Title Research: Dial M for Murder

There were 12 titles in the opening sequence. This movie was made in 1954, so it contrasted with the other sequences. For example, most opening sequences are around 2 minutes. However, this opening sequence was a little more than a minute. In addition to this, most thriller and suspense movies have dark colors in the opening sequence. This movie mainly had darker colors, but there were a few brighter colors like reds. There were only 2 different angles in this scene. There was a close up of an old retro phone. However, this was a commonly used phone at the time. Then, there was an extreme close up of the dial pad. This opening sequence didn't have much of a thrilling feeling. However, towards the end of the sequence, there was a violin in the background. Violins are stereotyped for suspense, which is related to thriller movies. It is apparent that the movie is supposed to be a crime thriller, even if the opening sequence doesn't have a lot of thriller aspects. https://www.artofthetitle.com/title/dial-m-for-murder/

Title Research: Seven

Extreme close-ups of things such as someone holding a razor blade, someone crosses out words in a book, and a photograph being processed in a red room, are prioritized in the opening to represent the danger that is being posed as the film progresses which abides by the conventions of the thriller genre. The images also create an enigma by making the audience wonder who or what is the antagonist in the film. When the titles for the actors appeared, they put well-known actors, Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, first which attracts people who are fans of their work to watch the film. There were 30 titles. www.watchthetitles.com

 

Title Research: Split

There were 22 titles in this opening. Images that signify what is occurring in the opening, for example, an extreme close up of the ceiling passing by then an extreme close up of a girl being pushed on what seems like a hospital bed, are prioritized. The thriller genre is reinforced by these clips because they show what is happening in the scene, but doesn't provide background information on why this event is happening, therefore creating an enigma. This creates a mysterious and suspenseful atmosphere which are elements of the thriller genre. The transitions used to go from one title to the next resembles security cameras, which can allude to the movie being about a stalker which also adds suspense. The slow tempo background music establishes an ominous environment early on in the film which attracts people who enjoy thrillers and horror films. www.artofthetitle.com

Title Research: Venom

There were 23 titles in this opening. Black, white, and red images of paint splatters were prioritized in the opening. They alluded to the main focus of the film which is an alien called Venom, who has black skin, white eyes, and eats humans. The symbols in the outset reinforce the conventions of the thriller genre because the ominous color scheme creates anticipation because it makes the viewers feel as though a scary antagonist may appear. The color red also signifies danger which can make the audience expect tension and violence. The images created by the black, white, and red paint splatters also help the film abide by the thriller genre because they emphasize that Venom has a distinct look that seems threatening, therefore establishing an enigma if the creature in the pictures is a friend or foe. The editing used to create the transitions of the outset was effective in peaking the curiosity of the viewers because it makes them question what the creature in the transitions, Venom, is. The film is based on Marvel comics, which is stated in the titles, which attracts the film's target audience, Marvel fans. www.artofthetitle.com

 

Watch the Titles Website Research

The second website I researched was Watch the Titles. This website allowed me to watch many opening sequences. I was able to search many types of title sequences. It ranged from student films to feature films. I could also click on certain studios. This was helpful because certain studios do similar genres. This made my search for thriller movies much easier. I could also search for particular movies. This was helpful because I could watch the opening sequence that I was previously thinking about. This website allowed me to further my research in thriller. For example, I was able to find designers and studios that create thriller movies. I was able to watch the opening credits because of this. In addition to this, the website was easy to navigate. This allowed my research to go quickly. Overall, I learned a lot from this particular website.

Art of the Title Website Research

The first site I researched was Art of the Title. This site allows me to watch the opening sequence of many movies and T.V shows. On this website, I was able to search for specific movies and genres. This was helpful because I was able to see particular opening credits. I was also able to filter the movies by the filming companies. This is helpful because I could look at movies that specific companies made. In addition to this, I could also filter it by designers. For example, if  I wanted a movie by Angus Wall, I would click on his name. The website also gave recommended opening sequences.They also along had a list of some of the best ones of 2019. This website made it easy for the user understand and navigate.  Underneath each movie, there was a short summary. This site taught me many things. For example, I now can identify genres by the opening sequence of a movie. Overall, the website was easy to navigate, and it was helpful with my research.

