Applying the theories to Retribution

For this project we studied the four main theories relating to thrillers, so I decided to apply them to Retribution to see whether or not it contains some of the generic conventions. I am applying these theories to only the opening itself because we haven't made the rest of the film.

Claude Levi-Strauss - Binary Opposites
male vs female - you can tell the intruder is male
freedom vs entrapment - she cannot get out of the house without passing him
prisoner vs captor - he has her trapped within the house
justice v injustice - Zak getting justice against Detective Trent's injustice

Roland Barthes - Action & Enigma Codes
Enigma Codes:

• You don't see the intruders face - Who is he?
• There is no interaction between them and he doesn't make himself known, yet he was waiting for her - Does he know her? What is their relationship?
• The last shot being just of their feet in the bathroom - What happens next? What does he do to her?
• The phone call whilst she is in bed and she gets up - Who was on the phone? Is she going out somewhere?
• The camera moving behind the car from the intruders point of view - Has he been planning this? Is it spontaneous? Why is he waiting for her specifically?

Action codes:

• She gets a phone call - leads to her getting out of bed
• Goes to bathroom - leads to the intruder trapping her inside the bathroom
• Drops door keys - leads to her leaving the door open
• Leaves the front door open - leads to the intruder getting in

Tzvetan Todorov - Narrative Structure

Equilibrium - Woman walking home
1st disruption - Leaves the front door open and the intruder gets in
2nd disruption - The woman is trapped in the bathroom

The final sections of this narrative structure do not work because we haven't made the rest of the opening and usually this theory is applied to the entire film. However the first few do work because they generally happen at the beginning of the film. The sections of the theory which don't apply are the big disruption, thwarted attempts at resolution, a resolution and a new equilibrium. However if we had continued to make our film according to our synopsis, then the other sections would be applicable. The big disruption would be Zak kidnapping Evie and holding her hostage whilst setting a trail for Detective Trent to follow, the thwarted attempts at a resolution would be Detective Trent attempting to find her, the resolution would come in the form of whether or not Evie lived and Detective Trent possibly being framed for her supposed murder and finally the new equilibrium would be Zak's new situation concerning his revenge and whether he achieved it or not.

Vladimir Propp - Folk Tales & Character Types
1. The villain/antagonist - Detective Trent (for his actions which made Zak end up in jail)
2. The hero/protagonist - Zak (we follow his story and want him to achieve his revenge)
3. The donor - Evie (in that she gives Zak the means to achieve his revenge)
4. The helper - there isn't really a helper in our plot, but it could be Evie due to finding our her father killed her mother
5. The princess - In the sense of him getting his revenge it would be Detective Trent, but due to his relationship with Evie then it could be her if she wasn't killed
6. The father figure -Again there isn't really a father figure, although in the rest of the film Evie could hate her father when she finds out her father killed her mother
7. The dispatcher - Detective Trent
8. The false hero - we don't really have a false hero

I also studied a fifth theory, by Syd Field. His theory is that thrillers contain a three act plot structure. So I have chosen to apply this theory as well, although it is slightly more difficult to apply as the synopsis didn't go into immense detail of the ending etc.:

Act One - Setup

• Two of three main characters identified in opening sequence: Evie and Zak
• Detective Trent would then be introduced along with the story behind the kidnapping
• The audience are given reasons to support Zak in that he was wrongly framed, yet also don't agree with him kidnapping Evie - there are split loyalties
• The problem facing the protagonist is identified: Zak is having to keep ahead of Trent, who is a detective and so has far more resources available to him

(Plot point one: Evie discovers that her father killed her mother)

Act Two - Confrontation

• Zak is beginning to face more problems as he begins to fall for Evie and she has to die for his original plan to work
• Evie also wants to die to punish her father
• Detective Trent keeps following the clues, but quicker than Zak anticipated.

(Plot point two- Zak realises that he cannot kill Evie, so he begins to conduct a plan to frame Detective Trent as planned, but without killing Evie or having a body)

Act Three - Resolution

• Zak carries out his plan and frames Trent
• Trent goes down
• However Evie may or may not be dead, which has the possibility to tarnish his revenge

Our Group Opening: Rush

We edited together a rough rush for our opening which is below.



I feel that it looks good, yet still isn't quite thriller enough. It doesn't have that much suspense or atmosphere so as a group we have decided to add in a few extra shots.

