Research into Sound

Sound in Thrillers

Within this post I will analyze different sound techniques used in a thriller clip from "Scream 2". Sound is used to help the audience understand the narrative within the scene, as without sound it may be difficult to understand what is going on. Sound is conventional within the thriller genre as it helps to create the key main elements in any thriller film, suspense, surprise and shock. I have chosen to analyze this scene as it has used many different sound techniques throughout, which help to create an affect for the audience.

One use of sound within the clip of "Scream 2" is a non-diegetic sound, which can not be heard by the characters within the scene. The sound used in this clip is the soundtrack. This music helps to create suspense throughout the clip as it builds up every time a significant event happens, so the audience will be continuously on edge waiting for an event to occur. By using this type of soundtrack in the background it begins to build up suspense and tension without the audience even realizing as they are anticipating the events that are about to unfold, as they eagerly await as they do not want anything bad to happen to the character they have built a relationship with. A soundtrack running throughout the duration of the clip is conventional to the thriller genre as it keeps the audience alerted and engaged as they wonder why the tempo and pace of the music is steadily increasing.

The second use of conventional sound is shown clearly as the eerie music has built up suspense and has ended. For a brief moment the audience begin to think the protagonist is safe from the killer, then a non-diegetic loud, exaggerated sound is used as the killer  jumps out on the woman as she answers the phone. This is a conventional sound technique which is often used in thrillers as it engages the audience as it is surprising because of the anticipation they had, has now gone and then to be alerted with a loud noise makes them jump as they are shocked. On from this it keeps them on the edge of their seats continuing to watch as the watch on wanting the protagonist to escape.

Thirdly when the protagonist is frightened by the unidentified killer she begins to run through her  house with the diegetic sounds of screaming as she attempts to escape. The screams are a parallel sound as this is what you would expect to hear in this scene. The screams create a sense of foreboding for that character as the low toned scream followed from the victim was the killers as he ran after her. The different pitched screams could portray the dominance of both characters, as the killers screams are lower toned this could portray the killer has more dominance in the situation and overall, this will then begin to worry the audience and sympathize for the protagonist as she doesn't have much chance of escaping from the antagonist and they can't help but imagine themselves in the situation she is currently in and how terrified they would be feeling also. 

Furthermore, diegetic sounds of weapons clearly are used as they are exaggerated. This is used when the victim is being stabbed repeatedly by the antagonist. I think the sounds are exaggerated to show the severity of the situation and the audience will begin to sympathize for the victim as she has tried to escape from the killer but has not succeeded. This is conventional to have an exaggerated sound like a use of a weapon within the thriller genre as it makes an impact on the audience, it shocks them, keeping them on edge wanting to continue watching as the character they have built a relationship with over the duration of the film has been put in danger.

By analyzing the sounds used in the clip of "Scream" this has helped me to explore and research different sound techniques and has influenced some of the decisions I will make when creating my own opening thriller sequence. This includes using eerie slow tempoed music that gradually escalates to fast paced non diegetic music as the characters danger threat increases. However from this research in my thriller opening sequence I will try to include the music that builds suspense, but  then conventionally not follow straight to a scary scene, I will let the intitial moment of suspense not be as expected then follow with a moment of suspense followed with an exaggerated loud noise to create shock for the audience.

Research in Cinematography - Miss Miller

Cinematography

Cinematography is the art of photography and camerawork in film-making is and the science of motion picture photography. It is the technique of film photography, including both the shooting and development of the film. The cinematographer could also be referred to as the film director's main visual collaborator. Within this essay I am going to be analyzing the cinematography used in the clip of "Scream" which is a film categorized in the thriller genre.

The "Scream" clip I have selected begins with the use of a close up shot of protagonists face, this is used when the unidentified killer rings the innocent victim. A close up shows a smaller part of the scene to emphasize something. In this scene a close up is used to emphasize Sidneys emotions and how terrified she is from receiving a threatening phone call from a known murderer when she is home alone. This begins to build suspense and creates a sense of foreboding for Sidney, the audience now empathize for Sidney as she is alone in an isolated setting trying to also escape from the antagonist.

