NEW BRAINSTORM - Ideas for the content of the title sequence

This the new brainstorm we created so the information we put on the hand written was more clearly visible, so we as group could more easily access the information. 

Captive - Brainstorm

In Friday's lesson we produced a brainstorm on the content for our title sequence of 'Captive'. The sections we brainstormed were:

• Cast
• Sounds
• Distributor
• Production Company
• Style
• Camerawork
• Genre
• Editing 
• Text on screen
• Narrative
• Setting
• Make up and props

The brainstorm itself was based on 'STINCS', these include: Setting,Theme, Iconography, Narrative, Characters and Style. We then as group developed from these starting points based on what we thought should be included in our title sequence which brought us more together into blending our individual ideas into one which I believe has gave us a clearer outlook on how to carry on.

After we finished with the brainstorm, we focused into doing a 'Medical treatment Vs Kidnapping', so objects that were used in both could be shown in the title sequence to not give the ending of the film away but create a uncomfortable feel for the audience. The first we looked at needles/injections that link to the medical area by treating a patient or can be used for self harm/drug taking. Also we looked at the use of handcuffs, as these can be used to arrest people or can be used for chaining someone to a chair etc. In addition we looked at rope,bottles and knives.

Once we decided to investigate medical and kidnapping objects they can be used for the same situation, as a group we wanted to look into how patients with mental health issues such as schizophrenia, used to be treated in the 1960's as this was when the most disturbing treatments were taken place and not much was understood about the illnesses in the asylum's. We researched what treatments and experiments were taken place on patients we found out one experiment was called lobotomy.
  
Lobotomy is a thin hammer entered through the back of each eye socket into the brain then wiggled in a stirring motion, often taking just a few minutes under local anesthesia.It was  on patients with obsessive behavior, which they repeated time and again and it was used to treat certain mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia or clinical depression. 

Thriller Genre Survey

We had the idea as group to create a survey for people to fill out so we could get a target audience for our film from our own primary research. Lucy created this survey on 'surveymonkey' were we created various questions on the genre of Thriller.

I have posted a link on my blogs main page so when other students,teachers,friends and family members access my blog they can click on the link and fill out the anonymous survey.

This is my tool bar where the link to survey is called 'MY SURVEY'

This is also a section of the survey that participants will have to fill out:

Production company logo

In Wednesday's lesson we had to create and design a company logo for our production company, because our chosen genre for our film is Thriller, we decided on the name as a group which is , 'Silent Studios'. We decided on this name because our film is about a girl who is alone and is silent and only communicates through the use of her diary. Furthermore from the research into different Thriller films we noticed that the plot of the film is never revealed which keeps the audience in the dark and makes them more interested in what is to follow.

These are the two logos that we designed one of our group members, Lucy constructed the image as she is more advance than us on photoshop. We decided to create a dark and simple so we could mix the text more in the with image itself. I believe this logo fits in with our film 'Captive' which is in the genre of Thriller, this is because the colour of black is usually associated with death and darkness which is usually included in Thriller films. We decided to use a finger place over the lips because this is associated with silence and mystery which links to the films the production would produce and create. The main focus in the image is the title 'Silent Studios', this is because we want the audience to link the production company to the theme throughout the film that is why the text is black and makes it stand out.

These are two final logo designs but as a group we need to make a final decision what one we prefer, the only difference between them is the second image is the levels and brightness of the finger over the lips has been made darker. 

Se7en - Group Analysis

Group Analysis of 'Se7en'

At the start of the title sequence this a straight angle shot of a plain book and you see pages of the book being slowed turned over, next there is a high angle shot, which the audience can see a pair distorted drawn hands on some paper so there is a clear view of the scene telling the audience that there is something creepy to follow in the film. After this there is a  extreme close up at a straight angle shot of fingers and someone slicing the skin off them, this creates uncertainty and mysterious about what the film will unravel. In addition there is a mix of shots shown some include books and paper.

Furthermore we shown at a canted angle someone writing with a pen on paper then the shot changes to a close up, straight angle shot of the writing to the camera. Then someone cutting up images and paper is shown from a high angle shot so the audience can see the whole scene so they can try and guess more what the film will in tale. Just under half way through the title sequence a side shot of someone writing again is shown and a shadow of a hand is seen through the paper, it adds to the mystery and suspense of who this person is because we never see any facial features at this point. Throughout the sequence a black background with white text pops up on the screen of which lists cast members and crew at canted angles and in different places at each time it appears.

