Film Certificates

Taken from the The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) website are a list of the ratings and what is seen as acceptable for the particular rating. This is for research into what rating to give our film.

Videos classified 'Uc' are particularly suitable for pre-school children and normally raise none of the issues set out below.

It is impossible to predict what might upset any particular child. But a ‘U’ film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. U films should be set within a positive moral framework and should offer reassuring counterbalances to any violence, threat or horror.

Theme;
Treatment of problematic themes must be sensitive and appropriate for a younger audience.
Language;
Infrequent use only of very mild bad language.
Nudity;
Occasional natural nudity, with no sexual context.
Sex;
Mild sexual behaviour (eg kissing) and references only (eg to ‘making love’).
Violence;
Mild violence only. Occasional mild threat or menace only.
Imitable techniques;
No emphasis on realistic or easily accessible weapons. No potentially dangerous behaviour which young children are likely to copy.
Horror;
Horror effects should be mild and brief and should take account of the presence of very young viewers. The outcome should be reassuring.
Drugs;
No references to illegal drugs or drug misuse unless there is a clear educational purpose or clear anti-drug message suitable for the audience.

'PG' Parental Guidance - General viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children
Unaccompanied children of any age may watch. A ‘PG’ film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. However, parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger or more sensitive children.

Theme;
Where more serious issues are featured (eg domestic violence, racist abuse) nothing in their treatment should condone the behaviour.
Language;
Mild bad language only.
Nudity;
Natural nudity, with no sexual context.
Sex;
Sexual activity may be implied, but should be discreet and infrequent. Mild sex references and innuendo only.
Violence;
Moderate violence, without detail, may be allowed, if justified by its setting (eg historic, comedy or fantasy).
Imitable techniques;
No glamorisation of realistic or easily accessible weapons. No detail of potentially dangerous behaviour which young children are likely to copy.
Horror;
Frightening sequences should not be prolonged or intense. Fantasy settings may be a mitigating factor.
Drugs;
Any references to illegal drugs or drug misuse must be innocuous or carry a suitable anti-drug message.

12A – Suitable for 12 years and over. No-one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult. No-one younger than 12 may rent or buy a ‘12’ rated video or DVD. Responsibility for allowing under-12s to view lies with the accompanying or supervising adult.

Theme;
Mature themes are acceptable, but their treatment must be suitable for young teenagers.
Language;
The use of strong language (eg 'fuck') must be infrequent. Racist abuse is also of particular concern.
Nudity;
Nudity is allowed, but in a sexual context must be brief and discreet.
Sex;
Sexual activity may be implied. Sex references may reflect what is likely to be familiar to most adolescents but should not go beyond what is suitable for them.
Violence;
Violence must not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood. Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and discreetly indicated.
Imitable techniques;
Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail or appear pain or harm free. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.
Horror;
Sustained moderate threat and menace are permitted. Occasional gory moments only.
Drugs;
Any misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should not be glamorised or instructional.

'15' – Suitable only for 15 years and over
No-one younger than 15 may see a ‘15’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 15 may rent or buy a ‘15’ rated video or DVD.

Theme;
No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate to 15 year olds.
Language;
There may be frequent use of strong language. But the strongest terms will be acceptable only where justified by the context. Continued aggressive use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.
Nudity;
Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.
Sex;
Sexual activity may be portrayed but without strong detail. There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour.
Violence;
Violence may be strong but may not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. Scenes of sexual violence must be discreet and brief.
Imitable techniques;
Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.
Horror;
Strong threat and menace are permitted. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable.
Drugs;
Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse.

'18' – Suitable only for adults
No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 18 may rent or buy an ‘18’ rated video.
In line with the consistent findings of the BBFC's public consultations, at '18' the BBFC's guideline concerns will not normally override the wish that adults should be free to chose their own entertainment, within the law. Exceptions are most likely in the following areas:

• where material or treatment appears to the Board to risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society – e.g. any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which is likely to promote the activity. The Board may also intervene with portrayals of sexual violence which might, e.g. eroticise or endorse sexual assault.
• the more explicit images of sexual activity – unless they can be exceptionally justified by context and the work is not a 'sex work' - rated R18.

We have decided to rate our film with the 15 certificate because it would fit into the criteria needed for it to be a 15. It involves images and a storyline which would psychologically harm a younger child and may disturb them. A result of watching this may cause a younger child to have nightmares because the film 'plays with your mind' and a child may think it's real and be scared. There will be scenes of horror, violence, use of strong language, and sexual references in this film which we find will be only suitable for ages 15 and over.

