Research: Sound - Mrs. Quinlan

Sound

What is sound and why is it important?

Sound is one of the most vital micro elements in a movie. It is what the audience can hear, it can be people talking, music and sound effects. Sound is used to create understanding for the audience and to create more meaning about the character and their emotions. As well as this it is used to create the appropriate response from the audience parallel with the scene. There are two types of sound which are diegetic sound and non-diegetic sound. Sound is extremely important as it can manipulate the way the audience react to a scene, if the audience were to watch a thriller film without sound they would have a completely different reaction.

Sound definitions and examples

There are two main types of sound that are used to define the others, diegetic and non-diegetic sound. In total there are six different sounds as well as diegetic and non diegetic, there is also on screen and off screen, parallel and contrapuntal sound. Diegetic sound is sound which is part of the film, such as dialogue, music from a radio or jukebox. Diegetic sound can either be on or off screen. Non diegetic sound is sound that is not part of the film, it is usually added on post-production, a soundtrack or voice over is an example of this. Characters in the film are not able to hear non-diegetic sound.

In this scene from Nightcrawler (2014), diegetic sound is part of the film world, the characters can hear it too. Diegetic sound is evident from the dialogue between the two characters in the car, as well as the roaring from the engine and later on, the horn from the other cars as they speed into oncoming traffic. This creates excitement for the audience and uncertainty as they have an idea of what speed the characters are going at, therefore not knowing when they'll end up.

This scene from American Psycho (2000), there is clear representation of non-diegetic sound, this is sound which is not part of the film world, such as the soundtrack, sound effects and voiceovers. There is a voiceover throughout the scene and there is also on-screen sound (the shower), which is when we can see where the sound is coming from. This makes the audience feel as if they can hear the man's thought or that they are directly talking to them, depending on how the audience perceive the dialogue they may believe that the character is crazy as they are talking to themselves so much.

Off screen sound is evident in this clip from Insidious (2011), off-screen sound is sound that you can hear but don't know where it is coming from. At 0:34 you can hear banging which the characters in the scene clearly aren't aware of what is causing it, this makes them curious and has the same effect as the audience as we don't know what is making the banging noise. This can create a suspenseful or scared reaction from the audience.

In this clip from The Departed (2006) there is a train passing over the bridge which is evident of parallel sound, this is sound that is expected. This makes the audience feel as if they are in the same environment as the characters, giving them a feel of the setting as they can hear all the sounds around. In this example the audience feel as if they are in the car with the characters.

This scene from Reservoir Dogs (1992) shows contrapuntal sound which is sound that is not expected from the scene. The scene shows a character dancing to quite an upbeat song while holding a blade and there is a dead body on the floor, as well as a tied up man who is bleeding. This can give the audience a confused reaction as well as associating the dancing character with madness as he seems to be happy during a distressing scene.

Scene analysis

This is a scene from The Dark Knight Rises (2012) which contains a lot of different types of sound. From the start of the scene we can observe on-screen sound which is coming from the police siren as the engine in roaring and the car is moving at a high speed. This creates excitement for the audience as the sound is loud and fast paced. Also at 1:35 to 1:38 there is an example of diegetic sound from the police radio, we are able to hear the radio but not see it. This gives the audience the feeling they are in the car with the characters as they can hear the sound they cannot see. At 3:10 there is an explosion from the gun that Batman uses which is an example of parallel sound, we can observe the explosion and the reactions it causes therefore it is also on screen sound.

Conclusion

To conclude, I have decided to use off screen and on screen sound, due to the varied audience reactions it will give me, off screen and non diegetic sound can provide a lot of suspense when something is happening, for example banging noises which confuse the characters and by extension, the audience. In addition to this I will use parallel sound to create the atmosphere for the viewers and there will be minimal use of contrapuntal sound for a tense reaction.

Research: Editing - Miss Begum

Editing

Intro: What is editing and why is it important in films?

Editing in film is one of the most important processes that a film goes through post production, an editor works with raw footage, selecting shots and combining the sequences to make a finished motion picture. In the process of editing, an editor usually works closely with the director and possibly the producer to correctly create the visualisation the director had when shooting the film. Editing can have different effects on the audience, editing can be used for jump scares to scare the audience, or it can be used to make a smooth transition from one scene to another.

