What do directors seek to establish with the openings of thrillers?

THRILLER OPENINGS

"Essex Boys"

Essex Boys

Mood Board 2

If thrillers were a tube map

How does "L.A Noire" use features of film noir?

Characters within the play station game "L.A Noire" are all very similar to characters played in most film noir movies. The game consists of gangstas, police officers, detectives, woman that are often abused/murdered, reporters etc...





The game is all about investigation. It explores themes of deceit, lust and murder all themes that are present in most film noir movies. The theme of deceit is shown in the game as at the beginning a voice over says "who do you trust?" The voice over of the game is very film noir sounding and acts as narration throughout using police radios etc to tell the story. All the characters in "L.A Noire" have American accents, this is in-keeping with film noir and its traditions as most film noir movies are typically American and often accents/personalities/characters are stereotypical and over-exaggerated.

Throughout the game spooky music/sound effects are used, this adds to the enigmatic feel and also re-enforces the idea of a tense investigation. Music/sound is used in a lot of film noir movies to add to the drama or to create a certain mood or environment. Sometimes upbeat old fashion music is used to set the time period and to work against the context of scenes. Often in a frightening or tense scene -of both the game and film noir movies- a lively song will play to make the audience more on edge and make it seem more creepy. Language within the game lets us know of the time period the game is set in "negro". This shows that the game is set a few years back as the wording used is old fashioned, however very much film noir language.

Film noir has a distinct style, with shadow-filled low-key lighting. This lighting is used intensely throughout the game adding to the enigmatic feel of the game and making people/buildings/objects stand out and seem more dramatic.

"L.A Noire" use a lot of lamp posts. Lamp post are also a key statement in many film noir films. They use artificial but ambient lighting to create a dark atmosphere.

The costumes in "L.A Noire" are also very much like film noir. Suits are used to show the wealth of characters and hats used to show authority, power and to define a characters profession (for example a policeman's hat).

In most film noir movies woman play the roll of prostitutes, love interests etc. often they are abused, used and sometimes killed. "L.A Noire" is no different. This shot uses intense ambient lighting to show a shadow of -what looks to be an investigator/detective- standing over the body. The shot is tilted, obscuring the angle and adding to the dramatic effect. Cameras are often tilted in film noir because it makes scenes/shots more interesting.
At the beginning of this clip we see a murder from the "L.A Noire" game. The murders in this game are constructed with a lot of the main conventions in film noir.
The scene is in black and white like all film noir movies and uses ambient lighting to create an enigmatic feel. The scene uses the lighting from the headlights of the car to create intense dark shadows of the woman being dragged out of the car, this makes it much more dramatic and makes the lighting seem more realistic.

Casino Royale analysis

The black and white opening scene in "Casino Royale" is very different to the rest of the film. It uses many conventions of film noir to represent an enigmatic theme.

The first shot we see is a low angle shot looking up at the tall dark building exaggerating it's size. The shot is also wide. This is key to include at the beginning of most films because it sets the scene nicely. It also makes the building seem quick far away and as if it is alone making it seem like quite a scary or threatening location. Just like in most film noir movies, this shot includes a lamp post. This -along with other typical pieces- is what makes up most film noir shots that are taken outside. It shows that it is dark and though this shot uses very intense lighting to put shadows across the building, the lamp post is there to make the scene seem less artificial and as if it is ambient light. The use of dark intense lighting to create shadows in the windows and up the building walls is very typical film noir, along with the spooky gust of smoke/steam.

The character is the first character we see. The shot is taken from a worm's eye view forcing consumers to look up at the character making him seem more domineering and powerful. The light is shinning on one side of his face, this creates moral ambiguity and makes the audience question whether he is trustworthy or not. He has a very stern, serious look on his face as he looks out into the distance which creates a sense of foreboding and instantly puts us on edge. His hat and suit suggests his high status and that maybe he is a business man. This type of character is very common in film noir. We often see this type of wealthy looking man dressed in a suit and jacket and often all men in film noir wear some form of hat to show authority/profession (for example, police men).

