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Pre Production elements for an opening sequence part two
Risk Assessment
Location Report
Test Shots
Animatic
Location Report
Test Shots
Animatic
Logo Analysis and Production
The Aim of this task is to analyse 2 production Idents which have produced films within the same genre as your production.
You will need to analyse the following areas
Layout
Structure
Iconography
Font
How are the above areas constructed within the production Ident?
Continue the task via producing your own production logo for your opening sequence using Photoshop. Once completed please upload to your Blog and analyse your logo in terms of the above areas and explain the decision making process.
Here are some Idents you could work with.
You will need to analyse the following areas
Layout
Structure
Iconography
Font
How are the above areas constructed within the production Ident?
Continue the task via producing your own production logo for your opening sequence using Photoshop. Once completed please upload to your Blog and analyse your logo in terms of the above areas and explain the decision making process.
Here are some Idents you could work with.
Pitch planning of ideas
TASK:
In order to start planning for your Thriller opening sequence as a group you must plan a short pitch and present to your peers.
Your pitch should be based around the ideas for your opening sequence. Areas you may wish to consider are as followed:
Narrative Description know your whole story however, only produce the opening.
Sub Genre and Conventions what is your sub genre? how will you utilise the conventions in your production?
Character Types what are the characters going to be within your production? protagonist? antagonist?
Suggested Locations think about where you will be filming. It is a reliable safe location? does it work with your sub genre? think also about lighting and sound which may effect your films quality!
BBFC who is your target audience? who will you aim the film for and why that particular group?
Individual Roles within the production in your group what role will you take on? does everybody have an individual duty?
Once you have presented your idea you will receive peer and teacher feedback which you should add to your blog and take into consideration for further development of your opening sequence.
Remember maximum time for the opening sequence is 2 mins!
In order to start planning for your Thriller opening sequence as a group you must plan a short pitch and present to your peers.
Your pitch should be based around the ideas for your opening sequence. Areas you may wish to consider are as followed:
Narrative Description know your whole story however, only produce the opening.
Sub Genre and Conventions what is your sub genre? how will you utilise the conventions in your production?
Character Types what are the characters going to be within your production? protagonist? antagonist?
Suggested Locations think about where you will be filming. It is a reliable safe location? does it work with your sub genre? think also about lighting and sound which may effect your films quality!
BBFC who is your target audience? who will you aim the film for and why that particular group?
Individual Roles within the production in your group what role will you take on? does everybody have an individual duty?
Once you have presented your idea you will receive peer and teacher feedback which you should add to your blog and take into consideration for further development of your opening sequence.
Remember maximum time for the opening sequence is 2 mins!
Target Audience (Audience Profile)
Create a character which illustrates your target audience.
In order to achieve the above you must conduct research which will help you establish who your target audience would be.
You must conduct one primary research and one secondary and answer the following questions.
Primary Research: Questionnaires, Vox Pop, Survey, Interviews etc:
Secondary: Internet, Books, Magazines etc:
What is their age group?
What is the gender ratio?
What are their hobbies/interests?
Which area do they live?
What is their occupation?
What is their social status?
What is their economic status?
and any other questions you can come up with!
Then create a drawing of a character which would be your potential target audience and annotate your findings around this character!
Please blog all research and findings including your character profile!
In order to achieve the above you must conduct research which will help you establish who your target audience would be.
You must conduct one primary research and one secondary and answer the following questions.
Secondary: Internet, Books, Magazines etc:
What is their age group?
What is the gender ratio?
What are their hobbies/interests?
Which area do they live?
What is their occupation?
What is their social status?
What is their economic status?
and any other questions you can come up with!
Then create a drawing of a character which would be your potential target audience and annotate your findings around this character!
Past Student Work Analysis
Watch one of the following past student thriller opening sequences.
Can you illustrate the elements which make the sequence an opening?
Analyse the four micro areas of the opening in relation to genre. e.g. how can the audience establish the genre through sound?
Using marking criteria also give the opening a level of grade and explain why you think the sequence deserves this particular grade.
Longroad Media
Longroad Media
Hurtwood House Media
Can you illustrate the elements which make the sequence an opening?
Analyse the four micro areas of the opening in relation to genre. e.g. how can the audience establish the genre through sound?
Using marking criteria also give the opening a level of grade and explain why you think the sequence deserves this particular grade.
Longroad Media
Longroad Media
Hurtwood House Media
Sub Genre Opening sequence analysis
Crime Thriller: Reservoir Dogs
Total running time for opening sequence: 2 min 39 secs
This opening sequence makes use of the following generic opening sequence conventions:
Induction to the character type: sitting around table/ walking as a group.
Introduction to theme tune with name of director.
Indication of place/ location: Long shot of street/Wide shot of cafe
The films title: Reservoir Dogs
Details of cast and crew: Costume Designer etc
Enigma: Random guy covered in blood with random driver
Information on genre: Costume, props, location, character and title
This opening sequence makes use of the following sub genre conventions:
Mise en scene:
Characters costume: dressed in suits indicates either police force or traditional gang culture.
Props: Money, car, shades and blood which are associated with crime/criminal behaviour.
Camera Techniques:
Long shots of group of men walking together, again could be associated as a gang.
Close up of individual characters, emphasis on body language and props
Medium shot: One character bleeding in the back seat of a car
Editing Techniques:
Short shot duration, when introducing individual characters and when the other character is bleeding in the back seat
Cut transitions throughout the opening sequence
Fade to black from cafe scene to walking scene: indication of change of location.
Sound and Music:
Voiceover narration: transition from cafe scene to walking scene
Music: none diegetic fast paced which ran parallel with the visuals to illustrate action which may about to happen and urgency in the groups body language.
Dialogue: at the beginning discussion about money, also at the end communication between bleeding character and driver.
