Research into target audience- Miss Miller

We created a questionnaire to find out what our target audience will be when creating our thriller sequence.

 

 

 

PLEASE CIRCLE YOUR ANSWERS

1) Please specify your gender:

Male   

Female           

 

2) What is your age?

11-14            

15-17

18+

                       

3) Do you like the thriller genre?

Yes                 

No                  

Sometimes    

 

4) What type of thriller do you enjoy?

Psychological

Action            

Crime             

Other             

 

5) What type of settings/ environment do you prefer to see in a thriller film?

Forest

Deserted house/warehouse

Abandoned outside area, for example car park

Other

6) What gender protagonist do you prefer?

Male

Female

 

7) What type of weapons do you like to be seen & WHY?

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8) What type of soundtrack do you like to hear in thriller sequences and WHY?

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9) Do you like to see gore when watching thriller films?

Yes

No

Sometimes

 

10) Do you prefer your antagonist to have a hidden identity or to be seen throughout the film and WHY?

Hidden identity

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Seen throughout

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After our questionnaires were completed by 40 people, we decided to show the results through pie charts because they show the data we collected clearly.

This pie chart shows the percentage of each gender that took part in our questionnaire to help us find out what our target audience will be for our thriller sequence. Males and females have different perspectives on the thriller genre therefore they should give a variety of answers to our questions. However our results may be inaccurate as there are only 43% of males that answered the questions, and they will have a different perspective to the 57% of females. 

We thought it would be important to ask the age of the students who answered our questionnaire because thriller films are often only watched by a particular age group, due to the age certificates of the films; usually rated a 15 or 18, therefore asking a large amount of people of a younger age would not give us reliable answers as most of them may not even watch thriller films. The 32% of students we did ask of the age 11 to 14 made our questionnaire answers varied but will not help with giving us an understanding of where we should aim our target audience. However, the 55% of 15 to 17 year olds and the 13% of 18+ will help us as they are the ages that will know about the thriller genre.

We asked people if they liked the thriller genre to find a rough number of the amount of people that would want to watch a thriller film. This helps with our analysis for finding an appropriate target audience for our thriller sequence as it has demonstrated that 47% of the people asked would be potentially interested in watching it, just based on the genre of the film.

We wanted to find out if there were any particular types of thriller that interested people, so asking this question allowed us to see which was the most popular. A psychological thriller proved to be the most popular as 37% said they enjoyed them the most. However, 35% of the people we asked said 'other' when asked this question. This demonstrated to us that the type of thriller may not be the most important aspect of a thriller film because it is not always considered when choosing a thriller film to watch.

We wanted to ask people what gender they prefer the protagonist (victim) to be so we could include this in our thriller sequence. More people prefered the idea of a male protagonist however we decided against this as we thought we should use a female as they are more vunerable.

We asked people what settings they prefer to see in a thriller film so we could possibly include it in our sequence. A deserted house/ warehouse was shown to be the most popular, with 32% of people choosing that option. This demonstrated to us that the audience like the atmosphere to be tense and have enigma, due to the iscolated setting.

We asked this question to see how many people like to see gore in thriller films, so we could decide whether to include it in our sequence or not. 42% of the people we asked said they do like to see gore in thriller films, possibly because they find the thriller film to be more exciting and interesting to watch when there are elements of gore included.

 

We asked people an open question to see if they could develop their answers further when answering 'What type of sound or sountrack do you like to hear in thriller sequences, and WHY'. We gave three options for people to chose from, these included:

• Dark and Eerie
• Fast paced with action
• Slow paced with tension

The most popular option was fast paced with action, with a percentage of 45%. This demonstrates that more people like to be kept excited and in anticipation when watching a thriller film. We will incorperate this in our sequence when the female victim runs through the forest.

 

In the questionnaire, we asked another open question: 'What types of weapons do you like to be seen and WHY'. We gave a selection of options: Axe, Gun, Knife or Other. The Gun proved to be the most popular answer for this question and people chose it because it kills the victim sharp and quickly, leaving the audience in shock.

 

 

 

 

Our final open question was 'Do you prefer your antagonist to have a hidden identity or to be seen throughout the film' This pie chart does not show the correct answers but we will go back and correct it.

