Edited 26/02/17: What do directors seek to establish in the openings of thrillers?

     In the opening of films, directors often aim to establish character, themes, location, tone/mood, plot and genre. I will be analysing how character, tone and themes have been established in some examples of thrillers.

Figure 1

Character

     In 'Se7en', directed by David Fincher, there is emphasis on the establishing of character. Figure 1 displays a range of props which present aspects of the character of Detective Somerset (the protagonist of the film). This is a high-angle close-up which emphasises the importance of the props, both to the character and to the audience as they form their initial impression of him. The police badge signifies that the protagonist is a detective (a conventional character of the genre). The pocket-knife and gun create connotations of danger and foreshadow the themes of violence within the plot. They could also present Somerset as cautious because he is prepared to defend himself, plus having the gun carefully stored in a case may suggest that he is restrained. The ambiguous prop of the floral wallpaper creates juxtaposition with these two weapons, possibly signifying a more sensitive and sentimental side to Somerset. Additionally, the prop of the pen may present him as intellectual. Furthermore, the neat arrangement of the character's belongings present him as organised.

Figure 2

     In Figure 2, Somerset is foregrounded by shallow focus.This emphasises the distance between him and the other characters in the scene, creating a sense of isolation and possibly presenting him as lonely. This intense focus could also present his concentration and dedication to his job. Somerset speaks his first line of dialogue in the film during this scene; in response to being told that the murder was a "crime of passion", he says "Yeah, just look at all the passion on that wall." This sarcastic remark presents him as cynical.

Figure 3

Tone/mood
     The opening of 'The Disappearance of Alice Creed', which was directed by J Blakeson, heavily focuses on establishing tone. The film begins with a constantly moving camera, which seems ominous and creates a sense of threat as well as building tension. The washed-out colour palette and mundane location (an airport car park) in figure 3 creates connotations of bleakness. Additionally, the shallow focus presents the anxiety of the foregrounded character so creates a sense of apprehension and suspicion.

Figure 4

   Shallow focus is used in further shots in 'The Disappearance of Alice Creed' to reinforce this tense tone. The extreme close up in figure 4 creates a sense of intensity, plus the prop of the power tool is mildly threatening which is reinforced by its harsh diegetic sound.

Figure 5

     Tone is also established in the opening of 'Layer Cake', directed by Matthew Vaughn; the protagonist and his lifestyle are presented as 'cool' and enviable. This is conveyed by the camera's constant movement and smooth transitions (including wipe transitions and match cuts), which convey ease and control. The cold colour palette in figure 5 suggests sophistication and the symmetry of the shot reinforces a sense of calm and order. This is emphasised by the deep depth of field which, opposite to the shallow depth of field in 'The Disappearance of Alice Creed', suggests clarity and that the protagonist is assured. Slow-paced non-diegetic music reinforces the sense of relaxed and 'cool' tone.

Figure 6

Themes
     Conventional themes of film noir are established in the opening of 'Double Indemnity', which was directed by Billy Wilder. In figure 6, the character's fedora hat (part of the classic costume of a male protagonist in film noir) obscures his face, presenting him as an enigma and conveying the theme of suspicion. Additionally, the conventional dark shadows in the shot connote immorality, presenting the theme of corruption. The imbalance in figure 6 (with the protagonist confined to one side of the shot) suggests a feeling of claustrophobia which could present the theme of fate, foreshadowing that the protagonist becomes trapped by his scheme.

Figure 7

     Figure 7 (a shot from 'Essex Boys', directed by Terry Winsor) presents the theme of hopelessness due to its washed-out colour palette which connotes bleakness and misery. The path in this scene has an off-center vanishing point, creating a sense of disorientation which suggests uncertainty and may also signify that the characters feel aimless, presenting the theme of desperation. This extreme long shot presents a barren location, suggesting vulnerability because the character appears isolated within the wide expanse.

How are metaphorical spaces used to create meaning in the opening of Essex Boys?

Figure 1

The tunnel in figure 1 is a metaphorical space, as it could symbolise the protagonist's transition into criminality. Connotations of danger and immorality are created by the dark mise en scene. The contrasting neon lighting is intense and could present the harshness of the character's lives. The vanishing point of the tunnel is off-center, which creates a sense of uncertainty.

