My group members are myself, Lily Badcock and Jazz Chrystie.
The purpose of our preliminary task was to familiarise ourselves with the recording equipment and editing software, as well as learning how to use our knowledge of camera shots/angles and apply them to real-life filming situations. Our preliminary task involved filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple lines of dialogue. The task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule. It should last a maximum of one minute in length.
During this task, we learned how to: use the tripod and camera; edit using final cut pro; and apply the theory we have learned in class to this practical task. We slightly struggled with the editing as none of us have editing experience, but we overcame this by persevering and experimenting with the software to figure out certain aspects. Now, we are all familiar with the editing software. This task also made us realise how much work will be put into making our thriller film; we filmed for a long time (as we are all beginners) but edited this down to footage of under 1 minute.
An advantage of doing this task is that we all became familiar with the equipment, both for recording and for editing. This helps us build our skills and prepare for final recording. However, a weakness of this task was that we had little guidance while carrying out the task, so even after doing the preliminary task, we were just slightly above 'beginner'.
The preliminary task was an extremely helpful stage of this planning process. We now have experience with working with the equipment/software that we will be using when we film our actual thriller opening scene.
Research - Questionnaire The purpose of a questionnaire is to find out relevant facts on a particular topic, that will be useful for a larger project. We asked random people aged between 10 and 18 to answer our questionnaire relating to the thriller genre. In this blog post, I will use pie charts to show the results of the closed questions of the questionnaire, and then further explain the results. The results to the remaining open questions will not be represented with pie charts because they contain qualitative data.
Question 1 of the questionnaire - closed question
The majority of the people that answered this survey were evidently aged between 15 and 17. This is helpful to my group, as the target audience for our film is 15+. From this, we can determine that the results from this questionnaire will definitely contribute positively to our thriller opening scene. However, we also have input from slightly younger (12-14) and older (18+) people, meaning that we may be able to create a thriller that appeals to a widely varied audience.
Question 2 of the questionnaire - closed question
Here, we can see that over half of the people who answered the survey were female. This means that our thriller may be influenced to include less conventional themes, due to girls not approving of the typical vulnerable female victim. Our thriller will also appeal to a wider audience due to this, as people like thrillers with a unique plot.
Question 3 of the questionnaire - closed question
These results show that most people who answered the survey prefer films with a certificate 15. This is helpful to my group as our thriller, as previously mentioned, will be targeted to those aged 15 and above. Again, it further suggests that the results of this questionnaire will be relevant in creating our thriller opening scene.
Question 6 of the questionnaire - closed question
For this question, half of the people asked said that they only have an interest in sequels "sometimes". Furthermore, less than a quarter have an interest in sequels, and under half do not. This suggests that these people judge films straight away, and wish to support a franchise when they enjoy the first film. Despite the fact that we will never make the rest of our thriller film, or a sequel, these results mean that we must keep the audience enticed and entertained to escape negative judgement.
Questions 4 and 5, and 7 through to 15, were open questions and produced qualitative data. Therefore, these results cannot be accurately represented using pie charts. The results of the open questions tell us many things that we should include in our thriller, or think about when creating our thriller. For instance, from the results of question 15, we know that most people wish for the purpose of our thriller to shock/surprise the audience, and create a suspenseful atmosphere. To expand, some of those who answered this question also feel that the purpose should be to frighten/scare and entertain. We will consider this when creating our thriller opening, and make sure that there is a lot of suspense included. The suspenseful atmosphere will be useful in creating tension leading up to a shock/surprise.
The results of this questionnaire is helpful to my group because we have a basic guide to what we should include in our opening scene. We know that people do not want to see too many stereotypes in our film opening, as this is repetitive, boring and predictable. Leading on from this, most people want to see different and unconventional characters, as a unique twist for the film. We also know from question 12 that most people do not want to see a sub-genre thriller film, such as crime thrillers or action thrillers. This is good for us because we were not planning on making a thriller film that has a sub-genre. Furthermore, we will include many sound effects, as this was the most popular answer to the question 'what sound effects do you expect to see in a thriller?"
