CLIPS FROM THRILLER MOVIES I HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5PWbTseMx0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iaYLCiq5RM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5dVQfzjDS4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcRFaIRWON4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cb3ik6zP2I

Analysis of a thriller opening - Shutter island

Analysis of opening of Shutter island

Shutter island opens with a long shot of a boat appearing slowly out of some mist on sea. The way the boat comes out of the mist could possibly suggest that something is being hidden. The use of the mist creates mystery and tension. The boat is in the middle of an ocean and is isolated which puts the characters in a vulnerable position. Isolation is also a thriller convention. The lighting in this scene is bright from the natural lighting which puts the audience in a false sense of security.

The next shot is a high angled shot of Leonardo Dicaprio throwing up in a sink on the boat. The use of the high angle makes the protagonist look and inferior and low as he is feeling low.

The lighting in this shot is dim which could reflect on the way the character is feeling.

Leonardo Dicaprio then walks out of the bathroom and picks up his long grey detective style coat and a grey detective style top hat. This portrays that he is a detective. The shot used here is a eye level shot which conveys that now he is feeling better and his status goes back up from being inferior. The lighting in this shot is bright from natural lighting shining in through the windows of the boat. The bright lighting reflects on the characters emotions and backs up the idea that he is feeling better now and is in a better position.

The next camera shot is a eye level shot which conveys that everything is still normal. The lighting in this shot is still quite bright which still portrays that he is feeling better. The bright lighting is also still keeping the audience in a false sense of security. The two detectives are smoking in this shot which kind of stereotypes cops.

The next shot is an extreme long shot/ establishing shot which shows the island appearing out of the mist. This again could suggest that something is being hidden. The island is isolated in the middle of the ocean which puts the characters in a very vulnerable position. The water through this scene looks artificial, which could reflect on the storyline of the film. The island is in an extreme territory which conveys a harsh environment. The clearing of the mist and the appearing of the island creates a sense if mystery and suspense.

The opening of the film ends when Leonardo Dicaprio and his partner reach the isolated island.

Research into music for thrillers

Research – use of music in 'THRILLERS'

• MUSIC ESTABLISHES MOOD AND TONE FOR YOUR NARRATIVE

• MUSIC IS LINKED TO VISUALS AND IS CAREFULLY EDITED TO MATCH WHAT YOUR ARE WATCHING

CAPE FEAR MUSIC TO OPENING SCENE (1991)

What sort of music is it?

The music to the opening scene of 'Cape fear' is a classical orchestral piece of music. The music has two layers, one layer of the music is a fast paced and high pitched piece of music, whereas the other layer is more slower and low bass. The two layers of music combined creates sinister music for the opening scene of this film.

How is the music linked to the visuals? (does it change)

Without any dialogue the music sort of helps the visuals to progress and move on and also the music is quite sinister and sounds mysterious which could possibly reflect on the water in the scene as water can contain sinister things and it is also mysterious. The music keeps the audience in the unknown which again could reflect on the water. The music matches the start of the titles well and does not sound out of place, the music also perfectly matches the end of the sequence well.

How does the music make you feel?

The combination of the music and visuals makes me feel very uncomfortable, uneasy and anxious about what this is all leading to, the eerie music also makes me tense.

How would describe the pace of the music?

The music is slow paced, but also has some parts where the pace picks up, but overall I would say the music is fairly slow paced and gradually speeds up a bit, the slow paced music builds up tension.

MUSIC FOR OPENING OF MY THRILLER

I want to use this research to help me create my own piece of music for the thriller that me and my group will be making.

I have learnt from this research of thriller music that it is probably the best choice to keep the music fairly slow paced and low bass as these two elements combined make some sinister music and it also helps keep the audience enticed, anxious and scared. The use of slow, low bass music really helps to create emotions in the audience as the build up of the slow paced music keeps the audience on the edge of their seat as to what is going to happen.

This thriller music research has really benefited me as although my group and I have not come to a complete conclusion about how the music is going to sound we have decided to take into consideration a couple of things we have found to be good qualities for a piece of thriller music and we have decided to use some of these qualities in our own thriller music.

The sort of music that is traditionally used in thrillers tend to be slow, paced and low bass and it is usually classical, orchestral sort of music. To conclude although thriller music starts off slow and quiet they seem to gradually get louder and faster towards the end of the title sequence.

I have also learnt that music is very important in films as it helps create emotions in the audience and it helps in many other ways to, but I think music is especially important for horror and thriller films.

Thriller conventions

What is a thriller? In bullet form identify the conventions of a thriller.

Thriller conventions

• cliffhanger??
• candle lit room
• eerie/tense music
• weapons e.g. axes, knives and guns
• gore
• scare the audience
• shaking camera
• getting a thrill
• suspense
• keeps them enticed
• crime
• killers
• dim lighting
• cops
• keeps the audience questioning
• simple costumes yet powerful
• adrenaline
• sci-fi
• crows
• red herring (false alarm or clue)
• diversions
• make audience feel part of film
• stereotypical conditions (bad things, rain, dark, happy good scenes, sunny).
• Slow build up
• death, threat of death or danger

Conventions of opening of the faculty

• eerie music, heading to the coach
• tension building up due to music
• gore
• violence
• dark rooms
• little bit of light shinning in through the window from street lights
• puts you in a false sense of safety
• bad events are taking place in the night, whereas good, happy and positive things take place in the day
• red herring. The boy on the football pitch and the woman who made the audience think she is going to help her
• claustrophobic framing used when the headteacher is running around the building
• empathy or empathise with the character/protagonist
• hand held, shakes the camera, adds realism and adds to the drama and tension

Hybrids

Crime – thriller

Horror – thriller

Sci-fi – thriller

Action – thriller

Supernatural – thriller

Zombie – thriller

Erotica – thriller

Legal – thriller

Medical – thriller

Mystery – thriller

Political – thriller

Psychological – thriller

Revenge – thriller

Religious – thriller

Techno - thriller