Genre Research: 47 Meters Down

Camera Angles: Throughout the film, many two shots, wide shots, and close-ups were used.

Costumes, lighting, actors, makeup, props, setting: Film set at a tropical resort in Mexico so the actors are wearing summer clothing and bathing suits and have little to no makeup. The setting changes to underwater when the main characters go diving.  Natural lighting is mostly used. The two actresses are playing the roles of sisters. In the beginning of the film, the siblings are happy and enjoying their trip. But then they get frightened when they go diving. Props used are scuba diving gear, cell phones, and a metal cage. 

Sounds: Diegetic sounds in the film are people talking about waves and splashing. A non-diegetic sound was the fast tempo background music used during high action scenes. 

Editing: Inserts of text messages. Ambient music added to create a happy or suspenseful vibe. CGI used to make the sharks in the film. There were many jump cuts throughout the movie.

Elements of thriller in the movie: Symbols that foreshadow something bad happening, like the drink spilling the pool. Sharks attacking the main characters makes the audience feel on edge. 

What elements of the genre did you like? I like that the film reminded me of Jaws which is a film I really enjoy. Thriller movies typically aren't underwater, so that was a different change that I enjoyed.

What elements of the genre didn't you like? The sharks didn't look that realistic to me. Instead, they looked mechanic.

Genre Research: Hush

Camera Angles: The film starts out with many extreme close-ups and close-ups. Later in the film, more angles where being incorporated such as long shots, tracking shots, and wide shots.

Costumes, lighting, actors, makeup, props, setting: The characters are portrayed as normal people because they wore casual clothing and had minimal makeup. However, the antagonist in the film wore all black clothing and a white mask. At the start of the film, natural and soft lighting was used frequently. But as the movie progresses, there is little to no lighting and the only light source is the moonlight. The main character was very friendly and calm at the start, but when she came into contact with the antagonist that was out to kill her she becomes panicked and scared. Since the main character was deaf, she sometimes had to communicate with others through sign language. Some props included the film were cellphones, a computer, cars, and weapons like a crossbow. and The film is set in a house in the middle of the woods. 

Sounds: Since the main character is deaf, some scenes had no sound. At the beginning of the film, there were sounds of nature like birds chirping and trees rustling to match the woodland setting of the film. There was also a scene of the main character cooking so there were diegetic sounds of the main character making the food in her kitchen. Another diegetic sound was the main character talking with her friend. A non-diegetic sound was the fast tempo music was used as an ambient sound during action scenes to generate the feeling of tension and suspense

Editing: There were inserts of the main character texting her neighbor and talking on video call on her computer. Many eye-line matches. Background music was added during the action scene and some parts of the film were mute. 

Elements of thriller in the movie: The film had an interesting blue coloring to it which made the feel of it very ominous. The costume of the antagonist made him look threatening and dangerous. Also, the dark lighting makes the viewers feel on edge.

What elements of the genre did the movie have that you liked? It was interesting to see that the main character was deaf and it provides a new element of suspense for the audience when she was fighting the antagonist. 

What elements of the genre did the movie have that did not appeal to you? The dark lighting sometimes made it difficult to see what was happening in the scene. 

Genre Research I Am Mother

1. Camera angles: At the beginning of the movie, there are lots of medium close-ups and close-ups. Most angles are at eye level. In the middle of the movie, there are a lot of close-ups and eye-level shots.  At the end of the movie, there were lots of close-ups, high and low angles. In addition to this, there were some action shouts.
2. Costumes, lighting, actors, makeup, props, setting: At the beginning of the movie, the costumes consist of various children's clothes as the little girl is growing up and the robot stays in the same suit. Lighting is decently dark, there are a few brightly lit spotlights. The actor is the little girl, and she varies from crying to happy. The props are toys meant for the little girl, along with her crib. The setting is futuristic and is in a large spaceship. In the middle of the movie, Daughter is wearing a plain red jumpsuit. The other human is wearing a hospital gown. There is mainly artificial white light. The actors are very cautious, and they aren't wearing any makeup. The props consist of beds and tablets, and the setting is still in the spaceship. At the end of the movie, Daughter was wearing the same jumpsuit but it was torn, and the makeup on her face resembled dirt. The actor was very scared, and she was holding an ax which is a prop. The setting was still the spaceship, but the lights were flickering.
3. Sounds: There are dietetic sounds such as metal moving, and the little girl laughing and crying. Some nondiegetic sounds include the voiceovers of the robots talking, and the songs that are played in the background. In the middle of the movie,  there are only diegetic sounds. The characters were talking, and the only nondiegetic sound was when Mother was talking. At the end of the movie, there are diegetic sounds such as a baby crying. However, there are nondiegetic sounds like Mother talking. Since she is a robot, there was a voiceover.
4. Editing: The movie mainly had jump cuts.
5. Elements of thriller in the movie: There was a plot twist at the end and there were a few action scenes.
6. What elements of the genre did the movie have that you liked? Personally, I liked the plot twist. It made the movie more interesting and made it seem more thrilling. Without this plot twist, the movie would've been a lot less interesting. 
7. What elements of the genre did the movie have that did not appeal to you? I didn't like some of the action scenes. I felt that it wasn't fitting for this individual movie.

