Preliminary Task

 During the preliminary task we were give instructions as to what shots we had to do. We had to 're-create' a small film. We did this task so we knew how to use all the equipment we needed, including the camera and how to do the types of shots we wanted. This made our opening sequence better because we went in knowing how everything worked, and so we didn't need to waste time figuring it out.  
At the beginning, it was hard to film the types of shots we wanted because we weren't used to the camera, however, as time went on, we started figuring out how to use it easily and efficiently. When we had filmed all of the shots we had to, we moved on to editing. For this we used a programme called 'Final Cut Pro'. I was really glad that this task gave me the opportunity to figure out how to use 'Final Cut Pro' because it is a very complicated programme and I needed practice before we had to edit our opening sequence.
Even though we made a few errors in our task, and this meant it wasn't the best we could do, the main reason for doing the task was to practice using all the equipment. We had learned from this task and we knew we mustn't repeat them when it comes to filming and editing our opening sequence


The task was made up of 11 shots:

1. There is a long shot of someone walking down a corridor
2. Then there is a cut to a close up of a hand opening a door
3. Next is a cut to a medium long shot of them walking into a room
4. The next cut is very fast and it is a medium shot of another person sitting at a desk
5. The following cut is to a 2-shot and long shot of the two people in the room
6. There is then a cut to an over the shoulder shot of the person sitting at the desk and a medium close up shot of the person who entered the room and also dialogue: "Can I borrow a DVD?"
7. There is another cut and again, and over the shoulder shot is used but this time of the person who entered the room
8. It then cuts back to the first over the shoulder shot of the person at the desk
9. Another cut goes back to the second over the shoulder shot of the person who entered the room
10. Next there is a cut back to the original over the shoulder shot of the person at the desk
11. The last shot is a cut back to the second over the shoulder shot, it is then ended with a fade out to black. 

Film Classification Guidelines

 Sourced from: http://bbfc.co.uk/what-classification/guidelines

Our guiding principles are:

• to protect children and vulnerable adults from potentially harmful or otherwise unsuitable media content

• to empower consumers, particularly parents and those with responsibility for children, to make informed viewing decisions

We fulfil these roles by providing age classifications and publishing advice (known as BBFCinsight) for individual films and videos. We do this without infringing the right of adults to choose what they view provided that it remains within the law and is not potentially harmful. We seek to ensure that films and videos reach the widest audience that is appropriate for their theme and treatment. Media effects research and expert opinion on issues of suitability and harm can be inconclusive or contradictory. In such cases we must rely on our own experience and expertise to make a judgement as to the suitability of a work for classification at a particular age category, taking into consideration whether the availability of the material, to the age group concerned, is clearly unacceptable to broad public opinion. Our extensive research into public opinion guides us as we seek to ensure that classification decisions generally reflect public sensibilities and expectations as these change over time. 

In relation to harm, we will consider whether the material, either on its own, or in combination with other content of a similar nature, may cause any harm at the category concerned. This includes not just any harm that may result from the behaviour of potential viewers, but also any moral harm that may be caused by, for example, desensitising a potential viewer to the effects of violence, degrading a potential viewer’s sense of empathy, encouraging a dehumanised view of others, suppressing pro-social attitudes, encouraging anti-social attitudes, reinforcing unhealthy fantasies, or eroding a sense of moral responsibility. Especially with regard to children, harm may also include retarding social and moral development, distorting a viewer’s sense of right and wrong, and limiting their capacity for compassion. We will not classify material which is in conflict with the criminal law, or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence. We act as a regulator across the United Kingdom. However, the United Kingdom does not have a single legal system, and so we take account of the different legal systems that coexist in the UK. Further details about the applicable legislation can be found in the Annexe

ArtoftheTitle.com- timings only

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/panic-room/

Panic Room is a 2002 American thriller film directed by David Fincher and written by David Koepp. The film stars Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart as a mother and daughter whose new home is invaded by burglars, played by Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, and Dwight Yoakam.

• 00:18- The first thing that appears on the screen is the Sony Pictures Entertainment Company to show the viewers where the film was edited and made.

• 00:52- The convention of the title is in the middle of the film ( the main title normally is placed at the beginning or in the middle of the title sequence) 

• 00:59- At this time in the title sequence its when all of the actors within the film are mentioned e.g Kristen Stewart 

• 01:01- In this frame the names Ann Magnuson and Ian Buchanan appear on the screen, meanwhile in the right hand corner of the frame is a picture of a man and woman hugging, this maybe signifies the love of the couple

• all of the writing nearly always appears on the sides of the building or in the air

ArtoftheTitle.com

Using Art of the title I am going to show the difference in opening title sequences using James Bonds Skyfall(thriller) http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/skyfall/ and The Shining(1980) http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/the-shining/

Skyfall
 Music used- Adele Skyfall, Made for the the film


00:07- this is the first thing we see on the screen, which sets the see. Using only this picture from the film it looks like Daniel Craig has just had an accident and has fallen from a great height into the water.

