location research.

The three images you took plus an analysis of why they would make good thriller locations.

Conventions of a thriller.

The main elements of a thriller are suspense, tension and excitement. They tend to cover up important information to make the viewers curious and ask questions. Aswell as being mysterious, they also keep the audience at the edge of their seats to eventually build the plot up to a climax. People tend to not see the difference between horrors and thrillers, but thrillers do not include gore and violance, more like mysteries and solving crimes. However some may seem like they include the aspects of a horror but it is not exagerated or to the extent of the horror genre. There are different types of thrillers; crime, mystery, religious and supernatural. Some tend to be mind puzzling, keeping the viewers intrigued and making them want to watch the whole film to work out the story. In order to evoke a certain mood, quick cuts are often included with a variety of camera angles. The soundtrack also plays a big part in this, the tempo of the music can either make the scene exciting or calm.

Conventions of an opening sequence.

Opening sequences tend to not give away much, leaving clues and suggestions to get our mind working. By adding these little hints it grabs our interest, making us be willing to stay there for the rest of the film to then see the answers revealed andwatch these pieces that make the story all fit together. The main reason for an opening sequence is to establish the viewers interest so what we see should be intriguing by possibly not showing the full picture. This can be done by including a lot of close ups so our view is restricted.

The creators have the challenge of settling the viewers in, so whatever has happened in their day, they are now able to forget about it all and immense their selves into the film so that they are giving their full attention. So in a way the film should take us by the hand and draw us into the film. Whatever happens in the opening sets up the mood and atmosphere for the film. Choice of music and font evokes a certain atmosphere therefore these aspects are important as to how we interpretate the film. For example this film title suggests that a child is involved, reason being because the title has been drawn over with a crayon and it is quite messy. The fact that is on lined paper adds to this scruffy sketchy feel.

The opening sequence should also include the main job roles. The order of which they are presented in starts with the distributer, leading onto the production and then certain relevant roles throughout. Towards the end of the credits is usually the more important roles - ending with the director.

The actual title of the film is presented at any point but the way it is presented usually includes certain connotations - The choice of backround that is overlayed by credits also depicts the genre of the film. For example this backround is yellow and black suggesting danger. The reason for this is because warning signs tend to be these colours as they are contrasting which makes it stand out so we are able to notice the warning. This background gives the same affect reflecting the fact that the film is menesing and dangerous. There is always a reason for everything, this black triangular point falling down the frame links to the knife being dropped in the previous shot. It is likely that a certain feature will link to something and has a reason for being included.

analyse and opening sequence of your genre.

http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/09/10/to-kill-a-mockingbird/

The title of the film is created with a crayon. A technique of rubbing crayon across paper that has the stencil 'to kill a mocking bird' underneath. By rubbing a dark colour over the top, it makes the text visible. I think this is a very creative way of presenting the title, It is also appropriate as it links to the fact that the opening sequence is about a young child. Crayons are often associated with children, the way that it is drawn onto the paper is quite messy which is the way a child would draw.

The location is not made clear, however we can guess that it is in a childs room. We are made to focus on the subjects in the box, this is done by close ups and having a shallow depth of field therefore the surroundings are not visible.

This opening sequence only consists of objects, therefore these props must have a specific meaning to the film. They are little bits and bobs that probably mean a lot to the child, however they are not of great value suggesting that the child possibly doesn't have much. The way that they have been laid out in the box may mean something for example, the watch is in the centre which could mean time is crucial, possibly there is not much of it. There is a male wooden figure and a female wooden figure could represent a mother and father. The fact that the female figure looks as if it is leaning on the male may suggest a relationship problem in the film.



I like how the camera pans across the objects in different ways. As our view is so close up, we can see more of the detail. I like the fact that camera follows the movements of the objects for example to rolling marble and the lines that are being drawn. Because the panning is so slow it makes the mood feel mellow and calm, it also makes us appreciate e
ach object more. It has been edited by including a fading transition between each shot, this makes the shots flow together.



This same transition between shots has been used in the titles. Each title fades over one another. The titles don't give away anything, they are quite small and plain however they do suite the opening. They are sometimes placed in between transitions and flow well with the shots. Also they don't take up the frame so we can still see the back round also.


This opening sequence suggests its of a thriller genre because like many others, it doesn't give away much. Our view is restricted but what we can see most probably plays an important part in the film. The objects could possibly be giving away clues which is what
thrillers do.