The purpose of this questionnaire was to research what the public wanted to see from our thriller film. We have decided that we will follow these results as a guide to making our thriller film. This is because we want the audience to be engaged with the film, and this research provides us with the knowledge of how to achieve this.
This is a video of one person answering my questionnaire.
Our questionnaire was as follows:
1. What age are you? 10 – 11 12 – 14 15 – 17 18 +
2. What gender are you? Male Female
3. What age certificate do you prefer? 12 15 18
4. What are you favourite aspects of watching a thriller?
5. What do you expect to see in thrillers?
6. Do you have an interest in sequels made? Yes No Sometimes
7. What type of sounds would you like to hear in a thriller?
8. What characters would you like to see in a thriller and why?
9. Would you like to see conventional characters? Such as the typical blonde victim. Would you like to see different characters?
10. What type of actors would you like to be used?
11. What type of setting would you like to see?
12. Would you enjoy other sub-genres to be used? If so, which ones? For example, crime thrillers (skyfall).
13. Do you have any ideas of narrative that could be used?
14. What would you not like to see in a thriller film?
The purpose of an opening scene is to, among other things, give the audience an idea of the narrative of the film, introduce the genre of the film and interest the audience. An opening sequence contains mise-en-scene, usually conventional to its genre, and characters, which are introduced to the audience. The opening sequence may also contain an enigma, mainly in thriller film. In this essay I will be analysing the opening scene of Halloween (1978) - linked above.
Cinematography
POV shot from the opening sequence of Halloween
An eye level shot is used to show the male character as he comes down the stairs and leaves the house. This is used to create an emotional link between the audience and the characters, and we fear for them due to the present murderer. A point-of-view shot is used when the future killer is climbing the stairs, walking towards the teenage girl whose boyfriend has just left the house. This shot creates a tense atmosphere as it is clear to the audience that the female character is in danger/about to be murdered. Furthermore, handheld shots are used when the murderer is getting closer to the girl. This shaky camera-work creates a sense of uneasiness, therefore frightening the audience and creating suspense. Overall, the cinematography in this opening scene is conventional to a thriller, due to the use of shots to create suspense. Also, thriller films typically aim to intimately involve the audience with the film, and achieve this using a variety of methods and camera shots (for example, eye level shots).
Editing
Throughout the sequence, the timing of shots is slow (slow editing). This is a method of creating a suspenseful, tense and dramatic atmosphere. This makes the audience feel fear because they can sense that something bad is about to happen, but they don't know when, which adds to the shock factor of a scene. It is conventional for a thriller to build suspense in the way of slow editing as it drags out the scene, giving a sense of uncertainty to it. Also, continuity editing is present in this scene. This is where all the shots seem to be motivated by the film's events. This creates an understanding of the narrative for the audience. This is conventional to most narrative films.
Soundtrack
When the mysterious person is walking up the stairs, we can hear faint, cheerful humming (from the girl) that gets louder as he gets closer. This is contrapuntal sound, as we would not expect to hear happy sounds/music in this suspenseful atmosphere. Also, the audience feels bad for the girl because she doesn't know that she is about to be killed. Thrillers sometimes use this technique of contrapuntal sound to contrast the tense atmosphere and somewhat confuse the audience, engaging them in the film. On the other hand, there is parallel sound at 3:04 when Michael is stabbing his sister. We can hear the sounds of the knife penetrating the flesh, which is what we expect to hear. The sound's volume has been increased so the audience can hear mostly the sound of the stabbing, which heightens the importance of the sound, and makes the audience empathise with the character who is being stabbed. It is very conventional for thrillers to make sounds like this louder as they are significant sounds to the scene. Lastly, there is tense music playing throughout the scene - this is non-diegetic sound. The pitch changes from high to low to make the audience focus on certain events. Low pitch suggests tension and no/not much action (leading up to the stabbing), and high pitch suggests action and excitement (during the stabbing). Thrillers often use music to add more suspense or excitement to a scene.