Firstly we've decided to add in some shots of the kidnapper's feet walking up the stairs which we plan to inter cut with the sequence of the main character getting out of bed and walking down the hallway.

Secondly we have decided on a shot of the kidnapper's feet in heavy shoes behind the girl's bare feet in the bathroom to show that he is just behind her. Hopefully this will add suspense and also show the contrast between the two, bare feet connote vulnerability whilst big heavy shoes connote something sinister.

These additions should help to create a bit more tension in the opening sequence and also make the audience connect and sympathise with the main character a bit more because she seems to very vulnerable in the situation (as she doesn't know someone else is in the house and we do) but she doesn't appear to be a vulnerable character. She comes across as capable of looking after herself if a little reckless with her drinking and into activities which a lot of people can relate to which helps to make the audience feel a connection with her.

The Illusionist Opening Sequence

In this opening the major of it is credits, which I feel is good because the images behind the credits help to set the scene and time period of the film. When the film actually begins then the shot is of the Illusionist/Magician on stage at one of his shows.

The opening doesn't really introduce the characters overly. You can see the police chief and the illusionist, but you don't get introduce to them as a character overly. This happens later in the opening because the film starts very close to the end of the plot and then goes back to the beginning.

I feel that the credits are really good because although they have images/clips behind them, it isn't of anything that is overly related to the storyline so you don't have to concentrate. Instead it allows you to take in the images and you begin to realise the time period and also the setting of the film. Then the film begins, meaning you don't then have to concentrate on time period, you can just concentrate on the character.

The camera work is quite varied to show the expression of the Illusionist and also the reaction and sheer size of the audience that have come to see him perform - although he doesn't appear to be performing much. Particularly in the way that it uses closeups to convey emotion and reactions. The angles and camera work is used to highlight important people (such as the policeman) and actions (such as the ghost of the woman appearing & the woman's outburst). When the police chief comes onto the stage to arrest the Illusionist, having the illusionist sitting down makes him look a lot smaller and fragile than the police chief.

The continuity editing is good and I like the lighting. It gives the auditorium a very sinister feeling which then comes true when the police come in and arrest the illusionist. The dark lighting adds to the tension and suspense. I;'ve noticed that with lighting it is normally quite hard to achieve the correct emotion/enigma within a scene.

I think that the sound is very effective. The music definately matches the time period of the film and the silence when the film actually starts gives tension and suspense to the scene immediately. Then when the woman bursts out in excitement the silence from before helps to emphasise her excitement.

Overall I think that this opening is very effective with the way that the credits help to set the scene, normally people don't utilise this unless they are already showing part of the film in the background.

As with the opening to Se7en I like the way that the credits themselves aren't boring, in the Illusionist they move and flicker about which just helps to make them a little interesting on screen.

I would like to use the idea of setting the scene behind the credits just via stills or small clips of movement in my thriller opening. However due to the limitations in length I wouldn't have time to fit this in and have an opening for the thriller, so I won't be able to do it.

Past Thriller Projects

The following are examples of past thriller openings made by other groups. I have watched a few to see what worked well and what didn't in a bid to make sure that I don't make the same mistakes. I am looking at their work to see what areas are the hardest to get right so that I can pay particular attention to making sure mine don't go wrong.

2005
Group 1 - The Protégé



In this opening two men are in a car, and one of them is instructing the other how to make a hit. I think it works well because there isn't too much going on, so the audience doesn't get confused. The opening also really introduces the characters thoroughly and you understand their relationship immediately.

I feel that it really evokes the thriller genre with the dresscode - both men are wearing a black suit and tie with a shirt - they are very smartly dressed and looks like they means business.

The camera work is quite varied with lots of different angles and distances being used to keep the audience engaged and also show important shots in developing enigma and mise-en-scene. I particularly like the closeup on the man in the front seat's mouth when he is talking and the closeup of the protége's hand to show his nerves. The tracking being hand-held also adds to the sense of the person in shot - the protégé - being in a hurry and it highlights his nerves. It subsequently creates enigma and draws you in because you wonder where he is going and why he is so nervous.

The idea itself is good because it is realistic, it could happen and isn't too extreme. The actors are very convincing which adds to the overall effectiveness of the opening because you don't feel like you are watching an amateur production.

The continuity editing is very good, which I've noticed can tend to be a problem with a lot of the thriller openings made by past groups. You never jump from one place to another, it all follows very neatly on so you barely notice the editing, which allows for a more pleasent viewing and understanding of the sequence. If you were continuously jolting from place to place you would be distracted by that.