Specifically at point 0:23 we see the use of a low angle shot, this is where the camera is positioned below an object to make it appear larger. In this case, the camera is positioned below the killer, making the killer seem higher up and larger. This could also be a portrayal of the dominance. As the killerappears larger this could symbolize how much power the killer has whereas the protagonist is the weaker of the two. As the tension builds the audience will begin to fear more for Sidneys safety as the continue to watch defenseless victim escape from the killer.

My second choice of cinematography I have used in this clip at point 0:25 of the clip is the use of a high angled shot were we see the protagonist laying of the floor held down by the antagonist. The camera in a high angled shot is oppositely positioned above an object making it appear smaller. In this case the camera is positioned above Sidney, making her appear smaller which could also signify her dominance within this scene. As she is the weaker character in this scene this also creates a sense of foreboding as the audience cant see her escaping from the killer.

Furthermore, at point 1:07 of the clip a shallow focus is used as the protagonist attempts to call the police for help, whilst the antagonist is attempting to enter the room yet is slightly blurred in the background. This scene focuses on Sidneys desperate attempt to escape to safety yet the killer outside her room foreshadows her thoughts constantly. I think this makes the scene gripping for the audience as they desperately want to see Sidney escape from the killer yet still empathize for her as she is in a terrifying situation.

My fifth choice of cinematography I have selected to use is an extreme close up, which also is a point of view shot. This is where the protagonist is attempting to type to the emergency services for help. In this clip, the camera zooms very closely to the phrase "What is your emergency?" which emphasizes the urgency of the protagonists situation, yet we can also see this shot from Sidneys point of view, which is the words her eyes must be focusing on. The audience will begin to sense Sidneys fear as the tension begins to build as it is unknown how long Sidney has to reach out for help. 

The shots and angle movements used in this clip of "Scream" are all conventional to the thriller genre as the clip gives the audience a high level of anticipation, uncertainty, surprise and terror. These techniques are used to create the thriller genre as without them the audience wouldn't feel scared or sympathetic for the character's involved. An example of this is a point i stated earlier within my essay, where the protagonist is laying vulnerably on the floor facing death. This creates tension and the audience begins to empathize for Sidney as they can see how fearful she is.

The clip I have chosen from "Scream" has inspired me for my own opening to a thriller sequence as it contains typical thriller conventions that are used in order to make a successful thriller. I think that if i use some of these techniques in my thriller opening sequence it will make the opening more interesting and will hopefully will fit the criteria of the typical thriller genre.

Research into Mise-En-Scene - Miss Georgiou

Mise-En-Scene

All films include a combination of Mise-En-Scene elements including, Setting & Iconography, Costume, Hair & Makeup, Facial Expressions & Body Language, Lighting & Colour and the positioning of characters & objects within the scene. I have chose to analyse the clip from "Saw" 

Settings & Locations are an important element of making a successful thriller, they are not just "backgrounds". Settings can manipulate an audience by creating certain expectations then giving a 'twist' to the scene. It also allows them to know what is happening in the scene and what is going to take place. Costume, Hair & Makeup act are important of any film. For example, if a character is hidden from using a item of clothing that discuses them usually they are the villain. It gives us a clear indication and insight to the character based on personality, status and job all signified by costumes.Facial Expressions indicate how the character is feeling. For example if a character within the seen is smiling they are portrayed as happy, however if this is accompanied by music that is threatening this can change the portrayal of the smile and could be seen as mysterious and creepy. Furthermore body language can also infer to the audience how the character is feeling within the scene or how a certain character feels towards another character, this may also portray and reflect the two characters relationship.

