As a member of The Fellowship I personally understand what we had created, and how it links to the thriller genre, and also the conventions that come with this genre. In many ways we have linked with other thriller films and what we personally would expect from a thriller film. Thriller films are supposed to be tension building, enigma filled, and to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Other aspects they should contain include:
Tension
Excitement
High level of anticipation
Ultra-heightened expectation
Uncertainty
Surprise
Anxiety and/or terror
Adrenaline-rushing
Gritty
Rousing
Fast paced
Villain driver plot the hero must overcome
Stressful climax
Sound
Forms and conventions of sound in the thriller genre.
Expected to be tension building and also to create suspense. In certain circumstances it can be eerie and create and unusual and generally a “thrilling” experience for the viewer.
How our final production conformed with this.
Throughout our production there is non-diegetic sound placed in the background and this continues throughout the whole production. It is an eerie style of music created by myself as I believed in some ways it relates to the opening scene of “The Shining”. The sound differs in volume through different circumstances, one being when the characters are exchanging dialogue the music is lowered but is never completely stopped to show the continuous motion and darkness of the thriller film created. We also increased the hyperbolic sound of certain parts, one being the footsteps when **** is walking into Michael's office and also when Michael is on the computer at the start of the film.
Effect hoped for.
I wanted to relate our film to great, well known thriller films like “The Shining” to create an eerie atmosphere for the viewers. I understood the effect of the opening scene of “The Shining” upon myself, and wanted to create the same “thrilling” effect.
Also the continuous non-diegetic sound played throughout the whole task keeps the audience fully involved and makes them feel constantly on edge and in a tense situation.
The hyperbolic sound emphasises the eerie atmosphere, as recognisable sounds are increased so the audience feel more vulnerable while watching the film, making them feel more involved.
Was it achieved upon the audience?
Mise-en-scene
Forms and conventions of mise-en-scene in the thriller genre.
In general, the mise-en-scene varies to what particular sub-genre of the thriller genre the film is. An example would be during crime thrillers certain aspects such as weapons, drugs, and other illegal aspects are obviously going to be involved. And also with thriller sub-genres such as technological thrillers, the viewer would expect technology, including phones, computers, and so on.
How our final production conformed/subverted with this.
Conforms: The general setting of the first scene in the computer room relates to the technological thriller. Also the props suggest technological aspects such as the phones and different computers used. Certain costumes from the crime sub-genre were also used such as suits, and generally rich clothing, such as the beige trousers on ****.
Subverted: As two different sub-genres are intertwined with crime and technological some aspects are missed on one, while the other conforms. An example would be how the setting is more technologically based rather than crime based due to the filming being in a computer room and an office.
Effect hoped for. Was the effect hoped for, achieved upon the audience?^
The mise-en-scene that was used was to create a familiar picture within the viewers mind to what they have already seen and so what they would expect to see from a similar thriller film. Similar uses of setting, props and costumes have been used to lead the audience into a false sense of security believing they know a similar thriller that they can relate to. But they have no idea of what to expect and the results of the film they are about to watch.
Camera work
Forms and conventions of camera work in the thriller genre.
You would expect to see jolty and disfigured camera movements which thrills the audience and increases the tension. They also expect to be unable to view the antagonist until further engulfed in the storyline and when it becomes more clear to them upon the narrative.
How our final production conformed/subverted with this.
Subverted: The slow pan movement in the first scene where Michael has entered the computer room contrasts with the majority of thriller films. With a thriller you would expect a jolty and disfigured scene but our scene contrasts with this.
Conformed: The use of a tracking shot on the character **** when he is going to speak to Michael about certain business follows him. There is a low angle focusing on his footsteps, and then shows his back. It never focuses on his face and you can never see this due to how we want to keep this character mischievous. He needs to be seen as unknown to the character in the film, as well as to the audience. A characteristic of a thriller film would be to create uncertainty for the viewer, and this is a convention that we have used.
Was the effect hoped for, achieved upon the audience?^
Effect hoped for.