I didn't overly like the fact that their credits were so boring. I think it works well that they are simple and go with the classic feel of the opening, however it would have been more interesting for the viewer if they had been a bit more creative.

However the sound was quite poor quality. I think that the music fits well with the sequence and the changes in pace and tension. But the quality of the recording of the speech is very fuzzy which is probably due to the lack of equipment they had available. Also at the end of the opening at about 1min 54 secs the movement of lips and the sound don't quite match up.


2006
Group 6 - Exposure



In this opening a man comes home and begins to pack his bag in a rush ready to leave somewhere, but then he stops on his way out of the door to go to a room full of photos of a girl. I like the idea because it isn't overly complicated but it was executed in a fashion that keeps the audience entertained. It also raises a lot of questions about the character and the girl in the photo which would be good in a real thriller because it would keep the audience engaged.

The dresscode in this opening is similar to that used by the makers of The Protégé in 2005. It is a classic thriller dresscode of a black suit, black tie and a white shirt. He is smartly dressed, but his tie is loosened, which adds to the fact that he is flustered/in a rush.

The camera work has lots of variety in terms of angles and distances, and also in the colour used for the shot. The first half/three-quarters of the opening is in black and white giving it a classic feel, then when the protagonist enters the room full of pictures the room is in colour, showing a change of scene - this highlights a change in tone of the opening. The variety of angles and distances used helps to exaggerate how flustered and hurried the protagonist is.

I really like the idea because it is like something going on behind closed doors, from the outside he could look like a normal person, but he obviously has an obsessive streak in the form of this girl. The actor they used is also very good at his role.

The continuity editing is excellent here. Everything follows on from shot to shot perfectly and you feel as if you are literally just following him around the house.

The credits weren't that exciting, however I liked how they were in colour (orange) over a black and white shot making them stand out in a way opposite to usual (black or white text on a colour shot is normal).

The sound quality wasn't amazing, it was a bit too loud and echoey, however I think the music coming in at the point it did is perfect, because it sets the audience up for the change in mood and situation. Overall I think the sound was quite good quality for the openings I have watched.

Clockwork Orange Opening Sequence

This particular clip doesn't have the original sound with it and unfortunately I didn't manage to find a clip with the correct sound. However I am going to analyse this sequence on visuals.

This thriller opening starts with a red screen, this colour is particularly significant because it signifies passion and anger, two emotions which feature prominently. It begins focused on one man (the protagonist), then zooms out to introduce his droogs/friends and then it tracks back to introduce the setting of their meeting. I feel this works well because the language the protagonist speaks in isn't modern English so this can be a little disorientating for the audience. But by taking it slowly and introducing first the language over the blank screen, then the main character, then his friends and then their location, it gives the audience time to adjust and take in each new piece of information.

The location they are in (a nightclub) really evokes the thriller genre, the fact that they are drinking milk laced with drugs again evokes films of the thriller genre often contain drug references.

The men are all dressed in the same colour with a black hat, reinforcing the idea of them being in a gang.

The camerawork doesn't vary much in the beginning in terms of angles with the camera staying fixed in the same area but zooming out to incorporate more of the scene around the protagonist. It begins with a closeup to show the emotion of the protagonist and to introduce him - showing us he is the most important to us. Before zooming out to give us a bit more detail about his life, e.g. his friends, where he hangs out. I think this is good because it develops the mise-en-scene of him being the leader and of the seedy place they hang out. Even when the camera is very zoomed out, the group is the main feature at the end of the shot, with other people in the club up the sides, they are less important.

It doesn't have any opening credits except for the title and the director on the plain colour screens. I think this is good because the plot could be quite difficult to understand if you had other things detracting from the atmosphere which is created.

The continuity is excellent because you don't have any cuts or pans in the opening. It just tracks all the way back to the end of the room. So it all follows on from the last shot. You notice the camerawork in the sense that it gradually reveals more to you as the opening carries on.

I really like the idea of having one continuous shot without editing as the opening scene. I think that this is very original as I have never seen any film use the same technique.

Narrative Theory - Syd Field: Fatal Attraction

I applied the narrative theory of Syd Field to the film Fatal Attraction. Below are my findings.

Plot points:
- Alex slits her wrists - you begin to realise how possessive she is and how much more serious it is that you first believe.
- Alex boils Dan's daughter's (Ellen) bunny rabbit - Dan realises he has to do something to stop her.