The Reaping. (Stephen Hopkins, 2007, US)

The title of the film is shown during the middle of the opening. The font seems like it is from a type writer and it appears quite crooked. It is in red, automatically suggesting that this film is quite evil, even the words themselves - 'The Reaping' connotes an unpleasant feeling. The title is placed on the right centre of the frame, leaving room for editing and quick shots at the left side. The fact that the words are quite small relates to the microscopic like shots. The words sink down the frame, this is a negative action. It is almost as if they are slowly sinking into water as the letters look like they are rippling slightly, this could relate to later events in the film.

The location is left unrevealed. We are unable to see the surroundings, the opening sequence is just focused on the subjects themselves and because we are zoomed in so much, we cannot see beyond these insects/creatures.

This opening sequence focuses on the detail and features on the surface of these frogs, flies, locusts and blood. No characters are even used, only images that reflect the nature of the biblical plagues. The title sequence consists of nothing else other than these subjects.

The camera work in this sequence is interesting, using macro photography as the shots mostly consist of extreme close ups. By doing this, we can really see the detail, pattern and texture in these creatures which we usually wouldn't notice. The camera has been focused in and out. As the shots have been speeded up so that this technique happens quickly it makes it seem more intrieging but also makes it harder to see. The framing appears to be carefully thought out, making sure that the shot doesnt show the full picture, but enough to give you an idea on what it might be. It also shows us the interesting parts on the body of each creature. It has been edited so that the shots are speeded up, by doing this it gives it a fast pace which will keep the viewers attention where as if we were to have long length shots of the surface of these creatures, the viewers are more likely to loose interest. Another way that this sequence has been edited is by including on going transitions between the shots, these are also fast pace and flow well with the sequence. They often consist of graphic splashes of blood or a plain black screen overlayed with credits. The overall appearance or feel to this opening sequence is as if we are looking through a microscope - some shots are edited so that we can only see it through a circle. The fact that it focuses in and out reflect the view of adjusting the focus on a microscope. It gives the clip a scientific feel.

All the titles are of the same font and colour, however they appear in different parts of the frame. They all seem to ripple and slowly glide in a direction. Some are of a bigger scale than others, this probably depends on the importance of the job role or the length of the writing in the frame. The transitions between the titles vary. Each letter either disappears in a random order or morphs into the next title.

By using these creatures - frog, fly, locust and shots of blood, it makes us think why these specific creatures. As the opening only shows shots of these subjects it is then obvious that they play a big role in the film. The film is about strange natural phenomena occuring, simular to the ten biblical plagues so by having these shots, it is relevant to the story and gives us an idea on what it is about.

The overall look of the opening is quite dark. Red is a dominant colour throughout, making it seem blood related. Because of the use of insects and frogs being magnified, it seems quite scientific. This scientific theme is common in the thriller genre. All the shots are close ups which restricts the viewer to only a small sample of the creature. Not showing the full picture is common in thriller films.

Wallander. (Firewall, MacCormick, 2008, UK)

The location is revealed through an extreme long shot which is the establishing shot. The set is faded in from darkness and the camera gradually pans across the sea with an over view shot and then tilts upwards to reveal the land. The land is rural, with a lot of greenery and fields suggesting that the area is very quite and mellow. In my opinion the landscape looks deserted.

The title of the film is presented on top of a yellow shape that morphs into different patterns. There is an ongoing theme of yellow and black, these two colours relate to danger signs which are often warning the public to keep away or be cautious. This reinforces the story line of the opening.

Three characters are introduced in the opening, however their face is not revealed at the start, we can only see the back of their heads. The girl on the right is wearing a leather jacket which suggests she dresses like a rock chick. Her hair is read and black, the fact that it has artificial colours in it suggests she likes to be different, it also makes her stand out compared to the other girl. The colour red relates to evil.

Double Indemnity. (1944, USA, Billy Wilder)

The title of the film is composed in the center. As the font is very large, it takes up most of the frame. The over all look of the title is bold and not at all fancy. The fact that the letters are in capitals makes it seem quite loud and in your face which is appropriate because the title of the film should differentiate in size compared to the other titles. The film title is overlayed, like all the other titles in front of a silhouette of a man walking on crutches towards the camera. The title appears on the screen by fading in whilst the previous job titles fade out then the same transition is used as the title then fades out while the next job roles fade in.

