After the ideas were finalised and put together, it gave us a clear narrative making it useful during the making of the opening as it provides a clear narrative for the director to create the story by putting it together. Without a clear structure of the opening, the audience might not be able to understand what is going on in the scene. As this is just an opening, the audience does not necessarily need to understand the narrative in such detail as many films are a lot affective that way.
Opening Scene Narration:
The opening scene begins with an establishing shot of the antagonist slowly walking in a graveyard. He wears a black crimson coloured suit with a matching tie and white shirt that further indicates he has just attended a funeral. The weather is dark and gloomy just on the edge of raining furthermore reflecting on his current state and mentality. It may also foreshadow further events that will happen as the opening progresses. A panning shot is consistent till he arrives home to which it then jumps to a straight cut from inside a house. The man from earlier opens the door, still wearing his suit, he enters the house carelessly with his hands full and keys in his mouth, his back faces the spooky looking girl who is extremely pale and bruised. Her stance is still and she doesn't move, she just stands right behind him as the door shuts in her face. When he is fully in the house, its lit with high-key lighting that further portrays no abnormalities until a tilt shot is used to show him picking up a chair that is stained in blood. The man causally walks towards the staircase and we are able to witness the lifeless bodies that are scattered around the house. As the antagonist walks up the stairs which is portrayed through extreme close-ups of his shoes, bodies are becoming more noticeable.
As the opening progresses, there is a medium shot of the antagonist entering his bedroom. He walks towards his wardrobe whilst stripping his blazer off of him that lands on the bed. When he reaches his wardrobe, he takes out a black leather jacket but as the man closes the door of his wardrobe, we see a victim who is tied on a chair barely conscious, wounded and hidden at the other end of his room. We are only to witness this victim when the wardrobe door closes. When our antagonist exits out of the room, he carelessly turns his back and turns off the light and the spooky female figure appears again, hiding in the shadows however he doesn't notice the eerie, unidentified figure but when rushes back to get his phone he had forgotten, he switches back on the lights and the creepy girl disappears. As the man continues to walk around his house, dead bodies are becoming more visible as well photo frames on window sills that contain pictures of unidentified people.
Towards the ending of the thriller opening, we see the man walk down the stairs from a high angle medium shot. We are able to see the man walk away until he disappears from the camera frame to which the camera does not follow him. When the man is completely out of the frame, the camera tilts upwards to which the girl from previous shots appears again. The girl supposedly has been following the man. She stands still with a motionless face planted on her with one hand placed on the window looking in his direction. The camera then pans out and we see the man walking into the public in a casual manner. The scene fades to black and it ends.
The themes that draw upon this idea are, murder, death, violence and vengeance. I believe that these are the most important and popular themes in thriller films.
Audience Response
Throughout the opening, the specific scenes such as when the audience are able to subtly witness the unidentified figure creates a chilling response. As a group, we are aiming to generate mix emotions such as confusion further creating a tense atmosphere all the way through. There is no clear narrative and the audience will feel confused watching this although will feel very uneasy at the same time. The opening scene may confuse the audience but as it progresses, the audience may feel a sense of discomfort and frightened due to the dead bodies that were laying on the floor. Followed by the mans casual attitude to this frightful scene, he leaves the audience questioning themselves making them wanting to further watch on.
Conclusion:
This planning has been highly helpful for my final production as now I'm aware of what I have to do in order to get the right audience response. I'm more organised and I now know clearly what I have to do.
Our group was formed by the teacher consisting with each individual possessing a strong characteristic that balances out our strengths and weaknesses, after this we were able to begin with introducing each other with initial ideas we've had of our own within the group. We came up with our own ideas individually and then began to share some of our ideas to come up with one final and initial idea for the thriller opening. Once we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of our final idea, we highlighted what would be the overall factors that will be the most distinctive and exciting to make.