Target Audience

The research I have done into different Thriller openings has given me an idea of what types of things an audience would look for in a Thriller film.
I have analysed the following openings of these films:
Double Indemnity - PG
The Others - 12
The Interpreter - 12
What Lies Beneath - 15
Gothika - 15
Duel - 15
Speed - 15
Silence of the lambs - 18
The Usual Suspect - 18

I have used a range of ratings in the films i chose to analyse because it would help me to gain further knowledge and understanding about what content would be used and how it differs with each rating.
There is defiantly a clear difference in the openings of the films which have been rated differently for example, Silence of the Lambs (18) is quite eery, dark and mysterious, it also doesn't have a change in mood in the opening however The Others (12) has a cartoon in the credits and tells a mini-story which is suitable for the age group it's aimed at, it also has changes in moods within the cartoon but still keeping the conventions of a thriller.

There are also different types of Thriller as this is a very broad genre:
Psychological Thriller: This sub-genre has elements of mystery in it and also tends to focus on the psychological aspects of the main characters rather than their physical aspects. There suspense usually comes from the main character trying to resolve conflicts with their own mind. The conflict is usually an effort to understand what is happening to them, these conflicts are made clearer to the audience in a physical form and as the character figures out the mystery so does the audience, which makes them feel more involved in the film. Examples of this sub-genre include, "The Ring", "The Sixth Sense", "The Number 23", and "What Lies Beneath".

Action Thriller: This sub-genre tends to be very fast paced and involves fights, shootouts, stunts, car chases or explosions. The main character is the "hero" and the action typically involves them, this genre also includes the typical stock characters and the narrative follows Vladimir Propp's theory. Examples of the sub-genre include, "Blade", "Mission Impossible 1, 2, and 3", "The Fast and The Furious", and all of the James Bond films.

Crime Thriller: This sub-genre tends to involve the FBI or some sort of police investigation in it. The main character is usually part of the police force and is trying to solve a crime or several crimes which have been commited. Examples of this sub-genre include, "Sin City", "Collateral", and "Cellular".

Horror Thriller: This sub-genre tends to be very physical and mostly gory, it also is meant to appear terrifying and horrific to watch. They usually include a central villian, and they don't always have a main hero to follow. Examples of this sub-genre include, "Saw", "28 Days Later",

Supernatural Thriller: This sub-genre tends to have supernatural goings on in the film. Usually the main character is getting haunted and the supernatural being is trying to contact the living world with messages so they can be helped in some way. Examples of this sub-genre include, "White Noise", "Gothika", "What Lies Beneath", and "The Forgotton".

The Others

The Others was released in 2001 and was directed and written by Alejandro Amenábar.

