research: genre & sub-genre

Genres and sub-genres 

Genre in this sense is the type or subject of a film e.g. thriller or comedy. Sub-genres are smaller genres within larger genres e.g. Psychological thrillers some examples of genres are:

• Horror 
• action
• adventure
• comedy 
• Romance
• Thriller
• fantisy
• documentry

Genres assist film makers and producers to make investements and opportunities easier also they make film making in general easier because you have a better idea of the range of generic elements that can be included, genre also alllows the producers to be more specific in advertisements 

The thriller sub-genre that inspires me the most is the 'Techno-thriller' particularly in the film :

Research - Sub Genre

There different film genres this includes;

• Comedy
• Romantic
• Horror
• Thriller
• Sci- fi
• Action
• Adventure
• Animation

Thriller Sub Genres

• Action Thrillerfocus on the action and thriller, and you have an action-thriller. This is more common in movies than novels because of the visual appeal of explosions and violence.
 
•  Conspiracy Thriller
  In this subgenre the protagonist must confront a large, powerful organization whose threat only he sees. Usually he must do so alone.
  
 
• Crime Thriller
  This subgenre focuses on crime, and is usually from the criminal’s point of view. Physical action and eluding the police take the place of gathering evidence and trying to discover the criminal.
  
 
• Disaster Thriller
  In this subgenre a (usually) natural disaster is taking place, and the antagonist is either trying to stop the disaster, the extent of the disaster, or just save themselves before time runs out and the disaster has run its course.
  
 
• Forensic Thriller
  In this subgenre the protagonist(s) are forensic scientists whose involvement in an unsolved crime threatens their lives
  
 
• Legal Thriller
  This subgenre takes place in and around the courtroom. Usually the protagonist is a lawyer who has found their case threatening death for either them or their client.
  
 
• Medical Thriller
  This subgenre involves something usually used for medical purposes becoming a deadly weapon. Often it is a virus that is leaking out to the public. The protagonist or antagonist or both are doctors.
  
 
• Mystery Thriller
  This is a subgenre of both mysteries and thrillers. It differs from a regular mystery by being much more fast-paced, with the protagonist on the run and the threat of another crime serving as the “ticking clock.”
  
 
• Political Thriller
  In this subgenre political relations or the whole government is at stake, and the protagonist is employed by the government to stop the decline. The protagonist may have been low-level before having attracted attention.
  
 
• Psychological Thriller
  A personal favorite. In this subgenre a lot of the conflict is mental, rather than physical. The protagonist has become involved in a dangerous situation which literally threatens their sanity. They must use mental prowess to overcome their opponent, whether the battle is inside their own head or it a battle of wits.
  
 
• Religious Thriller
  This subgenre uses the history and myths of religion. Usually a religious artifact or historical secret is discovered, and different people and groups vie for control.
  
 
• Romantic Thriller
  This is a subgenre of both thrillers and romantic novels. The plot line follows a typical thriller’s tension, suspense, and excitement, but a main element is the growing relationship between two characters.
  
 
• Spy Thriller
  It’s hard to call this a genre mash-up when spy novels almost have to be thrillers. At any rate, this subgenre focuses on the high adventures of field agents. It is usually set against the backdrop of some war.
  
 
• Supernatural Thriller
  In this subgenre otherworldy elements are introduced, usually as an antagonistic force, but just as in the romantic thriller, the plot line and feel or distinctly that of thrillers. Some characters may have psychic abilities and other supernatural novel elements may be present.
  
 
• Techno-Thriller
  This genres is a cross between near-future science fiction and thrillers. Cutting-edge technology plays an important role, either as something to obtain, or working for or against the protagonist.
  

Research - Genre and Sub-Genre

Genre

There are many different types of film Genres including;

• Horror
• Action
• Comedy
• Romance
• Sci-Fi
• Thriller
• Fantasy
• Rom-Com
• Documentary
• Animation
• Drama
• Adventure
• Crime 
• Family 

Genre's allow film makers/producers to help them find a clean investment for film opportunities while helping film making easier with it's range of genetic elements. 

Genre's also allows an audience to know what to except, as typical genre's follow by the same genetic similarities. 