With the use of the tracking shot we expected that the audience would feel a lack of uncertainty about the character and to create a dark atmosphere for them who are unaware of one of the characters. As they are unable to see **** face, the antagonist is unknown to the character leading to an enigma of, who is this character?
The use of the slow pan movement leads the audience to believe that the protagonist character is aware of his surroundings and understands how to deal with certain circumstances that occur. They are shocked to find out what then occurs.
Editing
Forms and conventions of editing in the thriller genre.
With films within the thriller genre, certain editing techniques are expected. The use of match on action would be for the effect of being placed into the characters position and therefore feeling more involved with the events that are going to take place.
Also how jump cuts are expected, being abrupt and fast paced which also links with the transition devices which are also conventionally used which are quick between scenes to create a jolty experience for the viewer.
How our final production conformed/subverted with this.
Conformed: Within “The Corrupt Reality” we used match on action in the office scene where **** is leaving the room to feel the dominance of the character with him opening and then slamming the door from outside the door.
Subverted: We used a contrasting experience for the viewer to what was expected by not using jump cuts and fast transitional devices, but instead we used the opposite of slow transitional devices and just normal cuts.
Effect hoped for.
The effect we were hoping for upon the audience would be to create an experience where they feel more involved with the film, and almost located within the scene and to feel **** dominance and authority.
With the normal cuts and the slow transitional devices we wanted to lead the audience further into a false sense of security, expecting the film to have a happy atmosphere which then contrasts with the actual events. It emphasises the eerie atmosphere we wanted to create.
Was it achieved upon the audience?
Narrative
Forms and conventions of narrative in the thriller genre.
A thriller genre varies with sudden rushes of emotions and excitement with a slow moving narrative to create a more thrilling experience for the viewer. When the narrative is slow and then increases in pace, the film is a lot more unusual and the viewer is less likely to anticipate what is going to happen.
Another narrative technique that the viewer would expect, is to be in a position where the films narrative is dominated by the protagonist character. Then within time the antagonist character would be come slowly revealed to the audience.
Especially crime thrillers emphasise character development and complex narratives over action sequences.
How our final production conformed/subverted with this.
Conformed: We created a slow moving narrative with the viewer feeling comfortable with the protagonist character. Then we introduced the antagonist character and then increased certain other aspects with the narrative and started to increase the pace of camera work and so on.
We also used a narrative where the antagonist would be unrecognisable at the start and then slowly reveal more about the character and his position.
There is little action in our thriller film and it is more focused with crime thrillers where character development and finding out what the characters are like and involved with is more important than action sequences.
Subverted: The fact that character development is hardly introduced due to how we wanted to keep a constant enigma throughout the production.
Effect hoped for.
We wanted to create an effect upon the audience where they would be in a constant enigma trying to find out about the antagonist character and guessing what his position is etc. We wanted **** character to be slowly revealed to the audience so they could continue guessing about the character and what he represents. To make the audience guess and to question the film makes them more involved and encourages them to enjoy the film further.
Was it achieved upon the audience?
Forms and conventions of mise-en-scene in the thriller genre.
In general, the mise-en-scene varies to what particular sub-genre of the thriller genre the film is. An example would be during crime thrillers certain aspects such as weapons, drugs, and other illegal aspects are obviously going to be involved. And also with thriller sub-genres such as technological thrillers, the viewer would expect technology, including phones, computers, and so on.
How our final production conformed/subverted with this.
Conforms: The general setting of the first scene in the computer room relates to the technological thriller. Also the props suggest technological aspects such as the phones and different computers used. Certain costumes from the crime sub-genre were also used such as suits, and generally rich clothing, such as the beige trousers on ****.
Subverted: As two different sub-genres are intertwined with crime and technological some aspects are missed on one, while the other conforms. An example would be how the setting is more technologically based rather than crime based due to the filming being in a computer room and an office.
Effect hoped for. Was the effect hoped for, achieved upon the audience?^
The mise-en-scene that was used was to create a familiar picture within the viewers mind to what they have already seen and so what they would expect to see from a similar thriller film. Similar uses of setting, props and costumes have been used to lead the audience into a false sense of security believing they know a similar thriller that they can relate to. But they have no idea of what to expect and the results of the film they are about to watch.
