Evaluation Podcast

Codes & Conventions

Thrillers
Here are a few codes and conventions of a thriller:

-Quick Cuts
-Mystery
-Suspense
-Exotic Setting
-Intensity
-Protagonist usually dies
-High paced music
-Conspiracy
-High Tech
-Apprehension and exhilaration
-Special Effects

Horror
Here are a few codes and conventions of a horror:

-Serial Killer
-Blood/Gore
-Torture
-Monsters
-Gothic
-Body count is always bigger in next movie
-Screams
-Darkness
-Eerie Music
-Young cast

Rom-com
Here are a few codes and conventions of a rom-com:

-Love
-Jokes
-Adultery
-Singing
-Sex
-Marriage
-Good looking cast
-Happy ending
-Laughter/Crying
-Upbeat music
-Slapstick humour

The Pitch

Film Ideas;

Loveless
This is one of my ideas for a rom-com that uses comedic horror elements, it involves a love triangle between a vampire, a ghost and a werewolf that are actually "supposed" enemies. The boy werewolf has a crush on the female vampire which is unrequited as she has a lesbian crush on a ghost girl which in turn has the hots for the werewolf lad. However this idea was cut short as I didn't think we would be able to pull this off, due to the high costume level of both the ghost and werewolf.

Egomaniac
This is one of my ideas for a thriller, It consisted of a group of teenagers that get involved in drugs and get hunted down and chased by drug dealers, resulting in some nasty deaths. The starting sequence begins with a house party in which all the main characters are present and a gunman approaches the house in order to kill them. I steered away from this idea however as it meant I would have to host a house party meaning drunks and stained carpets.

Deadline
This is one of my ideas for a horror, it is about a zombie virus that kills off or infects half the world leaving only Britain as it is a small island uninfected. The film sequence starts off with a small group of teenagers strolling through the woods and are suddenly attacked by zombies, only on girl escapes. She becomes the zombie slayer in order to avenge her friends death.


Conclusion
I've decided Deadline is the movie I am going to shoot, it is arguably the easier choice and offers us the opportunity to goof around as zombies. I also believe the storyline will be easier to understand and absorb by the audience and is far more exciting as an opening sequence than the other two.

Editing

Prior to editing we made a recording log and editing decision list in order to keep track of what shots we wanted to keep and the other less favorable ones.

We edited the sequence via the programme Final Cut Pro. At the start of Deadline during the establishing shot of the lake the location and time appears on screen as if being typed this is a convention of the thriller genre we wished to incorporate into the film. A zoom effect is added to make it feel as though we had zoomed into where the scene was about to take place. To distinguish between human and zombie point of view shots we had the zombies tinted with the colour red as if their eyes are blood shot with rage.

We also used blurs and white wash to make it feel as though the survivors are fading in and out of conscienceness. We also filmed during the day and night therefore the film sequence was half in complete darkness and half in broad daylight however we sorted this problem by editing the brightness of the overall piece, making it all darker. We shot most the movie in chronological order therefore it wasn't to much to hard to assemble the shots into the right timeline.

Love Actually

Movie Summary

Love Actually is a 2003 rom-com, directed by Richard Curtis and hosts a wide cast of actors. It follows the stories of many individuals representing love in many different ways.

Scene Summary

The scene in which I analysed, the characters of Mark and Juliet are watching the wedding video of Juliet and Peter's recent wedding. He loves her but it is unrequited, as the video is mostly consumed of head shots of her she comes to realise that Mark has feelings for her. Juliet confronts him causing him to leave nervously.

Mise en scene

Marks house is quite messy and appears to be in the middle of refurbishment making it quite realistic. The t.v is small showing the audience that he is not extremely well off. Lots of facial expressions are used in this scene, especially by Juliet who conveys just by looking at her that she has come to realise Marks affection towards her. Mark on the other hand shows expressions of shame and cringes as Juliet watches the video, sure that she'll find out. The video also shows the opposite of Mark's own life style, Peter being rich has a big orchestra wedding and Juliet is in a huge long wedding dress showing wealth.

