Shooting schedule week 2

Date: 17/3/12

Time: 11am- 12pm

Location: South Ealing Station- Northfields Station 

Shots: 22-37

Actors: Lydia and Sean.

Crew: Eva (director), Katie (camera work and props)

Costumes and props: Oyster card for Lydia, newspaper for Sean, mask for Sean, business card for Lydia.

Equipment: Camera, DV tape, tripod

Potential issues: Location- as we are filming on public transport there may be some problems and we may not be able to film there, also we might not be able to find a empty enough carriage. 

Risk Assessment: Medium- We need to be careful filming around the trains and the wires, and to be aware of other passengers on the train with our equipment. 

Shooting schedule week 1

Date: 10/3/12

Time: 10am-5pm 

Location: Katie's House, Sarah's House and Fielding walk (park) 

Shots: 4-13, 20-21, 2-3, 14-19 

Actors and actresses: Lydia, Sarah, Hannah.

Crew: Eva (Camera work), Katie (Director)

Costumes and Props: The pills for Lydia, slippers for Lydia, mask for sarah, running outfit for Hannah, mask for Hannah.

Equipment: camera, DV tape, tripod 

Potential issues: location in the park - The park could be busy so will be hard to get the scene that we want as it needs to be empty so we have the required space to film. Lighting - It will begin to get dark around 5pm so we need to film the park scene before hand. 

Risk Assessment: Low- Although as we are going to be filming in a public area we need to be aware that our tripod does not cause a trip hazard for passers-by, we also need to be aware of cyclists. 

Storyboard

File 0001

Eva: This storyboard fulfills the criteria of a thriller opening sequence, it sets the scene for the rest of the film. It begins with setting up an enigma of what are these dreams about, and what are these pills she is taking? Enigmas add suspense and mystery which are essential for a thriller film. We have also incorporated a score where it is necessary, for example, each time a white mask appears on screen, a tense and threatening score appears. Furthermore, we shall add loud, jumpy sound effects to keep the audience on their toes throughout the sequence. We have used different camera angles and shots, including; over the shoulder, long shots and close ups to add variation. We are also using kinetic filming to connote the stress and worry of the main character. Lots of point of view are used that make the audience feel involved and part of the action, in part of our sequence, the audience sees the white masked figure through a point of view shot, this may thrill the audience. We end the opening sequence on a cliffhanger of, will she call the psychiatrist or not? The audience we are aiming for will enjoy and be able to relate to the movie as the main character is going to 17, the same age as our target audience. Also, the audience should be able to relate to the locations we are filming in as it will be locations that they would see daily, eg. parks, trains and bedrooms. Our storyboard meets the film certificate (15) as there are scenes that might frighten younger audiences. Even though the opening sequence may be suitable for 13+ children, the rest of the film would not be and that is why it is 15 rated movie. 


Katie: This story board fulfills our horror genre because it includes a lot of jumpy scenes which scares the audience. Also in some scenes we have added tense scores which add suspense to the scenes giving it a horror like feel. Furthermore our story board includes many enigmas to keep the audience wondering and edgy, like when Dress is seen to be taking the pill, the audience are left in mystery to whether it is the pills that are making her see the white masked people or not. We also include close ups of key props like the Card to the physiologist, which makes the audience wonder what is going on. We use point of view shots of Jess to show the audience what she is seeing, and too make the audience feel as though they are going through what Jess is which makes them more scared. We also use reaction shots of Jess, this keeps the audience involved with what is going on, and shows to the audience exactly how she is feeling.

Screenplay

K&E Film Council Logo

EXT. PARK. NIGHT.

JESS is running away from something, through a park.

INT. JESS’ ROOM. MORNING.

JESS awakes from the nightmare, sweaty and out of breath.

K&E Film Council Presents

INT. JESS’ ROOM. MORNING.

JESS sits on the side of her bed and shakes out two pills into her hands.

A Gunnersbury Film Production.

INT. MORNING. JESS’ ROOM.

JESS slips her feet into her slippers and walks to her bath room. Splashes water on her face.

TITLE.

EXT. OUTSIDE JESS’ HOUSE. DAY.

