Research into sound- Miss Miller

Sound

I will be analysing sound in a clip I have chosen from a thriller film. The film I have chosen is "Seven". The clip is the part where the man finds out his wife had been killed and that her head is in the box. I have chosen this clip because it shows basic sound techniques that are very clear. Sounds are used in films to create an understanding for the audience and to create more meaning about the characters and their emotions. Sound is also used to create a response from the audience and engage them in what they are watching.

The first sound I noticed in the clip was the knife cutting through the box. This sound was heard only 6 seconds into the scene. This is diegetic sound because its sound which is part of the film. This sound is showing the audience clearly what the man is doing. It also makes the audience feel like they are really there because the sound is so clear to them. This in turn makes the audience really involved in the scene and it also makes them very curious about what is in the box. It also builds a relationship with the characters involved because the audience will understand how they are feeling. Diegetic sound is commonly used in thriller films because it creates suspense and tension. Making the audience feel like they are involved in the film is a really conventional thriller technique because it makes the audience sympathise with the characters because the audience know exactly how they are feeling.

The second sound I heard was sound being played in the background. I first heard this sound 42 seconds into the sequence. This sound was non diegetic sound because the sound isn't part of the film. It was like a soundtrack, used to create tension on the audience. The sound is played when the man (Morgan Freeman) opens the box and looks up to his partner ( Brad Pitt). The sound is dramatic and is used to show that what is in the box is going to have a real effect on Brad Pitt. This right away drags the audience into the film because they want to know what is in the box and they want to know what relevance the object in the box has on Brad. This sound technique is commonly used in jump scenes and tension scenes to really engage the audience into what they are watching. Non diegetic sound is conventional to the thriller genre because it is a easy way to build tension on the audience and it can also cover up a jump scare that could be slowly approaching. This technique is also a easy way to make the audience think about what could happen next and what characters life could be under threat. This builds a relationship with the audience and the characters because the audience are trying to suss out which character could be affected by the next action in the film.

In one part of the clip I notice two sound techniques. The first one is on screen sound when the man shoots the convict and the second one is off screen sound which is the buzzing noise of the helicopter constantly in the background. the fist sound was heard 4 minutes into the scene and the second sound was heard just after 4 minutes. On screen sound is sound you can see and off screen sound is sound you cant see but you can still hear. Both of these sounds are used to create tension and to emphasis on the sound itself. The on screen sound (the gun shot) shows that the man has had enough of the pain and his final option was to shoot the convict. You can see the relief on Brad Pitts face as he shoots again and again. The gun shot sound is used to represent Brads anger and despair. The off screen sound (the helicopter) is representing a constant buzzing sound in Brads head. This shows that he is thinking about so many things and this is represented as a buzz. The only way to stop the buzz is to kill the killer himself. Both of these techniques are used together to make the audience feel like they are in that situation and that they have to make the final decision.

Sound is important in thrillers because it drags the audience into the films and creates suspense. Without sound, jumpy scenes wouldn't be scary and thriller films wouldn't be as popular. By looking at these different techniques it has given me ideas for when my group make a thriller sequence. We could use some of these sounds to create suspense and to engage the audience into our thriller clip. These inspirations will help enhance our film and it will help make our sound more realistic.  This will overall improve the quality of our thriller sequence.

Research into cinematography - Miss Miller

Introduction
In this essay I'm going to be talking about cinematography. Cinematography is the art of photography and camerawork in film-making. I will be analysing the cinematography in a scene from the woman in black. I have used this film because the cinematography in certain scenes have been used to make a conventional thriller sequence. Also it is very clear what camera angles are being used. This film is a perfect example of a thriller film as well.

The first angle I have chosen is the low angle. The camera is facing up from the floor showing the underneath of the dog and a low view of the whole mans body. This is showing that the man is in control of the situation and that he is not afraid of what is on the other side of the door. He feels like he has authority of the situation because he is holding a big axe and he has his trusty companion next to him (his dog). Overall this makes the audience feel relief because they know that the main character has the upper hand. However they also might feel a bit of tension because they don't know what is on the other side of the door and what could confront him.

The second angle I have chosen is the zooming in angle. This is first shown in the clip when the man is looking around the house. The camera is slowly moving towards him, moving down the corridor. The camera could be representing another figure in the house carefully stalking the defenceless man. It could also represent a spirit or ghost in the house slowly floating towards him trying to show him something. Overall this puts the audience on the edge of there seats because they are concerned for the mans life. They are scared that something bad could happen to him. The audience can also relate to him because they picture it being them and imagine how they would feel if someone was following them.