Conventions
There are many conventions to the thriller genre that are seen in this opening sequence. 'Shock, surprise and suspense' are present in most thriller films, and it is also present in this clip of Halloween. These three elements are used because thrillers are psychological and aim to engage and frighten the audience. Also in the scene, we see that conventional iconography is used - a kitchen knife, to stab the victim. Most thriller films set in domestic locations have iconography like this due to the accessibility of a kitchen knife. It also indicates to the audience what will happen - murder - when a mysterious person is searching for a knife. Another convention of a thriller than is seen in this scene/film is the typical female blonde victim. Most thriller films will have blonde women as the victim as they are portrayed as vulnerable/weak, which sharply contrasts to the strong, male murderer. The audience may also sympathise more if the victim is shown as weak and vulnerable. Also, thrillers usually have this hint of misogyny within the plot.
Narrative
This opening scene is set in a conventional, American suburban house, providing a false sense of security. Also, a lot of thrillers are set in houses as it is relatable to the audience. There is an enigma in the scene as the killer has a hidden identity up until the last point in the scene. Then, there is a shock, as the killer is revealed to be a child (the younger brother of the girl he stabbed). He stands between his parents, deadly still, and staring. This frightens and confuses the audience because they wonder what made the boy do this, and what will happen to him. The opening sequence of this film entices the audience to want to know what happened/will happen to the boy.
Representation of characters
The young couple shown at the beginning of the scene are a very stereotypical teenage couple, who are oblivious to the danger around them. They are portrayed like this because it gives them more vulnerability, so the audience knows to expect at least one of them to die. It's conventional for thrillers to have vulnerable young people be injured or killed. Furthermore, at the end of the scene, the parents come home to find their son holding a knife covered in blood, with a blank expression on his face. They are understandably confused and shocked, and the audience can empathise with and relate to them because of this, as we feel the same things that they are feeling. Lastly, the killer is wearing a clown costume, which is stereotypical because clowns are shown as scary in most horror/thriller films.
The 1978 film Halloween has a certificate of 18, meaning its target audience is adults aged 18 and over. The couple in the film were seemingly in their late teens or early twenties, meaning they could be relatable to the majority of the film's audience. This plays an important role in the film's success. Overall, the opening scene informs the audience of the many conventions of a thriller, including hidden identity of a killer (portrayed by the clown mask the young killer wore) and fast-paced music during the stabbing sequence.
The analysis in this essay will help me in planning my thriller by advising me what and what not to put in my opening scene. For instance, there should be a mystery/an enigma regarding the killer's identity. This post will help guide the planning/use of representation of characters, narrative, conventions, soundtrack, editing, and cinematography within our own thriller opening sequence.
Sounds in films within the thriller genre are used to create and enhance an intense, creepy or neutral/"safe" atmosphere. In this essay I will evaluate which sound techniques are used, and how they are used, in the above clip of Saw 3D (spike trap).
From the start of the video [0:00] there is creepy, tense music playing in the background while the male character is walking through the building. This is non-diegetic sound, as it was added during the editing stage. This music is to add a tense and frightening atmosphere, foreshadowing the upcoming events of the male character finding the female character trapped in a torture device. It is common for films in the thriller genre to add this mysterious, edgy music to suggest forthcoming danger; this is mostly to make the audience identify with the characters as we feel their fear.
At 0:44, a crashing sound is heard, made by a cage (containing Jigsaw) smashing through a window. This is diegetic on-screen sound, as it is visible in the frame where the sound came from. This is done so the audience is shocked by the sudden loud crash, and also know to focus their attention solely on the window/cage (because Jigsaw is very important to the scene), as the characters are doing. This increases the audience-character relationship as we are hearing and thereby experiencing what the characters are hearing and experiencing. It is typical for thrillers to increase the bond between audience and character by increasing the volume of important sounds in a scene so as to focus the audience's attention.