Camera work
Forms and conventions of camera work in the thriller genre.
You would expect to see jolty and disfigured camera movements which thrills the audience and increases the tension. They also expect to be unable to view the antagonist until further engulfed in the storyline and when it becomes more clear to them upon the narrative.
How our final production conformed/subverted with this.
Subverted: The slow pan movement in the first scene where Michael has entered the computer room contrasts with the majority of thriller films. With a thriller you would expect a jolty and disfigured scene but our scene contrasts with this.
Conformed: The use of a tracking shot on the character **** when he is going to speak to Michael about certain business follows him. There is a low angle focusing on his footsteps, and then shows his back. It never focuses on his face and you can never see this due to how we want to keep this character mischievous. He needs to be seen as unknown to the character in the film, as well as to the audience. A characteristic of a thriller film would be to create uncertainty for the viewer, and this is a convention that we have used.
Was the effect hoped for, achieved upon the audience?^
Effect hoped for.
With the use of the tracking shot we expected that the audience would feel a lack of uncertainty about the character and to create a dark atmosphere for them who are unaware of one of the characters. As they are unable to see **** face, the antagonist is unknown to the character leading to an enigma of, who is this character?
The use of the slow pan movement leads the audience to believe that the protagonist character is aware of his surroundings and understands how to deal with certain circumstances that occur. They are shocked to find out what then occurs.
Editing
Forms and conventions of editing in the thriller genre.
With films within the thriller genre, certain editing techniques are expected. The use of match on action would be for the effect of being placed into the characters position and therefore feeling more involved with the events that are going to take place.
Also how jump cuts are expected, being abrupt and fast paced which also links with the transition devices which are also conventionally used which are quick between scenes to create a jolty experience for the viewer.
How our final production conformed/subverted with this.
Conformed: Within “The Corrupt Reality” we used match on action in the office scene where **** is leaving the room to feel the dominance of the character with him opening and then slamming the door from outside the door.
Subverted: We used a contrasting experience for the viewer to what was expected by not using jump cuts and fast transitional devices, but instead we used the opposite of slow transitional devices and just normal cuts.
Effect hoped for.
The effect we were hoping for upon the audience would be to create an experience where they feel more involved with the film, and almost located within the scene and to feel **** dominance and authority.
With the normal cuts and the slow transitional devices we wanted to lead the audience further into a false sense of security, expecting the film to have a happy atmosphere which then contrasts with the actual events. It emphasises the eerie atmosphere we wanted to create.
Was it achieved upon the audience?
Narrative
Forms and conventions of narrative in the thriller genre.
A thriller genre varies with sudden rushes of emotions and excitement with a slow moving narrative to create a more thrilling experience for the viewer. When the narrative is slow and then increases in pace, the film is a lot more unusual and the viewer is less likely to anticipate what is going to happen.
Another narrative technique that the viewer would expect, is to be in a position where the films narrative is dominated by the protagonist character. Then within time the antagonist character would be come slowly revealed to the audience.
Especially crime thrillers emphasise character development and complex narratives over action sequences.
How our final production conformed/subverted with this.
Conformed: We created a slow moving narrative with the viewer feeling comfortable with the protagonist character. Then we introduced the antagonist character and then increased certain other aspects with the narrative and started to increase the pace of camera work and so on.
We also used a narrative where the antagonist would be unrecognisable at the start and then slowly reveal more about the character and his position.
There is little action in our thriller film and it is more focused with crime thrillers where character development and finding out what the characters are like and involved with is more important than action sequences.
Subverted: The fact that character development is hardly introduced due to how we wanted to keep a constant enigma throughout the production.
Effect hoped for.
We wanted to create an effect upon the audience where they would be in a constant enigma trying to find out about the antagonist character and guessing what his position is etc. We wanted **** character to be slowly revealed to the audience so they could continue guessing about the character and what he represents. To make the audience guess and to question the film makes them more involved and encourages them to enjoy the film further.
Was it achieved upon the audience?