The third angle I have chosen is the point of view angle. This is shown when the man is looking down the stairs directly at the door. This angle makes the audience feel like they are in the mans shoes and that they are feeling what he is feeling. This is a very popular angle to use in thriller films because it involves the audience a lot more. Overall this makes the audience very edgy and tense because they are like the character not knowing what is on the other side of the door. They are also worried for the dog as well because the dog is at the bottom of the angle making it very venerable.

The final angle I have chosen is the close up angle. This is shown when the man is looking at the window just before he places his hand to the glass. This angle is showing us a close view of the window and a small bit of surroundings around the window.Angles like this are used a lot in thriller films because they can show us a detailed object or show us an emotion that a character is showing. They also set up a jump scene after it because the character is so focused on one thing. Overall the audience prepare thereselves for a jump scene because they know it is coming. The makes the viewer on nervous and twitchy because they are waiting for this to happen.

All of these angles have been used to show the audience how the character is feeling or to put the audience in the characters shoes. This in turn pulls the audience deeper into the film and makes them more interested! This is also very effective to building suspense for jumpy/scary scenes.

Research into miss en scene - Miss Georgiou

Mise en scene

Mise-en-scène is an expression used to describe the design aspects of a theatre or film production, which essentially means "visual theme" or "telling a story"—both in visually artful  ways through storyboarding, cinematography and stage design, and in poetically artful ways through direction. The film clip that I will be analysing is from "insidious". I have chosen this clip because it has a lot of clear mise en scene techniques in it and the scene is a typical of a thriller film.

Setting and iconography

The clip I have chosen is set in a dark bedroom. This is too make the audience feel tense b because they cant see every corner of the room. This makes them feel like anything could be lurking there watching and waiting to strike the vulnerable character. Dark settings are very common in thriller films because they are mysterious and leave the audience feeling wary and cautious. There aren't many props used in the clip I have chosen. The only main props are the bed the boy is laying in and table that the family are sitting round discussing what happened the night before.

Costume, Hair and make up

At the end of the clip we are introduced to a creature with a red and black face. This creature is meant to represent a demon like beast that has come from the underworld. This creature is wearing a dark cloak as seen in the bedroom and it has tentacle fingers which we see when it is pointing at the young boy in the bed. All of these things are made up by make up and costumes. The detailed make up makes the creature look life like which makes the audience afraid of it more because they feel like it could be real. The dark costume makes the creature seem mysterious and dangerous because it can just lurk in the shadows watching its victims. This makes the audience feel tense because the creature could pop out from anywhere and attack. Dark costumes are used a lot in thriller films because it represents danger and uncertainty.

Facial expressions and body language

When the old woman is telling the story about her dream she has a squinted facial expression. This shows that she is deep in thought about her dream and what she experienced the night before. This makes the audience really listen to what she has to say because she seems really haunted by the events that occurred. The creature in the clip is shown as a up straight figure, standing tall and towering over the other characters. The technique of doing this makes the audience scared of this character because he seems more powerful and more superior then the other characters in that film. Thriller films often use tall dark figure as there antagonist because they are more threatening and dangerous looking.

Lighting and colour

The lighting and colour in this film is very dark in scary/tense scenes. Jumpy scenes were made even more scary by black shadows and dark objects lingering in the corner of your eye. Thriller films use this technique a lot to create tension and to make the audience afraid to watch that certain scene. Normally colours like black and red are used in thriller films to represent danger. This is backed up in insidious because the demons face consists of red and black colours. This is showing that he is a dangerous figure that wants to cause one of the characters harm.

Conclusion

From analysing this clip It has given my ideas for when I have to make a thriller sequence. I have learnt that using colours like a black and red will make the audience recognise that it is a clear thriller film and that it can also cause tension. Eerie setting and backgrounds keep the audience on the edge o there seats and it also adds suspense. Antagonist character should be wearing scary make up and wear dark costumes to make them stand out as the man threat to the other characters.

BBFC Age Certificates

What is the BBFC?

The BBFC stands for the British board of film classification. The British board of film censors was set in 1912 to age categories films. Local councils may overrule any of the BBFC’s decisions, passing films they reject and banning films they have passed. Cutting it short the BBFC is an organisation that chooses the sensible age restriction for films in the UK.  The BBFC was set up to stop younger viewer viewing older material. This is to make sure that younger viewers cant be traumatised or scared by any actions in older rated films. Age ratings on films can also give parents guidance on what to let their children watch and to see if the film is suitable for their child's age. Without the BBFC and age restrictions, children could access content which would be very inappropriate for them.

