Thursday 30 December 2010

Thriller aspects from "If dogs run free" A touch of frost


The scene with thriller aspects is from 8:59 to 9:58 in this video and...


... Up to 00:14 in this video


The aspects of this scene of the thriller genre are the location and the action. This scene very closely resembles the idea for our thriller opening: the mugging of a woman in a deserted subway, by a hooded character.
This high angle shot presents the location as a dark, murky place, which is difficult to make out due to the lack of light. It creates an immediate sense of danger.

This shot introduces the underpass as a dangerous location. It looks run down and neglected, as well as isolated. The lighting is non-ambient and artificial, which makes the scene unnatural.

 The low angle of this shot makes the bike and the person on the bike more intimidating. The small size of the image of the woman makes her seem more vulnerable.
 This shot reveals the danger that the woman is in. The chase keeps the pace fast, therefore keeping tension high. The subway walls are close together, creating a claustrophobic feeling.
This shot uses the rule of thirds to draw the eye to the action to the left of the screen. The vanishing point, being the entrance/exit to the subway, is also kept to the left of the scene, which makes it appear further away. This is effective as it shows that escape is difficult to reach.

The scene uses all low angle shots. This is effective by making the appear mugger greater and stronger, and making the victim seem much more vulnerable, increasing the tension. The chiaroscuro, dull lighting makes the picture almost black and white. It makes the colours cold and emotionless, keeping the sense of danger and discomfort high amongst the audience. The scene uses reverse shots throughout to keep the action fast-paced, like a pulse, creating connotations of fear.
We can use all of these methods for our mugging scene in our thriller opening the create the same amount of tension and suspense that this video creates.

Wednesday 29 December 2010

Thriller Planning

Shot list

Shot list:
Tilt shot of Harry Cooper in the alleyway and Will Block quietly in conversation.  
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Close up of the hands of Harry and Will as the money is exchanged
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Long shot of Eve White walking away with bag on shoulder.
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Close up of Will nodding in agreement to Harry
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Close up of Harry, slight smirk on his face, putting a cigarette to his lips and the gloved hand of Scarlet Fraser lighting the cigarette
High Angle of Eve White arriving at the ATM machine just about to put her card in
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Close up of card going into the ATM machine
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Over the shoulder of Will looking at Eve White at the ATM machine
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Over the shoulder of Eve looking around her, suspicous that someone is watching her
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Medium shot of Eve walks away from the machine, putting card into her purse
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Close up of Eve's hand going into her bag to put her purse away, her passport seen in frame
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Close up of Wheels of Wills skateboard rolling down the road
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Medium shot of Eve's feet walking/running (Wills legs seen in background)
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Low angle of Eve running down the ramp towards the camera
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Long shot of Eve looking bewildered in subway. Silence.
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Over the shoulder of Will rolling down the ramp fast on the skateboard
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* Low angle shot of eve running slightly right to the camera and will catching up on the skateboard.
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Medium/Long shot of Mugging of Eve, she falls to the ground
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Worms eye of Will riding off on the skateboard as from Eve White's point of view
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Long shot of Will riding down the street to Harry who is waiting for him hidden in the alleyway
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Medium shot of Will passing the stolen bag to Harry, who then passes the bag to Scarlet standing behind him.
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Low angle shot of Eve on the floor of the subway, distressed and getting to her feet
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Close up of Scarlet’s face as she’s leaving the alleyway with Eve’s bag on her shoulder. Camera pans out for medium shot as she’s walking to view the her whole body
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Over the shoulder shot/ long shot of Scarlet walking towards the place where Eve is. Eve turns to face the camera, close up of Eve’s face as she looks angry.

* Added shot

Sunday 26 December 2010

Jackie Brown



The title sequence of the film introduces the main character, Jackie Brown. The audience doesn’t learn much about her from this, except that she is air hostess.
The next scene introduces another character: Ordell. The first impression of Ordell contrasts to that of Jackie Brown as the first shot is of the TV screen, and a programme called “Chicks who love Guns”. It is used effectively to introduce Ordell as womanising and violent, although later in the scene he is made to seem less dangerous by his girlfriend, who disobeys his somewhat and also claims that Ordell doesn’t really know what he is talking about.




This scene is the killing of Beaumont by Ordell. This is the first act of violence by Ordell that the audience sees and is used to create shock and surprise.


The composition of the camera shot is a metaphor for the personality of Ordell: it represents him as a psychopath. The image shows the audience that Ordell can distance himself from reality and his detached personality. The long distance means that the audience do not get a good view of the murdere; this also distances Ordell, and highlights the insignificance of Beaumont’s death. The pan shot, long distance and high angle of the camera all help to create the feeling of a witness over a fence.
The action shows the audience that he has no empathy, no mercy, and is very dangerous and manipulating. It also shows the audience that Beaumont is an insignificant person to Ordell.

Wednesday 1 December 2010

Plot final ideas - revised

Characters
  • Emily King as “Eve White”
  • Jenna Bolingbroke as “Scarlet Fraser”
  • Tom Block as “Will”
  • David Lovick as “Harry Cooper”

Plot

  1. Eve uses ATM machine, close up of credit card and money, which she then puts in her handbag. A shot of the bag reveals a passport.
  2. Eve walks away, Will follows on skateboard. She walks past the alley way, where Harry and Scarlet wait in the darkness.
  3. Eve walks down the subway, Will skates after her down the ramp. Will steals her bag.
  4. Will skates off and Eve chases him, but isn’t fast enough and runs out of breath at the top of the subway.
  5. Will passes the stolen bag to Harry in the alleyway, who then passes the bag to Scarlet.
  6. Scarlet leaves the alleyway and walks in the direction of the subway.
  7. Eve is secretly watching Scarlet from around the corner.
  8. Eve lights a cigarette, the audience is aware that there will be a confrontation between Scarlet and Eve, but the opening ends.
Costumes
    • Eve – Red scarf and gloves. Black trousers and boots
    • Scarlet – similar in looks to Eve. The red scarf and gloves.
    • Will – hoody to hide his face. Vans trainers. Jeans.
    • Harry – Trilby hat, dress shoes, black suit.

Props
  • Handbag
  • Cigarettes
  • Passport
  • Credit card
  • Skateboard

Sound
  • Skateboard wheels
  • Lighter sparking
  • Running footsteps
  • Walking footsteps
  • Dialog between Harry and Scarlet

  • Piano music
  • Violins
  • Increase in tempo during chase/mugging
  • Slower tempo, lower tone as Scarlet walks up the street