Act 1:
- Dan is introduced as a loving family man, but when his wife and daughter go away he meets Alex and sleeps with her - having a brief affair.
- He then realises his mistake and tries to call it off.

Act 2:
- Alex begins to show up at work and she calls him constantly.
- When Dan changes his number and refuses to take her calls she finds his number and turns up at his flat after finding out where he lives.
- Alex tells Dan she is pregnant with his child (which may or may not be true) and befriends Dan's wife telling her that she wants to move into a new apartment (Dan and his family are moving to the country).

Act 3:
- Dan tells his wife about the affair and his wife warns Alex over the phone that if she doesn't leave them alone she will kill her. Alex kidnaps their daughter but she is returned safe - however Dan's wife is in a car accident.
- Dan's wife forgives him about the affair and when she comes home she runs a bath. However Alex appears in the bathroom and attacks Dan's wife (Beth) with a knife. Dan hears the screams and runs in, drowning Alex in the bath.
- However Alex isn't really dead and emerges trying to stab Dan. However his wife, Beth, has gotten a gun from downstairs and shoots Alex. The ordeal is over and they return to family life, but changed forever by the things that have happened.

Key Characteristics of Thriller Genre apparent within Clockwork Orange

The following are the key characteristics of the thriller genre which are present within the film Clockwork Orange.

Themes: Torture, uncertainty, suspense, intensity, anticipation, excitement, anxiety, loneliness, entrapment, innocence, stalking, accidental death, vulnerability, revenge, danger, reflection, memories, treachery, corruption of innocence, deception, seedy underworlds, weaponry, consequences, crime, adultery and rape.

Characters: Lowlifes, victims, criminals, thieves, protagonist, antagonist, police, villains, wives/family, henchmen, suspicious characters and corrupt police.

Iconography: Shafts of light, doorbells, country roads, countryside, hospitals, nightclubs, low lit lamps, derelict buildings, shadows, street lights, night shooting, prison, sharp lighting contrasts, water, large houses, corridors, colours - white & black, woodland, weapons, videos, camera - tilts & close ups & low angles, masks, frame within frame & extreme camerawork.

Narrative: Death - accidental, bloody fights with weapons, suspenseful music, screams, corruption in police, double cross - henchmen turn against their leader, stolen goods in draw, being chased - sequence, gun point, kidnapping, arguement, police at crime scene, torture, smokey club - drinking and drug taking, fightscene & someone being captured.

Narrative Theory: Fight Club

I applied the theories of Levi-Strauss, Propp, Todorov, Barthes and Field to the film Fight Club. Below are my findings.

Levi-Strauss - Binary Opposites
- normality vs abnormality - the idea of people going to support groups for fun and also the idea of people fighting each other for fun.
- society vs situation - within the fight club it is acceptable to beat each other up and also later in Project Mayhem it is acceptable to blow buildings up for their cause when people could get hurt.
- prisoner vs captor - in a way Jack (narrator) is a prisoner to Tyler. Tyler is dominant and turns out to be in Jack's head, he is imaginary, created by Jack to allow him to do things he wish he could do but doesn't have the confidence to.
- freedom vs entrapment - Throughout the film Jack is captive under Tyler's schemes and ideas for fight club, he doesn't have the freedom to make his own decisions because he feels like he is being left out and so wants to join in. Jack stops himself from having freedom with his desire to belong.


Todorov - Narrative structure
Equlibrium - Jack is at work living a normal life in his appartment
1st disruption - Jack's appartment is blown up
2nd disruption - When Jack goes to stay with Tyler and Tyler asks Jack to punch him and they beat each other up and Fight Club is started.
Big disruption - Fight Club turns into Project Mayhem
Thwarted attempts at resolution - When Project Mayhem gets out of hand and Robert 'Bob' Paulson gets killed, Jack tries to stop the Project but Tyler disappears. Then Jack realises Tyler is part of his mind's creation and tries to kill him but is beaten up.
Resolution - Jack puts the gun in his mouth and shoots himself through his cheek, and Tyler 'dies'.
New equilibrium - Jack and Marla Singer hold hands as the buildings explode around their building and Jack says that she met him at a very strange time in his life.


