TARGET AUDIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE EVALUATION

By doing this questionnaire we have found that keeping the audience in suspense throughout the title sequence and also throughout the film is important as this creates tension and mystery which keeps the audience engaged. Having a film and title sequence in colour is popular among the target audience. This is something to consider when planning and editing our title sequence. During our initial ideas we considered setting our title sequence in the modern day and we have decided to use this idea as it is more preferred among our target audience. In our title sequence we want to end it with a cliff hanger as it gives the audience a range of different ideas of upcoming events within the film. It also builds suspense and creates a sense of mystery which would create different enigma codes. We also knew that we wanted to have a child as the protagonist and so by doing this questionnaire we were able to make a decision on the gender based on the feedback from the questionnaire.

TARGET AUDIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

In order to get an idea of what type of thrillers an audience may enjoy, we created a questionnaire for our target audience. This gave us range of different ideas that would allow us to base out thriller title sequence on.

BOYS
GIRLS

1.    WHAT GENDER ARE YOU?

A.   MALE - 12

B.   FEMALE - 12

2.    WHAT TYPE OF THILLER DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST?

A. ACTION – 9 - 7

B. PSYCHOLOGICAL – 3 - 5

C. GORY

3.    WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT THRILLERS?

A. SUSPENSE – 2 - 8

B. VIOLENCE - 3

C. GORE - 1

D. ACTION – 4 - 1

E. STORYLINE – 2 - 3

F. PROTAGONIST

4.    WHAT ENDING DO YOU PREFER?

A. HAPPY – 8 - 4

B. SAD – 3 - 5

C. CLIFF HANGER – 1 - 3

5.    WHAT GENDER PROTAGONIST DO YOU PREFER WITHIN A THRILLER?

A. MALE – 2 - 7

B. FEMALE – 10 - 2

C. DON’T MIND - 3

6.    DO YOU PREFER A STORYLINE THAT...

A. KEEPS YOU IN SUSPENSE – 10 - 6

B. GIVES AWAY THE PLOT/STORYLINE - 2

C. OMNISCIENT - 6

7.    DO YOU PREFER A THRILLER THAT IS...

A. A CLASSIC – 1 - 1

B. MODERN DAY – 9 - 5

C. DON’T MIND – 2 - 6

8.    DO YOU PREFER A FILM IN...

A. BLACK AND WHITE

B. COLOUR – 12 - 12

C. OTHER

9.    WHERE DO YOU MOST LIKE WATCHING THRILLERS?

A. CINEMA – 3 - 3

B. HOME – 7 - 2

C. OTHER – 2 - 2

10. DO YOU LIKE A THRILLER TITLE SEQUENCE THAT...

A.   GIVES AWAY SOME OF THE STORYLINE - 2 - 1

B.   KEEPS YOU IN SUSPENSE – 6 - 7

C.   ONLY GIVES A SMALL SECTION OF THE NARRATIVE AWAY – 4 - 2

11. HOW MANY THRILLERS DO YOU WATCH IN A MONTH?

A. 0-5 – 7 - 9

B. 6-10 – 4 - 2

C. MORE THAN 10 – 1 - 1

TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY ANALYSIS

The title sequence for Terminator 2: Judgement day includes a range of different media techniques in order to signify or to create an enigma code. Close ups and extreme close ups have been used in order to suggest that the machine is the face of evil. It also makes you focus on the eyes as they are dominant and menacing as well as inhuman and futuristic. The slow movement makes the audience focus on what is in the scene and so you are able to notice the enigma codes. It also creates a mysterious effect and creates a contrast between the title sequence and the genre of the film, which is an action-thriller film. The colours used in the title sequence are red, orange and yellow.

This implies that danger and that it will occur a lot during the film and gives the suggestion to the genre of the film. The black silhouettes of the children’s playground can signify evil and so with the flames this implies that evil is going to destroy and kill. The diagetic sounds of the flames add to the title sequence as it reinforces the idea of destruction and danger. The non-diegetic music sets the tone and creates an ominous, tense and emotional atmosphere. It also has a heavy and metallic sound which suggests that they film is going to be action-packed. This gives the audience an idea of how the Terminator is built and so would suggest that the beginning of the film was when the Terminator was made.

