No country for old men is a crime thriller film released in the year of 2007. this film is about an ordinary man that by luck comes across a fortune of which he does not own. this film seems to be a prolonged chase for the fortune that at is initiated by the rightful owner of the fortune.This film has also been described as a cat and mouse drama because these people cross paths throughout the movie.
The location of this film is in a desert landscape of 1980 West Texas
This film exhibits themes of fate and circumstances which are the the best ways to describe the continuous acquaintances of the main character and the villain. the plot is very immerser because it is driven by the villain in the film and makes the viewer curious of how the main character escapes the lethal efforts of the villain
Below is the trailer for this film:
This trailer summaries the feel and direction of the film. it is very cold and detached, which is the persona of the villain in the film
Memento
conventions
camera
at the very fist sequence of the film a character has a photograph in his hand, the camera shot is a close up to put all the attentio on the photo that this character is holding. this close up shot does not change through out the opening scene
editing
sound
during the first sequense there is only non diegetic sound. this convays a feeling of mystery, the smooth sound of string instruments makes the atmosphere a little on edge already
mise en scene
as the first scene progresses the character holding the photograph begins to shake it, as he does this the image in the photograph starts to fade instead of becoming clearer until the image disappears
When editing a film there are a lot of ways in which the editor can present the film to make it flow and seem as if it was really happening in front of them. Knowing the correct times to cut to a different camera angle and view point.knowing exactly when the scene is going to end and what will follow right after. When making thrillers there are some types of editing that are vital to make the emotion of the film come out to make the audience feel a certain way without them having to look too deep into the plot.Basically telling the story visually without necessrelily using sound.
Some of these methods are:
Shot Reverse Shot-
In this shot one character is facing opposite another, this shot is usually used to film a conversation between 2 people.The camera cuts from one character to another. since the characters are shown in this way the audience assumes that they are talking to one another.
E.g.
Match on Action-
We see character start an action in one shot and then see them continue it in the next
E.g.
180 Degree Rule-
This shot is a basic guideline that states that two characters (or other elements) in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other.
E.g.
Eye line Match- this an editing type that is based on the idea that the audience wants to see what the character on screen is looking at.The eye line match begins with a character looking at something off screen, followed by a cut to the object or person of which the character is looking at. E.g.
Alfred Hitchcock was The master of Suspense and came to be the benchmark for 'Psychological Thrillers'. His films have resonated with millions around the world and an idol for blockbuster directors of the current day. his theories and techniques have since been necessities for Thriller films. Below are some of his thoughts and quotes to have a better understanding of him, his method of Thinking and the reasons behind the genius of his productions.
- "The only way to get rid of my fears is to make films about them."
-"There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it"
-"If it is a good movie, the sound could go off and the audience will still have a perfectly clear idea of what is going on,"
-"Always make the audience suffer as much as possible,"
-"I am the type of director. If i made Cinderella the audience will immediately be looking for a body in the coach,"
-" The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder."
-" Give them pleasure, the same pleasure they get from waking up .from a nightmare."
-"I am scared easily, here is a list of my adrenaline - production 1. small children, 2. Policemen, 3. high places, 4. that my next movie will not be as good as the last one."
-" In films murders are always very clean, i show how difficult it is and what a messy thing it is to kill a man."
Suspense, This is described as a feeling of uncertainty and a prolonged feeling of anxiety of the outcome of a certain feeling. An example of this for instance is if there is a character with a bomb about to cause destruction, the audience will be aware of this but the characters in the film will have no clue.this starts .to make the audience ask questions like, When,Where and How the bomb will go off.
This can be seen in the Alfred Hitchcock production Sabotage:
The audience is aware that the package contains an explosive that would go off at a particular time. The suspense is built because of the boy being oblivious to the fact that he is in a race against time.
there are many cuts from the boy to the package to create more tension and makes the scene that much more exciting.