Propp - Character types
Villain/antagonist - Tyler is the villain in the end
Hero/protagonist - Jack
Helper - Tyler
Princess - Marla Singer
Donor - Tyler
Dispatcher - Tyler
Father Figure - Marla Singer
False hero - Tyler


Barthes - Action & Enigma Codes
Action:
- Jack's appartment explodes - Jack goes to stay with Tyler
- Jack stays with Tyler - Tyler asks Jack to beat him up - Fight Club is started
- Jack goes to support groups - Meets Marla Singer & Robert Parlson
- Fight club is started - Fight club turns into Project Mayhem
- Robert gets killed - Jack wants to stop Project Mayhem
- Jack tries to stop Project Mayhem and find Tyler who has disappeared - Begins to realise that Tyler is part of his imagination

Enigma:
- Jack's appartment explodes and it looks like arson- who did it? why did they do it?
- Tyler asks Jack to beat him up - why is he doing that? what does he get from it?
- Tyler disappears - why did he suddenly go in the middle of Project Mayhem?
- Jack travels around trying to find him but people start saying that he is Tyler - does Tyler now look like Jack? Why do they think Jack is the leader and recognise him when he has never been there in his life?
- Jack realises that Tyler was in his imagination and he had been doing the stuff Tyler had all along - why didn't people say anything when he was being both Tyler and himself? how did Marla not find it weird when she was having sex with Jack as Tyler then coming out and talking to Jack as himself and he was talking about Tyler as another person?


Field - 3 Act Plot Structure
Plot points:
- Jack's appartment blows up & he goes to stay with Tyler
- Fight Club is started
- Fight Club turns into Project Mayhem

Act 1:
- Main characters are identified - Jack & Tyler
- Audience given reasons to take an interest in them - Jack is just a normal guy who seeks comfort in Support Groups and then through meeting Tyler he changes his life and starts Fight Club - he finds a release
- The problem facing the hero - Tyler is taking control of Fight Club and it was something they co-founded

Act 2:
- Jack is gradually more and more secluded from Fight Club, then Fight Club evolves into Project Mayhem which Jack doesn't agree with and he tries to stop Project Mayhem but then Tyler disappears and he has to try to find him.
- Jack realises about himself being Tyler
- Jack tries to alert the police but the police are members of Fight Club and try to kill him because that is what he has told them to do as Tyler if he ever tries to stop the project.

Act 3:
- Jack finds the buildings with the bombs in and tries to deactiviate them - but Tyler tries to stop him and he beats himself up.
- Jack is beaten up and Tyler threatens to kill him before making him watch the buildings blow up. But before they explode, Jack shoots himself in the cheek and kills Tyler for good.
- The members of Project Mayhem bring Marla Singer into the building as a hostage and he tells them to leave her there, they go - worried as to why he is bleeding.
- Jack and Marla stand watching the buildings explode around them as they hold hands and Jack explains he has been in a weird place since she met him.

Analysis of Memento Website

Link to Website [also source of images]: http://www.otnemem.com/

I really like the Memento website, I think it works well as a website for a thriller. Firstly the website is backwards for Memento, which I think is extremely clever as the whole story works backwards from the end to the beginning - just like the websites name.

The front page doesn't really give much away, there is a picture of a burning book in a fire and a few links as well as the release date of the film.


Going into the main website (the pop-up window) the sound of a Polaroid taking a picture sounds and then a man talking says - 'the world doesn't just disappear when you close your eyes does it?' which causes intrigue within the person viewing the website as to who is talking and what that means. Then the sound of a cry is heard before quite eerie music is played in the background. Actually on screen is a newspaper article about photographs and documents being left at a motel whilst the person who owns them disappears - the photograph includes a picture of a dead man/murder victim. The article gives a little bit of an outline of the story and also has links on specific words to sometimes text, sometimes images from within the film. All of this is to spark intrigue within the prospective audience so that they eventually watch the film.


By clicking on certain highlighted words you get extra information in the form of articles, notes and polaroids which are often cryptic. This adds to the sense of enigma and wanted your questions answered. For example when you click on the word 'local' a picture of a woman with the name Natalie underneath comes up, followed by further notes scribbled onto paper, invitations and also scraps of pieces of documentation. This raises questions of the link between the woman and the protagonist as well as the link between her and the documentation and why it has a post-it note addressed to Leonard from her on it. These questions are likely to make the person more interested in watching the film to find out these questions.



I think the website is effective in the way that not only does it do its job of advertising the film as of the thriller genre because it shows that it contains crime and the newspaper article creates suspense and enigma. You want questions raised by the article to be answered and for this to happen you have to watch the film. So I think this is a good piece of marketing.