The pace of editing is very slow and so this would also allow the audience to focus on what is happening in the scene as well as creating an eerie atmosphere. The use of special effects for the fire and smoke suggests evil and death. By showing the fire raging out of control, this implies that evil is destructive and dominant. The font used for the titles is futuristic and this creates an enigma code as it makes the audience question why crushed metal and things from the future are so important. Set and location is important within this title sequence as the audience may question why the playground is on fire. By using a playground, the location suggests that innocence is being destroyed as the fire represents the destruction and death.

Innocence is represented by the children’s playground because children are seen as innocent and so within the film it appears that evil is killing the innocent. Setting the title sequence during the night-time makes the location and scene appear more sinister and menacing. Using a dissolve transition effect, this maintains the slow pace of the sequence which creates and maintains the eerie atmosphere.


The 'Terminator 2: Judgement Day' title sequence has been influential to our title sequence as we liked the slow pace of edit for some of the scenes as it makes it appear mysterious and builds suspense. It also made us think about the different transitions that we could use within our own title sequence.

SPIDER DIAGRAM

Before creating our own thriller title sequences we looked at different conventions and ideas that have been used in other thrillers to create tension and mystery. Creating a spider diagram was the best way to record all of these ideas as we could group them into the different categories, for example lighting etc. We began by looking at the different codes and conventions first and so this meant that we could build on and discuss our own ideas that could relate to or feature within our title sequence. By doing a spider diagram we found that we really liked the idea of having the voice of a child either as diegetic sound or as a voiceover. This led to us thinking about having a little girl as the central protagonist within our thriller and so this meant that we could incorporate the idea of having a child’s voice as diegetic or as a voiceover. This made us think about the connotations of a child for example, youth, innocence and purity and so this meant that we would have been thinking more about the narrative as we were discussing different ideas that would create binary opposition and that were also found in both of the narrative structures. This led to us discussing our initial ideas and how we could incorporate our ideas in order to create tension, suspense and more importantly an effective thriller title sequence.

LEON TITLE SEQUENCE ANALYSIS

The title sequence for the film ‘Leon’ is interesting as it quickly engages and introduces the audience to the narrative. The iconography used within this title sequence sets the location of the film. The use of yellow taxis and buildings has been used to represent the city of New York. The scene then changes as the colours green, white and red are used to set the location and to link with the idea that they are in Italy. The way the text is used it quite subtly. This means that the text does not take away from the scene, the use of white for the font colour could suggest purity.

Because the title of the film is in capitals and also centralised, it suggests that the central protagonist and that they are significant within the narrative. A bird’s eye view shot creates an establishing shot and so this sets the scene and gives the audience a location. The use of close ups and extreme close ups are important within the title sequence as it creates enigma code because the characters’ identities are concealed. It also makes them appear more menacing and mysterious. Also, using close ups means that you can create eye contact with the audience; this appears very intense as it suggests that both of the men are tense and also passionate about what they are taking about. This creates tension as you can’t see either of the men’s’ facial expressions or identities.

The use of eye line match makes the audience feel as if they are being let in on a secret. The non-diegetic sound of the drums makes the scene sound more sinister and so this is parallel tot eh scene as a crime is about to occur. We then see a close up shot of a character that we assume is ‘Leon’. It allows us to see character 1, which we believe to be the central protagonist, Leon as the audience are able to see him in character 2’s glasses. By doing this it gives a sense of identity and also this means that we can see how the other character sees him and may suggest their relationship. The leading lines within this frame also help to guide the audience’s eyes towards the reflection in the glasses.

Using extreme close up shots can suggest that this is a tense moment and can add to the fact that they believe in what they are saying as they are passionate about the subject and so this can make the scene quite tense as you can see the whole of the character’s face, creating a lack in identity and personality. The non-diegetic music stops and this allows the audience to focus on what is happening and being said within the scene, this conveys the idea that something important is taking place. The diegetic sounds within the scene are very subtle and this is because the audience are meant to be focusing on what is being said rather than on the sounds.

However, when Leon bangs the glass of milk on the table the sound is amplified. This is significant as the colour of milk is white and so this could signify purity. This would contrast with the shadows in the frame and also his dark black clothing. As the sound of the glass hitting the table is amplified, this suggests quite angry or aggressive behaviour and this also creates a contrast between that and the purity f the milk. A binary opposition is created as purity contrasts the bad task that is going to be carried out. The image that we are shown is in black and white and so this is important as black implies death and suggests that the character is going to be killed by Leon as he is wearing black clothing and this matches the scene.