JESS walks out front door, looking around suspiciously, then runs out the front gate.

EXT. PARK. DAY.

JESS runs through the park, breathing heavily, listening to music. As she runs past another runner, the man seems to have a emotionless white mask on, she double takes, as if she's seen a ghost. 

INT. JESS’ ROOM. DAY.

JESS is reading magazines on her bed, whilst a white masked figure appears on her balcony. JESS does not see the figure, but her senses tells her to look round. However, before she sees the figure, he disappears into thin air.

INT. STATION. DAY.

JESS beeps her oyster card and walks towards the railway. Train goes past. JESS a boards the train. She double takes at the man sitting opposite her as once again, the man appears to be wearing a white mask, the mask then disappears as he turns the page of his newspaper. The man then gets up and leaves the carriage.

EXT. STATION. DAY.

JESS walks out of the station, takes a seat on the wall, takes out a business card of a psychologist.

                          JESS

                          (under her breath)

                          I guess I have no choice.

This is a good idea because it gives up opportunities to use various different camera angles and camera shots. Also we are able to shoot in different locations. As we are only using 3 characters it allows our filming to be more reliable and not as confusing for the audience. It also meets our sub genre: Psychological Thriller. 

Final Synopses

Seventeen year old Jess from London has recently been experiencing repeated nightmares, she feels that something or someone is messing with her head. She realizes she has no choice than to seek professional help after seeing mysterious, white masked figures following her. She is determined to find out what the conspiracy against her is, but will Jess end up hurting innocent people along the way? And will she ever get to the bottom of the The White Parade?


This is a good synopses as it gives away enough information  to grab the audiences attentions, but not too much that the plot is spoilt. It will meet the audience that we have chosen as the main character is within the age category (15-20). It would pheasible to create this story line so that it looks realistic and we have access to all the actors, locations and props that would be needed. It also meets our chosen thriller subgenre: Psychological Thriller. 

Our Audience

Certificate: We shall be aiming for a 15 rated movie.

Audience: Our film will be aimed at the younger generation of 15-20 year olds.

Knowing that our film will be aimed at 15-20 year olds allows us to asses our audience criteria. The story line will be based around the lives of young adults in order to capture the audiences attention. The audience may be able to relate more to the characters if they are of the same age as them, this will enhance the audiences' experience. Certain settings will be used, perhaps familiar ones to what the aimed audience will be exposed to everyday, such as; school grounds, parks, sleep overs, public transport, cinemas and parties. 

Thriller Ideas

Faces - A young 12 year old girl called Ruby, Who lives in the country side begins to see men with plain white masks wherever she goes. Although there is one particular room in her new house that she very strange feeling in, is it haunter? These faces appear when she is by herself and in company of others, which makes it more confusing if other people can see the men too. The audience are left in mystery if the people are actually there or she is a psychopath. The girl is seen to be highly distressed by seeing these faces. 

This idea would be good to use as our final idea because it would suit the type of audience we are targeting which is the older audience, both male and female. Also it leaves the audience in suspense and is a psychological thriller. 

Missing - Three best friends who are 17-18 years old are shown to having a sleepover from being on a night out, and one of the girls called Hannah goes missing, but when the other 2 girls try to retrack there steps of the night, nobody recalls Hannah although she was in a photos from the night out. The girls also speak to Hannahs parents but they tell them they never had a daughter. 

This idea would not be suitable for our final idea, this is because it would be hard to do a opening sequence to it and get straight to the point.

Creeper- 17 year old John, just a 'normal' teenager, is shown to be out with his friends but starts to think that he has a stalker from seeing the same women in various different places. The audience are also left in mystery to why she might be following him, and he starts to get letters in the post and his friends turn really weird on him because he is so anxious all the time.

This idea would not be suitable for our final sequence too because it would also be hard to make a opening sequence to it with a lot of suspense, So it would not suit our psychological genre that we are trying to make. 

Film Audiences and ratings

Different films have different ratings that are going to be shown in cinemas. The rating shows what age is suited for the film. These ratings are based on things such as language, discrimination, violence, sex and drugs in the films. In the most recent ratings it was the public who were asked to vote their views on the film.