• Dimension films.
• Warner Sogefilms.
• Cruise/wagner productions.
• Non-diegetic sound of narrator figure who is addressing the audience as if they were about to tell a story - which is exactly what they start to do.
• There is a cartoon picture of a sunrise in view - looks like the light shone onto this is coming from an oil lamp which is held up to it. The light is flickering and the edges of the screen are darkened - adds mystery.
• The cartoon looks like a black and white drawing however the oil lamp is giving it a yellow effect.
• Zooming out to reveal more of the picture.
• Non-diegetic sound - lead actress - what she is saying links to the pictures and is relevant to the storyline of the film. There is also non-diegetic music which makes the audience feel intrigued.
• Nicole Kidman's name is shown - lead actress.
• The focus of the light moves onto a two children/people also in the picture.
• This then fades to black and the next clip fades in from black.
• Title - The OTHERS - white - "OTHERS" is in capitals - this emphasises the word and shows it is very important. It also suggests that this will be a re-occurring theme throughout the film (even though it being the title suggests that anyway).
• In the background to the title there is a staircase and the camera is panning up the stairs. (keeping the theme of the cartoon drawing aswell).
• There is also a flickering light which is moving up the stairs - it's like the camera is following it - like a ghost.
• Non-diegetic sound of flute and piano - music score.
• Other actors/actresses follow.
• See a girl hiding before light fades - fade to black again for screen transition.
• Fade in from black - boy playing - still cartoon drawing.
• The camera pans up diagonally to the left - reveals girl and possibly the nanny then fades to black.
• Fade in from black - hand holding candle - camera pans down diagonally right to show a key being entered in a lock.
• Casting/costume design.
• Fade to black.
• Non-diegetic sound changes and is now violin/strings and piano.
• Camera pans up diagonally right - girl pointing with shocked face (audience may wonder what at - mysterious), woman in front of her holding a candle - clip fades to black.
• Sound/music/Production design.
• String music - tense/powerful/shocking.
• Director of photography.
• Black figure (possibly representing a ghost) reaching out to grab boy - camera pans down diagonally left to reveal this. The boy has a scared face - in pain? - shocking image - non-diegetic music more intense and dramatic.
• Executive Producers - Fade to black.
• More executive producers.
• Hand on puppet strings.
• Camera pans down the strings and reveals an angel doll (possibly a child) with their head hanging off - like it had been chopped off - suggests death.
• It also suggests that there may be a controlling mother who leads their child/children to death.
• Producers - fade to black.
• Written/Directed by.
• Cartoon of a house - there is a lake infront of it and the house is in the reflection as well.
• Dissolves into a 'real' version/clip of the house.
• Low-key lighting - mist/fog as well.
• Reflection of house in water suggests there are two different worlds in the same place -opposites. Heaven/Hell. Life/Death.
• Establishes location and year - not very important - distracts audience.
• Sharp cut - lead actress screaming - tortured scream.
• Camera rotates 90 degrees right whilst zooming out.
• She sits up - catches breath.
• leaves audience wondering why she was screaming etc. - dissolves into next clip - leaves audience hanging a little.
• Up to 2:48 minutes of the opening sequence.

What Lies Beneath

• It opens with what looks like a dark lake which is rippling in the wind - non-diegetic music of string instruments playing - eery.
• Diagonal wipe from top left corner to bottom right corner as a screen transition. It reveals the production companies in white writing, this is against the dark background of the lake.
• Twentieth Century Fox and Dreamworks Pictures - production companies.
• Another screen transition - diagonal wipe from top left corner to bottom right corner to wipe off writing and show the background fully again.
• Image Movers production - there may be diegetic sound of the lake rippling however it is hard to tell.
• Non-diegetic music each time the writing is revealed - wind effect, also sounds like when someone breaths under water or something has been submerged.
• Eery - wipe across screen (screen transition) is like a ghost flickering past the screen.
• Piano and strings - mysterious - chilling feeling.
• Title dissolves in and is written in ripples in the water. - suggests the water/lake is an important part of the storyline.
• Very small amount of percussion.
• Lake rippling dissolves into next clip - which is of underneath the water - suggested by the algi/weeds - the water is very dark - a ray of sunlight/moonlight is revealing parts of what is in front of us.
• String music - tension building.
• Audience may question whether something was in there - a flicker - shadow revealed by the light as camera pans forward.
• Ghostly.
• At the end of the darkness and weeds - there is a dead looking girl in the water - very pale, dark around the eyes, dark hair - contrasting colours. - dissolves in from weeds.
• Build up in non-diegetic music - tense - then cut to woman's face emerging from being underwater in a bath.
• Close-up.
• Cut to long shot - slowly zooming in on woman sitting in bath coughing/spluttering - like she had nearly drowned - suggests drowning is significant to the storyline.
• Cut to hairdryer - woman holding it - camera follows the movement of hairdryer - pans up - woman drying condensation off the mirror in the bathroom.
• Sharp cut to plug socket - she puts her thumb on it.
• Gets a shock - diegetic sound of electric shock/spark - it's emphasised.
• Quickly cut to reaction shot of woman.
• Camera pans across - woman able to dry mirror - get rid of condensation.
• The opening of the film - 2.42 mins long.

Psycho

Psycho was directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock and then released into theatres in 1960. It was the first thriller to be shown in theatres, overall people were shocked by it, some people even screamed while watching it, and some people were too afraid to watch it. It was the first film that you had to see from the beginning, and the theatre closed its doors once the film had started. Alfred Hitchcock made the fi in black and white because he thought it would benefit the genre of film. In the opening scene, Janet Leigh (the main actress) is seen as shocking because she is in a bra and underskirt and is having an affair on her lunch break, she also ends up dead later in the film. The audience might associate those things as being bad therefore they may think she deserved what was coming.