An extreme close up has been used on the character’s face and also the rule of thirds has been applied to suggest a sense of mystery as the audience are only able to see one of the character’s eyes. A close up shot on the character’s mouth was used as the character says “Let’s talk business. By doing this it engages the audience and also employs that this a significant point within the play. It also makes the audience feel as if they are being let in on a secret.

This has influenced our title sequence as we discussed stopping the non-diegetic music and just having silence to show significant points within the title sequence and to also increase the tension and suspense. After watching this title sequence we thought that amplifying sounds was a good idea as it builds tension because the audience try to match their breathing with the breathing of the character.

GENERIC RESEARCH ON THRILLERS

Within thriller movies, a range of different shots and camera angles have been used. For example close up shots are used to build tension suspense and also mystery. Long shots are also used in order to set the scene. They are also so used in order to give a sense of isolation; this is done by having a character on their own in a mysterious location, this creates mystery and tension for the audience as they expect that something is going to happen.

Point of view shots are used in order to show the scene and the setting. This builds tension as the audience doesn’t see the character’s facial expression and so they have no idea about what is happening. By using a dark location the audience aren’t able to make out some of the objects within the shot and so this would create tension and suspense. By also using artificial lighting, objects become distorted and so this would make the scene unnerving for the audience. Using point of view shot allows us to step into a character’s shoes and see what is happening from their perspective. By doing this we also pick up on their nerves, which makes the audience tense and so this causes suspense and tension to be built up.

The location and setting used within a thriller either reflects or contrasts the character’s feelings or personality. For example an isolated setting or location may suggest that the main protagonist or antagonist is also isolated and cut-off from the rest of the other characters. The location also gives the audience an insight into what genre the film is and what the film is about as wells as giving them a suggestion about what the characters in the film are like. At the beginning of a thriller, on some occasions the location contrasts the genre of the film. For example a quiet village or even a tranquil, isolated house in the countryside. This creates an enigma code as it makes the audience question what is going to happen to disrupt the equilibrium in the location.

Lighting within a thriller is significant. Artificial lighting is typical of thrillers as it creates lots of shadows. This distorts the image and so this creates mystery and suspense as the audience are not able to make out what certain objects or who the characters are. Back lighting also creates mystery as the audience don’t know who the character is and so this creates an enigma as it makes the audience question who the character is.

In most horror and thrillers, the scenes are set at night time and so the use of lots of artificial light would not be appropriate as the scene would not look realistic. It would create too many shadows and this would distort the objects in the shot. The night time effect creates lots of shadows and so this may create a sense of mystery and suspense.

The non-diegetic music within thrillers is usually orchestral. This type of music is typical of a thriller as it gives the scene a sinister and menacing feel to it. The soundtrack may even be played in the minor key and so this would alter the mood of the scene. The minor key may also give the audience an insight on the character and their personality. However, within some scenes of a thriller no music at all is used and so this creates a more sinister effect as the audience are trying to listen out for both diegetic and non-diegetic noises that will help them to understand what is happening and what is going to happen. At this point diegetic sound such as a character’s breathing or a creaking door is used to build tension. By hearing a character’s breathing, the audience then begin to try and match their breathing to the characters and so this would create tension as the audience would feel a sense of panic and so tension would have been created. The sound of the character’s breathing can be amplified and so this would also help the audience match their breathing with the character’s breathing. The audience rely on the diegetic sounds in a film as this gives them an understanding of what is happening especially if the set is not well lit and so this turns the audiences focus to the diegetic or non-diegetic sound, which is creating the suspense.

Long duration of frames are used in order to build tension as the audience can see what is happening during the scene and we can also see the character’s reaction and facial expressions which add to the suspense. A long duration of frames also signifies that there is not much action happening at that specific point in the scene or it is now leading to the action.

Todorov’s narrative theory is also used within thrillers as this is often the concept of the storyline. There is a state of equilibrium which is then disrupted. The characters realise that this disruption has taken place and so they attempt to repair the damage the disruption has caused. The characters succeed in repairing the damage and so equilibrium is restored. The disruption within a thriller is typically a killer or some kind of monster which kills a majority of the characters before reaching a conclusion. By using some form of a creature this could act on an audiences fear, this would not be as realistic. However, they would be able to relate to the storyline as it presents verisimilitude and so these elements would make the film more believable. By using a human as the killer, this makes it more unnerving as it is more realistic and believable and so this would create more suspense as there is a psychological element to it and so the audience often don’t know what will happen next, causing suspense and tension within the film.