Positioning within a frame is also a key convention of the mise-en-scene as it  can draw out attention to an important character or object. In addition to this a film-maker can use positioning to indicate relationships between people. Colour is also takes an important role within mise-en-scene, colour can give the scene a certain feel and look to what it wants the audience to feel. Colour also  creates certain connotations which may add hidden meanings to the scene which the audience may pick up on. For example red could be portrayed as danger and passion, whereas pink could symbolize love and romance.

Setting & Iconography

The scene that I have selected from the film "Saw" is located in a dirty, isolated bathroom. The dirty setting gives the impression that the room has not been used for some time creating enigma for the audience as they wonder how have the characters ended up in this room. The setting is also isolated, which gives a sense of urgency as the characters that are placed in the difficult situation, have nowhere to escape, automatically jeopardizing their own safety, making the audience sympathize as they imagine themselves in this situation and would also not know what to do. The iconography used within this scene is a knife. This automatically has the audience gripping onto their seats wondering what is going to happen next as a knife has connotations with blood, death and brutality. This automatically creates a sense of foreboding as the audience know that something bad is going to happen to one of the characters throughout this scene, and do not know which character this will be.

Costume, Hair & Makeup

Within this scene, each character is each wearing light coloured clothing, with all 3 of them having blood also on their clothes. The light white and grey clothing could symbolize the innocence of the characters as they do not want to be in this situation. However, grey also has connotations of being emotionless, which relates to the characters as they are all defending themselves and do not care much about each others safety and well being anymore. Aside from this, the blood on the lighter clothing contrasts the innocence that the victims once had, and the blood now denominating this as this has connotations with death, brutality and danger, which the characters have been exposed to.


Positioning of Characters

The positioning of the characters throughout this clip presents the dominance and authority of the characters. It can be seen that the young male, and female are huddled closely together on the floor whilst the male is towering above them as he asks for the dead boy to be turned round, to help himself and reveal the number. This creates suspense for the audience as it is unknown what the man will do in order to get the number and could potentially jeopardize the safety of the vulnerable female character. The roles quickly reverse as the woman suggests that she will not do as the man asks he then begins to cut his own neck, to reveal his number as he falls to the ground as his dominance is taken away, and the woman stands up as she is now in control as the cutting of the mans neck and he dies, now revealing his number for the woman so she can save herself, giving a sense of relief to the audience as nobody is murdered and a life has only been taken by the person itself. 

Facial Expression & Body Language

The female protagonist is represented as very distressed and terrified as the male is cutting his own neck and killing himself, the close up clearly shows her emotion and fear as she watches the man endure severe pain. This allows the audience to understand the terror and fright she must feel and wonder what she is going to do next. The zoomed in shot of the male protagonist allows the audience to see

what excruciating pain he is encountering as he is using the knife to cut into his neck. The audience sympathies for him as they could only imagine the pain he is in. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the emotions displayed make the scene so realistic and adds to the overall effect that the scene creates.



Lighting & Colour

The lighting and colour throughout the scene remains very low key and dim. The dark lighting helps to establish the personality of the man as he dies slowly on the floor, this portrays him as a nasty evil man as he was originally wanting to harm the two other characters in order to defend himself. The dark, low key lighting also helps to create and set the scene, as if the scene was brightly lit it would not be as intense and gripping as it does not build any suspense. It helps to create a eerie, suspicious atmosphere as the audience anticipate that something bad is going to happen within the dim lighting. The colours used within the scene such as white contradict the characters motives within the scene as they are not pure and moral as he is only trying to save himself. However, the grey used in the scene could represent the mans emotions as grey has connotations with being emotionless and a loss, which could possibly forebode the death of the male.  

In conclusion, mise-en-scene helps to create the entire scene and helps the audience to build relationships with the characters and understand the characters relationships with each other individually. When creating my own thriller opening sequence I will use this research to help with putting together and coordinating mise-en-scene elements. This has helped me as it will ensure the mise-en-scene elements add to create a well thought out sequence. For example, with costumes I will ensure it is relatable to the scene and has connotations which get the audience thinking. I will also ensure the lighting is appropriate for the particular scene to set the right mood and what will prove most effective for the audience.