Genre Research Bird Box

1. Camera angles: At the beginning of the movies there are plenty of aerial or crane shots. It also has high angles and close-ups. In the middle of the movie, there are many eye level and low angles shots. This resembles the beginning of the movie because there are also close-ups and medium close-ups. At the end of the movie, there were extreme close-ups, medium close-ups, and eye-level shots.
2. Costumes, lighting, actors, makeup, props, setting: At the beginning of the movie, the actors are scared and extremely serious. They are dressed in normal outfits suitable for cold weather. They are also wearing little to no makeup. The lighting is a little dim but seems to portray natural lighting.  The main prop is the blindfold. In this movie, they must wear their blindfolds at all times so it could also be considered part of their costumes. The setting is in the woods and a fast-flowing river. In the middle of the movie, The actors are still very frightened and anxious. The costumes are the same as before, and now there is natural lighting. They are wearing little to no makeup, and the props consist of blindfolds and a box filled with birds. The setting seems to be an abandoned medical center filled with empty beds. At the end of the movie, the costumes, props, and makeup all remained the same. The lighting is lighter than average lighting and the props are the box of birds and blindfolds. The setting changed to a blind institute, and that is where the movie ends. The actors are all happy because they have lived through a traumatic event, and are safe.
3. Sounds: At the beginning of the movie, there are voiceovers to bring the audience up to speed with part of the plot. This is an example of a non-diegetic sound. Throughout the movie, the audience can hear the water flowing in the river and the wind blowing in the trees. In the middle of the movie, there is mainly dialogue from the actors. There are also other sounds such as cans falling on the ground, and fishing lines being reeled inwards. The water is in the background, along with the wind. At the end of the movie, the sounds are mainly kids playing and actors talking. This is diegetic sound because they are in a building full of people.
4. Editing: Throughout the movie, cutaways are frequently used. There are also a few points of view scenes where the camera has a blindfold. This gives the audience an idea of how the characters are feeling.
5. Elements of thriller in the movie: The movie had a few plot twists, and kept me on the edge of my seat. It also had some interesting action scenes that were complimented by unique camera movements.
6. What elements of the genre did the movie have that you liked? I enjoyed the flashback scenes. They allowed me to see the main character's reasoning behind her actions. It gave the audience a well-rounded knowledge of the entire scenario.
7. What elements of the genre did the movie have that did not appeal to you? Personally, I didn't like the plot twists. It made the plot more difficult to follow, but overall I enjoyed the movie.

Genre Research: Descison Made

My partner Kaitlyn and I decided that our opening sequence will be a thriller. We think that this is the appropriate genre. Our opening sequence will hopefully have a few action and suspense shots as well. It will be in a futuristic utopia. However, the audience will get to see what happens when the government says that you don't deserve to live. We think that our opening sequence has multiple genres that it could fall under, but it has the most thriller aspects. Kaitlyn and I are excited to start this project.

