Evaluation of feedback

We were all very pleased with our feedback from the rest of the group.

We are glad that people thought it did what we wanted it to in the first place.

Along with much praise, we were given some constructive criticism.

One of our shots appeared quite long - the shot of the panning of the photograph. We will consider making it shorter, but we think that if the voiceover were added, it would not appear that long at all. This is because the audience will have more to focus on.

By looking at the feedback we have learned how our thriller is seen through other peoples perspectives. we have also learned how to take criticism on board and use it to possibly make changes to the piece.

12. Research into other films of similar sub-genres
other psychological thrillers:

1. The talented Mr. Ripley
2. Suspicion
3. Shadow of a doubt
4. Strangers on a train
5. Blue velvet
6. The Good son

Our thriller opening scene falls under the sub genre of Psychological thriller. Above are a few other psychological thrillers, which have similar aspects to ours. These films may inspire us in the way we film our opening.

Story boards

Here are our story boards for our thriller opening. From bottom to top, 1, 2, 3.

Script ideas

A key feature in our opening is the voice over of the stalker who is narrating. He is confessing to the police and telling them what happened.

Character's personality - very confident
- awkward
- psychotic
- obsessive
- possessive

She wasn't too young
There was a ... certain maturity. In her eyes.
Those eyes.

She ...socialized. (pictures of her with male friends)
Was real friendly. (opens can angrily)
(laughs) (sipping and gulping drink, sigh)
Im a sucker for those blue eyes.
Click. Click. Click. (laugh)
You should have seen the way she looked at me chief.
With those eyes. Click. Click. Click. (laugh) (continue to drink and gulp, crushes can)
Maybe i wouldn't be here... if she hadn't looked at me like that.
I dunno what she was afraid of... she always smiled for the camera.
(Sigh) So.....

Shot list for thriller

Black screen with voice over starting.
Image of girl gets closer eventually ends up in the pupil of her eye
Sudden blink to stalker's eye.
Shots of individual items
Quick shot of girl staring at camera (lipstick stained cup, lock of hair, tissue more photos).
Voice over ever continuing.
Quick shot of girl staring at camera
Shot of his legs as he enters room
shot of girl staring at camera
more shots of images
shot of calendar and images on calendar
cutting constantly to the girl staring at the camera
no images of her on days he doesn't see her
shot in house of victim, (voice over continuous, yet character is becoming wary)
shot of girl looking around after hearing noise, cuts to shot of cat entering, relief of female is shown)
Shot of girl staring at camera
This upsets stalker so music alters slightly, and character becomes frustrated and fidgety at nearly getting caught.
Shot of girl staring at camera
Slams down a beer bottle on table, spins, camera pans with bottle to give a view of the room, and the things in it. Not all with be shown so that the full extent of his obsession is not revealed to the audience.
When bottle has stopped
flash of his face, zoom back into his eye, zooms out to eye in a different image of a different girl. Speech goes on as if to continue further.

Mood Board

Our mood board :)

Opening story ideas.

Initial Ideas.

The obsession

Psychological thriller

Close up of lots of photos of one girl

Photog dark room, develop photos in there

Darts at photos.

Spinning bottle.

Quick cuts throughout.

dark - not day.

Girl screaming. black screen to start tape recorder.

Interviews stalker.

Starts with black screen goes to close ups of victim's photos - shown in dark room with torch at college.

Possible question : what do you like to do ?

"play darts" (dart imagery)

close up of weird hand. Villain handicapped in some way - this shows pain and bravery.

voice over on top of imagery.

Further ideas.

We will never get to see the villain in the opening.

Taking photos through key hole.

Damsel in distress will hear noises of what she thinks is a villain, but it turns out to be her pet cat, or so she thinks.

flash of her seeing herself on video. And photos.

Zoom of her eye and zoom out to his.

He has her cup with lipstick on it, and a lock of her hair.

Camera is his point of view.

Bottle spinning, shot of it at full speed, but as it reduces, the camera will spin with it, showing the photos around it. All of the victim.

Restaurant scene - possible relationship between characters?

Spooky location - abandoned house near Netherhall, a church.

Public transport - both on bus through Cambridge.

Shots of buildings in cambridge.

End on her gasp at camera (his perspective) to black screen.

Final ideas.

(Highlighted in blue)

Conventions of a thriller.

Damsel in distress: The character is hanging of the edge of a gutter of a building, he relies on another character (hero).

Protagonist: the flawed hero, the character is scared of heights. this is shown as he is hanging of the building and is made worse when he see's the police officer fall to his death when trying to help him.

Lighting:Shadows cast over woman's face in beginning. The lighting then turns red, symbolize; lust, danger, blood. In rooftop scene, grey colours used, dull, pathetic fallacy = weather reflects the mood (cloudy, grey).

Fear of the unknown= Don't see entire face of woman, unaware of who she is. Her eye's widen in shock, it's unknown why. Unknown why man is running from the police.

At the beginning when the animated patterns come up on the woman's eye could represent a kind of hypnosis which connotes the control she has over the victim or vice-versa. This links in with obsession and gives the audience the impression that the villian could be obsessed with the 'damsel in distress'.

Music is used throughout to add tension, suspence and to keep in time with the dull, tense mood.

Deadlines for thriller project

Deadlines:

Rough cut: 1st of march (monday's lesson)
Shooting Deadline: 24th of February, wednesday
Final deadline: 8th of March (end of Monday's lesson)
Draft deadline for writing: Monday 5th of March
Final dealine for writing: 9am, 22nd of March

Preliminary Task