Codes and Conventions in the use of thrillers

Conventions are decoded to relate to representation. They are broken down into four categories:

Speech: 

This is how a character has accepted and developed the narrative through the text. also they way in which he/she performed it.

Music:

The use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound is used to add to the atmosphere, realism, dramatic effect of verisimilitude.

Sound Effects:

How the use of these add to the realism of the scene. 

Editing:

This is how the 'flow' of the drama is aided by different editing techniques such as cross sits, fades, dissolve, jump cuts. etc. The use of these techniques add to the representational aspect of the broadcast.

A code is something that creates a meaning for the media text and can be split into two categories: 

technical and symbolic.

To conclude the use of codes and conventions for a thriller are very effective. The reason being is that the use of music and sound effects is that they can create a certain atmosphere, for example an orchestral church sound in a thriller, would provoke a feeling of tension and an uncomfortable atmosphere, which is generally what a thriller is meant to do to a member of the audience.
Another aspect of codes and conventions that I think can be used in a diverse and useful way is the speech. The use of speech in my opinion is that the less speech there is the more effect it has on the scene, the more tension and atmosphere it builds to create a scene of complete suspense and horror.

International Thrillers

When doing thrill research we have to be aware that there are many types of thrillers not just hollywood thrillers. There is such a thing called international thrillers. Looking at these thrillers gives us more options and different film techniques we could possibly use for our opening scene.
For example I started off by look at 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' this is a swedish thriller.

Analysis- 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'

The use of cut away shots every second emphasises the pace of this film and the rate at which you have to keep up. It also keeps the audience on edge at all times gives you an insight to how much is going to be happening in the film.

The sound used in this opening scene begins with a howling scream- this type of non-diegetic sound that has been used, has been used to create an uncomfortable atmosphere when watching the seen, to make one feel awkward and trapped. Almost feeling what the people in the opening sequence are feeling. This brings me on to imagery:

The imagery used shows two people being tortured. This type of imagery for a thriller emphasises that this film is trying to make the audience uncomfortable and on edge the whole time. Making them feel as if they are the ones suffering and being tortured.

Looking at AS coursework

When the research process began, I began to think about what i needed to make my work the best it could be. Therefore when I began looking at previous students coursework, I was looking out for many things. In my mind I decided that what i was looking out for was what people did well- and if they did what techniques did they follow? However just looking at what they did right is not going to help. I also looked out at what they did not so well on, aspects that would lower your mark. for example- a shaky camera, half of a screen cut off or when editing the same scene looks different from one point to another.

To conclude this exercise has helped me set objectives on in our heads when working on the actual piece. Gives a guideline to work with to carry on improving our work.

This is an example of an A grade piece. From this I picked out things our group should use for example:

• The camera was steady throughout which made the piece look professional. 
• editing techniques that were used were varied and clearly used which helped build the intense emotions that come along with a thriller 
• The sound used worked well with creating suspicion and a cold feeling within the viewer and fit well with the opening sequence. 

Thriller Research

Thriller genre

Thriller uses suspense, tension and excitement as its main elements. Thrillers heavily stimulate the viewers moods, giving them a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and/or terror. Films of this genre tend to be adrenaline-rushing, gritty, rousing and fast paced.

A thriller provides the sudden rush of emotions, excitement, and exhilaration that drive the narrative, sometimes subtly with peaks and lulls, sometimes at a constant, breakneck pace. It keeps the audience on “the edge of their seats”.

Thrillers often make use of literary devices such as red herrings, plot twists and cliffhangers. A thriller is usually a villain driven plot which presents various problems a protagonist must overcome.

Psychological thrillers are fictional thriller storys which enphasizes the psychology of its characters and their unstable emotional states, with similarities to gothic and detective fiction in sense of “dissolving sense of reality”, moral ambiguity, and complex and tortured relationships between obsessive and pathological characters.

Psychological thrillers often incorporate elements of mystery, drama and horror.

Examples: The Machinist, House of 9, Straw Dogs, Shutter Island.

Supernatural thrillers bring in otherworldly elements(such as fantasy and/or supernatural) mixed with tension, suspense and plot twists. Sometime the protagonist and/or villain have some form of psychic ability or super powers. Examples: The Dead Zone, Chronicle, Frequency.

Techno Thrillers are suspense films in which manipulation of sophisticated technology plays a prominent part. Examples: Jurassic Park

Spy Thriller: The protagonist is generally a government agent who must take violent action against agents of a rival government or (in recent years) terrorists. The sub genre usually deals with the subject of fictional espionage in a realistic way. Its is a significant aspect of British cinema.

Examples: The parallax View, The Tailor of Panama, Taken, Unknown.

