Research for my thriller 'The Lodger'

Inspiration:

We have used the film Psycho to inspire us, this is because we thought that the film was extremely successful, used brilliant thriller conventions and that it was fantastically directed by Alfred Hitchcock. We have used the same idea of a woman being stabbed in the shower, however we have made the plot our own by changing the storyline- in that Abigail's boyfriend turns up and the murderer lodges at the womans house- hense the film title 'The Lodger'. We intend on using a lot of close-ups, as we feel it is crucial that the audience focus on the characters emotion. However, we're using a variety of shots such as: tracking, mid-shot and over the shoulder. We also are going to use a low angle, to show Scott's superior and intimidating.

The motive for Scott murdering Abigail is completely different to the motive of Marion being killed. Abigail is murdered because the Lodger has an obsession with her, he is obsessed with her and is furiated by the fact she has a boyfriend. However, Marion Crane is murdered because she stays at a hotel where the owner had schizophrenia and serious mental problems. So with Marion it's not a personal reason for her murder, whereas with Abigail it is. Although Psycho was my inspiration for my thriller, I think it's good to have differences to make our thriller original and unique, but still have fantastic aspects of the great success Psycho.

Location:

Libbys house and Libby's summer house

Costume:

Abigail- Balck pencil skirt, black heels, red nailvarnish and red lipstick.
Scott- Black coat, black trousers and boots.

Props:

A knife, chopping board, meat, wine glasses and two bottles of wine.

Questionnaire Analysis

Questionnaire Analysis:

My questionnaire shows that mostly female answered it, in comparison to males. The majority of the participants did not have children, however 2 did. The most popular answer for ‘How often do you go to the cinema?’ was ‘occasionally’. This suggests that the participants aren’t ‘film mad’ but do enjoy going to the cinema. My results also show that participants mostly consume films by DVD. Most participants find out about films through trailers, however a couple hear about films on the radio. The most common channel that participants watch films on is Film4 and Sky movies; however 3 participants ITV is their preferred channel to watch films.


Questionnaire:
(Circle your answer)


* What is your gender? Male/Female

* Do you have any children? Yes/ No


* How often do you go to the cinema? A lot/ Occasionally/ Not very often/ Never

* How do you, most often, watch films?

* Cinema/DVD/Computer/TV/iPod/Other (if so please state)

* Which cinema do you visit most often?

* Odeon/Vue/Hollywood/Cinema City/Playhouse/Other (if so please state)

* How do you find out about films? Trailers/Newspapers/At the cinema/Peers/The Radio/Internet/Merchandise/Other (if so please state)

* If you ever watch films on TV, which channel is it you usually use for this? Home Box Office/ITV/Film4/Sky Movies/Channel 5/Channel 1/Channel 4/Channel 2/Other (if so please state)

Initial ideas for opening to my thriller

Shots:
Panning shot of the shed, as the credits role. Close-up tracking shot of Abigail. Close-up of Abigail's hands undoing the shed bolt. Extreme close- up of Abigail's face, in the shed. Close-up of Abigail's hands scurrying around the shed, looking for something. Close-up, canted shot of Abigail opening a briefcase. Mid shot of Abigail leaving the shed. Mid shot of Scott in the shed doorway. Camera pans down and music stops.

Location:
Libby's shed.

Casting characters:
Pheobe- man in the doorway (Scott).
Laura- femme fatal (Abigail).
Libby- mainly filming.

Costumes:
man- big black coat.
femme fatal- black coat, black coat, red nails, red heels, red lipstick.

Props:
briefcase, bin bag, bits and bobs in the shed.

Responsibilities:
Libby- mostly filming.
Pheobe- some filming, some acting.
Laura- some filming, mostly acting.

Type of thriller:
Gangster/noir thriller.

Thriller film audience research

What I want to find out:

1. The audience's expectations of how entertaining an independent/mainstream film will be.
2. Whether the audience prefer psychological thrillers.
3. Whether the audience prefer glamorous or dull settings.
4. What kind of femme fatale the audience likes.


How I am going to find out:

1. Questionnaires.
2. Surveys.
3. Interviews.
4. Analysis of films.

What I expect to find out:

1. That audiences expect the film to not be as entertaining as a Hollywood film.
2. The audiences will expect it to be produced in a very cheap way.
3. The audience will expect the locations/settings to be dull and unglamorous.

