Question 7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Question 7 from Mattie Goddard

Question 6: What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

To produce our thriller to a high standard we used  a range of technology. The key item of technology was the Canon DSLR camera we used. We had the option of using a standard video camera but we decided to achieve the highest quality of filming we could,we wanted to use a DSLR. Not only did this ensure we achieved high quality shots and overall footage but it enabled a efficient playback allowance. This meant that while filming we could quickly watch footage back to decide whether we needed to re-shoot specific shots there and then, rather than having to wait until we uploaded it prior to editing. Additionally, due to having a auto-focus and manual-focus option, we were able to focus shots ourself to create our desired visual. We were able to shoot some of the footage slightly out of focus and continue to adjust it while actually shooting to create a 'grainy vintage' aesthetic to compliment our film noir style. On a standard camcorder, we would not be able to experiment with the visual and technical elements of the camera itself. Furthermore, the ability to experiment permitted us to be more creative which increased the standard of our work.  From the beginning of the planning process, we knew it would be crucial to use a tripod. This is essentially to create clean, steady high quality shots, yet it also permitted us to be more creative with angles and shot types as we could smoothly change the position of the camera and use more obscure radical angles, with the footage still looking professional and concise due to the absence of camera shakes.  A key technological device we used was a external microphone. Firstly, a large part of our film was shot outside on a reasonably busy road that connects two main roads. This meant that there was a lot of background noise, which was distracting when watching the film and lowered the overall quality. When shooting the scene on the road we used a external microphone to increase the volume of the dialogue, but the microphone picked up the background noise entirely and we realised this when it came to the editing process. So, to eliminate the bad quality dialogue we decided to re-record the sound individually by plugging the microphone into my iPhone and recording a black screen while the actors were speaking. We did this in a quiet classroom with no background noise and had the actors speak directly into the microphone while listening to and watching the footage with original sound so they could achieve the correct timing. We then were able to upload the blank video as a sound file and edit the dialogue simultaneously against the footage as ADR (automatic dialogue replacement). This increased the quality of the sound massively, and we were able to mute the original volume of the clip and add a sound effect of some background traffic noise to make it appear more realistic and natural. From using this technology, I have learnt that it is crucial to have not only a mass amount of footage but also a variety. I have also learnt that sound is almost as important as the actual footage and has to be as high quality as possible in order to create a high standard film. 

For the post-production stage of the process we decided to use the apple software, imovie. This is because my partner Anna has a macbook laptop, therefore it was easily accessible and convenient for us, and we  found it a lot easier to use after experimenting and testing Premier Pro software. A major element that assisted us in the post production stage was the use of sound editing. As previously mentioned, we had to focus on sound in our film massively. With imovie we were easily able to reduce the volume percentage of background noise in some clips and even mute it. There was also a tool which allowed us to increase the dialogue in clips specifically rather than the whole soundscape in that certain clip. Again as mentioned beforehand, we were able to use basic editing tools that permitted us to edit ADR onto the film to improve the quality of the soundscape. To aid the film noir theme of our film we used the colour editing tool to add a monochrome filter onto the footage. At first we decided to only do this in selected clips in the film, however after watching it back the contrasts between colour and monochrome looked disorderly and messy so we decided to adjust the colouring entirely.  Another technique we used that helped us massively in terms of aesthetics and practicality was increasing the speed of certain clips. Initially, we decided to do this as our film went over the timing allowance and we were yet to add title sequences and so on. But after experimenting with the paces of different clips we decided it added to the narrative of the film. For example, in the final scene where Angelo is panicking prior to the phone call, where he is flicking through his bible, we decided to increase the speed of the clip so he appears extremely frantic and hysterical. Due to being over the time allowance, we also cut the majority of the clips to fit the time allowance. We used a lot of quick cuts between clips, this is a common technique used in thriller films, it consists of a short duration of consecutive shots. Fast cutting can be crucial in implying tension and suspense, which is consequently reflected by the audiences feelings.

On my blog I have used a wide range of presentational devices. Examples of this are essays, mind-maps, powerpoints and prezi's. I have embedded the latter few onto my blog by using websites such as slideshare. I found prezi's extremely helpful when executing large pieces of writing  as it is a unique, efficient way of presenting a lot of information and it is also engaging for the reader. Similarly with powerpoints, you are able to break down large pieces of writing into more concise, clear points. Moreover, photo's and video clips can be easily inserted into powerpoint or prezi slides which was extremely helpful in my research when analysing screenshots or video clips of films in great depth. Mind-maps produced on word documents which were later uploaded to my blog were helpful for some stages of the planning process, such as my initial ideas post. I was able to use text boxes and arrows to divide different information/points and additionally create links and add further information/explanation in a clear and structured way that would be aesthetically pleasing to the reader.

