P1: Create pre-production materials for an original TV programme or short film
Research into the Thriller Genre. Here I conducted research into the thriller genre by looking at it's conventions and analysing a short thriller film and scene from a horror-thriller film.
Roadside - analysis of a short thriller film
The conventions of Roadside.
What channel/platform is it on and why?
Roadside is on YouTube, uploaded by a YouTuber onto a channel called TheBuffNerds. This is because it was not made by an official company, it was made by people who have the money, equipment and capabilities to create a short film independently.
What sort of mise en scene is used in the scene?
What camera shots/techniques are being used, and why?
What editing techniques are used?
The interesting thing about the short film Roadside is that there is seemingly no editing techniques being used in terms of cuts, as even though Roadside is a single scene short film, it doesn’t even have chops and cuts for quick shot changes, instead it relies on the movement of the camera to change between shots. Even at the opening, there is no fade into the short film, the screen starts off black for the first 5 seconds before just starting without a slow fade into it. And at the end, it just has a sharp cut to a black background with the title of the short film “Roadside” on it before the end credits, so there are no editing techniques in this short film, and this is effective as it leaves us not knowing what we will see when the camera moves and turns to follow the characters and their expressions, this helps to build suspense and tension in the film.
What sound is used and why?
Diegetic sound is a noise which has a source on-screen. They are noises which have not been edited in, for example dialogue between characters or footsteps. Another term for diegetic sound is actual sound.
Non-diegetic sound is a noise which does not have a source on-screen, they have been added in. For example music, voice over, sound effects.
Non-diegetic sounds are often used to add drama to moments that would be silent without it.
The main sounds that can be heard are diegetic sounds, breathing, footsteps, a slight breeze, distant tweeting birds, car noises such as the engine, the tires on the road, the door open and close, etc. and dialogue between the characters. This is everything we would expect to hear in this kind of scene.
In terms of non diegetic sound, there is music that can be heard when the car approaches. The music is low, alarming and tense. This music adds tension to the scene and makes the viewer feel unsafe and alone like the female character.
- A long scene to build suspense
- Begins with a slow tempo
- Slow or eerie music in order to create suspense or uncertainty
- Heightened diegetic sounds such as a door creaking (wind and car)
- Close-ups and extreme close-ups
- Low-key lighting to create an atmosphere of suspense or gloom
- Setting is in the middle of nowhere and therefore isolated
- The aim is to create suspense (narrative)
What channel/platform is it on and why?
Roadside is on YouTube, uploaded by a YouTuber onto a channel called TheBuffNerds. This is because it was not made by an official company, it was made by people who have the money, equipment and capabilities to create a short film independently.
What sort of mise en scene is used in the scene?
- Low-key lighting to create an atmosphere of suspense or gloom
- Setting is in the middle of nowhere and therefore isolated
- The female is wearing a tag on her wrist, which would imply that she has escaped from a prison or an institute of some kind, this is further proved by her plain blue shirt which looks like part of a uniform, it suggests she was in a institute.
- There is a blood stain on her t-shirt, and dirt on her face, which suggests not only has she been in some sort of trouble, but has been out for a long time.
- There is no lighting in the car, which gives it a scary and foreboding feel.
What camera shots/techniques are being used, and why?
- At the beginning, a tracking shot is used. This is to follow the female character as she is walking by the road.
- An over the shoulder shot is used when the girl is looking at the man getting out of the car. It is not at an angle so we cannot tell what the male character is going to do.
- There are some close ups on the girl which show her being afraid and also on the man which shows intent but also a little stress and worry
What editing techniques are used?
The interesting thing about the short film Roadside is that there is seemingly no editing techniques being used in terms of cuts, as even though Roadside is a single scene short film, it doesn’t even have chops and cuts for quick shot changes, instead it relies on the movement of the camera to change between shots. Even at the opening, there is no fade into the short film, the screen starts off black for the first 5 seconds before just starting without a slow fade into it. And at the end, it just has a sharp cut to a black background with the title of the short film “Roadside” on it before the end credits, so there are no editing techniques in this short film, and this is effective as it leaves us not knowing what we will see when the camera moves and turns to follow the characters and their expressions, this helps to build suspense and tension in the film.