Peaks and valleys is used as this makes the audience question whether the villain will catch the main character. The audience want the main character to live as they have created a relationship between themselves and that character and so this builds lots of tension and suspense as they are unsure whether the character will get away and stay alive until the end of the film.

These are all conventions of a thriller as they are important to creating suspense and tension which is the main concept within the genre.

INITIAL IDEAS

For our initial ideas we took into consideration the codes and conventions of a thriller as well as ideas used in title sequences we have analysed. Camera angles and shots are important especially a close up shot as this allows the audience to see the character’s facial expression. This indicates that something is happening within the scene. For example a close up can be used to show fear and by doing this it would create suspense and make the scene unnerving. Bird’s eye view and also high angles make a character look small and insignificant. This can be especially effective in a scene where the central protagonist is faced with the antagonist and the villain is in control of the situation as this makes them appear less dominant. Whereas, as a worm’s eye view or a low angle can be used to make the villain appear more menacing and dominant.

Hand held shots can be effective as the shake of the camera is parallel to the scene because the scene is tense and so this creates tension and makes it more disturbing. Long shots can make a character look small and insignificant. It could also suggest that the character feels isolated. This can help to build tension as the character is alone or isolated and that something might happen to them. Point of view shots allows the audience to see through the characters eyes and so you can see other characters’ identities. Also if the scene is shot with not much light then this may suggest the character has a vision impairment and so this may build tension as a person’s identity may become concealed. A Dutch angle is a convention of a thriller as it disorientates the audience because the shot is not filmed straight on but on an angle. Dutch angles can suggest that the character’s vision is impaired and so this shot creates tension in the scene. Over the shoulder shots help to create a mystery as the character in the foreground may not realise that another character is behind them. It also creates an enigma code for the audience as they do not know what the other character’s intentions are.

Low key lighting is a convention of the thriller genre because it is used to distort the facial features. This creates mystery as the shadows conceal the character’s identity and creates an enigma code as this leaves the audience wondering the identity of the person. Chiaroscuro is also a convention of a thriller as it creates lots of distinct shadows which contrast with the highlights made by the harsh artificial light. This distorts the facial features and so this creates tension and an enigma code as this makes the audience question the identity of the character. Natural lighting can suggest a less dramatic scene and is typical of the romantic genre. However, using natural lighting can create a sense of eeriness as the scene could occur in broad daylight and so this would be socking for the audience as they would not expect this of a thriller and so this subverts the conventions of a thriller. Another convention of the thriller genre is back lighting. Back lighting is used to create silhouettes and this is important within a thriller as it forms an enigma code for the audience because the identity of the silhouette is a mystery.

Sound plays an important part within all genre of film, especially thrillers. However, the lack of non-diegetic music can add to the scene because it makes you focus on the scene as it makes it more menacing, also it can often be used to signify a significant point within the narrative. The music used within a film can be either parallel or contrapuntal. Parallel music goes with the scene and so this complements the scene and can add to the atmosphere. On the other hand, contrapuntal music doesn’t go with the scene and so this would make it more unnerving for the audience as it creates a bad feeling and so it builds tension and suspense. Sound bridges are important as they are used to link two frames or scenes together. This can be effective as it maintains the sinister feeling as well as the flow of suspense. The non-diegetic sound of a heart beat is often used as the audience’s heart beat will match that of the sound of the heartbeat heard as the non-diegetic sound and so a fast sound of a heartbeat will increase the tension as the audience’s heartbeat will increase. This sound technique is commonly used as it is an effective way of creating tension and suspense within the scene.

Font is also important within the thriller genre as it adds to the mysterious effect. The use of a red coloured font has been over used over the years within thrillers and so the audience may find this not as disturbing. Within modern thrillers a scratched font has been used. This could suggest violent or obsessive behaviour as it appears that the words have been continuously scratched in.