Shock, This is more of a sudden and attention grabbing feeling that can be created by an unexpected occurrence in a film. This is different to suspense because the audience is unaware of anything that is about to happen and neither do the character in the film world. Imagine the same scenario formed in the suspense situation but the audience does not have an idea of what could be in the package, then soon after there is a sudden explosion. This is shock. The clip above is also a good way of demonstrating shock because if there was no brief by my introduction to the clip and there was no previous experience of the film, it would have been very difficult to guess that there was a Bomb in the package.
Also this clip below from the film jaws is also a good example of shock and very misleading to add to the terror:
the music and scene leading up to the shock is more tension than suspense because the audience would expect a shark to appear but instead it is a dead body.
Chuck Jones was an .animated director that was the mastermind behind short movies like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and more. He was also the reason why the animated film Road Runner was created and for the cartoon there are a set of rules that have to be abided by.
The Rules:
1. The road runner cannot harm or upset the coyote except by .going 'MEEP! MEEP!'
2. No outside force can harm the Coyote, only his own ineptitude or the failure of Acme Products
3. The Coyote could stop any time- if he were not a fanatic
4. No dialogue ever, except 'MEEP! MEEP!'
5. The Road Runner must stay on the road - otherwise, logically, he .will not be called the Road Runner
6. All action must be con.fined to the natural environment of the two characters - the South West American desert
7. All material, tools, weapons or mechanical conveniences must be obtained from Acme Corporation
8. Whenever possible, make gravity the Coyote's greatest enemy
9. The Coyote is always more humiliated than by his failure
Below is the first episode of this cartoon of which all rules are followed:
The image above gives an example of a particular frame that has an interesting look and feel to it, There are many things that could be seen that add to the overall effect, this is also intriguing because there is no character in the site of the viewer but only the shadow of a creature., this gives the viewer a bothersome feel that something bad may transpire. Also the form of lighting used in this frame is low key lighting, this is regularly used in thrillers and horror films because the dark shadows that are crated help to drive the plot along and subconsciously makes the audience feel uneasy.This Mise en scene is simple but very effective because the frame is not busy with too many characters props or loud costumes but strips away the layers and as a sharp and sinister connotation that adds to the overall experience
Some details involving Mise En Scene :
-Many professionals are involved in it's creation
-The director is the one that overseas the entire Mise En Scene
-During early stages of pre production The director meets .with the designers to get the look and the .film of the film to the best that it can be.
Editing is very important in the media because it is a way of bringing a film to life even more. There are various forms of editing that are used in different points in time, also the speed at which the editing cuts occur add to the emotion of the film, especially for thrillers Editing can be a make or break for a film because even through the audience may pay little attention to the cuts and edits of a film, if it is done incorrectly the experience .will be ruined and disorientated. usually when filming a scene the director tends to leave a 3 second gap from the word action .to the actual beginning of the scene, this is also done at the end of a scene to allow more room for error when at the editing stage.For the editing of the videos that wee make we use final cut express which is an apple mac application
The two most creative and important things to take into account when editing are :
Speed of Editing :
- If a relatively relaxed mood is desired, the scenes last longer and change less frequently
- this is often displayed in romantic comedies
E.g:
-On the other hand if a frantic and action packed theme is required the scenes at these times will be fast paced and shorter to keep the viewer on edge
-This speed of editing is commonly associated with thrillers
E.g:
Style of editing :
Reaction shot : This is a shot that cuts away from the ma.in scene for the purpose of showing the reaction of the character to what had just happened
Invisible editing: This is a form of editing used to create suspense by placing together clips at a slower pace than originally edited
Fade Out : This is a smooth way of editing to cut from one scene .to another by fading gradually away the scene that just took place and fading in the new scene simultaneously
Wide Cut : with the border around the screen or between images, one image replaces another without dissolving
Graphic Match : is could also be described as a fade but the difference is there is a shape from the first image that interconnects with the new scene or image that now fades in
Jump Cut : This is where the audiences attention is brought into focus because it looks like a section has been removed and shows the beginning and end of an action .without the viewers knowledge of what happened in between
Dissolve : this happens when an image is blended into another
Montage : This is a method of fast paced editing , it is done be many images are in the shot for a very short amount of time to create excitement.