 The use of shadows in this image shows that very intense lighting is used in this shot. Often film noir created extreme/exaggerated shadows. The light is meant to look ambient as it appears to be coming through a window, however the lighting is extremely artificial -this is a common factor of film noir.
The long shot used here makes the audience feel very distant from the character and as if we are bystanders watching him or spying on him. It completely detaches us from the character as we do not yet have any idea what he is doing or why. It also makes him seem very vulnerable and puts us on edge to watch him alone. The camera is positioned in a very obscured way, this is a typical convention of film noir, it adds to the enigmatic feel and re-enforces the feeling of spying on the character. Still there is light shinning on half of the characters face as the rest of him is camouflaged  into the dark room, this created moral ambiguity. However, the way in which he is sneakily shutting the door behind him suggests that he does not want to be followed/seen/caught and suggests that he should not be in that building. This makes the character  seem dangerous.

This over the shoulder shot now shows the first character without a hat. This suggests that he is not panicked and isn't in a rush. It makes us think that he might not of been sneaking into the building as he seems to be quite comfortable. There is intense lighting used to create shadows around the room and to make Bond seem as if the light from outside is shinning on his face, this suggests that he is a good character however half of his face fades into the shadows along with the rest of him making his character seem morally ambiguous. With Bond sitting down it makes him seem as though he has a lower status and suggests that the character standing up, looking down on him, holds power over him. However, the way in which Bond is sitting, slouched in the chair, feet spaced out, hands in pockets makes him seem as though he is very calm and comfortable and though the angle suggests authority in the man standing up, James Bond's body language just seem so care free and patronising.

This is first time we see a close up of James Bond's face. Again the light is shinning on half of his face with the other half fading into the shadows- making him seem morally ambiguous. The camera is at an obscured angle as if we are spying on him, it is also slightly titled to have us looking up at him suggesting his authority/power.
His face seems very angry and directed at the charcter standing opposite him, this creates an uneasy feel and makes it seem very tense.

This shot in comparison with the previous shots at the beginning of the scene is very different. There is a lot more intense light artificially used in the scene making it very bright and contrasting with the context of the scene. It's quite ironic that a violent scene is being shot in such a pure and light environment. The camera is at a high angle looking down on Bond looking over someone else, it makes him seem powerful but also makes him seem as if he isn't a nice character as he is standing over a body. This is very much typical of film noir as most 'heroic' characters in film noir have a very mean side to them which makes it hard to differentiate good with evil. Morality is often questioned in film noir.

Film Noir Collage

Presentation 1

Film Noir

Main conventions of film noir include:
-Camera work
-Characters
-Themes/Mood
-Lighting.Sound
-Mise En Scene

Typical film noir camera work tends to include close ups/extreme close ups to show characters emotions, but also to encourage emotional response from the viewers.

For example, this close up shows the woman looking very scared, you can see it in her eyes, she almost looks as if she is in pain or pleading with the man. It shows his fingers on her face, forcing her to looking up at him. We can see that he looks quite angry in this shot and because he is looking directly in her eyes, we assume he is angry at her. The woman in this looks extremely helpless which encourages us to immediately worry about her and feel sorry for her.

Film noir often uses extreme angles to add interest to the film.

Birds eye view is used in film noir to composes space between the viewer and the character as if we are keeping our distance and should be suspicious of him. It has us looking down on him re-enforcing the idea that he is a bad character.
The camera angle is very obscured making it seem as though we are spying on the character from up above.
It is also an extreme long shot making him seem very vulnerable and we can see that he is alone which adds to the enigmatic feel.



