initial ideas for opening thriller

Our first idea was set in a derelict building, where two protagonists are provoking each other's weaknesses. However, we had a few problems with this idea. For example, we found out that the safety of this idea was probably not that good, and that it would be hard to find an abandoned building.

Another idea is the thriller of "Paranoid". The thriller would be set around a protagonist who has paranoi and therefore thinks everyone is out to get him. We would introduce a antagonist to fully explore the protagonist's weakness. The opening would contain the protagonist walking through a busy shopping centre, whilst the camera is distorted and abstract to create a panicked atmosphere.
We thought though, that it wouldnt be possible to film the shots we needed without being told to leave so this idea was scrapped and we brainstormed some more of our ideas.

In the end, we settled with the idea of being obsessed with someone because we had many different thoughts as to how we could film it, what our mise en sene would be (like our polaroid pictures) and how we could leave the audience answering questions after our opening sequence, like why they are obsessed and who is the one being followed.

Script - Stage 1 of planning

We a start off shot of a dark room, and a match is struck which in turn lights up the ladies face. It is then blown out and screen is black again and the name of the film then appears.

Woman picks up torch and the surrounding area glows up. The torch is then guided past the photos that are hanging up, which the woman has previously developed with the surrounding photography equipment. These photos are of 2 women throughout key stages in their life. After 3 photos have been revealed, the woman's red lips are shown just before she clicks the torch off. Fades to black and credits appear.

Opening resumes in different setting: smaller, light room with white walls. There is a picture on the central wall that has one of the previous photos, however one of the faces has been scratched out with a marker pen. The women then puts the photos she has just developed up on the wall with the rest and begins to scratch out faces on these. The picture is then torn off of the wall, rolled into a ball and then thrown into the bin.

(Location photos) - Stage 2 and 3 of planning

This is the dark room in Long Road Sixth Form. We thought it would fit into our opening sequence very well because of the lighting, which is red and symbolises danger, and also because it creates an eerie setting. It also fits in with the plot as we centre around photographs, because of the stalker. We found very limited problems with this setting. One of the only problems we encountered, was the fact that within the dark photography room are a number of heat sensors, and so this meant we couldn't light our match within the room itself. However, through extended planning, we have worked around it and will light the match in another room with similar lighting, and also use a torch to highlight the hanging pictures in the room instead.

This is a possible setting for our second part of the opening, where the stalker has a room dedicated to the person she is obsessed with. We thought this wall was good because it is in a scary setting, an empty locker-room, and it is a central wall with a dreary, off white colour. Again, we found hardly any problems with this location. The only possible problem we found was that the location does look a bit like a school, because it is in a school, and therefore softens the eerie atmosphere. To solve this problem, we are looking into using another possible location for the second part of the opening sequence.

This is one of the test shots that we took to get an idea of what the shot would eventually look like. This is in the second part of the opening and shows the part when the stalker enters the room full of photos.

Past Thriller Work

Analysis of The Return
The first convention used in this student's work is that it seems that the opening sequence centres around some sort of crime. This is because parts of the sequence are filmed from a CCTV camera's point of view, which hints that the action in the scene is focusing on a criminal. Also, people are seen to appear and then disappear suddenly and there is a part where a boy in a hood is running away, which again both hint that something isn't right.
The sound, editing and mise en scene are all used as well to create suspense within the opening sequence, which is also a generic convention of a thriller. For example, the scene has been edited so that things appear and then disappear, creating an illusion, and the sound is eerie, which creates suspense as to what will happen next.

Analysis of Piece by Piece
One of the conventions used in this thriller opening is the distortion of an everyday action. For example, throughout the sequence, someone is seen to be playing chess, which shows that the thriller is going to be a game between 2 people. It also hints that there will be a protagonist and an antagonist. Through the use of the 4 micro-elements, this student group create suspense as through sound, and use close-ups of the weapon to show violence and a threat that the film will end in tragedy.

Initial Ideas for production companies

This was our first idea for our prouction company logo. The idea of 'Twenty 11' at first seemed up to date and simple. We thought it was short and snappy, but we soon realised that it wouldn't really mean much after the year of 2011. It would quickly become outdated.

We then came up with the idea of Skyline Productions. This is our initial idea for the logo. We thought that the the seperate letters had a good effect as it emphasied our production name, making sure the viewer was drawn straight to our company name. 

This is the final company logo. We chose the name Skyline Productions because it is modern and is also quite futuristic, due to all the large buildings. Cities are sometimes the setting of thriller films, which also ties in with the Skyline idea. The image comes across as a big, 'blockbuster' logo, with high budget, up  to date technology and experience in the film making world. 

Walt Disney Pictures

The Walt Disney Pictures Logo is effective because it is clearly linked to the genre of childrens fairytale/fantasy style films. This is because you associate the castle with the fairtytale genre, which is very stereotypical of this style of film. 

Opening sequence to 'Insomia'

The sequence begins simple but effective. The beggining is abstract in the way that it swaps between what apepars to be blood seeping through rope and deserted ice caps. The intense music that accompanies the images gives off a thrilling and uncomfortable feel. By repeating the clip of the blood coming through the rope (which gets further away each time) leaves you wondering the meaning behind it and if it is symbollic to the events in the film. Also when the camera is panning over the ice caps, they then become blurry before more credits appear, this makes the audience feel disorientated. 

This film is rated a 15. This because there is frequent strong language. There is also some strong references to sex and moderate violence. Aswell as grisly images, such as near the start you clearly see the dead girl's body. Also, the story is primarily based around a grusome murder, which sets in the readers mind the themes that will continue throughout the film. The target audience would be aged 15 and above, this is mainly because the story follows quite intense events, that would not be suitable for younger audiences and they also may not understand. Also, the actors appeal to an older audience as they can relate to them, where as children couldn't. All 3 of the main actors are also award winning, meaning they are well known, making the film appealing to many people. 

Budget

$46,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend

$26,068,419 (USA) (27 May 2002) (2,610 Screens)
£1,159,754 (UK) (1 September 2002) (264 Screens)
€1,150,763 (Italy) (10 November 2002) (221 Screens)
€1,055,310 (Spain) (13 October 2002) (258 Screens)

From: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0278504/business  

Also, the 3 main actors have achieved:

Al Pacino- Best Actor, Scent of a Woman

Robin Williams- Best supporting actor, Good Will Hunting

Hilary Swank- Best actress, Boys Don't Cry