Over a weekend how many seperate screenings are there in cinemas?
89

How many films in total are being exhibited?
12

How many films are being screened several times at the same cinema?
12. However, the films that have most recently been released have more showing than those that have been showing for a while.

Of these, how many are being screened at different cinemas at the same time?
9.

What conclusions can you draw about film distribution in the UK?
Blockbuster, big, films are screened for longer and more frequently. Whereas, small budget films aren't shown very often, if atall.

Perfume Advert

Analysis of my perfume advert ‘Freedom’


For my advert I used a British signifier: the beach. The beach is a typical holiday in Britain for a lot of families. The beach is a place of relaxation and happiness and I wanted this to come through in my perfume I’m advertising.

The three ideologies for my advert are: If you buy this product you will be free. If you buy this product you will be natural. If you buy this product you will be blissful. These ideologies are all positive, which is the feel we're trying to give off with this advert.

The unique selling point for my product is the woman presented in the advert. She represents joy. The joy is shown through her facial expressions. She also represents being natural. Many women prefer to see natural, normal looking women in an advert rather than someone who is not your ‘typical woman’. She represents naturalness through her neutral coloured clothes and the fact that her hair and make-up have been left so that they're natural looking. Women can relate to someone that is natural and 'normal' looking and this makes the advert appeal to them more.

The woman in the advert is holding a white sheet, that's blowing in the wind. This makes the woman look like an angel. This angel figure connotes happiness and innocence, which can both be very appealing to the female audience.

The target audience for my perfume is age 16-30. However, other aged people may want to purchase this perfume. I think this advert will appeal to my target age group, as it looks modern but sophisticated at the same time. I haven’t picked a major wide age range as I think it's better to pick a smaller age range and focus on what will appeal to them.

The connotations for Freedom are: bliss, relaxation, confidence, freshness, elegance, natural, tranquillity and radiance. The denotations for Freedom are: freedom and brightness.

The demographic for Freedom is individuals. This is because this perfume is for people who are looking for something different and individual. They should feel confident enough in them to wear this perfume and find their 'inner self'. Our perfume will meet the demands of this demographic, as it is a unique smell and therefore individual.

This perfume advert can be applied to Maslow’s hierarchy, as it comes under the title of ‘Esteem’. This advert represents confidence and self-esteem. The woman I have used in this advert is confident and happy to be ‘freeing herself’.
It also comes under the title of ‘Safety’, this is because the woman in the advert represents security of her body. Her body language suggests she is happy within herself and is confident enough to show off her figure.
Lastly, it can be applied to ‘Physiological’. This is because the woman looks as though she's taking a deep breath in, which comes under the 'Physiological' heading in Maslow's hierarchy.
I think it's very important that my advert covers some aspects of Maslow's hierarchy, as the audience will want to be able to relate to my advert.

Freedom is aspirational, as most women want to have the confidence to be natural. The woman I have used in my advert is just an average woman; she has a normal figure and is not wearing an abnormal amount of make-up. Many women will aspire to be confident and natural looking and will admire the fact that the women used in this advert is not air brushed or edited in anyway. The fact that she's so natural makes the audience trust our company- which is important, the more the trust us, the more likely they are to use our company for products again.

Notes on The Third Man (1949)

Director: Carol Reed
Release Date:3 September 1949 (UK)
Genre:Film-Noir Mystery Thriller
Tagline:Carol Reed's Classic Thriller
Plot:Arriving in Vienna, Holly Martins learns that his friend Harry Lime, who has invited him, recently died in a car accident.
Awards:Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations
User Comments: A great deal has been said about "The Third Man" by contributors to this forum. Having seen the restored copy that was shown at the Film Forum, recently, I could not resist watching this masterpiece once more when it was shown by TCM, the other night.

Cast:

Joseph Cotten
Alida Valli
Orson Welles
Trevor Howard
Bernard Lee
Paul Hörbiger
Ernst Deutsch
Siegfried Breuer
Erich Ponto
Wilfrid Hyde-White
Hedwig Bleibtreu

Notes:

To focus on camera angles, conventions of the thriller and lighting.

The film uses a lot of close-ups, this is done to focus on the emotion of the characters.