00:21- Just before I screen shot this, it said on the screen 'Albert R. Broccoli's Eon Productions LTD... presents'  
Daniel Craig is the main actor as he is 'James Bond' meaning his name had to come up first in the title sequence

00:30- 'Skyfall' the title of this thriller film, it is rather near the beginning of the sequence as the images that appear after this are connected the this title

3:46- At the end of the title sequence, this sequence predicts what is going to happen in the film. e.g the swords of the graveyard, where the film ends. This is the directors name, appearing at the end to show that he is not the main part of the film and that Daniel Craig is.




The Shining-
 Music Used-


The opening may look like a travel log but the destination is not a vacation, its hell and the overhead camera work and sound track used make us believe the people who are in the car are in some sort of trouble.

01:10- This is the first piece of text to appear on the screen, the light blue writing come up as threatening to show its remote. As you can see from the screen shots i have taken from this sequence, this car shown is the only car seen though out the sequence on the road.

01:13- The main actors name appears on the screen.

01:25- The main of title of the film "The Shining"

Font I Would Like To Use

I would like to use this font as I believe it gives a great effect on the viewer, it looks very disturbing and unsettled. If I used this for my thriller opening I would like to make it at an angle to create even more of an effect. 

Our Main Title 

In the end we didn't end up using the font I chose at the beginning of my planning as we didn't really find it appropriate due to our opening sequence having a lot going on, we wanted to keep the font very simple and very clear to read.

Which Thriller Films have Inspired me in Planning my own Thriller?

I have taken a screen shot from the television series 'Durham County' as I really like the effect of making one colour standing out in a frame when everything else is black and white. In this example red signifies blood and murder, which also signifies roses. There are many other examples in the opening of this series but i believe this is the best one.

The Shining

We have found inspiration from a scene in the movie 'The Shining'. This has given us an idea for our opening sequence. In our scene we want jump our shots from a less scary setting/shot, to a scary, bloody, fearful scene. We will show this using screen shots from the scene in order to make sense:

This is the more normal scene before there is a jump to a really disturbing scene of what the character sees. It is a point of view shot, which connects the audience and makes them feel as if they are there too which makes the scene very effective and frightening for the viewer. The jump shot is only shown for a few seconds and then jumps back to the more normal shot, which makes the shot more of a shock when it appears.

Also, in the transition between the shots there is a low monotone note, that sound like many low notes on the piano played together out of tune.
We want to use the idea of a sound between the transitions too, to also increase the shock and scariness.

Which Thriller is your own personal Favourite?

'When A Stranger Calls', it is about a teenage girl who is babysitting for her dads bosses children when she keeps receiving phone calls from a man breathing down the phone without talking at first. In one of the phone calls he says 'have you checked the children' trying to scare the girl, she then calls the police who state that the phone calls are coming from inside the house...

I would say this is one of the best thrillers i have ever seen as it is so realistic and could happen in everyday life. Babysitting is what teenage girls do all the time to get a bit of money, therefore after seeing this film it
would have had a great impact on babysitting. This film keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout.

Most Popular and Well Known Actors/Actresses

Chloë Grace Moretz has been in thrillers such as Carrie, Kick-Ass, Let Me In and the Eye. She began her acting career at the age of seven in The Amityville Horror (2005).

I believe Chloe is a great example of a well known actress as she has partaken in many well known thriller film. I have watched many of her other films such as 'If I Stay' and 'Hugo' where she acting skills are shown to a great extent. Chloe is mostly always one of the main characters in the films she is in.

Nicole Kidman has been in many thrillers throughout her acting Carree. I have seen many of the ones she has stared in, for example 'The Others', 'Stoker' and 'Before I Go To Sleep'.
Nicole is always a key role in the films she has acted in.

 Leonardo Di Caprio has only been in two thrillers that i know of, Shutter Island and Inception. He has been in many other films that are not thrillers but has never one an oscar, which i find hard to believe as he is a amazing actor.

Characters Associated with Trillers

The Joker- the villain from 'The Dark Knight'

Jason Voorhees- the villain from 'Friday the 13th'

Scream- the villain in Scream 1,2,3 and 4