• It starts straight the way with tense/chase music - gives an unsettling effect which is used minipulate the audience.
• The non-diegetic music also represents the genre and gives an 'eery' feeling.
• You would expect the star to live through the film and still survive at the end - however the big 'A-list' star gets killed half way through.
• Names/words are 'cut' up and split - chopped up (slasher movie) split personality of Norman is represented by the lines and words being split and put back together.
• Starts with a panning shot and location of city - minipulating audience/misleading/play with audience.
• There are dissolves between shots of the city.
• Shadows, zooming into window, studio shot.
• Non-diegetic string music.
• Dissolved in from titles.
• Half of city dissolves into another part of the city x2.
• Zooming in, another dissolve.
• Dissolves everytime the writing is on the screen.
• Non-diegetic sound - music, soundtrack.
• Secretive inside the room, blinds down, dark inside.
• Panning around the room.
• Sees two characters, one on bed, both half dressed - very shocking in 1960's - suggests they have been 'up to no good'.
• The audience had never seen an actress in a bra before.
• On lunch break, "done the deed".
• Represented as a "slag".
• One long take, slow pace, not much editing.
• Camera pans out, still in the same place.
• Followig characters movement.
• Cuts (editing) from one to the other while they are talking.
• She wants to be respectable, audience is supposed to be on her side, she's going back into work.
• Left with a look that suggests/shows she's in love.

Narrative Theory

Claude Levi-Strauss
Claude Levi-Strauss believed that stories should reflect the values, beliefs and myths of a culture, they should do this unconsciously without making it too obvious. Also there are oppositions which are usually shown in the characters and storyline.


Vladimir Propp
In Vladimir Propp's research he found that in Russian folktale the stories consisted of the following functions:
1.A member of a family leaves home (the hero is introduced);
2.An interdiction is addressed to the hero ('don't go there', 'don't do this');
3.The interdiction is violated (villain enters the tale);
4.The villain makes an attempt at reconnaissance (either villain tries to find the children/jewels etc; or intended victim questions the villain);
5.The villain gains information about the victim;
6.The villain attempts to deceive the victim to take possession of victim or victim's belongings (trickery; villain disguised, tries to win confidence of victim);
7.Victim taken in by deception, unwittingly helping the enemy;
8.Villain causes harm/injury to family member (by abduction, theft of magical agent, spoiling crops, plunders in other forms, causes a disappearance, expels someone, casts spell on someone, substitutes child etc, comits murder, imprisons/detains someone, threatens forced marriage, provides nightly torments); Alternatively, a member of family lacks something or desires something (magical potion etc);
9.Misfortune or lack is made known, (hero is dispatched, hears call for help etc/ alternative is that victimized hero is sent away, freed from imprisonment);
10.Seeker agrees to, or decides upon counter-action;
11.Hero leaves home;
12.Hero is tested, interrogated, attacked etc, preparing the way for his/her receiving magical agent or helper (donor);
13.Hero reacts to actions of future donor (withstands/fails the test, frees captive, reconciles disputants, performs service, uses adversary's powers against him);
14.Hero acquires use of a magical agent (directly transferred, located, purchased, prepared, spontaneously appears, eaten/drunk, help offered by other characters);
15.Hero is transferred, delivered or led to whereabouts of an object of the search;
16.Hero and villain join in direct combat;
17.Hero is branded (wounded/marked, receives ring or scarf);
18.Villain is defeated (killed in combat, defeated in contest, killed while asleep, banished);
19.Initial misfortune or lack is resolved (object of search distributed, spell broken, slain person revivied, captive freed);
20.Hero returns;
21.Hero is pursued (pursuer tries to kill, eat, undermine the hero);
22.Hero is rescued from pursuit (obstacles delay pursuer, hero hides or is hidden, hero transforms unrecognisably, hero saved from attempt on his/her life);
23.Hero unrecognized, arrives home or in another country;
24.False hero presents unfounded claims;
25.Difficult task proposed to the hero (trial by ordeal, riddles, test of strength/endurance, other tasks);
26.Task is resolved;
27.Hero is recognized (by mark, brand, or thing given to him/her);
28.False hero or villain is exposed;
29.Hero is given a new appearance (is made whole, handsome, new garments etc);
30.Villain is punished;
31.Hero marries and ascends the throne (is rewarded/promoted).

