Evaluation of Connor's survey

EVALUATION:

• Connor has clearly put in lots of hours towards this survey because of the pilot survey and analysis of his results as seen on his blog.
• I think this will the most valuable piece of research that the group has carried out because it shows us what the consumer wants so therefore gives us ideas as to what to include in our own opening sequences. 
• I also think that by using a range of question types (e.g. open ended questions, multi choice etc) he kept the audience awake so avoided getting invalid results from a participant getting bored. 

Victoria-Louise's research cont..

EVALUATION:

• Victoria-Louise's remaining research was quite brief and there were no outlines of what an actual sub genre was, instead there were simply types of sub genres. 
• Despite this, the research into sub genres might be useful for when we decide which path to go down in our own opening sequence.
• I also think that the information on codes and conventions within the thriller genre was a little brief and I'm not sure that I learnt anything from it.

Evaluation of Scott's research

 EVALUATION:

• I think that Scott's research was really successful because it was very in depth and had lots of good analysis included that, after watching the clips, I don't think I would've seen.
• I also thought that his analysis of Momento was particularly good because it inspired me as to how our actual coursework could appear. This is because I really like the idea of the opening being shown in re-wind because it gives it originality and the audience therefore are gripped by this.

Research into thriller genres and hybrids

Thriller Film is a genre that revolves around anticipation and suspense. The aim for Thrillers is to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats. The protagonist in these films is set against a problem – an escape, a mission, or a mystery. No matter what sub-genre a Thriller film falls into, it will emphasize the danger that the protagonist faces. The tension with the main problem is built on throughout the film and leads to a highly stressful climax.

Examples of Thriller Films:

The Great Escape - A large group of POW’s plan an escape from a German camp in World War II.

The Silence of the Lambs - An FBI agent develops a relationship with the notorious serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lector, in order to gain Lector’s assistance in the hunt for another serial killer.

North By Northwest - Mistaken for a government agent by foreign spies, an advertising agent travels cross-country trying to survive.

Sub-Genres of Thriller:

Action Thriller

An Action Thriller uses physical action to create suspense within the film. Like a traditional Action film, this sub-genre will often have continuous motion and action including physical stunts, chases, fights, battles, and races. Often, these scenes will contribute to the overall sense of danger that the protagonist is facing.

Examples: Die Hard, Kill Bill Vol. 1, The Bourne Identity.

Crime Thriller

Crime Thriller film is a sub-genre that incorporates the suspenseful aspects of a thriller with a crime film plot. This sub-genre's plot usually centers on a serial killer, murderer, robbery, or manhunt. As opposed to traditional crime films, the storyline focuses both around the criminal and the protagonist. Crime Thrillers use both action and psychological aspects to build tension and suspense.

Examples: The Usual Suspects, The Fugitive, Jagged Edge.

Film-Noir

Film Noir is not simply a sub-genre, but rather a term for a distinct, stylistic type of crime-drama or thriller that was popular throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Film-Noir is characterized by a black-and-white style with stark lighting effects. The main character is usually a cynical hero. Film-Noir relies on a narrative voice and various flashbacks to explain the intricate plot.

Examples: Sunset Boulevard, The Maltese Falcon, Sweet Smell of Success.

Psychological Thriller

In addition to the traits of a regular Thriller, a Psychological Thriller incorporates elements of drama and mystery film. The suspense in this sub-genre comes from the mind, rather than from a psychical threat. The protagonists in Psychological Thrillers must rely on their mental resources to solve the situation. Because of their nature, many Psychological Thrillers cross over into the Horror genre.

Examples: Memento, Rear Window, Taxi Driver.

Science Fiction Thriller

Science Fiction Thriller incorporates hypothetical, science-based themes into the plot of the film. Traditionally, a Science Fiction film will incorporate heroes, villains, unexplored locations, fantastical quests, and advanced technology. These elements can be used in a Science Fiction Thriller to create anticipation and suspense. Often, this sub-genre will explore the “future-gone-bad” theme, including plots that revolve around alien invasions, dystopian scenarios, and super-diseases.

Examples: Aliens, Inception, District 9.