Characters often seen in film noir:
-Hero
-Detectives
-Love interest/ damsel/ Femme Fetale/ Pretty woman
-Gangstas
-Suspects
-Business men
-Cops
-Shady people

All these characters make up a typical 'Film Noir' film because it caters to the genre. Film noir is very much 'Hollywood' so produces films based around gangstas, gothic romance and largely, social class. This is why there is such a stereotypical character choice showing the segregation within the 1940's.
Other themes of film noir include crime, enigma, betrayal and suspicious. Most film noir films have been based around discovery and deceit and often include some sort of plot twist.

Male heroes in film noir are typically strong, hansom, charismatic, wealthy and 'handy'. Often though 'heroes' of film noir are not really heroes and have little morality. Instead they are cynical, wise-cracking thugs who seem to only care about sex and money.
Film noir are famous for blurring the lines between good and bad.
Though the saying 'good always beats evil' fits perfectly with almost every film noir story that has a protagonist and antagonist, it can be extremely difficult to tell good and evil apart.
Most male heroes have a care-free personae about them, they are all very 'James Bond' like, in the sense they love themselves and so does everyone else. They appear in film noir largely to complete a group of characters and a story line and then really just say the odd one-liner, smoke a cigarette in the most sexual way ever, save the girl, get the girl, kill the bad guy and make the female audience swoon.

These three images have a few things in common: they are each smoking, their expression, and their costume (suits to show wealth). These characters each demonstrate the conventional characteristics of a typical film noir hero. Image one, shows the hero with the girl. The girl is looking up at him adoringly whilst he has his back to her almost shrugging her off as if he isn't interested, this portrays his confidence and suggests he is very self assured. The second image shows the hero stealing money from a safe. His facial expression suggests he is very relaxed, he does not look panicked or rushed, adding to the idea of male heroes being care-free. The first two images re-force the idea of them only caring about sex and money.
The last image demonstrates a typical personality trait of heroes in film noir- arrogance. This man looks as if he is very sarcastically clapping his hands at something making him look charismatic and 'cool'.

The term 'Film Noir' is french for 'Black Film' so of course films made in this genre are low-key black and white. The films have very high intense darkness used to create bold shadows. -Though the lighting itself uses very low intensity to create a natural feel of darkness- In film noir there is usually more shadow than light. The diffusion of the lighting varies depending on whether the camera is focusing on a particular character or object (a spot light is often used in this sense) or whether the director wants to capture a widely diffused set (often a flood light will be used).

 This spotlight in 'The Third Man' is extremely effective. It's obvious that this is an image that we should be paying attention to, maybe he is the protagonist? The image sticks in your mind.  His illuminated face suggests that he is a good character as the light is shinning upon his, this does however contrast nicely with his dark surrounding,  his dark shadow and his dark clothing. This is an example of using intense/extreme lighting to put emphasis on a character.



Flood lights are used in this to show the surroundings of this man. An extreme back light is used lighting up the building which suggests that it is a significant building. It also gives viewers a greater perspective of where the man is, and allows us to clearly see the open archway (which is highlighted with intense dark lighting) and question as to why he is there. The use of long shot makes the character seem vulnerable and isolated, but also makes him look mischievous and enigmatic.

Mise en scene adds to the style of the film noir genre. It often includes typical props such as cigarettes and guns, as cigarettes were seen as very glamorous around the 1940's and a gun is a sign of wealth and power.
Costumes that are well known in this genre include suits, trench coats, hats and the women were largely seen wearing glamorous dresses. Costume like this differentiates between gender, wealth and class and each represents something different. A women wearing a glamorous dress for example obviously signifies that she (or her husband) has money. A trench coat and a hat was often worn by detectives or cops, a hat being a symbol of authority and power whilst a long dark trench coat adds mystery to the character. Gangstas in film noir are often seen wearing a suit of some kind to suggest their high status, power and wealth. The different costumes for these characters add to the meaning of film noir because they investigate different personalities and add to how stereotypical it is.
Color and lighting, sets and location and body language are also all aspects of mise en scene in film noir.
Sets and location of the genre tend to be staircases, bridges, lamp posts, street corners etc. These are all very dark enigmatic locations representing the crime/spy like themes and moods of the film. They are all commonly used so are each recognised as sets of film noir, so often one can connotate a dark street corner with being a fearful location and this can automatically trigger an emotion with viewers or create climax.