Currently there are 7 british catagories that films can be rated:





Firstly U - This rating it classified to be suitable for all audience and doesnt include any violoence, drugs , Natural nudity and no discriminaty. This rating would not be suitable for our theme of thriller.

PG- PG stands for 'parental guidance' and this catagory is not suitable for young children this is because the themes are more serious compared to a U and there may be reference to illegal drugs and some frightening sequences. This is still not suitable for our thriller.

12/ 12A- These films are only suitable for 12 and over, 12A is only for cinema use and 12 is for home films. Children under the age of 12 may be upset by some of the content as there is moderate language, sexual activity may be breif and basically mature themes are present.

15- Suitable for 15 and over. This rating has a strong horror genre, with sexual content but just not detailed. There is strong voilent scenes and their can be a strong drug reference but it should not encourage them. This rating is more suitable for our thriller opening sequences and it allows us to be more flexible on our story line.

18- This is only suitable for adults, this is because there is explicit sexual activity shown, the themes are very mature and usually to do with the law or sexuality. Detailed voilent scenes are shown.

18R - These films are only to be shown in licensed cinemas and scenes are so explicit. This rating is not appropriate to our thriller scene.

My Synopses

Idea 1 -  The Truth

Jessica Lans, an eighteen year old schizophrenic from Devon, moves to London after the death of her younger sister Megan. Her sister was abducted and her body was never recovered. Jess still holds some hope of finding her. Her father forces her to move to London to grieve, clear her mind and receive expert help for her mental illness. She then believes her sisters kidnapper is trying to contact her through the TV, however with her schizophrenia, no one takes her seriously. Jessica is determined to uncover the truth whatever it takes.

This idea would fit out target audience, but may prove difficult to create an opening scene that is filled with suspense as the thriller doesn't kick in until later on in the film.

Idea 2 - The Game
After the release of a new horror film called "The Weegie Experience", teenagers all over the country beging to take part in the "Weegie Board Challenge" and then posting their experiences on YouTube. This film follows a group of young teenagers, following the trend and attempt to contact the dead. Little did they know, Jimmy's house, the house in which they are playing the game in, was once an asylum.

This would meet our target audience brilliantly as it is based around the lives of teenagers. However, to create a convincing weegie board experience would be challenging and may result in being tacky.

Idea 3 - The White Parade
Kayleigh Newton, an seventeen year old student, is convinced someone or something is following her, she has named them "The White Parade". After seeing these masked figures, she is determined to find out what they want and to put a stop to it. But will Kayleigh end up hurting innocent people along the way? And will she ever get to the bottom of the The White Parade?

This would meet our chosen audience as the main character would be the same as the audience we are aiming at. This synopses would be a realistic idea to create in the time we have.

Thriller Synopses

All films release a short summary of events that occur in the film, without giving away to much of the plot, in order for the audience to know what kind of film it is.


Pan's Labyrinth:
Pan's Labyrinth unfolds through the eyes of Ofelia, a young girl uprooted to a remote military outpost commanded by her new stepfather. Powerless and lonely in a place of great danger, Ofelia lives out her own dark fable as she confronts monsters both otherworldly and human after she discovers a neglected labyrinth behind the family home. There she meets Pan, a fantastical creature who challenges her with three tasks which he claims will reveal her true identity.

Shutter Island
When U.S. marshal Teddy Daniels arrives at the asylum for the criminally insane on Shutter Island, what starts as a routine investigation quickly takes a sinister turn. As the investigation unfolds and Teddy uncovers more shocking and terrifying truths about the island, he learns that there are some places that never let you go.

Audience Criteria

As all films are different, have different story lines and are of different genres, each film will be suitable for a different aged audience. The British Board Film Classification has created guidelines for the film industry so parents and distributors alike can keep an eye on what children are watching and make sure it is appropriate.

The categories are:

- A film rated a U is suitable for all ages. No violence or distress will come across in this movie and parents should feel at ease to allow their children of any age to watch a U rated movie without any adult supervision. U stands for Universal. An example of a U rated film is "The Princess Diaries" However, it does mention on the back of the DVD: "contains mild language." This certificate would not be suitable for our film, as horror films contain scenes that would not be suitable for all ages.