Codes and Conventions

Characters: Resourceful Heroes, Convicts, Soldiers, Spies, Law enforcement, stalkers, men associated with danger, criminals, assassins, Innocents which are dragged into danger, Psychos, Prisoners

Themes: Terroism, Political conspiracy, Psychological mind games, supernatural events, crime, spies, chase, suspense

Symbolism: Cars, Weapons, Urban settings, tension building music, fast paced editing, low lighting

Effect on Audience: Excitement, suspense, anticipation, nerve wrecking tension, anxiety, uncertainty

Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock was the most famous thriller director of his time and was said to have helped shape the modern-day thriller genre. He was said to be considered a master of manipulating is audiences fear and desires, and taking viewers into a state of association with facing the reality of the character. He would often include a taboo or sexually-related theme into his films.

Hitchcock's films often placed an innocent victim (an average person) into a strange, life-threatening or terrorising situation, due to mistaken identity, misidentification or wrongful accusation.

Common Traits of Thriller Films

-Low Key Lighting

-Shadows

-Obtrusive Editing(Quick Cuts, Changes in camera angles)

-Tension Music

-Stairs

-Flashbacks

-Black and White

-Freeze Frames

-Slow Motion

Researching evalutation questions

By looking at the final evaluation questions, as a group we can start to set criteria's we need to meet in order to get the best grade possible.

• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products? 
• How does your media product represent particular social groups? 
• What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? 
• Who would be the audience for your media product? 
• How did you attract/address your audience? 
• What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing this product? 
• Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learned in the progression from
it to the full product?

The Art of a Title sequence

The art of a title sequence is the way in which the opening of a film is set. The factors that are dependant on it are the typography (style f text), the background, the sound used, the feeling it is intending to create.

The art of a title sequence is especially significant when it comes to a thriller. 

To assess how The art of a title sequence varies, I have analysed different types of thrillers and there opening scene. This helps me get a better understanding of how thrillers are altered to have an affect on the audience. 

Se7en- 1995

The typography used in this film is hand sketched in quite a rough and uncomfortable way. This style of text is used to add a layer of temporal distress. 

The sound used starts of slow and eerie building a sense of suspense, slowly the sound turns electric becoming more uncomfortable.
The use of flashing images portrays a disturbing feeling.
To conclude the opening scene introduces the themes of hopelessness, apathy, desperation and violence.

Ernest Scared Stupid- 1991

This film is a mix of physical comedy, puns and reference to classical films (during the opening scene)

The typography used is very colourful yet has an element of thriller by the blood dripping down.
This gives the feel of a comical thriller.

The imagery used connotes that the film is like an old style haunted house type of film. However in 1991 this type of film may have been considered scary but at present it wouldn't be considered scary because as an audience we have become desensitised to that type of sub genre and makes us laugh more than anything.

The sound used also adds to the art of the title sequence because it starts of with the sort of dracula horror then gradually has a comical element added to it.



To conclude 'The Art of a Title Sequence' is very important as it sets the tone of the film and also gives the viewer an insight as to what to expect.

The art of a title sequence may include aspects like key events that take place during the course of the film. It is also common that the typography would last around 3 seconds (minimum) this is decided depending on the affect the producer would like to have on the audience.

Post Production Sound & Camera Shots

Types of sound used in Media
Parallel sound- the sound matches what is on screen at that moment.
Contrapuntal sounds- sound that opposes what you see on screen.
Sound Bridge- music that carries on from one scene going onto the next.
Ambient sound- a type of sound you would expect to hear in that specific location e.g.- traffic
Foley sound- every day sounds added to a certain clip.

Camera Shots
Aerial Shot- when the camera moves at a high angel giving the viewer a wide angled birds eye view. this gives an effect of grandness and the eye on the goal.
Tracking Shot- when the camera follows movement of a character or object.
Tilt Shot- the camera is stationery  fixed at one point and only moves up and down. This gives the effect that the particular scene is grand and vast, gives a sense of depth.
Pan Shot- the camera is stationery at one point and only moves left and right.

Theories to come to a better understanding between media texts and the audience.

The Effects Model
This theory is linked towards a negative aspect.

• Imitation- as a member of an audience you copy what you see associated to the negative side of things.
• Catharsis- watching something bad to make your self feel better about yourself as a person. The idea that you are releasing your own real life problems through the narrative of media texts.
• Desensitisation- the idea that things shown in the media do not effect us anymore- we feel nothing from what they show us. We are used to what is been shown.

Uses and Gratification

1. Personal Identity- created through media. 
2. Surveillance- what we learn about the world we live in.
3. Pleasure- Entertainment and satisfaction. 
4. Diversion- escapism... escaping to a 'perfect world' ignoring/forgetting the real world we live in. 

Audience Theory

For any type of media text... there is always a target audience set. There are many aspects of differentiation:

• age
• gender
• hobbies & interestes
• experiences
• regional identity 
• disability
• race/ethnicity
• cultural background
• class

To be able to come to a better understanding of the relationship between the media text and audience. We have been give three theories:

1. The Effects Model or the Hypodermic Model
2. The Uses and Gratifications Model
3. The Reception Theory

There are also three ways of consuming/ engaging media texts:

1. Primary- active audience 
2. Secondary 
3. Tertiary- passive audience 

with this you start to create an ideology such as a negative stereotype. Ideology is a set of values and beliefs that are dominant in society today.