Jigsaw is in the cage that crashes through the window, and begins a monologue to explain the details of the trap that the two characters have been placed in [0:49]. This dialogue is diegetic sound because it is a natural part of the narrative, and is on screen sound as it is clear where the sound/voice is coming from. The dialogue is of Jigsaw menacingly explaining to the characters how to survive the trap. He is speaking while we see the characters struggling and looking frightened. The frightening tones in Jigsaw's voice add to the tense and chilling atmosphere of the scene. Also it should be noted that Jigsaw speaks the only dialogue in the scene (apart from screams), increasing Jigsaw's importance and dominance over the victims. It's conventional of a thriller to give most or all of the dialogue in a violent scene such as this to the villain, to draw attention to them.
At 3:42, the female character has spikes pushed through her eyes and mouth. There is a loud 'squelching' sound as this happens, which is diegetic sound as we know where the sound is coming from. This is also parallel sound as the audience can see before, during and after the spikes are pushed through her face so we expect the sound - the sound and the images compliment each other. The 'squelching' sound makes the audience cringe, as the image they are seeing becomes more realistic with sound. We also sympathise with the character because of the mental and physical torture she is experiencing. It is conventional for thrillers to include gory sound effects when someone is being injured/killed on screen because it increases the sense of realism in the scene, also creating an emotional bond between the audience and the character who is being injured/killed.
In summary, the use of sound effects, music and other sounds within films of the thriller genre can create a certain mood or atmosphere in a scene. For example, to create a tense atmosphere, 'creepy' music can be added (during editing) to the scene - this is non-diegetic sound. When creating my own thriller, I will consider the usage of the sound techniques discussed in this essay, and how it will affect my opening sequence.
Thriller is a genre of literature, film and television that uses suspense, excitement and tension as the main elements. Thriller's create a shocking and anxious atmosphere for the audience, to create an adrenaline-rush. Literary devices such as red herrings, plot twists and cliffhangers are used extensively.[1]
In this essay I will discuss how thrillers have changed over the years, starting from the 1960s and going through the decades to the present time.
Task 1
The 1960s In mid-1960, the iconic suspense/horror film Psycho was released (based on the 1959 novel of the same name). "The shower scene" is one of the best-known scenes in all of cinema. In the 1960s, a lot of subjects were taboo and not allowed in film or on television. This affected Psycho in the way that some things in the film were not seen in films usually, such as an unmarried couple sleeping in the same bed. Also at the time, it was unacceptable to directly show someone being stabbed on screen. Directer Alfred Hitchcock got around this rule by using over 77 camera angles, and 50 cuts.[2] In one shot in the scene, it seems as if the knife punctures the woman's abdomen, although no blood is shown, but this effect was most likely created with lighting and reverse motion. Despite the limitations of this time period, Psycho managed to, and still manages to, engage the audience with the film. Hitchcock achieves this with clever camera shots/angles and editing. An example of this is the fast editing during the time of the woman getting stabbed. This creates action and excitement. Another example is at the end of the scene, when she is lying on the floor of the bathroom (dead), and there is an extreme close up of her eye, looking directly into the camera. The camera then zooms out. This creates an intense emotional connection between the audience and the character. We do not have to see her fatal wounds to sympathise and empathise with her. Some say that Psycho was revolutionary for cinema, especially thriller films; this is highly due to the famous shower scene.
A screenshot from the end of the shower scene of Psycho (1960)
The 1970s After the 1960s, films gradually started exploring themes more graphically. For example, the 1978 film Halloween, directed by portrayed slightly more nudity/sexual content in scenes than past thrillers around that time. Also, by this time, direct violence/gore was more acceptable on-screen. During the opening scene of Halloween, 'Sandy' gets stabbed by her little brother. As he walks up to her, we briefly see that she is half-naked; this would not have been allowed in previous years, such as during the time of Psycho. This shows progression of what is and what isn't allowed in films in terms of nudity and gore. Furthermore, this film was very successful as it spawned 7 sequels, a 2007 remake and a 2009 sequel to the remake (unrelated to the original sequel).[3] This shows how popular thriller/horror/slasher films were - and still are. This film also demonstrates how thriller films can appeal to a wide audience and keep that audience engaged without having to show too much violence and gore. Modern thriller and horror films are more disturbing than Halloween, and this film still managed to be an iconic thriller film.