- A film rated a PG is not much different from a U rated film, but it may have some very mild violence. It is the parents job to judge whether or not the film will be suitable for your child. The film will indicate what makes the film a PG not a U so the parents can make an informed decision. An example of a PG rated film is "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and it indicated that the film contains: "mild language and peril, some scenes may be unsuitable for younger children." This certificate would not be suitable for our film, purely because we would want to create a tense atmosphere and have scenes of a distressing nature that would not be suitable for all ages.

- A film rated 12 or 12A is only suitable for people of the age of 12 unless accompanied by an adult. A 12 rated film will not be suitable for children under the age of 12 for various reasons and these will be indicated before the viewing commences. 12A's are used for classifying cinema viewings where as DVDs are classified by 12. An example of a 12 rates movie is "Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix" and it mentions: "Contains moderate fantasy violence and horror." This certificate may be suitable for our thriller film, however it would restrict us to only a few story lines. More recently, a remake of "The Women In Black" has been created and is a truly thrilling film, which was rated as a 12.

- A 15 rated film is only suitable for those aged over 15 years old. Am example of a 15 rated film is "Hot Fuzz" and it states: "Contains very strong language and strong comic bloody violence." This certificate would be ideal for our thriller film as it will allow us to be flexible with our thriller techniques. As we are of this age, we will be able to assess what is thrilling and what is not.

- An 18 rated film is strictly only suitable for those aged 18 and over as it will contain scenes involving either extremely strong violence, scenes of a disturbing nature, strong language and sex scenes. This certificate may suitable for some thriller films, but mainly wet ones. This would be hard to create for a school project and may lean too far into being a horror film, rather than a thriller.

History of Thrillers

Thrillers that are created in the present day are signficantly different to those that were produced 60 years ago by the likes of Alfred Hitchcock. Thrillers have been around since the 1920's, Hitchocks' "The Lodger" was one of the first thrillers made. It was a silent movie but proved to be extremely thrilling for that time period.


"The Lodger" synopses:
A serial killer known as the Avenger is murdering blonde women in London. A new lodger, Jonathan Drew, arrives at Mr. and Mrs. Bounting’s in Bloomsbury and rents a room. The man has some strange habits, he goes out during foggy nights and keeps a picture of a blonde girl in his bedroom. The Bounting’s daughter, Daisy, is a blonde model and she is engaged to Joe, a detective. When Joe finds out that Bounting suspects Jonathan, he is jealous of the lodger flirting with Daisy and arrests the man accusing him of being the Avenger. 


Films have become increasingly daring over the years, films that were rated the equivalent to an 18 in the 60's are now no more than a 12 in 2012. This is because the present day audience are always wanting something more thrilling and exhilarating than the last film. Since the early days of thriller films, a large number of thriller sub-genres have emerged, allowing a more varied audience for thriller films. An example of a more recent thriller, containing more suspense than ever before is "The Woman In Black"


"The Women In Black" Synopses

A widowed lawyer travels to a secluded village on an important assignment, and encounters a vengeful ghost with mysterious motives. After losing his beloved wife in childbirth, young barrister Arthur Kipps was nearly consumed by grief. Arthur is on the verge of losing his job when an important client of the firm dies, and his boss offers him one last opportunity to prove his worth by settling the woman's affairs. Determined to succeed, Arthur travels to the remote village and receives a chilly welcome. Something horrible once happened here, and it seems that the locals are determined to ensure Arthur never finds out what it was. Now, the more time Arthur spends in his client's crumbling estate, the more aware he becomes of a presence that isn't quite human. In this house dwells a woman's ghost. In life she lost something precious, and now in death she'll do whatever it takes to get it back. Until she does, her spectral presence will serve as a harbinger of doom, always to be followed by the death of an innocent.

Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock - 1899- 1980

Alfred Hitchcock has been recognized at the "master of suspense", he was a film maker and producer who was the first person to invent the Thriller genre. His first finished film was The Pleasure Garden (1925). He has influenced many directors with there films. Some of his most famous work is: 

The lady vanishes, 1938              

Psycho, 1960

Notorious, 1946

North by North West, 1959

Alfred Hitchcock

The Master of Suspense

Alfred Hitchcock, born in 1899, is one of the most well known British film directors and producers, specializing mainly in the thriller genre, he has picked up the nickname, The Master of Suspense. His directing style is known to be very distinctive, using point of view shots to allow the audiences to have a role in the film. He is also known for using specific frames shots, maximizing suspense, fear and creating dramatic irony. Alfred Hitchcock is very good at creating red herrings and twisted plots, for example, the ending to Psycho, where it is revealed that the murderer is actually a male dressed as a female.

Alfred Hitchcock has inspired many other film directors and films itself through his styles and genres, and has been voted as the most influential film maker of all time. Alfred Hitchcock focus' mainly on psychological characters and themes.

A few of Alfred Hitchcocks greatest thrillers are:

- The 39 Steps

 - The Lady Vanishes

- Notorious










- Strangers on a Train










- Rear Window










- Psycho

Saw

The scene begins with a black screen with titles appearing in blue, which already links to the plot of the story, as represents water. The non diegetic sound of water begins over the titles and then a high pitched score begins too. This already makes the audience feel on edge. The camera then shows close ups of the mans face and of his coming out of the bath, where his performance is very frantic which connotes to the audience that he is scared. The audience are also shown a close up of the key going down the plug whole, this doesn’t mean anything to the audience yet but is a key part to the film.

The setting is very dark which adds to the audience feeling un easy as we cant really see what is going on. The mans dialogue is “someone help me”, this adds to the frantic atmosphere. The appearance of the man is messy and unclean, he is wearing a shirt which is un-done, this shows to the audience that he has been there for a long time, and adds mystery to the scene. When the lights turn on there is a point of view shot of the man looking at them, the camera becomes blurred out which shows to the audience that he is confused and been there for a long time.

The camera then cuts to another man locked up whose appearance is also messy and rugged which also connotes that they have been their for along time. We then see another point of view shot of the other man looking at the first man, and the camera is also blurred out which makes the audience wonder why, maybe been drugged?

The score is continuous although becomes more up temp as the scene carry’s on. We see that both characters notice something on floor by their facial expression, but pleonastic sound is used to make it more dramatic when the body is shown. The camera quickly pans down to show the dead body and then fast editing is used with close ups of the head, the gun and tape recorder. This is very frantic and shocking which grabs the audiences attention. The scene ends with nothing resolved, so this leaves the audience waiting for something to happen and in shock.

Thriller Sub genres

Psychological thrillers- This type of thriller usually involves conflict between the two main characters or any two characters, but the conflict is mental rather than physical. A psychological thriller can be seen as more emotional for the audience as there is not a lot of explicit images and blood. Also mystery plays a big part in this genre. An example of this would be The Talented Mr.Ripley and Shutter Island

　

Supernatural Thrillers - This type of thriller shows something out of the ordinary to happen. The main characters usually end up to have some sort of magical power which could lead to theirs or someone’s downfall. The Genre usually has a unexpected twist in the story which build more tension through out the film. Examples of this would be The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby.

Crime thrillers - Crime thrillers are usually fiction based and psychological thriller is closely linked into this genre, this is because Crime thrillers usually show the psychological state of the person leading up to the crime. Crime thrillers commonly revolve are murders, robberies and chases. Examples of this genre would be Sin City and Se7en.

Disaster thrillers - This genre follows someone or a group of people go through some kind of tough situation, either a natural or man made disaster. These could be a hurricane, floods, storms. The audience usually becomes attached to most of the characters which makes it more dramatic when the disaster happens, which happens in the middle of the film or the end. Examples of this would be The Day After Tomorrow.

Action Thrillers - Action thrillers show some sort of adventure with characters. These adventures usually trigger the audiences childhood dreams/experiences. This genre attracts the male audience more as it has a lot of high pack action scenes like shootings and guns. Examples of this would be Inception and The Bourne Identity.