Straight Cut : This is an abrupt and standard cut that does not have a lot of significance to the emotion or feel of the film
180 Degree Rule : The axis between the character and the 180 degree arc on which the camera is positioned, it is like an imaginary line that the camera .does no cross
Shot Reverse Shot : this form of editing is usually used when filming a conversation, it is a back and forth cut from one character to another
There are some things that a thriller has to have the same effect as the others. There has to be a central plot to the film that ties everything together and makes the film cohesive and work as a unit. A plot that is regularly used is thriller films is Justice versus Injustice, This is a great way of drawing the attention the audience because the plot will become a form of reality to them at that time and debate the innocence of characters.There can ls be a blurred line between good and bad to confuse and deceive the viewer which will result in a more impactful ending to the film, people are uninterested in films that they think the outcomes are predictable so to blur this line of good and evil will cause the audience to. elements that can also be added that have continued to appear in films from the time of Alfred Hitchcock are Enigmas to put more emphasis on the mystery that thrillers tend to have, Red herrings also for deception and shock, Plot twists and Cliff hangers.
There are sub genres for thrillers that i elaborated on in my previous blog, these include
-Mystery
-Crime
-Psychological
-Political
-Legal
Moods that are often present in thrillers because of the type of lighting used, Editing and dialogue are Viscous moods, this is sometimes shown by dark, low key lighting because this is a way of putting into the viewers mind that something traumatic and ruthless is about to happen. Menacing mood of terror and destruction and paranoia to keep the viewer at the edge of their seat and uncomfortable with the sound and mise en scene.
Furthermore Regular conventions in Thrillers are the theme of a character in
There are different forms of thrillers that have different approaches to the genre but they all have have significant elements that draw them back to the basics f what a thriller has to offer all of these different kinds of thrillers all have suspense and terror.
Spy : The main sub genre of this form of films are action and thriller, spy films are sort of a signature British production. Directors of the calibar of Alfred Hitchcock have made films based on the British secret service for example a .film called the man that knew too much. Many notable films like the James Bond and Bourne series of films will show that suspense and terror are a vital part of films of the spy genre.
Political : Political films can also have thriller as a sub genre because these .films have a lot of suspense and tension that keeps the viewer interested throughout the film. A very good example of this is the film originally directed by Alfred Hitchcock by the name of The Manchurian Candidate.this film is based on deception which is a great ingredient for a good Thriller.This film can be classified as a thriller because of the detailed storyline that draws the audiences attention then rips away all the layers of the plot at the climax.
Conspiracy : This Genre of film is often linked with thrillers because the main plot of these .films are for .people to overcome the obstacale that their enemies have put in .front of them and to end victorious and innocent from any accusation or false conviction, these sort of films take the shape of whodunnits and detective stories, they can also be called paranoid thrillers. a recent example of this is the film taken
Legal : This form of a thriller is ma.inly based on the judicial system and people in that sector. themes of bribery and corruption are regulars in this sub genre of thrillers. An example of this is the film Michael Clayton, the slogan of this film is The Truth Can Be Adjusted which explains the direction of the Legal based film of which George Clooney plays an associate of the New York Law Firm using his connections and legal knowledge to evade the law for his clients benefit.
There are recurring parts to a James bond film that can are significant to the films carrying on it's reputation as one of the more daring and eye catching films in the action thriller genre. Many things are knowingly present in each film, some of theses things could be the Aston martin super cars that can be seen from the beginning of the Bond series to now, the memorable Martini that Mr Bond always has in the specific 'Shaken, not stirred' manor.
other things that are vital in the creation in bond films are :
- One dashing and heroic secret agent
- One eccentric villain of equal strength
- Two (or more) Beautiful women
- a verity of exotic locations and plot devices
- a multitude of death defying stunts, eye popping, driven action stemming from moments of absurdity
The clip below is to show the immense amount of action that a bond film has :
Lighting is a vital and very detailed part of filming there are many different ways of which it could come across in a frame. there are also different forms of lighting that occur many times depending on the genre of the film and also the emotion that the director wants to evoke from the audience.
