Creating suspense Homework assignment 

First Video Points:

• Give information at the start of the scene to let the audience know what is going on.
• Develop the character and make the audience relate to the character so that they feel more emotion when something bad happens to that character. 
• Also develop a backstory to the danger so that the audience knows of the scale of the said danger. 

Second Video Points:

• Ask yourself what would the audience want to see
• Crowd pleasing
• Empathizing with the audience which will create suspense
• Watch hands
• Dark lighting
• Make small objects large when wanting to build suspense

Third Video Points:

• Give information to the audience to create suspense
• prolong suspense 

My 5 examples of thriller movie openings:

1. Joker

1. Split

1. Shutter Island

1. Knives Out

1. Bird Box

Many themes are shown throughout these thriller opening scene such as showing the audience the immediate threat and telling them that what the actors have to face, also make the characters more believable by relating them to the audience so the audience can show empathy towards the characters. Having backstory and flashbacks to a characters previous life or previous day can help the audience understand what is going on as they know the beginnings. Films focus on the hands, use dark lighting and make small objects big to emphasize the importance of that object. I am going to try and replicate these techniques used in the industry to make my next short film more suspenseful. 

Media Homework

We see in this extract the differences between class and status, gender, and regional identity. These three representation areas show us as the audience what this show is about and what some of the characters behavior will be based on their representation area due to the stereotypes that society has built on. I will be talking about these three representation areas and be analyzing the 4 technical areas of representation (camera, editing, sound, and mise-en scene) within the extract from "EastEnders"

We see from the start of the extract that the use of "class and status" ties in with the camera work and the blocking of the actors. The actors that are of a higher class and status are grouped together to one side and are concerned about matters that relate to their specific class. However other actors that are of a lower class are set further away to show the distance and difference in class. The way that camera work is done to show the difference between the two classes is very clever and subtle. The higher class members are set to be slightly higher up in the frame compared to the lower class members, this is a good way to tell the audience that these are the two classes being shown here. When showing class and status in this extract we see that sound is used very well to tell the audience what the difference is between higher and lower class. The lower class seems to talk in an accent which is hard to understand based on the amount of slang and "street" language used. However the higher class uses easier to understand language and sounds more professional. The editing to compare the two classes would be the use of shot reverse shot which would give the audience a obvious comparison between the pair. The mise-en scene that separates the higher and lower classes is definitely the use of the costumes that the actors are wearing. The pizza boy symbolizes the lower class as we can see from his uniform at a low end job and the pub owner is dressed in a smart shirt which indicates his higher class job and status. 

Gender plays a big role in this extract as well as we see what each gender does and how they react in this certain situation. The male lead here takes more of the control as we can see through close ups of his face and the emotion brought out from the actor. The female roles tend to sit back and only add in a few comments to the overall scene. The sound shown in gender sees the male characters use a demanding tone with their voices, however the females tend to use calmer tones as they try to change the situation. The mise en scene for gender is very basic as the actors wear clothes for the specific gender. Editing shown for gender is very basic with cuts that show the two gender acting out next to each other. The shot reverse shot is used to show not only the class and status between the different characters but also the gender difference. 

The regional identity shown in this extract is very highlighted in the way that pizza boy speaks and acts compared to the pub owner. The pizza boy enters the pub and in a loud manner speaks on with a very strong accent and slang. The tracking shot showing his entrance takes the audience by surprise and shocks the viewer about how loud and open he is. This could link to the region he is from and the way that they act there. This is compared through the way that the other characters talk and the way that they conduct themselves, this is a great comparison between the two groups and shows the audience where they come from and that the two groups have different regional identities. 

(remember to first work out WHAT ARE THE BIG IDEAS, WHO IS  BEING REPRESENTED? How are they being represented? Then find evidence to support this within ALL 4 technical areas).

How does the following clip create meaning and represent certain sectors of society?

In this segment of video we can see that there are different sectors of society and race. The mise en scene, camera work, audio and editing all prove this to be true. A big idea to show the differences in race are in the mise en scene. In this essay I will be talking about how the 4 technical elements that are used in media portray the different sectors of society and race. 