He also concluded from his findings that the were 7 main character types which were:
1.The villain — struggles against the hero.
2.The donor — prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.
3.The (magical) helper — helps the hero in the quest.
4.The princess and her father — gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero, marries the hero, often sought for during the narrative. Propp noted that functionally, the princess and the father can not be clearly distinguished.
5.The dispatcher — character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off.
6.The hero or victim/seeker hero — reacts to the donor, weds the princess.
7.False hero/anti-hero/usurper — takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess.


Syd Field
Syd Field believed that films should follow a three act structure of a beginning middle and the end. Approxamitly 30 mins of the film gives the audience the 'setup' information before the protagonist experiences a 'turning point' and they find a goal that they must achieve (the beginning). About half of the film is taken up by the protagonist trying to achieve the goal and overcome any obsticles which may get in the way, the is called the 'Confrontation' period or 'Midpoint'. Sometimes the protagonist suffers a set back and it looks like he won't achieve his goal. The final quarter of the film the protagonist goes through the final epic struggle to achieve his/her goal (or not achieve it) and there is an aftermath to their struggle as well.


Tzvetan Todorov
Tzvetan Todorov based his stories on supernatural happenings in the real world and we have to decide if the event was an illusion or whether it had really taken place.

Gothika

• Columbia, Dark castle entertainment.
• Non-diegetic sound - eery - violin/strings.
• Darkened picture of production companies.
• Dissolve into title sequence.
• Columbia pictures and Warner Brothers pictures - 'zoom out' effect - blurred white font - next title out of focus (close-up) then zooms out and is in focus - on a black background.
• Main actress' name (Halle Berry) - then title (Gothika).
• Non-diegetic sound of girl talking/whispering (husky voice) - then title dissolves into clip of the girl who's talking - the sound is now diegetic.
• Low-key lighting - shadow on one side of face - she's very pale as well.
• Her hair is ruffled, eyes look puffy - made to look ghostly/deadly/insane.
• Point of view from patient of the main actress - presented as neat, professional looking - hair slightly up and away from face - emphasises that she's a professional and at work.
• There is then point of view - reverse shot then it cuts again to the doctor.
• Diegetic sound of patient still talking but they aren't seen in the clip. - could be non-diegetic though.
• Panning shot behind wired fence - this suggests that the patient feels trapped.
• Shot still behind wired fence while the patient is talking about her step-father, this suggests she feels like he's trapping her.
• Over the shoulder shot.
• Non-diegetic sound - very faint string music.
• Diegetic sound of gates being buzzed open - psychiatric hospital.
• Girl is talking peacefully - then has a sudden outburst - non-diegetic electrical/electro sound to emphasise the situation and make the audience feel tense.
• Non-diegetic - eery slow music - only a few notes - could be an organ playing.
• Patient grabs doctors hands.
• Camera movement speeds up - pans 180 degrees - e the back of doctors head and see patient. The shot starts with the patients face lit and then after the 180 degree pan her face has a shadow on it. - this suggests she has a dark side or is experiencing dark things - the light and dark on her each half of her face - contrasting - two sides - good and evil.
• When backng away the whole of her face is in darkness - something evil may have taken over her/taken over her mind/her dark side is out.
• She's taken away by guards - she's screaming.
• Main characer/actress walks away.
• Other actors names appear on screen - dissolve and zooming out then dissolve.
• Tracking shot of character.
• Non-diegetic music - piano and strings - eery - mysterious.
• Depth of field shot - patient screaming and gets put in a cell - then switches focus to the doctor walking in the foreground.
• Tracking/panning shot of character walking.
• Job has been confirmed by shot of sign when she walks through security - it has been established all the way through this opening sequence. - She's a psychologis/psychiatrist.
• People in orange jump suits.
• Director - last to be revealed in the title sequence.

This is a strong psychological thriller opening because of the use of non-diegetic music which builds up suspense and tension. Also the use of low-key lighting throughout, and the use of camera shots and where it is placed, for example behind wire fencing.