History of Thriller Films

History of Thriller Films

A thriller is a broad of film and television that uses suspense, tension and excitement as its main elements. Thrillers heavily change the viewers moods, giving them a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and/or terror. Films of this genre tend to be adrenaline rushing, complicated and fast paced. A thriller provides the sudden rush of emotions that keeps the audience on "the edge of their seats", this genre is usually a villain driven plot, where he or she presents obstacles the protagonist must over come. 

                                                1940's - Gaslight

"Gaslight" is an American 1944 mystery-thriller.The 1944 version was directed by George Cukor. The recreation of "Gaslight" had a larger scale and budget than the original version of the film. "Gaslight" is about years after a girls aunt was murdered in her home, a young woman moves back into the house with her new husband. However, he has a secret that he will do anything to protect, even if means driving his wife insane. The film earned $2,263,000 in the US and Canada and $2,350,00 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $941,000. Gaslight was a very successful thriller because it did not rely on iconagraphy and effects to make the film thrilling and scary, it was the intricate, physiological story line and the use of sound that grips the audience and makes them think about the plot and what will happen next. An example of this is the scene with a conversation between the characters Paul and Bella Mallen, at first this a normal conversation between the two, with Bella Mallen walking out, however from the exagerrated, non-diegetic sound of eerie music building up the tempo in the background this immediately builds suspense and tension and it gives the impression that something bad will happen to Bella.

1960's - Psycho

Psycho is a 1960 American thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcockloosely inspired by the crimes of Wisconsin murderer and grave robber Ed Gein. Physco is a 1960 American thriller film drected by Alfered Hitchcock loosely inspired by the crimes of Wilsconsin murderer and grace robber Ed Gein. This successful thriller is based on a young secretary that steals a large sum of money from one of her clients. Hoping no one will find this out, she attempts to escape before she is discovered and finds an old motel to hide in which is owned by a young man who is managed by his mother. From this we can already see the protagonist is mentally unstable as she has stolen the money and is in hiding. As thriller films in the 60's would not have money to afford lighting, equipment, props and effects they would rely on the characters and plot, which has worked as psycho is a successful thriller in the 1960's. An example of this is the famous shower scene from "Physco" where the victim is unexpectidly stabbed by the murderer, at this point non-diegetic eerie music is used to build up tension and suspense to the audience as the effects and iconagraphy are not strong enough alone to create a shocking scene filled with suspense.

1980's - Bad Timing

Bad Timing is a 1980 British psychological thriller film directed by Nicolas Roeg. The plot focuses on an American woman and a psychology professor living in Vienna, told through flashbacks, examining their relationship as uncovered by a detective investigating her apparent suicide attempt. Similar to the other films I think that "Bad Timing" is also successful due to the intricate plot as it is not dependable on special effects, lighting and props as they were not available when the film was being created.

2000's - Memento

Memento is a 2000 American mystery-psychological thriller film directed by Christopher Nolan. Memento is presented as two different sequences of scenes: a series in black-and-white that is shown chronologically, and a series of color sequences shown in reverse order. The two sequences "meet" at the end of the film, producing one common story. Differently to films created in the 80's, 60's and 40's "Memento" was not only successful due to the psychological, interesting plot but was also very successful because of the effects used, such as the idea of the black and white and colour sequences. Also unlike the other films, it was also successful due to the setting as this made the film feel more realistic.

2013 - The Purge

"The Purge" is a 2013 American action horror/thriller film written and directed by James DeMonaco. The film is based around the annual purge were all crime is legal for 12 hours and all emergency services such as police, ambulance, fire department and the hospital is unavailable. "The Purge" was a highly successful film grossing $89,328,627. Much like "Memento", "The Purge" was also successful not only for its plot but for the effects and setting used. The low key lighting created foreboding as it was unclear what would happen to the characters next. Also, the use of setting created suspense as they were trapped in the house as the outside was also not safe, there was no escape from the annual purge. 