Figure 2

The bars of light in figure 2 create a sense of claustrophobia and present that the character may feel trapped in the dreariness of his surroundings. They are also suggestive of prison bars, which could foreshadow his fate as he enters the world of crime. Additionally, the protagonist is in focus and the rule of thirds is used which positions us with the character.

Figure 3

The washed-out colour palette of the bleak setting in figure 3 connotes misery and hopelessness. The vanishing point of the path is off-center, which creates a sense of disorientation and suggests a lack of direction in the desperate lives of the characters. Figure 3 is an extreme long shot, which emphasises the barrenness of the expansive marsh and presents the unnamed character as small in comparison; this reinforces the character's powerless as he appears weak and insignificant, presenting themes of disillusionment and hopelessness.

Edited 31/01/17: How are conventions of film noir used in the opening of Se7en?

Influenced by the opening of Se7en, we will similarly begin with diegetic sound over a black screen to suggest an enigma, plus create a sense of anticipation and tension. We will also choose an urban location for our film because this is conventional for the thriller genre and can symbolise danger. Additionally, the diegetic sound of a metronome in the opening of Se7en effectively creates a sense of suspense and we will use a similar sound in the form of a ticking watch within our film opening.

How does the sewer scene in The Third Man use mise en scene to create meaning?

Figure 1

As displayed in figure 1, the confined space of the sewer location in this scene creates a sense of claustrophobia. This reflects the paranoia of the period following World War II. This dark meaning is emphasised by the harsh chiaroscuro lighting, which is a common convention of film noir, presenting a feeling of enclosing darkness and evil. The intense lighting silhouettes the character (Harry Lime) which presents him as enigmatic. However, the vanishing point is centralised in the shot which creates a sense of finality which could foreshadow his approaching demise.

Figure 2

Figure 2 is an extreme long shot which presents the large size of the sewer. This presents Lime as small and insignificant in comparison, symbolising the disillusionment and existentialism which America was experiencing during the 1940s and 1950s. This also suggests that the character is vulnerable and isolated. Furthermore, there is an off-screen vanishing point which creates an unsettling atmosphere. Additionally, the dark shadows cast across the floor connote danger.

Figure 3

A canted angle is utilised in figure 3, which creates a sense of chaos and disorientation. This was a conventional feature of German Expressionism, a movement which influenced film noir. The lack of balance in the shot reinforces the character's panic because Lime is at the far left of the frame so appears trapped.

Figure 4

Figure 4 is a high angle shot, which conveys the weakness and helplessness of the character. His face is illuminated which highlights his petrified expression and this is emphasised by its position near the centre of the shot. The matrix of diagonal lines from the steps and railings which surround the character appear like a net, reinforcing the sense of claustrophobia and presenting the character as powerless.

Edited 03/11/16: Preliminary Task Write-Up

Brief
   Our task was to film and edit a short film which included a character crossing a room, opening a door, sitting down and exchanging some short dialogue with another character. This was a continuity task in which we also aimed to include some of the skills which we had studied including the use of a variety of shot types and following the 180 degree rule.

Planning
   To plan our shoot, we firstly chose a script. We selected a section of dialogue from the film 'Mean Girls' which we thought would be suitable because it is set in a school (which is where we would be filming). Then we decided on the exact location which we would film in and visited it to check its layout. We used this knowledge to produce a floorplan and map out the movement of the characters. Following this, we were able to mark on the plan where we would position our camera to shoot from a variety of positions and angles to make the film interesting whilst still following the 180 degree rule to avoid the action becoming confusing. To ensure that we followed the 180 degree rule we marked the lines of action on to the plan so that we could see where we could place our camera directly on the line and on one side of the line (we chose the left of the protagonist). Next in our planning process we created a storyboard, sketching out some of the key shots to help us consider shot types and angles. This helped us when we filmed later because we already had a precise idea of what we wanted the film to look like so could clearly direct the actors.

Techniques
     One of the techniques which we used whilst filming was a variety of shots. For example our first shot was an extreme long shot which established the scene, giving the audience a clear presentation of the setting. This shot was also a high angle shot to emphasise the large size of the room. This angle also suited the script because the protagonist is supposed to be a lost student, so making the character look small could present their feelings of vulnerability. Another shot type which we used later in the film was a close-up which emphasised a key prop. This was shot from an overhead angle which we had seen used successfully in a clip from the film 'Coffee and Cigarettes' to present the contents of the table as well as emphasise the distance between the characters.

