Editing

Editing - The Strangers

Introduction

Editing is a fundamental part of any type of film genre.It gives production of a film clarity and continuity. Editing is used to combine various shot and make them a finished move. Editing explains a lot of what is going on in the scene. Each type of editing represents a different thing.For example ''Fade'' a type of editing is when the screen goes black. This indicates the audience that it is the end of a scene or a movie.

Slow Editing 

 The scene begins with  a knock on the door. We can see the female character walking slowly towards the door. She takes pauses while walking towards the door.The Protagonist feels scared by the knock on the door at that time in the day. Audience  know its night time because of the type of lighting used. They have used low-key lighting. The Protagonist is definitely scared and feared to walk towards the door as she might expect the unexpected. She takes pause between , this shows that she is afraid to open the door because she has no clue what she might come across.
The audience feels frightened for the character in this shot. As the audience doesn't even know what's  behind the door.The music and strange noises gives us an idea that it is something terrifying but it still leaves us guessing.She speaks very slowly and stutter's in between. Which shows the fear on her face.

This scene is conventional to a thriller film because the Protagonist is shown as weak. This is a common convention of a thriller film. The victim being weak and unable to stand up for themselves. She is scared to open the door this is where we know that she is ''weak''. This a common convention of a thriller film the victim being weak , fragile , feeble. Shown helpless doesn't know where to turn to for help.

Reaction Shot

A reaction shop is when a character reacts to a previous shot.We can see the female character hears a knock on the door. She is scared and that is why she locks the door quickly. This one type of reaction that she has to the knock and the strange noises. She reacts again to the shot when the Audience can see her when she looks out from the curtain making sure there is nothing there. She still has a scared look on her face.
 She seems terrified by the fact what happened in the previous shot. She still is reacting to it. She makes sure the door is locked but she still has the thought about someone being outside .

The audience feels for the character as the different  editing shots makes us feel worried about her. The audience feels what she is feeling in the shot. We get involved in the scene. We have the urge to help her but we are helpless as well which is similar to what the character is feeling.

She has shown as a ''weak'' and ''vulnerable'' character that is scared by a knock on the door. Being weak and vulnerable are common 'conventions'' of a thriller film. This is because in every film here is and innocent , weak , vulnerable character that is the victim.It also makes the audience feel about what is going to happen next in the movie.

Linking Shots 

Linking shots is when there are number of linked together to create an emotional effect. In the clip we can see the Protagonist doing number of things after she has heard someone on the door. We can see her blow out the smoke, turn the fire alarm off , put her phone on charge , call her partner , change her clothes , light a cigarette , have a glass of water , and pull a knife out of the drawer. These are the different shots that take place in the clip. These things create a touching effect. All of the shots link back to the door where everything started from. These shots link with each other to take us back where it all began. 

The audience thinks that maybe everything is fine. The audience thinks that she is carrying out these tasks. The atmosphere whilst she is carrying out these tasks seems much more calmer then before. But still the audience has a feeling that maybe that is not going to stop that there is more to the sounds and the knocking on the door.

There are various conventions of a thriller film in these scenes. The ''creaking of the floor'' the ''banging on the door'' , the happy music played at the back and the people in masks. Sound like creaking and banging are common factor of a thriller film. These sounds add to the atmosphere and makes the scene more exciting. The people in the masks is another common feature of a thriller film. Usually the identities in a thriller film are hidden. This makes the audience guess who is behind the masks. This is very effective as the audience gets involved in the film just so they can find out who it is when the identity is revealed.

Summary 

After analyzing this clip to find out different types of editing techniques i now know how does each type of editing work and what each type portrays. I also know what each type of editing means in a scene of a thriller film and now i will be able to use what i have learned in  my thriller opening. 

Sound

Introduction

Sound is a very important factor of a thriller film.It has a huge impact on the scenes of the film. It helps the audience understand the mood of he scene , and what this mood is trying to portray. It engages the audience with the scene and helps the audience to understand what the atmosphere of the scene is and how should the audience feel about it.For instance if there is a happy mood like a friends chatting the music would be slow and happy whereas if something bad happens to the protagonist then the music would be loud and miserable.

Peer Analysis

Diegetic Sound 

The scene begins with Katie (mum) AND Max (daughter) entering a room. Max is wearing a hearing aid which she takes off as soon as she enters. This gives audience an idea that she is unable to hear.We can hear sounds from her hearing aid as she enters the room. The audience knows that the sounds are coming from the hearing aid because as soon as she takes it off the sounds stop. The audience assume that the sounds are coming from outside maybe a TV or something.
As audience we assume that but not really sure about what exactly is going on.
This is conventional to a thriller genre because it keeps the audience guessing on what and where the sounds are coming from.This is a common convention of a thriller genre , leaving the audience guessing. This makes the audience get involved in the film and makes us think about the possible places the sounds can be coming from. This convention also make the audience continue watching to find out where the sound was coming from. It leaves the audience in a mystery and they continue to watch to find out what the mystery is.

