My Psycho-Thriller Short

Psycho-Thriller Planning

This is my storyboard; I wrote a script about two people in a relationship where one person suspects that the other is cheating on them. Moreover, the person with the suspicions is an alcoholic, which makes their whole perspective on things unreliable. Below is a frame-by-frame breakdown of the location I was scouting. Props to Enid for helping me out.




The main character is sitting themselves indoors. The shot is framed through a window, creating an interesting light effect. The reflection of the world outside also suggests the inner conflict and confusion that the character is experiencing. 

The birds eye shot, taken from quite high up, is meant to suggest how the character feels paranoid. Because they cannot trust their partner, they themselves feel under surveillance. 

This was taken from outside the filming area for us to determine how to correctly position the camera in order to effectively set the scene. This shot ended up not being used in the final product as we went for a more linear, symmetrical straight angle directly in from of the mirror to convey conformity and control.

A concept shot,taken to show what it would look like with the two characters sitting from this angle. This gave us perspective on making sure nothing vital gets cut off in the shot when we are trying to show the characters' seating position.

A full view of the filming area. It's a small spot under the stairs to our sixth form common room. What's special about this area and why we chose it was because it was truly a hidden gem at school. We would never see anyone spending recreational time here which was perfect for shooting in terms of convenience. But the main reason is that it is such a simple and sophisticated set carrying powerful meaning while looking beautiful.

Training Day: Diner Scene Analysis

In this extract from Antoine Fuqua's 2001 film Training Day, we are introduced to two cops: Alonzo and Jake. Both have very different personalities with Alonzo being the violent, manipulative one and Jake being the good, by-the-book cop. In the start of the scene we see a cook crack two eggs onto the frying pan. This symbolism is used to convey how Jake will literally get his “balls busted” by Alonzo, being humiliated by the more experienced veteran cop. This is further evident with the bacon being cooked as Jake will literally get “roasted’ as he is about to be met with someone completely out of his league, which is clear through dialogue but more on that later. This relates to the old saying, “Out of the frying pan, into the fire.”

When Jake arrives in the diner the camera pans over to the right revealing where Alonzo is seated. Alonzo is seated in one of the diner booths facing the door with no one else around with the camera filming the scene from an over the shoulder shot. The mise-en-scene here was done purposely to display Alonzo’s power, how he has control over his side of the diner. The fact that Alonzo is facing towards the door is almost like the diner is his office, his domain that Jake is entering. The diegetic police siren sounds can be hear in order to reinforce and remind us of Alonzo’s authoritative power despite his unprofessional behavior.

Going further into the scene when the two officers start conversing, we see how different the two men really are. Jake is dressed low key, very normal in order to blend in and not attract attention as a cop. He wears a t-shirt under a collared casual shirt with a hoodie and jacket , suitable to the weather outside. Jake’s choice of clothing tell us he is a humble person, with simple comfortable clothes, not showing off or trying to extend his ego, only following orders given by his superiors. Further evidence for this is when he enters the booth, Jake knocks/taps side of the booth to gain Alonzo’s attention (unfortunately he does not), making his presence aware as a show of respect.

Alonzo on the other hand, is dressed “formal” gangster-like dark clothing with jewelry. He wears black kufi (muslim hat), a pressed, long-sleeved banded-collar shirt buttoned all the way up with a silver chain and watch along with a pair of glasses. He also has a black leather jacket cut more like a suit coat than a motorcycle jacket hung to the side of the diner booth. Interestingly the micro element of Alonzo not wearing his jacket where Jake keeps his on for the entire duration of the clip displays power levels, relating back to how the booth is like Alonzo's office, therefore Jake is completely reserved, protected in this foreign domain, belong to Alonzo with his jacket off. Alonzo’s black on black clothing mentality is part of a mes-en-scene representing his inner dark personality and desire to control himself if not everything around him.