In addition the same shot from the start of the title sequence is shown which is of the plain pages of a book being turned at a straight angle, this could be hinting to the audience this a common thing this person does. As the title sequence continues there are more shots that appear and fade into each other at a quicker pace we see again see drawings and writing by the person. At 01:38 minutes through the sequence another extreme close is shown but this time of a needle going through a thumb and to the disturbance the audience will already be feeling.The camera movements and angles in this title sequence are varied but all add to the effect of this film being in the thriller genre and makes the audience feel excited and disturbed.

  At the start of the title sequence the first thing you see is a book with the hand turning the pages. The lighting gives a dark gloomy feel to the sequence. Then we move onto the drawing of the deformed hands which is in black and white with a light shining through perhaps a window or a door. We see an injured finger rolling something. We know it’s injured because there is a plaster on the human’s forefinger. The human is using a blade to cut off his finger prints. This suggests that he is quite a sadistic person and that crime may be the story line for this film. Dirty nails are shown to us to perhaps let us know that he is artistic. We might think this because of the drawing of the hands. At this point of the title sequence there are flashes, and in one of the flashes we see a picture of a deformed baby it looks like, with its nose, lip and eyes distorted. This could give away that he might not be a regular person. After this, we see the person writing in a book perhaps a journal. There is film and paper being cut. Pictures are being stuck down on a piece of paper. A book about pregnancy is altered by the person crossing out words in a black highlight pen. Now the title sequence gets a bit sick as the person crosses out the picture of a boys eye suggesting from the distorted baby’s picture that the person likes to see/do things that are distorted. A little more than half way through the title sequence we see that he has picture equipment  as we see him dip the picture in the liquid. The colour of the background changes from black to red. We see hooks. The book at the beginning is shown repeatedly throughout this title sequence. A needle is shown coming out of the person’s fingernail. We see thread going through a needle. We see a plastic envelope which the person put something in it with tweezers and a scalpel to cut out the text ‘GOD’ from a dollar bill. Throughout this title sequence a sinister feel is created by the props it used for example the different pictures of distorted/injured people and the change in colour. Red connotes danger and blood.

 
The title sequence of se7en includes of a lot of distorted noises, most can be made out to be faint voices. As the fingers are shown being cut across the sound of the strapping is emphasised and is continuous when the shot is finished. Cracking noises that could be linked with the distortion of the title sequence are made. ‘Walkie Talkie’ signals are heard, this gives away to the audience that this is a police detective thriller.
Mysterious but more upbeat is played over the current sounds, this gives the feeling of suspense for the audience. It then slowly develops into a rock music genre which creates a sense of violence towards the film. The music goes back to distort and the words “You get me closer to God” is said to show that biblical references may be made in the film. The scene then ends with faint breathing which may be a foreshadow to a bad ending to the film.

Codes And Conventions

In today's lesson we was set the task to research into our film's genres, codes and conventions, which is thriller.

 THRILLER: CODES AND CONVENTIONS

FEELINGS:

• excitement
• suspense
• anticipation
• anxiety
• uncertainty

CHARACTERS:

• convicts
• law enforcement officers
• stalkers
• men associated with danger
• criminals

THEMES:

• terrorism
• psychological mind games
• supernatural events
• crime
• suspense 
• assignation 

OTHER:

• cars
• weapons
• urban settings
• tense music
• fast paced editing
• low lighting

I found two popular films that are in the thriller genre, these are: Black Swan and The Silence of the Lambs.

Napoleon Dynamite

In today's lesson we looked at different title sequences on the website, 'The Art of the Title', where we analysed the running time of a title sequence and what was featured in a title sequence i chose, 'Mission Impossible' and I have previously posted a blog on the timeline i created for it. In class we looked at the title sequence for 'Napoleon Dynamite' we had no information for what the film was about and we had to make judgements of what the film could be about from the clues and images from the title sequence.