Idea 1: Dillan
Narrative:
A news report about a serial killer on the loose is playing, warning people in the local area to stay indoors and not be alone if they have to go outside until the police catch the killer.
There is then a cut to the killer who has gagged a young woman and as she is struggling, he violently murders her with a sledgehammer. The murder is not shown but the blood is to suggest that she is being brutally murdered.
There is another cut to a victim in their house, about to go upstairs and sleep, they turn off the light and there is a figure visible in the dark, when they turn on the light there is nothing there, they turn off the light again and the figure is there yet again. One last time they turn on the light but this time the same killer is up close to them, before he or she can scream, they are grabbed by the throat, slammed against the wall and strangled to death. The then either takes the victim's clothes, or removes their own clothing and changes their hairstyle, then walks down a road into the public just like a normal person from society.
Title:
One Of Us - Based on the idea that the killer could be anyone, not every killer is mentally unstable as far as we can see. They could be your friend, a family member or a girlfriend/boyfriend.
Sub-genres: Horror thriller - I will include jump scares to suddenly shock the audience and to feel suspense.
Psychological thriller - The twist at the end of the opening as the killer is seemingly a normal person.
Crime thriller - The idea of a serial killer and the public are aware that there is one out there.
Mystery thriller - The fact no one knows who the serial killer is, my opening may set up a detective or someone from law enforcement looking for the antagonist.
Characters:
Killer(s) - Who is or are the antagonists, as my narrative will revolve around them due to the results from my primary research.
Victims - The woman who is getting murdered and the second victim in the house which can be either a male or female.
Theory Application:
The narrative will follow either Barthes or Aristotle's narrative theory as Aristotle uses tragedy (the killings) to arouse emotion from the audience as well as through themes. Barthes theory may also be used as the denotation of a sledgehammer to murder a woman can connote violence, as well as anger or revenge depending on how the killing is presented. Film Influences:
For my initial idea I was inspired by The Stepfather (1987) due to how chilling the opening scene was. I especially liked the ending of the opening which I am planning to shoot in my own way but to give the same effect.
I was also inspired by Halloween (1978) as this opening also had a twist or something the audience did not expect at the end of the opening. That is the main thing I am going for, to make the audience feel uncomfortable as the killer could be anyone. Mise En Scene:
Lighting: Low lighting will be used throughout, this is to represent the killer's unfavourable intentions as well as the overall dark tone of the film and opening.
Setting: The first murder will take place in either a graveyard or a forest. The second will then take place inside a home, to further petrify the audience as a home is meant to be a safe place.
Iconography: The murder weapon, a sledgehammer, as well as blood to show the murders happening.
Costume and makeup: The killer will be wearing a dark coloured jacket and trousers, to not draw attention to themselves. The victims will wear light coloured clothing to show the innocence.
Advantages:
The advantages of my thriller opening are that they are influenced from different films, with my own narrative to it and therefore will be quite different to other thrillers. The opening will also scare the audience and leave them in suspense, wanting to watch the rest of the film as they have chosen to watch a thriller opening. Therefore it will use jumpscares and the appropriate music to show that.
Disadvantages:
The disadvantages of my opening will be that I may not be able to shoot in some settings such as the graveyard or the forest, due to not being able to access them. Also it may be difficult to shoot all of these scenes into a two minute opening, therefore I may have to cut out some scenes. The acting may not be to a good enough standard and the audience may not understand what the character is doing in an ineffective way.
Conclusion
My initial planning has allowed me to work in a team and brainstorm many ideas. By doing this I can find many flaws and places to improve in my idea through constructive criticism from my group. Also I can combine my ideas appropriately with my group to make a strong final idea.