28 Days Later

The scene begins with a black screen with just the title in white. It then cuts to a extreme close up of the mans face which builds up tension as the audience is left in suspicion. There is no sound and is completely silent which makes the audience suspicious on what is going on as a we soon find out that the man is in a hospital as there is a high angle of the man in a hospital bed. As a hospital is usually very busy and loud it shows the audience that something is wrong.

The man has a beard which connotes that he has been in the hospital for a long time. The camera also shows a close up of the key on the floor to the door which makes the audience wonder what is going on. As the camera tracks the man walking through the hospital we see that it has been trashed, which sets a almost scary atmosphere to the trailer. The camera shows a shot of the man walking down the stairs behind a window which gives the audience a idea that someone is watching him. The camera then cuts to the man drinking the coke really quickly which connotes to the audience that he has also been in the hospital for ages, which disorientates the audience.

A canted angle of the man outside the hospital adds to the mystery and the confusion of the audience. The camera then also shows a extreme birds eye view of the man walking, this shot emphasises how alone he is. The scene is set in Central London denoted by the extreme wide shots/ weather shots that are shown of various places in central London like London Bridge. As it is set in Central London which is a busy, lively city it makes it more scary and mysterious that there is no one there and is much more dramatic.

There is a medium close up of the man walking down a road, which has newspapers all over the floor this also adds to feeling of mayhem and has been used to show that there is no organisation anymore. The Audience are left un easy. A very quiet score is introduced as the man is walking through London which adds tension, and makes the audience feel that something is going to happen. The camera also uses a aerial shot of the man with a angel statue in the corner which adds mystery and the presence of supernatural to the film and he is being watched.

The score gradually gets louder and more upbeat as the trailer continues. A big tilt shot is shown of a high rise block of flats to the man which makes the audience feel scared as the man is seen as weak. The only diegetic sound is that of the mans dialogue and the alarm of the car, the alarm is shocking and is scary. The scene ends with a zoom of poster of a little boys face, which leaves the audience wondering what has happened.

Psycho Shower Scene Analysis

The scene begins with the female character flushing pieces of paper down a toilet, which straight away brings up enigmas of why she is doing that. The female character begins carrying out the everyday task of taking a shower, however, there is already a build up of anticipation and suspense as the audience have genre expectations due to it being a thriller. The fact that there is a female young lady alone, adds more suspense and she appears to be very vulnerable and an easy victim. The score here is soft, but also quite tense, which is a contrast to the everyday scene being carried out in the film. This signifies to the audience that something dramatic is going to happen soon. We also here the synchronous sound of the shower water running, there is also a montage of the character in the shower which shows that time is passing.

The framing used allows the audience to see the silhouette of the someone entering the room before the lady in the shower can, this is an example of dramatic irony. The shadow looks as if it is an older lady entering the room, which is a red herring and confuses the audience, as in fact it is a man dressed as a women. The dramatic irony adds tension, you can also see that the silhouette is holding a knife high in the air, ready to strike. The score used here is synchronized with the shower curtain opening. There is also pleonastic sound which mimics the stabbing action and the screams of the young lady. The stabbing is shown through quick cutting and close ups, this disorientates the audience, adding confusion and shock.

After the murderer makes "her" escape, the camera cuts to a shot of the water draining from the plughole, the shot then merges into the murdered ladies eye ball. The shot of the plug is mimicking the life draining from the lady.

Thriller Subgenres and Audiences

Like all film genres, many hybrids have breached off the original genre. Genres exist to cater for a wider range of audiences, of all ages, classes and genders. Examples of thriller subgenres are:


Action Thrillers
A typical action thriller will contain a fast moving plot that is filled with car chases, gun fights and explosions. These type of scenes will attract younger, male audiences. The Bourne Identity films are a good example of action thrillers.

Horror Thrillers
Horror films will contain graphic death scenes, which younger viewers may find disturbing, which is why many horror films are rated as an 18. This attracts an older audience, both male and females who have particularly strong stomachs. However, as there is an age restriction, it may make younger audiences want to watch it more, so it can attract younger teens too, who find their own ways to view the film. Examples of horror thrillers are SAW and The Exorcist.