What sound is used and why?
Diegetic sound is a noise which has a source on-screen. They are noises which have not been edited in, for example dialogue between characters or footsteps. Another term for diegetic sound is actual sound.
Non-diegetic sound is a noise which does not have a source on-screen, they have been added in. For example music, voice over, sound effects.
Non-diegetic sounds are often used to add drama to moments that would be silent without it.
The main sounds that can be heard are diegetic sounds, breathing, footsteps, a slight breeze, distant tweeting birds, car noises such as the engine, the tires on the road, the door open and close, etc. and dialogue between the characters. This is everything we would expect to hear in this kind of scene.
In terms of non diegetic sound, there is music that can be heard when the car approaches. The music is low, alarming and tense. This music adds tension to the scene and makes the viewer feel unsafe and alone like the female character.
A Quiet Place - Analysis of a scene from a horror-thriller film.
The conventions of A Quiet Place: Old Man Scene
What mise en scene is used in the scene?
What editing techniques are being used and why?
What sound is used and why?
Diegetic sound is used throughout, from footsteps through the leaf litter, forest wildlife sounds in background, birds tweeting, wasps buzzing, the monsters making noise and roaring, an old man shouting and the kid panic breathing.
In terms of non-diegetic sound, There is eerie and scary sound throughout this scene to increase the fear factor and tension of the scene. And soundtrack noises to add to the music to increase the tense feel. Giving the audience a feeling that something bad is about to happen.
- Slow or eerie music in order to create suspense or uncertainty
- Highly tense and scary scene
- Heightened diegetic sounds such as a door creaking
- Close-ups and extreme close-ups of the protagonist
- Blood and violence
What mise en scene is used in the scene?
- Exotic location (forest), creates feeling of isolation.
- Old man looks dirty, and has clothing that looks old, you can tell by its rips and its dirty look. This shows that he has been there for a very long time and has worn the same clothes a lot.
- The father and son are running after the old man screams, this creates fear and tension as the audience knows that one of the monsters are about to attack.
- The fathers clothes are scruffy, suggesting he wears the same clothes a lot.
- Tracking shot following the boy’s footsteps.Used so suspense is created when the old man is seen getting up as he walks past.
- Close ups to show the fear of the father and son, and fear, anger and unpredictability of the old man.
- There is an over the shoulder shot showing the monster about to attack the old man from behind. This shot is also at a low angle making the audience feel powerless against the approaching creature.
- A tracking shot of the father and son running for their lives, the camera shakes to create the feeling that we are running with them, this creates fear and tension.
What editing techniques are being used and why?
- There are quick cuts between shots and quick camera switches, this is used to show what the characters are seeing from each perspectives, it is also so that the scene doesn’t look messy.
What sound is used and why?
Diegetic sound is used throughout, from footsteps through the leaf litter, forest wildlife sounds in background, birds tweeting, wasps buzzing, the monsters making noise and roaring, an old man shouting and the kid panic breathing.
In terms of non-diegetic sound, There is eerie and scary sound throughout this scene to increase the fear factor and tension of the scene. And soundtrack noises to add to the music to increase the tense feel. Giving the audience a feeling that something bad is about to happen.
Here I created a pitch proposal for my short film before going on to creating my pre-production materials.
Uninvited 2.0 from Kian Whinn |
After creating my pitch I was then able to go onto creating the pre-production materials: Below is the script, storyboard, risk assessment, location recce, call sheet and production schedule.
Gantt Chart (Production Schedule)
Storyboard
Script
Script by on Scribd
Risk assessment
Call sheet
Call Sheet by Kian Whinn on Scribd