A Low angle shot is used at the beginning of the film of the femme fatal. This shows she's superior. The rule of thirds is also used, this makes the femme fatal central to the screen and therefore indicates she's significant in this scene.

Noir lighting and wet streets are used throughout the film to add interest and to make the audience aware of the genre of the film.

The mise-en-scene of the boy running down the street makes him look superior and monstrous. This is created by using lighting to create a large shadow of the boy.

Harry Lime's character isn't shown until half way through the film, this builds up the suspense and keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. Harry Lime is a mass murderer- he watered down penicillin and sold it on the black market.

A tilt shot of a doorway and a cat is used, this is used to create a sense of disorientation. The cat represents Harry Lime- playful but unpredictable. In Egypt cats are seen as Gods.

Cats are associated with witchcraft, which connotes that Harry Lime has had in the black market dealings in post war Vienna. Lime is also invovled with the death of young children in the film, due to the fact that he tempered with penicillian.
The establishing shot of Harry Lime makes his face look like a scull . He has a cheeky smile on his face which suggests he's a devious character. The first shot of Harry Lime is just of his feet, this builds up suspense and makes the audience anticipate what he's going to look like.

Harry walks through a tunnel, which is a thriller convention, as it represents claustrophobia. Harry walking through the tunnel metaphorically Harry is a rat trying to escape and scurrying through the streets.

Anna, the femme fatale, is inscrutible and at the end of the film she completely blanks out Holly Martins, this shows the audience that Anna has got away without punishment. However, her future is bleak and audiences are left to speculate about the bleak life that lies ahead (because of her misguided love for Lime).

The final sequences in the film, the shot in the Viennese sewers is an apt place for Lime to hide, because of the location's association with excrement, rats and odious smells. The sewer is used as a metaphor for Lime's corruption and lack of morality.

Notes on Taken (2008)

Director:Pierre Morel



Release Date:26 September 2008 (UK)
Genre:Action Crime Drama Thriller
Plot:A former spy relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter, who has been forced into the slave trade.
Awards:1 win & 1 nomination.
User Comments:Probably the fastest 93 minutes of my life!


Cast:
Liam Neeson
Maggie Grace
Leland Orser
Jon Gries
David Warshofsky
Holly Valance
Katie Cassidy
Xander Berkeley
Olivier Rabourdin
Gérard Watkins
Famke Janssen
Marc Amyot
Arben Bajraktaraj
Radivoje Bukvic
Mathieu Busson


Notes:

Taken opens with a scene of a video of a young girls birthday party. Bright flashing lights are used to indicate that it's a flash back, the video is also very flickery which indicates that it's old. Soft peaceful music is played, this is used to create a calm yet spooky atmosphere- which is a genre signifier.








Kim hides under the bed when on the phone to her dad, hiding from the kidnappers. The bed is used as a genre signifier and represents claustrophobia (a typical thriller convention). It warns the audience that she has no escape and builds up tension. Dramatic music is played, which also adds to the tension of this scene.






This mise-en-scene shows Bryan pointing a gun at someone. A mid shot is used so that the audience can get an idea of what's going on in the scene, but so that they can still focus on Bryan's facial expression. Bryan is wearing a black leather jacket to create a 'noir' look. The black jacket aslo connotes Bryan's seriousness and the fact that he's feeling depressed that his daughter is missing.



This mise-en-scene is a point of view shot, which helps the audience to capture how Kim's feeling. It also adds suspicion to the scene, as the kidnappers feet are all we are able to see.









The shot used in this mise-en-scene is a close up of Bryan's face. This helps the audience to focus on Bryan's emotion and get a real idea of how he's feeling- having to hear his daughter be taken away by kidnappers and has absolutely no control over it. Non-diegectic sound is used in this scene, of Kim screming and crying. This makes the audience feel they're in Bryan's shoes- completely helpless to Kim. Noir lighting is also used to create a dull and depressing atmosphere. At the same time the noir lighting is a genre signifier.




In this mise-en-scene it shows Bryan walking through a corridor in desperation to find his daughter. The corridor is an example of a claustrophobic space, it helps the audience to feel as trapped as Bryan does and shows how he feels hopeless. The mise-en-scene used almost immediately after this is of Bryan shooting a man in the lift, which is another example of a claustrophobic space.






