camera
this extract opens with a tracking shot of children playing with a variety of mid shots and long shot which then moves on to look over a small Arab village, the use of children playing connotes a sense of innocence which could be a political statement by the director on the Afghanistan and Iraq war, next we see the camera angle change in that the camera is tilted so the American military is in a low angle empowering them and the Arabs are in a high angle depowering them showing a dominate force of the Americans.
editing
as this film is a sub genre ,technological thriller, the conventions are slightly different such as it opens with a fast paced edit throughout building up to the Americans bombing a village,
mise en scene
to establish the genre,technological thriller, we see many props used that are computer based tech objects such as 3d generations and mobile phones helicopters and flying cameras all this which is then contrasted with the Arab using simple AK47 guns showing how the Americans are such a dominate force and are ruthless with there power in that they kill the seeming to be innocent village the guns and war associated things are all iconic to the action thriller sub genre which shows that this film will have action this is reinforced with the fast paced edit as seen in many action thrillers such as I Am Legend.
sound
like I Am Legend a chrushendo is used to signify danger and an event taking place but this extract also uses a non diagetic music track that is classical and big band rhythm to it which seems to be a recurring convention in thriller films.
Tuesday 13 October 2009
I Am Legend directed by Francis Lawrence
in the opening of I Am Legend we first hear non diagetic sound of a radio talk show, the sound with no pictures or images reflect that radio effect this links the idea of old fashioned and simple pleasured society in the ideology of the radio itself this gives the audience a sense of simplicity and reinforces that idea of going back in time which comes a clear idea carried on in the film. in the non diagetic voice over we also hear the word "New York" repeated this gives the audience a sense or location and something to picture as the film starts. Next we see a television news show talking about how they have finally cured cancer and as the scientist brakes the idea behind the cure down we hear her talk about "taking a natural thing and re-programing it" this links back to the idea of going back in time to simple society such as nature and how we rely on nature in this case as a cure but yet we destroy it in life today! to keep the film believable and real the director has chosen a big issue such as cancer to relate it to the audience and make the film a realistic outcome or event this is used in many other films of this genre such as "Eagle Eye" where it is based on the use of technology taking over and the Iraq war.
As the conversation about the cure end we hear a non diagetic musical crushendo this is another common feature to film in genre introducing a event or character in this case it is a drum scary sudden sound which instantly reflects somethings gone wrong or not gone to plan a complete contrast to what was said in the dialog, next we see long shots of empty major busy parts of new york such as a train station this being a long shot reinforces that something has gone wrong and really shows how there is literally no one around a shocking realistic shot creating that suspense and thriller tension backed up with ambient sound but not of a city of a jungle showing juxtaposition and linking the idea of nature and how it will always be dominate and survive,
next we cut to out main character our protagonist we can tell he is the hero because of the use of semiolidgy such as we see him driving a red mustang which dose connote danger but also reflects power and presence and we see with Will Smith a dog but not just any dog a police alsation dog all these signifyers symbolising a savour. As the dog sees something instantly the pace changes to a fast paced with using quick straight cuts, as the car chasing the deer around new york,this yet again goes back to the idea of nature as we see a car chasing its pray which is something usually seen on a nature programme where a loin is chasing prey not a car giving a contrast and looking at that idea of "re-programing nature" to finish and establish an action based thriller, iconic signifies are used such as the gun and the fast paced edit in between a slow paced edit to reinforce that action thriller convention.
As the conversation about the cure end we hear a non diagetic musical crushendo this is another common feature to film in genre introducing a event or character in this case it is a drum scary sudden sound which instantly reflects somethings gone wrong or not gone to plan a complete contrast to what was said in the dialog, next we see long shots of empty major busy parts of new york such as a train station this being a long shot reinforces that something has gone wrong and really shows how there is literally no one around a shocking realistic shot creating that suspense and thriller tension backed up with ambient sound but not of a city of a jungle showing juxtaposition and linking the idea of nature and how it will always be dominate and survive,
next we cut to out main character our protagonist we can tell he is the hero because of the use of semiolidgy such as we see him driving a red mustang which dose connote danger but also reflects power and presence and we see with Will Smith a dog but not just any dog a police alsation dog all these signifyers symbolising a savour. As the dog sees something instantly the pace changes to a fast paced with using quick straight cuts, as the car chasing the deer around new york,this yet again goes back to the idea of nature as we see a car chasing its pray which is something usually seen on a nature programme where a loin is chasing prey not a car giving a contrast and looking at that idea of "re-programing nature" to finish and establish an action based thriller, iconic signifies are used such as the gun and the fast paced edit in between a slow paced edit to reinforce that action thriller convention.