The first shot is an establishing shot, centered in the middle of a main road. This shot has used the rule of thirds as the composition is well presented. This shot tells us quite a bit about the location. We can see that the area looks built up, that its set in the late evening and that the location of the film is in Los Angeles because it is says on the sign next to the worker 'Los Angeles Railway Corp.' so already, the set is fully revealed.

When we are first introduced to the protagonist, we don't see much of his costume, only a long dark coat and a black hat. The fact that these are such dark, dull colours makes the character seem quite serious and stern. The choice of costume covers a lot of him, the effect of this makes him come across as very hidden and mysterious. In the last part of the opening, he smokes a cigarette. By including this prop it makes him appear quite distressed and not at ease.

In my opinion, I think that the camera work behind the job titles is effective. We are shown a silhouette of a man done by a projection. We cannot see any features or detail, just his shape and that he is using crutches. By doing this it makes the audience ask who is he and why he is in this condition. Later on we find out that he is Mr. Neff, the main character because of his hat and crutches.

The job titles are the same as the title of the film, only smaller. The title is white with a shadow effect behind, reinforcing the fact that the opening is quite mysterious. The transitions are all the same, fading in and out which makes the titles kind of flow together. The overall look of the opening credits is a simple classic appearance which you would expect from a 1940's film.

In the first scene, we see a car travelling at a fast speed, frantically down the main road. This makes us ask why is the car so rushed and where is it traveling to. This frantic rush is reinforced when the car runs a red light, it is distributive and causes kayos. So at this point the audience realize that whoever is in the car is in a hurry. Throughout the opening sequence, not much is revealed so we are left slightly bewildered. We notice while watching Mr.Neff, he is not using his left arm which makes us wonder if he is injured. Our questions on why the car was being driven so manic and why his arm is not in use is answered when it is revealed that he has been shot. This then leads on to us asking more questions about his wound.

Whilst watching the opening sequence, we notice that it is very mysterious by having the protagonist hidden to the camera. This certain aspect makes us quite confused. These are two conventions of a thriller - hidden and puzzling. Also, thrillers tend to open in a state of kayos which is exactly what this opening has done. Things that are out of ordinary tend to appear in the thriller genre, and by having Mr. Neff rush to his work late in the evening when it is empty with only cleaners in sight is reflecting this out of ordinary thriller convention.

We know that the protagonist is very hidden, the way he presents himself, being hobbled over reinforces this. He is in a rush to get to his company however, when he arrives he slowly gets out of the car which once again questions the idea that he could be injured. Once he has arrived he is greeted by an assistant but the way he responds in their short conversation is quite blunt, and we only see his face shortly which once again emphasises his hidden personality. The assistant himself is very short compared to Mr. Neff who towers over him, this makes the assistant seem less in power and authority. When we finally see Mr. Neff's face, we can see that he is sweaty breathless which makes him seem distressed and like he is panicking.

The music in the first scene whilst the car is driving through the town is very upbeat which suits the tempo of the frantic car and adds to the hectic mood of the scene. Once the protagonist steps out of the car, we hear foreboding sinister music. The effect of this is that it makes the character seem menacing and up to no good.

Brick (Ryan Johnson, 2005, USA)

The title of the film is on a plain black background in a contrasting white font. The letters are in capitals and the style of font is quite sophisticated. This title appearance is a reoccurring theme in thriller films. The way that the title is presented is as if it is shrinking and going further back into the darkness to then fade to nothing. This could represent the dissapearance of Emily, the fact that it fades into the darkness until it is no longer there could relate to Emily's death with her life being no longer there. The fact that the title is shown on its own, after a shot of Emily's hand putting a note in the locker could suggest that she relates to the word 'Brick', that she is behind whatever it means and that she is the main focus of the film. It also suggests that this is the last time we see her when she is alive as it is shown after she leaves the scene.

The overall settings are in an urban environment. The setting are gradually revealed in the first scene, showing extreme close ups of the main character and then an establishing shot of the location in which the scene is in. The location is in a a storm drain which has an unwelcoming atmosphere, being hidden and at a lower level therefore it is covered by a shadow from the surrounding walls. We see a contrast of lighting in the scene as the upper ground is bright and sunny and the strom drain is dark and dull. The establishing shot uses the rule of thirds, Brendon being on the left side of the grid, Emily on the right and the tunnel in the centre. The effect of this makes us drawn to this large dark tunnel - it is visualy gripping. As the inside of the tunnel is pitch black, it makes the atmosphere feel uneasy as we are unable to see what is beyond these drains. The drain itself is dirty and not seen too, it is a location which is unlikely to have seen any other movement or life apart from the flowing stream. The next location we are shown is inside of a school. We know this because we are shown rows of students lockers. There is also old, flattened chewing gum on the floor which shows these are young teenagers. The fact that there is alot of gum suggests that there are alot of students reinforcing why it is such a big space.