Key terms in Editing

Straight Cut: A straight cut is one of the most basic film transitions when the first shot abruptly ends and the next shot begins. This shows progression in the scene without confusing the viewer.

 

In this scene from The Dark Knight Rises (2012), there are multiple used of straight cuts to show that there is a lot going on. For example from 2:40 onward, there are uses of a straight cut from the device to a long shot where we can see a lot of police approaching.

Montage: A montage is a series of shots that are shown in rapid succession to condense space, time and information. It shows the viewer the progression of time and the impact it has on the individual on screen.

In this scene from Psycho (1960), there is evidence of a montage to condense time as the woman in  the shower is being attacked. The shots follow quickly after each other so the audience know something is happening to the woman, the montage cuts to the knife and back to the woman in rapid succession, as well as us not being able to see the attackers face, which creates tension for the viewer.

Shot reverse shot: Where one character is shown looking at another character, often off screen or over the shoulder.

In this scene from True Story (2015) there are uses of shot reverse shots to portray the two characters conversation. As one of them says something the other characters reaction is seen due to the shot reverse shot.

Invisible/continuity editing:  Showing the change of a scene to make it seem as if it was shot all in one take.

Continuity editing is used in this scene from Goodfellas (1990), during the dinner scene as a character is speaking, their voice is still heard as the camera cuts to those who are not speaking, to reveal their reactions to the main conversation. 

Slow editing: Slowing down frames to give emphasis on what is happening on screen.

Slow editing is used in this scene from Inception (2010), from 1:48 there are multiple explosions and cuts to those explosions, they are shown in slow motion for the audience to see the full scale of them, in addition to cutting to a long shot where the audience can see the surrounding area and observe the explosions. 

Reaction shot: Cutting to the reaction of an individual, usually a close up shot.

This scene from Interstellar (2014) shows multiple reaction shots while the main character is watching videos of his family speaking to him indirectly. There are cuts to his face as they are speaking so the audience understand his reactions.

Editing and transitions generally have different effects. Editing can be used to portray a change in the same scene, whereas transitions can be used a change in setting, or a change in scene completely.

Fade to black: Transition shot that makes the scene fade to black, using a filter.

In this scene from The Grudge (2004), there is a use of fade to black at 1:13 which shows the transition from the flashback to the current situation, it cuts to a reaction shot of the woman trying to help the man who appears to be in shock or hurt. The fade to black and sudden cut to the reaction shot gives the audience a fearful reaction as we cut to the woman looking at something crawling down the stairs, this scene combines the transition and the reaction shot to get a chilling reaction from the audience.

Dissolve: A transition where the image becomes distorted and continues to the next scene.

In this scene from Psycho (1960), there is a dissolve transition from 1:28. The scene changes from the antagonist with a sinister smile, dissolving to a car being pulled out of sewage with a rope, the rope symbolises the rope which the antagonist will be hanged with, due to him being a psychotic murderer in the film. 

Wipe: A transition where a wiping effect changes the scene to the next.

This is an example of a wipe transition, in particular a clock wipe transition to show a change in scene.

180 rule: The angle between two consecutive shots cannot exceed 180 degrees, this is used to maintain relationships between people and their surroundings.

There is an example of the 180 degree rule in this scene from The Shining (1980), although it does get broken, it is still very effective as we are able to see both character's faces and reactions during their conversation.

Jump cut: Rapid movements and cuts to the next scene. This can be used to scare viewers due to the sudden change from one scene to another. This is very effective during a fast paced scene.

This is a scene from Snatch (2000) which shows a lot of jump cuts to make the scene very past paced as there in an unexpected robbery taking place. This would cause the audience to become more excited as the jump cuts are used well to speed up the scene.