This shot is a point of view shot. It's done in a very clever way, as the reflection of Bryan has been captured by the camera. It makes the audience feel like they're part of the scene and are able to relate to the characters emotions.






In this mise-en-scene an over the shoulder shot is used. This makes the audience feel they're watching the seen over Bryans shoulder and therefore gets them involved in the scene. The fact they feel involved in the scene, helps them to relate to the emotions of the characters and has a bigger impact on the fact that Bryan is in a difficult situation.





The final scene of Kim and her father shows how things have completely changed, and how they're both much happier now. The bright lighting is used to reflect their moods and they're both smiling, which is an optimistic way of ending the film.




Noir lighting is used throughout the film, which is a typical thriller convention. It's used to create a dull and spooky atmosphere and often emphasises a spooky scene.

Notes On Quantum Of Solace

Director: Marc Forster.

Release Date: 31 October 2008 (UK)
Genre: Action Adventure Thriller
Plot: Seeking revenge for the death of his love, secret agent James Bond sets out to stop an environmentalist from taking control of a country's valuable resource.
Awards:Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 4 wins & 20 nominations.
User Comments: You'll struggle to think of a main bond villain that is less interesting than Dominic Greene, and agent Fields is utterly pointless in every aspect other than brief eye-candy.

Cast:

Daniel Craig
Olga Kurylenko
Mathieu Amalric
Judi Dench
Giancarlo Giannini

Gemma Arterton
Jeffrey Wright

David Harbour
Jesper Christense

Anatole Taubman
Rory Kinnear
Tim Pigott-Smith
Joaquín Cosio
Fernando Guillén Cuervo
Jesús Ochoa

Notes:

The film opens with a car chase, this builds up the suspense. The mise-en-scene of Bond in a tunnel connote claustrophobia and makes the audience feel he's trapped. This is used as a genre signifier. Immediately after this is another genre signifier, a man is trapped in the boot which again connotes claustrophobia. Both of these features ensure the audience are aware of the genre.

The next mise-en-scene i have chosen is a close-up shot of Bond looking away from the camera. his facial expression connotes fear and confusion. There's also a reflection of Bond's other side in the mirror, metaphorically it shows Bond has two sides. Noir lighting is used as a genre signifier and so that a dull atmosphere is created.

Like in every thriller film a femme fatal is used. She has striking eyes and a wise look about her, this indicates to the audience that they shouldn't trust this woman.

In the next mise-en-scene, Bond's reflection is shown through a CCTV camera. It's difficult to see the expression on his face as it's blurred, however, this is done on purpose so that the main focus is on the CCTV camera- which is a crucial part to this scene.

In this mise-en-scene bright colours are used to contradict the genre of the film. It also contrasts with the noir lighting at the beginning of the film- this indicates that the mood of the characters is changing too. The change in colours also shows that they're in a foreign country (along with the foreign accents).

This next mise-en-scene represents fear, this is created through the deserted area used. Again, this is a genre signifier. The fact it's deserted also makes the audience think Bond feels intimidated.

This mise-en-scene shows a very different representation of women than the typical one. It shows a much more masculine and intimidating side to women. It shows that women can have power as well as men.

The last shot of Bond he looks very serious- as he is wearing a dark coat with the collor up. A mid shot is used, so the audience can focus on his expression but it's not crucial that they do so. It also indicates that Bond is walking away without being defeated-yet again!

Notes on Casino Royale

Director: Martin Campbell

Release Date:16 November 2006 (UK)
Genre: Action Adventure Thriller

Plot:In his first mission, James Bond must stop Le Chiffre, a banker to the world's terrorist organizations, from winning a high-stakes poker tournament at Casino Royale in Montenegro.

Cast:

Daniel Craig
Eva Green
Mads Mikkelsen
Judi Dench
Jeffrey Wright
Giancarlo Giannini
Caterina Murino
Simon Abkarian
Isaach De Bankolé
Jesper Christensen
Ivana Milicevic
Tobias Menzies
Claudio Santamaria
Sebastien Foucan
Malcolm Sinclair

User Comments: This is among the best bond movies! You have to see it.