In the first seen, we see close ups showing parts of Emily. Her skin looks quite dirty aswell as her shoes. The fact that they are muddy makes us wonder why are they in this state. Overall, she is dressed nicely, wearing small healed shoes, a skirt and what seems to be a jumper, however all her clothes look filthy and ruined. Because she is dressed nicely but covered in dirt suggests that what ever got her in this state was unexpected. She is wearing bright blue bangles which clashes with the plain colours of her outfit making them stand out. I think that the creators have chosen to include this contrasting choice of jewellery because it identifies her to the audience as her face is covered by her hair, so it is not clear what she looks like. The fact that these bangles appear quite qwerky and bright reflects the fact that she is a young student. In the next scene in the school, all we are shown is an arm putting a letter through a locker. We can see that on the wrist is the same bangles and also the same jumper therefore we automaticaly can identify these features to work out that it is the same girl that was lying dead in the storm drain in the previous scene. Her jumper is clean when she is posting the note but it is filthy in the scene before. This choice of costume helps tell the story and allows us to realize that the first scene is in the present and the last scene was in the past.

Camera work is used in Brick to cause curiosity. In the first scene we are shown restricted shots of Emily. We only see key parts of her body highlighting the fact that she is filthy and in a bad state, this causes questions such as who is she and why is she like this. Extreme close ups are used in the first shots of Brendon, showing his emotion and devistation. Close ups are also used to focus on certain props which are key parts of the film as they are clues which help solve what has happened to Emily. For example we are shown a close up shot of a cigarette with an arrow on it, there is a reason why we are shown this. It makes us wonder who it belongs to and was Emily in the car that it came out of.

Title and font style

Story – and how the opening sets the story up

Genre (thriller) – and how the opening suggests it

How any characters are introduced

Any special effects (or a particular shot you really like)

Kiss Me Deadly (Aldrich, 1955, US)

The title of the film is presented in a large, bold white font which is simple and plain, not giving anything away. The letters appear to have a faded grey haze around them, giving a ghostly feel. The fact that the letters are in capitals and the title itself takes up most of the frame makes it appear striking. The title is scrolling diagonally downwards which is unusual as normally in a film, if credits were scrolling, they would be going upwards. The fact that the creators have chosen to present the credits downwards goes against the typical technique of credits scrolling upwards, implying that the film is unusual and peculiar. The title of the film is called 'Kiss Me Deadly', however in the credits it is wrote as 'Deadly Kiss Me'. The words have been rearranged, having the word 'Deadly' in front instead of behind. It flows with the downwards scrolling because it is as if we are reading it from bottom to top. This could suggest that the film is quite mind puzzling.

The setting is revealed in the first shot when the women is running. It is a mid shot of her feet. We can see she is running on a road because of the familiar white stripes that separate the sides on the road. It is dark meaning the time of filming was late at night. Because there are no street lights we are unable to see further in the distance, this makes the location feel unsafe. Besides the road is grass and hills, suggesting to us viewers that it may be set in the countryside. The road most probably goes on for a while which makes us ask where has she come from or how long has she been running for. The fact that there are often cars passing by and headlights visible make the set look realistic.

The women is wearing a trench coat which in the 1950's, was part of some sort of uniform which makes us wonder where she had got it from. We can see she is wearing no shoes and there appears to be nothing underneath her coat, this makes her seem venerable also we wonder why she is dressed like this and has she possibly escaped from somewhere. This choice of costume was done for a reason but at this point it is not clear to us, which being part of a thriller convention, leaves us curious and wanting to find out more. The male character appears to be wearing a suit underneath his coat, suggesting that he is possibly a successful business man, reinforcing this is his car which would be the type that is owned by a higher class in that period of time.

The film is in black and white, reason being because in the 1950's, they had not yet discovered the technology for coloured films. We are shown a variety of short, fast shots of the women running, first shot being a low mid shot of the women's feet allowing us to see the fast speed in which she is running, secondly a mid shot of her face and then finally a shot from further back allowing us to see her full body, by doing this it emphasises her eratic movements. The effect this has on the audience is that it keeps us on edge and adds more energy to the scene. Another interesting use of camera work is when the opening credits are rolling and they are in the car. The shot is from behind their heads and the camera movement is jagged following the movement of the car.