Screenshot from opening scene of Halloween (1978)
The 1980s In the 1980s, films became even more violent, depicting more gore. However, they also developed more intense or emotional plots. An example of this is the 1980 film The Shining which is based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. In this film, a young boy has a telepathic gift ("the shining") and sees into the past of the hotel where he, his mother and his father are staying. The father goes insane as a result of cabin fever and being convinced to "correct" (kill) the family.[4]The film is very intense and emotional, which adds an emotional depth to just a 'typical' slasher/horror/thriller film. The movie is world-famous, especially for the quote "Here's Johnny!" from the scene where the father, Jack, is trying to break into the bathroom (where his wife is hiding) using an axe. This quote, as well as the "twins" from the hallway scene in the film, are heavily referenced throughout modern media. Parodies and references are popular, resulting in younger people - who may not even have seen The Shining - know of the famous quote/the infamous "twins". This shows how well-liked this film is, and the cultural impact it has had on modern-day society.
Screenshot from a famous scene in The Shining (1980)
The 1990s The 1999 film The Sixth Sense had even more deep, emotional scenes and undertones than The Shining. This film is about a young boy who can see dead people. A tense atmosphere is present throughout the entire film, and there are a lot of violent, intense and frightening scenes throughout. This shows how much thrillers have changed since older films such as Psycho. Also in The Sixth Sense there is a scary scene where the boy sees the frightening, battered ghost of a suicidal woman. This is a very emotional scene in which the audience sympathises and empathises with the boy because he is frightened of the woman, and so are we. This shows how thrillers progressed to become films that form intense, emotional bonds between the characters and the audience. Also, it shows an improvement of make-up as her bruises and wrist-wounds look slightly more realistic compared to films from previous decades. Furthermore, this film is very popular in modern culture as the famous quote "I see dead people" has been referenced numerous times throughout different films, tv shows and other popular culture. Again, this proves how much thriller films can impact the modern day society.
The female ghost from 'the suicide ghost scene' from The Sixth Sense (1999)
The 2000s In 2005, Saw II was released. This film was even more bloody, intense and violent than the original Saw, which came out a year prior. The Saw film series is well-known for it's graphic violence; the main plot of the films is that 'traps' or 'games' are set for a group of people, and in order to survive them, they must experience severe body mutilation. An improvement in film budgets, make-up and cinematography meant that, by this time, film quality could drastically improve and this violent plot could be achieved. The make-up in Saw II is very realistic, with wounds looking real and quite frightening. One of the scenes from Saw II shows a woman in a metal and glass box. She has to push her hands through razors to reach something that will help her in the trap. The scene is quite graphic, in that her hands are covered in blood and she is obviously in pain. This lasts throughout the scene, too. This shows how far thriller and horror films have come since the 1960s; in that decade, directors weren't even allowed to show someone being stabbed. Now, graphic violence is common in the thriller and horror genres, especially in the Saw film series.
Screenshot from 'the razor trap' of Saw II (2005)
The 2010s Finally, in 2011, Final Destination 5 was released. This film series is very successful and popular for its bloody, gory and intense deaths in all of its films. In Final Destination 5, there is even more of an increase of sex/nudity within the genre than previous years. There is quite a lot of profanity and alcoholic beverages in this film. Additionally, it has a 10/10 Violence & Gore rating and an 8/10 Frightening/Intense Scenes rating (on IMDb) which is an indication of how graphic, in relation to blood, this
film is.[5] Considering this film is only a 15 certificate, there is quite a lot of violence, gore and frightening/intense scenes. This is a representation of how much cinema, thriller films in particular, have changed. Again, this film can be compared to Psycho (1960). That film was an X certificate (equivalent of 18) when it was released; although it contained far less gore, violence and references to things like alcohol and sex than recent films such as Final Destination 5. This may be due to the increased acceptability of such topics in modern culture. Furthermore, the scene of Isaac's death in Final Destination 5 was incredibly bloody and violent. This supports my point also, as this never would have been allowed more than 30 years ago. It also looks quite realistic as it can be portrayed more graphically than in previous decades.