Religious Thriller

Religious Thriller film incorporates religious themes, including religious questions, ceremonies, and objects. Though some films can revolve around a specific church, many Religious Thrillers include supernatural experiences not pertaining to a certain religion. Exorcisms, demon possession, and church cover-ups are typical themes of Religious Thrillers.

What is the difference between a sub-genre and a hybrid film?

A Sub-genre is a sub-category within a particular genre. A hybrid genre is kind of a mix of more than one genre.

What is the difference between horrors and thrillers?

I have tried hard to identify the difference between the two genres and this is what I have put together in order to differentiate between the two: If the film is about a SINGLE protagonist against A GROUP of an antagonistic nature (or SINGLE antagonist that represents that group or force), then it ordinarily would be a Thriller. If the film is about a GROUP of people up against a SINGLE force – supernatural or human – then it’s likely to be a horror.

Victoria-Louise's research

 

 EVALUATION:

• Victoria-Louise's analysis of Shutter was really good because it had very in depth information which clearly showed she'd taken a long time over the work.
• I also think that her other two pieces of research were good because they were contrite and to-the-point which is useful because it means we don't have to read the whole extract in order to gain points.
• The analysis within her work is good and will be useful for us in the future.

Evaluation of Connor's research

My Evaluation:

• Connor's research is good because he goes into a lot of detail into all four categories: Mise-en-scene, camera, editing, and sound.
• However, I think that his research lacks a further level of analysis meaning that I don't have a lot of an implication into whether his analysed material would be useful for our own coursework.
• There are also some small grammatical errors which aren't major however it shows he did not proof read his work.
• I also think that his work shows that he has alot of technical knowledge about camera angles and editing which suggests to me that he will be good at the technical aspects of our coursework, whereas I probably won't be.

Glossary

Mediation: the means by which, through the use of representation, a media organisation and its employees stand between an event and the public’s perception of that event.

·         Mediation involves the process of constructing, interpreting and editing material in accordance with the requirements of the chosen medium of communication.

Diegetic Sound: sound generated within a film narrative.

·         Non-Diegetic sound is outside the narrative such as an orchestra playing rousing music during a battle scene.

Verisimilitude: seeming to be like or to be connected to the real.

·         The term is important in many media genres because it determines the level of audience engagement and willingness to engage in suspension of disbelief.

Iconography: the distinguishing elements, in terms of props and visual details, which characterise a genre.

Indexical sign: signs where the signifier is caused by the signified (the meaning that is applied) e.g. smoke signifies fire.

Symbolism: Words that signify something e.g. Starbucks and coffee.

Ambient sound: Background sounds e.g. birds

• Foley-artificial
• Natural-real

Diegetic sounds: on screen sound

Non-diegetic sounds: off screen sound

Dialogue:Speech

Parallel sound: sound that fits the action/scene

Contraparallel sound: sound that doesn't fit what is on screen

Voice-over: Would be dialogue if it was spoken within the frame.

Aerial Shot-A shot taken from a crane, plane, or helicopter. Not necessarily a moving shot. Backlighting-The main source of light is behind the subject, silhouetting it, and directed toward the camera. Bridging Shot-A shot used to cover a jump in time or place or other discontinuity.

Extreme long shot: A panoramic view of an exterior location photographed from a considerable distance, often as far as a quarter-mile away. May also serve as the establishing shot.

Fade in:A punctuation device. The screen is black at the beginning; gradually the image appears, brightening to full strength. The opposite happens in the fade out.   Fill light: An auxiliary light, usually from the side of the subject that can soften shadows and illuminate areas not covered by the key light.   Flashback: A scene or sequence (sometime an entire film), that is inserted into a scene in "present" time and that deals with the past. The flashback is the past tense of the film.   Flash-forward: On the model of the flashback, scenes or shots of future time; the future tense of the film.   Focus: The sharpness of th image. A range of distances from the camera will be acceptably sharp. Possible to have deep focus, shallow focus.

Focus in, focus out: a punctuation device whereby the image gradually comes into focus or goes out of focus.

Pan:(abbreviation of panorma) Movement of the camera from left to right or right to left around the imaginary vertical axis that runs through the camera.