The sound is used to make the scene feel more dramatic, for example when she is running trumpets are used to emphasis her eagerness and her determination. When she stops the music also stops and when she continues to run it follows with her. This alerts us and draws our attention into the film. We can hear a radio backtrack in the mans car making it seem more realistic. The fact that the chosen music is a piano playing subtly in the background influences our opinion on the character, making him seem classy and sophisticated which links to his appearance. The choice of dialogue also relates to this personality as the first line he says to the women is "You almost recked my car" suggesting that he is stuck up and rich, only caring about himself. During the credits, we can hear the women heavily breathing which suggests that she had been running for a while. However if you listen carefully to the way she is breathing, it almost sounds like she is expressing mixed emotions - laughing, breathing and crying. This seems strange and suggests that she is unstable or has problems mentally.

This opening sequence suggests its a thriller because it gives us loads of unanswered questions which makes us want to carry on watching to find out. One example of an unanswered question would be when the man asks "Whats this all about?", the women ignores his question, making the audience more curious. This also reflects the conventions of a thriller holding information in for a long period of time, so we have to watch the whole film to find everything out, although we are given lots of little clues. There are other parts of the opening that give away the genre such as the backwards titles that relate to the fact that thrillers are puzzling and the heavy breathing which makes the scene feel more frantic and dramatic. There are certain ways in which the characters act that suggest a thriller genre such as when the man looks back at the police, showing suspicion and not giving her in suggesting that he may be a bad guy himself and the fact that the women doesn't give away anything. It draws us in and leaves us curious which is the main convention of a thriller.

The Sixth Sense - Analysis.

In my opinion, sixth sense is a good opening sequence because it is made clear what is going on. We are told at the beginning when reading the certificate that the main character, Malcom Crowe, is a doctor of child psychology. By knowing this information it helps us understand what happens in later events. It shows a typical loving couple having a relaxing night in, celebrating Malcom's achievements - we are familiar with the surroundings which settles the viewers in, by having warm tones and soothing music it slowly pulls us in and takes us away from our hectic outside world. The fact that the scene in the bedroom goes from playful and humorous to suddenly being serious once the broken glass is discovered really shows the contrast in moods. I think that this sudden change in mood reflects on the audience. Making us go from being relaxed and calm to intense and curious. The tension builds up from this point, suggesting to us that this film is a thriller. The fact that we are shown a man who we are unfamiliar to confuses the audience and gives us the feeling of wanting to find out more - which is a convention of thriller films. From this scene we are then taken to 'The Next Fall' which is in a completely different time and place. This in a way relieves the audience from this tragic event of Malcom being shot and forces us to move ourselves into another scene but also leads us in to something else which keep our attention.

The title of the film is presented after the main actor Bruce Willis. It appears the same as the other credits, on a plain black background. The font is in capitals and the letters are quite spacious. The colour of the text is a very light sky blue colour. The colour blue is often used in thrillers as it gives a cold, unwelcoming feeling. The size of the text is small, but because it is centred in the frame and is on a black background, there is nothing to distract us. We are focused only on the title. Also the overall appearance of the title is sophisticated. There is a longer pause before this credit than the other credits. In my opinion the title is presented as if it is rippling in and out of the darkness, revealing one letter after the other but in a quick motion. It could also be seen as shadows crossing through it, blocking out the letters as it passes. This creates a mysterious eerie feel.

The setting is revealed from behind the props in the scene. In one shot we are shown a view from behind the wine shelves and another behind the stair case. It is as if we are seeing a point of view in which we are hidden and peering through. This idea of being hidden relates to later on in the opening where the man is hiding in her bathroom. The space in which we can see through the wine shelves is quiet restricted, the lighting is also dark which makes it harder for us to see the set. It only becomes clear in the shot from behind the stairs.