In terms of camerawork, there are multiple cuts, two shots and close-ups constantly reminding who controls the flow of the conversation such as when Alonzo makes fun of Jake’s DUI stop, he bashes his guns together, doing a little laugh while the camera cuts to a two shot, showing that Alonzo is hinting at Jake to tell the “exciting story” as he is seemingly interested due to the use of sarcasm. When Jake started talking, Alonzo immediately tells him to “Shut up”, showing how the corrupt cop is very brief and straightforward to the point.

There are other dialogue and diction choices that add to both men’s personalities. When Jake keeps on talking as a gesture of goodwill in an attempt to initiate small talk, Alonzo’s facial expressions immediately shift from being stoic to a sly grin. He tells Jake to “tell him a story” and instantly after that, he drops his friendly facade, revealing a serious, aggravated man. Alonzo’s strong control of facial expressions show his aptitude for emotional manipulation as he is able to keep up his two-faced act, resulting in Jake having to pay the bill. Alonzo's diction of vulgar words and loud volume of voice contrasts Jake’s formal and soft tone, despite encouragement indicated by Alonzo to “drop the good cop/boy scout act”, when perving about Debbie.

Alonzo then completely flips the conversation on Jake by pretending to give advice. Just as he is about to make a point Alonzo slams his fist to the table telling him to “pay the bill”. Alonzo has successfully displayed control over Jake by steering the flow of the conversation into his favor and immediately shutting Jake down by abusing his authoritative position. The audience is now familiar with Alonzo’s need to control and Jake’s seemingly casual style and are able to make plot inferences leading up to a conflict of morality between the duo based on evidence in this powerful scene alone, highlighting the truly distinct personalities of the two main protagonists. 

"Dexter" - Shape Theory

Shape Theory: 

The Underlying Thematic Significance of Shapes 

Dexter was a series on Showtime about the life of a forensic analyst who is also a prolific serial killer. Dexter is a anti-hero in a sense because although he murders some every episode, he only hurts people who deserve it, and is also a contributing member of his community, a supportive friend, and a loving brother to his sister Debra. The intro to the show highlights the contrast between Dexter's surface normalcy (though a stylized portrayal his morning routine) while also hinting at his inner darkness...

Circles

Circles are shapes with no edges or corners, features that connote a sense of repetition and inevitability. In the clip. circles are present throughout in various incarnations. The first circle seen is a drop of blood from Dexter who cuts himself during shaving. The blood drop represents the inevitability of death, more specifically Dexter's mortality as it is shows he is just an ordinary man like everyone else, creating a false notion of his innocence (as we later find out). The other circle seen are in the sinkhole cover. These round shapes within one another further support the idea of infinite suffering as there will always be pain in life, evident by its placement next to the blood drop, implying that pain and mortality are inescapable. As the clip progresses, Dexter cracks an egg into the frying pan, revealing the circular egg yoke. This imagery plays with the idea of birth, the birth and revealing of Dexter's true self as he is indeed a serial killer. Throughout the various seasons of the series, Dexter's personality changes as his relationship with killing evolves; at some times he is cynical and emotionless, at others he was full of righteous vengeance. Thus, the egg can also symbolize Dexter process of rediscovering himself.

Squares and Rectangles

These are shapes with clearly-defined edges that create a sense of separation between internal and external spaces. There are two clear example of rectangles in the introduction to Dexter. The first comes from when he cuts himself shaving and uses tissue to stop the bleeding. The camera zooms in and we see a rectangle half soaked in blood, with the line of red steadily moving to right, washing out the white part. Because they are so rigid, rectangles and squares often denote stability and honesty. Apart from having to murder people regularly, Dexter is an upstanding member of his community; a caring boyfriend, a conscientious worker, and considered to be an all-around 'good' guy. The rectangle might represent how Dexter blood lust must be contained within the rules he makes for himself. The second obvious rectangle is viewed when Dexter is cutting up strips of ham for frying. Dexter's killing style is extremely methodical and clean; he wraps his victims in cellophane, chops them into pieces which he disposes in the ocean. The neat rectangular slices of meat evoke the ultimate fate of Dexter's targets.