Coffee and Cigarettes

Another skill which we tried to use was continuity editing to make the action of our film fluid. Following the 180 degree rule was another technique which we used to make the direction of the action clear for the viewer. Our planning enabled us to do this successfully because we had a clear understanding of where our lines of action were so could carefully remain on one side of them. A technique which we used when editing our film was a short dip to black in the transition between rooms which we filmed in, attempting to make the transition seem more smooth. This was necessary because we had made an error when filming so did not have a shot between the protagonist opening the door then entering the room and the shot of them sitting in the chair. I will learn from this mistake in my next project by ensuring that we have all required footage to ensure continuity. Furthermore, we edited some of the audio in our film to make it more continuous; we used one audio clip of the background noise from the setting for the first few shots to avoid any sudden cuts.

Main learning points
     A practical aspect which I learned from this task was the necessity of using a tripod for stable still shots; some shots had to be carefully cut in editing to remove the most shaky parts when we did not use a tripod. In my next project I will definitely learn from this mistake and use a tripod for all shots unless a handheld camera will add a desired effect (such as creating a sense of chaos or disorientation). Further skills which I learnt from this task and will be able to apply in our next project were editing skills; I can now confidently use software to change the in-points/out-points of both video and audio, plus include transitions and adjust colour (which would be helpful in following the conventions of a film-noir thriller by making the mise-en-scene darker). The experience of planning for this task was also helpful as I now understand the value of creating a floorplan and storyboard because this made the filming process a lot more organised. Our study of how other film-makers film a conversation before we completed this task was also very helpful and in our next project I will try to incorporate more of their techniques. For example, I will try to use angles to present power imbalances like in 'Breaking Bad'. Another technique which we saw used in 'Breaking Bad' was over-the-shoulder shots and I would like to include more of these in my next film to position the audience with the protagonist. Furthermore, I will use shot reverse shot like in 'House of Cards' to emphasise opposition between characters as well as clearly present each character's reactions to dialogue to present emotion.

Strengths of our production include some shot variety, good use of the 180 degree rule and balanced sound editing. On the other hand, a weakness is that the camera is shaky at one point; a tripod would need to be used to improve this. Another weakness is that shot reverse shot, an important shot type which is commonly used when filming conversations, was not included.

Edited 31/10/16: How does the director of Peaky Blinders use camera angles and mise en scene to establish expectation and character?

This close up shot obscures the faces of the characters, which connotes mystery and creates a sense of anticipation. The characters are all wearing similar costumes which creates a sense of uniformity to establish them as a group. The dark colours of their costumes construct sinister connotations, suggesting that the gang is threatening. This dark atmosphere is reinforced by the grey background which creates a sense of gloominess. Furthermore, the ripples in the puddle which the group walks through signify disturbance which could symbolise that they cause trouble and are approaching conflict.

This mid shot presents the group walking directly towards the camera, suggesting that they are confident and confrontational. A low angle is used to reinforce this, constructing connotations of power. The character in the middle of the group is presented as the leader because his centralisation suggests dominance. Further elements of their costumes are also revealed, for example it is presented that they are all wearing hats which adds to the sense of uniformity.

In this mid shot, there is a shallow focus which presents the characters as important and powerful. It also creates a sense of intensity. The characters’ determined expressions are exposed more clearly in this shot which suggests that they are persistent and purposeful. The harsh yellow light in the background creates hellish connotations, signifying that they may be approaching danger which establishes expectation by creating tension.

The director has followed the 180-degree rule in this scene of the characters walking. This clearly establishes the direction of the characters’ movement which makes the scene easier for the audience to understand as well as ensures that their movement seems determined. Another technique which has made this scene successful is the use of a variety of shot types (close ups and mid shots from different angles) because this makes the scene more interesting and displays more aspects of the mise en scene.

Shallow focus is used in these shots to emphasise the importance of the characters. It presents them as powerful and dominant, plus could also suggest confidence. The shallow focus may also connote pride and vanity. It could also connote recklessness because the background is out of focus, possibly suggesting that they do not heed the danger of their environment.

Edited 31/10/16: How directors use cinematography, mise en scene, sound and editing to establish character

Furthermore, the shallow focus used in this scene emphasises Jesus' vanity and pride. It could also present him as having a myopic view of the world, selfishly focused on himself and his own interests suggesting that he is an ignorant character.

Introduction

Hi, this is the first post of my Media blog.