Camera

-Very few different shots
- long shot of Juliet on sofa and Mark standing up
- Close up over Juliet's shoulder focused on t.v
-Low angle close up of Juliet's face as she reacts to wedding video

Editing & Music

-Seamless editing
-Powerful instrumental music builds as Juliet comes to realise Marks feelings towards her
-Awkward silences to make audience cringe and feel sympathy for Mark

Role Allocation

Main Roles

Luke Harrison as Editor
Laura Huggins as Director
Natalie Cardell as Producer

As well as these roles we also decided that we would act within the film, therefore creating a larger cast, other actors also doubled up as camera crew. The cast & crew included-
Luke Harrison as teen #3
Natalie Cardell as teen #4
Laura Huggins as teen #1 (protagonist)
Shaun Morroll as teen #2
Eliot Day as zombie #1
Jacob Day as zombie #2
Tom Ward as zombies 1st victim

Target Audience

Deadline is aimed at young viewers, between the ages of 15-25. This is because the cast is around the same age giving the audience the opportunity to relate to the characters. Deadline is also targeted at a British audience of any social grade because the movie is set in Britain and as well as the cast being almost purely made up of English actors/actresses.

Red Dragon

Movie Summary

Red Dragon is a thriller produced in 2002, it was directed by Brett Ratner. Starring Edward Norton as Graham and Anthony Hopkins as Lecter. The events of Red Dragon takes place before The Silence Of The Lambs. Storyline wise Red Dragon is chronology the first of the Hannibal films and books.

Scene Summary

The scene starts with Hannibal watching a classical orchestra performance and notices an out of tune flute player. The film cuts to Hannibal hosting a dinner party a few weeks later, where the guests discuss the flute player as he has gone missing. Unknowingly the guests are eating the dead flute player which Hannibal had previously killed. In the evening, detective Graham comes to Hannibal's house to discuss the murder case he is investigating not realising Hannibal is the killer. It suddenly dawns on Graham who the murder is but it's to late and he is attacked by Hannibal, who talks him through the pain very creepily. Graham manages to grab a gun and shoots Hannibal multiple times, then the opening credits run.

Mise en scene

The title Red Dragon comes up with Red coloured red and Dragon coloured white, this could give off connotations of good vs. evil or split personality similar to that of the serial killers Francis. In Hannibal house it is shown that he is very wealthy through the decoration of expensive furniture. The colour of Hannibal's house from the outside is white that carries connotations of innocence's and good, while the inside however is a rich red colour representing blood, evil and hell. Hannibal's paint colour of choice may represent his outward perception of well mannered and righteous and his true evil sly inner self. As the credits appear it shows the audience a scrap book being made however not the maker. The scrap book gives off connotations of stalker-like traits as it is made up of pictures and newspaper articles of Hannibal's murder victims and his arrest.

Camera

-Crane shot focusing in on Hannibal in orchestra audience

-Close up of Hannibal frowning at flute player

-Pans and close ups of scrap book

Editing & Music

-Fast cuts during fight scene

-Fade outs and ins to represent time passing

-Music builds when Hannibal is uncovered as the real killer

-Classic music throughout to show Hannibal is well educated and sophisticated

Seven

Movie Summary

The thriller film Se7en, was distributed in 1995, directed by David Fincher. The movie stars Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman as detectives that are investigating a case which centers around the seven deadly sins. Every victim is linked to a different sin, be it either Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Lust, Pride, Envy or Wrath.

Scene Summary

I analysed scene one in which detective Somerset is getting ready for work. He meets detective Mills at a crime scene and both have nothing in common with one another. The credits are next, using a scrap book theme to present the focus of the film.

Mise en scene

In detectives Somersets room there is a chess board and everything is neatly placed representing him as well ordered and wise. Somerset puts on a suit which suggests his quite sophisticated, Mills however appears wearing a leather jacket representing the typical look of a rebellious character. Later both characters are seen walking through the street, it's pouring down with rain. The rain is a common factor used throughout the film, many believe this is because the director wanted a presence of God in Se7en suggesting his making it rain in order to wash away our sins. The credits are introduced, flashes of bits of film dissolving into each other are effective giving a rapid flow to the piece. Words or subliminal messages are cast upon screen, giving off connotations of distorted thoughts and confusion to the audience. Scratches reach across the credits like an old movie and the screen flickers similar to that of candle light. This scrap book theme is similar to that of Red Dragons with the handwritten words and scribbles through the eyes of people in photographs.

Camera

-Low angles of Somersets bedroom
-Shot reverse shot between detectives
-Back/side track of detectives in the street
-Close ups and pans of scrap book (credits)

Editing & Music

-Screechy distorted music by the band Nine Inch Nails
-Credit dissolves
-Heartbeat sound
-Metronome sounds seven times before credits appear
-Background noise of talking people in street as well as police car sirens.

Shooting The Movie Sequence

We filmed on February the 7th 2009, In Tamworth Nature Reserve and got the whole film sequence shot in one day.


Equipment
-Cameras
-Tripod

Props/Costume
-Fake Blood
-Make Up
-Black Eye Contacts
-Pistol
-Knife
-Car (Static)
-Mobile Phone