 

Research into Conventions- Miss Miller

Conventions in films are elements that are common within different film genres, for example thrillers.  They are patterns that can be seen or used in films from the same category. The exact definition for 'conventions' is: conforming or adhering to accept standards. In thriller films there are many examples of conventions that are included to highlight to the audience the genre of the film, such as weapons, death and blood. These elements all demonstrate conventions of a thriller as they create a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere for the audience to experience. I have chosen to analyse a clip from The Purge: Anarchy as it displays a variety of conventions that can be highlighted to show how the genre of the films is a thriller.

In this sequence, the victims of this particular 'Purge' are female, which is a typical convention of a thriller film as they immediately demonstrate vulnerability. The females' scared facial expressions provide the audience with a clear indication of how frightened they are when they are attempting to hide in a dark cupboard from the masked kidnappers. As it is unknown whether the kidnappers find the girls at this point of the clip, it creates suspense and anxiety as the audience anticipate whether the girls are safe or not. As the kidnappers discover where the girls are hiding and drag them away, it shows the audience how vulnerable they are as they struggle to fight back; a male might find it easier to prevent the kidnap from taking place as they would be stronger. This highlights the danger the girls are in as it demonstrates what the kidnappers are capable of.

Low key lighting is used throughout this sequence which is conventional to the thriller genre as it creates suspense and makes the audience anxious towards what is going to happen. It is displayed in this sequence when the girls are finding somewhere to hide from the antagonists. The only source of light that can be seen is the lamp on the side, infront of the mirror. This light highlights the reflection of the anatgonists as they search the room which builds tension as the audience anticipate whether they will find the girls or not. The low key lighting creates a dull and gloomy atmosphere for the audience to experience which makes them have sympathy for the girls as they want them to be safe.

A reaction shot is used in this sequence as the antagonists find the girls hiding in the closet. This excites the audience as they accept that the girls will no longer be safe and are waiting to see what will happen to them. The reaction shot is conventional to a thriller as it allows the audience to experience shock and surprise whilst watching. This is key in a thriller film because it gives the audience members a scary experience which you would expect to get whilst watching anything from the thriller genre.

The antagonists have a hidden identity, therefore, the audience anticipate when they will be revealed. This creates an intense atmosphere where the audience are unaware of the capabilities of the antagonists which makes them have sympathy and worry for the victims. The hidden identity of the antagonist creates enigma and the audience wonder what will happen to the girls, leaving them questioning what will happen next in the film.

Overall, this post for conventions will allow me to have a better idea of what to include in my thriller sequence and will help me to include conventions of thrillers so the audience experience shock, surprise and suspense whilst watching.

Individual narrative ideas- Miss Georgiou

Narrative is important because without the it, there is no story to be told. The narrative forms the whole idea of the film which allows the audience to follow the story line, without getting confused about what is going on and where the film is going. Without the narrative for the film, it can not be made as there would be no ideas or instructions that are needed to follow to create a successful film.

My idea of a narrative for a new thriller film is a teenage girl has an argument with her boyfriend, causing him to walk off to go a get his car from the car park so he can go home. The girl goes after him but is too late. The car park is dark and deserted with no one around. As she stands in the middle of the car park alone, crying, she notices a tall figure standing in the way of the exit. She soon realises that it is a man who she often sees looking at her regularly; like a stalker. She starts to become panicked as there is no exit apart from the one he stands in. She pulls out her phone to call for help but has no service, leaving her unable to reach anyone. She decides to risk walking out of the dark car park without acknowledging him, however he grabs her and threatens her with a knife and says she is to go with him otherwise she will die. The antagonist takes her back to his house, and ties her up in an empty, cold, dirty and dark room and tortures her until she eventually dies.
I will include the 5 elements of miss-en-scene, for example: the deserted car park and the antagonists home will be the setting, the knife, rope and weapons will be the iconography. These are typical conventions of a thriller where the audience will feel uncomfortable and anticipate what is going to happen. The lighting i will use will highlight key symbols and objects, however I want the lighting in the car park and room to be low key to create suspense.
The conventions of a thriller i will include are:

• female victim
• male antagonist 
• weapons, such as knives (iconography)
• hidden identity of the antagonist 
• low key lighting 
• reaction shots
• slow editing
• close-ups 

Opening sequence analysis- Miss Georgiou

How does the opening sequence of the film Halloween, inform the audience of the conventions of a thriller film?

