Todorov came up with a Narrative structure for films.
Propps Theory
Propp came up with 8 Main Character Types that appear in 100 films that he analysed.
The villain — struggles against the hero.
The dispatcher —character who makes the quest known and sends the hero off.
The helper — helps the hero in the quest.
The princess or prize — the hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain. the hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess, thereby beating the villain.
Her father — gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero, marries the hero, often sought for during the narrative. Propp noted that functionally, the princess and the father can not be clearly distinguished.
The donor —prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.
The hero or victim/seeker hero — reacts to the donor, weds the princess.
False hero — takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess
Thriller adverts/Trailers usually have dark images, to draw the audience to the film and the information in the thriller. They would have mysterious images, and eye catching titles to engage the reader. The Trailer would have images of some tense parts of the film, so to show what the film could be without giving away too much of the plot. The trailer may be also set to some non-digetic music, and sort of in the style of a montage, this is more common in action film, but could be incorporated into a thriller if the shots are scary enough and the music is just right. Some thriller trailers include a scary voice over (Often children) played to the shot of the film to create a tense atmosphere.
The opening to the woman in black features a child voice-over, saying a rhyme. This adds to the tension of the film, as well as the child's toys and music in the background. This is a really good trailer, and worked really well and made me want to go and see the film.
If a trailer was made for our film, it would be along a similar style. It would have some scary music played to some shots of the actual film, and possibly a voice-over to go with it and add to the tension. The trailer would be put on YouTube adverts and shown on TV. As well as being shown at the start of other films in the cinema, this would mean that as many people as possible could see the trailer, and word of mouth could pass it on and hopefully a large audience would come to see our film.
Marketing
A trailer is not the only way to market a film. Viral marketing can also be done to achieve a big audience. Banners at the top of websites can be used to advertise our film, meaning that whoever goes on that website will see a banner of our film. If they like the look of it then they would click on it and be taken to a link of the trailer so that they could watch it.
An example of an advertising banner on YouTube
Advertising could be done on Social Networking sites Facebook and Twitter.
On Facebook a Group or page could be set up to advertise our Thriller to the Millions who use Facebook. If not this then a advert down the side of the page could be set up to advertise our film. The film could be selectively targeted at a certain age range so that our target audience is hit and advertised to as many of them as possible.
An example of a Facebook advert
Twitter could be used by paying a "Promoted Trend" so that everybody can see it. This would mean that every single Twitter user would be able to see the name of our film. and the Majority would click on it to see what it is.
This was produced to show that we understood the elements of continuity, and was shot in one afternoon.
After looking at this film again, i noticed a small continuity error. At the end of the films when the door handle goes down and the door is opened. The next shot has to door opening again. Error however helped us make less errors in our final piece.
The idea, was to have a cliffhanger ending, so that we could keep the audience on the edge of their seat wondering what happened next. However with this we tried too hard. We did not give the audience enough information, so it was unclear what had happened, and some hots had to be filmed again. This gave more information to the audience so that the film made sense.
i think the continuity piece was very successful, and with the error that we made helped us in our real film. It also helped us with time management in our real film as we were running out of time so we knew that we needed to plan our time better.
A thriller is a Genre of Movie that follows lots of different set Conventions in order to have a certain effect on the audience. Many Thrillers these days can be split up into different subsections such as ; Action thriller, Conspiracy thrillers, Crime thrillers, Legal thrillers, Political thrillers and Psychological thrillers. Thrillers can be great films if they are done correctly, and can make a lot of profit for the producers. Thrillers use psychological mind games to put mind games and thoughts into the audiences head so that they are interested, pumped with adrenaline and kept on the edge of their seat throughout the film. Due to these thrillers being so successful, many have been produced, which means that conventions and ideas will be re-used. Conventions can be found by analyzing multiple films and finding similarities between them.
Thrillers often tend to have a Protagonist who is normally unaware of the Antagonists true identity, who they are, and what their morals are. An example of this would be in Taking lives, Where Angelina Jolie's character is unaware that the man she slept with is actually a serial killer that has taken the identities of many different men in order to lead a different life and escape the Punishment of his crimes. He uses very clever mind games to try and make himself seem innocent. This can also be related to Psycho the viewers are made to believe that Norman, and his mother are too different characters. Due to the camera angles we never actually get to see the face of his 'mother', as not to give away that it is really him. Having this lack of knowledge from the main Protagonist adds Tension to the film as it is unknown to the audience and the character who is the antagonist, and what are their motives. However This is not evident in the film "Memento," as the main Protagonist knows who the Killer of his wife is, But cannot access his memory due to an accident, this is How the technique is not portrayed in a film as the protagonist had knowledge of who killed his wife, but is unable to remember it, thus has to have the information of his killer tattooed on his body. Although the Protagonist knows who the antagonist is, He still is unknown to it, creating an effect where the viewer knows a lot more than the character knows, but this effect still works and adds tension to the film.
