makes the piece flow and seem both stable and strong. 
• The mise en scene used within the opening sequence is very conventional. The extreme close ups of the objects that match the genre/narrative of the film such as the books, the pen, the paper, the film negatives and the needle and thread all show both domesticity and hints at torture. I feel this because the needle could be a representation of both sewing which is very domestic, and skin being prodded at/ripped. This causes the audience to ask questions, although given the genre of the film, we stereotypically assume that someone is being tortured. 
• One thing in the opening sequence that was not conventional was the consistent high key lighting, which is often a reflection of the mental or emotional state of a character.  Putting into consideration the fast paced editing and the hints at torture, low key lighting would be a more suitable reflection. 
• The film that we see being wound on to the projector suggests not only the time period at which this film is set, but everything this person is doing seems to be in search or preparation for something. This again, prompts the audience to ask questions, and develops a personal connection in which they want to find out what happens next.