Smart Shooting

8th November 2010                                                 Miss Fisher


Objective: To identify conventional shots to create a successful Thriller film.

Outcome:
All: will be able to explain at least two effective shots for a Thriller film.
Most: will also be able to identify three or more effective shots for a thriller film and refer to other thriller films
Some: will be able to use media language effectively to explain the purpose of 5 or more editing styles.

Here is a list of Generic Conventions for a thriller film:
- Tracking
- Creaking doors
- Wipe pan
- Low key
- Blood
- Diegetic sound
- Back lighting
- Tilt
- Haunted house
- Close up
- Costumes
- Establising shot
- Camera
- Handheld
-Shadows

When making my thriller film i need to be aware of these generic conventions and be able to use as much of these in my film. By doing this the audience will be able to determine the right genre for my film.


Here is a clip from the film Halloween Resurrection.

This film starts with a POV shot where the character is walking through a tunnel; this shot is handheld tracking as the camera is moving as if someone is walking. This tunnel has low key lighting and us as a audience now have the impression that we are the character; this makes us feel more part and engaged with the film.With this there is a voiceover with an echo of a lady talking. She says 'you've heard of the tunnel.' This voiceover gives the audience some narrative of the film and gives us information about what has happened in the film of what is going to happen in the film. As there is an echo, it gives the audience more time to take in what she is saying; this may show importance. Also as we are in a POV shot, we automatically think that the voiceover is directed to us as there is no one else in the tunnel. As the character is waling through this tunnel, there is diegetic sound played throughout. This diegetic sound is made to make the audience feel more uncomfortable and create suspense. This as a generic convention as this is part of the 3 S's; surprise shock suspense.
At the end of this tunnel there is a door and as we get closer to the door the voice over says 'at the end there's a door.' This voiceover continues to involve us with he film by providing information about what has happened or what is going to happen. As the tunnel scene dissolves into a corridor of what looks like a mental health hospital, the audience is made to feel uncomfortable. This is because the shot is still in a POV so they feel like they are walking through a mental home. We know that this is a mental home because as the character was walking through the corridor, a doctor walks past and there was a patient in a wheelchair in the hallway.

As we reach the end of the door the lady in the voiceover was referring to, the character looks through the peep hole and the first thing we see is a bed, lamp and a doll on the bed. The doll sitting on the bed goes against its surroundings. This is because dolls are innocent and is what innocent little girls play with. As this is found in an asylum, the audience may be confused think why is a doll in a place like this. This will make the film more mysterious than it already is. This will be a generic convention as the audience is made to feel more uncomfortable.

As we see the first character which is a girl, we see that she looks lonely and reserved. We noticed this by her body language which is crawled up and the close up of her face expression.
The establishing shot of the asylum is a generic convention because the shot is in low key lighting but with uplighiting on the name of the building. This shows that we are meant to look at the name of the building. This is also a generic convention because a asylum is unpredictable. As we see the asylum, there's slow tracking. As the shot tracks from left to right, the music increases which creates more of an impact; this also creates tension and suspense which is a generic convention.


As we watch the rest of the film the following takes place:
- Tracking following the character when shes getting chased. Suspense brought with the music and the POV shot as the audience felt like they were being chased. As the camera goes infront and behind the victim while she is running from the villain, this creates tension because of the different angles and edits.

- The flashback is used greyscale and the character in the narrative looks different. This helps with narrative and doesn't confuse the audience.

Smart shooting will help me in the making of my thriller film because if i use generic conventions such as low key lighting then my thriller will be successful as the audience will know from looking at the opening sequence that this is a thriller film. Also by using generic conventions of a thriller film such as bloody sketchy font, the audience will know that my film is a thriller film.