Walk On The Wild Side directed by Edward Dmytryk
camera
the camera is used just like any other thriller it is iconic to see tracking and panning in an opening of a thriller film it crates suspense and keeps the pace of the edit slow, the types of shots used are close up and mid shots this is also a common technique such as seen in "Sin City" ,close ups crate a connection with the audience and establishes character as well as help create mood, tracking seems to be a main convention in the thriller genre it is seen in many films such as Alfred Hitchcock's , a big thriller film director, "citizens Kane" where we see tracking of fencing and panning inside the house "citizens Kane" is a brilliant example for lighting and camera use for a thriller genre.
editing
like wise with the cameras slow paced editing is used to keep the pace slow and flow fluently to do this dissolve cuts are used which is yet again iconic to the genre however later in the opening extract a fast paced edit is used when the cats fight this shows how the genre is an action thriller and this technique of having a fast paced scene seems to always happen in thriller sub genres such as "I Am Legend"
mise en scene
there is a lot semiolidgy in the extract it starts with binary opposition with black and white being the cat black walking through white surrounding this could show how in every normal setting such as a place of work or in a person i.e a city there is always a "wild side" underneath liking the title with the narrative, another iconic signifier is the cats eyes when the e.c.u is used on the cats eyes it reflects a sense of mystery and unknown as well as the cat being fully black it symbolises danger and death, going back to the idea of a wild side in a location or person we see tracking of a fence with the cat going in front and behind using a dissolve cut inbertween this could reinforce the idea of how as a person there is always that underlining idea and need to brake the rules and go past that barrier weather it be in society or life in general.
the camera is used just like any other thriller it is iconic to see tracking and panning in an opening of a thriller film it crates suspense and keeps the pace of the edit slow, the types of shots used are close up and mid shots this is also a common technique such as seen in "Sin City" ,close ups crate a connection with the audience and establishes character as well as help create mood, tracking seems to be a main convention in the thriller genre it is seen in many films such as Alfred Hitchcock's , a big thriller film director, "citizens Kane" where we see tracking of fencing and panning inside the house "citizens Kane" is a brilliant example for lighting and camera use for a thriller genre.
editing
like wise with the cameras slow paced editing is used to keep the pace slow and flow fluently to do this dissolve cuts are used which is yet again iconic to the genre however later in the opening extract a fast paced edit is used when the cats fight this shows how the genre is an action thriller and this technique of having a fast paced scene seems to always happen in thriller sub genres such as "I Am Legend"
mise en scene
there is a lot semiolidgy in the extract it starts with binary opposition with black and white being the cat black walking through white surrounding this could show how in every normal setting such as a place of work or in a person i.e a city there is always a "wild side" underneath liking the title with the narrative, another iconic signifier is the cats eyes when the e.c.u is used on the cats eyes it reflects a sense of mystery and unknown as well as the cat being fully black it symbolises danger and death, going back to the idea of a wild side in a location or person we see tracking of a fence with the cat going in front and behind using a dissolve cut inbertween this could reinforce the idea of how as a person there is always that underlining idea and need to brake the rules and go past that barrier weather it be in society or life in general.
sin city directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez
SIN CITY
in the opening shot we have a centralised women in a red dress, long shot, she is skinny and wearing a backless dress this gives the impression that she is venerable and alone. to add to the verilisilitude and venerability of the character ambient sound of the city is added in as she looks out at the landscape, all this diagetic gives realism to the scene and being parallel sound makes the sequence flow much better. to crate a sense of familiarity and connect the audience with the characters close ups are used this is used in every film thriller, action every genre i think this technique that must be kept in my opening extract for my coursework.
The red is an symbolic signifier to love and death which instantly links to the narrative of the film addressing the audience, to establish a sense of genre the director has used slow paced edits this creates suspense iconic to a thriller film to get this slow effect the camera uses zooms and panning, this slows down the time of the individual shots and adds to the mood, straight cuts are the most dominate used cut as that it is a conversation which gives continuity to the sequence keeping with the pace of the extract, another common effect used in the thriller genre is low key lighting and sin city is one of the best examples to give that sinister cold light which just adds to the suspense in the film, a grate use of this lighting is binary opposition in the shot where we see the man looking at the woman talking about how he has watched her the light is dark on one side of his face and light on the other this signifies that he is not completely trusted and that dark side is one that can be dangerous and threat to the women.