During the research stage of this coursework, the internet played a pivotal part. I was easily able to research codes and conventions of the thriller genre, and the context of this genre. An example of this would be when we were set an independent study task and I decided to research the role of women in film noir; there were many different articles available on this topic that were easily accessible and included a wide range of information and opinions from experts of film. I consistently used youtube, which was a highly valuable resource when searching for an array of different clips to analyse for each of the tasks; camerawork in thrillers, motifs in thrillers etc. Technology was also a prime part of the planning process, when dividing up the group tasks or working on them together we were able to use email to ensure we both had a copy of each task and could send feedback to each other instantly and without fuss or hesitation- this made the whole process quicker and efficient. When completing the mind-map of initial ideas microsoft one drive was used simultaneously by myself and Anna so we were both able to work on a piece of work together and even at the same time if needed.  Using mobile phones were also helpful when gathering ideas for the location of our film, as the filming location was on my road I was able to easily and quickly take photos on the way to school and then upload them to my blog using a USB chord. Finally, texting and social media such as Facebook was helpful when we were completing work outside of school, so we were able to stay in touch and keep each other aware of our own progress, as well as planning shoot dates and so on. 








SCREENSHOTS

1) Due to more advanced technology, we were able to produce high quality shots and interesting, concise composition.

  

 2) As we used a tripod we were able to shoot obscure, interesting shots and angles whilst making the camera steady ensuring a professional look and high quality.

Question 5: How did you attract/address your audience?

Question 4: Who would be the audience for your media product?

Question 3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Question 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Our thriller portrays multiple social groups. Predominantly, our representations are rather simplistic and easy to grasp, furthermore, the characters can be easily categorised and identified in the different social groups. However, the character of Angelo, the protagonist of the film is a critically complex character with a high amount of depth and conflicting personality traits. For example, at times it is hard to identify him or categorise him into a specific social group as such, due to his complex character and the fact that he is, in my opinion, represented in numerous ways and could conform to a number of different social groups at different parts of the film. The character played by Annie, the antagonist of the film is represented in a simplistic way, this is because she is meant to be an extremely relate-able character and to some extents, a 'simplistic' character. I feel that binary opposites could be identified in our film, such as the binary opposite of antagonist vs protagonist. However, we hadn't intended to portray this and for this to be evident in our film. This is because there is never any direct, active conflict between the two characters, there is only what could be interpreted as tension between the two characters when the exchange of the bible takes place. However, I think this is just confusion on both behalf's of the two characters, as the exchange is in a sense awkward. In addition, it could be said that there is a binary opposite of  boy vs girl, but this isn't relevant due to no conflict being based upon the two characters genders, there was never any literal intention for Annie to be weaker than Angelo based on the fact she is female, yet this could be interpreted this way be audience members and offers broader contextual links in terms of how the character's genders are represented. I believe the representation of social groups are putting the audience in multiple positions. For example, I believe the character of Annie is approachable as the representation of the social groups she could be identified as in a progressive, realistic, contemporary way. For example, I believe when her character is introduced and shown she seems extremely approachable and the way she is presented is  refreshing, particularly as it contrasts the dark narrative of the film. The representation of Angelo, in my opinion places the audience in an extremely inconsistent and contrasting position. It is evident he is a devious criminal, however, his mental instability is also apparent. Therefore, his representation is neither explicitly challenging nor regressive. This is because he is both conforming to the stereotype of youths being aggressive and deviant, (in a more extreme way) but also places him in a light that shows him as vulnerable and perhaps even weak to some people. 