An Example of the Tattoos In Memento
The main plot of a Thriller usually revolves around there being a crime of some sorts, this is because we as a audience are not used to seeing major crime from the point of view of the victim and the criminal. The crime generally depends to be a murder. Many of the 'Big' Thriller titles usually involve a Serial killer going around, while the Protagonists tries to stop them. Taking lives is a really good example of this, as the whole film is based upon a Serial Killer killing people and stealing their identities, and the protagonist is trying to crack the psychological game and catch the killer. The whole plot is based around Murder, and this adds a thrilling tension and keeps up on the edge of the seat, as murder is not something we are used to in everyday life. The film takes us through the thoughts of the people we are not, and lets the audience see something from the perspective of a special agent who would deal with murder a lot. Another Example of this is in No country for old men. The when the money is found, it is at the scene of a major drug deal. The Core of the plot is also based upon crime as there is a psychopathic killer who is after the protagonist. This use of Crime keeps the audience on the edge of their seat, as it a unknown area for them, and they do not naturally know the thoughts of the people involved, what is going to happen next.
Thrillers also generally have a feeling of voyeurism, this is when somebody is being spied on and doesn't know. This is done because it adds tension, and questions in the audiences head that go unanswered, like why are they spying on them, what will happen next. An example of this is in Psycho when Norman is watching through the hole in the wall. Marion does not know she is being watched, but we as the audience can see that she is. This adds tension because we wonder why he is watching her.
Another Convention of the thriller is that the title normally reflects the psychological state of the Antagonist or Protagonist. "Psycho" Is called so because literally the antagonist is a Psycho. Also this is the case with Taking lives. The Antagonist is killing people thus taking their life. Not only this, but he also physically "Takes their life" by becoming them. The titles reflecting the psychological state of somebody is a good convention because it leaves the Audience guessing as to why the film has been titled what it is. What aspects of the film make the title have that name, and how are they related.
Sound is also important in the thriller genre as this can be mainly responsible for all of the Tension that is built up. We can feel the emotions and feelings of the characters through the use of Digetic sound. We can hear what they can hear so emphasise with them as we too can hear. Useing Non Digetic music can add a lot of tension, this is also the case with silence. silence and Music give the film a lot more tension, and a lot more thrilling to watch. The Use of sound in the shower scene in psycho is possibly the most well known piece of music from a thriller film ever. This in itself is an obvious example of how well music ads to the tension of a thriller. However, before this scene, there is no music. This leads up and slowly increases the tension.
All Thrillers have Set conventions that they use in order to make them thrilling. Using all of the techniques in some way will add tension to a film. Thrillers are there not to scare the Audience, but to build up the tension, constantly leaving questions unanswered, so the audience do not know what is going to happen next. Tension is the most important part of a thriller, it is what most people find interesting in a thriller and go to watch them for. Without using these forms and conventions, thrillers would not be thrilling.
Obviously When making a film you have to decide on a audience which you are going to target your film too. This could include their Age, Gender, Location and also the types of films certain people enjoy.A typical Age range for a thriller Film would be 15-35, Depending on the Age rating of your film. If your film is rated a 18, then you are shortening your audience, but you can include more thriller aspects. Sometimes Film makers will cut certain scenes out so that the rating can be moved from a 18 -> 15, so that there is a bigger audience for the film to make a profit from.
A Typical Thriller Audience would be, "Somebody who is intrigued into mystery, and likes a twist. Somebody who likes to try and work things out for themselves and who likes to be on the edge of their seat They also would love the elements of shock surprise and suspense."
After Looking at the BBFC guidelines for our Thriller Opening. We decided that our thriller would be a 15. This would enable us to have a Audience of 15+, which would include a lot of teenagers who are looking for a thrilling film to go and see with their friends. If it were to be a 12, then we would be able to include a much bigger audience enabling the film to make a lot more money. However after watching the start of the film against the BBFC guidelines, we decided that a 15 is more appropriate for our film given the rest of the story line.