Idea 2: Trang
Narrative:
My initial and final idea for my thriller opening will begin with a man who seems to be at a funeral, he looks clearly upset with the lost of his close one. This will be one of the main characters introduced to the audience. There will be a abrupt transition to the next scene where we see him and another character that appears to be his girlfriend, lover etc having a serious conversation. A caption will appear below the screen reading '32 hours ago' to inform the audience that this has happened already. The couple are in a warm and cosy conventional family home that connotes safety and security, in addition, I want the audience to feel confused because this is not your typical thriller opening however it certainly begins with mysteriously as a soundtrack will start to play as its off-screen sound. I want this off-screen sound to build tension for the audience as I am determined to generate mix emotions of uneasiness and discomfort. Then a flash of montages as well as jump cuts will take place implying that murder has been taken place.
The next scene will be the female character alone checking her phone if her boyfriend has called her back. She's getting ready for bed, when she walks down a long and dark corridor to her bedroom, the audience will witness an unidentified figure lurking in the shadows behind her. A close-up of her phone will read the date and time so the audience are aware of this as this will be relevant later on as the opening progresses. Another close-up, this time of a different phone will be the male protagonists phone reading 9 unread messages. A reaction of the girl will initially be a jump scare for the audience but we are not able to see the antagonist.
The last scene will be the protagonist leaving the funeral as he looks up, we get a reaction shot of him but we are not able to see what he's reacting to.
Title:
I decided to call my thriller 'P.S. Your Stalker'. This title is based on a supernatural theme in which the protagonist is being followed by a mysterious and unidentified antagonist. In the opening of 'P.S. Your Stalker', we are able to infer that this stalker is a psychopath as he/ she evidently murders his girlfriend. The audience will definitely question why the particular event has occurred and who is this mysterious person.
Sub-genres:
Supernatural - I've included the supernatural theme as it consists of supernatural and questionable elements to the opening such as the unidentified, mysterious and spooky figure that I intend to portray in the first couple of seconds of the opening.
Horror - I've included at least one jump scare that will definitely shake the hearts of the audience, in addition, also including a murder scene that will only last about 5 seconds to not give too much away.
Mystery - I thought the sub-genre of mystery is appropriate for this type of narrative as the whole opening consistently asks the audience who the antagonist might be.
Characters:
Protagonist - The male protagonist will be introduced first as he is the main character of the whole opening as the situation is revolved around him.
Antagonist - The antagonist is still an unidentified character but we will be able to have a glimpse of the characters silhouette in the opening.
Victim - The victim will be the protagonists girlfriend who will be killed.
Theory Application:
My thriller opening follows the theory Aristotle and Barthes. Aristotle's theory applies to my thriller opening because it consists of a beginning, middle and end with and clear and understandable narrative. Moreover, the problem always sets off aroused emotions and the audiences mentality by having the key action point start in the middle. Although I have a clear narrative of beginning, middle and end, my narrative seems to be mixed up which will confuse the audience however they will understand after it progresses. My thriller opening also follows Barthes theory as it highlights explored and diverse ranges of developed cultural understand, connotation and denotation.
Film Influences:
Film influences such as 'The Grudge' has helped me develop this idea. Themes such as jealousy, obsession and murder all consist in my opening furthermore using the key character as a mysterious and supernatural antagonist similarly to 'The Grudge'. In my opinion, I believe that 'The Grudge' is a fantastic supernatural and psychological thriller as it has not failed in making me constantly think about it. It sends cold shivers down the audiences spine which is what I want to achieve for the audiences response as well.
Mise' en Scene
Lighting
Setting
Iconography
Costume, hair and make-up
Cinematography
Advantages:
I've created my own narrative using other successful film influences that will indeed create an exciting and thrilling opening. I believe that my thriller will create a particular audience response such as fear and discomfort, according to my data I've collected from my primary research, a psychological and supernatural thriller are most popular amongst thriller watchers.
Disadvantages:
The disadvantages of my thriller opening might be that challenging camera shots I need to take when creating this thriller opening. If I want to create the mysterious figure in the background, I must educate myself working the camera correctly to receive successful and spooky shots which might be difficult to achieve.