The male character in the film ,Angelo,isn't emasculated, as such. I believe he is portrayed as a character who is confused about his identity and has inappropriate beliefs and sexual desires, as shown when he strokes the deceased face of his victim and then places a ring on her wedding finger. I feel as if he had never been in control, in everyday life and sexually/romantically and this is his first feeling of it as he appears smug yet almost overwhelmed and excited. Due to being under strict control by the cult in his everyday life he appears confused about what to do. It is almost as if he is able to explore and experiment, as it's his first time being around a woman,alone. During the exchange of the bible it is blatant that he has difficulty socialising, and when his victim is there lifeless, he doesn't have to worry about socialising or how he is viewed by her, he just has control.To the audience, his actions towards his victim seem immediately wrong and would cause them to feel uncomfortable due to the overall moral wrong shown. However, the sexual nature of his actions and apparent intentions place the audience in a awkward, almost voyeuristic position. Due to the vulnerability shown in Angelo's character towards the end of the film opening, it would change the views of the audience towards him and stray away from the idea of him being a villainous criminal and more towards the attitude of him being a troubled, damaged and unwell boy. Annie's character isn't presented as extremely feminine, yet appears happy and confident in herself. Due to the film noir style of our film, Annie's character isn't conforming to any of the typical female roles (femme fatale, the good woman, the marrying type) which again, deems her as refreshing and this would be rejuvenating for the audience. Although, this is arguably why she is a victim to Angelo, as she doesn't fit in his authoritarian, confined, uncompromising lifestyle. I feel like in the bathroom scene she is being sexualised as Angelo has deep-rooted, revealed desires. The two characters in this film are polar opposites in terms of personality and gender. Angelo is a mysterious, disturbing, unsettled boy whilst Annie is a positive,  joyful friendly young girl; they have entirely 'rival' personalities. At first thought, the gender of the characters seems irrelevant to the narrative and context of the film, however once you explore this, it conforms to negative and regressive stereotypes of both genders. For example, the female character is weak and victimised whilst the male is powerful and in control. It is arguable that parts of the content represent gender as being a key issue and having relevance in terms of significance. Consequently, a key theme of the film is power and the power shift between the two characters, and this is arguable whether their genders are relevant to this. There is a clear balance of equality between the two characters at the beginning and then this abruptly changes to Angelo being dominant and powerful. 

Our film communicates how it can be living in contemporary Britain. For example, with reference to the character of Annie it is representative of how even the worst things can happen to anyone, unexpectedly. With recent studies showing that woman are more vulnerable to becoming homicide victims than men and overall crime and violence to woman in England and Wales reaching a record high, it is evident woman, especially young woman (like Annie) are at high risk. Concerning the character of Angelo, his mental instability is distinct throughout the film. Examples include his difficulty socialising, the crime he commits in itself, his treatment towards his deceased victim and finally, his mental state at the end of the film which appears as a type of a cathartic episode. It is apparent that Angelo has had no diagnosis or help for his mental health, he just try's to continue on with life. Contextually, this is representative of the lack of mental health care available to young people and the failing services. With the rate of suicide and non diagnosed mental health problems in young men particularly being critically high, it shows that although Angelo seems 'odd' he is just a victim of these statistics. There also a compelling correlation between males with mental health problems and males who commit crimes and are in prison. A website about males mental health (1) states that males make up 95% of the prison population and 72% of those males are mentally unwell. The position Angelo is in would prompt the audience to empathise with him more due to his downfall at the end of the film. As both characters are of a similar age there is no binary opposition or differentiation of portrayal between age groups. Owing to the fact that multiple social issues (specifically applicable to young people) are explored in this film clip, I feel that the audience are therefore placed in a position of being educated about current issues surrounding young people in today's society, it would therefore give them a sense of attainment and hopefully encourage them to research some of the subjects touched upon and leave them feeling well informed. Due to the dark narrative of the film this would cause some relief to the audience. On the contrary, a older audience group may feel completely alienated from the youth of today due to issues they may perhaps be unaware of. 

I feel that despite the old, film noir style of our film it is a product of its time. As mentioned earlier, some of the topics explored in our film are current to today's society. As film noir was representative of a time of critical despair, our film hypothetically takes inspiration from the philosophy of film noir. This is because it portrays the struggles and 'times of despair' for today's young people, it is almost a microcosm for some of the issues in society today.
Throughout the film, there is never a direct reference/any wider evidence of the characters social class, due to this the audience can only assume, therefore reinforcing the fact that there social class has no deeper meaning or relevance to the narrative of the film. Furthermore, there is no information presented about the characters in terms of background, education, heritage, money and so on.l However, due to the power shift previously mentioned there is a hierarchy of the two characters, in favour of Angelo. It could be argued that his smart costume is representative of his status, as the assumption when someone wears a suit is that they are in a high position of power or have a high status. Although, due to other factors about the character of Angelo, such as his age, background and on the whole, his self-presentation- these override the potential social status he has. I don't think there is any reflection of aspiration and/or social mobility in our film. Firstly, there isn't a wide range of  social groups presented in our film, and the two social groups that are presented (male and female) have a victim/attacker relationship therefore aren't socially mobilising. Finally, there is no evidence of prejudice or discrimination within the film due to the lack of binary opposition, direct conflict and variety of social groups. 