The purpose of an opening sequence is to foreshadow what will happen in the film and to set the general theme. The narrative is introduced to the audience which shows the type film it is. An opening thriller sequence should contain credits of director, producers, cast etc, an introduction to characters in the film, iconography that may be used as symbols, clues of who the victim, antagonist or protagonist might be, thriller conventions and the 4 micro elements: cinematography, editing, sound and miss-en-scene. The opening sequence shouldn't give too much away but should include enough information to make the audience keep want to watching the film.

In the opening sequence to Halloween, cinematography is used throughout the sequence to create suspense, surprise and shock for the audience. Cinematography involves camera angles and positions that are used to engage the audience and focus on particular things being shown in the frame. POV is used throughout the sequence which gives a perspective from the antagonist as he walks around/inside the house and as he stabs the victim. This is effective as the antagonist is given a hidden identity which creates suspense and anxiety for the audience. It engages the audience as they experience an outlook from the killers eyes which would make them feel like they are inside the killers sick and twisted head. A high-angle shot is used as the camera zooms out to reveal the little boy standing before his parents in a clown costume, holding the bloody knife which was used to kill the victim. This juxtaposes the previous events in the opening sequence as they were all shown from the antagonists perspective. This leaves the audience shocked and surprised as it is unexpected that the killer is a little boy dressed in a clown costume; would normally suggest innocence. The high-angle is effective as it makes the audience look down on him for what he has just done, as the child would not normally present any danger or threat.


Editing is used in this opening sequence to imply how the audience should react towards the events occurring in the scene. For example, as the antagonist is walking up the stairs to kill his victim, slow editing is used to build tension and suspense as it foreshadows the victims death. This makes the audience worried for the victim as they want to know what is going to happen but the slow editing prevents them from finding out straight away. This gets the audience's minds racing about how the scene is going to end. A reaction shot is displayed, as the mask is taken off of the antagonist; to reveal the little boy. This is conventional to a thriller opening sequence as it shocks the audience leaving them frightened and anticipating what will happen next. This makes them want to keep watching the film. so they can find out what actually happened, as they are left baffled by the little boys reasoning to kill his sister. In the sequence, the tempo increases as the antagonist runs away from the murder he has just committed to imply he is trying to quickly get away. This excites the audience as they grow more eager to know the reasons why the victim has been murdered as they are unknown at this point of the film.

The soundtracks in the opening sequence are essential to ensure it fits the thriller genre, as they create an eerie and tense atmosphere for the audience to experience. For example Off-screen sound is used at the very beginning of the sequence: a children's nursery rhyme is played as the camera is moved towards the house. This acts like a scary chant and foreshadows the unveiling of the antagonists identity; a young boy/child. This makes the audience feel uncomfortable and on edge when watching the rest of the film. The off screen sound adds impact to the scene as it makes the audience members feel tense and causes them to be more jumpy and frightened when something or someone jumps out at them. This is what thriller films aim to do therefore the music is an essential part of a thriller film. Silence is also included in the sequence as the boy is watching through the window at his sister and her partner. This makes the audience feel intense and anxious as they anticipate what is going to happen. The silence highlights how the antagonist doesn't want to be seen and how he remains with a hidden identity, leaving the audience feeling apprehensive and fearful. This hooks the audience as they want to find out the identity of the antagonist. Digetic/parallel sound is used when the antagonsit is stabbing the female victim. The sound of the knife is emphesised as it enters the female victim to encourage the audience to believe it is realitic. This also creates sympathy for the character as they hear the pain she is experiencing and want her to be saved.

The characters in the sequence allow the audience to try to understand what happens in the film, for example through most of the opening sequence the antagonist is displayed with a hidden identity, until the end of the scene. This is demonstrated by the camera as it remains in POV, which creates enigma and suspense for the audience to experience whilst watching. This is convention to a thriller opening sequence, as the audience are left anticipating for the reaveal of the antagonist which makes them feel uncomfortable and anxious. As the character of the antagonist is revealed, the audience experience shock and surprise as they are unsettled by the fact that the killer is a little boy. This leaves the audience questioning why the young boy has killed his older sister which ensures the audience continue watching the film to find out what and why the murder has occured. Having a female victim in the sequence, imediately makes her vunerable and the audience expect something bad to happen to her. This is a typical convention of a thriller as the audience understand a female victim would be easier to kill as she would not have the strength to potentially fight back her killer or protect herself. The audience therefore feel sorry for her as the murder takes place as they realise she is going to die as she cannot defend herself.