Non-diegetic sound / Parallel sound

In this part of the scene the audience see Katie and Max in her bedroom. Max wants to read a book. Katie reads the book to Max with sigh language as we know that Max cannot hear properly. It is a very heart warming moment in the scene with a mum and daughter bonding over a book.It automatically gives an audience an idea that this part in the film is going to be a very happy and relaxing part of the scene.

In the background the audience can hear slow and blissful music. This music is played throughout the scene. This type of sound is called non-diegetic sound as well as parallel sound. It is parallel sound because the images that are made in the scene are happy images that clearly go with the music played at the back. This non-diegetic sound as well because the characters in the scene cannot hear the sounds but as the audience can. Non-diegetic and parallel are similar in a way and that is why this part of the scene is both parallel and non-diegetic.

The music allows the audience to feel what the characters in the scene are feeling. They are feeling happy as it allows the audience to feel the joyful emotion for the character it also creates empathy for the character. It involves the audience in the scene and makes the audience want to feel like the characters. It makes the audience emotional. It makes the audience want to continue watching the movie to learn more about the characters.

This is conventional to a thriller film because the audience can see two good people having a happy moment together. But the audience fears for the characters because the audience gets a feeling that the happy atmosphere is not going to last long.It also allows the audience to feel happy for the characters at present moment but worry for the characters as well. This type of feeling is common of  a thriller film as fearful , sympathy , mixed emotions are all ingredients of a thriller film

Summary

From my analysis on sound i have learned the importance of sound for a thriller film and what impact it has on the audience.Also how sound helps the audience about what clearly is going on . It also allows the audience learn more about the characters in the film. Every scene has its on type of mood and sound helps the audience to bring out that mood and change the audiences mood as well. I do understand how diffrent types of sound techniques does in a film and this will now help choose the types of sound i will use in my thriller opening. Sounds are important for thrillers as it adds effect and meaning to  a scene. 

cinematography

Cinematography - Seven

Intro

Cinematography is essential for thriller films because it makes the audience build a relationship with the characters. It also helps the audience to understand the characters and understand what is clearing going on. A camera shot helps to understand the effect of every scene and the effect it has on the audience. It helps the audience to relate with the characters and feel what they are feeling.

Peer Analysis

Mid Shot 

In the scene Morgan Freeman appears with a knife in his hand. He is going down to open the box that he is presented with. The audience can clearly see what is going on, they can see his upper body, facial expressions as well as the knife in his hand. This helps to understand what is exactly is going to happen. The purpose of the mid-shot is to show the audience clearly how the person feels as well as what he is going to do next. The purpose of using a mid-shot is to give the audience clear view of what is happening with Morgan Freeman. It also helps to show the audience the character, as the audience knows what’s coming next but the star persona doesn’t. The scene with the protagonist, the music all add up to give the audience an idea that there something bad going to happen. The audience is ready but Morgan Freeman wasn’t ready. That is why a mid-shot is used to focus on his actions and expressions to show the audience how he feels.

This is conventional to a thriller film because there is use of iconography. Morgan Freeman has a knife in his hand, which is common in the thriller genre. There is a tense expression on his face and audience knows that something bad is going to happen. The audience expects something worse to happen. By his expressions the audience get a feeling that it is going to be something shocking.

Shallow Focus

Brad Pitt moves forward with a gun in his hand. He moves forward and comes closer to the camera. This where the audience can see theevil guy at the back blurred out even though he was saying his lines he was still blurred out.They have used a shallow focus so they could emphasize on the victims face. As the audience know that something bad is about to happen to him. In the background the evil guy is blurred out while he is talking. This makes the audience laid emphasise on Brad Pitt which relates the first scene with Morgan Freeman opening the box then instantly changing the shot to Brad Pitt and his expressions. This relates the both scenes up and gives the audience an idea.

This convential to a thriller film because the audience can see the protagonist in the background blurred out. In a thriller film the villain’s identity is always hidden. In the background we can see him talking but his face has been blurred out while the camera is focussing on Brad Pitt’s expressions. The audience knows something bad is going to happen to Brad Pitt as the villain at the back keeps talking. The scene also contains iconography he has a gun in his hand which is another common convention of a thriller film.

Long Shot

In this shot the audience can see the entire background as well as what is going on? In the background they can see the location which seems to be an open field. On the sides the audience can see electricity towers. In the middle there is Brad Pitt with a gun in his hand he has pointed it towards the protagonist. The Protagonist hands are tired at the back.

The background is an open field not a residential area. The long shot gives us a clear idea on what is going .The audience knows what is happening with Morgan Freeman but not what is happening with Brad Pitt so this shot gives us an idea of what is happening on the other side.

This is conventional because the audience can see a murder and a victim in the scenes, which are common examples of a thriller film. There is a gun in Brad Pitt’s hand which is another common factor of a thriller film.

Summary

By doing this analysis I found out the importance of cinematography and the effect it has on the audience. This analysis will help me when I am filming my thriller film. I now know what all the camera shots represent and what they mean and what effect it has on the audience.