The first character we are introduced to is a women wearing a purple and red metallic dress. The fact that it is quite bright draws attention to her. It makes us wonder what she is dressed up for. As she has her hair tied back, red lipstick and diamond earrings in, it makes her look elegant, as if she is trying to impress. She is holding a wine bottle which is a typical beverage used for celebrating occasions which leaves us wondering who she is taking the bottle to. In the next scene we are shown a shot of cards that appear to be made by young children, this reinforces the fact that they are celebrating. We then see her partner who is also wearing formal clothes, because they are putting on jumpers suggests that they have already been out to celebrate and they are now indoors relaxing. The occasion is then revealed when the certificate that Malcom received is read out. Moving onto a different part of the opening, we are shown a man in nothing but underwear who has broken into their house. We question ourselves why he has taken his clothes off and left them on the floor. This is unusual which suggests there is something not right with this character. The fact that he is near enough naked makes him seem vulnerable. By being able to see all of his skin we can see a large cut on his thigh - suggesting he struggled braking through the window and possibly cut himself on the broken glass, he could of been in a frantic rush to not be seen.

The first shot we see in the opening sequence is the shot of a light bulb gradually lighting up. The creators have chosen to frame the shot so that the bulb is slightly to the left, allowing us to see the right side of the frame slowly light up. Once the bulb is lit fully, there is not much of a difference, it is still very dark, including a lot of dim colours which are a typical convention in a thriller film. The fact that the bulb takes so long to light up evokes an eerie atmosphere. When the women is browsing the wine in the cellar the camera pans down and follows her movement. I like the fact that the camera is passing down the shelves making the space feel more restricted. When she picks up the bottle, there is a focus pull when she is thinking. Her facial expression seems quite confused, this makes us wonder what she is thinking about. Another shot that I think is well composed is when the women is reading out the certificate to Malcome. We can see them in the reflection of the certificate. I like the way the creators have shot this because it is different, we can see the certificate itself and the characters talking about it at the same time. In the shot before they go up to the bedroom, we are shown the hallway and the women and man talking in the front room. The fact that we are zoomed out from where they are and shown the empty hallway makes it seem suspicious. Why are we being shown this hallway when they are in the other room. In my opinion it is implying that the house is empty however, we soon find out there is someone upstairs, possibly being the reason why the camera is placed next to the stairs. The characters are unaware of this and so are we, however the creators have chosen to kind of play with this hidden discovery of the man in the bathroom and is slowly leading us to it. In the scene when Malcom is shot, we are shown an birds eye view shot of the women rushing to him. It has been edited so that the speed is slowed down. The effect of this makes it seem more tragic. This scene is the faded out to close off this part of the story and fades into the next.

The titles are in the same font throughout the film. The scale of the writing gets wider and increases slightly in size as if it is being stretched. The font is sophisticated and doesn't tell us much. In the title 'The Next Fall' showing a different chapter in the story is in the same font as the opening credits, however it does not move - its is just placed in the centre of the frame and fades into the next title 'South Philadelphia'

As said before, the first shot of the bulb sets up an eerie atmosphere, making us unaware of the surroundings. We are introduced to the women who looks as if she is dressed for an occasion, already this makes us wonder where has she been and what is the occasion. She then looks for wine which suggests that she has company, this then makes us wonder who she's with. We are shown a dark unwelcoming cellar. The fact that she stops, holds her arm and shivers tells us that it is cold and not pleasant. The next shot has a completely different feel to it, in the living room consisting of warm tones and a flickering fire makes it now feel welcoming and comfortable. These two scene have completely different atmospheres. We are learn that Malcom Crowe is a doctor in child psychology. This relates to the later event of him being shot by one of his past patients. At the end of the opening clip we are introduced to a young boy of which is increasingly walking faster. This makes us question who this character is and what he has got to do with Malcom which will then be resolved throughout the film.

Memento Analysis.

how it links to genre.

Memento Opening Sequence.

As we know, the main purpose of a title sequence is to hook the viewers in and settle them into the film. Memento shows an immediate curiosity in its opening sequence by beginning the film with the end of the storyline. We are unaware what the film is about so the effect this has on the audience leaves us puzzled but also makes them want to find out how it got to that point, what is the reason behind it, therefore it is hooking us in and has our attention.

The title of the film is presented in blue text amongst a plain black backround. The colour blue is often associated with thrillers. In my opinion this colour is quite cold and unwelcoming. Blue can also be related to sadness and lonelyness, this emotion is reinforced in the seperation of each letter - being apart from eachother. These factors could depict the emotions that Leonard (the main character) is feeling because of his memory loss, he is unaware with who he knows and who he doesnt, in his mind he knows noone but his past self before his attack. This relation to lonelyness could also represent the loss of his wife, possibly the only person he was close to as we are shown no other possible family during the film.