Thriller opening analysis:

This example is the action thriller Eagle Eye (2008). The scene begins as two boys are running and there are a series of jump cuts to show different angles of them. There are then more jump cuts to show the cars going down the dirt road and back to the boys running around, this builds up tension for the audience as there is no explanation to the significance of the vehicles. There is then zoom editing which is used at 1:06 to show the cars more, although there are cross hairs which suggest someone is aiming at the cars. At 2:19 there is a reaction shot of a woman as she sees or hears the cars coming towards her and she quickly communicates with the boys telling them to get inside, presumably to safety. There is also zooming out editing to get a better view of a camera watching some cars as they move through the desert. At 3:42 there is use of continuity editing which shows one man having a conversation as well as the reactions of the man behind him, without cutting to another scene it shows this all in one take. At the end of the opening, there is a flash to white, which is similar to a fade to black which then reveals the title of the film.

In conclusion,  my research has helped me try and find what sort of editing I will need to use in my thriller opening to obtain a good audience reaction. I will use straight cuts as they are the most basic transitions to the next shot and will not confuse the audience, if used correctly I can use them to give the audience a startled reaction. I will also use fade to black to surprise the audience as I cut to the next scene, this is to create tension and an appropriate transition into the next scene. I will also use a jump cut as this is a rapid movement and it can be used to show the next shot quickly and they have been proved to be very useful in thrillers, providing the best audience reactions.

Research: Cinematography - Miss Begum

Cinematography

                               

What is cinematography?

Cinematography is the use of camera positions and movements to depict changes of what is happening on camera and the mood of the picture on screen. Cinematography is one of the most important micro elements as it can also define the characters representations, through the angles and the movements. For example a shot at a low angle may show the dominance of the character that is on screen, this is as we would be "looking up" to the character.

Key terms:

Close up – A certain feature takes up most of the shot, e.g. Someone’s head. Close ups are generally used to put all the attention on one character, this is usually when the character is speaking of something important, or doing something the audience shouldn't see, but see their facial expression.

Extreme close up – A very tight shot which only shows detail of a subject such as someone’s eyes. This is usually used when the audience need to observe the character's facial expression or just their eyes as the audience will be able to see stress or a bead of sweat to show them things they would not normally be able to see. In the example we can see that the extreme close up is used to see the reflection in the glasses, this is to show that we are seeing what the character on screen is seeing.

Medium shot – Generally showing the subject from the waist upwards, from a medium distance. This shot is used to show the action of the character on screen and a limited part of the environment. As shown in the example, the character is seen holding a bow and arrow in the forest but we are unable to see who she is aiming at, this can force the audience to make assumptions or to stay confused until the narrative or picture explains.

Medium close up – Halfway between a medium shot and a close up, usually showing the subject’s head and shoulders. This can be used during a conversation or to show two people but a limited view of the audience. As we can see in the example there are two characters not engaging in conversation but we can assume that they are waiting for someone.

Long shot – Shows the entire object or a figure and its surroundings. The long shot can show the person and their environment as shown in the example here, the girl is visible and we can clearly see she is in a home of some sort and we can see what she is wearing.

Extreme long shot – A view from a great distance, used to set the scene, showing a landscape where detail is not very visible. The whole environment is visible as seen in the example. This is used to show the audience where exactly the scene is taking place and allows the audience to make assumptions as to what can happen due to the environment.

Establishing shot – Shows the audience where the action is taking place, usually at the start of a scene.This is shown to give the audience a general idea of where the next event or scene is going to occur. But it will not tell the audience specifically where, this is used in film usually to show a big city to show a change in environment.

A close up generally shows the person’s head. In this close up from The Shining (1980) displays the character's head looking through a broken door. Due to the close up shot, we are unable to see the characters surroundings, the broken wood and the character’s eyes show that he is clearly restricted from reaching the opposite side of the door from which he is in. The close up shot allows the audience to see the characters expression to cause the audience to feel fearful.

A medium shot shows the subject or subjects from a medium distance, some surroundings can be seen to depict the situation the characters are in. This example from Prisoners (2013) shows a man holding a hammer, aiming it at another man who is bleeding. We are able to see the man with the hammer’s angry facial expression, as well as the victimised man who is petrified due to his posture being quite tense. We can see because of the medium shot, that violence is going to occur and the audience would be scared for the man who is covered in blood.

Camera angles can include high angle shots and low angle shots

High angle shots look down on a subject from the top and can make them seem vulnerable or powerless, although they can also make the scene more dramatic. The camera is placed directly above their head. This scene from Harry Potter demonstrates a high angle shot and there is use of a prop pointing upwards showing the characters fear, this is also shown through his facial expression, clearly seen due to the high angle shot.