Narrative is a major convention of the thriller genre. Both Vladamir Propp and Tzvetan Todorov created theories of narrative which are significant within the genre. Vladamir’s theory of narrative is that it includes the characters that make up the narrative, which are the:

•    Hero

•    Villain

•    Donor

•    Helper

•    Princess

•    Dispatcher

•    False hero

Todorov’s theory of narrative looks at the different aspects of the plot side of the narrative. The different stages of Todorov's theory are:

•   A state of equilibrium

•    Disruption of equilibrium by some action

•    Recognition that there has been a disruption of equilibrium

•    Attempts to repair the disruption to equilibrium

•    Reinstatement of equilibrium

These theories of narrative are important to films, especially the thriller genre as these different characters and stages of the theories contribute to making up the narrative. Characters such as the villain disrupt the state of equilibrium and so this can lead to the build-up of tension.

Connotations are a significant convention of the thriller genre as they can suggest enigma codes within the scenes. After discussing ideas for our title sequence I have come up with some connotations that may link with these ideas. The colour white could suggest purity or innocence. It can also signify clinical behaviour, which is typical of a villain within the thriller genre as well as the sense of being angelic or simple. I could even suggest the idea of being the same as everyone or everything and having no sense of identity. Black is often associated with death, evil, impurity, contamination mystery and menacing behaviour. All of these connotations could be applied to the colour black within a thriller as they are add to the narrative or they create enigma codes within the film. Red is also an important colour within thrillers as it can signify death, blood, lust, love and passion. After thinking about ideas for our title sequence we decided that we really liked the idea of using a child as the central protagonist. The typical connotations of a child are youth, playfulness, innocence and purity. By considering these connotations we decide that we really liked this idea as having a child that represents innocence could contrast or juxtapose other things or people that may be included within the frame.

Editing is important within the thriller genre as it is used to create and intensify suspense and tension. Long shot duration make the scene more eerie as the frame doesn’t change for a long period of time. This builds tension as the audience is waiting something to happen and so this creates suspense. However, short shot durations create tension as the frames appear quickly and at a face pace and so this would make the audience’s heart beat faster, resulting in the build-up in tension. By doing this it also focuses the as they are trying to keep up with the short duration of frames.

Enigma codes are an essential convention of a thriller as they keep the audience guessing as they create mystery within the scene. Enigma codes also makes the audience ask questions. This is vital within a thriller as the main aim is to create and maintain suspense and tension. Peaks and valleys help to build tension as it makes the audience wonder what will happen and if the protagonist is going to be safe. By showing a frame of the hero and then cutting to the villain and then back to the hero, this keeps the keeps the audience on edge as there are lots of ways that the protagonist could fall and this increases the tension as you want them to survive.

Amplifying diegetic sounds is often used in order to create tension because it helps to build tension. The sound of breathing is commonly used within thrillers as the audience matches their breathing with the sound of the character’s breath. It also suggests their fear because if they felt scared then their breathing would get faster and so would the audience’s, resulting in the increase of tension within the scene. Using a black and white effect can have two different purposes. It can be used to signify something that has happened in the past or it could be used to highlight the use of chiaroscuro by showing the light and dark areas.

Jump cuts are used within thrillers as it makes the audience focus on another frame or scene in a short space of time and so this would add tension as the editing is quite fast paced especially if there are lots of jump cuts and short duration of shots in a small space of time. It can also make what is on screen quite jerky as the shot cuts have been put together. Fading the scene in and out can add to the suspense as the scene is being slowly revealed. By using a slow paced scene and long shot durations this can be especially effective as it gives a sense of mystery as the scene or frame is being introduced to the audience slowly.

Slow motion or even slowing down the speed of the frame can build tension and suspense because you are able to see the character’s facial expression and you can pay lots of attention to what is happening within the scene. By slowing a frame down this can build suspense as you want to know what is going to happen and so this makes the audience question what is going to happen.

Mise en scene can make a scene or frame more disturbing. For example, clothing and make up can signify what time or era the film was based in. By using modern clothing in a contemporary film can unnerve the audience as it would appear to be an everyday situation that could occur at any point. A convention of a thriller is that the film uses a familiar setting or location. This links with the idea of the clothing, that the audience may find it more disturbing that these situations could occur in everyday life. Thrillers often use an isolated location as this can sometimes be parallel to the character and their feelings. A character may feel isolated, lonely or abandoned and so this makes the character three-dimensional as they have a psychological depth. The use of an isolated location can be appear quite eerie as there is no one around them and this could be quite daunting or menacing.