Media Studies AS Level – G321
Alyssa, Lucy & Shauna
PlotO A summary of our thriller is that it is
a combination of The Strangers, due to the involvement of the horror sub-genre, and Paranormal Activity because of the anticipation aspect and the POV perspective to create a relationship with the audience.
Possible Ideas .
Main character having hit list for people in his past to seek revenge.
Protagonist gets trapped on isolated island and in his attempt to escape finds something that was never meant to be found.
Investigation to find a missing child shows a pattern of who’s going to be next.
Population begins to die out due to an unknown source and creates a rise in criminality and uproar.
Group find themselves getting lost in a forest and begin to find others who have been trapped there as well to hear their stories. Escaped patients of a
near by mental asylum creating disruption and brutality.
Abduction of authorative and well known figure to reveal a hidden secret.
A ancient story begins to circulate as it slowly begins to become true as more people retell it,
A stalker plotting an attack on an unaware citizen, they become aware of what’s happening when it’s too late.
IdeaO Rumours of a wanted criminal
escaping a near by prison begins to haunt a local village by working with stronger forces.
O The main narratives consist of voyeurism, isolation, deception and revenge.
O Use of confined spaces, street lamps, running water and focus on eyes to create thriller conventions.
NarrativeO The main plot theme for our 2 minutes are going to be based
on voyeurism and death.O How? Hand-held and over the shoulder camera shotsO Why? They conform to the thriller genre conventionsStarts with a newspaper with article of multiple murdersShauna will run over the paper out of breath and looking over shoulderThe camera follows her down street, dark figure in distance appears (representing bad)Then flash of knife clattering on ground She hears it then turns round to see a figure all in white (representing the good)Point of view shot of her entering the houseShe then finds blood on her hands
Overview of the area/location
Rural
School Shot Shows the realisation of the ages of the people that were murdered, young. Fences show the feeling of being trapped/lonely. (conforms)
Why? Streetlights
(conforms) Rural location
shows isolation (conforms)
Rural is usually ‘friendly’ (challenges)
Villages usually have silence – will help with ‘being watched’
When? During the night –
shadows (conforms) Darkness will make it
looked like a more confined space (conforms)
Creates enigma
For our “villainous” characters we will use a contrast between black and white costumes to deceive the audience. White has positive connotations which can challenge thriller conventions such as revenge and create a false sense of security, were as black develops this as it represents isolation and entrapment to give direction to the thriller. This will also adapts with the time we set our thriller using the theme of “night against day”.
This has been based on the Nickel to support deception to create the idea that white is good and black is classed as bad, which has been used in films such as ‘American Psycho’.This is also links with the verfremdungseffekt theory to create an alienation effect so the audience don’t identify with the characters.
The protagonist will be wearing neutral clothing to seem more natural so no stereotypes are placed based on appearance. This is so the audience will concentrate on the conventions of the other costumes.
We will use a recent newspaper article (created by us) in at the beginning of the scene, the article will feature a headline of a local girl being murdered, this will help to show enigma and fear during then scene.
The knife has connotations of death and murder which conform to the thriller genre. Also it is symbolic of different cults, as two of us will be perceived as working together to cause harm, it links to deception and revenge, which are also conventional.
The use of the black gloves will create a sense of mystery of who is involved, also they cover the hands of whoever is in control of what is happening. As they are black it shows that the evil has manifested into the gloves themselves from the hands inside, representing a lack of control.
Streetlamps are often found within the thriller genre, they are typical thriller iconography. They create shadows which are also associated with thriller films, shadows also create the feeling of being watched/followed and both of these conform to the thriller genre.
Cast and CrewO Cast:- Shauna Hemphill – Did drama at GCSE so has
had experience in taking part in different scenes and is used to following directions. Part of the group.
- Lucy Walpole- Alyssa Chhotu – Both used to using computers
as did ICT during year 10&11, used to cameras, also are keen in leadership so mainly focussed on directing the scene instead of overly participating. Also in the group. Black hair, black figure. Blonde hair, white figure.
O Crew:- Parents for transportation
Lighting Director Location Shot/Angle Cast Props Health & Safety
Contingency
Night – under street light
Shauna Crick 1.Extra Close-up
No one - Newspaper article
Don’t drop camera in puddle
Night – under street light
Lucy Crick 2.Close-up Shauna - Newspaper article
Slipping on the newspaper, and falling
Darkness – only lighting from streetlights
Alyssa Crick 3.Over-shoulder
Shauna Falling over
Natural lighting
Shauna Crick 4.Long shot Alyssa
Under torch Alyssa Crick 5.Medium shot
Lucy - Black glove- Knife- Fake blood
Don’t cut yourself with knife
Natural Lucy Crick 6.Medium close-up
Shauna
Natural Alyssa Crick 7.Over-shoulder
ShaunaLucy
Natural Shauna 21 Pyke way 8.Point of view shot
No one - House
Natural Lucy 21 Pyke way 9.Medium long-shot
Shauna
Natural Alyssa 21 Pyke way 10.Medium long-shot
ShaunaLucy
Dim light bulb Lucy 21 Pyke way 11.Medium long-shot
Shauna
Dim lighting Alyssa 21 Pyke way 12.Birds eye Shauna
Dim lighting Lucy 21 Pyke way 13.Big close up
Shauna - Fake blood Don’t get it in eyes
Scene Shot Shot Size Duration(seconds)
Location Description
1 1 CU 4 Street Close up of newspaper article
1 2 CU 5 Street Shauna stepping on the article
2 3 PAN 6 School Overview of school/fences
3 4 OS 6 Street Shauna going down the street
3 5 LS 4 Street Black figure in the distance
3 6 MS 4 Street Knife dropping
3 7 MCU 4 Street Shauna heading in opposite direction
3 8 OS 6 Street White figure in the distance
3 9 PAN 6 Street Overview of street/houses
4 10 MLS 6 Drive Walking up the drive/up to door
5 11 MLS 5 House Opens door/black figure in the background
5 12 MLS 5 House Same but white figure
5 13 BE 5 House Sliding down the door
5 14 BCU 5 House Her eyes/crying
5 15 PAN 4 House Pan upwards, darkness
6 16 MCU 3 Drive Black figure
6 17 MCU 3 Drive White figure
6 18 2S 3 Drive Both figures
Jobs or actions to be accomplished
18th November – 24th November
25th November - 1st December
2nd December – 8th December
19th December – 15th December
Script Shauna
Storyboards (animated) Lucy
Music ideas Alyssa
Production shooting Everyone
Editing Everyone
Short lists of ideas Shauna
Booking Cameras Lucy
Checking Weather Reports Alyssa
Costumes Everyone
Equipment list Lucy
Film Title ideas Alyssa
Filming times Shauna
Charging of camera
Props Lucy
Authorisation of filming the school/Location
Alyssa
Final Idea Everyone
Health and safety Shauna