The Key Light - The key light is the brightest and the most influential light, it is used to highlight the form and dimensions of the object. it is a way in which a silhouette effect can be created. The key light can be hard and focused or soft and subtle depending on the set up and the mood of which the director is aiming for.
Back Light - The Back light helps counteract the effect of the key light or creates an outline or silhouette. this is a very effective way of creating mystery in a scene because the audience is not able to see the features of the character, it is sometimes called the kicker or the rim light because it often gives characters an angelic halo type effect.
The Filler Light - The filler light helps soften the harsh shadows that the use of the key and back lightings create.The filler light crates a brighter and smoother look to a scene, it is very often used to make a film glow in appearance and vivid.
all these forms of lighting are used in a three point set up to create contrast between the background and the centre object but also to produce a three dimensional effect.
Under lighting - This is when the main source of light comes from below the subject. it is used in thrillers and horror films to make the subject look more sinister and powerful. it is effective because the light scatters all over the subject and creates a lot of dark shadows that help to horror .films that more frightening.
Top Lighting - this is the complete opposite of Under lighting because the main .source of light is coming from above, highlighting the features and is used to crate a glamorous look, the subject.
Low Key Lighting - Low key lighting is created by using only the key and back lights. This will produce a sharp contrast of light and dark areas on the screen as very deep, distinct shadows are formed. it tends to portray a sense of alienation which may be why it is mostly used in horror films.
High Key Lighting - There are a lot more filler lights used to make the object more realistic, it may also be used .to suggest a more up beat mood, high key lighting is very luminous and free from harsh shadows, using high key lighting does not need as much adjustment so it can cause shooting times to contract.
The shower scene in the film psycho directed be the legendary director Alfred Hitchcock is a very memorable part of the film and a scene that is still regarded as one of the best scenes in film history.This scene is a great example of the elements that a good horror movie must include. The suspense, Lighting and sound all tie together to make a scene full of tension and excitement.
Psycho is an Alfred Hitch cock production released on June 16 1960. This film is one of Hitchcok's finest films and has left a strong impact for generations to follow.This film is a horror film as displays a great deal of suspense and deception. the film is also loosely based on a book published in 1959 by the same name.The main direction of which the film goes in is that there is a young lady by the name of Marion crane whom works as a secretary in phoenix Arizona is given the sum of $40,000 to be kept in the bank account of a customer, due to the circumstance that her boyfriend is in he decides to take the money and travels to her boyfriend California home but on the way to her destination she has to stop overnight at the Bates motel owned by a young man by the name of Norman Bates who lives with his mother in a house overlooking the motel.A very interesting scene to watch is when Norman bates invites Marion to his parlour and they begin to converse after Normans mother has denied Marion entry into the house...
There is a faint sound for the rain pouring as Marion asks Norman about what he does with his time in such a s.low moving motel business.there seems to be a smooth an calm feeling at this point of the film, the dialogue puts Norman in a particular place in the mind of the viewer, he seems to be a humble and shy person, someone that puts his mother before everything. The type of lighting used is low key lighting, this is very common in films of this Genre. the shadow of himself to the left of the frame makes Norman bates in a focal point of analysis for the audience, a method of unknowingly showing that there is a dark side to him. As the conversation continues there are a lot of cuts back and forth. The dialogue adds some more tension when Norman says '' What are you running away from?''. Marion becomes a little uncomfortable, pauses and stutters replying ''why do you ask that?'', as the dialogue continues about the weather and how Norman things everyone is in there own private trap, where he may be referring to his mother being a burden on him. The scene ends with Marion making reference to the argument that Norman and his mother had regarding her entry to the house. Norman admits that sometimes he wants to rebel with some passion in his actions but latter falls back on his chair and says ''but i know i can't'', with the expression of disappointment in himself
Alfred Hitchcock in order to be one of the best directors of his generation Alfred Hitchcock had to have a few unique methods of directing that set him apart from the rest, these techniques in later years will be implemented in various ways and in countless amounts of productions.The techniques that i will be explaining are the MacGuffin, Red Herring and an Enigma. these interesting touches to the movie that Hitchcock has directed are another indication of the cinematic mastermind that he was.
