Research into Cinematography- Miss Miller

Cinematography is the art of photography and camera work in film-making. It includes lots of camera techniques which help the audience build relationships with the characters to understand how they feel in particular scenes within films.

 

In this sequence from the 2002 physiological thriller film Murder by Numbers, directed by Barbet Schroeder, Gosling is threatening to kill Pitt and make it look like a suicide, however Pitt explains how he would not get away with it due to the science that could identify Gosling as the killer.

There are a variety of different camera angles, movements and positions used to portray the relationship between the two characters. 

For example, when Gosling has power over Pitt when he has the gun held to Pitt's head, a two shot and a low angle is used to show both characters and to indicate the power Gosling has over Pitt; Pitt is looking up at Gosling whilst Gosling is looking down at Pitt. The low angle also illustrates the levels used by the characters. (Pitt on his knees and Gosling standing up). This makes the audience anticipate whether he is going to pull the trigger.


As Pitt stands up, and Gosling is holding the gun under his neck, making Pitt walk backwards, an extreme long shot is used to minimise the two characters and increase the importance of the background. This allows the audience to see the danger of the area they are in; walls haves collapsed and nothing looks stable, so could increase the element of danger dramatically as one of them could seriously injur themselves if they fell. This makes the audience feel uneasy as they do not know what is going to happen; there is a possibility one of them might die.

Shallow focus is used as Pitt stands behind Gosling, however Gosling is shown in full focus whereas Pitt is slightly out of focus and blury. This is done so Gosling's facial expressions are clear to the audience so they focus of his face instead of Pitts. This demonstrates the importance of his expressions.




                                                                                                                    
 

Research into Mise en scene - Miss Georgiou

Mise-en-scene is made up of five elements:

• Settings & iconography 
• Costume, hair & make-up 
• Facial expressions & body language
• Lighting & colour
• Positioning of characters/objects within the frame. 

The settings and iconography is the place where the film takes place and objects that are seen in the film, for example a house where knives are seen. The setting of a scene can manipulate the audience as it creates particular expectations of what might happen.

Costume, hair & make-up are what the character is wearing, and how their hair and make -up defines their character. It helps suggest to the audience the characters personality, where they might live/work and also which society or culture the film is set in.

The facial expressions and body language used by the character, show the audience how they are feeling at certain points of the film and demonstrate their reactions to particular events taking place. It can help identify relationships between characters and what emotions they are experiencing.

Lighting and colour in the film are essential as they set the mood and atmosphere of each scene. It can highlight important characters and objects and can indicate a characters hidden emotions. For example, if a room has low lighting with key points in the room alight in a thriller film, it engages the audience to particular focus points in the room and can build tension as the audience does not know what is going to happen next; perhaps something might jump out and potentially scare the audience members.

The positioning of characters/objects within the frame is where the character is positioned in the frame of the film, for example in the middle or in the back corner of the shot. If the character is in the back corner of the shot it will normally meant that they are not that important or have a hidden identity so are hard to see. The positioning can indicate relationships between characters and can draw attention to important objects and characters.

In this sequence from the supernatural thriller film, "Mama" directed by Andres Muschietti, two members of the search party for the girls, enter an abandoned looking house, in the middle of the forest. This is a stereotypical setting for a thriller film as no one is around and it could potentially be difficult to reach someone if in need of help. This suggests that entering the house could be dangerous and makes the audience feel uneasy and tense as the men don't know what they are going to find.

As one of the men are searching the house, he starts to discover drawings up the walls, a doll which has possibly been burnt, and one shoe in the middle of the floor. These are all examples of iconography that demonstrate to the audience that the girls were present at the house; drawings, dolls and a small show are all things you expect to find around young children. This makes the audience feel uncomfortable as they anticipate what they will next find.

The costumes worn in this clip demonstrate the time of year the film is set; autumn/winter. The older male from the search party is wearing a puffy, winter coat and a hat which tells the audience he is cold and is wearing them to keep him warm. These items of clothing also show that the film is set in the present day. Make-up is used on the girls to show how dirty they are due to being missing on their own for a long time period. This makes the film more realistic as the audience understand the circumstances the girls were living in.