When looking at Vladimir Props character types, Angelo identifies in some way as his 'villain'. This is applicable due to his dark clothing and crime committing. Having said this, it is debatable whether Angelo fits smoothly into this bracket, as previously mentioned. The case studies I researched while planning the film that include character types helped influence the representation. An example of this would be in Kill List, where the 'villains' are particularly socially awkward and introverted, they are also evidently mentally unstable. This ultimately helped us a lot when deciding how we wanted Angelo's character represented and portrayed.








(1) http://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/men-and-mental-health-stats.html  

Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

The title of our film is 'Ascendancy' and it is a Psychological Thriller, with a Film Noir style. 

Question 1 from Mattie Goddard

Thriller Opening Final Production - Ascendancy

Explanation Of Planning

All of the group planning tasks have been equally distributed between myself and my partner Anna Dunbar. When deciding who did what we discussed and took into consideration what our strengths and weaknesses were, and the workload of each task so we would have a balanced workload between us. The individual tasks were both done with minimal consultation as we needed to use our own ideas to complete these tasks. In terms of group tasks Anna did the shooting schedule, the plot synopsis, the script, the selection of actors. I did the pitch, costume planning, location decision and the storyboard. We both took on the role of creating the initial ideas mind map, as we did it when initially discussing our ideas for the film. 

This post has been written by Mattie Goddard.

Costumes

In terms of planning costumes, we wanted completely opposing looks for the two characters. At the beginning of the film, in the bathroom/'funeral' scene we want the character Angelo to be dressed smartly, as if dressed for a funeral, here is a sketch of the potential and ideal costume:




We managed to source the clothes to create this costume; a white shirt, a red tie, black trousers, a black pinstriped jacket with a black fedora hat.

This is what Arthur's character, Angelo will be wearing as well as the jacket
and fedora hat.

We have chosen this costume idea as it links with the narrative of the film. We have the idea of the bathroom scene being Angelo's own personal funeral for his victim. The darkness of the suit he is wearing correlates the darkness of his character and his past and future actions. The white colour of the shirt under the jacket is symbolic of his underlying purity that gets consumed by the darkness of his suit and the metaphorical darkness. Furthermore, the red tie is symbolic of the danger he is about to be engrossed into, almost as if it is a indistinct symbol. 




For the character Annie Floyd is playing, we decided to let her chose her own costume and wear her own clothes. This is because she is playing a more vulnerable 'normal' character that the audience are hopefully going to relate to as she is a realistic character. This is why we made the decision for her to choose her own costume, as it would appear more naturalistic as she is essentially playing a character not majorly different to herself.

This post has been written by Mattie Goddard.

Inter-Textual References

A pivotal text that has inspired our idea for the plot of our film is Ben Wheatley's psychological thriller, Kill List (2011). The part that inspired us is the plot of a cult controlling people and interrupting/ hindering elements of everyday lives. We chose this film because we were interested in the contextual links it held, such as the exploration of religious cults, yet in a modern day, contemporary setting. 

Furthermore, the distress and discomforting unpleasantness I felt while watching some of the scenes in this film otherwise inspired me to replicate a similar effect on our audience when they watched our thriller opening.  Our personal aim is to simultaneously make the audience feel disturbed yet create a hooking opening to our thriller film so despite their discomfort they continue to watch the film. A specific detail from kill list we plan to use is the protagonists discovery of a cults symbol on their personal property, which triggers a climax and the realisation for the protagonist of what is happening. Furthermore, we have taken inspiration from the literal design itself. 

This post has been written By Mattie Goddard

Title Sequence

The font of the opening credits in a film is crucial when introducing  the film in the opening sequence. The font type compliments the introduction of factors such as the genre, themes and mood of the film. In addition, there is also a strong correlation to the plot of the film as well as links to the narrative.