Low angle shots is when the camera is positioned below the subject’s eyeline, looking up. This angle makes the subject look powerful and dominant of the scene.

Camera movements

Panning shot – The camera moving in a horizontal plane, this is used to show the movement of a character, usually when they are walking. It can also be used to show the audience an environment, for example, buildings or the desert.

Tilt Shot – The camera moving in a vertical plane. This is usually used to show someone's body, possibly starting at their lower body then moving up to their face to show their facial expression.

Crane Shot - The shot is taken with the camera on a crane, allows camera movement to be flexible. This can be similar to a tilt and panning shot, but it is on a bigger scale to show the viewer most of the environment.

Zoom - The shot is used to capture or evade emotions. This is usually while someone is speaking or something has happened, to capture the facial expressions of the character clearly. In the example below, the zoom shot begins at 1:30.

Point of view - To show the audience the person on camera's view. This is to show where a character is looking without seeing their facial expression, almost as if we are in the position of that character.

Hand held - The shot moves as the person moves. This is to give the effect that we are with the character as the camera would track their movements.

Over the shoulder shot – A shot taken from the perspective from the shoulder of another person, usually in a conversation.

The ending monologue from American Psycho (2000) clearly illustrates a zoom shot from 0:45 onwards. The camera is zooming into the character's eyes to show the fact he has no emotion,  the zoom shot puts emphasis on this, especially as the start of the shot the character does not have a
particular expression on his face.

In this scene from The Dark Knight (2008), there is a mixture of a panning shot and over the shoulder shot from 1:10 to 2:40. The majority of the conversation takes place over the shoulder, demonstrating that the two characters having a conversation are the only ones in the room, the audience are restricted to the characters reactions during the conversation causing the audience to essentially 'choose a side'. We can see with the shot that they are both sat down at a table depicting them as equals, at this point neither one is dominant or inferior.

Thriller opening analysis:

This is the opening scene from Zodiac (2007), it contains a lot of cinematography which is very effective for the opening. The scene begins with a long shot of a car moving into a parking space, it then cuts to an over the shoulder shot which indicates the couple are having a conversation. The scene then varies between over the shoulder shots and medium shots while the couple are having a conversation. Soon after, cutting to another medium shot of the car, the couple are startled by bright lights from another car, there are then panning shots to show the movement of the other car and then the male character's reaction. There is then a quick close up of a gun while the couple are being shot, and there are close ups of them being shot and blood splattering everywhere. As the shooter lowers his gun there is a medium shot of him holding it but we are unable to see his face. There is then a long shot as the shooter returns to shoot the couple more, to make sure they are dead, the long shot is held as the man walks to his car and presumably drives off. This scene uses a variety of cinematography to keep the audience from seeing the face of the shooter, such as close ups of the gun, this frightens the audience especially as long shots are used to show the death of the couple but due to the lighting, they are unable to see the shooter.

Conclusion:

My research has helped me to start considering what shots to use, depending on how I want my audience to receive my opening. I now know I need to use establishing shots to set my scene, as well as close up shots for the detail and depiction of emotions of my characters. I will also use panning shots to show the movement of my character, as this is much more effective than my character simply just walking off screen. As well as this, I will use long shots to show where my characters are, so the audience can get an understanding of the environment my character is in.

Research: What is a Thriller? - Miss Begum

What is a Thriller?

What are genres?

A genre is a category of art or entertainment, it can change over time as new genres can be developed and old ones are discontinued. For example the superhero movie genre can be regarded as a mix of action, fantasy and science fiction, which are all genres on their own. They have gained a lot of popularity more recently as opposed to westerns which are less popular now than they were in the 1930s and the 1950s.

The thriller genre mainly uses suspense, tension and excitement as its main components to get a reaction from the view, stimulating their mood. 
Genres are important for audiences as they use genres to filter what sort of films they would enjoy, therefore if a person has a certain preference such as comedy films, then they will most likely pay to watch comedy films and then possibly be open to explore more sub genres such as action comedies. Similarly, genres are also important for the film industry as it allows production companies to increase the number of films they make, according to genre depending on which ones the audience enjoy. Therefore if many people enjoyed thriller films then they will increase the number of thriller films they make, while increasing the quality of them to keep the audience happy.

