Evaluation: Director's Commentary

Q1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

A thriller is a genre of novel, play or movie with an exciting plot, which typically involves death of a character, and an element of investigation into the death. The plot usually takes the characters on a journey, which is usually based in cities towns.

 
There are many different thriller subgenres, including the following:

Our thriller is based on the psychological and action sub-genres. Before starting our thriller, we had carried out lots of research, looking at many different thriller movies, and as a group, we thought that a thriller in this style would be the best. We liked the idea of having a psychological thriller, as it allows a more complex plot to unwind throughout the film. We asked 10 people for their views on the thriller genre, aged between 11-25, by giving them a questionnaire, which asked them about genre, and which sub-genre of thriller they preferred. From the market research we carried out, we could see that people enjoy watching a film with a more complex plot, where it takes a while to work out what is happening. Also, action is something that is found in a lot of the films we watched, so we thought it best to include an element of this within our production.

 

With this genre we have chosen, the audience expect things to be slightly abnormal. We needed to come away from stereotypes – the typical ‘good guy, bad guy’ approach is something that we needed to avoid, as the audience would expect something slightly more advanced. From all of the thrillers that we have watched, the narrative has never been based around the relationship between two cousins, which is why we chose to explore this option. We used narration to try and give the audience an insight into the plot, which is something that is usually done in a psychological thriller.

 

In thriller films, a variety of shot types are used. Often, close-up shots are used, which is something that we were keen to do. Also, shots are also edited together quickly, which shows the pace of the action, which again, is something that we wanted to try and portray, and a technique that we used in our thriller. Films of this genre are usually set in public places, such as towns and cities, to show how the action intercepts normal life. An example of this is the film Bourne Identity, shown above, where actor Matt Damon can be seen walking through a city setting. However, we wanted to challenge this convention, and so we set it at a rural looking train station. This gave the film an element of mystery, and made the audience wonder how the plot would develop. The protagonist in a thriller is usually male, and our protagonist was a male. Also, the use of a female as the victim epitomises the vulnerability of the subject. 

 

We used many props in our production, to make the film seem more realistic. We used some flowers for the mourner to lay on the grave, as this allowed us to portray what the actor was doing, without having to make it clear in the voiceover. We also used a rope for the killer to tie the victim to the train line with, along with a balaclava, to disguise his face both from the camera, and from the victim. Furthermore, train planks were used to allow us to write the titles/credits of the film onto the train. The planks gave an authentic feel, and allowed us to move away from simply using titles on the editing package – something that is done in a lot of thrillers, and by breaking away from this convention, it would add the element of surprise to the audience.

For our thriller opening, we used a track called ‘Gloom Horizon’, available from royalty free music website www.incompetech.com. This was a track that mainly consisted of strings, with a strong beat underneath the track, and an electric synthesizer effect was also added. From all of the films we have watched, such as The Butterfly Effect, the music for the opening section was quite a strong, punchy track, which was there to steal the audience’s attention, and the pace of the music strongly reflected the pace of the on-screen action. Therefore, we felt that this track would be entirely appropriate for our thriller opening.

It took us quite a long while to come up with the narrative for our production, as we were keen to try something that had not been done before, and so that the audience would be keen to watch it. Our final idea involved a girl being killed by her cousin, because as children, she was always treated better than him, which means he felt jealous. We wanted to try and portray this in a very subtle way, which is why we used an adapted extract from the poem ‘Cousin Kate’, to try and get this across. I feel that this technique worked very well, as it made sure that the audience were only given a glimpse as to how the narrative would develop. Throughout the production of our film, we worked hard to bear in mind that this is only the opening two minutes of the film, and wanted to ensure that the whole plot was not given away in this short time period.

 

From the research that we had carried out, we learnt that there are many conventions used to make the opening of the thriller effective. One of the key elements of the opening, in my opinion, is that it does not give too much detail away too soon within the film. For example, the shot above is taken from the opening of Se7en, which often features close up shots of objects, which makes the audience wonder what it is actually showing. This ensures that the audience want to keep watching the film, to see how it will develop.