     

"Children of Men" - Opening Analysis

Children of Men:

Opening Analysis

Children of Men, a film by Alfonso Cuaron, depicts a world in the near future in which Humanity has gone sterile for unknown reasons. Since people can no longer have children, social order has collapsed and quality of life has deteriorated. Only England stands, although life there isn't so great either. The opening scene of this movie establishes the grim repressiveness of this dystopian world through an unrelenting realism.   

The clip opens with a quick cut with absolutely no exposition, unlike many conventions science fiction films such as Star Wars This storytelling method creates more of a natural integration into the film's lore/background, as we are able to piece together the story by what is evident in the mise-en-scene. Everyone in the coffee shop are gathered around at the TV watching a new report on the "death of the worlds youngest person". What is odd about this new report is the victim, a 23 year old, is referred to as a baby. The oddness of this situation not explained but ignored, treated as if it were a normality.

The audience is still thrown off as the context is not explained, however as the man  leaves the coffee shop, we are immediately brought to light as it is reveled the story takes place in a futuristic London, with diagetic street sounds, classic London double Decker buses, juxtaposed with tuk-tuks and hints of urban poverty such as piles of garbage on the street.

As we are still adjusting to the new London, Cuaron  successfully throws us off by incorporating an explosion scene. This worked so effectively as the entire intro has been shot in one continuous tracking shot. When the camera follows Clive Owen out on the streets, he heads to a booth where he prepares his coffee. This seamless effect created by the tracking shot and the normality of the situation with all diagetic street sounds and city environment, leaves us feeling comfortable, therefore when the explosion happen out of the blue, we are immediately stunned.

The impact of the false sense of security Cuaron established as the audience in disbelief as the explosion feel too real due to the accurate setting of a realistic scenario through environmental mise-en-scene. What makes this explosion more real and possibly the closest to real life is show when a woman walks out looking dazed and unharmed but as the camera pans towards her, it is revealed she is holding her left arm in shock. Ultimately, the entire opening sequence skillfully crafted by Cuaron puts us into suspense as we want to see what happens next after the title screen. We want to debunk the ambiguity,to what the story is really about and have answers for our many questions revealed, "Why is there a 23 year old baby?", "Why is London a third-world country?", "Is this the future? "What happened and how?"....

Dialogue in Thriller Films

Thriller Film Conventions

Thriller film conventions from Histmedia

Impact of Opening Sequence: "Lord of War" (2005)

Background

"Lord of War" released in 2005 is a Thriller/Drama film centered around the concept of gun running, where an individual travels beyond borders in order to illegally conduct the sale of firearms. This film explores the ethics behind this concept such as: whether the dealer is any better than the buyers, whether there is an extent to which family comes first and is a human life truly worth any sum of money and how much? The narrative follows a protagonist of Ukranian origin who became an immigrant to the United States of America in the 70s, posing as a Jewish family for welfare benefits and safety reasons. He discovers a growth in the gun trade as well as his natural fluency in persuasions and decides to take up Gun Running. With his new found talent, he is able to provide for his family including his self-destructive younger brother and strives to win over the girl of his dreams. This leads our protagonist down a dark path, fueled with temptations and riches resulting in his tragic demise. The story takes place throughout the 1970s from the Cold War to the late 1990s, providing the audience with clear visual representations on the gradual change in world events, correlating the the bitter-sweet ending of the story and it's debate on morality.

Opening Sequence: Life of a Bullet

The opening sequence to "Lord of War" presents a innovative way of opening a film. What makes this particular intro cinematic unique is it's focus on the bullet. The sequence begins with a slightly high angle shot, focusing on the colossal amount of bullet casings littered on the ground and then panning up to a single medium shot of the protagonist (Nicholas Cage) as he delivers an expository monologue. The camera then cuts to an arms factory where bullets are being produced. The camera follows the journey of one particular bullet round all the way through the production line from assembly to packaging. The screen then goes dark as all the bullets are sealed up in a wooden crate. We do not see anything for a few seconds as the bullets are being transported to the ports, however we are still able to hear the various sounds of the environment. The crate is then opened for a brief inspection in which we are still viewing events from the bullet's perspective. 

