Mise-en-Scene in our opening (analysis)

The images in Bronte's post below are examples of some ideas we found throughout the research period.

Lighting:

The image in the blog below for lighting is what our group wanted to use for influence for the fight/kidnap scene in our thriller opening sequence. We thought that the use of spotlights in the dark emphasises the feeling that there is no one else to help the girl in the scene. I think it will send a chill through the audience, perhaps building suspense, I feel that in this particular scene (when we come to the editing stage), we should really try to create a very tense soundtrack, using garage band. This would emphasise what we are trying to make the audience experience, and generally bring our sequence up to a high standard, which people will easily identify as a thriller film.

Props:

After establishing our plot, moved onto what types of Micro-elements and media conventions we could use to make our thriller opening successful, and appealing to the target audience.

We came up with ideas, such as using masks in the 'attack' scene in our thriller opening, as we though it would create an uncomfortable tension within the audience; which fits to the genre, thriller. We knew we would have to make an effort in finding the best suitable mask for this scene for the maximum effect - this is how we found the picture below of the rabbit-like masked person, which we will use as inspiration when we come to making/buying our own mask.

Camerawork/movement:

I thought about camerawork and movement a lot, and there are so many different techniques employed in the making of thriller movies, some use fast paced hand-held camera movement, to exaggerate the circumstances of the plot - i.e. hand-held would typically be used in chase scene.

Another, broadly used technique would be over-the-shoulder and fast zooming-in.

Sets:

We then went onto thinking about where and how we would set our thriller opening. So, we started to do some research by viewing other thriller movie openings, and we soon found that many of them were set in an average place: the city, or suburban areas, which people are around everyday. We wondered why it was so unpopular for the movies not to be set in abstract, and unheard-of places, perhaps this would strike the audience, and make an effect on them as the set is so different. However, we saw the logic in the movie's setting decisions, we established that the reason that many of the thriller movies were set in such normal places, was to create a contrast with the action-packed plot, and/or the crazy villain/superhero characters - this combination clearly emphasises these points.

Make-Up:

I have used the joker to evaluate make-up in a thriller movie:

Clearly, the use of make-up on this character is striking to the audience, the abstract, dirty, and freaky looks caused by the make up has a strong effect on the audience's perspective of the character; being very apprehensive towards the character, and immediately in the film 'Bat Man' the Joker is identified as the antagonist.

Furthermore, I think that the use of make-up makes the character seem un-human-like, which emphasises to the audience the type of insane and rare character he is.

Now I have seen the extent of effect make-up can have, we must pay attention to if/how we will use make-up on any characters in the thriller opening sequence.