The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises

Anna Kerenina

Anna Kerenina (1)

Camera angles and shot types

Presentation of Shot Types

Preliminary task

"How to shoot a conversation"

There are various shots and techniques used when shooting a conversation all of which are there to help the scene flow smoothly or evoke an emotion, reaction or feeling from the consumers.
There is no a doubt several conversations in every single film that has ever been produced. Because of the fact conversation within a film is inevitable it can mean for repetitive, boring scenes.
Directors continue to capture the interest of consumers when filming these -some what boring- scenes by adding interesting and varied shots and angles. They ensure they capture certain clips that prompt consumers to have an opinion and evoke particular emotions.

 Common shots used when shooting a conversation:
 -2 mid shots (often over the shoulder and from several distances)
 -A wide shot that tends to show all characters (this is usually the master shot throughout the scene)
 -Close ups/Birds eye (commonly used for pick ups)

When shooting a conversation in a lower budget film often only one camera is used. Four takes would need to be shot:
1) Master shot
2) Character 1 MS
3) Character 2 MS
4) Pick ups

This would take quite a while edit. Whereas a film with a bigger budget tends to only use two cameras when shooting a conversation:
1) Master shot + Pick ups
2) Character 1 MS/ Character 2 MS

The less camera's required on set, usually, the better the scene for this would increase editing time and continuity ultimately resulting in a more fluent scene.


 
In most films, when shooting a conversation there will be close ups and cutaway shots of significant objects or expressions. For example, in this clip of The Hunger Games there was a cutaway showing a high angle shot of 'Prim' passing the protagonist a pendent. This makes the consumer remember the pendent and assume that this object has some significance and makes us question why? It also makes the conversation scene more visually interesting.
Close ups are also very useful when trying to add emotion to the conversation. Whether the emotion is sadness, anger or fear a close up of a characters , can be so powerful in getting that emotion across without using any dialog.

Shot/reverse shot is a film technique used constantly when filming a conversation...

wherein one character is shown looking (often off-screen) at another character, and then the other character is shown looking "back" at the first character. Since the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer unconsciously assumes that they are looking at each other.

The shots used when filming a basic shot/reverse shot are establishing shots of the two characters, either a wide shot or mid shot. This differentiates the two characters and if needs be can clearly show the antagonist and the protagonist.
The other shot, an over the shoulder shot of each character. This way the consumer can see that the two characters are talking to one another.





This clip is a clear example of shot/reverse shot.

One of the most basic continuity rules is the 180 degree rule. Though, just because there are 'rule' when film making it does not necessitate that one should follow them. In fact a lot of directors tend not to (e.g Tarantino). However, there is a huge difference in consciously breaking the rule for a purpose and breaking the rule because you are an inexperienced film maker. If not done correctly, breaking the 180 degree rule can make for an amateur-like, confusing scene or film.
So, unless you are a very well established and creative director, it is a rule advised to follow at all times. When shooting a conversation it is important to set the scene and establish your characters in order for viewers to follow the conversation. Use of the 180 degree rule makes the scene seem more realistic and ensures that audiences do not get confused of the characters positioning in the scene. The is especially essential if the conversation is serious and needs to be carefully listened to and followed.




Sound and lighting can make a massive impact on a scene. Light connotations often evoke thoughts and feelings, and can determine the mood of the scene. Lighting can also put emphasis on certain characters/objects within the scene for example...