The whole narrative of the film is based on halloween, which suggests the film will include connotations such as: costumes, bad things happening, people expecting to be frightened and potentially murder. These themes create shock, surprise and suspense for the audience to experience which they would expect to do so from watching a thriller film. The fact that the film has been awarded a 15+ age certificate suggests that the film will contain blood, death, gore, nudity etc. This implys that the film is not appropriate for those under the age of 15 as they might find the content offending or frightening. The ending of the opening sequence leaves the audience on a cliff hanger, creating an intense atmosphere which makes the audience want to watch the rest of the film.

Overall, the opening sequence for Halloween demonstrates a variety of conventions for a thriller film as it creates suspense, shock and surprise throughout, leaving the audience anticiapating what is going to happen in the film. The use of iconography, such as knives suggests to them how dangerous the antagonist is and displays what he might be capable of; murdering his victim. Watching and analysing this opening sequence has given me an idea of what I could include in my thriller sequence and has identified the conventions that need to be included to allow the audience to experience surprise, suspense and shock.

Research into editing styles- Miss Georgiou

Editing is essential within the thriller genre because it creates shock, surprise and suspense for the audience. The editing consists of the transitions and timings used in the scenes which links them together to make a film that fits together without long breaks in-between each transition.

In this sequence from the thriller film Human Centipede, directed by Tom Six, many editing styles are used to create suspense for the audience, as she tries to escape from the doctor. For example a jump cut is used when the doctor finds the victim in a room, where she has locked herself away and as they scream at each other, it demonstrates a change of viewpoint and location from each character and fosuses on them idividually. Using a straight cut is effective in this scene as it shows the two different situations which creates tension for the audience as they do not know what is going to happen next which will make the audience feel suspense. The audience will have sympathy for the victim as they would not want the doctor to get to her and want her to be safe.
Shot reverse shot is used where the two female victims are in the surgery trying to find a way to escape or survive. The camera follows the conversation bewtween them as one shot quickly follows the other, allowing the audience to understand the conversation and situation the girls are facing. This makes the audience have to think quickly about what is going on which gets their minds racing about what is going to happen next. This makes the audience surprised, epsecially as she manages to get away from the bed.
A straight cut is used when the victim is running down the corridor and then enters a room. This cut demonstrates the change of location which provides the audeince with an understanding of how desperately the victim wants to escape and it also shows how scared she is. The audience will have sympathy for her and therefore will feel the suspense as they do not know if the doctor will find her.
This post will help me when I create my own opening thriller sequence as it will allow me to consider which cuts i could use to make the audience feel shocked or surprised.
 

Research into Sound- Miss Miller

In this sequence from Scream, lots of different sound techniques are used to create surprise, suspense and shock for the audience as they watch the film. One example in this clip, is where the antagonist is on the phone to the victim, and as he threatens her, a non-diegetic technique is used; where music has been added to the scene to create suspense, as the audience feel the atmosphere become tense and anticipate what will happen next.
Diegetic sound is included in the film as the antagonist fights to get through the jammed door as banging and smashing sounds are heard as he hits the door. This makes the actions appear as realistic for the audience which creates shock and suspense and the antagonised tries to get to the victim. The audience would feel scared and worried for the victim as they do not know whether he is going to reach her or not.
Off screen sound is used as the male character, who at first is expected to be the hero, comes through the window to comfort the female victim and a dog barking is heard in the background. No dog is seen on screen in this clip but the barking creates tension for the audience as the chaos is taking place, therefore the dog barking foreshadows how things are going to get worse and are not going to end well. This will make the audience feel uncomfortable as they do not know what will happen to the victim as the film goes on. This technique is a typical convention of a thriller as it keeps the audience guessing what might happen that will cause them to be shocked and surprised.
Parrallel sound is included in this sequence as Sidney, the female victim, attempts to open the front door but the chain is pulled across, making it harder for her to escape easily. The noise of the chain being stuck is emphesised and makes the action seem more realistic as you would expect to hear the rattling of the chain when trying to pull the door open. This demonstrates how desperate she is to escape from the antagonist which builds tension as the audience want to see her escape and get to safety.
Sound is a key convention in a thriller film as it creates suprise, shock and suspense, therefore this post will help me as i create my own thriller opneing sequence as I will need to include lots of different sound techniques to ensure typical conventions of a thriller are displayed.