Thriller Title Sequence 2010 Group 12

Learned how to final cut pro using BAIT tutorial.
In and out points to drag clips onto the timeline.
Learned how to use razor tool.
Learned how to build a sequence on the timeline.

We used the software program called Final Cut Pro.

In our lesson this week we were taught how to use a software called 'Final Cut Pro', which is an introduction to the programme that is able to do a lot of thing to edit a scene!
We had to watch scenes and edit them.

In today's lesson we learnt about a software program called Final Cut Pro, this was to teach us about editing and cuts. There were two separate windows to view the film, known as 'BAIT', one called the 'viewer' and one called the 'canvas'. The viewer was where we watched the clips that were part of a sequence for us to invent. There were no cuts in these clips, so we had to cut them to the right length so the whole film would look right.

In class we watched clips of five thriller film openings, and I have chosen to do a detailed analysis of The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick. The opening shows the main character, Jack Torrence driving to a hotel, where we find out that he is applying for a job.

The camera is used in many ways, but one type of shot used throughout pretty much the whole opening sequence is bird's eye view. We track the car from overhead, following it through the journey, as the scenery gets more and more death-like and isolated from other people. The start of the clip shows the car coming into shot as the camera skims over a lake and on top of the road, and this is where we 'follow' him from.

The clip has almost no dialogue, right until the last minute, and so before that it is all music. The music is very good at creating suspense as it incorporates the bass drone, along wiht screeching, and works really well. The screeching noise sounds almost like screaming, pre-empting what will happen in the rest of the film; death and horror. The music makes the viewer anxious and worried about where the car is driving to, and almost makes you want to make him turn around and go home. There are also chimes used, which sound quite eery and makes the viewer get goosebumps.

Mise-en-scene is covered in the clip by always having the car drive into darkness, whether that be a tunnel, shadows or just the darkness cast over the land by the mountains, and this shows that he is driving away from the good and into bad. This conveys to the audience that there may be very bad things about to happen in this place.

All of the cuts are slow and almost invisible, for example, as he drives into a tunnel it cuts to the next shot, and is almost unnoticable to the viewer, as the car is always in the middle of the shot. This makes the viewer feel comfortable, and nothing is jerking around, and we can gradually see the surrounding become more and more scary. There is also the use of a black screen after the car journey is over, leading the viewer into a sense of panic, as we do not know where the character has gone!

However, the titles are not done very well, as they interfere with the suspenseful feelings by having light blue words scroll up the screen; it is almost off putting, like the director wants you to think about them instead of what is happening behind them. they come very slowly, one at a time, and this bores the viewer, who seems to just want the titles to end so the film can start; disrupting the suspense that has been built up.

Claustrophobia
Paranoia
City
Passion
Depression
Happiness

Claustrophobic!
Paranoia!
City!
Passion!
Depression!
Happiness! :)

Claustrophobic.
Paranoia .
Passion.

An amazing movie that can shock, Amaze, astound, keep a person on edge and also tell a story without the whole Hollywood touch. This film gave it's best in this story that has been dear to the hearts of many who have heard it. A superb recreation, and the heroes on that flight deserved no less. Also not over-dramtising it by crossing to family members on the ground was fantastic. It keeps a person focused on what the event was all about. All the actors did brilliantly and I sat through the film with a slight sweat feeling on edge even though I new what the ending was already. It made me angry at moments and other times I was pulling at my hair wondering what was going to happen and when it would happen. This film showed the utter horror and confusion experienced by the ground air crew/traffic controllers etc. It was well put together and authentic. Using many of the people playing themselves added to the authenticity and no-name actors also gave credibility to what the film was trying to achieve

September 11 isn't something that should be forgotten and "United 93" does the right thing by those people who gave their lives.

In class on 19/01/2010, we watched a film called United 93, a thriller based on the 9/11 terrorist bombing in America, and one plane in particular; United 93. Suspense is created in many ways, the main one being that the audience knows the ending to the film before they even put it on. The plane was originally set for the White House, as that was the main target, but the passengers refused to be hijacked so easily and took control; not enough to save their own lives, but they prevented the White House from coming under attack.

The film uses such suspense creating techniques as allowing the sound to come before the visuals do, for example, at one point in the film, the screen is black but we can hear the muslim extremists talking, and then we see them, creating suspense as to what they look like. Also, there is a constant use of shots such as Bird's Eye and crash pans, to create drama and make suspense. This is very clever because although we, as the audience, know the plane will ultimately crash and kill everybody on board, we still want the passengers to rebel and land the plane safely.

Another feature used in U93 is that there are many different languages and regionaly dialects used, showing how human everyone is; they don't all speak in English like they would in most films, just with accents. The terrorists speak in Arabic, there are Americans and even Europeans all talking in different languages in the boarding gate as they wait to get on to the plane, this is very effectiveto the audience.

There is slow music too, it begins off ambient and slow, almost unnoticeable, and gradually builds up until the first plane hits the first tower in New York, when it becomes frantic. It then calms and builds up to the second plane crash, symbolising the emotions of the authorities at the time, and their panic. This happens several times, but each time the music stays frantic for a little bit longer. The beat of the music is very rhythmic, it stays in time, conveying the organisation the whole thing took and scaring the audience with it's deep bass drone.

Shaky camera is one film technique used a lot in the film, especially when the camera shot is in the point of view of a passenger on flight U93, showing us that they are scared and shaking with the fear. It is also used to show the plane going through turbulence as it drops and climbs repeatedly, making the viewer feel like they are actually on the plane, in turn initiating fear for the passengers as you 'know what it feels like'.

And so the suspense is createdi n many ways, before coming to a head as the plane hits the ground, going to a black screen and writing, telling us that no-one survived. This makes the viewer feel shocked, as even though they knew it was coming right from the start, they seemed to almost forget it as they became so involved in the film.

There are action thriller movies such as :

Suspense keeps us on edge and make us jump. It gives tension, drawing the viewer in. It grabs the audience.

Creates tension

Suspense in movies is known to promote intense excitement, uncertainty, anxiety and nerve-wracking tension!
A good suspense Thriller movie would be something that would be keeping you on the edge of your chair! It is not something you would be overly scared about, however you can be shocked at anytime!

Suspence takes place throughout many film genres, but mainly its Thriller. A couple of the sub-genres are:
- Horror Thrillers
- Action Thrillers
- Political Thrillers
- Crime Thrillers
- Drama Thrillers
- Psychological Thrillers
there are many more sub-genres based on films that contain suspence for the audience that like tension!

Suspence could be created through use of music, such as: heavy beat, loud, fast or really slow music that doesnt sound happy and friendly.
Uuse of camera is another way to be able to create suspence, such as: shakey - handheld camera, extreme close ups, different angle shots and so on. Shots such as extreme close ups could make the audience feel uncomfortable which is a way to create suspence!