In this scene of Casino Royale Bond is wearing all black and is sitting with the lights turned off, the lighting coming in from the window is shinning on James' face. We cannot see the rest of his body, just his face. This use of lighting makes the whole scene feel enigmatic, and keeps viewers on edge, because we cannot clearly see what his hands or the rest of his body is doing so what will happen next is unknown.
Sometimes sound is played over the top of a conversation. Often to add to the sadness or drama of the scene and determine the pace of the scene. This can be very effective in a slow, sad scene because it can really consume the viewer and encourage emotion or feeling. Alternatively sound in a more fast paced, scary scene can also be very useful in building up to a climax (just think, without that all important sound clip every time something bad was about to happen in Jaws, no one would know what was going on!)
However, sometimes certain music can be distracting and can take away from the seriousness of a conversation or a scene sometimes resulting in an anti-climax.

Tarantino

Tarantino is my favourite director, one of the most recognisable directors of our generation and no doubt the most influential. "Tarantino has a unique style of directing which favors an unconventional approach." "He often uses flashbacks and/or a chapter format to develop a plot." "His work distinctly couples graphic violence with extensive, narrative-like dialogue. His films require audiences to listen attentively to exchanges while giving them the luxury to simply sit back and absorb dazzling audio and visual theatrics." Perfectly summed up by Wash Burn Review. This Kill Bill tracking scene is just spectacular. Tarantino is a genius. I have not seen the film before but in this one shot he manages to incorporate several different characters and I am able to almost give each one an identity. It is clear what type of character they play, their role within the film and he also cleverly portrays their personality. At the beginning when the camera is at birds eye view looking down on the female character, (who is clearly the protagonist)I felt as though I was following her lead, quietly sneaking along beside her. The positioning of the camera was as if it had been tucked away and was spying, making me as an audience feel as though -just like the female in the film seemed to not want to be seen by someone in particular- I too was keeping a low profile. The way in which Tarantino engrosses his audience like that and really makes us feel involved is amazing. The secretive camera angles also added to the tense atmosphere of the tracking shot.

"How To Shoot People Walking" continued

I came across this brief clip from an amateur movie uploaded onto Youtube. Though it is just a tracking shot of three ordinary girls (and likely to have been uploaded for fun) for me it is almost like a simple guide for 'How To Shoot People Walking'. They've included foot shots, long shots and boom shots going from bottom to top. Their editing involves slow motion (adding drama and creating impact) and they have also added a punchy soundtrack that in addition to their slow motion -model like- walking is very effective and shows attitude.

"How To Shoot People Walking"

I chose this walking scene from Night At The Roxbury because it isn't dissimilar to the scene we looked at of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. The scene includes close ups of the two characters feet. Extreme close ups add drama and punch and allows you to focus on only certain body parts. A close up of the men walking shows their feet in perfect synchronization. This adds to the impact of the walk and is also quite comical, so already suggests the characters' personalities as funny, care free and maybe encourages the audience to laugh at them. Alternatively the precision in their walk could suggest seriousness. Though the music and rhythm to which they walk confirms to the objective to be comical. The camera then goes to a mid shot showing the two characters together. This allows us to see their faces side by side, meaning we can differentiate the two and get a better understanding of their characters through their facial expressions and movement. It then closes in on one of the two men, and we see a mid shot of him alone. This suggests that he is the protagonist as the focus is on him. The camera angle changes to a tilt shot (tilt shots are usually more dramatic than straight-angle shots) with the camera being positioned below the character, shooting upward at them. The effect is to make the subject look dominating and powerful, again establishing a character personality. This walking scene does not follow the 180 degree rule. The different shot types (long shots, tilt shots) are used to show the edginess of the characters. It also shows to edginess of John Badham, the director because it suggests he is a little more adventuress and doesn't follow the rules. In this case, not following the 180 degree rule worked well because it fit in nicely with the characters, introducing them as a little out there, and made the scene more fun to watch. Then the extreme long shot allows us to get a better of their surroundings/environment. A tracking shot is a great way to capture someone walking in action, as well as mid shots. It creates an idea of the character personalities, for example, the way in which they walk. The men in this are very much strutting adding to the comedy and showing attitude.

Introduction

Hi I'm Korrin Reid and this is my media blog.