TASK:
Pick two opening sequences which are within the same genre and analyse in terms of generic opening sequence conventions and sub genre conventions.
What makes the sequence look like an opening?
What sub genre conventions have been used?
You can use the notes above on Reservoir Dogs to help you illustrate your point.
Sound and Music in Thriller Films
Sounds and music in Thriller openings have generic conventions that has been utilised in many movies: Some include the following:
Sound effects: CD scratching, door slamming, screams, whistles, bird singing, etc.
Music: use of instruments such as violins, saxophone, piano etc to create a soundtrack.
Dialogue: Narration, voiceover, singing etc
Silence: No sound and/or music
TASK:
Watch the opening sequences above.
Note down all the different sounds and music you can hear and at what point it enters the sequence.
Analyse the differences and similarities in sound and music. Use media language (contrapuntal, diegetic, ambient, parallel etc) as well as descriptive language. e.g. the sequence begins with a loud diegetic scream.
Extension task: you can also use Garageband in order to experiment different sounds and music you could use in your production.
This task should give you some idea of conventional sounds and music that is used in Thriller opening sequences.
Please blog all of your work for evidence of research and planning!
Sound effects: CD scratching, door slamming, screams, whistles, bird singing, etc.
Music: use of instruments such as violins, saxophone, piano etc to create a soundtrack.
Dialogue: Narration, voiceover, singing etc
Silence: No sound and/or music
TASK:
Watch the opening sequences above.
Note down all the different sounds and music you can hear and at what point it enters the sequence.
Analyse the differences and similarities in sound and music. Use media language (contrapuntal, diegetic, ambient, parallel etc) as well as descriptive language. e.g. the sequence begins with a loud diegetic scream.
Extension task: you can also use Garageband in order to experiment different sounds and music you could use in your production.
This task should give you some idea of conventional sounds and music that is used in Thriller opening sequences.
Please blog all of your work for evidence of research and planning!
Opening Sequence Conventions
Key and conventions of opening title sequence
View more presentations from ownisr
Further opening sequence conventions:
Details of cast and crew
The films title
An induction to character or character type
Indication of place
Indication of period
Information regarding mood and tone
Introduction to theme tune
Information on genre
Questions that the viewer will find intriguing
Patterns and types of editing that will be echoed in the remainder of the film
Mise en scene and cinematography that will be echoed or elaborated upon later on in the film.
TASK:
Choose a Thriller film and produce an analysis of the opening sequence titles by creating a timeline. On the timeline note down when each area (e.g. title, music, character, directors name, etc) appears in the opening sequence. Here is an example below:
Further opening sequence conventions:
Details of cast and crew
The films title
An induction to character or character type
Indication of place
Indication of period
Information regarding mood and tone
Introduction to theme tune
Information on genre
Questions that the viewer will find intriguing
Patterns and types of editing that will be echoed in the remainder of the film
Mise en scene and cinematography that will be echoed or elaborated upon later on in the film.
TASK:
Choose a Thriller film and produce an analysis of the opening sequence titles by creating a timeline. On the timeline note down when each area (e.g. title, music, character, directors name, etc) appears in the opening sequence. Here is an example below:
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Thriller Generic Conventions
posted by LongRoad Sixth Form
The narrative centres around a crime eg. a theft or a murder.
The protagonist is fallible and has an 'Achilles heel' (weakness) that is exploited by the antagonist.
The title of the thriller may relate to this weakness eg Vertigo and Insomnia.
The protagonist will be seen 'in peril' (danger) in one or more scenes before the resolution.
The antagonist ensnares the protagonist in an increasingly complex web, until the protagonist feels isolated and helpless.
The narrative presents ordinary situations in which extraordinary things happen.
Micro elements combine in a build up of suspense. ( Micro means film elements like camerawork, sound, narrative, genre, mise-en-scene, lighting, costumes, actors and facial expressions, etc.)
Themes of identity are common: mistaken identity, doubling/doppelgangers, amnesia.
Themes of seeing, reflection and mirroring. Manipulation of perspectives, visual McGuffins (object or device), and optical illusions are common.
The audience of a thriller is placed in the ambiguous position of voyeur. Voyeurism can also be a theme and the objectification of female characters is common especially in earlier thrillers.
A series of/ one important enigma(s) are/is set up in the opening sequence of the film, is further complicated during the first part of the film and only resolved at the very end.
EXAMPLE
TASK: Using the conventions above analyse two Thriller movies which use all or some of the generic conventions. Give specific examples within your analysis.
The narrative centres around a crime eg. a theft or a murder.
The protagonist is fallible and has an 'Achilles heel' (weakness) that is exploited by the antagonist.
The title of the thriller may relate to this weakness eg Vertigo and Insomnia.
The protagonist will be seen 'in peril' (danger) in one or more scenes before the resolution.
The antagonist ensnares the protagonist in an increasingly complex web, until the protagonist feels isolated and helpless.
The narrative presents ordinary situations in which extraordinary things happen.
Micro elements combine in a build up of suspense. ( Micro means film elements like camerawork, sound, narrative, genre, mise-en-scene, lighting, costumes, actors and facial expressions, etc.)
Themes of identity are common: mistaken identity, doubling/doppelgangers, amnesia.
Themes of seeing, reflection and mirroring. Manipulation of perspectives, visual McGuffins (object or device), and optical illusions are common.
The audience of a thriller is placed in the ambiguous position of voyeur. Voyeurism can also be a theme and the objectification of female characters is common especially in earlier thrillers.
A series of/ one important enigma(s) are/is set up in the opening sequence of the film, is further complicated during the first part of the film and only resolved at the very end.
EXAMPLE
TASK: Using the conventions above analyse two Thriller movies which use all or some of the generic conventions. Give specific examples within your analysis.
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