The different ratings:

Age Certificate U

U stands for universal. A U film should be suitable for a young audience i.e. 4 and older. A U film will not show drugs, sex, discrimination or strong violence because of the young audience. A children’s film rated at U will generally contain positive messages about loyalty, honesty and friendship, particularly amongst children. The film may will usually have a happy ending for the child and the overall tone should be one of happiness. U films are unlikely to contain bad language or behaviour unless it is clearly disapproved of. The odd word like "crap" or "bloody" could be used.

Example film with U certificate

Toy story is a perfect example of a U film. Toy story tells a tale of a group of toys exploring the outside world. The film has a happy feel to it for most of the way through it however there are some scenes of distress when one of the characters can't find his friend. This is quickly resolved when the two toys find one another again. The film even has a slogan telling children to trust there friends and to look out for one another. This film has no sexually or very violent scenes in it. This is why it fits so perfectly into this category. It has no reference to bad language and they overall feel of the is positive.

Age certificate PG

PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means a film is suitable for general viewing, However some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. A PG film should not unsettle a child aged around eight or older. A PG film will not contain any theme which is inappropriate for a child. PG works can explore challenging issues such as bullying, bereavement or racism. Even films with reference to bulling or racism usually end up with a happy ending. There may be mild swearing or bad behaviour in PG films but nothing that can offend the viewer. Sexual references are usually in existent in PG films however there may be small snippets of it i.e. a kiss or an intimate moment. These snippets of film would usually last a few seconds and in no way should affect the child viewer.

Example of PG film

Despicable me is a good example of a PG film because it is child friendly and it has a positive story line and happy ending. Instead of using bad language the film characters use mad up words to express when they are angry or hurt. This is a positive thing to do because it shows that children don't have to use bad words even when they are hurt. This film has mild violence in it but it is made funny to watch  so it doesn't affect the child viewer. Despicable me was loved so much by children world wide that they have made another film "Despicable me 2". What makes the film enjoyable to watch is the minions. They bring joy and laughter to children because of there funny actions and amusing language.

Age certificate 12A



Films classified 12A  contain material that is not generally suitable for children aged under 12. No one younger than 12 may see a 12A film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult. Adults planning to take a child under 12 to view a 12A film should consider whether the film is suitable for that child. The BBFC's Guidelines state that strong language (e.g. 'f***') are allowed at 12A, depending on how it is used and who is using the language. There may be moderate language (e.g. uses of terms such as ‘barstard’ and ‘twat’ at 12 or 12A). At 12A, moderate violence is allowed but it should not be shown into much detail. This is to make sure that the young viewer doesn't become disturbed by the actions shown on screen. There shouldn't be any injuries or blood, but occasional gory moments may be permitted if they can be justified for being used. Some horror films are passed at this category. Moderate physical and psychological threat are permitted at 12A as long as horror scenes are not too frequent or carried on over a long period of time.

Example of a 12A film



The hobbit is a good example of a 12A film. It is a tale about a young hobbit who goes on an adventure and gets himself in all kinds of trouble. It is family friendly but does have some violent battle and fight scenes. There are small references of blood which are only shown for short periods of time. There is no bad language except for the odd "shit" and "bollocks". They are some horror scenes in this film especially when the 'orcs' first appear. Again this is not shown for too long so it would have no affect on the young viewer. This film is very popular with the older generation because of its gripping story line and amazing edited graphics.

Age certificate 15







"No-one under 15 is allowed to see a 15 film at the cinema or buy/rent a 15 rated video. 15 rated works are not suitable for children under 15 years of age". You are likely to see sexual scenes and hear bad language at 15 rated films but films at this age category should not show nudity or have frequent strong language in the script. References to drug taking and racism are allowed because the viewer is old enough to know that the scenes that occur on screen are wrong and that those actions are not permitted in real life.

Example of 15 film

American pie was made in 1999 and is considered to be the funniest film of its era. The films portrays 5 boys lives and how they cope getting through school. This film is placed in the 15 category because of the excessive use of strong language, sexual references, drugs and nudity. This is the reason why this film is so popular because people there age can relate to situations the characters are put in. The film is classed as a comedy and is frequently covering up bad behaviour with comical moments. This is the reason why it is a 15 and not an 18. Overall the film is aimed at 15 or older generation because people this age understand the story better and are not affected by any bad behaviour portrayed in the film. 