Screenshot from 'Isaac's death in Final Destination 5 (2011)
In summary, thriller/horror/slasher films have become more gory, violent and intense throughout the years. Blood is shown on screen more frequently and graphically. There has also been an increase in the amount of nudity/sexual content seen in thriller films, due to subjects such as this being explore in modern media more frequently. This research will help me in planning a modern, intense thriller film opening as it shows what recent movies and past movies have in common to create a thriller film. My opening will be intense and make the audience frightened and on-edge.
Top 10 thriller movies from 1980 to present - boxofficemojo [1]
Hannibal (2001) is #1 on this top 10 list of thriller movies due to it's immediate and huge success. This film is the sequel to The Silence Of The Lambs (1991) - which is #2 in the top 10 - which was also successful, and one of the most popular thriller/horror films of all time. This may be one of the most convincing reasons that Hannibal has the #1 spot in this chart. In addition to this, most main roles in Hannibal are played by famous actors, such as Anthony Hopkins (also in the first film), Julianne Moore and Gary Oldman. Trailers for the film, before it came out, would have emphasised the famous cast, therefore intriguing the potential audience to watch the film. Furthermore, the film was rated 18, meaning that adults could watch the film in the cinema without being bothered by younger audiences. Lastly, thriller is a very popular genre in modern culture, and it was becoming even bigger in the 90s and 2000s. This helped Hannibal's opening weekend income. Overall, there are several reasons why Hannibal has the #1 spot in this Top 10 box office chart.
The Silence Of The Lambs (1991) was very successful (in relation to lifetime gross). It is #2 in this chart, second only to its sequel, because it was and is a hugely loved and popular movie. It is a film adaptation of the novel of the same name, which was a sequel to the novel 'Red Dragon'. Due to this film being an adaptation of a popular novel with an infamous main character (Dr Hannibal Lecter), the film gained a lot of attention and was very popular at the time of its release, and afterwards. The plot of this film, and its prequel/sequel, were also intriguing for newcomers to the plot (who hadn't read the books), and there weren't and still aren't many films with such a dark, twisted and unique narrative. Moreover, there are two famous and successful actors in the film who play major characters - Jodie Foster and, again, Anthony Hopkins. People tend to watch films with more famous actors in. This film is rated 18, and over 18s can appreciate the story, the famous actors, etc more than younger audiences.
Se7en (1995) has the #4 spot in this top 10 chart. Its commercial success could be due to several reasons. Firstly, the narrative is original and unique - the plot revolves around two detectives, investigating a case where one person is killing one victim for each of the seven deadly sins. The integration of the detectives' lives is a unique plot point for a thriller, as this is uncommon throughout the genre - most thriller/horror films generally rely on the murderous aspects on a film. This may have intrigued the audience to watching the film when it first came out, and after it came out, due to its popularity. This film has an 18 certificate, which allows it to show more violence/gore - this attracts thriller/horror film lovers who watch films like this for the gory parts. Another reason that Se7en was so successful at first and after it came out was the fact that its, like Hannibal/The Silence of The Lambs, cast are famous and well-respected actors and celebrities: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Gwenyth Paltrow. Fans of these already well-known actors were drawn to watching Se7en. Se7en was also highly rated by critics, and received some awards/nominations, which again would add to why the film was so popular.
Overall, unique narratives, famous actors and sequels all contribute to how successful a [thriller] film is on its opening weekend, but also beyond that.
The conventions of a thriller are aspects in a film that are typical to films all throughout the thriller genre. They are things that most thriller films have in common. In this essay, I will be discussing how conventions of thrillers are seen in the above clip of Saw V (the pendulum trap).
In these screenshots of the clip, hidden identity is used; both with Jigsaw (the puppet seen on videotape) and the mysterious man at the end of the scene looking through a hole in the door. Both people are unrecognisable and unknown to the characters and the audience. This creates a sense of mystery and creepiness for the audience, as they don't specifically know who is making these events happen. Killers with hidden identities are common within films of the thriller genre because it adds tension and suspense to a scene, making the audience scared but also wonder who the killer is. Furthermore, the audience can relate to the victim, as neither the audience nor the character know who created this deathly trap.