Once the director has established a thriller genre he reinforces this with an iconic sign , the gun, this shows that this particular thriller is under the sub-genre named action thriller and the location also adds to the genre as that it is in a city where most action films are set such as "Die Hard" and "speed"
in the opening shot we have a centralised women in a red dress, long shot, she is skinny and wearing a backless dress this gives the impression that she is venerable and alone. to add to the verilisilitude and venerability of the character ambient sound of the city is added in as she looks out at the landscape, all this diagetic gives realism to the scene and being parallel sound makes the sequence flow much better. to crate a sense of familiarity and connect the audience with the characters close ups are used this is used in every film thriller, action every genre i think this technique that must be kept in my opening extract for my coursework.
The red is an symbolic signifier to love and death which instantly links to the narrative of the film addressing the audience, to establish a sense of genre the director has used slow paced edits this creates suspense iconic to a thriller film to get this slow effect the camera uses zooms and panning, this slows down the time of the individual shots and adds to the mood, straight cuts are the most dominate used cut as that it is a conversation which gives continuity to the sequence keeping with the pace of the extract, another common effect used in the thriller genre is low key lighting and sin city is one of the best examples to give that sinister cold light which just adds to the suspense in the film, a grate use of this lighting is binary opposition in the shot where we see the man looking at the woman talking about how he has watched her the light is dark on one side of his face and light on the other this signifies that he is not completely trusted and that dark side is one that can be dangerous and threat to the women.
Once the director has established a thriller genre he reinforces this with an iconic sign , the gun, this shows that this particular thriller is under the sub-genre named action thriller and the location also adds to the genre as that it is in a city where most action films are set such as "Die Hard" and "speed"
Monday 5 October 2009
the birds
the opening sequence of "The Birds" Alfred Hitchcock 1963. starts with a shot of silhouetted black crows on a white sky behind this is an example of binary opposition it gives the sense of darkness and evil on innocence which links the audience to the narrative,on top of this shot titles are placed they are sans serif simple text common in the thriller genre another connotation to the titles is the colour the colour is a light cold blue connoting sinister feel.
On top of this title sequence non diagetic parrael sound of crows squawking frantic flapping this gives a sens of ambiance and panic to the audience as the sound is high pitched and not something that is nice to listen to.
Next we see a fade cut where we see an ,the fade itself is iconic to the thriller genre, establishing shot of a woman, we can tell she is a important main character because she is centralised in the shot as the camera pans with her walking through the city into the bird shop, this creates a connection with the character and the audience. finally to give a further connection and view on the narrative to come the woman is shot small against the tall city building making representing her as a victim and insignificant person compared to a city landscape.
On top of this title sequence non diagetic parrael sound of crows squawking frantic flapping this gives a sens of ambiance and panic to the audience as the sound is high pitched and not something that is nice to listen to.
Next we see a fade cut where we see an ,the fade itself is iconic to the thriller genre, establishing shot of a woman, we can tell she is a important main character because she is centralised in the shot as the camera pans with her walking through the city into the bird shop, this creates a connection with the character and the audience. finally to give a further connection and view on the narrative to come the woman is shot small against the tall city building making representing her as a victim and insignificant person compared to a city landscape.
what is a thriller
A thriller as a genre is a film that produces high intensity and excitement throughout, however there are many more emotions presented to the audience such as fear and anxiety. The films main objective is to give the audience a thrilling experience this is done by the plot usually being full of cliff hangers and suspense a character is in danger and she or the issue is resolved through mystery or violence, common characters are police, public victims,criminals,murders and stalkers.
thrillers are often in sub-genres for example:
.action thrillers
.adventure thrillers
.sci-fi thrillers
.crime thrillers
.Weston thrillers
.film noir thriller
.psychological thriller
there are key conventions of a thriller using semiotics,camera,editing and mise-en-scene. some conventions are simple titles along with low key lighting the best example for this is "sin city",slow paced edit to start with using tracking dissolve and fade cuts to give a longer shot slowing the pace a good example "citizens Kane". however to establish the sub genre such as action thriller iconic and symbolic signifiers are used such as a gun fast paced edit and violence.
thrillers are often in sub-genres for example:
.action thrillers
.adventure thrillers
.sci-fi thrillers
.crime thrillers
.Weston thrillers
.film noir thriller
.psychological thriller
there are key conventions of a thriller using semiotics,camera,editing and mise-en-scene. some conventions are simple titles along with low key lighting the best example for this is "sin city",slow paced edit to start with using tracking dissolve and fade cuts to give a longer shot slowing the pace a good example "citizens Kane". however to establish the sub genre such as action thriller iconic and symbolic signifiers are used such as a gun fast paced edit and violence.
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