We liked both ideas and managed to merge both ideas together so everyone was satisfied. By doing so, we went through all the disadvantages of both ideas and discussed how we was going to overcome this. With my idea, I mentioned that camera shots were quite difficult to achieve as a group with little experience with professional cameras. However, we practiced our specific shots to make sure it looked professional. The preliminary task also helped with this as we were able to familiarise ourselves with professional filming equipment. With idea 1 (Dillan) the advantages that arose were getting permission from the owners to film there. We was able to email the owner successful as we were also granted access to the location. We worked ourselves through these disadvantages to join both of our initial ideas together to form a final idea.
Why is it important to get and analyse feedback? Relate to direct, specific audience feedback
Feedback is the data that was received from your previous research, the feedback that you get is important as it allows you, as the researcher to understand current trends and relationships shown in your data. When your feedback is collected, you must make decisions whether based on the popularity is met with the target audiences expectations. For example, if my data shows me that the majority of my respondents (13 out of 20) I asked likes supernatural and psychological thriller more than thrillers to do with crime and action, it allows me to make an easier decision about the type of sub-genre I should consider pursuing. Without clear feedback like this, I am unable to make precise decisions therefore, feedback will allow me to make a successful thriller opening.
Examples of graphs and Analysis:
Conclusion:
My research has helped me hugely to make important decisions such as what type of sub genre I should consider, hair, costume and makeup and what type of location scares the audience most. This is important as it will help me when I make my thriller, making it most effective and enjoyable to watch.
Primary research is important because this is the type of research that you go out and collect yourself directly. This will benefit you hugely as it will give you direct responses to gather quick data on the spot.
Advantages and Disadvantages of questionnaires
Advantages:
More people will be able to take part in questionnaires as its not as time consuming and can be done on the spot.
Data is quick is collected easily
Information can be collected from any specific target audience you want
Disadvantages:
There is usually a low response rate
If there is a mistake within the question then it is difficult to get the correct answer from the same respondent
Respondents can ignore some questions
Respondents might not understand some questions clearly or terms used in the questionnaire, as a result making them skip the question without asking.
Who did you ask and why?
I gave my questionnaire to both genders equally, 10 for boys and 10 for girls so I can see if there's a specific type of relationship between the genders and the type of thrillers they watch. In addition, my questionnaire has been given to people in age groups of 15-18 because this particular age groups tend to enjoy thrillers much more than any other. Moreover, giving my questionnaire to these people aged 15-18 will give me better data when it comes to creating my own thriller.
My Questionnaire:
Conclusion:
In conclusion, my research has showed me what the audience expect from a thriller movie. This will be beneficial when creating my own thriller trailer as I know what audience like and dislike when they watch a thriller film.
Who are the BBFC and what is their role and Why is the role of the BBFC important to the film industry?
The BBFC stands for The British Board Film Classification and it's job is to protect the public from films that might upset, offend, shock or may psychologically damage the viewers by rating films appropriately according to the content in the film by age groups. Before films are allowed to be screened to the public, the BBFC watches and scrutinizes what age group might be most appropriate for the content viewed within the film, after that, they award the film with an age certificate and the access for it to be screened to the public.
The BBFC are important to the film industry as it provides a guideline or platform for a film before its release, it protects the audience keeping the safe from scenes that may be inappropriate for a particular age group. Moreover, parents are informed about the viewing of the film allowing them to decide whether its appropriate for their child to watch.
What things get censored and why? Examples:
There are many things that are censored in the film industry in order to protect the audience from shock, psychological damage and much more. Things that get censored include:
Extreme Violence and Overwhelming Gore - If there is content that explicitly shows the audience extreme violence in an underage film as well as too much extreme violence that can potentially upset the viewer, this will be censored and cut out completely in order for the audiences safety and psychological state.
Nudity and Sexual Nature - Material that is shown to an underage audience like nudity and sexual nature may be censored in order to protect the viewer. Parents might be upset that their vulnerable child might exposed to this which is why it is censored.