Notes:

In the first mise-en-scene of the film noir lighting is used, so that the audience can immediately identify the genre. Another genre signifier used, is the desserted area which builds up tension and suggests something is about to happen. a tall building is used, which makes the car look minute and inferior. A plain font is used, which suggests it's serious and creates a modern look.

The establishing shot of James Bong shows he is a serious and laid back character. This is becasue he's wearing an all black suit (which aslo adds to the noir look) and he is laid back in his chait which indicates he's relaxed and fearless. An over the shoulder shot is used so that the audience see it from an outsiders point of view, which makes it even more tense.

A mise-en-scene of James Bond laying between two lorry's is used about half way through the film. This makes the audience feel he has been defeated and is now inferior, in comparison to how he was represented at the beginning of the film.

A typical thriller convention is used half way through the film, this is a lift. The lift represents a claustrophobic space and is a genre signifier. In the lift is a women with bright res lips. The red lips connote danger and shows that this woman is a femme fatal.

The nest mise-en-scene is of James Bond in his car holding a gun. The gun connotes dang er and makes the audience question what's about to happen and why he's using a gun. James' car is very high tech which suggests he has a lot of money. The car, and everything in it, are black which adds to the noir theme and makes the scene much more serious.

A close-up shot is used of James Bond in this next mise-en-scene. This is to emphasise and really focus on his emotion. Dramatic music is playing in the back ground, which builds up tension and keeps the audience hanging off their seat.

Another thriller convention is used in this mise-en-scene, rain. This connotes dullness and uncomfortableness. This indicates to the audience that this is how James Bond is feeling.

There's a mise-en-scene of Bond's 'girl' who's laying on the floor dead. Rain is running past her which connotes her life and Bond's is now floating away down the road. Classical music is played in the background, so that the audience sympathise for Bond and to emphasise that something sad has happened. The shot used is a point of view shot, this is used so that the audience can see her from Bond's point of view and can therefore find it easier to sympathise for him.

The final mise-en-scene of James Bond shows he has not been defeated and that he's superior to everyone. This is created by using a low angle shot and James is holding a large gun which shows his power and capability.

Notes on: London To Brighton, Red Road and This Is England

Red Road

Released: 27th October 2006 (UK)

Director: Andrea Arnold

Plot: Jackie works as a CCTV operator. Each day she watches over a small part of the world, protecting the people living their lives under her gaze. One day a man appears on her monitor, a man she thought she would never see again, a man she never wanted to see again. Now she has no choice, she is compelled to confront him.

Awards: 21 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast:
Kate Dickie
Tony Curran
Martin Compston
Natalie Press
Paul Higgins
Andrew Armour
Carolyn Calder
John Comerford
Jessica Angus
Martin McCardie
Martin O'Neill
Cora Bisset
Charles Brown
Annie Bain
Frances Kell



User Comments: 'That rare thing. A superb British movie. Set in an unremittingly bleak Glasgow focused on a multi-storey housing estate in the East End of that city, this is NOT the usual kitchen-sink or slice-of-life telly-style drama that nearly always make a disheartening prospect for cinema-going. This is a complex character-driven piece, beautifully shot and edited.'

Music: Morning Glory"Written by Noel Gallagher Performed by Oasis
Love Will Tear Us Apart"Written by Ian Curtis (as Curtis), Peter Hook (as Hook), Stephen Morris (as Morris) and Bernard Sumner (as Sumner)Performed and Produced by Honeyroot

London to Brighton






Director: Paul Andrew Williams
Writer: Paul Andrew Williams
Release Date:1 December 2006 (UK)

Plot: It's 3:07am and two girls burst into a run down London toilet. Joanne is crying her eyes out and her clothing is ripped. Kelly's face is bruised and starting to swell. Duncan Allen lies in his bathroom bleeding to death. Duncan's son, Stuart, has found his father and wants answers. Derek, Kelly's pimp, needs to find Kelly or it will be him who pays. Kelly and Joanne need to get through the next 24 hours alive.

Awards:6 wins & 6 nominations

User Comments: Gritty urban noir hits as hard as a sledgehammer.