Silence of the Lambs

In the opening shot to Silence of the Lambs, the sky is a pale, watery colour, and trees are silhouetted against it to contrast. In the bottom right corner there is a type face font which establishes the location. The camera then pans down, a character runs into shot, climbs rope, runs through shot.
In the sequence, there are tracking shots which follow the character in medium shot. There are close up shots, side on, off set in frame. Cut-in shots of feet running, character runs into distance in shots from medium shot to extreme long shot.
There is use of non-diegetic music, violins, string music/instruments, slow, atmospheric, could be mysterious.
The mise-en-scene includes, FBI cap, track suits, uniform (including red tops), suits - white shirts, signs on the walls, grey official-looking building. These all help to show the roles of workers and the type of work they do.
The titles begin with the stars names and end with the director. They are in a black block font with a white outline.
Other key figures in the titles include, Producers/Executive producer, screenplay, director of photography, designer.
Overall the opening scenes of this film establish that Jodie Foster is the leading actor, and her character is the main focus of interest, which suggests the audience is going to be following her journey/story through the film. She is represented as a strong woman in a man's world, well respected by those around her, as well as tough and determined. The opening sequence of shots also suggests that she is an FBI agent and that the job will be relevant to the storyline.

Thriller openings for Duel and Speed.

Duel

• Camera from cars point of view - moving through the city - it dissolves between clips. Diegetic sound of car -engine and the radio.
• Titles - main actor bottom right, others top left, then more in the centre.
• Overheard shot - action (car) moves into shot then pans, following it then dissolving. - Shows mystery - want to know where the car is going - looking for road signs etc.
• Director is last to appear.
• Cuts into car, point of view shot from passenger side even though no one's there.

Speed

• Pan down of elevator shaft - dark - low-key lighting.
• Actors/actresses bold stand out - left centre.
• Wipe up - revealing writing/taking it away.
• Non-diegetic sound - music - building tension.
• When title 'speed' comes up, slides in from left to right, quickly, elevator stops, dramatic music when it comes up. Music score - building up tension.
• Pans down from shaft across room.
• Action from the start - fast paced - goes with the title speed.

Speed is more successful with trying to capture the audiences attention firstly because of the dramatic, tension building music, and also because of the fast pace of the shots and storyline. Whereas Duel has a slower pace of shots and action in it.

The Usual Suspect

The Usual Suspect was released in 1995 and was directed by Bryan Singer. It also had a budget of $6 million which was quite small compared to US films of £24 million.

• As it begins it puts you into a frame of mind/certain mood - not fast pace - not an action thriller.
• Intriguing.
• Slow music (piano, violin) as the camera pans.
• Actors in alphabetical order.
• Music, edited by, financial producer, co-producer, executive producer, writer and director.
• Setting mood.
• Set the scene - time (last night).
• Extreme close up - medium close up.
• Mystery.
• Who's vision of kaiser soce is it?.
• not part of confession/statement.
• gives audience privileged info.
• Plays with audience - continues all the way through.
• Low-key lighting (one of the conventions of thrillers).
• Cut between two characters.
• Non-diegetic sound of footsteps.
• Voice disguised so audience is still left in mystery.
• Killings aren't graffic.
• Important we don't see killing of Keaten.
• Leaves open option that Keaten's still alive.
• Attachment to verbal.
• Slow motion - unrealistic - dramatic effect.
• Dissolve into shot of verbal - Americn court - 6 weeks ago - testemony - cut to flash back.
• Over-lapping sound from shots (non-diegetic then when in shot it's diegetic).
• Police are faceless - pointing guns in faces.
• Lack of respect.
• See criminals faces - more attached to them - feel sorry for them - on their side.
• Non-diegetic sound (music) goes with each character.
• Longest on last criminal (Keaten) more important.
• Cut away shot.
• Low-angle shot represents detective as important/superior.
• Slight him angle on crimal - everything collapsing around him.
• Only one camera.

Preliminary Piece

Tuesday 28th October 3rd and 4th lesson Hannah and I started planning and doing a storyboard for our preliminary piece.

Tuesday 4th November 4th lesson Hannah and I started filming our Preliminary Piece. We got under half completed as we ran out of time because we were planning our storyboard 3rd lesson and a bit of 4th.

Tuesday 11th November at the end of 3rd lesson we carried filming. We couldn't start filming at the beginning of 3rd lesson because the av technition (Paul) wasn't there. (For next time we film we need to remember to book the camera). The filming went well and we finished half way through 4th lesson. We then started editing the piece. So far we have put a few clips in order and that's it.

Monday 17th November 5th lesson, we finished sequencing the shots and cutting them so they make sense. We started to look for music on http://www.freesound.org/ however we had problems registering and will continue with it another time.

Tuesday 18th November 3rd and 4th lesson, I was browsing the free sound website (the registration worked) and found some clips that would go well with our Preliminary Piece. Hannah agreed for us to have them as our non-diegetic sound for our work.