Sub-Genres

THRILLER

                           Mystery

        Action

Supernatural

chillers

     SF Thriller
techno

Conspiracy

Diaster                               Crime

                

                   Psychological                                    Religions

Techno 

   thriller 

Comparison between The Killer and The Killer Remake

This shot is similar to the original shot from "The Killers" because they're both LS of a landscape setting the scene

This shot is also similar to its original because they both use the over the shoulder shot which portrays conversation 

Over the shoulder shot from the women's view but the focal point is on the man 

long shot - both shots 

                            

                          

The Killer Storyboard

The Killer Storyboard 1







The Killer Storyboard 2





The Killer StroyBoard 3

The Killer - Remake Group 6

Research - Conventions of a Film Opening - The Avengers

Tralier - The Avengers 

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/the-avengers/m - Credits



The opening credits of a movie generally involves a series of superimposed text. There are three different types of title sequences. There's the Separate credit/Title sequence, the Titles which appear over the images as the narrative plays and then there's the films that display a black screen with credits. There are also films that do not have openings credits such as The Avengers, were the credits are left to the very end of the film.

The opening scene starts off with a voice over which appears over animated images before leading straight into the movie with a bird's eye view/long shots of the open, outdoor setting, an important asset when referring to mise en scene. There's then a great use of the pan shots as the actors run around in a frenzy allows us to understand there is commotion, also creating interest for us as the audience. To start a film with a chaotic opening scene may been seen as beneficial is it gets start to the point, drawing the audience in from the get go in a way that will have them anxious and eager to figure things out. It then proceeds straight into the film, in effects, giving the viewers hints and an insight as to what they can expect to happen.

Introduction to cameras - task

ECU (Extreme Close Up) / Big Close Up

 - This shot shows off the facial expressions by the use of the ECU
 - The purpose of this shot is to convey emotions through the eyes and the actor/actress facial expressions effectively.
 - Out of all the shots we took this represents ECU the best.

 Bad Shot: ECU

 - The first shot is blurred showing an unclear image
 - The second shot doesn't use the idea of the "rule of third" and is uneven.

Wide Shot

 - These shots show of the landscape/background as well as the character

 - Unlike te ECU this shot shows off physical movement instead of expressions

 - Space in the shot has been left for movement

 - Creates the scene setting

 Bad Shot: Wide Shot

 - Doesn't uses the "rule of third" leaving to much head shape

 - The shot doesn't show the character clearly and cuts off the body.

 - Background lighting is bad 

Feet Shot: Interesting?

 - This is an interesting side shot of feet; getting ready to create the movement 

 - Can be used for product placement

 - Could have been more interesting if we had used a close-up

Rules of Third

 - Side shot - sets scene - centres the actor/actress - clearly shows what going on/where the attention of the shot is

Bad Shot: Rule of Third

- unclear/can't see the character/scene of the shot 

- No understanding of what is happening within the shot

- Bad lighting, which is creating bad shadowing in the scene

- Too much head space in the shot

Over Shoulder Shot

 - Shot shows conversation clearly

 - Clear view from over the shoulder 

 - Creates perspective to the audience

 - Clear lighting

Bad Shot: Over Shoulder Shot

 - Unclear view of conversation

 - Lots of head shape

 - The character not shown clearly in the shot/ cut out

Lighting

 - Shows strong detail due to the lighting from the windows reflection

Bad Shot: Lighting

 - Cut out of shot

 - Blurred to over exposed light

"Watching" Documentary on Film Openings

"Watching" Documentary on Film Openings

1. What des Thomas Sutciffe mean when he says "Film need to seduce their audience into long term commitment. While there are many types of seduction, the temptation to go for instant arousal is almost irresistible"

Sutciffe talks about the film opening being crucial, in the sense that he feels it's important to reel in the audience from the very beginning in order to keep them interested. There are many ways in which this can be achieved, although usually the most successful film openings bring a well developed sense of intrigue that will leave you settled into your seat desperate to know more about the story and the characters.

2. According to Director Jean Jacques Beineix, what are the risks of "instant arousal"?

Beineix expresses that the film will have to living up the standard of its first opening scene. If the film were to fail in appealing to its audience, despite have a decent opening, Beineiz fears it will be unable to keep the audience interested.