Cast:

Lorraine Stanley
Georgia Groome
Johnny Harris
Derek
Nathan Constance
Sam Spruell
Stuart Allen
Alexander Morton
Duncan Allen
David Keeling
Charlie
Jamie Kenna
Tony
Chloe Bale
Karen
Claudie Blakley
Tim Matthew
Louise Appel
Cat Meacher
Nick Ewans
James Beirman

This Is England

Director: Shane Meadows
Writer: Shane Meadows
Release Date: 27 April 2007 (UK)

Plot: A story about a troubled boy growing up in England, set in 1983. He comes across a few skinheads on his way home from school, after a fight. They become his new best friends even like family. Based on experiences of director Shane Meadows.

Awards: Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 7 wins & 14 nominations.

User Comments: Superb Documentary-style film drama.

Cast:

Thomas Turgoose
Stephen Graham
Jo Hartley
Andrew Shim
Vicky McClure
Joseph Gilgun
Rosamund Hanson
Andrew Ellis
Perry Benson
George Newton
Frank Harper
Jack O'Connell
Kriss Dosanjh
Kieran Hardcastle
Chanel Cresswell
Kelly

Notes on Hitman (2007)

Director: Xavier Gens
Release date: 30 November 2007

Plot: A gun-for-hire known only as Agent 47 hired by a group known only as 'The Organization' is ensnared in a political conspiracy, which finds him pursued by both Interpol and the Russian military as he treks across Russia and Eastern Europe.
User Comments: They captured the personality of 47 near perfectly.

Cast:

Timothy Olyphant
Dougray Scott
Olga Kurylenko
Robert Knepper
Ulrich Thomsen
Henry Ian Cusick
Michael Offei
Christian Erickson
Eriq Ebouaney
Joe Sheridan
James Faulkner
Jean-Marc Bellu
Nicky Naude
Abdou Sagna
Ilya Nikitenko

Notes:

Whilst the credits are being shown, classical music is played, this is to create a spooky and emotional mood. Bright lighting is used, to make it feel surreal. In this film the main character doesn't have a name. This indicates he does'nt belong to anyone and has no family, the audience sympathise for this.

The next mise-en-scene shows number 47 with a barcode being tattooed to his head. The blood shows the audience the pain he went through and the red connotes danger. It also makes the audience wonder why they're given barcodes.

Children are used in the opening scenes, this is to recieve sympathy from the audience. In the next mise-en-scene, the children look as though they're being targeted, this indicates they're constantly feeling threatened and watched.

The camera then focusses on the word 'discipline' for a few seconds, which makes the audience aware that these children are part of some sort of disciplined group. It aslo makes the audience question who's disciplining them and why?!

The next mise-en-scene is of a boy pointing a gun. This is used as a shock tactic, as children don't hold guns. White lighting is used, to make the audience feel that someone is looking back on their past.

A close up shot of a surgeon with a needle is used, it's also a point of view shot. This is used to put the audience in this boys shoes, so they understand the fear and pain he went through. The mise-en-scene immediately after this is an extreme close-up of the boys eye. In the eye you can see the reflection of the bright lights. These lights look like bullet holes, which connotes danger and refects on the fact that the boy earlier on was holding a gun and therefore has this on his mind.

close up shot is then used of a gun in a box, which shows this gun is a significant part to the film.

Throughout the film number 47 wears a long black suite. This is used to add to the noir lighting and is a genre signifier. It also tells us that, as a characterm, number 47 is serious, emotionless and dark. Another genre signifier is that number 47 puts a woman in the boot, the boot is often used in thriller films, as it's a claustrophobic place that gives off a sense of feeling trapped.

Also in these two mise-en-scene's above, noir lighting is used. This is a typical thriller conventions and is used to create the dull and spooky atmosphere. Wet roads are also used, to add to the dullness.

A point of view shot is used of number 47. It's very cleverly shot, as they have managed to look at what the table behind are doing, through a spoon. This is used so that we don't get a clear image of what's happening behind number 47, but we see it from his point of view.

The next mise-en-scene is of number 47 walking through a narrow corrider. This connotes him making people feel trapped and indicates that something is about to happen. There's also a close-up shot of Nika, that suggests she's a femme fatal, through her drak eyes and big red lips.

There's then a mise-en-scene of number 47 in the toilet, it shows what's about to happen. Two people are in front of him and slow motion is used to emphasise that number 47 is about to kill these two men.

The last mise-en-scene of number 47 in the film is of him on a tall building with a gun. This indicates he's superior and hasn't been defeated.