MacGuffin - The MacGuffin is defined as the element of the plot that catches the attention of the viewer, it can also be used to drive the plot of a work of fiction. the specific nature of the MacGuffin may be ambiguous or generic an example of this may be a quest for money, glory or revenge but later declines in importance as the audience is more interested and in tune with how the character fulfils their purpose, but it later comes back in to play to bring a climax to the film. this technique is mostly used in thrillers. In regards to the film North by North West the MacGuffin in that film is the Microfilm that become significant close to the end of the film.
Red Herring - A Red Herring is another way in which Alfred Hitchcock adds excitement and suspense.To his thriller films, a Red Herring is described as being a clue that purposefully or non purposefully distracting the audience from the actual issue in the film and causes them to be later surprised because of the unpredictability of the film a Red Herring can be show in the form of leading the audience in a particular direction but later finding out that the climax is completely different to what would be normal. In the Thriller movie Psycho directed by Alfred Hitchcock the Red Herring in that film is the audience is lead to believe that the mother of the character Norman Bates was responsible for the murder of the main female character Marion Crane but it turns out to be Mr Bates himself whom .was responsible f.or the killings.
Enigma - An Enigma is defined as puzzling of mysterious occurrence or situation, The job of the audience is .to solve the puzzle or mystery before the film comes to an end. this is a very effective way of adding more thrill to the film and getting the audience to be more involved and more immersed in the film.
In my concluding post about the Alfred Hitchcock classic North by North west i am going to shed some light on the very clever and attention grabbing end to the movie.
The auction scene in North By North West is the scene of which every thing comes together. Roger Thornhill realises that his love interest in the film is an alliance to 'Mr Townsend.'.This is also one of the more memorable scenes from the Alfred Hitchcock production. As Roger Thornhill enters the venue of the auction, the camera cuts to 'Mr Townsend' having his hand around Eve Kendall's neck... at this point the camera .Shot changes from close range to long range and then to a pan shot in a very smooth transition The dialogue in this scene is more important that any thing else. A lot of the tension relies on the conversations and the delivery of the dialogue. the panning camera finally stops at Roger Thornhill at the entrance.as the camera tacks roger Thornhill to the place where 'Mr Townsend' and co are seated he initiates dialogue by saying "The three of you together, now that is the picture only Charles Adams could draw", this is a very subtle way of addressing his disgust and surprise at the people actively trying to kill him.
as the scene progresses Roger Thornhill throws a few witty insults in the direction of Eve Kendall and 'Mr Townsend', for example as Eve Kendall explains that Mr Thornhill followed her to her room. he follows up quickly with the comment "doesn't everyone" which is very insulting to a woman particularly in the time of which this film was made another example of this is when he says to 'Mr Townsend' "I didn't realise you were an art .collector, I just thought you collected corpses". This is a slick remark about the attempts made by 'Mr Townsend' to kill Roger Thornhill. As the auction continues Roger Thornhill continues his slandering of Eve Kendall as she sits still trying to maintain her composure. Immediately after 'Mr Townsend comments about the different roles that Roger Thornhill seems to be playing in regards to his mistaken identity and ends his statement by saying "Seems to me you could stand a little less training from the FBI and a little more from the Actors studio".Roger Thornhill fires back by replying "The only performance that will satisfy you is when I play dead". Then 'Mr Townsend' replies by giving one of the most classy and witty death threats by saying "Your very next role, You'll be quite convincing i assure you". as the scene progresses Roger Thornhill realises that his only refuge is in the hands of the police so he causes disruption to the point of which the police have to take him into custody to escape his death.
