AKA, 'The Master Of Suspense' and 'Hitch', Alfred Hitchcock was one of the most influential directors of the 1940's.
The first complete film Hitchcock directed in fact dates back to the 1920's , was called The Pleasure Garden and starred Virginia Valli and Carmelita Geraghty.
He then continued to direct throughout the 1930s, with films like 'Murder!' and 'Secret Agent'.
What are the key Codes and Conventions of the Thriller Genre?
The conventions of the thriller genre are based on sound, editing, lighting, mise-en-scene and cinematography. .
The codes and conventions are mainly what the audiences expect to see within a thriller this includes all types of thrillers, including its subgenres, (psychological, action, etc)
What audiences expect to see is what producers need to include to attract an audience. The codes and conventions in a thriller always includes a victim, which most of the time is a vulnerable female protagonist and a dominant male character. This lets the audiences relate with the stereotypes and therefore this produces more audience appeal and realism.
Psychological thrillers usually play with audiences minds by giving a false sense of security, using red herrings, or manipulating a character keep audiences guessing.
Sound is a large factor in creating tension in a thriller sequence. High pitched strings are usually used to heighten suspense, and eventually the suspense is released with a loud diagetic noise.
If the theme of the film is water or ice for instance, the sound used may be similar to the noise you get when circling a finger round a glass, this is a convention of a thriller because the image and sound are contrapuntal (synchronous). A good example to see these codes and conventions are in the opening of the film "Scream".
The use of Polaroid photos on the pin board, with news clippings and notes to introduce the characters and cast as well as the crew was an imaginative device, and reminded me of 'Momento'. The pin board and Polaroid photos could be a reoccurring theme through out the film, and would make a nice touch.
The use of voice over is a great idea, as very often the antagonist is given a voice. As the audience are told the story from the antagonists point of view, we can tell how sick and mentally ill he really is; this is disturbing and fits with the conventions of thriller openings.
The use of simple and not over complicated music highlights the dialogue, and yet the music creates tension and suspense. The use of the low key and almost constructively slow rhythm link with the impression we gain from the antagonist, as he is shown via set up as oddly calm.
Bad points on 'Smile'
The worst part of Smile was the key narrative twist just before the title card. I found i had to pause the video to decipher that the girl who the antagonist was stalking was tied up. To achieve a better effect i think they could have used depth of field, with the female figure out of focus in the background, behind the Polaroid picture to re-enforce what has happened.
The sometimes cheesey prop of photographs was overused at such points as 0:42. I think the opening would have flowed better if the characters didn't know they were being photographed, and that the killer was unknown to them.
Shutter island, as the title explains is set on an island; this sets the theme of isolation through out the film. The Use of the word Shutter within the title is also important, as it shows as one people are on the island they wont be let off, much like looking through shutters or blinds, as you can see past them but you are restricted by them.
The set up shows that the County Marshals are out of place and feel un-comfortable by the characters feeling ill on the ferry over, by sea sickness(which the island is obviously surrounded by). This shows that what is imprisoning them is also making them ill. When the Marshals have their guns taken off them, they are particularly weary, as they are loosing the connotations of guns, that of power, dominance and control.
Teddy Daniel and Chuck Aule's relationship is shown via the transport of Mise-en-Scene and framing. The Marshals dress code is very similar showing at this moment in time they are close, even though they have just met. their clothes separate them from everyone else, such as the workers and patients on the island. Chuck is pictured on the left of teddy at all times, foreshadowing us finding out that he is the character in control, as Teddy is in fact a patient.
The colours used within them film are of a grey hint due to the film stock. This shows the island lacks life and happiness. The use of barriers, lines and wires re-enforce the feeling of entrapment, not only within the island, but within Teddy's false world.
Teddy is hostile to the guards from the start, that seems to come from an ingrained hate. This shows that Teddy is in fact a patient from first arriving on the island, and is supported by the abundance of guards when Teddy first arrives from the ferry.
Quentin Tarantino, known for his gory scenes, gripping story lines as well as his sometimes obscure camerawork. Some of his work includes Reservoir Dogs, which instantly made his name critically acclaimed, Pulm Fiction and Kill Bill.
Reservoir Dogs appeared at the Sundance Film Festival, by the first-time writer-director-actor. With a complex time-code, but simple key plot, the film became a cult classic, and is many aspiring directors primary inspiration.
His company with Lawrence Bender, A Band Apart Records, issues music releases, concentrating mainly on soundtracks.