In this screenshot, we see that the trap appears to be set up in an isolated setting - meaning only people who know about it have access to it. This provides a sense of danger and insecurity because the audience knows that no one can help the victim. Thrillers are typically set in dark, eerie and abandoned places so the audience know the victim is alone, and sympathise with the victim. This increases the relationship between the audience and the character(s), creating a more frightening and intense viewing experience.
All throughout the clip, low key lighting is used. The darkness creates an eerie atmosphere and a sense of danger because the audience doesn't know what will happen. Thrillers can be obvious about danger in the way that the frame is arranged and presented (dark and mysterious). This scares the audience, and creates an intense atmosphere, because we know that danger is coming soon.
Towards the end of the clip, there is an unexpected twist in the film. At the beginning of the clip, Jigsaw (the puppet) said, via video tape, that the trap is survivable by pressing two buttons, crushing the victim's hands in the process. However, the victim did this but the pendulum didn't stop. This was unexpected because he should have survived. It is clear to the audience that the trap has been tampered with, most likely by the man at the end looking through the hole in the door. Thrillers typically have unexpected twists in the plot to maintain the audience's interest. It also adds to the elements of shock and surprise that are common in thriller films.
The main prop/piece of iconography in this scene is the pendulum axe. The weapon looks extremely dangerous and harmful, which creates a sense of fear within the audience. It also increases the bond between the audience and the victim because we are scared for the victim. This kind of weaponry is common in the thriller genre because frightening props create and enhance the gore/violence in films, thereby shocking the audience (one of a thriller's main aims).
To conclude, there are many conventions of thrillers. These things are what make thrillers frightening, gory, intense and suspenseful. Every successful horror/thriller film must include most of if not all of these codes and conventions, and Saw V is one of these films. This analysis has helped me to find out what I should be putting in my opening scene if I wish for it to be a good thriller sequence.
The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) is an organisation which is responsible for the classification and censorship of films in the UK. The BBFC is important to the film industry as they decide who films should be shown to. This is important, as small children should only watch films that are suitable for them. There are 6 certificates used for DVDs and films in the cinema: U; PG; 12a; 12; 15; and 18. In this essay I will explore these different certificates, defining each one and giving examples.
The 'U' certificate is used for films that are suitable for anyone of any age to watch ("universal"). Films with the 'U' certificate have little to no violence, no outright sexual content (there may be kissing or cuddling) or nudity, very mild or no drug/alcohol usage, and sometimes only very mild language such as "damn", "hell", "bloody" or "bugger" - but nothing stronger. In general, 'U' films should be watched and enjoyed by children aged 4 and up.[1] An example of a film rated 'U' is the 1992 movie Aladdin. Throughout this film, there is no profanity, only minor insults ("horse with two rear ends"), and only very mild violence or scary content. In the following clip of Aladdin, there is a musical number. This scene is a very good representation of a 'U' film, as it displays brightly-coloured characters and backgrounds, and family-friendly language. Furthermore, there is an upbeat, catchy song, sung by a lovable and unrealistic children's character (Genie). This makes it suitable for very young children (mostly 4 and over).
The 'PG' certificate stands for 'Parental Guidance'. This means that the film is for general viewing, although some scenes may upset younger children. Children aged eight and older should not be disturbed by a 'PG' film. The 'PG' certificate is awarded to films that have mild bad language but is delivered in a way that is appropriate to context. Words such as "s**t" and "son of a bitch" are accepted when they are not delivered in an aggressive context. There may also be mild violence or threat, but nothing too scary/strong. No strong, direct drug use will be involved, and there will little to no sexual content or nudity.[1] A good example of a 'PG' film is the 1996 film Matilda. There is no sexual content or nudity in this film, however there are mild cases of intense scenes, violence, profanity and very mild alcohol use (beer is briefly seen). In the following clip of Matilda, the scene becomes very light-hearted, but it starts off with flashes of Matilda's father and headteacher being threatening. This may upset or frighten young children, which relates back to its PG certificate.