Genre Research: Thriller and Drama

Kaitlyn and I conducted research on two other genres we were interested in doing for our film project. We chose thriller and drama. Thrillers often have a mysterious and eerie atmosphere, camera angles, such as canted angles and close-ups, and camera movements, such as handheld shots, are used to create the uneasiness the genre entails. Dramas, on the other hand, can create feelings of suspense with their two-shot camera angles and zoom camera movements. Typically, the actors in thriller and dramas are supposed to be normal people which is why they are usually dressed in casual clothing. Dramas and thrillers are typically set in urban areas which makes the viewers feel familiar with the setting of the film and can imagine themselves being put in the situation that the plot of the movie entails. However, thrillers have a dark vibe to them, so they are most likely set in abandoned, ominous-looking places like an alley in the night or an old, rundown building. The diegetic sounds in dramas depend upon the setting. For example, if the drama is set in an elementary school, you can hear the banter between the children and the footsteps of students walking down the halls. In thrillers, diegetic sounds are mostly generated by the props, like the creaking of an old rocking chair or the groaning of old wooden doors. Both use incidental music to create a certain emotion. For thrillers, slow tempo music helps to build suspense and for dramas, music with a faster tempo helps accumulate tension. 

Genre Research Powerpoint

   

 

 

In this project, Kaitlyn and I created a PowerPoint on the genre horror. We researched different aspects of horror. We included various camera angles and lighting. Some common lighting in horror movies is silhouette and spotlights. This is important because it gives the piece of the film an eerie feel when necessary. Our PowerPoint also included the aspects of horror we liked and didn't like. For example, we don't like the stereotypes that are used. The rude snobby girl always dies first while the nerd character dies last (or survives). However, we like the dark feeling horror movies give. The lighting can make a character look truly terrifying. 

Final Pitch

 Our top two pitches are,
- In a perfect society, everyone gets a dot on their wrist on their 16th birthday. Green means you live, red means you die."
- Two girls are trying to escape their kidnappers of 3 months, but there is something the other girl doesn't know.
Pitch one is a clever idea. It will foreshadow what would happen in the movie. Our plot was to have a girl who received a red dot on her wrist. She begins to cry and blinks. The blink is a fast forward of what will happen. It is not meant to be a clear representation, but enough for the audience to understand. It will show clips of what her future holds. The video will end with the girl opening her eyes and possibly smiling. We haven't quite figured out everything. However, my partner Kaitlyn and I like this idea.
The second pitch is similar to our recent project. It's about two friends who betray another. However, in this situation, both of the girls are kidnapped. They are trying to escape while helping each other. Eventually, they escape. However, one of the girls stabs the other one. This causes them to be trapped in the room. The last shot would be the backstabber answering a phone call saying"it's done."This is an interesting plot and it leaves the audience on a cliffhanger. The audience doesn't know who the girl is working for and why she's doing this.
Kaitlyn and I decided on doing the red dot idea. We thought that it would be the most entertaining to film and watch. We are excited to begin this project. We also have a lot of ideas and plot twists for the opening credits scene.

Start Final Task

My skills in this class have majorly approved. I have learned many things from this class such as how to film and edit. I realize how much time the production and post-production stages take.  Before this class, I didn't know much about these things. My group consists of myself and Kaitlyn. For the entire year, we have worked together. Therefore, we created a strong bond and understanding of each other. We listen to each other's ideas, and we work really well together. It is also easier to work in pairs because of our schedules. I'm excited to start this project.
I now have more respect for everyone in this industry. Filming takes a long time, and it's important to understand the process of it. My favorite part of these projects is the filming process. Personally, I like being able to be in front of and behind the camera. This gives me a different perspective on the piece of film. When I'm behind the camera, I focus on the various camera angles and movements, while admiring the actor's work. You have to focus on sound and lighting to ensure that the takes are good. You have to film scenes multiple times, but it is an interesting and enjoyable experience. I also enjoy being in front of the camera because it is a fun and interesting experience. You focus on being a different character and the character's emotions.
 A pitch is a short and persuasive idea that is presented to a person. Our 1st pitch is "In a perfect society, everyone gets a dot on their wrist on their 16th birthday. Green you live, red you die." Our second pitch is "A group of teens were enjoying their last day of summer until they discovered one of Wellington Fall's darkest secrets." Our final pitch is, "Two girls are trying to escape their kidnapper of 3 months. But there is something the other girl doesn't know." We know the basic plot of each of the scenarios. Overall, we are excited to begin working. Now we have to decide which ones we like the best. These are our notes for the pitches.