The first few shots of this piece of video set up where the main location is. This is done through to EWS and 3 MS. These shots are crucial in order to create a sense of where the character is and what the story is going to be based about. The audio in these few starting clips is of a lady on the phone that we are introduced to in the next shot of a close up showing the lady driving. The theme shown here is very busy, and frantic. The camera is very shaky and this gives the audience a sense of urgency and scariness. This effect is used throughout the entire segment whenever the audience sees this scene. This separates the frantic area from the more calm area which is shown in later shots. The women in these shots is wearing a head cloth which signals to where she is and builds the mise en scene. It shows to the audience that she is trying to blend in with her surroundings. The fact that there is a women being shown in an area that is considered dangerous points out a different in society. Normally in media male characters are the ones to fight the fight and be in the life threatening areas. The fact that it is a women shows that the media is going towards an era that women can be those in a life threatening situation. The women in this segment is shown to be bold and brave in order to sell the idea of women fighting the fight. This is shown to us when the women is unafraid of the guards and even pushes back from authority and this shows her strength. 

There is a big contrast in this segment between the women in the Arab country and the man in America. The women is dressed in dirty clothes and in an area that is also dirty however the man in dressed in fancy clothes and in a ordered area. This is showing the difference in society comparing America and an Arab country. The mise en scene in the Arab world is very stereotypical to how the media has portrayed it and the same goes for the American world. The camera movement in the Arab world compared to the American world is very shaking and looks like it has been shot all hand held to give the effect that this is a dangerous area compared to America which is less of a dangerous area. The audio of the Arab world is much louder than the American. Their is a lot of car noise and lots of people talking, however in America there is some quite noise and very little background noise. This shows further that there is a lot of stress in the Arab country and points out the fact that it may be dangerous and less civilised. 

In the Arab city there is a lot of violent conventions that point out the fact that this city is dangerous. The guards of the prison all have guns with them which indicates that they may need to use them. There is barbed wire stretched out across the entrance and the walls of the prison, there are two nooses that are hung within the prison walls which tell us that this country does the death penalty much more often than America does. Outside the prison we have a scene with the women and a specious man. They are exchanging something within a package and this gets pointed out. This exchange highlights the fact that this country can be very dodgey and can have some suspicious activity.   

Representation Homework

Throughout this extract we see a huge representation of the colour. The two main colours that are shown here are red and blue. The red symbolising our main character's future and the blue representing his past. Through the majority of this extract, he wears a red jacket which shows us that he is searching for his future and in these shots, we see a tone of blue colours coming through especially in the background. This shows us that he is searching for his future but his past is somehow watching him. In one of these shots at 1:23 we see that him standing in the road with his red jacket on, representing his future and he is looking back down the street into the blue light in this wide over the shoulder shot. The harsh conditions here with the snow and cold weather could point to the fact that he is experiencing a hard life as he is trying to find out where he came from. With no real home we see Jason sleeping on a bench in a park and two police officers come and confront him. As the pair of officers taunt and judge Jason we see a side of Jason that we haven't seen before. Immediately as Jason feels threatened he attacks the officers and knocks them both out in a matter of seconds. We see here for the first time what Jason is capable of and what his past may be. 

In the first shot we see Jason on a port in a country we don't know about. As he is walking out onto the main street we are looking at him through a wide tracking shot and this gives us the effect that we are in the scene with him due to the movement of the camera. As the scene progresses we see him on a train looking out the window, however the train is in a tunnel which blocks his view of the outside world. This could be linked to the overall plot of the film because Jason is trying to find his past but is blocked by his amnesia which in this case could be the tunnel. The camera angles in this shot try to give the audience a sense of being in the scene with Jason and what he is going through, like the tracking shot I mentioned previously. Other shots could include the aerial shot we see of the train entering the tunnel. In this shot we get an establishing shot including a tracking shot merged into one. The next shot shows Jason sitting in the train and is shot using hand held camera work. In this scene we feel like another passenger on the train as the hand held camera work mimics the walking motion. In this shot we also see the colour red again which indicates that he is getting close to his future. There is also use of an over the shoulder shot showing a piece of evidence that links to his past and he is looking down at it wondering where he came from. This over the shoulder shot also makes it seem as if we are in the scene with him or that we are looking over his shoulder in the seat behind him possibly. Once Jason is off the train we get more tracking shots of him looking around and wondering where he is and what he next move is.The next shot at 1:23 we see that him standing in the road with his red jacket on, representing his future and he is looking back down the street into the blue light in this wide over the shoulder shot. This shot is very controversial and we can see that Jason is wanting to go back to is past and figure out where he came from. The scene changes to a low angle shot of two officers walking past a footpath. They spot the main actor asleep on a park bench and they confront him. The camera looks like it is on a dolly or a glide cam in order for the shot to be this smooth. The next shot is a close up pan from right to left of the main actor waking up with a flashlight shining on his face. The officers ask him why he is there and at first he doesn't have an answer until he suddenly realises that he can speak their language. One of the officers poke him with a stick and the main character grabs it. The camera slightly zooms in before our main character starts to fight these two officers. After the fight scene we cut to a wide shot of the main character running away and throwing his jacket away. This scene shows us what Jason is capable of and how he can adapt to certain situations.

