Shooting Scheldue for our Thriller (Emily)

Storyboard for Thriller (Emily)

Inter--textual reference: Hunger Games

1. Mirrored shot in 8

2. Same shot in 9

3. Same shot as 10

4. Representation of what shot 11 will look like

Mise En Scene in our Thriller (Emily)

Props:

A simple black bag with no branding or bright colours to make it seem boring, so it doesn't draw the viewers eye to the bag, and to also make it look normal/ natural.

The second item of clothing that George will find is a red glove. Much like the red scarf he will be wearing to symbolise a hint of danger, this glove will do the same. The colour red can connote danger, stop signs and blood- all of which George is about to be confronted with. Only one glove will be lying on the bed of the stream, the other glove will be on the corpse George will see moments later. It will be draped across stones as if pulled off in a struggle.

This simple brown paper bag will be used to carry George's lunch in while in the bag. It is simple and also allows the film to be set in any time because there is no characters on a lunch box. A paper bag is simple and inside will be a cheese sandwich and an apple. It suggests how his mother might have made his lunch in the morning and let him go and explore for the day, showing how this is a normal routine.











The magnifying glass adds to George's curiosity and why he loves playing in the forest. It also allows the camera to explore the setting with George which allows the camera to establish the scene in more detail. 













The scarf is the first symbol of that something is wrong with the scene. Because of its quirky colours and odd and non consistent stripes, it makes it seem weird and disorientating. It relates to the plot and how in this part of the scene, the ideals change and their is a plot twisted. It will be hanging up lightly on as branch like how someone had hung it up rather than it falling off and being caught by the tree. This adds to the discomfort of seeing the scarf and it makes the audience feel uncomfortable looking at it. 













The final prop is the bow and arrow George plays with. In one way it shows his boyish nature to kill things, but in a playful way, but also the idea that it is foreshadowing a killing/death. 














Make up & Hair: 
For the corpse, we will use very pale powder and some grey stage make up around the eyes to make it look more realistic, but nothing over the top to prevent it from looking fake. The actors hair is curly, so will lay around her face in a tangled way.

For George, he will wear no make up to make it look more innocent and childish. His hair is blonde and slightly wavy, so will be brushed and again, natural to make it look more real.

Costume:
For the corpse, she will be mainly in black to make it connote death and a non existent future. George will be wearing primary colours which reflect primary school and a normal child's life.

The Pitch and Plot Synopsis of our Thriller (Lauren & Abbie)

Pitch:

A boy finds a dead body in a forest. He tries to get out but can't and ends up getting lost and being chased by something. 

Plot Synopsis:

The woods is where George spends almost every day, it is his home. But one day, out in these very woods where he feels so free and safe, he discovers something dangerous lurking in the undergrowth. After discovering a corpse, he finds himself trapped, unable to escape the depths of the woods. What exactly is stalking him, he doesn’t know; but what he does know is that he is incredibly lost and running for his life.

Title Explanation and Title Font (Emily)

Our title for our opening of a thriller is 'Out of the Woods'. The woods implies that it is an isolated place which is in the middle of nowhere which hints their is no help near and the boy is alone. This relates to the plot because it is about trying to get out of the woods and not being able to. It is short and snappy and reflects how the killings in the film are quick and unexpected. 


CF One Two Tree

This font is very spooky because of the reaching branches from the letters. It connotes mysteriousness and the idea that something or someone is watching you. This would be a good font to use because it reflects the idea of the woods and the nature. However the font seems over the top and maybe too eccentric for a title of a thriller.


Nightmare 5

This font is very edgy and the random bigger words imply the jump scares that will happen in the film. The scratches through the letters could suggest someone has scratched it like a monster or a knife which connotes to normal thriller conventions. However, it is very similar to Bewilderwood (a childrens outdoor treehouse adventure park) which could connote a childish film which is the opposite of what we were intending the title to connote. 

Black Asylum

This font is quite simple but is handwritten which makes it messy and rushed. It seems to be written with ink or a fountain pen which connotes traditional or old fashioned writing. This font would be good to use because it is simple, however it doesn't seem to reflect the plot or the meaning of the title in any way. 

Street Art

This font reflects the title because it looks like it has been carved into wood or a tree. It also reflects the conventions of the splatters on the title which hint at blood. This font would be good to use because it fits with the story line and the idea of the forest. However the font maybe too complex for a title. 

Our chosen font for the title is Street Art. We thought this was the best font to use because it connotes the idea of nature, while portraying a realistic thriller title. Also it can be integrated into the opening scene onto a tree which makes the idea that no one can get out of the woods when they go passed the title. 