 

The use of flashbacks in film openings is also a technique that we liked, and were interested to explore. We had seen this technique used before, in the opening of The Butterfly Effect, where the main protagonist could be seen being chased around an office, and being hunted down. At the time, it was unclear why this was happening, but as the film developed, this became more obvious. We used a flash-forward in our production, as the opening we have produced is actually set around 20 years in advance of the rest of the film. If the film had continued, we would be taken back to the time when the victim and killer were only very young, to show how she was treated better than him. The Butterfly Effect is something that we have definitely taken inspiration from.

 

Often in film openings, straight cuts are used to edit the shots together. This is a good technique to use, as it allows the action to flow seamlessly, and portrays the fast pace of the action on the screen. Together with the cross fade, this is a technique we used in our production. Above, you can see the cross fade in use during our film. Also, the shots are edited together very quickly, which is something we also tried to use. This technique works well, because it allows the audience to feel as though they are part of the action, and raises the adrenaline levels of the audience. Also, the trains are known for running along the train tracks, so people associate these with the train.

 

Sound is also something that features heavily in the opening of thriller movies. Non-diegetic sound is almost always the overriding sound element. Films often use violin/string music, as this works well with making the audience feel nervous, and as though they are part of the action. This sort of music was used in the opening of The Butterfly Effect, and also during the opening of Se7en.

 

The openings of The Butterfly Effect and Se7en, are ones that have perhaps inspired our production the most. We like the technique of not giving much detail away during the film, and also the sound that was used in these sorts of openings was not dissimilar to our opening.

 

Above: The Butterfly Effect

 

Above: Se7en Opening

 

Many of the conventions of a thriller mentioned above were applied to our production. Firstly, our production used fast cuts in the edit to create the feeling of fast-paced action. This helped to build up the feeling of tension in the audience, and gave the impression that the film was building up to a climax, where someone might be killed. It also adds to the sense of confusion, which is also often present in thriller movies.

We have also used a variety of different shot types in our production. Our shot list shows that our shot choice ranged from extreme close ups, right the way through to the use of a mid-long shot, although in thriller movies, long shots are rarely used, as the proximity offered by other shot types allow the character’s emotion to be relayed to the audience. Furthermore, the sound we used also had string instruments and drums in, again, something that is typical of a thriller movie, and the voice we used for the narration also sounded strong and powerful, which would instil fear in the audience.

Our setting for the film challenged convention, as it was set at a rural train station, instead of in an urban area. The rural setting for our thriller was comparable to ‘No Country for Old Men’ by the Coen brothers, and I feel that this made our thriller unique, and stand out from other films of a similar genre.

 

 Furthermore, our props and costumes used for the production were very conventional for the period. For example, we used a balaclava for the killer, who was mainly dressed in black, which typically symbolises danger and fear in modern day society. Furthermore, our victim was dressed in everyday clothing, a technique that Alfred Hitchcock used in his film ‘Psycho’, shown right. This meant that the audience are able to relate to the victim more, as it makes it easier for them to place themselves into that situation.

I feel that the cut away shots of the trains we used in our production were a classic example of a convention used in thriller movies. The shots were only very brief, and as the diegetic sound was played very high, each time these train shots came on, it shocked the audience. The shots also interrupted the narrative of the plot, which made the sequence seem more interesting to watch. 

 

The setting of our production was very important. The graveyard scene was set in the current time, whilst the train station scene was a flashback – designed to show the thoughts of the mourner as he laid the flowers. Graveyards are a typical setting for a thriller movie, and have been used in many thriller movies, such as The Butterfly Effect.

I feel that this shot on the left, shows a good use of props in our production. Our killer was using a gag to wrap around the victim’s mouth, which made her seem vulnerable and unable to help herself. Furthermore, the victim could be seen checking her watch and looking for the train, as though it was late, which shows the element of surprise the killer gave to the production. Furthermore, the killer was dressed in black – a colour which symbolises danger and death – a theme that is synonymous with thriller openings.