Narrative Image: The Man Who Wasn't There

The narrative image on a DVD cover can be constructed in the following ways:

(Signifiers & Signified)

Camera:

-Medium Close up: You can see his expression, but still see other things happening around him and can see the scenery he is in.

- Lit from the left, the right of his face in shadow. Also lit from behind his right shoulder (as we look at him): The light from the left could be either a street lamp or light from a window, due to the brightness of the light I think it is probably night time. Another factor that adds to this idea is the light from behind his right shoulder is in line with where the cars headlights would be, and the car wouldn't have headlights on if it was day time and light.

Mise-en-scene:

-White male, wearing a suit and a hat which is tipped slightly downwards, top button loose with a cigarette hanging from his mouth: He is wearing a suit so is probably well off or in a good job. He has a hat on, which is possibly to shadow his face and shield his identity. His top button is loose and he has a cigarette so he probably isn't just waiting quickly for someone, he has been there a long time and is trying to relax.

- He is in a car, steering wheel is at front of frame and he is leant back in his seat: The steering wheel helps to set the scene of the car. He is leant back in his seat either because he is relaxed and making himself comfortable, or trying to keep his face in shadow to hide from somebody, he isn't meant to be there. The car with his posture connotes a stake out, his outfit also adds to the idea of him possibly being a detective.

- It is a black and white picture: It is set in possibly 50s/60s, it is an old film.

- The car in the side window is blurred: That car is moving, not his car, he is parked. He also isn't touching the steering wheel which supports this idea.

- Around the picture itself is writing above it and below it: It frames the picture so the picture looks like you are looking in through the front windscreen (which you are supposed it), the writing just helps emphasise this by giving it borders.

- List of actors and directors: Having a list of directors and actors above and below would draw in the audience, it advertises not only the film but the actors and directors to help consolidate the genre.

People:

- White male, in his 30s/40s, wearing a suit: He looks like a well off man who has possibly just come from work.

- Narrowed eyes, staring intently: He is really focusing on what he is watching, he is possibly trying to figure out who someone is or is slightly shocked and intrigued by what he has seen.

- Leant back against the seat: He is relaxed, comfortable and calm.

- He is looking to our right: He is looking out of the window at something in particular, concentrating on a particular person or what they are doing.

- His head is slightly tilted, the cigarette in his mouth is drooping: He is intrigued by what he can see and is concentrating on that. His cigarette is drooping because he isn't thinking about it, he is distracted by what he has seen and is watching intently.

- He has wrinkles: He may have a stressful job such as a detective, also shows his age.

What is the narrative image of the film and how is it constructed through the DVD cover?

The narrative image of the film isn't overly apparent through the cover. It shows you that it is an old film with a possible detective theme running through it. The DVD cover is used mainly to raise questions within the audience and get them intrigued to make them watch the film. His intent stare is specifically used to make you want to see what he is looking at.

Film Still Analysis

The above still is from a thriller film, below I have denotated and connotated key features of the still, which will hopefully help me when I come to make my opening sequence.

I am concentrating on the following: Signifiers (Denotation) & Signified (Connotation).

Camera:

- Mirror creates frame within a frame: Concentrates our focus onto what is within that frame. Makes us pay attention to something we may have overlooked.

- Medium, two shot: Close enough to see body positions and facial expressions too,
can see all characters involved.

Mise-en-scene:

- Man in suit, woman in dress, hair fixed, applying make up: They are both about to go out for drinks/dinner or to an important occasion.

- Mirror reflects the woman’s face and the man is addressing the woman in the mirror: Lets us see both of their reactions and expressions.

- Hotel room: They don’t live together/emotionally attached, no long term commitment.

- Black and white coloured: Old fashioned film.

Character:

- White male, 30-40, wearing a suit, looks anxious and is facing the woman: She is in control of the situation. He is urging her to do something and is frustrated because she isn’t paying attention/listening/taking any notice of what he has to say. He is tense/nervous.

- White female, 20-30, wearing a cocktail dress, she is looking in the mirror, applying lipstick: She is in control of the situation. She is defiant of his attempts to get her to do what he wants. She is continuing to do what she wants to do. She is independent.

- She isn’t smiling, looks irritated by him: She is fed up of him pestering her to do what he wants and his attempts to look after her.

- The man is leaning in towards her, leaning on mantelpiece: He is trying to persuade her to do/not do something very important. He could be a detective and she is a witness in a case/involved in a dangerous situation. He is trying to regain some form of power in the conversation.