Analysis of Napoleon Dynamite

The opening image the audience sees is a old fashioned red fur carpet, hinting to the viewer that it is going to be set in 70's or the 80's. A plate is then placed by a hand in the middle of the close up shot of  a carpet with ketchup writing on it which is telling us the production company for the film 'Fox Searchlight Pictures' with some chicken nuggets included in the middle of the plate. At this point no real clues are given away of what the film is about what a clue to when it could be set. 

The plate is then taken away, leaving us a view again with the dark red carpet, we are now nine seconds into the title sequence.Then the picture changes to a white fur carpet shot where a turquoise and white plate is moved into the centre of the carpet again, this time it tells the viewer that 'Paramount Pictures' is involved also in the film. In addition this again is seemed to written in mustard and again a food is included on the plate.

The plate is then taken away and another brown plate with eggs dotted around the edge of the plate is placed by a hand on a blue carpet.  The colour and design of the plates hints to the film being sent in the past and different varieties of food links back to my original thought of it being based in the 70's or 80's. Furthermore writing is included on the plate i think now written in mayonnaise, telling the viewer who was also included in the making of the film, ' MTN Films'. 

Then hands enter the shot and we are shown a wallet and a 'U.F.O Abduction Insurance' card is removed from it, telling us who is starring in the film and this probably the main charcter. This also hints that the character is boy who is a geeky because he is interested in aliens.  Furthermore after this shot we are shown another card being removed from the wallet this time reassuring my thoughts of that the main character is a boy, his name is 'Napoleon Dynamite' which sis the title of the film, and he is geeky becuase of the pictures shown on the card. Also we are told that he is a student and attends,  'Preston High'. At twenty three seconds a song begins to play and then the viewer is shown the same shot of the dark red carpet from the start of the title seqeunce. The song seems to be a up beat song but with a calm feel to it maybe hinting that the film could be about someone who is calm a person but is fun.

As the song continues to play we here the 'I can tell we are gonna be friends' which is famous song by 'The White Stripes' hinting that,Napoleon Dynamite does not have many friends and that he wants to maybe be more sociable with people, which hint that the genre of the film is a teen drama comedy. 

We then are agains shown different old fashioned carpets with different food carrying and writing is carried on being shown, which tells us of different cast members in the film. One of shots the viewer is shown changes slightly instead of a plate we are shown a silver tray which includes a silver tray with a corn dog placed in the middle. This tells us that the film is set in America. 

The title sequence ha snow been playing for one minute and fifteen seconds a ninja weapon covered in silver foil is shown close up to the camera, this shows that he is a bit off the wall and is childish for his age.  After this books are shown a floral blue carpet carrying on with the old fashion hints, when the books are opened we are shown that these are library books, representing that Napoleon Dynamite, is interested in reading and again carrying on his stereotypical American geek boy. 

The image above from the title sequence now being with the people who made and help create the film, ' Casting by' and also telling us what sort of books the main character enjoys reading, "Bigfoot and Me" which adds to our judgement of his obscure personality and interests.  The same song is still playing and we are shown different objects with written include on them from the team behind the film. At two minutes in the title sequence we are shown a drawn we presume done by Napoleon Dynamite, which tells he enjoys history as well by the drawing of his viking shown he has a wild imagination. However he is keeping up his stereotypical geeky and smart ways. The drawn also tells us who is the director of photography.

Now the title sequence is nearly coming to an end we shown the main people who have an important role in the film but they still shown through things the main character is interested which is a clever way of presenting it which keeps the audience interested. There are 3 little toy cars shown each one with a producers name underneath. Also is tells us that the boy is immature and has childish ways because he is roughly going to be aged around 17 - 19 years old because he attends high school and it unusual thing for someone that age to play with toy cars. 

The picture above is another shot which tells us of  the Napoleon's of his interests is of the maths equipment shown on the table telling the viewer who the film is written by. The last shot we see is a cream old fashioned plate with burger and chips, with the directors names written in mayonnaise, 'Jared Hess'. Which is highlighting to the viewer that Napoleon is a huge stereotypical american geeky high school student and his favourite food which sterotypical american meal. the last lyrics played of the song are 'I can tell that we are gonna be friends' and the burger bun top being pushed hard down on to the top of the burger maybe hinting that song is juxtaposed to the action shown.