As said before, it is crucial that the correct font type is used. If the wrong type of font is used then it may create a opposing or a misleading impression of the film. For example, if we were to use a light and soft font with a low density (see below) it would convey the wrong meaning. In addition, it wouldn't correlate with the simplicity of the shots and the colour balancing 

ASCENDANCY 

After experimenting with a variety of font types and styles, we decided on using a simplistic font found on microsoft word called 'Adobe Fan Heiti Std B'. We chose this font because of its bold yet simplistic appearance, it also compliments and correlates well with the connotations of the word. By placing spaces in between each letter it increases the coherence associated with the word in a subtle way. 

A S C E N D A N C Y

This post has been written by Mattie Goddard

Shooting Schedule

Shooting schedule 1 from Anna Dunbar

This post was written by Anna Dunbar

Soundscape

From the beginning of our planning process, we were certain that we wanted to include non-diegetic sound. We ideally wanted a specific score for the film as we felt it would be more effective.  Furthermore, we knew a score would be crucial in terms of setting an atmosphere and mood for our film. We have decided to use the score in the opening scene of the film and are debating whether to cut and edit parts of it in the rest of the film. 

The score will additionally contribute to the elimination of any background noise, as we are shooting on a road in part of the film and it is inevitable that there will be mass background noise of traffic and so forth. By being able to mute the natural sound of some of our footage, and then editing on a score, the focus will be on the visuals; as there will be no distraction of irrelevant background noise, therefore our film will look and appear more professional. 

We are using a score that a friend has produced himself, (https://soundcloud.com/prodot) in response to the title, 'Ascendancy'. He has produced this piece specifically for our film, therefore has given permission for us to use it. The themes behind this score is to create a tense and eerie atmosphere, in order to both conform to the thriller genre as well as creating a intense effect on the audience. By using it in the opening scene, it will hopefully foreshadow the dark plot of the film. 

In addition, we will also be using silence as part of the non-digetic soundscape, this enables the atmosphere to be contributed as well as the audience being left with a feeling of unpredictability and cautiousness. Silence is crucial to building tension and adding effect to simplistic shots, and makes these stand out more, in terms of narrative and camerawork.

The piece of music we are using is called 'Ascendancy' : 

(click on the sound symbol)

Media from Mattie Goddard


This post was written by Mattie Goddard

Location and Mise-en-scene

Location from Mattie Goddard

Written by Mattie Goddard

The Script

Opening scene: Angelo enters the bathroom, dead girl is in a bath, Angelo stairs into mirror – blank expression, turns to girl, lays flowers on her and strokes her hair and leaves room.

(2 WEEKS PREVIOUS)

Second scene: Leaves house, walks down street, bumps into women and he drops his wallet on the floor

Woman: Oh god, I’m sorry

(Both lean down to pick up wallet, woman hands wallet to him, he stairs intensely at her)

Finn: No need to apologise…it’s completely fine

(Finn stands there watching as woman hastily walks away, whilst there is a man in the background of the shot, carefully watching)

Third scene: Angelo is walking back from the shop, carrying shopping bag in empty car park, he walks towards the corner of the car park and sinks down into the corner and begins to play with the stones on the floor and using them to make specific symbols, he then picks up a child’s toy and crushes it in his hands, tries to pull it apart, walks back to house

Fourth scene: Angelo is sitting in his bedroom surrounded by candles, staring at pictures of his family, when he picks up a picture he hears voices of his family

Written By Anna Dunbar 

Selecting the Actors

We chose two a-level drama students for our film to achieve a higher level of realism of the characters that we wanted to portray. We chose Annie Floyd to play the more vulnerable character due to the fact she looks more innocent and therefore will provoke more of a reaction from the audience if the innocent looking character's life is in jeopardy. For our second character we chose Arthur Vaughan-Myhill who we believe could play the more sinister role of the film due to the scruffy appearance and cold emotion he could show.  

(Written By Anna Dunbar)

Arthur Myhill

Arthur as 'Angelo'

Title Explanation - Ascendancy

By definition,our title, ascendancy means 'occupation of a position of dominant power or influence'. This was decided as our group mind-mapped ideas around power, evil and authority. We explored different words, themes and phrases surrounding these themes. Due to the plot having a theme of cult influence on a innocent, vulnerable boy we thought this title connoted the plot and themes of our film well. The image we wanted to create was the power shift between the protagonist and the invisible antagonists. The sibilance of the word Ascendancy creates a harsh, irregular and rather prominent sound when spoken aloud which compliments the mysterious, unknown plot of the film. This would ensure the audience are intrigued yet nervous and cautious due to the element of 'unknown' surrounding the title.   