One of the most famous scenes in the well renowned film North by North West ,by the legendary director Alfred Hitchcock, is the crop duster scene. it is an outstanding reminder of the visionary power that Mr Hitchcock possessed. the objective of the crop duster was to kill Roger Thornhill, this was a very innovative and unique way of doing so. The audience will not be expecting the crop duster .to be a method of killing Mr Thornhill.This scene is so effective partly because of the suspense that is created prior to the main part of the scene taking place. the long silence build up tension until the crop duster is in sight. as the sound of the crop duster increases in volume, there are a series of cuts back and forth between Mr Thornhill and the crop duster... finally the crop duster comes dangerously close to Mr Thornhill till he has no choice but to duck for cover, the camera cuts back and forth continue as the crop duster comes around for a second time. as the crop duster comes around to Mr Thornhill for the third time. there is non diegetic background music that begins to play... this is a way in which the tension increases. As Roger Thornhill runs for protection the crop duster can be seen over his shoulder, the particular camera shot used at this time is the tracking shot. Later in the scene Roger Thornhill finds a vehicle through the crops, which was his hiding place, and runs towards it for safety. as the background music .continues to play, there is an identical form of editing uses as the vehicle moves closer and closer to Mr Thornhill. the back and forth cuts between them add .to the excitement of the screen and makes the audience ask questions about what .will happen, until at what seems .to be the last second Roger Thornhill lays on his back as the vehicle harmlessly comes to a halt on top of him. soon after the scene takes a turn for the worst as the crop duster crashes into the rare of the vehicle and subsequently bursts into flames.The well known crop duster scene in North by North West is praised so highly as the perfect combination of suspense, special effects and cinematography.
Friday, 19 October 2012
North by North West is a very popular film by the director Alfred Hitchcock. This film is a great example of the different things that a thriller has to include to make the audience completely focused on the plot of the story.. to keep them entertained and on edge. In a brief summary the film is about a man by the name of Roger Thornhill, played by the actor Cary Grant, is kidnapped by a group of people whom believe him .to be a man called Mr. Kaplan... throughout the film he tries to escape from the grasp of these people while also pursuing the real Mr. Kaplan whom we come to know at the end does not even exist.
Below is a clip of the scene that begins this thrilling story...
At the beginning of the clip there is some non - diegetic sound which is the background music that is used to set the scene. the music used is classical and can be described as mysterious which is parallel to the actions of uncertainty that are being displayed by Roger Thornhill. When ''Mr Townsend'' enters the room the music fades and the there becomes a frequent camera cut to represent the tension that is building, The lack of sound also is a role player to create this unpredictable moment in the clip, this is carried on by the increasing voice level of roger thornhill as he tries to justify his belief that they have made a mistake till he opens the door and find one of the men that kidnapped him standing in his way. this sends a message to the audience that something unwarranted is going to happen to Mr Thornhill
Tuesday, 9 October 2012
Movie Media...a very potent and important factor in the lives of billions of people on this planet. Movies are a great form of entertainment and could also be a stress relief. people passively view these movies by making the visuals, sound and dialogue do all he work for them as they take every thing in. if you think in terms of audio the listener uses their imagination to paint a picture of what is going on whether it may be a book or music (different forms of media).The purpose of this blog is to enlighten people about the little details of a film that add to the full effect of the film, which makes the experience as emotive and as exhilarating as the final product. The genre that i will be talking about is the thriller genre...thrillers have the purpose of keeping the viewer on the edge and making them anxious about what is going to happen next one of the front runners of this genre is....Alfred Hitch-Cock. His list of memorable films that he has directed are: North by North Birds Rear Window Vertigo Rope psycho
These are just a few examples of Hitch-cocks masterful work in terms of the attributes that these films have of being very cohesive thriller films.
Monday, 1 October 2012
Love thrillers ?....This is the blog that will give you all the details about all the things that a good Thriller intails