The crate is closed once more and re-opened after a few seconds longer, revealing the crate ended up in somewhere in Africa. The crate is transported again by truck to unknown whereabouts and emptied on the ground. Our bullet is picked up by a man who loads it into his rifle where the camera is shown from inside the chamber. Three rounds are fire before our bullet is shot from the rifle and is followed until it shockingly is pierced into a young boy's head, cutting to black. Throughout this sequence the song "For what it's worth" by Buffalo Springfield is played over the duration of the cinematic.

What makes this film opening so effective is it's upbeat, cool tone of the sequence contrasting with the darkness of the explored themes. The chosen song "For what it's worth" is quite a relaxing composition which directly undermines the gravity of the process being described. The chorus: "Stop now..everybody look what's going down", has a double meaning of one hand bringing attention to the issue of international gun violence and on the other glorifying the horrors of war. This dark humor prepared the audience as it sets the tone of the film, sort of like a premonition of what they are getting into while also tapping into their conscience as they realize the casual flair of the seemingly lighthearted journey of the bullet has resulted in the death of an innocent. The question is raised: How many people have lost their lives like this, what is the scale of this industry, and why are these actions being allowed to continue?

Panic Room Opening Sequence

Panic Room: 

Opening Credits

Every film inevitably has an opening sequence with conventions, regardless of genre (Yes, even Pornography). Panic Room, a 2002 film by David Fincher starring Jodie Foster is no exception. Despite the conventions of film opening credits, however, each opening scene is unique to the aesthetic style of the particular film and serves to establish the tone of the piece through music choices, visuals, and pacing (the James Bond openings are a prime example). In this analysis of Panic Room's opening credits, I consider the order of names listed and what that might mean.  

1) Production company
2) Lead actors
3) Film title
4) Supporting actors
5) Costume design
6) Music design
7) Editors
8) Production design
9) Producers
10) Director

Boy, when you look at it, that's a helluva lot of people...

The reasoning behind this order is due to the importance of each film member. Ironically, David Fincher, the film's director is placed at the end after David Koepp, the writer. Both of these people critical to the success of the film, yet why they are mentioned at the very end? If you'll indulge me, I believe this is a convention for opening sequences to capture the audience's attention. You see, when one dedicates their focus to something for an extended period, their attention span slowly fades away into oblivion whilst steadily transforming into brainless oxygen-inhaling, mouth-breathing clods... 

My point is that when looking at a sequence like this, you often only remember what came first and what came last, without recollecting the middle. Therefore by putting Jodie Foster's name (Lead Protagonist) first and Fincher's name last, the audience are more likely to remember those elements, with minor player such as screenwriters and supporting actors falling helplessly into the forgotten annals of film history. In other words, it's a nice way of conveying the message; "Sorry, you're not important", to the rest of the team. Let's be honest, actors and directors are the only ones remembered and it's like everyone else is invisible. It's the sad truth of the film industry that the vast majority of people who work in it are tragically underappreciated, as the screenwriter's guild strike of a few years ago makes clear.

Zodiac Characters

Zodiac: Character Analysis

Graysmith (the Outsider) 

Robert Graysmith is the core character in Zodiac. He is a cartoonist with the San Francisco Examiner who is obsessed with puzzles, especially puzzles involving codes. As a result, the Zodiac killers coded messages to the public and the police grab his attention. Graysmith has a clean-cut boy vibe, like the Eagle Scout he used to be. He has a young son, and is divorced from his wife. He is polite, but not very outspoken, very much an outside. In fact, Fincher emphasizes his isolation by usually filming him outside of building and or the edges of groups. Although Graysmith doesn't have legal authority, he pushed the case investigation forward, and never gives up, even when he begins receiving creepy phone calls late at night.
  