 

 This next shot shows how the victim was struggling, and that the killer had total control over the girl. Also, our choice to use a mid-shot to film this section allows the audience to gather a sense of location, as the railway and the train station can clearly be seen in the background.

 

This shot clearly indicates the genre of the film in the opening section. As the killer begins to remove his balaclava, the audience get a sense that the film could be about the relationship between these two people. The use of narration also indicates this throughout the opening. This shot creates suspense within the audience, as the character removes the balaclava in a very menacing and sincere way. However, it also makes the audience intrigued, as they want to know how they are related, and why the killer was trying to disguise his identity.

 

Throughout the film, as the new actors are introduced, their name appears on a train track, written on by chalk. This creates the effect that the names have actually been scratched into the planks. This technique meant that we could avoid using the text overlay in the editing package we used, as these titles are often quite over-used in thriller openings. By doing it this way, it meant that we were breaking away from normal convention, and using a technique that was relevant to the plot of the thriller opening.

The shot on the left is perhaps my personal favourite in the whole production. The shot was created by placing the camera on the floor, and propping the front end of the camera up with a rock. The composition of the shot means that the killer is standing over the victim, the low angle makes him seem more powerful, and the dominant figure in the shot. The victim is unconscious at this point, and she is tied up with a rope, which makes her seem very vulnerable. Furthermore, the composition of the shot means that the killer and the victim fill nearly the full height of the frame, whilst ensuring that the train station is still visible, to remind the audience of the location.

 

The two shots on the left also show good use of continuity editing within our production. In total, the two shots were only shown for three seconds, which shows that we used fast cuts when editing this sequence. This is to give the impression that our victim was actually knocked unconscious by the rock, although in actual fact, the rock never touched Annabelle’s face. This is good evidence of our group using the filming-to-edit technique, which has been seen in many thriller movies before. The bottom shot also uses the golden mean, as the victim’s face, the rock and our killer’s face all fall on the same diagonal line across the frame.

 

The title of our movie was also something that is quite conventional for the thriller genre. Usually, the name of the main protagonist is used in the title of the film, something that was done in the films The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Legacy, as all films star Jason Bourne as one of the main roles. From watching our thriller opening, the audience would probably correctly presume that the victim is Kate, who is killed. However, because the film is called ‘Kate’s Revenge’, the audience would be intrigued to find out how the film develops, and how she manages to get revenge on her cousin. The way our title is presented in the film is also quite conventional for the thriller genre. The title continues with the theme that runs throughout the opening, with it being written onto the planks. However, because it is written in chalk, it almost looks as though it has been written as a child, and as the film develops to go back to the children’s childhood, this is an appropriate way to present the title.

Furthermore, the way of presenting the title in the centre of the screen with no other action around it is something that has been done before in films. The film ‘The Butterfly Effect’ used a very similar technique, with the title in the centre of the frame, and an appropriate background, a brain in this case, behind this. This shows that our film followed many of the conventions of a typical opening.

 

Q2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

There are six groups of demographics, listed and detailed below:
 

· Group A – people in highly paid jobs, including politicians, bank and large business managers, doctors, lawyers, scientists and well-paid professionals.

· Group B – people who are still well paid, but not as well off as people in Group A, including teachers, middle managers and civil servants.

· Group C1 - includes junior managers, bank clerks, nurses and others in ‘white collar’ professions, who have a certain skill

· Group C2 – includes ‘blue collar’ and skilled trades, such as electricians, plumbers, carpenters & gas technicians

· Group D – people who complete manual work such as builders, drivers and post office sorters

· Group E – includes people who are on very low/no income, such as the young, the elderly and people who are unemployed

 

 

 

The killer in our production, James, could quite easily be compared to Jason Bourne, who starred in all three films in The Bourne Supremacy. James’s role in our production was to play the role of a typical villain – the killer. However, we wanted the killer to be portrayed as quite a calm and collected person – perhaps someone who is quite philosophical, doesn’t rush into things, and thinks long and hard about what something before he actually does it. For example, our group decided that after James had strapped Annabelle to the railway line, he would be the sort of character who would not run off from the scene, and instead who would walk off in a calm manor.