"Hannibal" is a 2001 America crime thriller which box office rated as the top grossing. This film was created in the early 2000's, when special effects were developing. I believe that Hannibal was so successful because it had an intricate, interesting plot, but also had the use of special effects to enhance the thriller film.
Positioned at number 10 in the chart is "The Cell" which grossed earned $61,334,059 and was released a year before Hannibal. "The Cell" is based on a child psychologist  who is an expert in an experimental treatment for coma patients, allowing her to be able to enter the minds of her patients. A serial killer falls into a coma before the FBI can locate his final victim. This leaves Catherine the job of solving this mystery through the advantages that she has. "The Cell" is a psychological thriller which proves successful after how much the film grossed. However, Catherine is played by Jennifer Lopez, a famous actress and singer and so may attract more of a mass audience. 

Whereas Twisted positioned at number 20 in the chart was an American crime thriller written by Sarah Thorp and directed by Philip Kaufman in 2004. The film is about a police woman Jessica who finds when investigating a murder, in the center of her own investigation, when her former lovers start dying around her at a fast pace. I think that as the film still grossed a high amount, it relied on special effects, costume to enhance the thriller film as I think that the story line was not intresting enough to be a successful thriller alone. 

Altogether I think that throughout the years Thriller films have become more dependent on special effects, lighting and props to create a successful thriller films rather than focusing on an plot that would have the audience in suspense. Whereas, thriller films in the 40's, 60's and 80's where successful due to the psychological, intricate plot.  

The BBFC

BBFC Age Certificates

The BBFC are the British Broadcasting of Film Classification. The BBFC has been sorting age classification of films since 1912. The role of the BBFC is to watch new films waiting to be released into cinema to decide which age certificate is appropriate for that particular film. The organisation aims to empower the public, especially parents to give them a choice of what they would like they child to watch. There are many age classifications ranging from a certificate of U through to 18.

                                                

The U symbol stands for Universal. A U rated film would be suitable for people aged 4 years and over and helps parents to decide whether they think the film is suitable for a child or not. Mild language is rarely used within a U rated film such as "damn" or "hell". The film would also not contain any sexual scenes as this wouldn't be appropriate for a younger viewer, however kissing or cuddling may be shown as a child may be used to this within the home. A U rated film would also not contain violence as this may scare or frighten a younger viewer. However, they may show behavior that a child can not pick up on or copy. This could be placing a character in danger which is then usually resolved. 

One example of a U rated film is "Monsters Inc" which is very well known and popular for all age ranges. I think Monsters Inc was given this age certificate because its child friendly and a happy, pleasant film to watch with a clear story line, and does not include any bad language. The only frightening scenes  could be is the monsters scaring children in the middle of the night. However, the film turns around this situation as it shows the monsters in a different light when they are caring for the child reassuring the younger audience watching the film that they are not horrible or bad characters.

A film with the rating PG stands for Parental Guidance. Meaning the film is suitable for general viewing, however instead of being rated as a U (Universal) adults and parents are advised to also watch the film with the child due to unsettling and difficult themes. PG films are classified as they generally involve topics such as bullying, death and racism, which are not unsuitable for a child to watch, but may cause upset as they may have experienced some of these issues. Sexual references are not used, or rarely used throughout a PG film similar to violence, however scenes may involve blood and fighting, but is not shown in detail or focused on so the child will not copy any certain aspects of from the film that they are watching.

An example of a PG film is "Home Alone". The film is suitable for general viewing from a wide range of ages, however may need an adult accompanying them as they may find themes that are being focused on difficult to view. Furthermore, some mild violence is shown throughout the film between the young boy who's house is being burgled and the burglars themselves. However the younger viewers are reassured as the film portrays the scenes in a humorous way which takes an uncertainty and fear away and enables them to enjoy the film. Lastly, like a stereo-typical PG rated film, it results in a happy ending as the burglars are caught and the child is reunited with his family and is no longer in any threat or danger.