Toschi (Lawbringer)

Dave Toschi is portrayed by the film as the central, main lawful figure, the bringer of justice. He leads the investigation of the Zodiac killer case and is determined to catch the murderer and make sure they receive the justice. Toschi has a "By the book" mentality that dictates hiss every action, making sure he process the investigation correctly and not go too far. However, this mentality often hinders his effectiveness as an detective as often dismisses Graysmith's findings and requests to investigate. Ironically, Fincher portrays this character as a main force to be reckoned with but in reality there is only so much he could actually do, restricted by his own morals and jurisdiction possibly being the cause of the case remaining unsolved.

Zodiac General Analysis

What Sub Genre is "Zodiac" 

"Zodiac" by David Fincher is a Crime-Thriller Film based on a true story. The reason it earns this title is due to the dialogue intensive style of the film. There is almost no dramatic action or physical drama until the very last scenes (more on that later). Zodiac centers around two journalists and a detective who attempt to solve a murder mystery and catch a serial killer, therefore based on the narrative plot, it is by definition a crime film. As for the thriller part, there are certain scenes such as the stranger's house scene where a threatening atmosphere is created. A presence of a physical danger by definition "thrills" the audience.

An odd choice for a Thriller?

"Zodiac" is quite an odd choice for a thriller when considering the context and background info of the film. The omnipotent narrative follows two journalists and a detective as they attempt to apprehend the Zodiac killer who terrorized Vallejo, California throughout the 1960-70s. What is odd about this is that (Spoiler Alert) the killer is never caught and none of the main characters were ever placed in any real danger. This prevented the film from creating an effective climax and overall had to convey long boring, monotonous dialogue scenes that take place in broad daylight in a densely populated location. The setting is evidently different from most thriller which occur in isolated areas (e.g. House out in country from "Scream") and pose a true ominous threat. The very fact that Zodiac finishes unconventionally with a cliffhanger also defiles traditional thriller film structures, hence making it an odd choice with so little source material and a loose story to work with.

A Restricted Narrative

Zodiac's plot structure can be read on two distinct levels; the obvious and the implied. Although we witness his kills, the true identity of the killer remains a mystery throughout the film. By limiting our access to the hidden mysteries of the plot, Fincher builds suspense and allows the viewer to construct their own theories about the Zodiac killer's identity. Moreover, there is no distinct narrative voice (as with a voiceover, for example) to establish a framework for interpreting the plot. Furthermore, we can draw inferences about the characters by observing their actions, but our impressions are limited by brief scenes and the extensive time-span of the plot. This is a gamble on the part of the director, but also a core characteristic of the genre. After all, if we are told who the killer is at the beginning of the film, the investigating would hold no suspense for the audience. The absence of a decisive payoff at the end of the film, which not very cathartic from an audience standpoint, is also faithful to the realism of the film and reinforces the sense of a restricted narrative.     

An Unrestricted Narrative

Although Zodiac keeps its cards close, it's sheer variety of characters and settings also provide the viewer with an extensive amount of information about the case as it develops, including the various parties involved in the investigation (police, journalists, amateur investigators like Graysmith) and the accumulation of evidence like bullet casings that allow the viewer to in a sense 'investigate' the case alongside the characters themselves. This is a limited omniscient perspective; we get to see little bits and pieces of a large, complex picture.   

Why We Watch Horror Films

Twisted Allure: 

The Dark Appeal of Horror Cinema

People are drawn to different genres of film for a variety of reasons. Romantic comedies, for example can be understood as a kind of wish-fulfillment about an idealized form of 'true' love. In a similar fashion, violent genres such as 'splatter film' in which gore and senseless violence are glorified, appeal to the darker side of human nature; by portraying our primal fear and urges the audience is able to engage with concepts and emotions that are repressed in everyday life. In this sense. film is not only a source of distraction, but also an emotional and psychological outlet for our inner demons. The horror genre encapsulates this impulse in several key ways.

Horror movies can take many forms. Some focus on the buildup of dramatic tension through atmosphere and allusions towards terrible things to come. The Blair Witch Project is a classic example of this sub-genre; a documentary-form 'found footage' movie with an elaborate marketing campaign designed to build anticipation and dread. The marketing strategy of this particular film (and it's incredibly successful outcome) suggests that people want a sense of realism in their horror films so that they can cannot on an emotional level with the problem of the characters. Interestingly, in the Blair Witch Project the actual violence is kept to a minimum. Instead the audience gratification comes from the anticipation and buildup of tension.