Age certificate 18

"Films rated 18 are for adults. No-one under 18 is allowed to see an 18 film at the cinema or buy / rent an 18 rated video. No 18 rated films are suitable for children. "Adults are free to choose their own entertainment provided the material is not illegal or potentially harmful, so it is possible some themes tackled at 18 may be offencive even to some adult viewers". 18 rated films are allowed to contain very strong violence including gore. They are also allowed to include strong sexual scenes and even strong nudity. There is no real restriction in 18 films so families should think hard about letting younger viewers watch 18 films at home. Younger viewers could be left confused or scared but actions in 18 films because that age viewer wouldn't be able to understand everything that takes place. Racism often occurs in 18 films with words like n**** and other discriminatory language being used.  There may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory language at 18, and the film could explore themes relating to discrimination. This is allowed in 18 films because the viewer is old enough to understand what is going on and that what is happening is wrong. At 18, horror films may contain very strong horror, gore or sustained threat.

Example of 18 rated film

 Dead snow is about several friends who take to the mountains to experience some quality time together, their peace is soon interrupted by a mysterious old man, warning them of a local curse that during the German occupation of the local area that these Nazi invaders were brutal and harsh in their methods of control. Telling of the legend of the villager's revolt that drove them up into the cold, dark mountains where they perished, that is until rumour of their return in the form of zombies, evil Nazi zombies. This film is classified as an 18 because it has content of strong language, Strong violence/gore and strong sexual references. It has a sense of horror to it too which is not suitable for younger audiences. 
Conclusion

 

In conclusion, This research has really helped inspire me to what age certificate I want to give my thriller sequence. I know now that I have to be mindful to stay within the regulations of that specific age rating that I will chose so that I don't cause harm or offense to the viewer. This research has shown me that age ratings are so important because they stop younger viewers seeing films that really aren't suitable for them. This stops the younger viewer becoming scared or confused about the events which have unfolded in that film. Without doing this research, I wouldn't have a clue what an age certificate is and I wouldn't be able to decide what age of viewers should or shouldn't be aloud to watch my film.





History of thriller films- Miss Georgiou

History of thriller films

1940

• In the 1940's they relied on sound and editing to make the films scary. They also used old fashioned monsters a lot in there films such as mummy's, zombies and vampires. This was the first time viewers could experience being scared by films. Since then thriller films have become a big hit.
• The mummy is a perfect example of a 1940 film. The black and white theme and tense music all create tension on the viewer. Also the mummy itself is made to look old and threatening. This was one of many films back then that showed viewers fictional monsters to make there minds run wild with thoughts.

1960

Psycho is a 1960 American horror-thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock starring Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, and Janet Leigh. The director in psycho concentrated on close up shots to try and clearly show the expressions on the characters. This in turn would help the viewer relate to the character because they would know how they are feeling. Sound was also used to create a tense feeling on the viewer. Jump scenes were made by increasing the background music and slowing down the speed of the film. This was one of the first films to use this technique. 

1980

The shining is known as one of he best horror movies ever made. This is down to the tense but addictive story line and the creative uses of lighting. Lighting was a key element in this film. Scary scenes were enhanced using darker lighting which would make the viewer feel tense because they wouldn't be able to see the background around the characters clearly. Like in the movie psycho sound was also a key element. There was always a background music in this film. It would get louder in scary scenes and become quieter in calm/happy scenes. The shining was famous for its introduction music because it made the viewer scared even before the film had started. 

2000

The descent. A woman goes on vacation with her friends after her husband and daughter encounter a tragic accident. One year later she goes hiking with her friends and they get trapped in the cave. With a lack of supply, they struggle to survive and they meet strange blood thirsty creatures. This was the first ever film of its kind to be filmed just by using hand held cameras. This was a new and exciting way of making the audience feel like they were seeing exactly what the characters were experiencing. This encouraged other horror films to use this technique such as Paranormal activity and the blare witch project. Using this method meant that the lighting had to be changed because its was only being filmed on a low budget camera. The director came up with the idea of placing a light on the camera and on the characters helmets to improve the standard of lighting. This also made the scenes more scary because the cameras shine would only reach a certain distance meaning that you wouldn't see the creatures until they were right next to you.

Top 10 box office films

             

Contagion was more of a hit than source code because it was more thriller like and they used better effects. Contagion used lighting to create suspense on the audience which worked very well because it made the audience feel like they couldn't really see the full surroundings around the character.