In a lot of the thrillers we have watched, males are usually considered to be the killers, as stereotypically, men are the gender who are considered to be powerful and strong. In addition, James is a young teenager, and men who are quite young, perhaps under 40, are the people who usually kill people.  

We wanted James to be wearing something that a typical killer would be seen in. We decided that he would wear a black balaclava, to ensure that his face would be hidden from his victim, creating an element of mystery.  In all of the films we have studied, the killers usually wear black clothing, which symbolises danger and death. In a similar way, mid and long shots were usually used to film this character, to try and hide his identity from the audience, which again, creates the element of mystery and unknown. However, when James revealed himself to our victim, a close up shot-reverse-shot was used to film this, as it allowed the audience to relate with the character, and also showed the emotion of both of the characters.

James used a gag to tie Annabelle’s mouth up with during filming. This was a significant prop, as it made Annabelle helpless and unable to move, which made her seem vulnerable, and allowed the audience to feel sympathy for her. Also, James used some rope to tie Annabelle down to the train track with, and this was a good prop for him to use, as many may associate a rope with being helpless and in danger.

Because of the budget our production was made on, we did not need to use make up or lighting for this character.

 

 

Our second main actor, Annabelle Potts, played the role of the victim in our production. We wanted someone to take this part on who could use good facial expressions, and who would look very innocent when waiting for the train to come. She could be likened to the woman was in the shower scene from Hitchcock’s Psycho film.

Typically in the films that we have watched, females are the victims, as they are usually seen as being a less dominant gender in society. Also, the age of Annabelle fitted in with our plot - it is entirely plausible that Annabelle and James could be cousins. Furthermore, Annabelle’s slim figure made it easy for James to lift her over his shoulder in some scenes!

 Annabelle was dressed as though she would be waiting on a train. We wanted her to dress in normal everyday clothing, so that the audience would relate to this character, as many members of the public would usually travel by train. Furthermore, we also asked Annabelle to wear a watch as a prop, so that she could be checking the time to see if her train was late. This made the scene appear more realistic. Annabelle was wearing make-up, again, to make her character seem more realistic, as though she may be travelling to go and see someone for the day.

 I feel that our media product equally represented many social groups. Both Men and Women were represented fairly equally, and although the film used younger actors, I feel that older people would not be offended when watching our production, as it would appeal to a wide range of age groups. 

Q3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

 

Our group chose the name JJCM Productions, as it encompasses the first initial of all of our names. In addition, the name is simple and effective. Our production ident that appeared at the beginning of the thriller consisted of each of the letters appearing on the screen with a straight cut, and each time a letter appeared, a bang could be heard. This meant that it was grabbed the audience’s attention, and adopts our ethos of creating films with a strong, powerful message. 

It is the role of a production company to sell, market and produce the film that we produce. The production company also assist in the creation of the film, by helping with the budget, scheduling and scripting. In addition, they also get involved with casting the actors to star in the production. Furthermore, they are also involved with commissioning the director, and other members of the crew.  

A production company would own the rights to the film, and would receive a commission every time the film is watched in a cinema or sold on a DVD or Blu-Ray disc. Therefore, they would use the money that they have earned over the years on other projects to fund a production. Furthermore, the production company would also use advertising to make money, and to sell the finished film.  

I feel that Paramount Pictures would be the best institution to produce, distribute and market our thriller. Founded in 1912, the company are based in the Los Angeles district of Hollywood, and are the fourth oldest existing production company. Their base in the US means that if our film were distributed through Paramount Pictures, it would be able to reach bigger audiences, and it would be seen globally in countries including the US and the UK, where are if we went for a UK based company, the film may only reach a smaller proportion of our target market.