Humans have certain primal fears that have been around for thousands of years. Snakes, spiders, deep dark places such as caves... Coming into contact with these things generates an adrenaline release, causing increased heart rate and feelings of excitement. Done well, horror movies create the illusion of danger, and stimulate a physical response. The Saw franchise subjects characters who do not seem to value their lives and subjects them to their worst fears. The audience' primal fears are triggered, leading them through a process of fear and catharsis.

A more unsettling reason why people are drawn to horror films (and movies in general) is the desire to identify with certain characters, usually the victims but sometimes (especially in cases when the antagonist is charismatic killers like Hannibal Lecter or faceless monsters like Jason Voorhees) it is possible that the audience relates to the antagonist. Humans contain both light and dark elements, and horror movies place put these competing element into sharp contrast.

Despite their ability to arouse and provoke feelings of fear and discomfort in the audience, horror films are a medium of entertainment that function by triggering our primal instincts and giving voice to our implicit repressed thoughts. It is precisely due to their disturbing qualities that people are drawn to the genre- out of morbid curiosity and the thirst for catharsis.  


 

Our Fears And Films That Play On Them

The Phobias Within:

How Horror Films Play on our Fears

Fear is something we all experience in our lives. It is an emotion that is bound to human nature regardless of any circumstance. However, fear also drives us or sometimes even acts as inspiration. Several films have presented different fears in their own ways. The different portrayals of fear are not always conveyed in Horror or Thriller genres alone, but in films of different genres such as "Finding Nemo" (Comedy) where it is least expected. Themes such as fear of oceans and fear of maturity are both relate able to a wide audience demographic. 

However, there are more obscure works such as the film "Sharknado" where a literal tornado of sharks terrorizes cities (Shark + Tornado = Sharknado). Nevertheless, whether these films are deep, convoluted philosophical thrillers or just plain escapism, they all serve to instill fear. Here is a list of Fears/Phobias and films that address them. 

Fear of Things: Occasionally people are frightened by objects, which can either be real (i.e. Spider) or non-existent (Ghosts)

Arachnophobia – The fear of spiders and Arachnids e.g Lord of the Rings

Ophidiophobia – The fear of snakes. Phobics avoid certain cities because they have more snakes. e.g Anaconda, Lake Placid

Galeophobia – The fear of sharks in the ocean or even in swimming pools. e.g Sharknado, Jaws

Phasmophobia – The fear of ghosts. AKA Spectrophobia. e.g Ouiji, Excorsist

Coulrophobia – The fear of clowns. Some people find clowns funny, coulrophobics certainly don’t. e.g It


Somniphobia – The fear of sleep. Being terrified of what might happen right after you fall asleep. e.g. Nightmare on Elm-street

Fear of Environments: This is quite a common fear; people can find themselves in a certain physical environment and feel frightened and unable to function. 

Acrophobia – The fear of heights. e.g Vertigo

Nyctophobia – The fear of darkness. Being afraid of the dark or the night is common for kids. e.g Lights out, Riddick

Thalassophobia – The fear of the ocean. Water, waves and unknown spaces. e.g Finding Nemo, 10000 leagues



Fear of Situations: Sometimes people are frightened by being in a particular situation, such as not having any one around. 

Monophobia – The fear of being alone. Even while eating and/or sleeping. e.g Home Alone

Autophobia – The fear of abandonment and being abandoned by someone. e.g. Babadook

Xenophobia – The fear of the unknown. Fearing anything or anyone that is strange or foreign. e.g. X-men, American History X

Panophobia – The fear of everything or fear that terrible things will happen. e.g Final Destination

Paraskevidekatriaphobia – The fear of Friday the 13th. e.g. Friday the 13th...

Chronophobia – The fear of the future. A persistent fear of what is to come. e.g. Back to the Future