- Her back is turned towards him: She is concentrating on what she is doing and isn’t concerned with him.

My attempt at a thriller shot

This is my attempt at taking a shot which could be in a thriller. I then answered the following questions to try to explain it.

Explain what you were trying to achieve with your shot.
With my shot I was trying to achieve a sense of apprehension and make the audience question the shot. For example why the hand is there and what is going to happen next? I was trying to create suspense and I feel the shot is not obvious as to what is happening so it has a hook for the audience; it draws them in to find out the answers to their questions. Because you cannot see who owns the hand you don’t get the full picture of the situation, you don’t know why they are there and if this was a film, it would be a good linking shot to create anxiety in the lead up to a big incident, it encourages curiousity within the audience.

In what way does it represent ‘thriller’?
The definition of a ‘thriller’ is: a suspenseful adventure story or play or movie.
I think it represents ‘thriller’ because the shot is supposed to add suspense. By not being able to see the whole character you have no idea who they are, what they are doing or anything else about them. You can see the bars on the banister of the stairs, and if this shot was in a film you would pan out to reveal more of the situation. As it is, you cannot directly identify much in the frame except for the hand and the fact that it is grasping onto something in what could be anger or terror. It is because of this unknown factor that the shot creates suspense and makes the audience want to find out answers. A good thriller makes people ask questions, it makes them want to keep on watching and keeps them hooked from the beginning right until the very end.

What works/doesn’t work about your shot?
I think what works about the shot is the element of uncertainty as to where exactly the shot is set and who is in it; it creates anticipation which I think is a key thing in a thriller. I think what doesn’t work about it is perhaps you need something else in the shot, such as someone’s feet coming down the stairs because it looks a little too focused on the hand and as a still shot it doesn’t work as well as it could in a film, because that is all you can see and it doesn’t have a background story to make it obvious as to what it is.

Rear Window and Disturbia

Characters:

The main characters in Disturbia are quite contrasting in ages, there are the three teenagers (Kale, Ashley and Ronnie), then Kale's mother and the serial killer next door neighbour(Robert Turner) are much older, I would say 35+. This is similar to Rear Window whose main characters were quite varied in age, Jeff who is at home with a broken leg and his nurse Stella are middle aged, whilst Jeff's girlfriend Lisa and the ballet dancer are both younger.

In Disturbia, Kale (the protagonist) has Ashley who becomes his girlfriend during the film which is similar to Rear Window in which Jeff (the protagonist) has a girlfriend, Lisa. So there is a love interest to add to the suspense which happens during both films.

In both films the main character is spying on their next door neighbour and gets two main people involved whilst the police refuse to intervene. However in Disturbia it is Kale's best friend who is the third person whilst in Rear Window it is Jeff's nurse who joins in with the suspicions.

In both Disturbia and Rear Window it is a male protagonist, who is quite scruffy and unkept, which contrasts with their leading lady who is very glamorous and beautiful. There is also a male antagonist in both films, both antagonists are old and greying.

The victims in both films are female, although in Rear Window there is only one murder, in Disturbia there is countless bodies from the past, the antagonist in Disturbia is a serial killer whereas in Rear Window he is more of a domestic killer, he murdered his wife.

Kale and Jeff have similar behaviour, they are both determined to prove that something happened and that it isn't just them imagining things. This is apparent because when people tell them that they are just over analysing a situation, then they get more determined to show that it is real. Their original motivation for looking out of their windows and watching people is due to boredom, Jeff because he cannot move because of his leg and Kale because he had his Xbox, iTunes and other various entertainment taken away from him by his mother. However Ashley and Lisa are quite different in the films, Ashley believes Kale from the start and joins in on the spying, however Lisa tries to persuade Jeff that he is wrong and is not thinking straight and then towards the middle of the film she begins to believe him.

In Rear Window the murderer doesn't hint at the murder, in fact we don't speak to him until the end of the film. However in Disturbia the antagonist almost taunts Kale with little bits of information which could be linked to the murder. Kale hears on the radio that the woman that has been murdered was a school teacher, and he also sees the car with the dented fender in next doors garage. Then the antagonist comes over to his house because he helped Kale's mother carry her shopping, the antagonist proceeds to ask Kale why he is on house arrest, Kale replies that he 'popped his teacher' and the antagonist smiles and says 'I could have killed a few of my teachers at school....'. This invites Kale to be suspicious, the antagonist is encouraging it because he knows Kale has been watching him.