The overall types of shots in the opening sequence are close ups. The effect of this stops us from seeing the full picture, the whole scene. Our view is restricted which emphasises this feeling of confusion and unawareness of what is going on, it is as if we want to move the camera ourself to different parts of the set. This technique of using close ups in the opening sequence evokes the key parts of what an opening sequence should be about - drawing us in and establishing our interest.

During the opening sequence the 'Memento' title fades into a polaroid picture. Straight away we are shown one of the main props of the film, a priority for Leonard to have in order to carry out the mission which he is trying to complete. These polaroids show photos of where he has been, and who he needs to find. In this opening sequence we are shown the polaroid devoloping, then being over exposed/developed which then leads the picture to fade untill it is nothing but a blank image. The fact that we see the image slowly fade untill it is no longer visible relates to the mental state of Leonard. He gets into the state of mind in which he realizes what he has to do and has gone through the process of looking at tattoos and photos to remember things. After a while his memories have faded again and he has no idea what he is doing or where he is. Leading him to then go through the process of remembering again. His memory is constaintly fading and short lasting. Like the poloroid photo, it doesnt take long for the photo to fade and the fact that it is a photo of someone he has killed reinforces the fact that it will soon fade in his mind, in other words, what is fading in the picture is also fading in his mind untill it is blank like the image ends up being.

Job Roles.

Director of photography (cinematographer) - They are head of the camera department, having great techinical skills, understanding how to work with light, a good eye for composition and understanding what to interepretate in the shots. Their job is to capture the photographic impression of the directors vision, making sure that the processing of the film is done to the exact specifications instructed to ensure all elements are captured while the shooting remains intact.

Executive producer - This person has the job of handling the financial side of the film. They are the investor in the project. Their may be more than one executive producer on a project.

Producer - A producer works closely with directors but the initial idea often comes from a producer, they will oversee each project and may also be involved in marketing. They organize schedules and meeting, they put things together and also deal with budgeting and the financial side like the executive producer. In theory, the producer deals with the practical and political apects so that the rest of team can concentrate on the creative side.

Written by (Screen play) - This is the writer of the film. They create the dialogue, characters and story line of the movie script. Each writer usually has one particular genre that they specialize in. This is one of the essential parts of a film because without this there would be no film.

Director - Film directors take overall responsibilty for the look, sound and style of a film, therefore they must have creative skills. It is the directors artistic vision that will guide the work of the film crew. (The director always comes last in the opening credits)

Se7en Contact Sheet.

This is a contact sheet of shots from the opening sequence of the film 'Se7en'. The shots are mostly extreme closeups, restricting us from seeing the full picture however the frames are composed to show the main action in the clip, so we are aware of what is going on but our view is restricted - hiding the identity of the character in the scene leaving us wanting to know more.

The shots are quiet dark and the presentation is gritty and dirty. The appearance of the shots seem to consist of shadows and dull lighting, in a way the colours seem slightly washed out. The fact that we are unable to see the full picture and only focused on a certain part of the action gives a secretive feel to the scene, because we are unable to see the surroundings it feels quiet hidden.

The font of the credits looks like handwriting, this relates to the content of the clip - writing documents in the scrap book. The fact that the credits are placed where our attention is drawn from movement in the clip, for example on the hand that is writing, makes us notice it more.

Overall I like this idea of restricting our view and not showing the full picture. By showing close ups it adds more detail to the frame. It gives an eerie atmosphere and I would be interested in using this technique in my work.

The Difference Between a Trailer and an Opening Sequance.

Trailer:


This is a trailer from the film 'Se7en'. The purpose of a trailer is to appeal to the viewers and make you interested enough to want to watch the whole film. It should draw you in and come across as exciting and intriguing. Trailers show the overview of the plot and give you a brief feel of the story line. By not giving away the whole story, it makes us want to fill in the gaps and become curious into what happens.

The conventions include:
- Fast pace clips and use of flash transitions between them builds up excitement.
- The editing only shows the best bits, without giving away to much.
- Voice over explains the plot/narrative.
- Energetic music creates an atmosphere.
- Red words appearing are keywords that describe the film and by having this blood like colour helps us understand the type of genre the film is.

Opening Sequance:


The opening sequence lists the most important members of the production. These credits can either have a seperate blank screen of their own which would be a title sequence, but in this case, 'Se7en' has used an opening sequence - placing the credits over action.

