Thriller is a very vast topic and genre of
literature, television and film. Thrillers often produce a variety of moods,
often heightened feelings of fear, tension, and dread, startled response and
anticipation. There are many examples of thriller films such as, The Loft
(2015), Psycho (1960), Black swan (2010), Rear window (1954) and I saw the
devil (2010).These are just a selection but there are many more thriller
available; but what really makes a good thriller. A good thriller is produced
in many key areas but more specific areas must include low key lighting. This
therefore produces a very dark and sinister mood within the thriller, but also
adds a sense of secrecy for the characters to shield behind, bumping up the
tension more. In contrast, the lighting should also have tones, yes darkness is
important but also, adding glimpses of bright, harsh light contradicts the
darkness. Additionally, the narrative of the thriller must also be instinctively recognizable, making it easier for the audience to follow and be gripped upon
easily. However, some confusion at the beginning is great if it produces
suspense, making the viewer eager to pay attention to want to watch more. The
location is also essential in a scene as it creates a backdrop for the film but
also makes it more distinctive of what the thriller is about. A location allows
the audience to understand the concept of the thriller. Many openers to film
present text, but if text is added to show the actors and producers names, it
must be written in an appropriate text in order to remain within the theme.
However, if bold, pink writing was used it would not successfully relate to the
thriller genre like a dark grey, subtle font would.
However, the beginning scene in which I have
selected to critically discuss is an opener to thriller called ‘Prisoners’. For
which is based upon an abduction of two young girls in Pennsylvania, which
leads to a manic search in order to save the girls in time. But, many twists
and turns change the path along the way.
Many of the camera angles within the first two
minutes of the scene are wide shots, over the shoulder and mid shots. The first
shot within the scene is a wide shot of the location and a vehicle. Most of the
surrounding lighting is through the windows of the location, for which reflect upon
the edges of the vehicle making it harder to distinguish what type of car it is
and this true purpose. Therefore, beginning the suspense of what is going to
happen through the scene, but also the light and the dark foreshadows the genre
and time period of the scene. The light and dark also display an even and
effective contrast of good and bad scenarios that may take place. However, the
camera then moves to the inside of location it begins with a mid-shot
travelling slowly into an over the shoulder shot, this creates the idea of intrigue
for the audience as they are unable to see the characters face and also question
the character in a spectrum of categories.
It also creates a stereotypical idea of what should be among a thriller. When
the male figure sits, in the vehicle it
begins with a mid-shot of the character side on and leads to an over-the-shoulder
shot, for which is quite blurry making it unable to see the characters face
properly, showing he may be planning something sinister on the radio. The
mid-shot is full of available lighting but the over-the-shoulder shot lacks any
type of lighting, foreshadowing light and shade in the character, therefore, he
may not be a good or bad as the audience assume him to be. In addition, the
over-the-shoulder shot of him transfers to another over-the-shoulder shot of
another character. The darkness of the new character remains, displaying he is
only bad rather than having any light to the character. But, also the characters
face is unrecognizable, enhancing the idea of suspense. All of the shots
throughout the whole scene are very long and extend further than a few seconds.
This is very unusual for a film, but because it is a thriller genre, the scenes
are extended to create more drama and suspense in the scene as it makes the
audience expect thing to happen, when they don’t the audience is on their seat
more, due to being clueless of what may take place where and when.
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| Wide shot including location and Vehicle. |
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| Wide shot as the shot begins to travel into an over the shoulder shot. |
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| Travelling into an over the shoulder shot. |
Furthermore, in the opener, sound bridge took place
with the effect of rain as it expanded over to each scene to maintain and
remain the dark, stormy night that is within the scene, adhering to the gloomy setting
stereotype. This allows the audience to easily distinguish that something
drastic and dramatic will take place at some point but the time period is
unknown for when. Once the leading character is finished in the dining
facilities he leaves, to walk back to his vehicle although when his making his
journey, Non-diegetic and a voice over sound of a radio call can be heard for a
female voice, letting the audience a little more clearer of who the character
is by displaying his occupation of being a police officer. Although there is no
indication of a uniform, stating he may be of a higher rank then a police
officer and perhaps a detective from the dark, long jacket his is wearing, a
stereotype of a detective, as well as some who is the rain. The sound from
outside of the vehicle continues into the exterior of the vehicle from where
the male figure responds to the call out. This implies that the call is towards
him rather than anyone else as well as, making the scene more natural as if he
was to be able to get the call the second he sat down it would be to staged in the scene rather than a raw, natural
feel seen in a day-to-day situation within the police force. Additionally, later
on in the scene ambient sound is visible when he approaches the caravan. The
track heard is very eerie as it replicates sounds of knifes being sharpened, and
sharp, high-pitched frequencies; the noise becomes more intense as well as
louder and clearer to the audiences ear. This type of music has been incorporated
to heighten the mood of mystery and that someone dangerous or something
dangerous is in the vehicle, remaining the idea of thriller and the fear of the
unknown; what a thriller is primarily about.The assumptions in which we link to the idea of knifes is stabbing but a consist and manic approach of the noise increasing, creates a sense of lack of control and panic not in, just the audience but the person with the control over the knife. The effectiveness of this quality is putting the audience on edge and creating a sense of something is going to happen; a sense of the unknown.