Foul Language - Foul language used in an underage film can be censored to audiences who are still too young to hear it.
Immense amount of Drug and Alcohol use - If there is content displaying immense amount of drug and alcohol abuse during the film to a unsuitable audience, this any be censored due to copy cat and imitation behavior displayed in the younger audience.
Political Controversy - This might upset some audiences and create an uproar of unhappy viewers.
Religious Controversy - Any material that mimics religion will be simply censored as it may upset some of the religious viewers.
Graphic Representation of Realism - This is inappropriate to the viewers as it displays graphic realism that may result in copy cat, imitation behavior for the younger audience as well as the older viewers.
Corrupting the young - This type of material might influence or exploit the young to negative behavior in which may cause them to copy this.
Sexual Violence - Sexual violence can be one example that could be censored as it may generate some upset responses from an underage audience.
Class - Class can be censored in a film of it is simply unnecessary to display that type of discrimination.
Race - As well as class, race can be censored for the same reasons.
Culture - If it is simply unnecessary to display this type of content, then it will be censored.
True Events - True events might cause some controversy and may upset the audience, as a result, this will also be censored.
Controversy and the Press - This will be censored as it may cause some unnecessary controversy within the press.
Shock - Something that is used in an underage film that might cause the audience shock such as an unexpected death in a kids movie will be censored as it may upset the viewers.
What is the difference between films being cut and banned? Examples:
Censored/ Cut: A film that is censored or cut means to take out some scenes that may be inappropriate for the intended audience, this doesn't mean the the whole film is inappropriate but just some scenes are. For example; an exaggerated nude scene may be cut out from a film that has an age certificate of 15. This is because it is unsuitable for that type of age group, as a result, making the viewers feel uneasy and uncomfortable watching.
Examples:
The Human Centipede (2009) - 'The Human Centipede' has been censored and cut numerous times before it was screened to the public. There was explicit scenes of degraded and mutilated rape scenes that were too disturbing to show to the audience.
A Serbian Film (2010) - 'A Serbian Film' has been censored and cut numerous times as well as 'The human Centipede' because of its over exaggerated and disturbing scenes of sexual violence. It was later given an age certificate of 18 yet still sends shivers down the spines of the audience.
Pitch Perfect (2012) - Although 'Pitch Perfect' seems like a more positive and happier film to watch, this film as also been censored for its use of bad language and nudity due the underage audience it targets.
Banned: A film that is banned means that not like censorship where some parts of the film is inappropriate but the whole film is which as a result is banned for public viewing. For example if a film has extreme violence and gore, nudity and sexual violence throughout, the BBFC would have to ban it as it is inappropriate for all viewers as it could be influential, potentially leaving a negative impact on viewers.
Examples:
Grotesque (2009) - Grotesque has been banned despite its many attempts in censoring some scenes, it was still not aloud to be screened to the public due to its extreme violence, political and moral messages it sends to the viewers. Footage including amputation scenes such as eye gouging.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974 - 2003): This film has been banned due to explicit violent scenes that are too disturbing to watch.
Conclusion:
After researching on censorship, I have discovered that films should be censored there is inappropriate content shown to an underage audience. I now understand the difference between a film that is banned and censored. Furthermore, I am able to film my thriller with caution knowing that certain scenes might be inappropriate for the audience to watch. For example, if i use race, class or religion in my thriller, I will have to cautiously deal with the situation carefully taking in account that it is not exaggerated or it might upset some viewers.
What are opening credits and what is their purpose?
Opening credits are always shown at the beginning of a film that shows who've contributed to the production such as the actors, the director and producers. They are usually portrayed through texts on a blank screen during the opening scene of the film and accompanied with off-screen sound which is usually the soundtrack of film. Most of the time, the opening credits are names strategically presented in order from the most important names of the production to the least for example; the actors would be first, the director and so fourth.
The purpose of opening credits is to introduce the audience the significant members of the production allowing them to understand who will be starring in the film and the names that have helped make this work.