The audio in this extract is very basic however some music is added in order to create suspense and tension. Most of this audio is creating a feel of adventure and discovery as well as Jason is trying to find his beginnings. Another thing to note is the mix of diegetic and non diegetic sound through the extract. We hear diegetic sounds in the form of, boats, cars, trains, people talking, and public areas. We hear non diegetic sound through music throughout the sequence. 

The editing in this extract does not involve heavy vfx however basic cuts, match on action, shot reverse shot and the 180 degree rule in order to make the film visually pleasing to the audience. Some vfx is used here however and this would be used to create more buildings in the port scene and could also be used to take out objects from the shot that the film company can not have due to copyright (brands etc) and ugly objects that can be displeasing to the viewer. 

The mise en scene in this extract shows many different climates that can have an underlying meaning towards our main character and what he is going through. At first he is on a port with a gloomy condition and this could point to his remembrance of having a clouded memory of his life. The next view shots are in areas that have snow and cold climates. This could point out how he is finding it extremely hard to fit in this world and to find his past.   

Media Homework

The media extract that is shown here is one of a "Crime Drama" and we know this as the audience by what happens in the beginning and what is shown at the end. The most obvious way of seeing that this clip is a "Crime Drama" is by the speeches at the end of the clip at what looks like the outside of a courthouse. The parents of the victim who are saying their speeches to the crowd of photographers are very emotional. The dialogue that is said here to tell the audience about what TV drama this is, is through the quote "If pointer was dealt with properly by the authorities, our daughter would still be alive today" Through this use of dialogue we can see as the viewer that someone has died and it involves the police, therefore making it a crime drama. 

The different conventions that are used in order to tell the audience that this is a crime drama are placed throughout this extract. The photographers outside the courthouse show that something has happened that relates to crime (due to it being outside of the courthouse) The non digetic music that plays throughout the extract gives of a suspenseful tone and tell the audience that something bad has happened. The use of a forest can show the audience that the man in the car doesn't want other people to see what he is doing which can give off a sneaky and suspicious tone. The banging on the boot of the car shows us as the audience that the person in the back wants to get out and knows that she is in danger. This banging can also be linked to the sound of a heartbeat which can then show the audience that something bad is about to happen to the girl in the boot.  

The groups out of the 7 core media representations in society, would be the difference in the gender and class and status. The difference in gender is shown through the male character kidnapping the female character. This could link to how the male is being dominate over the female. This could is also link to the stereotype of how the males are always the kidnapper and the females are always the victim. This could also link the physical ability difference between the pair and how the male is stronger than the female and therefore is able to kidnap and take the female character. Switching to the courthouse scene, the male is the opposite and breaks down in front of the crowd of the photographers and can't hold himself together. This is where the wife of the male steps in and manages to hold herself up and is able to talk the crowd. The other core media representations that are shown in this extract is the difference in class and status. This is shown through the contrast between the victims family and the villain. The villain is the one doing harm for his own benefit and therefore committing a crime, we could link this to a lower class in society. However the victims family that are saddened by this event shows that they are apart of a higher class and sees the horrific event as it is.