This post was written by Mattie Goddard

Initial Ideas

Initial ideas from Mattie Goddard



By Anna Dunbar and Mattie Goddard

The Pitch and Plot Synopsis

A S E N D E N C Y

This film is about a severely troubled boy who gradually gets influenced in daily life by a cult. The consequences of this are relentlessly drastic.

Angelo is a young adult, troubled by past traumatic experiences in his life which has now impacted him for the worst. This troubled boy is deeply involved with an unnerving cult, which leads him to being forced into horrific and psychologically disturbing crimes. Who is the leader of this sinister cult? Will Angelo ever escape from his traumatic thoughts and the unknown cult group?  Encountered by chilling murders and horrifically dark tasks forced upon Angelo, is this enviably the end of his psychological wellbeing? And what does this entail?

Pitch Written by Mattie Goddard

Plot synopsis written by Anna Dunbar

Camerawork in 'The Texas chainsaw massacre'

Camerawork in thrillers from Mattie Goddard

Motifs in Thriller films: 'Psycho'

 A motif is a recurring subject, theme, image or idea found in a literary, musical or artistic work such as in theatre or film. Through repetition, motifs can aid the production of narrative aspects throughout a film, such as themes or atmosphere. In film, motifs have significance. Some motifs may be obvious, some may be heavily entwined into a film.

'Psycho', directed in 1960 by Alfred Hitchcock, is one of the most iconic and famous thriller films of all time.

One of the most evident motifs in Psycho is the motif of eyes. This motif is symbolic of the theme of voyeurism throughout the film; Hitchcock is making the audience feel slightly uncomfortable, the film is showing us things we shouldn't be seeing. An example of this is during Marion's journey to California, when she gets woken by an officer on the side of the road, he wears intimidating, dark glasses and as he stares into the camera it makes both Marion and the audience extremely uncomfortable. Due to the blackness of his eyes he has a skull-like appearance, that is similar to the corpse of Mrs Bates; eyeless yet omniscient and omni-potent. 

Continuing the theme of voyeurism through the motif of eyes, Norman watches Marion getting undressed through the peephole in the wall, after he has removed a painting from the wall, there is an extreme close-up of his eye, involving us in his inappropriate secret. In this scene, Norman's eye sees the same thing we see as an audience, putting us in norman's perspective and watching 'with him'.

What Norman see's: Marion getting undressed.

Norman's reaction to what he see's: captivated, hooked
and obsessed.

When Marion has been brutally killed we are shown a close up on her lifeless eye, connoting the image of Mrs Bates eye sockets, both women have had a mass downfall after becoming too close with Norman, they threatened the dangerous part of him. It is as if he ended their lives brutally to escape judging eyes. Eyes are also crucial when seeing what a character see's and how they react as it infers their emotion but also enables the audience to feel more connected to the characters by having a 'joint view'. On numerous occasions we are shown what the character see's, then there reaction. Again, with Norman looking through the peep-hole. Furthermore, eyes reveal and hide a characters motivation, such as the hidden eyes of the officer, we are unaware what his thoughts are. 

Establishing shot of Psycho.

Another reoccurring motif in Psycho are birds. Hitchcock uses this motif to outline the theme of isolation. Firstly, as we are told in the opening credits in the establishing shot of the film, the film is set in Phoenix Arizona. This may seem irrelevant to some, but a phoenix is a mythological bird, that has unusual powers. A phoenix sets fire to itself when it is old and dies in the ashes, and from the ashes a new phoenix is born. This could be symbolic of Norman's split personalities, and how throughout the film he abruptly switches between himself and his mother, like a new character is being reborn again and again, similarly to a phoenix. The way this motif is immediate in the film highlights the importance of it and perhaps Hitchcock's urge for people to recognise this reoccurring motif and the symbolism behind it, so when the motif is later repeated in the film, they think back to the initial motif. When Norman and Marion eat dinner, he describes the way she eats as 'like a bird', this then triggers him to inform her he knows a lot about the taxidermy of birds, but is unaware on their activity when alive. In addition, this foreshadows that she will become a victim of his, similar to the stuffed birds that are surrounding them while they eat. This would cause the audience to become highly suspicious of him as a character, as the way he mentioned death of a living being so casually. This is also a indicator of Norman not being able to function socially with normal society or bluntly; living people. This correlates with how he couldn't function with his mother and is only able to communicate with her,dead, stuffed corpse- similar to the birds. The motif of birds also links to the motif of eyes. Hitchcock has given two of the stuffed birds; the Crow and the Owl an individual shot.   