 

Paramount Pictures are a subsidiary company of Viacom, who are an American based global mass media company, with interests in both film and television. Again, this would be of advantage to us, as it would allow our film to receive adverts on Viacom’s television channels. 
 

Paramount Pictures have produced many thriller films in the past, including Snake Eyes, Carriers and Hard Rain. They also have experience in other genres, including action, sci-fi and horror. Their experience in creating these sorts of films means that our production would fit into their remit perfectly, as they have experience in producing thriller movies, along with other genres which have small elements present in our production.  

Their experience with thriller films would mean that they would be able to offer lots of advice into our thriller, and their position, based in Hollywood, would mean that our film would be able to reach a mass audience around the globe. Additionally, their links with Viacom, a major television media company, would mean that our film would be able to be marketed very effectively, to the right audience.  

It is very important to ensure that the credits are put in the right order during the title sequence and during the closing sequence. The table below compares the standard order for credits with the order the credits were presented in our production:

Standard order for Credits in a film	Our Film
Production Ident [PRODUCTION COMPANY] Presents [FILM TITLE] Lead Cast Supporting Cast Casting Director Music Composer Costume Designer Associate Producers Editor(s) Production Designer Director of Photography Executive Producer Producer Writer(s) Director	Production Ident Presents Kate’s Revenge Connor Marshall Annabelle Potts James Craig Directed by Matthew Bostock Edited by James Parronchi Narrated by Henry Saunston

 For our film, the order was slightly different, as we did not have as many peoinvolved wi because all of our actors appeared in the opening sequence, we chose to put their names in as they appeared. We felt that this method was more effective to the production we were making.

Q4: What would be the audience for your media product?

I feel that the audience for our production would be those who are aged between 15-30, because of the modern day themes conveyed in the film (such as the unsavoury relationship between the two cousins, and the use of being killed by trains). I believe that the audience will mainly be males, as they are more likely to side with the protagonist, who is a male, and female audiences may feel sorry for the victim, resulting in a feeling of anger.

To decide the target audience of our film, we carried out lots of research into the audience. We carried out research into the following psychographic groups:

After carrying out this research, we have decided that those who are Explorers and Resigned would most want to watch our film. This is because they are most likely to be the sort of people who like adventure and action, which is something that is included in our production.

 We also completed a questionnaire to ask to a sample of our audience, which can be seen in previous blog posts. This was good, as because we asked closed answer questions, we could create statistics and graphs, which helped us to analyse the results. However, this brought some problems, as sometimes it didn’t allow people to give the answers they wanted to. Also, our sample size was very small, and because we asked people within school, the psychographics of our sample were not very varied. If we did a similar activity again, we could ask more people, perhaps using the internet and social media to distribute our questionnaire with a wider audience. We could also consider asking a variety of questions, so that the sample could give any answer they wished to give.

Our research told us many things. Firstly, 31.25% of our audience like films which include an element of comedy, and this is something that we could try and include in our film, if we were given the opportunity to continue production. Furthermore, people also go to the cinema quite regularly, so our production company should be able to get the film into UK cinemas, as well as producing it on DVD.

Also, our audience, especially boys, expect death to be something that is included in the film. In fact, 100% of our audience likes films that involve death, which shows us that both males and females like to watch films that include this sort of content. With this in mind, we decided that the victim should be killed by the train. Our research also told us that they like a plot where they have to concentrate on the plot, which is why we decided that the narration would not give too much information away, and so the plot becomes clear as the film develops.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) are an independent body of people, not linked to the government, who provide legal classification for films sold in the UK. The body is designed to bring a degree of uniformity to the film classification industry, and although local councils can override decisions made by the body, their decision is often respected.