Wednesday 19th November 6th lesson, we downloaded the sounds we wanted to put on our piece, which took quite a long time because it wouldn't work on the mack we were using, so we had to use another mac to download the sounds and then send it to the mac which had our work on. We have nearly finished, we are just adjusting the volume of each of the sounds, both non-diegetic and diegetic to make it affective.





To the left is the first page of the storyboard for the Preliminary exercise Hannah and I were planning on filming together. This is the second storyboard we did because we were originally going to film in a psychology classroom in 16+ and in the 16+ area, however we were unable to so we had to change the venue to the corridor near the canteen and a P.E. classroom. Also originally, Hannah and I were going to be the only people in this piece, but we needed one of us to operate the camera, which is what I did.

To the right is the second page of storyboard, I have realised that we may have missed out a clip in the finished piece, which would explain the jump at about 23 seconds.

This is the last page of the storyboard. We made a script on a seperate piece of paper before we wrote on the storyboard to show what each character was going to say.













Friday 21st November 1st lesson we finished our preliminary piece as seen below:

The Interpretor

• At first the title sequence is quite slow.
• Titles are stopped in the prologue - this way they don't disrupt the narrative.
• Film company/distribution company first - Universal studios.
• 4 different production companies working together to make the film.
• Non-diegetic sound of wind blowing in the title sequence - makes you feel uneasy / unsure.
• Names zooming out - effect - then dissolving.
• Prologue
• Establishing the setting - Africa - traditional women - carrying things on her head - hazy shot - lost of dust - hot
• later in shot camera crane is used - establishing place.
• low-key lighting
• Chanting - not clear if it is non-diegetic or diegetic.
• 3 characters established.
• Cut in detail - shows notebook - shows being put down - suggests it's important and might come back later.
• Cut to exterior shot.
• Close up of each character speaking, shot, reverse-shot. - dialogue - not sure what they're talking about.
• In back with character - suggests investigation - mass slaughter.
• Artificial camera snap sound to heighten the fact pictures being taken - black and white still shot of picture taken, very loud camera snap (non-diegetic) - important to narrative.
• low-angle shot - makes the coliseum seem important, bigger - there are weeds growing suggesting its abandoned, run down, mysterious, remote place.
• Establishing s of jeep.
• Cut in to action - reminded of notebook - suggested as important
• Silhouette form - shot in doorway.
• Heartbeat - non-diegetic because it is emphasising the hearts of the characters.
• very fast pace shots - shot, reverse-shot, overhead shot - non-diegetic sound builds up tension.
• long-shot, medium close-up (interpretation)
• Tension between groups (not sure why)
• Jump forward in time- about 30 secs
• camera work, low-key lighting and character reactions suggests they are stumbling across something revolting - assume its dead bodies - theres also talk of death
• panning shot and cutting back for reaction shot.
• non-diegetic - soundtrack build up tension.
• Percussion is used - thumping sound - falls to ground
• He says "It's ok" before falling - which implies he doesn't blame them because they are only children.
• Cut to reaction of man outside from the gunshot
• Cutting from kid to man on the floor.
• Blood/gore isn't shown - cuts away as gun-shot sounds - see kid wincing as trigger is pulled.
• Quick pace of shots - to outside.
• Cutting between car and the man in weeds.
• Close-up of man getting out of the car - camera shots - sound - suggests he will come back later - he was at the scene - important to story.
• Cuts to the kids football - ironic - they are only kids who play they cant be murderers - makes audience not blame the children for what they did.
• Dissolves into establishing shot of the city.
• Lead actress name appears first. - Nicole Kidman. - followed by other actors then name of film in center the screen.
• Panning shot of people in the auditorium in the UN building in NYC.
• The full auditorium is a contrast to the empty coliseum.
• Static shots, pan up, then across and then there is a profile shot of Nicole Kidman lead actress - interpreting - there are inside and outside shots. (of the pod she is in)
• Metal detectors not working, being shown things that might be important later - however not shown everything - mysterious.
• There are clues
• Fast pace shots
• Non-diegetic sound building tension.
• Name of crew - slightly left of the centre - imbetween centre and full left.
• top left - co-producer/costume designer/editing/production designer/director of photo-centre
• produced/screen play - slightly left
• Director centre - slightly to the bottom of the screen.