Mind Map of Initial Ideas for Thriller (Lauren & Emily)

Here we can see the initial ideas we had whilst planning. After having analysing our preliminary task, it became apparent to us that our scene needed to be set in a daylight. Camera angles in the thriller genre was something we were interested in.  
       We explored different stereotypical thriller conventions like dark alleys, stalkers, invaders, large urban settings and very isolated houses. Are aim is to use shadows and mise en scene to create a very atmospheric opening. After our preliminary task, it was clear that we couldn't film at night because the picture would be too grainy and we wouldn't be able to manipulate shadows in the same way .
        We chose a wood location because they can be creepy and eery in daylight just as much as in the dark. Horror was not our aim for our thriller opening, so we began to consider the sub-genre that is a psychological thriller. With this we could explore the idea of your mind playing tricks on you when you hear noises within the woods, and what this could do to a child's imagination. This idea would lead on to be our synopsis for the whole film. For now we could explore the child like innocence of playing in the woods.  We also decided to parallel some of the shots seen in the opening scene of the Hunger Games of Katniss hunting thus giving our piece intertexuality. The opening of the Hunger Games does use a lot of clever shots to show Katniss moving about the forest and this is something we wanted to draw from and use in the opening of our piece. We also used it because it is a play on idea that instead of George hunting and using a bow to find food he was using as a toy and a way for him to spend time in the place he loves; the wood. 

Actors and Costumes for (Lauren)

Location for Thriller (Lauren)

We will be using two separate locations to film our Thriller opening, however in the film they will act as the same place. Tirrels woods will act as the woods as it will more practical for filming where as we will be filming the scene involving the stream and corpse floating in said stream in in the marshes in Flordon as this area has streams galore and is more practical as for filming the body in slightly deeper water.

Thriller Script (Lauren)

EXT. WOODS. DAY

GEORGE, a playful young boy, begins his walk into the woods, also skipping in a youthful manner.

GEORGE

(Quietly singing)

Today’s the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

GEORGE starts playing now. Swinging from tree to tree, running about, catching bugs and making mud pies, stopping briefly to sit in a tree and eat his lunch- a jam sandwich wrapped in brown paper. GEORGE then fires a fake bow and arrow whilst perched on a branch, discovering he can’t see where he has fired it. After searching for a while he spots it in a small stream and paddles his way over to it. Once he has collected it he notices a red glove lying in the water, picking it up, he then notices a scarf caught on a sharp branch further up the stream. He wades further up to the scarf, examining it he eyes are drawn to yet another something further up the stream. A body floating in the water. Fear ensues.

CLOSE UP of GEORGE’S face then fade to opening titles.

Location and Lighting in Thrillers

Great Gatsby
In the film 'The Great Gatsby'-US-Baz Luhrman-2011, Big cities are used to show urbanisation as a theme. Gatsby and the other main characters live just outside of New York. The screenshot shows a pact Times Square and shows how there isn't any space in the city, so it feels claustrophobic and hints that it is inescapable. The idea of a thriller being set in a city, signifies and suggests the idea that there is a lot of crime, which relates to the iconography of guns, knives and the greed of money. This idea relates to the film because Gatsby started out being poor, but because of his greed for money and the use of going against the law, he was able to gain a lot of money. However, this is sinful and then foreshadows the idea that these characters that sin must die because they are doing things wrong. The high key bright lights is a contrast to the deep black sky in the distance, hinting that although the bright lights make it seem like a great place to be, the black connotes the danger of being in a city. It also shows the difference in characters lives in the city, some have a good life and live in a rich place, others live in the dark by hiding secrets which adds to the mystery of their true identity.

Dark Knight Rises:

The chiaroscuro lighting used in Batman's bat cave hints at the his mysterious life and how he has a secret identity and the suspense in a dytopian world (Gotham city) . This identity hides him away from normal society and creates an element of tension between them as he can't blend in. Again, a packed city hints at the idea of crime and how everyone is involved with it in one way or another. In the scene where batman and bane fight, the water falling from the sky hints at the idea of rain which is symbol for pathetic fallacy. This gives the suggestion that this world is full of hate and corruptness. The rain also produces a reflection and shows that his secret identity is scandalous and twisted. The low key lighting also adds to the effect of it being a crime thriller and adds to the suspense of what will happen in the future of their lives. The setting of the fight takes place in an isolated place which reflects the idea that they are outsiders on society trying to do right.

Skyfall:

An isolated setting is used in Scotland to show the isolation of the house and how there is no help around. The old building creates a sense of mystery because it is old and could be haunted. The murky colours create a sense of a gritty world and the idea that we should be cautiousness around this area because it seems insecure and dangerous. 

Sound in Thrillers

Sin City

They use gunshot in the scene to establish and support the mise en scene. Guns and gunshots are a common re-occurrence in thrillers and signifies death and danger. The idea of pathetic fallacy is explored by the use of raindrops when the femme fatal dies, and the use of wind and thunder to connote her indefinite doom and a dystopian reality. The non diegetic sound of  smooth jazz music establishes the time of when this movie is set. The soundtrack signifies 1940s-1950s time where jazz was in full swing. Another thing to suggest the time in which this scene is set is the idea of smoking. The sound effects of the lighter igniting and the rustling of the cigarette paper imply the genre being a crime thriller or a film noir. Furthermore, the background noise of cars and general traffic imply that they are in a city which relates the the urbanisation of places like New York. Again, it suggests this is a film noir film, but also the idea that the characters are trapped in this claustrophobic setting. The narrative is from the male and it shows his dominance in the scene. It's a slow paced monologue which hints that he is trying to flirt with the girl, even though he is not talking too her. 