Each film submitted for certification by the BBFC is assessed by at least two examiners. Usually, the examiners are able to come to a decision about a film, but if disagreement or complex policies are included, then a decision may have to be made by senior directors. Examines focus on issues such as language, sexuality, nudity, discrimination, drugs, behaviour that can be copied, horror, violence and theme when making their decision, the context is something that is carefully considered. For example, if it is important to show nudity for educational purposes, then the film would usually be given a lower classification. The release format is often considered, as if a film is released on DVD or film, then there is a higher opportunity for underage or repeated viewing.

BBFC examiners have seven different classification certificates available to issue, and these are listed and detailed below:

     · U– Universal, meaning that the film is suitable for all age groups. It is advised that the films are set within a positive moral framework, and that violence or horror should be reassuringly counterbalanced. Discrimination is not permitted, and only infrequent and innocuous reference to drugs and alcohol may be used. Films should only contain brief and mild scenes of horror, and none of the behaviour or actions in the film may be copied. No sexual content may be displayed, and only occasional natural nudity is permitted.

 

· PG– parental guidance, meaning that some scenes may require advice and support from parents or guardians. Generally, these films should not disturb children over eight years of age, but parents should consider if sensitive children may be disturbed. If reference to drugs is mentioned, a relevant anti-drug message should be carried, and horror sequences should not be prolonged or intense. Only mild bad language should be included, and sexual activity can only be implied. Moderate violence, if justifiable, is allowed.

 

· 12/12A– exactly the same criteria is used for both 12 and 12 A films, although 12A certificates are issued for films in cinemas, where no-one under this age is permitted to watch. Discriminatory work must not be endorsed by the films message. Drug use should be infrequent, and instructional details should not be given. The film should not dwell on behaviours that can be copied by the audience, and the use of moderate language is allowed, although its use should be infrequent. Sexual references can be briefly portrayed, although the activity should not go beyond what is suitable for young teenagers. Moderate violence is allowed, although it should not dwell on gory details

 

· 15– Discriminatory language or behaviour must not be endorsed, and drug misuse can be shown, although the misuse should not be endorsed. Dangerous behaviours (such as hangings) should not dwell on details which can be copied, and frequent use of strong language is allowed. Aggressive or repeated use of strong language should not be encouraged. There are no constraints on nudity in an educational setting, and violence may be strong, and should not dwell on the infliction of injury.

 

· 18– 18 films usually observe the fact that adults should be free to choose their own entertainment. Therefore, films will only not be granted licence when the material has been created through breach of a law, where material appears to risk harm to individuals or the public through the imitation of behaviour, and where the use of explicit images cannot be justified by the context.

 

· R18– can be shown only in specially licenced cinemas, or supplied in specially licenced shops. The following is not acceptable: material that is in breach of criminal law, obscene material, material likely to encourage an interest in sexually abusive activities such as rape, the portrayal of sexual activity which does not include consent, the infliction of pain, the penetration of any object associated with harm, or any sexual threats or humiliation which do not clearly define part of the plot.

From the research I have carried out, I can therefore see that thriller films are usually given one of the higher rating available by the BBFC, because of the content included, which includes violence, strong language and nudity, that makes them a thriller film. This tells me that Thriller films are likely to only be suitable for older, more mature audiences, and therefore we should target our film at older viewers.
 
I feel that if we were planning on submitting our thriller to the BBFC, we should be aiming to receive a 15 certificate. This is because of the fact that we are implying someone will be killed in our film, which would be classed as moderate use of violence. This also fits in with our target audience, which we would anticipate would be between ages 15-30. However, our film will not contain any sexual references or scenes, and no strong language will be used, which is why I believe that it would not be appropriate for 18 classifications. However, our film contains some mature themes, such as the idea of death and murder, which would not be appropriate for younger audiences, in my opinion. Our 15 classification meant that we focused some of the themes and issues people of this age face. For example, they may be facing a situation where one sibling/cousin is treated better than another due to favouritism, and I feel that our film would appropriately address these issues, whilst ensuring that the way they are presented is appropriate for the audience.