Any film classified as a 12  is suitable for any child aged 12 or older as the topics or themes approached may not be appropriate for a younger viewer. A child under the age of 12 is not aloud to watch this film at the cinema and should not be aloud to watch the film at home. The BBFC say that strong language may be used in a 12 rated film, depending on how it is said, who is using the language, and how often it is used. Any form of aggressive and repetitive use of strong language would result in the film being given a higher age certificate. Films rated as a 12 will not contain heavily violent and gory scenes, they will mainly focus on the action or event that is occurring as they do not want or intend for a younger child to copy any bad behavior.

There is not much difference between films which are rated as a 12 and films that are rated as a 12A. The slight difference is between the ratings is that films rated 12A may involve and base the film on more controversial and upsetting themes which may be better for the younger viewer to be accompanied by an adult who will reassure them throughout the film. In addition to this, similar to a 12 rated film there is not any focused themes of violence and mainly focus on the event so it does not suggest to the younger viewer that the behavior is acceptable.

An example of a film with a 12A age rating is the well known romance film "The Fault in our Stars".  I think that it had this age certificate because the story line involved themes of terminal illness, and child cancer patients which could be upsetting for anybody let alone a child younger than 12.This film isn't like some other 12A films as it doesn't contain much fighting or much blood however does contain themes of alcohol which a adult may want to accompany a child for, however this is not glorified as the man who is drinking the alcohol is portrayed badly, so any younger viewers will not see this positively. Furthermore the film was also themed about love and was targeted towards teenage girls, so if this film was rated 15, alot of the target audience would not be aloud in to see this film. 

                                            

Films with a 15 age certificate means that no-one under the age of 15 is allowed to see a 15 film at the cinema due to the topics used and discussed throughout the film. A film rated 15 could possibly have alot of strong language and no themes are banned when creating the film, allowing violence, gore, sexual activity and remarks and also the use of drugs. This is because a 15 year old would most likely not find these themes upsetting or unsettling and may have been exposed to these themes before, and are now at the age to realise when something such as drug use is bad, so will not decide to copy this.  

                               

"Step Brothers" is an example of a film with an 15 age certificate This film is about two men still living at home, until their parents decide to get married and they have to become room-mates They have to overcome each others bad habits but find themselves hating each other in the process. I think "Step Brothers" has an age certificate of 15 because film strong language is frequently used throughout the film.The film is also rated as a 15 because it contains a limited amount of racism and dangerous behaviour such as vandalism of property. However all the behaviour is shown in a ridiculous unrealistic manor to make sure the audience's focus isn't fixated on this. However, if it wasn't shown unrealistically the age certificate could have possibly been raised to 18 as it would not have been suitable for 15 year olds.  

Films with an 18 age certificate indicates the film is only for adults. The content within 18 rated films contains strong violence, very strong language and discriminatory language and behavior. Within an 18 rated film there is no limit of the use of strong language and violence. Most horror films are rated at the "18" age certificate as they can contain strong gore, horror and sustained threat. 

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is a horror film with an age certificate of 18. The film is about a group of friends that help a traumatized young hitch-hiker by picking them up, however they find themselves stalked by a deformed chainsaw-wielding killer and his family of killers. The film contains violent scenes of horror and gore, and also sustained threat throughout.The film also contains strong language used throughout the film therefore it is unsuitable for anyone under the age of 18. This falls into the 18 rating as it contains scenes that are not permitted for any younger viewer to see. By researching information about the BBFC and different age classifications this has influenced me when I come to create my own thriller opening sequence as I will then know what is acceptable to put in the opening sequence to make sure it is appropriate for my target audience and the age range of my target audience.