Facial expressions and body language are key in this sequence of the film as they provide a clear indicator of how the characters are feeling towards searching for the girls and they show their reactions when the girls appear. The older man demonstrates a sign of hope and anticipation as his eyes light up as he discovers the drawings up the walls. The audience see an element of fear as the second man of the search party jumps back and yells as one of the girls runs towards him. This makes the audience jump as it is unexpected and surprising.

There is hardly any lighting used in this sequence apart from back lighting which comes from outside, shown through the windows and doors. This indicates to the audience that there is no electricity in the house and also highlights the atmosphere of gloom and mystery. Torches are used to highlight key objects and images in the scene which makes the audience question why they are shown in the frame and what they mean. The colours in the sequence are mostly dark and dull, for example all of the furniture is different shades of brown, however multicolours are shown as the drawings on the wall are highlighted. The colours symbolise the young age of girls as young children enjoy drawing with lots of different colours.

The positioning of the characters in this scene suggest how the men are cautious of where they look in the house.  For example, at the beginning of the sequence, when the man first opens the door, He stands in the doorway looking in, indicating a reluctance to rushing around looking for the girls. This demonstrates to the audience a sense of fear and apprehension.

My research for this post will assist me with my planning for my own thriller as it will ensure I include all 5 elements of mise-en-scene and will also give me ideas of the different ways they can be used to illustrate the different conventions of a thriller sequence.

Research into the BBFC- Miss Miller

The BBFC is the British Board of Film Classification. They decide which age certificate are suitable for each film; taking into consideration the content included, to ensure that the audience know which films are suitable to watch. The purpose of the BBFC is to protect members of the public from potential content that possibly might cause harm and to inform people of their viewing choices. (What might be involved in the film). They respect adult freedom of choice within the law and through research, they respond to social attitudes towards media content.
There are many factors which come into place when the BBFC are deciding which age rating is to be given to every individual film. These factors are extremely important when a film lies on the borderline of two age categories. "Spider-man" the 2002 film, was the first film to be awarded a 12A certificate due to the uncertainty of the BBFC when deciding which age certificate was suitable. The factors included in the film left the BBFC unsure on whether to award it a 12 or a 15 age certificate. Due to the popularity of the film. They did not want to restrict a lot of young people from seeing it by awarding it a 15, therefore they came up with the age certificate "12A" which meant that 12 year olds could see the film but had to be accompanied by an adult. (Someone of the age 18+). This was a success and is now used for many other films, such as the 2012 film The Dark Night Rises.

Some factors that influence the choice made by the bbfc for the age rating awarded to a film include: the context in which the film is set, the theme of the film and the tone and impact that comes across to the audience. Specific classifications involve the viewing of discrimination, drugs, sex, imitable behaviour, nudity or violence and the use of language and threats involved in a film. These factors have a huge influence when the BBFC are awarding a film with an age certificate. They have to ensure that the factors included in the film are suitable for the viewing of particular age groups according to the law.

Age certificate meanings:

U

A "U" rated film stands for Universal, therefore it is suitable for those aged 4 years and over and the infrequent use of language is only allowed to be used. (For example "damn" or "hell"). The films must be anti-drugs with an educational message that can be understood by young children and any dangerous and anti-social behaviour is to be dismissed of.  If included, violence is to be very mild and the characters in a "U" rated film may be seen kissing or cuddling but there will be no focus on sexual behaviour.

Tangled, released in 2010, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures, is a good example of a U rated film because it is animated with little violence, which makes it non-harmful for children to watch and sends a good message to them. The the film is bases on the German fairy tale Rapunzel, where she is discovered to have healing powers from a
magic flower, therefore the Character Mother Gothel kidnaps her and locks her away in a tower for her whole life as she needs the powers from Rapunzel's hair to keep herself looking young.





PG

A "PG" rated film stands for Parental Guidance, therefore is suitable for general viewing, however some scenes may not be suitable for young children. A PG film should not unsettle a child if they are aged 8+ and parents should consider whether the film could potentially upset a younger or more sensitive child. If a film is rated PG, it should not contain any theme that is innapropriate for a child but it can explore challenging issues such as bullying, bereavement and racism. Mild language may be included but the context and delivery are important and must be considered. Any sex referneces are unlikely, unless they are undfiled and infrequent. Any violence must be mild and there can be passing references to illegal drugs or drug misuse, although there should not be a strong focus on it.

