Story Board

Reprisal Film Opening

Target Audience Research Questionaire

 

*By Chloe Howse*

Target Audience Research

 

 
*By Bonnie Hartrey*

Reprisal Shooting Script

 

 

*By Bonnie Hartrey*

Q7) Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Preliminary Task
Since creating our preliminary task we have extremely improved on our overall filming techniques, due to the knowledge we have learnt in our research. In our final project we were able to use a variety shots, angles, editing techniques and use of diegetic and non diegetic sound.



In our Thriller opening we were able to use editing techniques and camera shots, angles and sound an eerie and uncomfortable atmosphere for people who are watching our project. For example:

• Jump cuts
• Low angle shots
• High angle shots
• Cut in
• Cut away
• Close up
• Extreme close up
• Diegetic sound
• Non diegetic sound
• Quick paced cuts
• Black and white effect

These use of filming techniques are a massive improvement from our preliminary task, as in our preliminary task there was lack of shot range, angles and use of both non diegetic and diegetic sound as the only sound we used was diegetic. Since our preliminary task we have been able to research and plan our project making us much more knowledgeable about camera editing techniques and allowing us to improve our overall project because we were able to use techniques effectively and appropriately for the thriller genre.

We were able to research the language and content, which was appropriate for our age range which is rated 15. The research allowed us to make our project appropriate and appeal to the audience which it was aimed at.

Q6) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Q6 evaluation from chloehowse

Q5) How did you attract/ address your audience

Q4) Who would be the audience for your media product

As stated in our planning and research, as a group, we decided to classify our thriller film opening as a 15. This decision was one of the results from the audience research commenced by us a group.

Above is a pie chart showing the results from one the questions on the questionnaire. It shows that majority of the people we asked, who enjoyed thriller films were aged between 15 and 20. This influenced us to choose '15' as a classification. In addition to this we discovered that majority of the people asked, that liked thriller conventions we used, were male. So we decided that majority of our audience would be young males aged between 15 and 20.

Typical Audience Member.

This is Daniel Flay, he is a 17 year old student who enjoys thriller movies, especially psychological thrillers. He is a huge fan of the main protagonist, Levi Hodge, so this automatically attracted his attention to Reprisal. However, Daniel was also intrigued by the wide range of codes and conventions demonstrated in our thriller film opening. In Daniel's spare time he regularly attends the cinema to see film premieres as it is a much better experience than watching it home he explained. His favourite genre of film is thriller and the films include Arlington Road, Brick, and Psycho.

Daniel Stated "I really like thriller films and absolutely love the opening sequence to Reprisal, I cannot wait until I can see the rest, watching the opening immediately give me a huge sense of eireeness. As a huge fan of thriller films I can see how the key conventions and the things I expect to see have been used such as jump cuts. I especially like the use of CCTV footage".

Q3) What kind of media insitution might distribute your media product

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

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

Key Elements of Our Thriller Opening

In our Thriller movie the key elements we are going to be using some codes and conventions to help build up suspense before the film begins.

• Fast paced quick cuts - We know that this is an element that the audience will be used to and is effective for building tension and suspense in a film.
• Mirrors - Mirrors are another commonly used convention in a thriller. The connotations of mirrors are reflection, double meanings and tricks on the audience. We are going to use mirrors in our opening to show the fractured personality of our character and to build mystery about his identity.
• Black and white CCTV footage - This will allow us to create a dark and eerie atmosphere at the same time CCTV footage has connotations of reality making the film feel more real and creepy.
• Non diegetic music - We are going to use non diegetic music to allow the audience to identify that is something not right, so that we can build suspense for them and make them aware that something bad is about to happen.

Age Classification

As part of our production we have to classify the minimum age limit to either watch our film in the cinema or to purchase it. In order to do this we had to do some research on it to gain more marks. One key website that we found useful was the British Board of film classification (BBFC) because it give us detailed information about each age classification and the what should and should not be included.

The age classification we have agreed on is '15' because on BBFC it states that a this classification could include:

• strong violence
• frequent strong language (eg 'f***').
• portrayals of sexual activity
• strong verbal references to sex
• sexual nudity
• brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence
• discriminatory language or behaviour
• drug taking

But the only the element from this we are using is strong violence because of the fact that there is going to be a murder and we feel this is too serious to classify as a '12' and it would not be an '18' because we are not dwelling on the infliction of pain and injury.

Film Synopsis

For our coursework production we have decided to make a psychological thriller film opening, we are currently working on a name for our film but we have got our story line.

Levi is the protagonist in the film, and is being portrayed as a mentally-ill patient who has been sectioned off into a mental institute for murder instead of going to prison. During his time in the mental institution, Levi has made a kill list containing 3 women- one he has already killed and another he kills in the opening sequence. The third woman will be Levi's target for the rest of the film. In the sequences following our opening sequence, the likability of Bonnie's character will be established in order to create tension and anxiety amongst the audience for the remainder of the film. A cat and mouse pursuit of Levi and Bonnie will dominate most of the film, ending with a plot twist in which Levi learns that he is the father of Bonnie's child but he is shot by the police. The final sequence will be an ariel shot of Bonnie lying over Levi's body whilst uncontrollably crying.

Logo

 

We decided on a logo and came up with the name 'EVIL Productions' we decided to use this name because it fits in well with the thriller genre and our plans for our final piece.

 

 

Thriller Mood Board

Codes and Conventions

 

We decided to present our research on codes and conventions on thrillers as a tv style interview.

Script Abbreviations

ELS extreme long shot
MLS medium long shot
LS long shot
MS medium shot
MCU medium close-up
CU close-up
ECU extreme close-up
OS over-the-shoulder shot
2-S or 3-S two-shot or three-shot
POV point of view shot
ZI or ZO zoom in or zoom out
INT interior
EXT exterior
SOT or SOF sound on tape or sound on film
BG background
SFX or F/X special effects (can be either sound or visual)
VO voice-over
OSV off-screen voice
DIS dissolve

Location Shoot

We got in contact with Dawn Martin, The head of alternative education at our school and she is also of this house which is used as a learning annex and is situated on the school grounds. She is fine for us to use this house as our location for making our production.

This is a shot of the high gate and fence that is surrounding the house we are going to use as a mental institute.

This is a shot of a CCTV camera that is situated on the outside of the house; which is good because makes the house feel more like a 'mental home' or institute.

This is a shot of the house we are going to use as the mental institute. We think this is a good location because it is surrounded by a big field a high fencing with a gate that can be locked. It is also a good location to use because the house has various CCTV cameras in and around the house that can make it feel more like a mental institute.

This a shot showing part of the field and the high fence that surrounds it. It also shows a CCTV camera on a high post. This could show that its an area that needs to be closely watched.

This a shot of the field surrounding the house.

This is a shot of the house showing part of the field and fencing.

This is a shot of an office that can be re arranged and used as the mental institute officer's office.