Examples of thriller films

The thriller genre generally involves a lot of tension to keep the audience watching as it builds towards a climax. The films in this genre mostly stimulates the audience's mood, it heightens feelings of excitement, suspense, anticipation and anxiety. There is also usually a lot of important information held from the viewer, as well as fight or chase scenes. Another common feature of thriller films are plot twists, which change the narrative dramatically in a way the viewer would not have expected, also cliffhangers which leave the audience in awe as they are not given a full explanation as to why events have occurred or any sort of closure to the narrative. 

An example of a thriller is Shutter Island (2010), it is a psychological thriller and it emphasises on the psychology of its characters and their emotional states. In Shutter Island a U.S Marshal and his partner are assigned to investigate a mental institution for the criminally insane, the Marshal has his own reasons for visiting the facility and investigates a missing prisoner case. After realising that he and his partner are essentially trapped on the island and illegal treatments are being taken place, his world turns sideways and begins to doubt his own sanity. 

Another example of a thriller film would be Prisoners (2013), which is a thriller film that focuses on the abduction of two young girls in Pennsylvania, after there is not enough evidence to find the kidnapper, as well as the police following multiple leads, one of the girl's' father takes matters into his own hands - with no boundaries.

Se7en (1995) is an example of a neo-noir psychological thriller. The story revolves around two homicide detectives who are searching for a serial killer who justifies his killings with the seven deadly sins.

Sub-genres of thrillers

Some sub genres of thrillers are action thrillers which generally involve large set pieces, violence and a ‘race against the clock’ storyline. Action thrillers also include chase or fight sequences, to keep the audience watching through tension and excitement. Examples are; Speed (1994), Non-stop (2014) and John Wick (2014). Crime thrillers also usually have chase and fight sequences but these are usually anticipated as a robbery or a crime is about to occur. Crime thriller usually rely more on sudden killings or unanticipated violence. Examples of crime thrillers are; No country for old men (2007), The town (2010) and Silence of the Lambs (1991). Crime thrillers usually focus on the criminals themselves rather than the authority trying to capture them, they offer a lot of suspense due to failed or successful crimes and the viewer not knowing what is going to happen. Horror thrillers are a mix of horror and thriller, they rely on suspense, tension, mystery and some investigation elements, while emphasising on fear, terror and gore. Examples of horror thrillers are Saw, Psycho and Final Destination. Another sub genre is supernatural thrillers, supernatural thrillers bring fantasy and otherworldly elements and mix them with tension and suspense, there is usually a character with an ability or superpowers. Examples of this genre are, The Skeleton key, the sixth sense and The Gift.

Common themes in the thriller genre

Common themes in thrillers usually vary due to the sub-genre, for example in crime thrillers it is mainly ransoms, heists, revenge and kidnappings. Mystery thrillers such as Prisoners (2013) involve an investigation and the whodunit story which is more common. Psychological thrillers have many elements such as mind games, stalking, obsession, accusations and paranoia.

Audience response to thrillers

Suspense is a significant characteristic of the thriller genre; it gives the viewer excitement mixed with tension and uncertainty, which is developed from mysterious and unpredictable events. This is a defining attribute of a thriller as it keeps the viewer watching in anticipation. There are two main ways an audience can respond or react to a thriller. Physiological and psychological reactions. Physiological reactions are when the audience's body responds to what they are watching due to fear, excitement or paranoia, for example an elevated heartbeat and excessive sweating. Psychological reactions could be hysteria or paranoia, some films in the past have caused audiences to be hysterical as they are worried or scared, this can also mean they are constantly thinking about the film as it has affected them, they may have nightmares due to it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the depiction of a great thriller comes from the mixes between the genres and the various components a thriller has. Thrillers are set apart from other genres due to the vast reactions that the audience can have.The thriller genre has a vast amount of sub-genres which also contributes towards the uniqueness of it, although generally thrillers are psychological, threatening and mysterious and one of the most popular sub-genres are action thrillers.