In this particular opening we are shown the process in making a type of scrap book, documenting all the people that the killer has killed. Immediately the viewer is intrieged by what is being made, what it means and what is being recorded into it. Its establishing our interest and slowly settles us viewers into the film. This is quite difficult as the creators of this sequence cant predict the mood of the audience or how difficult peoples days has been. Their job is to take us away from all the stress and drama outside of the cinema and draw us in so we can immense ourselves into the film and forget about the outside world and put ourselves into the film to last up till the ending.

Brief:

The brief is to create the titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes.

This is an opening sequence from the film 'Two Eyes Staring' (Zwart Water). This is a dutch horror film which I have never seen before, however I really like the opening sequence and I feel it relates to the previous idea in 'Se7en' where we are unable to see the full picture as the images are slightly blurred and zoomed in. The fact that we can only see the opening sequence through certain shapes makes it appear more interesting and restricts our view. I like the old fashioned feel to it and the variety of shots used. Although it is a horror, it challenges the stereotypical opening sequence of a horror and appears more subtle and calming whilst still having an eerie feel.

Continuity Editing Techniques

Our continuity task was to film a character opening a door, walking across the room and sitting down to then start a conversation with another person. The reason why we were given these pacific actions was because it is crucial to have continuity in these types of movements so that it looks believable and the seamless.

We were able to experiment with a range of camera angles and see what fitted the flow of movement best; however we had to include match on action, eye line match, 180 degree rule and a master shot throughout our film. Match on action was used in the first part when I walk through the door. I found this the most difficult of all the techniques mainly because whilst filming, each shot had to seem like it was one flow of movement, instead of various shots being put together. Also we had to cut the movements so that they ended at the same point as when the next shot began. Whilst editing we realized that we had gone wrong, in one shot I raised my right arm to open the door, but in the next shot I pushed it with my left. During the time we were editing we were able to hide this and cut our shots at certain points so it is unnoticeable.

Before the conversation started between the two characters, we included a master shot to set the scene, by doing this the audience are then aware of the surroundings and it helps tell the story. It also shows the position of the characters in the shot. The master shot was a mid-long shot of the two characters sitting at the table before starting a conversation.

Eye line match was used throughout this conversation. We showed one character talking and asking questions, with their eye line match at another person, then another shot of that person who they are talking to. This helps the audience understand what is going on and it allows them to see each person’s reactions and response after each bit of dialogue which also helps the audience understand who they are as a character and the role they play. If we was to redo this task I feel that we could of included more eye line matches that are unlike shot reverse shot.

The other technique we used during our film was the 180 degree rule. Throughout the whole time of filming, we made sure the camera always stayed on the right, filming the right sides of our body. This is mainly shown during the conversation that the two characters have. We didn’t switch over because by doing that it would confuse the audience and become unrealistic.

Continuity Task

WWW - I feel that the outcome of our match on action was successful. This is shown at the beginning of the film when I am walking through the door. We managed to edit it so that it looked seamless and wasn't jumping from place to place, however we did not do so well at this towards the end of the film as you could hear 'action' at the beginning of a few shots, this was because we didn't leave enough time for the camera to roll and whilst editing we didn't have our volume up that loud so we where unable to hear it. I think that we done a good job of hiding the mistake of opening the door with two different arms as it is not noticed when the clip is played. Another technique I think we did well on was the 180 degree rule as we were consistent at keeping on the same side throughout the film.

EBI - I think we could of included a wider range of eye line matches showing a variety of shots that aren't as similar to shot reverse shot. I feel that we could of explored our camera angles more and tried different things however I think that by doing that it may not look as realistic and could seem a bit over the top. Also at the end of our film the camera is slightly shakey, next time this can be avoided by being more careful when handling the camera however it is not that bad. Lastly, in the shots of me reaching to flick the other character, it didn't flow as well and the movement wasn't continuous - the flick was delayed in the next shot, we could of avoiding this by cutting a few seconds off the shot.

Induction Booklet

WWW - I think that I spent enough time working on my induction booklet and carried out the tasks well. I feel that I've shown enough confidence during filming and am happy with my progress.

EBI - Over all I feel that in the tasks, I could of participated in filming more and I still need to improve my editing skills on iMovie.

Blogging Practice

How to Upload a picture:

- Select the posting setting.

- Make a new post.

- Click the picture icon.

- Browse the photo you want.

- Choose how you want it to be layed out.

- Publish it onto you're blog.