Research task by Becky Fermer

 Initial Research

 Inception

Mise en Scene

Reveals the setting

• Setting: beach/by the sea (waves crashing, sand, rocks)

• Costume: Main character = Dark, grey, damp and dirty

                   Girl = Pink dress

                    Boy = casual shirt and trousers

                    Man = Smart suit, clean

                    Guards = Military-like uniform

• Props: Guns, spinning gem

• Central positioning of subjects in the frame

• Facial expression: sad, helpless

• Body language: helpless, weak

Editing

Good use of DOF

• Straight cuts

• Slow motion (children building sand castle)

Camerawork

• CU, ECU and LS

• Low angle and eye level shots

• Tilt ups

• Good use of DOF

Sound

Props

• Diegetic: waves crashing, dialogue, children screaming and talking, gun on the table, spinning gem on the table.

• Non-diegetic: Low, humming pitch in the background.  

Evaluation

The opening to this film, considers the aspects of what makes a good thriller. These include suspense, tension and dark themes, all of which engage the audience. At the end of this opening scene, we are left with a series of unasked questions. Who are these people? What is the object they are discussing? What do the children on the beach have to do with the character? Where are they? These factors produce an ENIGMA, which is a key feature to a successful thriller film. 

Character in context (LS)

 Jaws

Worms view

Camera work

• CU/LS/ELS distances

• High angles and eye levels. 

• Worms view of the character from underneath the water.

• Tracking (Characters running along the beach.

Mise en Scene

• Lighting is low key

Character in context

• Characters costume consists of beach wear items

• Body language: -Loose, flexible, relaxed – tense, shaky, helpless

• Facial expression: - Happy, cheerful, full of life – scared, worried, shocked

• Setting is based by the sea (beach and sea)

• Characters and subjects are positioned in the centre of the frame.

Editing

• Straight cuts

• No cross cutting or parallel editing

Tension and suspense starts

Sound

• Diegetic: Dialogue, gasping for breath, splashing, screaming

• Non-diegetic: Deep sounding music (creates tension)

Narrative

• The first few seconds, start off in normality, when she is gathered around the campfire and running along the beach.

• However there is a dis-equilibrium, where an unrestricted narrative is used, as the audience know that something is going to grab her from underneath the water, although the character does not know this.

Evaluation

LS of character in context

The opening to Jaws, works well as a thriller. At the beginning, the film casts a calm and joyful atmosphere, with no sign of danger or trouble. However, this doesn’t remain the case. A few second later, we see panic and anxiety within the character as something appears to grab her from underneath the water, although the viewer and the character don’t actually see what it is. Suspense and tension therefore develops as the character starts to struggle. The introduction of intense non-diegetic sound reinforces this panicked mood, before the character is pulled under. The opening therefore ends unresolved and lies on a cliff-hanger.

44 Inch Chest

CU of hand

Mise en scene

• Close up shot distances of context (smashed up glass, torn cushions, scared dog) suggesting an argument or fight has taken place.

• Compositions of subjects in the frame are central.

• Lighting is low key

• Character is casually dressed (casual shirt and trousers)

• Setting appears home-like (sofas, TV, computer etc.)

• Man’s facial expression is drained and pale

• Body language is weak and helpless

Birds eye view (character appears dead)

Editing

• Transitions are a simple cut.

• Short and simple.

• No cross-cutting or parallel editing.

Camerawork

• Slow pan of the setting, from a LS (reveals a body lying on the floor)

• Close up of a hand (no movement, implies that he is dead)

• Close up of the man lying on the floor, eyes wide open (looks dead)

Sound

• Non-diegetic

• Sad music ( creates a sense of loss and sorrow)

• No other sounds within the extract

Evaluation

Although this is an unusual way of opening a thriller movie, it does work in an effective way. Everything is slow, calm and silent; however it casts a sense of distress and drama, which thrillers contain. The audience is left intrigued to continue watching the film and find out what’s going to happen next, all of which is a key feature when making a thriller movie. 

  The Usual Suspects

Mise en Scene
• Setting: On board a ship (night)
• Costume: Dark, black
• Hair: Short and scruffy (Keaton)
• Lighting: Low key, producing shadow and creating a tense mood. Lighting has been used in order to create a fire effect.
• Body language: Relaxed (Keaton) Bold and tall (Kaiser)
• Facial expression: Bleak, tired (Keaton)
• Composition: Character is central in the frame (Keaton) however we only see part of Kaiser, and never his face, therefore hiding his identity from the viewer.
 
Camerawork
• CU, LS, MCU
• Eye level when Keaton is in the frame. Low angle when Kaiser is in the frame.
• A tilt upwards is used, when the audience is first introduced to Kaiser’s character.

Editing
• Straight cuts
• Match on action

Sound
• Foley sound (footsteps of Kaiser when walking down the steps)
• Off-screen source of sound (the gun shot)
• Diegetic sound
• Slow, low pitch, non-diegetic pitch playing in the background

Narrative
• The structure of the film, places the resolution at the beginning, therefore highlighting a key scene, which helps the audience relate to the whole story.
• Objective camera is used
• Restricted narration is used, where the audience know less than the character (who is Kaiser?)This raises questions to the audience


Evaluation
The opening sequence to this film, considers aspects of dark themes, suspense, tension and engagement with the audience, all of which contribute to making a successful thriller. The usage of a restricted narrative leaves the audience with a series of questions. Who is Kaiser? What is the relationship with the two characters? Why are there so many dead bodies around? At the ending of the opening scene, we are left with an off screen gun shot, therefore, the audience are unsure whether Keaton was actually shot or not.