Norman is aware that like the corpse of his mother,the birds jet-black, soulless eyes are constantly watching him, seeing everything he does and judging him. It is almost as if his own guilt,sanity and morals are trapped behind the deceased birds eyes, and all these good elements of Norman are gone, with the birds lives. To conclude, the motifs in Psycho are crucial when including symbolism and foreshadowing what is to come and the fate of certain characters. They are used boldly and effectively with heightened depth and symbolism to them. 

Sound in Thrillers

How is sound used in 'Se7en' to create Tension?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1giVzxyoclE

The first obvious sounds in this film clip from seven is the diegetic sound of the low rumble of the helicopter propellers and the sound of the flick knife blade, and then the cutting of the box. This would emphasise the fact someone is about to be harmed or killed, making the audience on edge and alert of the danger thats about to happen. There’s also the use of ambient sound, such as the birds tweeting in the background, which juxtaposes the dark story of the film, this juxtaposition would make the audience confused at the change in mood and therefore create more tension as they would be waiting for the next bad thing to happen. Furthermore, the light-hearted sound of the birds tweeting in such a dark, depressing setting is extremely sinister and confusing. When the opening of the box happens, there’s a dramatic change of pitch and rhythm when the character played by Morgan Freeman realises the box contains something horrifically unexpected…the head of his accomplices pregnant wife. The background noise is non-diegetic, consisting of a single underlying high pitched, eerie note. High pitched notes usually trigger a instant, alert reaction and creates a heightened sense of the event, in this case; a heightened sense of tension. 

The foreground noise is a repetitive thudding chord, with an increasing tempo and volume.The use of this uncomfortable sound increases the suspense and tension for the audience, keeping them hooked on the events unfolding, and causing them to feel anxious. This foreshadows the climax, and is used to tell the audience how to feel, by building up to the overwhelming end of the film. The audience may respond to the soundscape with uncertainty, not knowing what is going to happen next due to the unpredictable sounds – i.e cutting to the loud sound of the helicopter propellers, back to the dialogue, as well as the use of the low yet prominent thudding contrasting with the high pitched note in the background. The use of sound conforms to the conventions of a thriller film, because it successfully builds up dramatic tension and uncertainty. The sinister sounds, reflect the menacing serial killer and the dark events which unfold. Throughout the scene, there’s a limited use of editing techniques, for example it doesn’t include sound bridging, because the sounds jump along with the cuts of the scene. However, there’s a clear use of overlaying of sound with the contrasting deep thudding and high pitched tone. Synchronous sounds are used, for example when the character played by Morgan Freeman is showed using the flick knife, there is the clear sound of this as well as when he opens the box. This is used to exaggerate this dramatic climax, and to have the audiences’ full attention on what is happening in the scene.

Textual Analysis of 'Taken'

 Mattie Goddard

What is the purpose of a film's opening sequence?

Essentially, the purpose of a film's opening sequence is to entice the audience to continue watching the film, this is done by a number of methods. Firstly, the opening sequence to a film always includes a establishing shot; to set the scene and inform the audience where the film is set. In Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho' (1960), the establishing shot is a series of crane and zooming long shots at a oblique angle of a american cityscape and finally ends on an eye level shot zooming into the window of a hotel. From this the audience is clearly shown that the film is set in a urban city setting, which immediately connotes mystery and the series of shots has a uneasy nature, making the audience feel uncomfortable and tense. The busy city setting also connotes the key theme's of film noir (it is set in busy industrial cities), which are crime, secrecy and deviance. 

Psycho

The Silence of the Lambs

A key purpose of a opening sequence is to introduce the characters of the film, specifically the protagonist. In Jonathan Demme's 'The silence of the lambs' (1991) the establishing shot is of the protagonist, Agent Starling's face, abruptly followed by a tracking shot of her in the centre third of the shot, running and completing a obstacle course; evidently training. This introduces her to audience, ensuring they are aware that she is the main character, hence her being in the establishing shot. The diegetic sound of the protagonist panting infers she is a hard worker, therefore the opening sequence is including subtle narrative behind this character. Including evident and hidden information about a character in the opening sequence is a simple yet effective way of immediately involving the audience and giving them a insight on the character's personality or life, ensuring the rest of the film makes sense.  