The companies work includes:
TV commercial for PerfecTV! (1996)
On Broadway in "Wait Until Dark" (1998)
Co-wrote the song "Scooby Snacks" with Fun Lovin' Criminals for their usage of excerpts from Pulp Fiction (1994) and Reservoir Dogs (1992).
Liner notes on the Johnny Cash album "Murder"
Uncredited dialogue "punch-ups" in Crimson Tide (1995).
2000: Wrote liner notes for the Johnny Cash box set "Love, God, & Murder" alongside musician Bono.
Tarantino is set to carry on with his gritty twists on American idealism, and with many more obscure prodjects that no one could have expected. After all, it is Quentin Tarantino.
Dreamland is the title for our thriller film, in which we will be making the opening.
Dreamland will feature physcological, supernatural and gory elements, linked to our target audience expectations, who are teenagers and young adults.
Back story
Danny, single parent of Hannah, lives a mundane life. Since the death of his partner Danny has conformed to the social expectations of having a everyday job, and spending the weekend with friends enjoying the football. His partner Jade, who passed away on his birthday was a model. She had been in a past relationship where she was mis-treated and abused by her then boyfriend. Danny met jade whilst they were at a bar one night. An argument sparked up between Jade and her past boyfriend, where Danny stepped in and protected her. The boyfriend's friends dragged Danny outside where they were to beat him. Danny at this point was in the special forces; he took on the group of several men and took them all down one by one, where there was only the current boyfriend of Jane left standing. He gave him the chance to walk away leaving Jade alone, but the boyfriend instead shot at Danny, hitting him in the leg, and continued to shoot himself.
Danny left the forces due to his injury, and Jade and Danny fell in love.
Current tense-Story opening narrative
Danny and Hannah are in bed, comfortably asleep, leading to them both arriving at the same dream. They are watching a girl on a swing, with her singing nursery rhyme. Then her voice comes over the top, almost super imposed saying "you killed me". Fast flicks of images such as toys, a lake, a gravestone and the backalley where Danny saw the past boyfriend of Jane shoot himself. Hannah and Danny are in great distress as they find them selves find themselves within a room on their own, themselves to their own dream. More fast flickering images occur such as Danny firing a gun, Jane looking at a camera and Jane getting beaten by her ex-boyfriend. These are more narrative clues. Hannah and Danny continue to get dragged down a corridor by an un-seen force(screams, nail dragging). Hannah is the laying within a dark room, where the face of the girl flicks up, right in front of her saying "now i'll kill you". From this we see Hannah sit up in her bed, open her eyes where she has only white irises and cough up blood all over her white sheets. The titles will ensue from this point.
Future narrative of the film
After the titles is the lead up to the point of Hannah's death, with Danny in the special forces and Jade getting abused. The bar scene where the death of the current boyfriend of Jade dies happens. The opening scene is then shown, but cut about so it is faster pa to not be repetitive. The rest will be Danny fighting to stay alive within his dream, where he finds Hannah within his dream dead. Danny commits suicide within the dream, where we see Danny repeat what Hannah did when she wakes and dies from her dream(graphic match). This shows that the girl throughout in the dream was the child Jade would have had with her ex-boyfriend, even if it was un-wanted.
Conventions addressed
Cut about time codes
Effective meaningful light
Personal and global quests(staying alive, saving his daughter)
Personal pasts repeating
The conventions of the thriller genre generally are sound and editing based. For example quick cuts and camera angle changes, music that gives tension and is contrapuntal when appropriate are typically used within the thriller genre. Lighting also plays a key part in creating ambience, especially via the use of shadow and mirrors. Mise-en-scene is used to often show parsonal, and global quests, as well as intraptment. Intraptment is a convention of thriller film; it is often shown by phisical lines surrounding, or obscuring the character, such as stairs, barriers, banisters and nateral fetures such as trees.
Phonebooth (Directed byJoel Schumacher. StarringColin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker)in particular is a thriller that does not play to the all conventions of thriller fims, as it avoids darkness and shadow, and most lighting sugnifficance. On the other hand it links to the conventions of thriller films by being described by the killer and his point of view. We are put in a passive role, as we feel sorry for the vunerable protagonist. Different time codes are also used, which is another convention of thriller fims, as well as audience possitioning is passive confusion. Flashbacks and quick passed editing are rife. Overall Phonebooth predominantly subverts mico conventions of thriller films. It could be described as a phychological thriller, yet it even doesnt typically fit into this sub genre, as it is told from the killers point of view.