Psychological Thrillers
These types of thrillers are more mental rather than physical conflicts and tend to mess with your head. The protagonist is usually has some mental health problems that leads them into some life threatening situations. This type of films may be enjoyed more by females due to the limited amount of violence but to make up for that has a deep mystery involved. Older, more intelligent people may also enjoy the film more than teenagers and it may leave you to be doing a lot of the working out. Examples of this sub genre are Shutter Island and Paranormal Activity.

Crime Thrillers
Crime thrillers may follow particular crimes such as, serial killers, murders, chases and shootouts. The films usually follow the story of either the victims or the killers, but not necessarily the police. This sub genre is not too different from action thrillers, so would attract the same type of audience. Examples of crime thrillers are Se7en and Silence of the Lambs.

Disaster Thrillers
Disaster films usually take place just before or during a natural disaster. The story usually follows a protagonist who may be trying to prevent the disaster, save as many people as they can, or just save themselves. This type of film may attract a whole range of audiences; younger people who want to see some action and older people who are interested in the plot and how the world can be saved. Examples of this sub genre are 2012 and The Day After Tomorrow.

Brighton Rock

Brighton Rock begins with the name of the film distributing company appearing over a black background. From the start of this, the audience can hear the asynchronous, diegetic sound of the sea. The screen then cuts to black for a few seconds, here, the national lottery logo appears followed by the UK film council company name. All the production and funding titles are done over black, as the last production title is shown, the audience hears the diegetic sound of bells, the fact that you cannot see where the sounds are coming from, creates suspicion as to what the setting may be and why. As the final titles are shown, a tense, deep, string score begins. The over black technique is replaced by a dark cloudy background, with the film title “Brighton Rock” displayed, a lighthouse torch swings to and fro over the title, bringing up more enigmas.

Before the opening scene begins, the screen cuts to black, followed by the source of the earlier asynchronous sounds of the sea waves. The waves are dark and mysterious, the camera tracks one wave until in breaks, as the shot takes place, the score gets louder and more tense. The score is abruptly stopped and is replaced by the shrill, diegetic sound of a phone ringing. The camera tracks along the wall of the house in which the phone is ringing. The wall is grubby and falling apart and the section of the house visible to the audience looks disserted. This created the enigma of why is this particular phone ringing, who’s calling, and who lives in this house? All these suspicions creates a tense atmosphere, accompanied by the ear splitting telephone ring and the dense score.

The scene then cuts to the man on the other end of the phone, inside a telephone box. In the first line of dialogue of the film: “pick up the phone!” The man sounds urgent and his heavy breathing connotes that he has been running, maybe away from something. The camera then cuts to a long shot of the telephone box and the empty road, facing out onto the sea, you can still hear the man waiting for someone to pick up the phone . Here, a tableau appears, stating that the film is set in Brighton, England, 1964. The tableau is shown over the action being played out on screen.

In fog in the background, we see two dark silhouettes of men running down the street. We can assume this is who he man on the phone is running from and that they are not good news. The man in the telephone box says - “I am in a bit of trouble here.” - which gives the audience information that the men in the fog are dangerous. Dramatic irony created as the audience sees the figures in the fog before the man on the telephone does, this makes the audience anxious and tension is created.

The camera then cuts to the old, battered house where the man finally answers the phone, but it is too late. The camera cuts back to the other man who has spotted the dark figures in the fog and made a run for it. The camera does a medium shot of him running away from the 2 men, then cuts to show a man jump out with a knife. This creates terror and anxiety for the audience watching. The next few minutes of action are a mixture of slow paced editing and long shots of a violent gangster fight taking place. Pathetic fallacy is being used here as a harsh storm is being taken place, which represents the cold, violent mood of the scene. The shadowing, created by the low key lighting is being used effectively, highlighting the weapons being used, creating anxiety and suspense. The opening scene ends with the original man shown in the sequence dead on the floor after being stabbed. This opening scene creates enigmas, the audience is left wanting to know why he was being chased and who by. The audience can be sure that the remainder of the film is going to be thrilling, just as the opening sequence of the film was.