Children over 12 years of age are allowed to see films with the '12a' certificate unaccompanied. However, children under 12 can view these films but must watch with an adult (over 18 years of age). The '12a' certificate is used for the cinema only, where it replaces the '12' certificate. Films with the '12a' rating typically contain mild sexual content and nudity, infrequent strong language (such as "f**k"), moderate violence with possible gory moments on occasions, frightening and/or intense scenes may be permitted in this certificate so long as they are not in too much detail, and some drug or alcohol use can be portrayed.[1] An example of a '12a' film is the 2012 film The Hunger Games. The film's plot revolves around 'the hunger games' which is where children in the film from 'districts' are put into an arena and fight to the death. There are some mildly intense/frightening scenes in the film due to this premise, as well as some moderate violence and gore. However, nothing is too disturbing, and all content is definitely suitable for children aged 12 and over. Slightly younger children may watch this film, so long as they are mature enough to handle the premise. The clip below shows some of 'the hunger games' in action. The scene is quite frightening and intense, and may scare younger children. There is moderate threat, and lots of suspense, when Katniss is sawing the tree to get the killer wasps down.
The '12' certificate is just for videos, DVDs and Blu-rays. It is essentially the same as the '12a' certificate.[1] The 1997 film Titanic is also a good representation of a film which is only suitable for children aged 12 and over. Throughout this film, there is infrequent nudity (mostly in illustrated form, but there is one scene with a nude woman where we see her breasts and some exposed body). There are some instances of smoking cigarettes and casual drinking, and mild profanity is used. Due to the premise of the film being the tragic sinking of the titanic, the hour-long sequence of the sinking of the ship is very intense, disturbing and at times quite violent. In the clip below, the ship is quickly filling with water, and Rose and Jack are trying to escape. They also rescue a small child who is sobbing. The clip is very intense and emotionally engaging; the audience is very empathetic with the characters. Due to this, the film may not be suitable for children below 12 years of age.
Films with the classification of '15' can explore all and any theme, providing the treatment is appropriate for 15 year olds. Films of the '15' certificate could include: strong violence; frequent strong language, such as "f**k"; very infrequent usage of the strongest language ("c**t"); sexual activity, although no strong or graphic detail; strong verbal references to sexual activity; sexual nudity; brief scenes of sexual violence or references to sexual violence, within context; discriminatory language/behaviour; drug usage.[1] The clip below is from the 2013 thriller film The Conjuring, which is rated '15'. Despite there being no sex or nudity in the film, it is rated '15' because of all the violence, gore, frightening, and intense scenes. Also, there is some profanity and alcohol/drug usage. In this clip, there is a lot of frightening tension and suspense, and a scary demonic creature. This represents how the film got its '15' certificate, as it is unsuitable for teens/children under this age.
Films with the '18' certificate explore lots of themes with little to no restrictions. '18' works, seeing as they are for adults, can contain: very strong violence; frequent strong language and/or very strong language, without limitations; strong portrayals of sexual activity; scenes of sexual violence; strong horror; strong blood or gore; real sex (in some cases, with context); discriminatory language and behaviour.[1] In the 2004 film Dawn of the Dead, which is rated '18', there is infrequent strong sexual content, frequent violence and gore, strong language, usage of alcohol/drugs, and many frightening/intense scenes. The clip below is the opening to this film. Straight into the film, there are frightening and gory images of zombie-like creatures flashed onto the screen. This is very scary. Right away, a viewer can tell that this film should be rated '18'.
I have decided that the thriller film that I make will be a '15' certificate. This is because it will be more psychological, and therefore won't contain a lot of gore. It will be suitable for 15 year olds. Furthermore, the premise of the film, and the content, may be too frightening or intense for teens and children under the age of 15. The opening sequence that I will create will not contain any violence/gore, but it will be implied that the main female character has killed 2 people already, and will kill a 3rd. The interspersed scenes of implied violence may be too frightening or intense to have a certificate below a '15'.