Shrek, released in 2001, is an American computer-animated fantasy-comedy film, produced by PDI/ Dreamworks Pictures and directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson. It is a good example of a PG film because it is an animated film which includes mild violence, which is suitable for children to watch as it is a stereotypical story of the hero fighting the villain therefore the violence is to be expected.





12 and 12A

Films awarded an age rating of 12 contain material that is not suitable for those under the age of 12 and films awarded an age rating of 12A contain material that is not suitable for those aged under 12 unless accompanied by an adult. In a 12 or 12A film, some strong language can be passed, depending on the manner it is used and who is using the language. Discrimination, for example racism or homophobic terms, are unlikely to be passed for a 12 or 12A film and sex can be briefly and discreetly mentioned and there may be nudity, however, it should not be nudity in a sexual content. Moderate violence is allowed in a 12A film but should not be detailed; there should be no emphasis on injuries or blood. Any action sequences and weapons may be seen in a 12 or 12A and long fighting scenes can be included, however weapons that are easily accessed by 12 year olds (e.g. knives) should not be glamorised. Anti-social behaviour should not be included in a 12 or 12A rated film but dangerous behaviour, e.g: hanging & suicide, can be present, but must not be detailed so that they are not presented in a way which a child could copy. If there is a sight of drugs it should be infrequent and should not be glamorised or provide instructional details.

The films RED and RED 2, directed by Robert Schwentke, have been awarded the age certificate 12 as they include violence and fighting scenes but nothing as such that would offend those of the age of 12. The weapons used are machine guns and cars and helicopters are used for the big stunts; 12 year olds would find it very difficult to get hold of one therefore the violence could not be copied. There is some bad language in the film but none of the such that is extremely offensive, and there is no discrimination included in the film. 

 

Batman the Dark Night Rises, directed by Christopher Nolan, is awarded the age certificate 12A as it involved violence, some bad language and involves a variety of weapons. As for the popularity of the film, the BBFC gave the film the rating of a 12A as younger children under the age of 12, may want to see it but would need to have an adult accompany them as they may find some parts disturbing or scary. 

15

No one under the age of 15 is allowed to view a film at the cinema awarded an age certificate of 15, neither buy or rent from any shop. Strong violence, frequent strong language, portrayals of sexual activity, strong verbal references to sex, sexual nudity, brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence, discriminatory language or behaviour and drug taking are all expected to be included in a 15 rated film.  (Taken from the BBFC website http://www.bbfc.co.uk/what-classification/15 )





Superbad, directed by Greg Mottola is a good example of a film with a 15 age certificate as it includes adult humour, a lot of sexual references, nudity, a lot of bad language and some violence. Those of the age 14 and under would not find this film suitable and they may not even understand it. The subjects involved in the film could potentially be copied by children which would cause harm, therefore it is not suitable for them to watch.





18

Films rated 18 are for adults only, and not suitable for children therefore those under the age of 18 are not permitted to buy, rent or view at the cinema a 18 age rated film, 18 rated films can include the following issues: Very strong violence, frequent strong language, strong portrayals of sexual activity, scenes of sexual violence, strong horror themes, strong use of blood and gore, real sex scenes and discriminatory language and behaviour. (Taken from the BBFC website http://www.bbfc.co.uk/what-classification/18)

Kill Bill, directed by Quentin Tarantino, is an American martial arts film which includes a lot of violence and adult themes. It is rated a 18 due to the language used throughout the film and the blood and gore that is featured. Only those of the age 18 and over should watch the film so the details in it do not cause any harm.





Overall, the BBFC are precise about all of the age certificates that they award to each film and it is in their best concern to consider how a film may effect those of different ages. They take into consideration every aspect of each film to make sure it is suitable for those who will be viewing it. This is extremely important so no one becomes harmed from watching a film.

History of a thriller- Miss Georgiou

Task 1

A thriller is a genre of a film, where tension, suspense and excitement are key elements. They focus on making the viewer feel uncertain and give them a feel of terror.

The first thriller film was directed by Alfred Hitchcock; a silent film named "The Lodger". It was released 14th February 1927 and starred Marie Ault, Arthur Chesney, June Tripp, Malcom Keen and Ivor Novello. The film was about a Landlady who suspected her new lodger to be serial killer who was killing women in London.