The different conventions that are used in this extract to convey a "Crime Drama" would be through the use of the photographers, victims speech and the actual crime itself that we mainly hear through diegetic sound at the beginning of the sequence. Some of the diegetic sound that is used at the beginning would be the banging on the boot, which could be linked to the heartbeat of the viewer and build suspense. The radio which is actually explaining the events of a girl being missing and tells the audience some of the backstory before the murder actually takes place (almost like a flashback). The birds chirping in the background brings a sense of calmness which contrasts to what is about to happen. Another use of sound is the non-diegetic music that builds in the background. This music starts slow and slowly builds into a creepy arrangement that spooks the viewer and helps the audience understand that what has taken place is not something of joy and happiness. The camera work in this extract varies due to the setting and the context of what is happening in the scene. In the beginning of the sequence, in the forest scene, the shots are very close up to build tension and also show the claustrophobia within the car. Other shots include a tracking shot that shows our villain get out of the car and head to the victim in the boot of the car (0:45) This shot brings the audience almost into the car with the villain due to how the camera shakes and it tracks the villain out of the car. It almost seems that the camera is our eyes as the view and that we are there with the characters in the scene which build suspense and tension. The mise en scene of this extract shows three places, the forest, the car, and the front of a courthouse. The forest bring a sense of unknown and a spooky atmosphere, at one point there is a clearing in the forest that shows abandoned trash and it looks like someone has been there. This can show that because the area has been abandoned, no one will come back and therefore a crime can take place. The car is a very basic car and looks clean and sophisticated. This is very contrasting due to how the stereotype of a criminals cars are very run down and broken. This could point to the fact that anyone could do this and this brings the threat up. The courthouse is a very basic building however the foreground of the shot is littered with photographers which shows the audience the scale of this crime and that it will shown across the nation. 

Media Homework

Week 1

"Watch the extract several times and assess how the sequence manages the bridge between 'heavy' and 'light' moods.  (Focus particularly on finding the main / initial shift in tone)"

Within the extract of "Sherlock Homes" the mood of the entire sequence tends to change very often. The camera work, sound (especially the music) editing and mise-en-scene all help the view get immersed into what is happening on screen. The overall mood of the extract is changing all the time. 

The first time we see the major change in the overall mood of the sequence would be in the use of the characters voice (sound). It starts with a simple conversation and as it progresses the voice becomes louder and with one loud yell of the phrase "that's what people do" we see a bomb strapped to a characters chest.(mise en scene) With this as the opener of the entire sequence and the use of the yelling (sound) and the bomb (mise en scene) we already know as the viewer that this extract will be one of violence and thrill due to the sudden change of mood and what the causes were, for the change of mood, to take place. 

At the start of the extract the use of editing, sound and camera work is very present. Within these first few shots we have the sound creating an overlay for what is happening on screen, this meaning that the sound and visual are not synced. This could be used to try and give the audience more information in a small amount of time. The editing in these shots uses quick takes with a fade to black in between each of them. These fades could show a sense of time passing and how the intro to this sequence needs to cover a lot that has happened in the past at a quick rate. Within these first shots we hear that the villain of this sequence is leaving the hero to try and diffuse the bomb situation, which is strapped to his friend, all by himself. However this is where the mood changes and the villain returns to the scene. The presence of the villain back on screen makes the view feel like he is not done with attacking the hero and therefore we get a change in mood. The audience previously felt safe as the villain said he was leaving, however now as he has entered the scene again the mood changes and we feel a threat once again. 

The sound in this extract is used very well in building the tense mood and also in dropping the mood. Within the sequence the hero and villain have a heated discussion whilst the hero as multiple snipers aimed at him. As the conversation escalates the non digetic music in the background also increases in volume and intensity. It builds and builds however is cut out by the sound of a digetic cell phone ringing. This brings almost a comedic element into the extract due to the cell phone ring tone being "staying alive by the Bee Gees" this sound immediately cuts the tension of out the scene and brings the audience mood down to a safer one. However seconds later the villain immediately shouts again and the music starts. The reason why this changes the mood can be credited to what the villain actually said "Say that again! Say that again and know that if you are lying to me I will find you and I will skin you" To follow along with this line that completely changes the mood the camera work also helps in telling the audience that the threat as increased. The camera shows the hero's face looking stern but also quite concerned, it cuts and shows the victim on the floor looking very scared and worried.