There would be no Specific gender for our Thriller, it is not targeted at a specific gender. so anybody who enjoys watching thrillers could go and see it. No matter if they are Male of female.
A thriller will have Many Conventions about it which will make it thrilling. Generally Many thrillers all have elements of some of the following as they give tension to the audience and make them on the edge of their seat
There is usually a crime in the narrative or storyline of a thriller. -This is often a Murder and it keeps the viewer hooked.
A complex narrative structure, with false paths, clues and resolutions. - Thrillers are usually made up of these. Mainly to keep the audience questioning, and to make them work out what’s going on, leaving strong enigma’s
Themes of voyeurism - When someone is being e.g. spied upon and doesn't know. Usually shown through point of view shot of the person doing the spying.
Protagonist with ‘flaw’ which is exploited by the antagonist - The antagonist takes advantage of the protagonists flaws. The flaws are usually obvious to the audience but not to the antagonist until they are revealed to him. When the flaws are visible to the antagonist, it put him/her in the dominant position.
Titles often reflect an aspect of the pro/antagonist’s psychological state - The titles usually mirror the type of film, and give the audience a chance to see what might be coming up in the film.
There is often a scene near the end of the film in which the protagonist is in peril. - This is used so that there is action building up to a certain point to keep the audience hooked, and the peril is usually solved by the end of the film which leaves the audience in good spirit.
This is taken from the Day when we were filming our Thriller. In this clip you can her our Planning and Ideas that we had on the day and tried to incorporate into our thriller. There is also some clips of when we were filming showing how we were filming things and the angles we filmed from.
A "U" fim should be suitable for any viewer of the age 4+. "U" films should have a generally positive film throughout, and all negatives or violence should be counter balanced by lots of good things. "U" films should have the following:
No discriminating language or behaviour
no references or use of illegal drugs,
any horror scenes should be mild brief and should not cause any anxiety to children, the outcome of these should also be positive and reassuring,
no dangerous behaviour which young children are likely to copy,
very infrequent use of very mild bad language,
mild sexual behaviour (Kissing)
only mild violence that is resolved or has a reassuring ending.
Parental Guidance
General viewing,similar to "U" however some areas of the film may be unsuitable for young children to watch unaccompanied by a adult.
Unaccompanied children of any age may watch. A ‘PG’ film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. However, parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger or more sensitive children.
Discrimination - discriminable language is likely to be classed as a "PG" unless is clearly disproved or used in historical context.
Drugs - References to illegal drugs must carry a anti-drugs message
Horror - frightening Horror aspects should not be prolonged
Imtimatable behaviour - no dangerous behaviour that children could intimidate, no glamorisation of easily accessible weapons.
Language - Mild bad language
Nudity - Natural nudity with no sexual content
Sex - Sexual activity may be implied, but should be discreet and infrequent.
Violence -Moderate violence,
Suitable for 12 years and over
The same criteria is used between 12, and 12A films. Films with this rating are generallysuitable for children over aged 12. Some of the Themes in the Film may upset children under 12
The ‘12A’ category exists only for cinema films. No one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult, and films classified ‘12A’ are not recommended for a child below 12. An adult may take a younger child if, in their judgement, the film is suitable for that particular child. In such circumstances, responsibility for allowing a child under 12 to view lies with the accompanying adult.
Discriminatory language or behaviour must not be endorsed by the work as a whole. Aggressive discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely to be acceptable unless clearly condemned.
Any misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should not be glamorised or give instructional detail.
Moderate physical and psychological threat may be permitted, provided disturbing sequences are not frequent or sustained.
Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied, or appear pain or harm free. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.
Moderate language is allowed. The use of strong language (for example, ‘fuck’) must be infrequent.
Nudity is allowed, but in a sexual context must be brief and discreet.
Sexual activity may be briefly and discreetly portrayed. Sex references should not go beyond what is suitable for young teenagers. Frequent crude references are unlikely to be acceptable.
Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood, but occasional gory moments may be permitted if justified by the context. Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and discreetly indicated, and must have a strong contextual justification.
No-one younger than 15 may see a ‘15’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 15 may rent or buy a ‘15’ rated video work.
The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour.
Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse. The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example, aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable.
Strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic or sexualised.
Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.
There may be frequent use of strong language (for example, ‘fuck’). The strongest terms (for example, ‘cunt’) may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.
Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.
Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail. There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour, but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context. Works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable.
Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and have a strong contextual justification.
Parental Guidance
Suitable only for 15 years or over
Suitable only for adults