1940

An example of a thriller film from the 1940's is Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca". It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 2 of them; for 'outstanding production' and 'best cinematography: black and white'. It is about "a self-conscious bride is tormented by the memory of her husband's dead first wife." (Taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032976/ )

This trailer shows the stereotypical settings of a thriller film; a forest and a house. These settings create an uneasy feeling for the audience as they are dark and can be scary especially at night. As the film is in black and white, it is difficult to see the lighting that is normally used to create suspense in thriller films. The trailer also demonstrates the lack of iconography in 1940.


1970

Fragment of Fear is a 1970, British thriller film, directed by Richard C. Sarafian. It is an adaptation of the book by John Bingham. It is about a "Reformed drug addict who travels to Italy to find out who murdered his aunt." (Taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065737/ )

In the trailer for Fragment of Fear, there is typical iconography that you would expect to see in a thriller film. For example the dripping tap and the creaking doors are both things associated with thriller films. In comparison to the thriller film from 1940, you can see how things have developed with technology as well as the gore of thriller films; the film is in colour and the murder is shown on screen.

1990

Internal Affairs is a 1990, American, crime thriller film directed by Mike Figgis.
The film stars Richard Gere as Dennis Peck, a suave womanizer, clever manipulator, and crooked cop who uses his fellow officers as pawns for his own nefarious purposes while showing a tender side as a devoted father. Andy García plays Raymond Avilla, the Internal Affairs agent who becomes obsessed with catching Peck when he suspects that Peck is not the poster boy police officer that the precinct has made him out to be. 
(Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_Affairs_(film) )


2002

Murder By Numbers is a 2002 psychological thriller film, directed by Barbet Schroeder and stars Sandra Bullock, Ben Chaplin, Ryan Gosling and Michael Pitt. It is about  Two gifted high school students execute a "perfect" murder - then become engaged in an intellectual contest with a seasoned homicide detective. (Taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264935/ )

The trailer for Murder By Numbers demonstrates a huge contrast to the films previously discussed in this post. The iconography has dramatically developed; the use of forensics is included which shows the time period of the film.  The use of stunts demonstrates the development in the film industry and shows how thrillers have developed over time.


2008
Prom Night, directed by Nelson McCormick and staring Brittany Snow is an American thriller film: Donna's senior prom is supposed to be the best night of her life, though a sadistic killer from her past has different plans for her and her friends. (Taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0926129/  )

The film uses a lot of lighting and iconography to portray the characters feelings. This demonstrates the development of thriller films and how the become more scary as time goes on.











2014
3 Days to Kill is a French/ American thriller film, directed by Joseph McGinty Nichol. It is about "A dying CIA agent trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter is offered an experimental drug that could save his life in exchange for one last assignment." (Taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2172934/ )
The scenes in the film demonstrate how thriller films have developed and show the improvement of the quality of the stunts and scenes. This proves that over time, thriller films have improved a lot and different themes will be explored throughout them.


Task 2

Rank	Title (click to view)	Studio	Lifetime Gross /Theaters		Opening / Theaters		Date
1	Hannibal	MGM	$165,092,268	3,292	$58,003,121	3,230	2/9/01
2	The Silence of the Lambs	Orion	$130,742,922	1,642	$13,766,814	1,497	2/14/91
3	Basic Instinct	TriS	$117,727,224	1,884	$15,129,385	1,567	3/20/92
4	Seven	NL	$100,125,643	2,528	$13,949,807	2,441	9/22/95
5	Red Dragon	Uni.	$93,149,898	3,363	$36,540,945	3,357	10/4/02
6	Saw II	Lions	$87,039,965	2,949	$31,725,652	2,949	10/28/05
7	Saw III	LGF	$80,238,724	3,167	$33,610,391	3,167	10/27/06
8	The Bone Collector	Uni.	$66,518,655	2,623	$16,712,020	2,587	11/5/99
9	Saw IV	LGF	$63,300,095	3,183	$31,756,764	3,183	10/26/07
10	The Cell	NL	$61,334,059	2,476	$17,515,050	2,411	8/18/00

The top thriller film is Hannibal, the 2001 American crime thriller film directed by Ridley Scott. It is a sequel to the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs; which is the second top thriller film as shown in the table above. It comes out on top due to it making the most amount of money on its opening weekend out of all thriller films of all time as well as the amount of money made in the films lifetime; This demonstrates the popularity of the film.