Between the films there is a distinct difference in the time they are set and so the technology involved in the murders is different. In Rear Window it seems much less planned that in Disturbia where he preserves the bodies and keeps them for his own pleasure.

Narratives:

The narrative to both films is very similar as Disturbia is based on Rear Window's plot. However there are a few differences between the films. For example the protagonist in Disturbia, Kale, is under house arrest whilst Jeff in Rear Window has broken his leg and so can't go out, however they are both stuck within their homes, which is why the start to watch people. Both of the protagonists are sure the murder took place, however their friends are slightly suspicious at start and need convincing of the idea.

Both films result in a confrontation between the protagonist and antagonist. However the films differ in the end when in Rear Window Jeff gets another cast put on both his legs so is further house bound, whilst in Disturbia Kale gets his electronic tag taken off of him.

Another difference between the films is that in Disturbia the love interest moves next door to him so it is a new interest we watch unfold, whilst in Rear Window it is an established relationship that has been set up before the film begins.

In both films gardens are involved, they are used to separate the houses/flats and act as a barrier between the antagonist and protagonist, whilst both are within their side of the barrier we know they are safe, it is when they cross this barrier and are either on the wrong side or both are on the same side that we panic. This sense of installing fear is used when somebody goes to investigate the house of the murderer, this happens in both films, however in Disturbia it is the sidekick, his best friend, and in Rear Window it is Jeff's girlfriend. In Disturbia Kale actually sets foot within the antagonist's home however in Rear Window Jeff never leaves his flat.

In both films there is a 'red herring' to distract us from the murderer, their is a party going on and our attention is focused onto that, Ashley's house party and the Musician's party. In Disturbia the police are already against Kale so don't initially believe him, because Kale punched the police officers cousin (who was his teacher), and in Rear Window Jeff's friend is a detective and gradually turns against Jeff and stops believing his version of events.

During Disturbia it takes longer to get to the murder, this may be because they wish to create an atmosphere of something wrong with suburbia, the name Disturbia is a mixture of the two words Suburbia and Disturbed. It is literally like something is disturbing the normal suburbia life of domestic and family. However in Rear Window there is already the busy hustle and bustle of city life with clutter and noise, so it is slightly less shocking because people are too busy to interfere normally with other peoples lives, they have their own things to do.

Themes:

There are some similar themes in both films such as spying, obsession, murder and crime. However Rear Window is more about isolation whilst Disturbia focuses on voyeurism, it has more technology and also a larger environment which the story takes place within. Disturbia also tends to have more comic moments than Rear Window.

Both films feature entrapment within an environment, this is because both protagonists cannot leave their homes, and they also both feature corrupt policemen and boredom as a motive for Kale and Jeff to start watching people which then leads to their suspicion in their neighbour.

In Rear Window there is a motive for the murder, the man's wife is very demanding and he simply cannot stand her any longer. This contrasts with Disturbia when the antagonist is a psychopathic killer, he kills for pleasure rather than anything else. He also preserves the bodies like tokens of his actions.

Disturbia features family relationships, Kale's fathers death and also monitors Kale's mothers trust within him. Rear Window doesn't feature this, there isn't Jeff's family as well as the police doubting him and telling to keep out of trouble.

Iconography:

There are a lot of similarities between the iconography in both films, they both feature windows and binoculars prominently. Both of the protagonists are within their own room for the majority of the film. Natural light and light from bulbs is used extensively, as a result the film is quite darkly lit. Lenses and frames are a key component of the film as this is what we see the action through a lot of the time.

However there are differences such as clothing, in Rear Window Jeff spends his whole time in his pyjamas whilst Kale, in Disturbia wears normal clothes. The setting of the film is also different, Disturbia is within a quiet suburb whilst Rear Window is set in the city.

The murders in Disturbia are a lot more graphic too, we see the woman being chased round the house and we also see dead bodies, whilst we don't ever see a human body or murder in Rear Window.

Both films use bags for the body, in Disturbia the body is dragged downstairs in a blue tarpaulin type bag, and in Rear Window the body parts are carried out in the man's briefcase. Both films also feature dead animals, in Rear Window the neighbours dog is murdered and in Disturbia a deer is hit in a roadkill and a rabbit is also caught in the protagonist's garden where he has set a trap.

Finally both the female love interests are blonde. This gives the idea of classic beauty.