What is typography?
Typography is the style, design and appearance of the printed letters that forms to be organised into words and/ or sentences. Typography differs from many other films according to what particular genre they belong to for example; the typography in a thriller film is likely to have a spine-chilling effect on the audience as the selected size, font and colour are carefully chosen. The type of typography used in a thrillers should always be thought out carefully in order to succeed in a particular audience response that the producers of the production want to achieve. It also adds an addition scare to the audience building tension even before watching the film.
What information do opening credits provide? Order of appearance?
And how do they make the audience feel?
Opening credits are usually presented in two different, common formats. The first format would include the name of the studio such as 'Universal Studios' being presented followed by the production team, producers, director, the cast, film title, editor and story boarder. The second format would consist of the production company demonstrated first followed by the title of the film, music composer, editor, writer and director. The opening credits allow the audience to identify what person is mainly responsible for each task in helping to produce the film.
Within the first format, the director and producer would be presented in the beginning of the credits that further suggests that these roles are the most important and authoritative roles. After this, other roles will be presented. In the second format the director and producer would usually have their names closely together towards the end of the credits to portray their importance which the audience are likely to remember the most. Moreover, the celebrities starring in the film are near the beginning of the credits as well as the director and producer which shows their significant to the film and without them, there would be no film.
The opening credits overall allow essential information to the audience so they know a little more of the production responsible for this particular film.
Examples:
The Dark Knight Rises
The opening credits for 'The Dark Knight Rises' begins with introducing the company 'Warner Bros. Pictures' allowing the audience to understand what studio was responsible for this awesome film. It then allows the audience to see where this original idea came from which is 'DC Comics'. This follows the first format as it begins with the companies that were involved in the production of 'The Dark Knight Rises' and then shortly after the person who was responsible for this film (Christopher Nolan).It then transitions to the title of the film that is subtly put in between the jump cuts and then the main stars of the film are introduced: Christian Bale, Micheal Cane, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt Marion Cotillard and Morgan Freeman. After the lead cast is introduced to the viewers, it re-introduces the director and producer who are responsible for 'The Dark Knight Rises' screen play closely together 'Jonathan Nolan' and 'Christopher Nolan'. Executive producers are then introduced and then the director once again to remind the audience his significance to the movie. Overall, it immediately allows the audience to able to connect with the film as they are being introduced to the people who supported the film before watching it.
The opening credits have different effects on the audience according to their presentation. If the credits are also accompanied with the sound track of the film and in this particular example 'The Dark Knight Rises' which does allow the audience to hear the soundtrack, the viewers may experience feelings of fear and tension as they are able to predict what will occur in the progression of the film such as dark and gloomy intentions from a potential antagonist. There are moving images jumping to one shot to another. Images of Bruce Wayne are shown and shattered glass cover the images, this further creates excitement for the audience as it additionally adds to the fear and tension as they can predict what is going to occur later. Hence shattered class that connotes negative messages.
Typography and connotations. Examples:
The different types of typography have lots of different connotations to them for example:
Thriller Genre: The typography used in thriller genre 'Se7en' clearly connotes mystery through the use of smudged letters that the audience are able to infer from. This may suggest that the smudged letters connote mystery because the viewers are not quite able to read it clearly further creating mystery. This makes the audience question themselves whether a criminal is involved as the particular typography represents crime, suitable for a thriller genre. The colour white has been chosen which connotes innocence, vulnerability and purity however is juxtaposed with the smudged lettering symbolising crime and danger therefore might suggest crimes that are committed on the innocent. The typography used in 'Se7en' looks creepy and quite sinister giving the audience an idea of how the movie is going to be like, twisted and disturbing.
Action Genre: The typography used in the action thriller 'World War Z' is basic but bold. This makes it stand out to the audience more as its quite simplistic but very effective. The opening shows people's daily life which the audience doesn't expect anything too frightening to happen. This accompanied by the simple bold text used for the opening credits which also makes it look quite intimidating.