Inception

In the ending for Inception, the music creates tense to build up to the final scene. The heavy bass at the beginning is like a pulse and progressively gets faster which reflects how the audience would be feeling knowing that the ending is about to happen. The quivering strings and the high pitch note which fades in and out which adds to the suspension because of the shaky notes. The music is slow but powerful and implies that music doesn't always have to have a fast tempo to increase tension. As the scene changes a drum beat enforces the change of time and place.

The Blair Witch Project

The scene opens pitch black and just the sound of the people in the scene with the wind blowing. The silence and the blind feeling of not seeing what is going on creates tension and makes the point of the scene even more of a mystery. When the camera turns on, it is a handheld camera being pointed at the ground. The noise from the character standing up and crunching the leaves around her reflects the shot on the scene. In the background, the noise of snapping twigs or branches echos enough for the characters to ask questions to each other of what it might be. As an audience, knowing that the characters themselves have no further information as yourself, leaves you in the dark which creates mystery to what the noise is and what is making the noise. All the sounds in the scene are diegetic and we only hear what the characters are hearing, which allows us to connect to them, but it also places us in the scene with them which creates tension and suspense. As the scene progresses, the crunching of trees gets louder and quicker. This picks up the pace of the film which makes it more rushed for the audience like we are about to find the mystery out what is in the forest, however on the other hand it creates tension as we might not want to know what is in the woods, because we don't know what it will do. When the noise gets louder the characters breathing gets louder which reflects the audience's and how we are in the same situation. 

Fonts in Thrillers

Se7en

The writing in the sequence is gritty and messy which implies the type of horror we will see in the film. It is handwritten which makes it seem old fashioned because it's not typed. Some of the writing is slanted or at a canted angle which creates discomfort and disorientation for the viewer. The white on black shows the simplicity of it, however it's slightly dirty connoting the impurity of the characters in the film. The flickering of the writing also signifies the psychological themes that run through the film. The credits in this title scene glitch on and off the scene like an irritation to the eye and make it seem like the word wasn't supposed to be there. It represents the idea of the sins in the film and how they are not supposed to be there but they are. 

Dark Knight Rises

The writing is a simple typed font which could hide the meaning of secrets behind simple lives. The integrated words within the scene of developing photos show how these characters are mixed  with in with the developing story. The broadsheet newspaper connotes urbanisation and a business styled life which hints at crime because of cities. The title is in red which connotes danger and stands out because it is a separate colour to the black and white, but also the connotation of blood which is a convention in thrillers. The jump cuts between each shot shows the rapid pace of the film. The credits are moved by a person who is developing the film. They are moved by tweezers and pushed around the chemicals which makes the scene seem slightly cloudy and unclear. This could imply the mystery in these characters and what they are really trying to hid but also the mystery in the plot and the idea that the audience might not know "who dunnit" from the beginning. 

By looking at these two examples, I will use these ideas in my thriller to try and replicate similar meanings.

Preliminary task video

Motifs in Thrillers

In Pulp Fiction (1994) the use of bathrooms are used as a motif through the film. For example, When Vincent and Mia are at Jack Rabbit Slims, Mia says she's going to the bathroom to "powder her nose" when in actual fact she is snorting cocaine. It shows her real corrupted life and how she has to use normal phrases and turn them into abusive behaviour. Bathrooms are used in the film to show peoples real behaviour and how it affects their lives and the people around them. Another example is in the motel room with Butch and Fabienne. The extended scene of Butch in the shower while Fabienne brushes her teeth shows that on the surface they have a normal life, however later on Fabienne is alone in the Bathroom brushing her teeth showing how quickly she can have someone by her side and then they are gone. Bathrooms are also a motif for Vincent in the film. He finds a bloody towel when entering Jimmy's bathroom which could imply that his life is dangerous because and that finding a bloody towel is normal. However later on in the film, as Vincent walks out of the bathroom Butch kills him. This could imply that the earlier scene of him finding the towel could have foreshadowed his death in a bathroom and the towel being soaked with his blood. 

Another motif, specifically for one film is the green light in The Great Gatsby (2011). It has been used to show Gatsby's intentions in the film, and what he wants most of all; Daisy. It has been used by Gatsby's perspective. He tries to reach it, but is always too far away to actually have it, representing his relationship with Daisy. The green colour represents envy and jealousy as it signifies how Gatsby is jealous of the green light because it's closer to Daisy than he is.