Pulp Fiction

Thirdly, the opening sequence to a film can also reinforce the genre of the film to the audience. For example in Quentin Tarantino's 'Pulp Fiction' (1994) the opening shot is a low angle still photograph of the two main characters aggressively pointing guns to a subject behind the character, the two characters look extremely angry and powerful, and the low angled shot contributes to this, making them look larger and therefore more powerful. The fact the two characters are holding and pointing guns, ready to shoot instantly tells the audience that the film is a crime thriller. Furthermore, anticipation is built as the audience are unsure of what will happen next, this establishing shot also introduces the key themes of the film which are violence and loyalty. 

The Sixth Sense-  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyCqv7ReKz4 

Prior to the opening scene, the opening sequence of The Sixth Sense, directed by M Night Shyamalan, includes approximately three minutes of opening credits. There is also a piece of music from the score, composed by James Newton Howard, this piece of music is evidently non-diegetic and builds in pace and pitch therefore increasing tension and intensity  the audience would feel as the sequence goes on. The fact that the opening credits last for the majority of the opening sequence creates tension and sets the atmosphere for the film as the audience don't know what's to expect due to the prolonged beginning of the opening scene. The opening scene consists of a establishing shot of a naked light bulb in a cellar slowly turning on and flickering to light, this light is diegetic and we are later shown that this is the key light in the shot. The shot then changes to one of the two protagonists wife climbing down the stairs and entering the murky cellar. She hastily looks and then reaches for a bottle of wine. While doing so she cautiously looks around the room, shivering and then frantically runs up the stairs. The eye-level shot of the dimly lit light bulb immediately reinforces the genre of the film to the audience; which is a supernatural thriller/horror. The light bulb looks similar to a orb; the spherical shapes of coloured light people always find in photo's, which are supposedly only found in photos taken in haunted places or places with the supernatural present. This is symbolic of the supernatural and the presence of ghosts. Secondly, it foreshadows the plot, while re-enforcing the genre; as there are supernatural forces throughout the film. Furthermore, it implies the exceptional ability of the protagonist, Cole Sear to see ghosts, while informing the audience that the only people who are aware of the supernatural in this film are Cole and the audience. This use of dramatic irony sustains the interest of the audience, it creates a contrast between the instant situation and what will follow, triggering curiosity amongst the audience. 'By allowing the reader and audience to know more things ahead of the characters, the irony puts the reader and audience superiorly above the characters and encourages them to hope, to fear, and anticipate the moment when the character would find out the truth behind the situations and events of the story'. (1)  


When the character of Anna Crowe has entered the cellar, the hard lighting casts harsh shadows of her body, which is positioned in a rigid, intimidated way, on the wall behind her. When she shivers, the mysterious atmosphere is implied and set for the rest of the film. Secondly, during the opening scene one of the themes is initiated; harsh lighting and cold temperature. The change in Anna's facial expression, from contentment to discomfort and hyper-vigilant reoccurs throughout the film for other characters.  

The character of Anna Crowe is evidently quite wealthy. She is wearing a long, elaborate dress similar to a ball gown. She is also well made up, with red lipstick, long earrings and styled hair. Anna's colourful, elegant dress and clear, porcelain complexion is prominent and opposes her jet-black,unlit shadow. This could be interpreted as foreshadowing her downfall that occurs later in the film, as a symbol of her 'ghost to be' .Our first introduction to this character, is her entering a large cellar, implying she has a large house. In addition, she is also choosing a bottle of wine, from a collection of bottles. These factors all highlight her wealth,and middle/upper class life and infer a wealthy setting. To conclude, the opening of The Sixth Sense establish the theme and genre of the supernatural, and the tense, frightening atmosphere of the film.



To conclude, the purpose of a films opening sequence is to introduce characters and narrative so the audience are informed of some 'background information' and can grasp an understanding of the characters personalities and lives. Another purpose is to introduce setting/location of the film, this is so the audience can grasp a wider understanding of the context of the film, for example. These elements help reinforce the genre and introduce themes of the film to the audience, to ultimately ensure the audience are enticed by the film and continue watching it. 

(1) http://typesofirony.com/dramatic-irony/