Typography and Thrillers: screen shot examples form thrillers and their connotations
Example:
The typography from the film 'Inception' connotes death and danger with the use of the bold, red lettered font. The letters used in 'Inception' are appropriately spaced out for this particular genre as they have a deeper meaning suggests that the characters involved within this film are very different between each other however they must stay close to each other in order to succeed in their mission.
From my research, I believe the tow examples I've mentioned before , would be very effective as it compliments my thriller opening with an antagonist with different personalities. The simple typography is effective and further makes it look professional. I want my audience to establish how normal my antagonist is until we start to understand how sick and twisted he is. This is when my typography would change into something a little more disturbing for example 'Se7en's typography. I believe tha this will be very effective and let the audience understand him and the thriller opening more.
Conclusion:
Creating thriller, I now know what is suitable for a conventional thrill. I need to ensure that my thriller opening will introduce the audience with the production company name first so they are immediately able to take that away further making it look highly professional. Shortly after, I should add in the names of those who will be starring in it in the order of the importance of their role. I will also accompany my opening with a sound track to generate mix feelings from the audience such as fear and excitement. The typography I will use needs to carefully chosen as I want it to be bold in order to grab the audiences attention. I should consider using a conventional colour such as red, white and black to portray danger, innocence and death.
What are themes? Why are they important to identify for the audience?
Themes are ideas that consistently reoccurs in a movie for example; death, violence, money and vengeance in order to meet the audiences expectations of conventional ideas within that particular genre or sub-genre. For example, if the viewers were watching an action/ crime thriller, they should be expecting to see clearly themes such as crime, mystery and violence because it is what they came to see.
Themes are important for the audience as it is there to get a particular, pleasing response from the audience, furthermore it also allows the audience to identify potential plots that might be taken place within the film.
Themes and genres - discuss how themes are dependent on genres and why?
Themes are usually dependent on their genres because it allows the audience to predict what might happen as the movie progresses which will further allow the viewers meet their expectations. Without a specific genre that enables the whole structure of the move to follow, it is impossible to generate themes as there is no clear narrative. There are different genres that consists of different themes however some similar genres have the same themes portrayed such as:
Science Fiction Genre: Time travel, space, Good Vs Evil
Common themes in thrillers and why? Examples:
The Dark Knight (2008) (Sub-Genre: Action)
Crime
Good Vs Evil
Vengeance
Trust
Weapons
Violence
Death
Envy
Jealousy
Mystery
Memento (2000) (Sub-Genre: Mystery)
Trust
Deceit
Mystery
Crime
Vengeance
Violence
Death
Jealously
Relationships
Loyalty
World War Z (2013) (Sub-Genre: Horror
Death
Murder
Relationships
Family
Violence
Mystery
Disease
Infections
Weapons
Although the different story lines and plot twists between these two very different movies, they both share very similar themes both under the thriller genre yet each with their own sub-genre. All these themes are very similar because thrillers always create suspense and all these themes are very capable of doing so.
With the different sub-genres these films possess, they share similar themes. I believe this is because these are the most popular themes used in thriller films today. I plan o n using some of these themes such as murder, death, violence, vengeance and mystery to captivate my target audience.
Impact of themes on the audience
The audience are already aware of the genre before watching the film as they have picked it in particular because of their interest in the trailer they may have seen before therefore they have an idea of what themes to expect when watching it. These particular themes such as death and murder are very likely to be used in a thriller genre which will likely to give the audience a negative response furthermore, might affecting them psychologically too. Moreover, these types of themes usually create tension and anticipation from the audience.
Conclusion:
Overall, my research on narrative themes have educated me on the important of themes. The themes that are based on the specific genre is created to get a particular response from the audience such as suspense. I know now that when I am creating my thriller film, I have to choose my themes with caution making sure that they are associated with the thriller genre.