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| The shot where sound bridge is present. |
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| Voice over of the radio call. |
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| Ambient sound is present in this scene. |
The Mise-en-scene within the scene is the clothing
of the main character, as it is very dark as his t-shirt is black and he is
wearing jeans, which seem quite casual compared to what his job is. However,
the assisting officers in the scene are very profession with wearing the
correct uniform. Only then can I distinguish that he is actually a police
officer. However, the props also assist this idea, as his holding a gun which
within the United States are legalized with a license, making it more normal to
be seen in the hand of any citizen, subverting the idea of him actually being a
police officer. However, the radio used is some situations of the clip also predict his in the Police force, as not all industries actually use radios of
that type, being placed within the vehicle. This adhere the traditional idea of
communication with the police force, and linking back to him being an officer.
In contrast, the setting throughout the scene is a very traditional concept of
horrors or thrillers being dark, stormy and having some weather change; such as
thunder, lighting or rain. This indicts a dramatic situation will withhold in
the scene, but it also shows that it makes the character less visible to the audience,
making them wonder who they are. It also adheres to the stereotype of a
Thriller. Throughout the whole clip, little lighting was available and the available
light used appeared mainly from the petrol station, suggesting a very public
place, perhaps the suspect has no fear of being found or they haven’t committed
an crime for them to be arrested for. The little light sources imply that the
surrounding area is very urbanized, meaning not many live near and no much
light is required due to the little amount of people in the area. On the other
hand, the editing within the full clip is little to be seen as they have been
very professional with the camera and wanted everything to be as authentic as possible.
However, a shot-reverse-shot has been when the main character walk towards the vehicle
and the man in the car is looking through the side mirror, the camera snaps
back to the male officer. This shows that the suspect can see the officer, but
he cannot make out his face completely. Adding to the idea of who is this man
and why the officer is approaching the caravan. This also allows the man to
understand that someone is walking towards him. Finally, at the beginning to
the whole video, a jump-cut is used to observe the officer in his vehicle. For
which implies that the audience must remain focus on him carefully, as he will
have a huge involvement in the whole film, but also giving him the blame of him
being the suspect, making the audience suspicious of everyone in the video.
This adhere the idea of thriller, as each person may have involvement and causing
confusion of who the enemy is.
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| Only artificial light available. |
The technical elements that id feel were most effective were the ambient sound of the rain and the travelling over-the-shoulder shots. The sound of the rain added and enhanced the atmosphere within the whole scene.The rain adds the continuity to make something feel and replicate real life, such as the rain may only be not hear if inside but even then it maybe but softened. The idea of rain is used to create an atmosphere of darkness as well as, poor visibility, meaning more patience and attention is needed to understand the beginning of the film. However, the travelling over-the-shoulder shots created the idea of the unknown as at this point we are unaware of who is the offender and who is the cop. The travelling of the shot opens up the story line-unfolding elements in small cuts. The travelling of the shot also builds tension in the sense of showing small segments that progress into something bigger and clear, allowing the audience to work out the film for themselves as well as, it being a clear indication that the persons identity is about to be revealed. From this I defiantly want to incorporate continuity as it keeps a clean and consistent feeling to the film, it also makes a great story line. Although, over-the-shoulder shots are good if it is not appropriate to what is needed then I feel that it wont work, so will be used if appropriate in what we get to achieving. In contrast, the aspects that I would experiment with is the sound as feel that dramatic bangs or pauses would climax the tension and increase the drama within the scene. They clearly have the money so perhaps more extreme versions of music would increase and heighten elements alongside the mood of the film.