3. Explain why "a good beginning must make the audience feel that it doesn't know nearly enough yet, and at the same time makes sure that it doesn't know too little"

The idea is to give the audience enough insight as in what to expect and what may happen, enough to keep them slightly apprehensive yet intrigued, allowing them to wonder why such and such is happening, but not enough to grant them the ability to predicate entirely what the film has in store, otherwise it becomes meaningless and will have them questioning the worth of paying money to see the film. Leaving the audience in suspense is a positive way in which to achieve this.

4. What does critic Stanley Kauffmann describe as the classic opening? Why does this work?

Kauffmann describes a shot/pan of the city as the ultimate classical opening as it enhances and establishes the main setting in which the movie takes place.

5. Why is Kyle Cooper's title sequence to the film Seven so effective?

Cooper's title sequence allows us as the audience to predict what will happen in the movie.

6. What did Orson Welles want to achieve with his opening sequence to the film A Touch of Evil? What did Universal Studio do to it? Why?

Welles's aim was to achieve the 'one-shot' take, which consists of action, continuous in time and space, from the perspective of a single camera. Universal Studios then when on to add in a title sequence and some music over the original footage in attempts to make it seem a little more realistic and interesting.

7. What is meant be "a favourite trick of Film Noir"? What is the trick?



8. How does the opening to the film The Shining create suspense?

The shot begins by panning through a lake which immediately creates a feeling of disorientation. Then from a birds eye position above the trees we watch a small vehicle make its way along the cliff-top roads. There is a clear sense of the passengers being shown to be quite isolated and as if they are heading into the unknown. Dramatic foreshadowing is then used to good effect as we watch the car move along the edge of the cliff top, a perfect connotation of a family on the edge of a collapse which raises suspense, drawing the audience in immediately, making us want to know what might happen next.

Unknown (2011) - Conventions of Film Openings

'Unknown' 2011 - Trailer.


Once I'd watch the opening scene to 'Unknown', I then began to analyse what attributes where used to convey the conventions of this thriller. The scene starts with a view of the window then zooms into the plane in which the actor in sitting in. It then proceeds straight into the film, giving the view hints and an insight as to what they can expect to happen, as well as ending the clip with a cliff hanger. Will he survive the car crash?

The film opening of The Orphanage

 As the scene opens you could hear the birds tweeting and the winds  blowing. Slowly the audience is introduced with the little girl counting in spanish and playing with her friends in the fields out side the Orphanage home. The phone then rings and the a women who is possibly the carer answers the phone also  speaking in Spanish. From both the girl and carer speaking spanish you could say that the film could be set in Spain.

The credits are in the end of the opening scene, instead of simple transition used the Orphanage used wallpaper that children ripped of the wall. There were also shadows of hand used.

Conventions of a thriller - The Shining

The Shining (1980) 

opening 

Location :

• Rural setting 
• Mountains, snow, lakes, forests etc 
• introduced to a extreme LS / Wide angle of a Mansion 

Music/Sound :

Throughout the opening sequence we hear persistant non-diagetic sound 

• creepy music 
• sinister notes 

Credits :

• characters are introduced 
• written by steven king 
• Blunt credits 

Camera :

• longshot
• tracking the car 
• almost like the car is being followed 

Thriller Opening - The Shining (1980)

The Shining (1980) - Film Opening 

Setting

Rural setting - mountains, snow, greenery/forest, wildlife, lakes

         - Possibly set in Europe or in land parts of North America 

      - we travel through the immense landscape, setting the film as far away from cities and huge populations.

         

Music

As we travel with the car through the opening sequence the non-digectic sound used 

        - Deep minor tones - long dragging notes (sinister and mysterious) 

        - gradually leading into high major notes creating a thrill to the atmosphere

The music creates the atmosphere and tension of the opening sequence. Quite airy and creepy. 

Camera

During the opening credits the camera...

         - Uses longshots to setting the mise-en-scene 

         - pans the landscape of, mountains, lakes, forrest 

         - tracks the car through it's journey around the land as it gets further and further towards where the film is set (in a estate) 

         - The fact that the camera is following the car shows that it's being is important to the film 

...the use of the camera being like this gets the audience into the film as though they are the tracker. 

Credits

The credits show that the film s based on a famous thriller novelist - Stephen King - which can set the typical genre f most of his stories. 

The Shining - Opening (Video)